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Does anyone own or has anyone owned these hole punchers. I just bought the Staples Arc punch. I have heard that the Levenger Circa punch punches a bigger hole, so it is easier to turn the pages when installed. Is it true that it punches a bigger hole than the Staples brand Arc puncher, or is the hole the same size? Price is not an issue. I will get whichever one functions better. Will the Levenger last a long time, or is it just an expensive piece of junk? With the Levenger Circa Leverage punch, I estimate I can fit about 10 pages to punch at once (I will use 32 lb bond / 120 gsm). With the Staples Arc punch, I can only fit about 7 pages to punch at once, and most of the pages have come out slanted. I may have gotten a defective one. The slanted-ness may have been affecting the ease of page-turning and making it tougher, maybe even more so than the small holes. Should I be exchanging or returning?

This is just a quick assessment based on only having the notebook a few days. I purchased a Tul leather notebook from Office Depot after being disappointed with a low-end Levenger (Sliver) notebook that was more expensive (too flimsy). I checked ahead of time and the spacing on the discs was the same so I can use my Levenger punch when needed. The paper feels, to the touch, like it would be cheap and rough and tend to bleed but it is not and it does not. In the picture you can see a few inks and their nibs. If you look closely you can see some ghosting from the other side. That is the Emeraude de Chivor from that very wet Binder .9mm Oblique. None of the other nibs-ink combos did that, including the Violet Vote which is usually a wet ink on most of my papers. The paper isn’t Exaclair smooth but it is quite comfortable to write on and suits my needs for speed writing (just enough tooth to give me control, not so much as to feel scratchy). Definitely worth trying if you want to look into a Levenger Circa alternative. And, if you just must have Circa (Circa Rhodia) paper, and already have a punch, then at least you know their disc system matches at the 8.5 x 11 size. (No. I’m not really back.)

I just ran out of prepunched circa paper that was made by rhodia. I don't really care for the levenger paper. I have a supply of the behance dot grid paper that I also like but has been discontinued. Any thoughts on a good or great quality paper with lines for routine note taking for circa system. I am open to self punching if I cant find anything reasonable that is pre punched. Rod

This might just be a great Levenger deal if you are interested in Circa disc notebooks. Levenger has several Circa sample packages. One is Circa Irresistible and costs $40, but comes with a $40 gift card. Now for the L-Tech pen part. In their outlet area, three discontinued colors are available for $49.99. They are Excalibur, Bronze and Moss. The gift card practically pays for the pen. The downside is shipping isn't cheap. I got the sample set, and made one letter size and one junior size notebooks. The covers are translucent, so your first page shows through. I'm going to find a photo I like and print it to add. It helps that I have a circa punch of course. The junior size fit in my purse/bag. I got the Excalibur version with a B nib, and it arrived today. You get the pen, a converter, one short cartridge, