I’ve been using Moleskine notebooks since around 2008 and have a stack of about 30 of them as journals. I like having the same format in a stack, so have kept buying them even though the quality has declined. Recently I found a Moleskine I was gifted in 2011, unused. The paper is wonderful and the entire notebook feels sturdier. This might be what gets me to switch…
It’s such a pain when notebooks get a downgrade! I loved the Canson One sketchbooks, the paper was nice and sturdy and could take many different mediums. Suddenly the paper got a major downgrade and got ink bleeds like crazy, ghosting, can’t take any water anymore… very disappointing
0:00 📓 Introduction to the Moleskine notebook and the speaker's journey from ballpoints to fountain pens. 0:41 🛠 Two main problems with Moleskine notebooks: durability and paper quality. 2:04 📝 Durability issues include corners breaking, spine splitting, and cover separation. 2:07 📄 Paper quality concerns include bleeding, feathering, and ink inconsistency due to fingerprints. 3:14 📔 Introduction to alternative notebooks, starting with the Midori notebook. 5:38 📒 Introduction to the Clairefontaine notebook, known for smooth paper and minimal design. 7:41 📘 Introduction to the Rhodia Web notebook, praised for durability and similar paper to Clairefontaine. 9:37 📚 Introduction to the Endless Recorder notebook, featuring "regalia" paper for vibrant ink performance. 12:19 📖 Introduction to the Leuchtturm1917 notebook, offering a similar experience to Moleskine but with better durability and paper quality.
Of the notebooks you discussed, I’ve only used Leuchturm1917 and I really like it for fountain pens. An additional feature is that the pages are numbered and there’s dedicated space at the beginning for an index/table of contents, which is ideal for a commonplace book. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
My fave two. Slightly wider and two ribbons! And the index section is really important to me. It’s messy in a Moleskine but I do sometimes use the expanded 400 page version.
The original books were a style of book rather than a specific brand, available in Paris from the late 19th century until the mid 1980s. They were pocket-sized notebooks or 'carnets', bound with leather or oilskin/oilcloth, and were sold by local stationers. These notebooks became well known because they were favoured by the likes of Van Gogh, Picasso, and Hemingway. The Moleskine name has been attributed to British writer Bruce Chatwin. In his 1987 book ‘The Songlines’ he described his Paris notebooks as “carnets Moleskines”, Moleskine referring to the black oilcloth binding. Moleskine - pronounced ‘mol-ey-skine’ - is French for moleskin (the English name for such oilcloth because of how it felt to the touch). In the mid-1990s an Italian company started to make them, using the brand name Moleskine. They were initially very good, but over time the quality has deteriorated.
"The more you know" ~ thanks for the info, heading to Paris in May and can't wait to get into some stationary stores. Do you have a brand from Paris that you prefer?
I recommend Mnemosyne notebooks. The paper is great, they lay flat, and the cover is a firm plastic. Plus, they’re half the price of most other notebooks.
I'm newer to this sort of thing, but I do have a Mnemosyne and agree. It feels so silky to write on with every pen/pencil I've tried, and I personally just really like the look of it.
Leuchttrum 1917 A5 notebooks have been my go to. I use them daily and they hold up very well. Its the right balance for daily use that still holds up to some decently juicy fountain pens. Rhodia is def my go to for the more "loose leaf" letters. Inks really pop out and its nice to just tear out a sheet from a notepad instead of dealing with reams of loose paper. Great Vid! -Luis
I haven't seen anyone mention the Stalogy 365 notebooks yet. I tried Midori MD first and appreciated the improvement but wasn't satisfied with the number of pages. As the name suggests, the Stalogy 365 has a year's worth of pages and writes smoothly with fountain pens. I've had two so far and I love it.
gotta try the Jetpens Kanso Noto notebooks, they're 20 bucks, have tomoe river S paper, and have a high page count. after trying rhodia, clairefontaine, etc. these have been the best especially in price/quality ratio
I feel that to me the paper quality of the Leuchtturm1917 is the best of the lot. It's not the smoothest; it has some tooth to it and that's deliberate. If you enjoy both fountain pens and nice dark woodcase graphite pencils like Blackwings Musgraves or Mitsubishi, I find it yeilds consistently satisfying results. Great review!
I looooooove my Rhodia and Clairfontaine. If you're interest in learning to write in a super cool formal way, Clairfontaine makes a 'French Ruled' paper that is how children used to learn to write with fountain pens in schools in France. It's fun to practice now and then, and if you're keeping an ink notebook it's a fun flourish.
Oh, I didn't realize this paper wasn't common in other countries! Yes we have to use this paper in school pretty much up to high school. The majority of us still use it as undergraduate/postgraduate student. (Fountain pen aren't mandatory but it's still pretty common here)
in asian countries, elementary kids have to learn to write by fountain pen in 'French Ruled' paper so the paper density is really good, around 100gsm. the only problem is is the size and book cover is kinda animatedly colourful
Not anymore for me. I used those orange A5s for years. Loved them. Then the paper changed. I bought 6 at a show. There was ghosting and bleed through. Not acceptable for fountain pens. It crossed my mind that maybe they were a knock off. I decided to choose something else.
Exactly. Finally somebody who speak the true. Nobody else should spend his money for moleskine when want to use fountain pen. Thanks for sharing. Hello from Slovakia
@@sherrycohen1824 Hello. That is long time ago, some things changed here. I remember good the times before 20 years 😊. I hope you enjoyed your time here, and if not, maybe it will be in Future possibility to visit again and compare it to that experience from before 20 years. What you think about the idea? Have a great time, whereever you are,by whatever you are doing now. 🤗🙏
I've been using some Paperage notebooks as I've been on a budget and got a 3 pack of them A5 size for $20. They hold up pretty well and aren't quite as nice as Leuchtturm but them being a fraction of the price, I cannot complain. I just LOVE the Midori MD, Stalogy (even though I'm not the BIGGEST fan of paper that thin), and...listen. Whatever paper Field Notes used in that yellow "Signs of Spring" was freaking amazing! It was pretty toothy, but I just loved the feedback it gave me. I would love an A5 notebook with that exact paper, but I think I looked a while ago and couldn't find anything quite like it - not a bigger notebook anyway. Great video!
I love Paperage. On big sale days on Amazon I can snag a ten pack for $39. Makes it easy to not feel too precious for using for what feels like bad writing.
Super review! I liked the Midori MD notebook so well I'm on my second, after experimenting with whatever looked good on the shelf. I have a Clairfountaine notepad, and find true what you say about the texture of the paper -- lovely, but I actually prefer a bit of "tooth" on the page when I write, and so am enjoying Midori better for the writing experience itself. I'm pretty sure the Clairfountaine does better with sheening and shimmering inks. And, yes, Tomoe River is a wonder. Hope that's still true with the corporate changes. Thank you!
Thanks for watching and commenting! Yeah, Midori and Clairefontaine are both great, but they each have a very different take on paper texture. I have some loose leaf Tomoe River, and I'm not sure if it's the old or new stuff. I'm planning to buy some of the new stuff soon to see how it compares.
I am a self confessed paper snob……mostly in the six yrs since I started using fountain pens. Since Tomoe River paper from Machine no. 7 has ended I’ve been searching for a replacement paper. I’ve tried all the ones you reviewed, and more. My overall winner…….Kunisawa. It’s beautiful and so smooth. Super high Japanese quality paper. But still nothing beats my Tomoe River paper from the old machine. I’m working through my stockpile slowly.
I agree with you on Tomoe River. Lately I have been using Hobonichi a lot. Excellent paper, but I can find them only with small grid print (3.5mm?). I would love it even more if I could find it ruled. Much thinner and "silkier" than Leuchtturm and LESS bleed and feathering. Magic.
To be far once Sanzen Paper Co, purchased the rights to Tomoe River in 2023 I found the paper is almost the same as the original machine #7 paper. Maybe just a tiny bit toothier. Maybe just. But everyone’s mileage may very. Cheers
Loved your review and I agree with all of your assessments. I am in love with the LEUCHTTURM1917 - 120G Special Edition paper too. It’s by far the best and I am not going back.
This! I tried a Moleskine last year after mostly using Leuchtturm and Hobonichi notebooks, and I hated the paper. To me it feels soft in the wrong way, pulpy. Having said that I much prefer very smooth paper which glides, and very thin Japanese style paper, that crinkles. To that end, have you tried Hobonichi or Stalogy at all?
Thanks for the great video. When you were done with no. 4 and stated to announce no. 5 I thought "Oh no! I have to tell him about Leuchtturm!" - well ... I use the Rhodia A6 a lot for on the go. I use the LT Bullet Journal and (too) many different LT notebooks; I especially like the softcover versions that will not look like crap when having them in your pockets or bags. And I enjoy the details like page numbers.
Great review! The Rhodia and Leuchtturm notebooks are brilliant. I also really like the Tomoe River notebooks because the paper was especially designed for fountain pen use.
I agree with you 100% about the Moleskines. My favorite notebooks are Rhodia, Clarefontaine, Leuchtterm 1917, Apica, and anything with Tomoe River Paper.
I thought Tamoe River had stopped making paper? Or there has been a recent change which has ruined it for fountain pens. I use Rhodia loose leaf, but for notebooks it's Leuchtturm 1917 all the way. Have just found some Rhodia notebooks for a reasonable price, but they do have far fewer pages than the Leuchtturm and the books are not so well made. In the UK it's not unusual to find Leuchtturm notebooks in TK Maxx at bargain prices, though sadly they're often lined and I only use plain paper.
A caveat regarding Rhodia and Clairefontaine paper: not all of their notebooks/pads use the same paper stock, and some is definitely very inferior. I have a Clairefontaine 90gsm notebook which has significant ghosting and bleedthrough - much more so than other lighter-weight papers, even. Tomoe River is far and away my favourite, but if you're still exploring notebooks and paper, I'd recommend trying Cosmo Air Light/Snow (which is unfortunately discontinued but some smaller brands still have stocks of notebooks) or Iroful paper; they're all 75gsm papers and show ink properties to very good effect while having much less bleedthrough and feathering than Clairefontaine/Rhodia.
Thanks for the info. That's weird! I've used four Clairefontaine notebooks and six or so Rhodia notebooks, 80 GSM and 90 GSM, and the quality has always been consistent for me. Am I just lucky? Does it just depend on the batch, or are there certain models that you find have better paper than others?
@@DowntheBreatherHole Rhodia is owned by Clairefontaine who owns forests, which would explain their paper's quality and consistency. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clairefontaine_paper_mills
I was a Moleskine user when I was still using ballpoints but I switched to the Travelers Notebook system in a big way once I started writing with fountain pens. The size can be quite the adjustment, but while I was still buying bigger books the TN refills is what I end up writing on and so I've been using the TN happily for about 5 years now and I can't be happier (especially since I really splurged on the really thin best in class paper).
When I first got into fountain pens, I was using an awful cheap notebook and immediately moved to a Leuchtturm1917. After that one I went on to and am currently using a Nanami Seven Seas Writer with Tomoe River paper and I absolutely love it.
I watched the whole video for the sound of your voice and content. Both are great! Love these points on notebooks and going to try some of these others. I was disappointed in moleskine too.😢
Has anybody tried using the exceed notebooks from Walmart? I have been thoroughly impressed with them lately. 100gsm 240 numbered pages. I haven’t tried sheening inks on them, I only use platinum carbon black and noodlers baystate blue. But I have only seen light ghosting, and I use fairly wet nibs. Great video!
I have and I love them! Took me a minute to find the right pen to go with it, but I did😊 I love that the paper is more yellowish than a blinding white…
I have used them and really like them as a very inexpensive version of Leuchterm1917. I try to get them during the back-to-school sales. For everyday use, they do the trick!
@@hindenburg2006 true yeah I had to look at it again it is yellowish. But still I was very surprised by how well it takes ink. I have tried a bunch of cheaper notebooks and the inks I use just destroys the paper. I am just too picky when it comes to inks 😁
Great review! For me, a left-handed person who enjoys writing with a fountain pen, I find the Clairfontaine sheen stops the ink from absorbing quickly ... a definite show-stopper for a left-handed person. I need to use EF nibs to make my writing work as it is. The Midori is a great notebook with wonderful paper. I do use their slip covers. The best notebook I have found for fountain pens (and yes, they are expensive, but an amazing experience) is Smythson. They have a super-thin paper that doesn't bleed, feather, or show through to the other side of this ultra-thin page. Despite the high price, you need to try this at least once in your life.
Heyo…I’m left handed also and I’ve just purchased a lamy safari left hand from Amazon. I’m new to fountain pens and when I tried disposable fountain pens the ink never flowed. Is the lamy fountain pen a good choice?
Thanks for the recommendations! Yeah, being a left-handed fountain pen user comes with a lot of challenges. Everyone has to find what works best for their needs.
I'm not left-handed, but I can say that the Lamy Safari is my favorite fountain pen. I think it's a great choice. And as far as I know, they are the only ones who make a nib specifically for left-handers.
Thank you for all the great recommendations on notebooks. I am always looking for notebooks to write in for my fountain pens .🖋️ I am an avid writer and write every day sometimes multiple times a day. I have filled up the Rhodia notebooks in one month! I just ordered a Midiori notebook to try that out and I think next I am going to try a Leuchtturm 1917. I like that those have a lot more pages so that I am not replacing my notebooks every month. Great video!! Thanks again!❤️
Yeah, you definitely have to balance nice paper with price when you go through them quickly. That's one reason why I'm starting to just buy pads of paper and bind my own notebooks.
I love using MD Midori A5 notebooks. But, I was starting a new writing project, the “Morning Pages” (Julia Cameron style) which meant using quite a few Midori A5’s. So I decided to try one of the Amazon offerings called Focus Day in a B5, larger format - wow, I found it surprisingly Fountain Pen friendly - and the cost savings is a plus. Now, after 3 months, I am more than half way thru a 360-page volume and have another blank volume on the way. It might be worth it for you to consider? As a pen/ink/f.p. test in all my volumes, I keep a page of pen-ink-combinations on the last page which gives me a place to see what will work. Btw, I still journal using the Midori A5’s concurrently. Thanks again for your review.
Cosmo has ended up my go-to notebook. Similar to Midori but I like the slight enhancement of the ink it provides. (Cosmo Note specifically, but I need to try Air and Snow as well.)
As someone who has used fountain pens and dip pens for many years, one tip is to use a cover sheet as you are writing. It has become such an integral part of my writing setup that I honestly don’t even really notice it anymore. Almost any paper will be affected by oils from fingers and hands and it always has an adverse effect on how the ink goes on the paper. On the rare occasion that I need to see the entire paper for some reason, I have an old sock that I cut a couple of holes in, one for my fingers and one for my thumb, and it keeps my skin off the paper.
A number of people have recommended this, but I'm just too lazy. haha Fortunately, I don't have fingerprint issues with Midori, Clairefontaine, Rhodia, or Leuchtturm.
I’m 75, and the use of a cover sheet, or your blotting paper to rest you hands on as you write was how I was taught as school when using a dip pen, and later on a fountain pen.
The Rhodia 90 gsm is the best I've ever found for fountain pens. The ink doesn't bleed through and dries relatively quickly. Never had a problem with fingerprints or ink not wanting to adhere to the page. It's all I've been using for a couple of years now.
Long time user of Mole. Switched from Mole to Leuchtturm years ago, despite I mostly use simple things like Parker ballpoint or Faber 9000 pencils. The paper degradation in the Moles was saddening. L also have a better cover when thrown it in the bag every morning, and does not fall apart if beaten up. Always A5 dotted :)
New subscriber here! I love all the Rhodia products that I’ve used! I love their dot journal formatted paper for organizing stuff for work. Big gel and felt tip pen user here. Great video.
Excellent video! Thank you! I've used Clairefontaine student notebooks (17 x 22cm) for decades. Bound in signatures and available in lengths up to 384 pages (bound in signatures). A good trick: write only on right-hand pages, then turn the notebook over and write on the right-hand pages! Especially good when writing when out and about and not at desk or table. (NB "caliper" is the thickness of paper which is why notebooks that look the same may have more or fewer pages.)
Want to say thank you for this video. It randomly appeared in my feed a few days after I bought a Moleskine,which I was unhappy with. Went out and found a Leuchtthurm 1917 and couldn’t be happier. Much better writing experience and I love the index and pagination. I never heard of this brand until I saw this video.
Google is funny the way they track you and show you content. I usually find that they show me relevant content after I make a purchase, rather than before. haha
rhodia does use clairefontaine paper. there are differences in format and a few other things, but the paper is made by the same company. it's wonderful paper!
Cvs Pharmacy Cvs Caliber composition , cvs filler paper, I love the filler paper for letter writing its great for teaching calligraphy or things where you need to see guidelines under the paper its just as good as tomoe river as far as bleed through and feathering go and it really shows off the sheeny dhady shimmery properties ... give it a go let me know what you think :)
Ohh I love the way you talk! Moleskine was a topic in my university script about Storytelling. This shows how much good storytelling sales even tho there are other alternatives, which might be even better. Super interesting video, thank you for sharing!
I use Molskine Cahiers for sketching/doodling. They lay flat, and the paper is smooth, and "good enough" for quick pencil sketching. They're extremely cheap, which makes them good for carrying around, and they're thin enough that you get through them before wear and tear really sets in. They're the qualities I want in a carry-around sketchbook. Having said that, I don't like the Molskine journal either. My go-to notebook for note-taking is a Monsieur Notebook. The paper's quite thick, no bleedthrough, and the book is *extremely* durable, which is good for long-term use. I don't think the paper's necessarily the nicest for fountain pens, but my Monsieurs have gone through a LOT of abuse and held up extremely well, which is important to me.
Bonjour ! Thank you for this video. I have tried all of them and currently I am for the first time with a B6 Stalogy. The paper is incredibly thin but I have no problem with my fountain pen. For people who care about animals, you must know that Leuchhturm and Moleskine are not vegan, they use animal glue. I had several Leuchhturm and mine didn’t aged very well. My best vegan options are Dingbats (the very best), Midori and now Stalogy. Bonne journée !
That’s a hit or miss. I like things that are easy to use, and an extra step and extra item I have to remember to bring with me can make me use my notebooks less
@@anitakrzeminska3637 It’s not really a hit or miss situation. You leave it in your notebook. Higher end notebooks come with them such as in the Nanami, Crossfield. And there’s no extra step when the blotter sheet is at the page where you last ended. You open the notebook and write. Pretty simple.
It's a good technique for calligraphy or other formal writing. But I like to be portable with my writing setup. Fortunately, there are plenty of good papers that don't have oil problems.
@@SharkLizardcame here to say this. Anti-smudge artists gloves are small, cheap, and easy enough to stick in a pocket or pen-case, and infinitely better than blotter paper imo
I might be an atypical fountain pen user in that I'm not into flashy ink qualities like sheen or shimmer, and I like yellow-toned paper more than bright white, absorbent surfaces more than slick ones, etc. Midori fan, obviously! I just filled my first Leuchtturm and thought it was perfect, but then I needed a new notebook and remembered seeing rave reviews for Endless. Long story short, this video would've saved my life (or $20, same difference) if only it had existed a week ago, lol. I really appreciated how you laid out the differences between each of these notebooks and their characteristics to help viewers choose based on those preferences. Meanwhile, I have a new Leuchtturm on the way to me now...
Oh darn! Sorry I wasn't in time to save you from endless disappointment (good pun, yeah?). I think sheen is fun, but I'm not really into the flashy stuff either. I generally avoid shimmer inks because I don't want to shake my pen every sentence or two.
I would love to abandon my moleskine planner but nobody else makes the layout I like except the hobonichi weeks and I hate the size of that. So I keep the ballpoint I was given as a graduation present in the 1980s with it.
@@gristlevonraben I just looked at those. Their weekly layout is the standard 2 pages per week. I prefer the weekly layout with the full week on the left page and the right page is blank for notes. That’s what the Hobonichi weeks and the Moleskine planner I use have in common. I agree that Pen and Gear paper is quite good for fountain pens. I have a couple spiral bound notebooks of their stock.
Have you looked at the planners from Sterling Ink? They offer a wide car of page fornats. As a smaller business, they tend to stock mostly for preorders, so I'm not sure whether you can see all the options on their website at this time of year.
Ok i have stacks and stacks of Moleskine. I begun with them and always bought the same. However, i hate the paper because of the fountain pen. You had convinced le to give a try to Rhodia. That is one of the reason i adore RUclips. You never know how the next video will change your way. I push the like button and subscribed
Yeah, I heard it changed. I don't actually know what I have. A couple years ago, one of my viewers sent me some A5 and A4 loose sheets that are 52 GSM. It's lovely stuff. It's crazy thin, but it works well nonetheless. I actually just bound my own notebook with some of it recently.
i love the 62 because you can use both ends and I actually just think it's nicer. W need a chemist or someone to reverse enginer it or make us nice paper like that! I miss it so much.@@DowntheBreatherHole
Moleskine is bad for everything. I use more books for drawing than writing, and the paper also fails a bit with pencils, but with ballpoint pens it is just grusome ! .. and I often use BP for sketching on the go, like Uni Jetstream.... just "impossible" with Moleskine
I second that. I am not a fan of ghosting and I dont mind writing on thicker paper. Every backside still feels "fresh" if you know what I mean? Similar to the regular Leuchtturm it also has an index and numbering and a little pocket. It even comes with stickers. I did not expect that when I bought it tbh. Such a pleasant surprise
I was so gratified to hear you mention the fingerprinting issue on the endless. In mine it's so bad I have to keep a bit of paper or an eyeglasses lense cloth between my hand and the page. I was starting to think I had some kind of skin condition!
Update! I'm giving away a luxurious Rhodia Webnotebook! It's an A5, softcover, dot grid layout with lovely 90 GSM paper. For more information, follow me on Instagram here: instagram.com/downthebreatherhole/. The giveaway is open until April 30, 2024.
The Leutchtturm1917 has been my go to for years after switching from Moleskine. The numbered pages and dotted ruling are a game changer. From a leather maker, I bought a cover that protects the notebook. Such a great product.
New update! I'm now selling my own handmade notebooks on Etsy! I only have a few left but hope to add more soon. Check them out before they're gone! Link: downthebreatherhole.etsy.com
Archer& Olive notebooks are pricy but the paper is really thick and perfect for fp's. I appreciate your reviews. I've purchased two of the Kaco pen cases, based on your review. They are just what I needed.
Moleskine is really not for fountain pens, for me the paper has a smooth leathery texture to it, which for me is lovely feeling, and sometimes I do not write with a fountain pen but I have old ballpoints and I have gel pens that work great on these. Not everyone writes with a fountain pen.
So most of your commenters are saying that Moleskine paper went down hill? Which I am new to this and got the crappier paper so to speak? And used to be much better? @@DowntheBreatherHole
Wow, you are very detail oriented, aren't you? I went back and watched the video to check on this. Yeah, it's crooked, but just barely. I have since tried to straighten it out, but no promises. haha
In the Moleskine-ish category, I’m a real fan of C. R. Gibson/ Markings journals. Very solid construction; opens -and easily stays- flat; 240 pages; three built-in bookmark ribbons; black faux leather cover; comes with a stencil ruler. A bit of personal taste: for myself I prefer their “Bulleting Log “ style; I.e. the pages are marked with a grid of dots. Of course you can get them with regular lined pages, but the dotted-grid just fits my style better, allowing me to more easily break out into sketching/drawing mode especially with the stencil-ruler. And the bast part for me, when I was looking out for a good journal in the first place is their relative inexpensiveness. That is, the ones I’ve picked up at Staples have been in the $12 or so range.
Yes! Those were my first notebooks of this type. I got my first one in 2009. I had a lot of fun with those notebooks. It's been a long time. I don't see them around much anymore.
I just started my obsession with fountain pens(and I just watched your vid of the ones you don’t like for various reasons), and I just started looking into notebooks. I bought a Midori and a cover last week and I’m excited to start writing in it. But I’m also scared to start lol! I’m 53 and I’ve never really journaled regularly and I’m a bit intimidated. I appreciate your vids and just subbed. Thanks for your in depth critiques of products.
Midori is a great choice! They are a relatively inexpensive option, which is especially nice if you feel nervous about starting. Just get in there and start writing! Make a mess if you have to! Sometimes you have to get the mess out to find the gems you are really after.
Thank you for this. Been a user of almost all of these notebooks and agree with your commentary on the ones I have, but giving me ideas on alternatives. I am a proponent of Tomoe River Paper but have used Leuchtturms basically for the first 5 years of journaling. Also been a Hobonichi user for the following 5 which is the Tomoe River paper preference for the fountain pens. However I have just recently loved and used Moleskine but now thinking of trying the ones I haven’t used yet from your video. Btw very relaxing and eloquent presentation.
I do, right!? I'd especially love to compare the old vs new Tomoe River paper on my channel. A viewer sent me some loose sheets of Tomoe River a while back, and I've been binding my own notebooks with it, which is fun. The trouble is that I don't know if I have the new paper or the old paper! Also, thank you for subscribing! I'll do my best to keep the production value as high as I can.
I love the Leuchturm notebooks, the B6+ soft cover format being my favourite. Would love to try the Midori ones - I think the minimalism invites you to customise them. To make a sleeve, or a cover, and make it yours. Very clever thinking on Midori's part!
Hey Brian! - My name is Hari and I watched your video on the recommended notebooks to try (which by the way is the most popular video on your channel, so congrats!) and it’s more than just useful! It can help me find the paper that’s best for my fountain pens without having to deal with feathering and bleeding. - I already got a Moleskine and a Leuchtturm notebooks. The paper quality on the Leuchtturm is slightly better than the Moleskine, but from my experience it still bleeds and feathers a little bit. It must have been a wet writing nib on one of my fountain pens. - I am definitely going to try the Clairefontaine Clothbound and the Midori MD at some point in the future. I already got three Endless Recorder notebooks that have Tomoe River paper instead of the Regalia which I am DESPERATE to try, but haven’t yet. They got better paper than the ones I have currently. - Thanks you so very much for the suggestions, Brian, and happy writing! - P.S. How often do you reply to comments?
This is great. Have just started my journey into fountain pens. Company gave us some free moleskin stuff and have noticed the significant bleeding when I'm writing.
I use Leuchtturm 1917. Love the paper, two ribbons, pages have numbers and instead of lines they have dots and they have also softcovers. I really like all these features ❤
for cheaper fountain pen friendly notebooks, u-style made in veitnam tend to be very good, and mine bring out sheen as well. also, Exceed newer notebooks are now fpf, and pen and gear has begun making fpf too. cool video! thank you for the information.
I picked up a Leuchtturm1917 bullet journal (version 1, I guess) some time ago but found the bleedthrough to be unpleasant for most of my fountain pens or rollerballs (uni-ball AIR) so I'm stuck using a ballpoint for that one. However, it looks like Rhodia's Goalbooks are a similar format with Clairefontaine paper (240 pages, 90gsm paper) and initial bleedthrough tests look good. One issue was the ink in disposable black Pilot V-Pens seems to separate over time, so that's perhaps one to avoid. Great video - will have to give Endless Recorder a try at some point.
Thanks! Yeah, Rhodia 90gsm paper is probably my favorite. I wish I could say the same for Endless Regalia paper, though I might have just gotten a bad batch.
So glad you mentioned Midori. They're my absolute favorite. The paper is the best I've ever found (for me personally, of course there's a lot of other good paper out there).
I don’t write a lot but when I do, I tend to use multiple inks. I’m excited for this introduction and review f other notebooks. Thank you. I also subscribed. I look forward to your other content.
I agree with all of this - Leuchtturm was my first favorite notebook when I started writing with fountain pens. They are great - and all the color choices! Right now, I am loving Apica C.D. notebooks (another Japanese notebook) that works great with fountain pens (it has paper similar to Clairefontaine as opposed to moleskine/Leuchtturm). I don't see myself moving away from them any time soon. Another notebook I like is made by Stalogy because it has smooth, thin paper (I use the A6 size and it has over 350 pages), but depending on the fountain pen and ink, you will unfortunately get bleedthrough, but they are really good notebooks for gel, rollerballs, and ballpoint pens, so they're worth a try for those who enjoy using those types of pens as well.
I have, actually! Several times. And I want to go again. It's about an hour away from where I currently live. It's where I got my first fountain pen ink, my first real fountain pen paper (Rhodia), and a wooden pen box that sits on my desk. I've actually had the thought to do a video tour of Tabula Rasa for my channel.
Thank you for the recommendations! I’m on the lookout for a new notebook at the moment. I had one Moleskine ages ago that I disliked, but after that I’ve stuck with Leuchtturm1917. They are lovely, but I would love to try something a bit different.
I've gotten a little bit of the fingerprint problem with Leuchtturm, but not badly, mostly with the 1.1mm stub nibs. Other than that, they're great. If you don't mind ghosting, just about any notebook with Tomoe River paper is also a solid choice, though fountain pens tend to take awhile to dry on that. Apica and the Kokuyo notebooks are also solid choices. The other decent choice that I've found is Artist's Loft. While it's not as good as Rhodia or Midori or the others, I've definitely found it to be way better than Moleskine for only a fraction of the cost. Their "premium" (120 gsm, 180 pages) notebook holds up decently enough to use fine tipped fountain pens and dries quickly, though there is slight ghosting with the broad nibbed pens.
I don't mind some ghosting. I've actually bound some of my own notebooks with Tomoe River paper, and I'm excited to give them a try once I'm done with my current homemade notebook, which has Rhodia paper in it.
I looooove the Midori books, can't wait to try Leuchtturm1917, and have a little bit of a love affair with Hobonichi planners because of the paper. That said, just a fun tip to keep the ribbons from unravelling (as quickly, at least). I usually trim off a frayed end, and seal it with a little bit of clear nail polish. Keeps them from unravelling, and the worst it does visually is make the end of the ribbon look a little wet, even once the nail polish is dry. :)
Leuchturm for the win, every time. Graph squares layout is my favourite, followed by the dot grid layout. I love the paper - very tactile and not glaring white.
The BBC needs to produce a new series, “The Moleskine Murders”, wherein the mystery is solved by fingerprints that show through the ink! Great Video! ❤
Your channel came up in my recommendations, had to check this out! Very interesting comments. I've been useing Moleskine for years and had noticed a change in the paper, not quite as good. I hadn't realized how inferor Moleskine has become to other brands. I have a considerable stack of unused Moleskine notebooks and they may just stay unused as I get something else to write in. Maybe it's just my not-so-great hearing and/or my computer, but I'd like to suggest increasing the volume of your audio.
Thanks for your comment. Audio has been a tough thing to figure out. I have been turning up the volume on my videos during the editing process, so hopefully that's helping. I do my best to match the volume of other popular RUclips channels.
I fully agree with your experiences with the Explorer, Ksport & Safari. Mine were exactly the same. I bought replacement nibs (EF) Jinhao 80 (aka Lami 2000 copycat) which surprisingly worked quite well without any tuning. One of my Prefontes’ caps had the same issue as the Explorer, but fortunately no other of my many Preppies have suffered from cracking issues. My Ecos too, have managed to be crackfree…so far.
Recently got a Maruman Mnemosyne: I gotta say, its pages are quite different from the Moleskine/Leuchtturm notebooks (silky smooth, thin pages) but I think they're really great for fountain pens. I started using them for a combination if illustration and journaling and I find it a completely different experience. (I used Leuchtturm 1917s)
I used to use moleskin little back pocket notebooks. I carried them on short trips. The pages just started coming out. I put it in a baggie and put in a drawer and never bought another one. Thanks for this video. I appreciated very much.
I use the 18 month horizontal weekly planner soft cover for work and notes. I use a Platinum Preppy as my daily pen and I haven’t noticed any issues. The ink looks good, it doesn’t smudge or feather, though it does bleed a bit. The paper texture is good and gives me the right amount of feedback. Maybe I’m just lucky and I got one with good paper in it. Next time I need one I’ll definitely get something with MD or Tomoe River paper.
Rhodia is my holy Grail of paper. Found them 3 or 4 years ago and love it. I use it in my padfolio, and pocket notebook. Surprisingly never plunged into this size for them. I love my leuchtturm 120g notebooks. I use them for work and every day use. Moleskine pro planners are great and keep me organized but i am using my uniball jetstream pens on those at work. If leuchtturm made something like that i would never look at moleskine again. Any recommendatuons on leather or canvas covers for notebooks and pocket books?
Thanks for your comment! Since I make my own, I'm afraid I can't recommend any notebook covers. There are a lot of options out there, but a lot of them seem really expensive to me. I prefer my homemade free option. Haha
Thanks for watching! What videos would you like to see me make next?
I’ve been using Moleskine notebooks since around 2008 and have a stack of about 30 of them as journals. I like having the same format in a stack, so have kept buying them even though the quality has declined. Recently I found a Moleskine I was gifted in 2011, unused. The paper is wonderful and the entire notebook feels sturdier. This might be what gets me to switch…
It’s such a pain when notebooks get a downgrade! I loved the Canson One sketchbooks, the paper was nice and sturdy and could take many different mediums. Suddenly the paper got a major downgrade and got ink bleeds like crazy, ghosting, can’t take any water anymore… very disappointing
0:00 📓 Introduction to the Moleskine notebook and the speaker's journey from ballpoints to fountain pens.
0:41 🛠 Two main problems with Moleskine notebooks: durability and paper quality.
2:04 📝 Durability issues include corners breaking, spine splitting, and cover separation.
2:07 📄 Paper quality concerns include bleeding, feathering, and ink inconsistency due to fingerprints.
3:14 📔 Introduction to alternative notebooks, starting with the Midori notebook.
5:38 📒 Introduction to the Clairefontaine notebook, known for smooth paper and minimal design.
7:41 📘 Introduction to the Rhodia Web notebook, praised for durability and similar paper to Clairefontaine.
9:37 📚 Introduction to the Endless Recorder notebook, featuring "regalia" paper for vibrant ink performance.
12:19 📖 Introduction to the Leuchtturm1917 notebook, offering a similar experience to Moleskine but with better durability and paper quality.
Wow, thanks for the chapters and outline. I should hire you to do that for all of my videos!
Legend
@@DowntheBreatherHoleyou're talking to an ai
Thank you 🙏
Of the notebooks you discussed, I’ve only used Leuchturm1917 and I really like it for fountain pens. An additional feature is that the pages are numbered and there’s dedicated space at the beginning for an index/table of contents, which is ideal for a commonplace book. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
My fave two. Slightly wider and two ribbons! And the index section is really important to me. It’s messy in a Moleskine but I do sometimes use the expanded 400 page version.
Yes, good features!
@@lizziebkennedy7505Those two features and the stickers to label the spin are my favorites too.
They also give you stickers to put on the spine and cover for when you are done so its not so anonymous in the bookshelf
I've recently changed to the leuchtreum with 120gsm paper and they are a dream
The original books were a style of book rather than a specific brand, available in Paris from the late 19th century until the mid 1980s. They were pocket-sized notebooks or 'carnets', bound with leather or oilskin/oilcloth, and were sold by local stationers. These notebooks became well known because they were favoured by the likes of Van Gogh, Picasso, and Hemingway.
The Moleskine name has been attributed to British writer Bruce Chatwin. In his 1987 book ‘The Songlines’ he described his Paris notebooks as “carnets Moleskines”, Moleskine referring to the black oilcloth binding. Moleskine - pronounced ‘mol-ey-skine’ - is French for moleskin (the English name for such oilcloth because of how it felt to the touch).
In the mid-1990s an Italian company started to make them, using the brand name Moleskine. They were initially very good, but over time the quality has deteriorated.
"The more you know" ~ thanks for the info, heading to Paris in May and can't wait to get into some stationary stores. Do you have a brand from Paris that you prefer?
@@aprilezell3784 Rhodia and Clairefontaine are both French and so should be widely available in Paris.
Nice write up 👍
How do you pronounce the 'skine' part of the name? Long 'i' or long 'e'? And final 'e' as an extra syllable or not?
@@jimkrieger776 skeen
My English is basic but I really like the way you speak, clearly and very nicely, I listen with pleasure :) Greetings from Poland
Greetings from the USA! My wife is part Polish. :)
I am a native English speaker and even I thought that his voice and pronunciation was particularly pleasant and enjoyable while watching
What a great way to improve your English comprehension by listening to good speakers.
Your written English is excellent.
I agree kasia...well spoken youtuber....like that as well
I recommend Mnemosyne notebooks. The paper is great, they lay flat, and the cover is a firm plastic. Plus, they’re half the price of most other notebooks.
Good recommendation. Thanks!
They are great
@DowntheBreatherHole I have one Mnemosyne as well and really like it. Comparable to Rhodia but not as shiny paper.
I'm newer to this sort of thing, but I do have a Mnemosyne and agree. It feels so silky to write on with every pen/pencil I've tried, and I personally just really like the look of it.
I have 4 of them. Yep, excellent paper. Even sketches with fountain pen are gorgeous on the paper.
Leuchttrum 1917 A5 notebooks have been my go to. I use them daily and they hold up very well. Its the right balance for daily use that still holds up to some decently juicy fountain pens.
