We talk about writing instruments a lot, but equally important is the paper and related bits.
So tell us, what paper do you use? Do you use any cover/case for your notebook?
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For work I use a clairefontaine dotpad inside a lihit lab smart fit.
https://www.eng.lihit-lab.com/n-1647-note-book-cover/
I almost bought a lochby field journal… If the lihit gives up, may still buy one.
https://www.lochby.com/products/field-journal
In my man bag that I use outside of work I carry a rhodia #12 pocket notebook and a pocket pen (either a kaweco sport, the travellers brass, or a hongdian m2)
I like a good quality moleskin notebook in different sizes.
FP people either love or hate moleskine. Apparently it can ghost/feather a bit with wetter pens?
I will admit I don’t use a fountain pen so what do I know
Don’t stick around too long, or you may be penabled!
I’ve been trying Moleskine regularly and, based on my experience, if they work great with ballpoints they just plain suck with fps.
Last year I did the Hobonichi for my daily journaling. But I wasn’t a fan of being locked into a specific format and I was nervous carrying around months of journaling that could potentially get lost. It was a good notebook but not for me.
This year I went with a Plotter knock-off using different refills and it’s been working out really well. I can change the configuration when I feel like it, only keep the notes I need on hand, with a hole punch I can use whatever paper I want, and I can always have a bunch of blank sheets for whenever I need one.
Plotter is a new one on me. Wow those are expensive.
Ya they are expensive for what you get. That’s why I went with something like this. It’s essentially the same thing but has slightly bigger rings so you can fit more. With some dividers and an elastic closure it’s very functional. I’d say the big drawbacks are that the soft leather can make it awkward to write in on any surface that isn’t a desk as well as the rings can get in the way of your hand when writing.
Right now I’ve got a Leuchtturm1917 A5 dot grid as my Bullet Journal, a Midori MD A5 graph for my journal journal, a Top Flight A5 dot grid as my Commonplace Book, and a no-name daily planner for my work notes. The Leuchtturm has a few minor issues with ghosting if I’m not careful. The Top Flight isn’t that great for fountain pens, but it was cheap at the grocery store. I only use my fine nibs on it. I do most of my correspondence on either Tomoe River A5 or Clairefontaine A4.
I see these leuchtturm1917 journals in book shops on the UK.
They look nice, but are always priced about £25. Do you reckon it’s worth it?
I usually spent £5-10 on a basic a5 notebook with rhodia or clairefontaine paper. Maybe I’m just cheap.
TBF Rhodia and Clairefontaine (same company now) make excellent paper.
I almost exclusively buy A5 Rhodia dotpads.
Honestly, this is probably the first and last Leuchtturm I’ll buy. The Midori MDs have fewer pages than a lot of other A5 notebooks, but they are also so much cheaper.
Scraps of old envelopes from bills that were mailed to me, and the closest scribbler. Usually a bic or something
I have that pen in my collection:)
I use a pocket grid moleskin with mine.
As my bullet journal I’m using a Midori MD notebook (A5, one page a day) with a pretty calendar sheet wrapped around for looks and the “official” plastic cover for protection. It’s nice, but not for those who dislike ghosting (I don’t care though). For the next year I’m thinking of going back to leuchtturm, mostly because I will need a more calendar-like format and less space, so it doesn’t make sense to lug around nearly 400 pages. And leuchtturm is pretty solid.
As my longform journal I’m currently using a nuuna A5+ notebook barely fitting into my Galen leather notebook cover. Some inks bleed through but I really like the 3mm dotted lineature and the outer design. I used to use the galen A5 tomoe river notebooks (blank) with this cover (same purpose), but I only have one left with the original TR and felt like delaying it’s use for another year. TR is great for showing ink properties, but feels a little bit flimsy.
For work I have a B5 stalogy notebook without cover, great for dated short notes. Also TR paper.
For various personal projects (like PNP characters and notes) I tend to use Clairefontaine paper bag notebooks, as they are good, look nice but are comparatively cheap.
For random notes I use the dotted A5 spiral pad by Brunnen. Works great for notes, even shows some sheen, bleeds through for wet pens, though. Since I’m going back to university next month, I’ll probably invest in an A4 one again.
My notebook of choice is a… sketchbook: ArtCreation, from Royal Talens the Dutch brand. It’s 120 gsm smooth paper, plain, great for sketching (& even for light watercolors) and for fountain pen writing. Most often, I’ll be using the A5 size, bu the’re available in various sizes. Also, the sketchbook will stay flat when opened.
Before the ArtCreation sketchbooks, I used to use Leuchturm 1917 and Seven Seas (my favorite, but I wanted thicker paper).
I don’t use cover or case.
I also always carry a pocket A7 Clairefontaine notebook, for quick notes and stuff.
Lose leaves of paper: Clairefontaine or Rhodia which are obviously readily available here in France and work real nice with fountain pen. l will also re-use all the back of letters, envelopes, old sheet of papers (drafts), and so on.
I will cut them to size :
- A5, to fit my Filofax-like 6 rings binder.
- A6, to fit my Zettelkasten-like note-taking system as I don’t want to use Index cards: they’re too thick and waste precious storage space (plus, I like recycling old sheets of paper)
Maybe worth mentioning next to the paper, there is the ink:
- De Atramentis Document Brown, for sketching, waterproof.
- Platinum Carbon Black, for writing, waterproof.
- Pilot Kon-Peki (blue) for writing, non-waterproof or I will use the basic
- Waterman Serenity Blue, Pelikan Blue, for writing, non-waterproof.
- Plus a pen loaded with a red and one with green (both Lamy ink)
I use kokuyo campus smart ring binders filled with their sarasara paper. The paper is fountain pen friendly and the smart ring binders are like notebooks but you can reorganize the pages!
I found some cheap dot grid and full line grid keaft paper on Amazon. It works pretty well for the price.
I use a passport sized Traveler’s Company notebook, and in it, I use their dot grid refill which uses 80gsm Midori paper. I’m very happy with it. Other inserts I use are their 2024 monthly calendar, monthly free calendar, zipper case, and craft folder. I also use their passport size plastic sheet which I place under the page on which I’m writing to serve as a desk-like surface.