Rhodia is def my go to for the more "loose leaf" letters. Inks really pop out and its nice to just tear out a sheet from a notepad instead of dealing with reams of loose paper.
Great Vid!
-Luis
Thanks Luis! That sounds like a great system. Leuchtturm and Rhodia are fantastic.
Not for me as it feathers quite a lot.
@@belphegor_dev Dang, you must have some juicy pens.
I haven't seen anyone mention the Stalogy 365 notebooks yet. I tried Midori MD first and appreciated the improvement but wasn't satisfied with the number of pages. As the name suggests, the Stalogy 365 has a year's worth of pages and writes smoothly with fountain pens. I've had two so far and I love it.
These are my two favorites. I bounce between them. Rodia is nice too.
Midori has editions with 365 days as well if I recall correctly.
Love stalogy , tomoe river paper is so delicious ❤
I just bought my first Stalogy. Have yet to use.
Stalogies are by far my favorite notebooks! They just dreamy to write in!
gotta try the Jetpens Kanso Noto notebooks, they're 20 bucks, have tomoe river S paper, and have a high page count. after trying rhodia, clairefontaine, etc. these have been the best especially in price/quality ratio
Very cool. Great recommendation!
I feel that to me the paper quality of the Leuchtturm1917 is the best of the lot. It's not the smoothest; it has some tooth to it and that's deliberate. If you enjoy both fountain pens and nice dark woodcase graphite pencils like Blackwings Musgraves or Mitsubishi, I find it yeilds consistently satisfying results. Great review!
Thanks! Yeah, if I were a big pencil user, Leuchtturm1917 would probably be my choice too. Good paper, good construction, lots of pages.
I am pencil lover I must try this notebook.
I looooooove my Rhodia and Clairfontaine. If you're interest in learning to write in a super cool formal way, Clairfontaine makes a 'French Ruled' paper that is how children used to learn to write with fountain pens in schools in France. It's fun to practice now and then, and if you're keeping an ink notebook it's a fun flourish.
Oh, I didn't realize this paper wasn't common in other countries! Yes we have to use this paper in school pretty much up to high school. The majority of us still use it as undergraduate/postgraduate student.
(Fountain pen aren't mandatory but it's still pretty common here)
in asian countries, elementary kids have to learn to write by fountain pen in 'French Ruled' paper so the paper density is really good, around 100gsm. the only problem is is the size and book cover is kinda animatedly colourful
Not anymore for me. I used those orange A5s for years. Loved them. Then the paper changed. I bought 6 at a show. There was ghosting and bleed through. Not acceptable for fountain pens. It crossed my mind that maybe they were a knock off. I decided to choose something else.
Sometimes rhodia takes clairfontaine paper
Exactly. Finally somebody who speak the true. Nobody else should spend his money for moleskine when want to use fountain pen. Thanks for sharing. Hello from Slovakia
Love Slovakia! I was there more than 20 years ago.
He? Does this channel only have male followers?
Hello from the USA! Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@sherrycohen1824 Hello. That is long time ago, some things changed here. I remember good the times before 20 years 😊. I hope you enjoyed your time here, and if not, maybe it will be in Future possibility to visit again and compare it to that experience from before 20 years. What you think about the idea? Have a great time, whereever you are,by whatever you are doing now. 🤗🙏
@@DowntheBreatherHole thank you for sharing 🙏🤗🍀
I've been using some Paperage notebooks as I've been on a budget and got a 3 pack of them A5 size for $20. They hold up pretty well and aren't quite as nice as Leuchtturm but them being a fraction of the price, I cannot complain. I just LOVE the Midori MD, Stalogy (even though I'm not the BIGGEST fan of paper that thin), and...listen. Whatever paper Field Notes used in that yellow "Signs of Spring" was freaking amazing! It was pretty toothy, but I just loved the feedback it gave me. I would love an A5 notebook with that exact paper, but I think I looked a while ago and couldn't find anything quite like it - not a bigger notebook anyway.
Great video!
Yes! That Signs of Spring paper is crazy cool! It has such a unique feel to it, and I love the yellow dot grid.
I love Paperage. On big sale days on Amazon I can snag a ten pack for $39. Makes it easy to not feel too precious for using for what feels like bad writing.
Strathmore Cambric 70# Ultimate White with Yellow Crocus soy based Saphira Ink
Brilliant video. As a newbie to fountain pens, but a paper-snob veteran I really love and appreciate your concise, but detailed descriptions.
Thanks! That means a lot. I appreciate your support. After getting a couple of troll comments, it was really refreshing to read yours.
Super review! I liked the Midori MD notebook so well I'm on my second, after experimenting with whatever looked good on the shelf. I have a Clairfountaine notepad, and find true what you say about the texture of the paper -- lovely, but I actually prefer a bit of "tooth" on the page when I write, and so am enjoying Midori better for the writing experience itself. I'm pretty sure the Clairfountaine does better with sheening and shimmering inks. And, yes, Tomoe River is a wonder. Hope that's still true with the corporate changes. Thank you!
Thanks for watching and commenting! Yeah, Midori and Clairefontaine are both great, but they each have a very different take on paper texture. I have some loose leaf Tomoe River, and I'm not sure if it's the old or new stuff. I'm planning to buy some of the new stuff soon to see how it compares.
I am a self confessed paper snob……mostly in the six yrs since I started using fountain pens. Since Tomoe River paper from Machine no. 7 has ended I’ve been searching for a replacement paper. I’ve tried all the ones you reviewed, and more. My overall winner…….Kunisawa. It’s beautiful and so smooth. Super high Japanese quality paper.
But still nothing beats my Tomoe River paper from the old machine. I’m working through my stockpile slowly.
Nice! Thanks for that recommendation!
I agree with you on Tomoe River. Lately I have been using Hobonichi a lot. Excellent paper, but I can find them only with small grid print (3.5mm?). I would love it even more if I could find it ruled. Much thinner and "silkier" than Leuchtturm and LESS bleed and feathering. Magic.
@@Bushviking You'd love Nanami Seven Seas A5 notebooks. They are Tomoe River with 5mm dot grid or 7mm lines.
@@DowntheBreatherHole😊
To be far once Sanzen Paper Co, purchased the rights to Tomoe River in 2023 I found the paper is almost the same as the original machine #7 paper. Maybe just a tiny bit toothier. Maybe just. But everyone’s mileage may very. Cheers
Loved your review and I agree with all of your assessments. I am in love with the LEUCHTTURM1917 - 120G Special Edition paper too. It’s by far the best and I am not going back.
I haven't tried the 120 GSM paper yet. I should!
This! I tried a Moleskine last year after mostly using Leuchtturm and Hobonichi notebooks, and I hated the paper. To me it feels soft in the wrong way, pulpy. Having said that I much prefer very smooth paper which glides, and very thin Japanese style paper, that crinkles.
To that end, have you tried Hobonichi or Stalogy at all?
No, but based on everyone's recommendations, it sounds like I need to! Thanks!
You sir are speaking my language. I have piles of Rhodia, Midori, and Tomoe River but you are definitely convincing me that I need more!
haha Maybe you need to go watch this video: ruclips.net/video/F82SO0c14Xk/видео.htmlsi=g6TQVDzXgAtEjpN9
How did I not find your channel sooner? This was an amazing review. It was thoughtful and actually relevant to my life! Please upload more.
I'm glad you found me! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the great video. When you were done with no. 4 and stated to announce no. 5 I thought "Oh no! I have to tell him about Leuchtturm!" - well ...
I use the Rhodia A6 a lot for on the go. I use the LT Bullet Journal and (too) many different LT notebooks; I especially like the softcover versions that will not look like crap when having them in your pockets or bags. And I enjoy the details like page numbers.
I have a softcover Leuchtturm that I haven't used yet. I'm looking forward to that one!
Great review! The Rhodia and Leuchtturm notebooks are brilliant. I also really like the Tomoe River notebooks because the paper was especially designed for fountain pen use.
Thanks for watching!
I agree with you 100% about the Moleskines. My favorite notebooks are Rhodia, Clarefontaine, Leuchtterm 1917, Apica, and anything with Tomoe River Paper.
I haven't tried Apica, but I've heard good things!
I thought Tamoe River had stopped making paper? Or there has been a recent change which has ruined it for fountain pens.
I use Rhodia loose leaf, but for notebooks it's Leuchtturm 1917 all the way. Have just found some Rhodia notebooks for a reasonable price, but they do have far fewer pages than the Leuchtturm and the books are not so well made.
In the UK it's not unusual to find Leuchtturm notebooks in TK Maxx at bargain prices, though sadly they're often lined and I only use plain paper.
@@cliveadams7629 There's something very close to it. I forgot the name of it, but it's in this year's Hobonichi planners. I like it very much.
A caveat regarding Rhodia and Clairefontaine paper: not all of their notebooks/pads use the same paper stock, and some is definitely very inferior. I have a Clairefontaine 90gsm notebook which has significant ghosting and bleedthrough - much more so than other lighter-weight papers, even.
Tomoe River is far and away my favourite, but if you're still exploring notebooks and paper, I'd recommend trying Cosmo Air Light/Snow (which is unfortunately discontinued but some smaller brands still have stocks of notebooks) or Iroful paper; they're all 75gsm papers and show ink properties to very good effect while having much less bleedthrough and feathering than Clairefontaine/Rhodia.
Thanks for the info. That's weird! I've used four Clairefontaine notebooks and six or so Rhodia notebooks, 80 GSM and 90 GSM, and the quality has always been consistent for me. Am I just lucky? Does it just depend on the batch, or are there certain models that you find have better paper than others?
@@DowntheBreatherHole Rhodia is owned by Clairefontaine who owns forests, which would explain their paper's quality and consistency. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clairefontaine_paper_mills
I was a Moleskine user when I was still using ballpoints but I switched to the Travelers Notebook system in a big way once I started writing with fountain pens. The size can be quite the adjustment, but while I was still buying bigger books the TN refills is what I end up writing on and so I've been using the TN happily for about 5 years now and I can't be happier (especially since I really splurged on the really thin best in class paper).
Great info! I love my Jumping Fox notebooks -- A5 , dotted lines, quality paper which accepts the Uniball micro 0.5 pens very nicely.
Thanks for the recommendation!
When I first got into fountain pens, I was using an awful cheap notebook and immediately moved to a Leuchtturm1917. After that one I went on to and am currently using a Nanami Seven Seas Writer with Tomoe River paper and I absolutely love it.
Very cool.
Completely agree with your thoughts here, but would also recommend Stalogy in this space. Especially some of their smaller format landscape formats.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I watched the whole video for the sound of your voice and content. Both are great! Love these points on notebooks and going to try some of these others. I was disappointed in moleskine too.😢
Why thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Let me know what you think of the other notebooks you try!
I love LT1917 with my Lamy and TWSBI and I love Stalogy with my Sailor and TWSBI .
I'll have to look into Stalogy. Thanks!
Has anybody tried using the exceed notebooks from Walmart? I have been thoroughly impressed with them lately. 100gsm 240 numbered pages. I haven’t tried sheening inks on them, I only use platinum carbon black and noodlers baystate blue. But I have only seen light ghosting, and I use fairly wet nibs. Great video!
Those notebooks are surprising !!!
I have and I love them! Took me a minute to find the right pen to go with it, but I did😊 I love that the paper is more yellowish than a blinding white…
Decent notebook
I have used them and really like them as a very inexpensive version of Leuchterm1917. I try to get them during the back-to-school sales. For everyday use, they do the trick!
@@hindenburg2006 true yeah I had to look at it again it is yellowish. But still I was very surprised by how well it takes ink. I have tried a bunch of cheaper notebooks and the inks I use just destroys the paper. I am just too picky when it comes to inks 😁
Great review! For me, a left-handed person who enjoys writing with a fountain pen, I find the Clairfontaine sheen stops the ink from absorbing quickly ... a definite show-stopper for a left-handed person. I need to use EF nibs to make my writing work as it is. The Midori is a great notebook with wonderful paper. I do use their slip covers. The best notebook I have found for fountain pens (and yes, they are expensive, but an amazing experience) is Smythson. They have a super-thin paper that doesn't bleed, feather, or show through to the other side of this ultra-thin page. Despite the high price, you need to try this at least once in your life.
Heyo…I’m left handed also and I’ve just purchased a lamy safari left hand from Amazon. I’m new to fountain pens and when I tried disposable fountain pens the ink never flowed. Is the lamy fountain pen a good choice?
Thanks for the recommendations! Yeah, being a left-handed fountain pen user comes with a lot of challenges. Everyone has to find what works best for their needs.
I'm not left-handed, but I can say that the Lamy Safari is my favorite fountain pen. I think it's a great choice. And as far as I know, they are the only ones who make a nib specifically for left-handers.
Thank you for all the great recommendations on notebooks. I am always looking for notebooks to write in for my fountain pens .🖋️ I am an avid writer and write every day sometimes multiple times a day. I have filled up the Rhodia notebooks in one month! I just ordered a Midiori notebook to try that out and I think next I am going to try a Leuchtturm 1917. I like that those have a lot more pages so that I am not replacing my notebooks every month. Great video!! Thanks again!❤️
Yeah, you definitely have to balance nice paper with price when you go through them quickly. That's one reason why I'm starting to just buy pads of paper and bind my own notebooks.
I love using MD Midori A5 notebooks. But, I was starting a new writing project, the “Morning Pages” (Julia Cameron style) which meant using quite a few Midori A5’s. So I decided to try one of the Amazon offerings called Focus Day in a B5, larger format - wow, I found it surprisingly Fountain Pen friendly - and the cost savings is a plus. Now, after 3 months, I am more than half way thru a 360-page volume and have another blank volume on the way. It might be worth it for you to consider? As a pen/ink/f.p. test in all my volumes, I keep a page of pen-ink-combinations on the last page which gives me a place to see what will work. Btw, I still journal using the Midori A5’s concurrently. Thanks again for your review.
Good recommendation, thanks! It's surprising how good some cheap papers can be for fountain pens.
Cosmo has ended up my go-to notebook. Similar to Midori but I like the slight enhancement of the ink it provides. (Cosmo Note specifically, but I need to try Air and Snow as well.)
Thanks for the recommendation!
As someone who has used fountain pens and dip pens for many years, one tip is to use a cover sheet as you are writing. It has become such an integral part of my writing setup that I honestly don’t even really notice it anymore. Almost any paper will be affected by oils from fingers and hands and it always has an adverse effect on how the ink goes on the paper. On the rare occasion that I need to see the entire paper for some reason, I have an old sock that I cut a couple of holes in, one for my fingers and one for my thumb, and it keeps my skin off the paper.
A number of people have recommended this, but I'm just too lazy. haha Fortunately, I don't have fingerprint issues with Midori, Clairefontaine, Rhodia, or Leuchtturm.
I’m 75, and the use of a cover sheet, or your blotting paper to rest you hands on as you write was how I was taught as school when using a dip pen, and later on a fountain pen.
Finding high quality paper that suits pen and ink use is very hard.
Rhoda was bought by Clairfontaine in 1997.
The Rhodia 90 gsm is the best I've ever found for fountain pens. The ink doesn't bleed through and dries relatively quickly. Never had a problem with fingerprints or ink not wanting to adhere to the page. It's all I've been using for a couple of years now.
Rhodia is a great choice!
Long time user of Mole. Switched from Mole to Leuchtturm years ago, despite I mostly use simple things like Parker ballpoint or Faber 9000 pencils. The paper degradation in the Moles was saddening. L also have a better cover when thrown it in the bag every morning, and does not fall apart if beaten up. Always A5 dotted :)
New subscriber here! I love all the Rhodia products that I’ve used! I love their dot journal formatted paper for organizing stuff for work. Big gel and felt tip pen user here. Great video.
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
Excellent video! Thank you! I've used Clairefontaine student notebooks (17 x 22cm) for decades. Bound in signatures and available in lengths up to 384 pages (bound in signatures). A good trick: write only on right-hand pages, then turn the notebook over and write on the right-hand pages! Especially good when writing when out and about and not at desk or table. (NB "caliper" is the thickness of paper which is why notebooks that look the same may have more or fewer pages.)
That is an interesting tip! Personally, I think it would drive me crazy, but I can see why it might come in handy.
Want to say thank you for this video. It randomly appeared in my feed a few days after I bought a Moleskine,which I was unhappy with. Went out and found a Leuchtthurm 1917 and couldn’t be happier. Much better writing experience and I love the index and pagination. I never heard of this brand until I saw this video.
Google is funny the way they track you and show you content. I usually find that they show me relevant content after I make a purchase, rather than before. haha
rhodia does use clairefontaine paper. there are differences in format and a few other things, but the paper is made by the same company. it's wonderful paper!
Yes! I love it!
I'm new to your channel and glad to have found you! These are some great recommendations. My favorite notebook at the moment to use are Dingbats!
Thanks for watching and for that recommendation!
Cvs Pharmacy Cvs Caliber composition , cvs filler paper, I love the filler paper for letter writing its great for teaching calligraphy or things where you need to see guidelines under the paper its just as good as tomoe river as far as bleed through and feathering go and it really shows off the sheeny dhady shimmery properties ... give it a go let me know what you think :)
Thanks for the recommendation!
Ohh I love the way you talk!
Moleskine was a topic in my university script about Storytelling. This shows how much good storytelling sales even tho there are other alternatives, which might be even better.
Super interesting video, thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching! Moleskine does have very strong marketing on their side. If only the construction and paper quality could match their marketing.
I used the Endless Recorder notebooks and it is brilliant for fountain pens.
Have you had any of the troubles with the Endless Recorder that I mentioned in this video?
I really like the Lochby notebooks (and the field journal, too). Great paper quality!
Thanks for the recommendation!
I use Molskine Cahiers for sketching/doodling. They lay flat, and the paper is smooth, and "good enough" for quick pencil sketching. They're extremely cheap, which makes them good for carrying around, and they're thin enough that you get through them before wear and tear really sets in. They're the qualities I want in a carry-around sketchbook.
Having said that, I don't like the Molskine journal either. My go-to notebook for note-taking is a Monsieur Notebook. The paper's quite thick, no bleedthrough, and the book is *extremely* durable, which is good for long-term use. I don't think the paper's necessarily the nicest for fountain pens, but my Monsieurs have gone through a LOT of abuse and held up extremely well, which is important to me.
Good recommendation. Thanks!
Bonjour ! Thank you for this video. I have tried all of them and currently I am for the first time with a B6 Stalogy. The paper is incredibly thin but I have no problem with my fountain pen.
For people who care about animals, you must know that Leuchhturm and Moleskine are not vegan, they use animal glue. I had several Leuchhturm and mine didn’t aged very well. My best vegan options are Dingbats (the very best), Midori and now Stalogy. Bonne journée !
The vegan question didn't even cross my mind! Thanks for that helpful information!
Use a blotter sheet under your hand when writing, so you don't get oils from your hand on the paper.
That’s a hit or miss. I like things that are easy to use, and an extra step and extra item I have to remember to bring with me can make me use my notebooks less
@@anitakrzeminska3637 It’s not really a hit or miss situation. You leave it in your notebook. Higher end notebooks come with them such as in the Nanami, Crossfield. And there’s no extra step when the blotter sheet is at the page where you last ended. You open the notebook and write. Pretty simple.
I have an artist glove that covers my palm and two back fingers
It's a good technique for calligraphy or other formal writing. But I like to be portable with my writing setup. Fortunately, there are plenty of good papers that don't have oil problems.
@@SharkLizardcame here to say this. Anti-smudge artists gloves are small, cheap, and easy enough to stick in a pocket or pen-case, and infinitely better than blotter paper imo
I might be an atypical fountain pen user in that I'm not into flashy ink qualities like sheen or shimmer, and I like yellow-toned paper more than bright white, absorbent surfaces more than slick ones, etc. Midori fan, obviously! I just filled my first Leuchtturm and thought it was perfect, but then I needed a new notebook and remembered seeing rave reviews for Endless. Long story short, this video would've saved my life (or $20, same difference) if only it had existed a week ago, lol. I really appreciated how you laid out the differences between each of these notebooks and their characteristics to help viewers choose based on those preferences. Meanwhile, I have a new Leuchtturm on the way to me now...
Oh darn! Sorry I wasn't in time to save you from endless disappointment (good pun, yeah?). I think sheen is fun, but I'm not really into the flashy stuff either. I generally avoid shimmer inks because I don't want to shake my pen every sentence or two.
Good lord I've been hunting for this kind of notebooks review/comparison for ages. Luckily I found this video, absolute Godsend, thanks man.
Glad you found me! Thanks for watching!
I would love to abandon my moleskine planner but nobody else makes the layout I like except the hobonichi weeks and I hate the size of that. So I keep the ballpoint I was given as a graduation present in the 1980s with it.
try pen and gear
@@gristlevonraben I just looked at those. Their weekly layout is the standard 2 pages per week. I prefer the weekly layout with the full week on the left page and the right page is blank for notes. That’s what the Hobonichi weeks and the Moleskine planner I use have in common. I agree that Pen and Gear paper is quite good for fountain pens. I have a couple spiral bound notebooks of their stock.
Have you looked at the planners from Sterling Ink? They offer a wide car of page fornats. As a smaller business, they tend to stock mostly for preorders, so I'm not sure whether you can see all the options on their website at this time of year.
That's a tough one! I use Leuchtturm planners largely because I love the layout. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't like the paper.
Ok i have stacks and stacks of Moleskine. I begun with them and always bought the same. However, i hate the paper because of the fountain pen. You had convinced le to give a try to Rhodia. That is one of the reason i adore RUclips. You never know how the next video will change your way. I push the like button and subscribed
Nothing will replalce tomoe river for me, specially the old 68 :( the new ones are sadly not good IMO!
at least cosmo air light has some stock around!
Yeah, I heard it changed. I don't actually know what I have. A couple years ago, one of my viewers sent me some A5 and A4 loose sheets that are 52 GSM. It's lovely stuff. It's crazy thin, but it works well nonetheless. I actually just bound my own notebook with some of it recently.
i love the 62 because you can use both ends and I actually just think it's nicer. W need a chemist or someone to reverse enginer it or make us nice paper like that! I miss it so much.@@DowntheBreatherHole
Why is Moleskin considered a premium notepad, the paper is horrible for fountain pens.
It used to be very good. The current company making them relies on that reputation despite their notebooks being inferior.
Moleskine is bad for everything. I use more books for drawing than writing, and the paper also fails a bit with pencils, but with ballpoint pens it is just grusome ! .. and I often use BP for sketching on the go, like Uni Jetstream.... just "impossible" with Moleskine
I discovered Hobonichi with Tomoe River Paper last year and I'm now addicted to it.
Try Leuchtturm Bullet Journal - it's 120g/m2 :v Nothing shows :v
I second that. I am not a fan of ghosting and I dont mind writing on thicker paper. Every backside still feels "fresh" if you know what I mean? Similar to the regular Leuchtturm it also has an index and numbering and a little pocket. It even comes with stickers. I did not expect that when I bought it tbh. Such a pleasant surprise
I was so gratified to hear you mention the fingerprinting issue on the endless. In mine it's so bad I have to keep a bit of paper or an eyeglasses lense cloth between my hand and the page. I was starting to think I had some kind of skin condition!
Yeah! I'm glad I'm not the only one. Most reviewers say nothing but good about Endless paper. For me it was frustrating.
Update! I'm giving away a luxurious Rhodia Webnotebook! It's an A5, softcover, dot grid layout with lovely 90 GSM paper. For more information, follow me on Instagram here: instagram.com/downthebreatherhole/. The giveaway is open until April 30, 2024.
Did I miss the giveaway??
Nope! It will start sometime at the beginning of April. @@Billybillybillyrocking
@@Billybillybillyrockingnope! It goes until April 30th!
The Leutchtturm1917 has been my go to for years after switching from Moleskine. The numbered pages and dotted ruling are a game changer. From a leather maker, I bought a cover that protects the notebook. Such a great product.
A leather slip cover + Leutchtturm1917 notebook sounds amazing!
New update! I'm now selling my own handmade notebooks on Etsy! I only have a few left but hope to add more soon. Check them out before they're gone! Link: downthebreatherhole.etsy.com
Didn't find any notebooks ? Will there be more soon?
@@bevanctulk3877 yes, sorry! My shop is completely sold out. I'll have a few more on their soon, but I anticipate them going quickly.
Archer& Olive notebooks are pricy but the paper is really thick and perfect for fp's. I appreciate your reviews. I've purchased two of the Kaco pen cases, based on your review. They are just what I needed.
Awesome! Glad you like those cases!
Moleskine is really not for fountain pens, for me the paper has a smooth leathery texture to it, which for me is lovely feeling, and sometimes I do not write with a fountain pen but I have old ballpoints and I have gel pens that work great on these. Not everyone writes with a fountain pen.
I get that. This video is mainly targeted at fountain pen users though.
So most of your commenters are saying that Moleskine paper went down hill?
Which I am new to this and got the crappier paper so to speak? And used to be much better? @@DowntheBreatherHole
@@tbayless8324 that's what I've heard, but I don't have personal experience with the older Moleskine notebooks.
@@DowntheBreatherHole I don't either. And I am just hearing this, interesting!
Excellent video, thank you ! I had some fingerprints issue (not too many) with the Leuchtturm, but apart from that, they are very good indeed !
Thank you for the comprehensive review.
Ps your lampshade is tilted and it's killing me 😂
Wow, you are very detail oriented, aren't you? I went back and watched the video to check on this. Yeah, it's crooked, but just barely. I have since tried to straighten it out, but no promises. haha
In the Moleskine-ish category, I’m a real fan of C. R. Gibson/ Markings journals.
Very solid construction; opens -and easily stays- flat; 240 pages; three built-in bookmark ribbons; black faux leather cover; comes with a stencil ruler.
A bit of personal taste: for myself I prefer their “Bulleting Log “ style; I.e. the pages are marked with a grid of dots. Of course you can get them with regular lined pages, but the dotted-grid just fits my style better, allowing me to more easily break out into sketching/drawing mode especially with the stencil-ruler.
And the bast part for me, when I was looking out for a good journal in the first place is their relative inexpensiveness. That is, the ones I’ve picked up at Staples have been in the $12 or so range.
Yes! Those were my first notebooks of this type. I got my first one in 2009. I had a lot of fun with those notebooks. It's been a long time. I don't see them around much anymore.
I just started my obsession with fountain pens(and I just watched your vid of the ones you don’t like for various reasons), and I just started looking into notebooks. I bought a Midori and a cover last week and I’m excited to start writing in it. But I’m also scared to start lol! I’m 53 and I’ve never really journaled regularly and I’m a bit intimidated. I appreciate your vids and just subbed. Thanks for your in depth critiques of products.
Midori is a great choice! They are a relatively inexpensive option, which is especially nice if you feel nervous about starting. Just get in there and start writing! Make a mess if you have to! Sometimes you have to get the mess out to find the gems you are really after.
Thank you for this. Been a user of almost all of these notebooks and agree with your commentary on the ones I have, but giving me ideas on alternatives. I am a proponent of Tomoe River Paper but have used Leuchtturms basically for the first 5 years of journaling. Also been a Hobonichi user for the following 5 which is the Tomoe River paper preference for the fountain pens. However I have just recently loved and used Moleskine but now thinking of trying the ones I haven’t used yet from your video. Btw very relaxing and eloquent presentation.
Nice delivery and content. You have a new subscriber. Now you really do have to get some Tomoe River notebooks reviewed....
I do, right!? I'd especially love to compare the old vs new Tomoe River paper on my channel. A viewer sent me some loose sheets of Tomoe River a while back, and I've been binding my own notebooks with it, which is fun. The trouble is that I don't know if I have the new paper or the old paper! Also, thank you for subscribing! I'll do my best to keep the production value as high as I can.
I've also defected away from Moleskine in recent years for all the reasons you mentioned! Good old RUclips algorithm got you a new subscriber ^-^
Thank you so much for subscribing!
I love the Leuchturm notebooks, the B6+ soft cover format being my favourite. Would love to try the Midori ones - I think the minimalism invites you to customise them. To make a sleeve, or a cover, and make it yours. Very clever thinking on Midori's part!
Yeah, Midori is pretty nice!
Hey Brian!
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My name is Hari and I watched your video on the recommended notebooks to try (which by the way is the most popular video on your channel, so congrats!) and it’s more than just useful! It can help me find the paper that’s best for my fountain pens without having to deal with feathering and bleeding.
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I already got a Moleskine and a Leuchtturm notebooks. The paper quality on the Leuchtturm is slightly better than the Moleskine, but from my experience it still bleeds and feathers a little bit. It must have been a wet writing nib on one of my fountain pens.
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I am definitely going to try the Clairefontaine Clothbound and the Midori MD at some point in the future. I already got three Endless Recorder notebooks that have Tomoe River paper instead of the Regalia which I am DESPERATE to try, but haven’t yet. They got better paper than the ones I have currently.
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Thanks you so very much for the suggestions, Brian, and happy writing!
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P.S. How often do you reply to comments?
Thanks for watching and commenting! I respond as often as I can! Usually that's to all comments, though I do miss some here and there.
This is great. Have just started my journey into fountain pens. Company gave us some free moleskin stuff and have noticed the significant bleeding when I'm writing.
Yeah, I think you will like these other options more.
I use Leuchtturm 1917. Love the paper, two ribbons, pages have numbers and instead of lines they have dots and they have also softcovers. I really like all these features ❤
for cheaper fountain pen friendly notebooks, u-style made in veitnam tend to be very good, and mine bring out sheen as well. also, Exceed newer notebooks are now fpf, and pen and gear has begun making fpf too. cool video! thank you for the information.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I picked up a Leuchtturm1917 bullet journal (version 1, I guess) some time ago but found the bleedthrough to be unpleasant for most of my fountain pens or rollerballs (uni-ball AIR) so I'm stuck using a ballpoint for that one. However, it looks like Rhodia's Goalbooks are a similar format with Clairefontaine paper (240 pages, 90gsm paper) and initial bleedthrough tests look good. One issue was the ink in disposable black Pilot V-Pens seems to separate over time, so that's perhaps one to avoid. Great video - will have to give Endless Recorder a try at some point.
Thanks! Yeah, Rhodia 90gsm paper is probably my favorite. I wish I could say the same for Endless Regalia paper, though I might have just gotten a bad batch.
So glad you mentioned Midori. They're my absolute favorite. The paper is the best I've ever found (for me personally, of course there's a lot of other good paper out there).
Midori is great! It's not my number one favorite paper, but it's probably in my top two or three.
I don’t write a lot but when I do, I tend to use multiple inks. I’m excited for this introduction and review f other notebooks. Thank you. I also subscribed. I look forward to your other content.
Thanks for watching and subscribing! I greatly appreciate it!
I agree with all of this - Leuchtturm was my first favorite notebook when I started writing with fountain pens. They are great - and all the color choices! Right now, I am loving Apica C.D. notebooks (another Japanese notebook) that works great with fountain pens (it has paper similar to Clairefontaine as opposed to moleskine/Leuchtturm). I don't see myself moving away from them any time soon. Another notebook I like is made by Stalogy because it has smooth, thin paper (I use the A6 size and it has over 350 pages), but depending on the fountain pen and ink, you will unfortunately get bleedthrough, but they are really good notebooks for gel, rollerballs, and ballpoint pens, so they're worth a try for those who enjoy using those types of pens as well.
I need to try Apica still!
Hi! Thanks for a really informative video! Hey, have you ever been to Tabula Rasa stationers in the greater Salt Lake City area?
I have, actually! Several times. And I want to go again. It's about an hour away from where I currently live. It's where I got my first fountain pen ink, my first real fountain pen paper (Rhodia), and a wooden pen box that sits on my desk. I've actually had the thought to do a video tour of Tabula Rasa for my channel.
I live in Utah and have always ❤ Tabula Rasa as well! A tour would be a great video!
Thank you for the recommendations! I’m on the lookout for a new notebook at the moment. I had one Moleskine ages ago that I disliked, but after that I’ve stuck with Leuchtturm1917. They are lovely, but I would love to try something a bit different.
Awesome! I hope you discover something you love.
I've gotten a little bit of the fingerprint problem with Leuchtturm, but not badly, mostly with the 1.1mm stub nibs. Other than that, they're great. If you don't mind ghosting, just about any notebook with Tomoe River paper is also a solid choice, though fountain pens tend to take awhile to dry on that. Apica and the Kokuyo notebooks are also solid choices.
The other decent choice that I've found is Artist's Loft. While it's not as good as Rhodia or Midori or the others, I've definitely found it to be way better than Moleskine for only a fraction of the cost. Their "premium" (120 gsm, 180 pages) notebook holds up decently enough to use fine tipped fountain pens and dries quickly, though there is slight ghosting with the broad nibbed pens.
I don't mind some ghosting. I've actually bound some of my own notebooks with Tomoe River paper, and I'm excited to give them a try once I'm done with my current homemade notebook, which has Rhodia paper in it.
I enjoy paper comparisons. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
I looooove the Midori books, can't wait to try Leuchtturm1917, and have a little bit of a love affair with Hobonichi planners because of the paper.
That said, just a fun tip to keep the ribbons from unravelling (as quickly, at least). I usually trim off a frayed end, and seal it with a little bit of clear nail polish. Keeps them from unravelling, and the worst it does visually is make the end of the ribbon look a little wet, even once the nail polish is dry. :)
Good tip! Thanks!
Leuchturm for the win, every time. Graph squares layout is my favourite, followed by the dot grid layout. I love the paper - very tactile and not glaring white.
Leuchtturm1917 is great!
The BBC needs to produce a new series, “The Moleskine Murders”, wherein the mystery is solved by fingerprints that show through the ink! Great Video! ❤
hahahaha
Your channel came up in my recommendations, had to check this out! Very interesting comments. I've been useing Moleskine for years and had noticed a change in the paper, not quite as good. I hadn't realized how inferor Moleskine has become to other brands. I have a considerable stack of unused Moleskine notebooks and they may just stay unused as I get something else to write in.
Maybe it's just my not-so-great hearing and/or my computer, but I'd like to suggest increasing the volume of your audio.
Thanks for your comment. Audio has been a tough thing to figure out. I have been turning up the volume on my videos during the editing process, so hopefully that's helping. I do my best to match the volume of other popular RUclips channels.
Your channel grows fast. 2000 subscribers when I started the video. Now 2030 after a meal break.
👍
I know, right? My last two videos have really blown up. Hopefully that keeps up!
@@DowntheBreatherHole yep 🍀
I fully agree with your experiences with the Explorer, Ksport & Safari. Mine were exactly the same. I bought replacement nibs (EF) Jinhao 80 (aka Lami 2000 copycat) which surprisingly worked quite well without any tuning. One of my Prefontes’ caps had the same issue as the Explorer, but fortunately no other of my many Preppies have suffered from cracking issues. My Ecos too, have managed to be crackfree…so far.
I use a Baron Fig notebook and I love them. They work beautifully with fountain pens.
Baron Fig is good! I used one years ago.
Recently got a Maruman Mnemosyne: I gotta say, its pages are quite different from the Moleskine/Leuchtturm notebooks (silky smooth, thin pages) but I think they're really great for fountain pens. I started using them for a combination if illustration and journaling and I find it a completely different experience. (I used Leuchtturm 1917s)
I've heard good things about Maruman Mnemosyne. I'll have to give them a try one of these days.
I used to use moleskin little back pocket notebooks. I carried them on short trips. The pages just started coming out. I put it in a baggie and put in a drawer and never bought another one. Thanks for this video. I appreciated very much.
Thanks for watching!
I'd suggest looking into the Apica notebooks (they come in pocket size)!
Thank you! Now, a review of fountain pens and inks would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks! Any fountain pens or inks in particular? I've reviewed quite a few.
I use the 18 month horizontal weekly planner soft cover for work and notes. I use a Platinum Preppy as my daily pen and I haven’t noticed any issues. The ink looks good, it doesn’t smudge or feather, though it does bleed a bit. The paper texture is good and gives me the right amount of feedback. Maybe I’m just lucky and I got one with good paper in it.
Next time I need one I’ll definitely get something with MD or Tomoe River paper.
New to your channel. Excellent review. Pleasant presentation. Thank you!
Thanks for watching! I hope you'll stick around!
A pretty expensive option that I love is Archer & Olive. Super thick paper, high quality covers, two bookmarks. I love them.
Rhodia is my holy Grail of paper. Found them 3 or 4 years ago and love it. I use it in my padfolio, and pocket notebook. Surprisingly never plunged into this size for them. I love my leuchtturm 120g notebooks. I use them for work and every day use.
Moleskine pro planners are great and keep me organized but i am using my uniball jetstream pens on those at work. If leuchtturm made something like that i would never look at moleskine again.
Any recommendatuons on leather or canvas covers for notebooks and pocket books?
Thanks for your comment! Since I make my own, I'm afraid I can't recommend any notebook covers. There are a lot of options out there, but a lot of them seem really expensive to me. I prefer my homemade free option. Haha
Your comment about regalia and skin oil, it was something I realized after using it for a couple of pages. It loves soaking up oil!
Yeah, it's a problem for me...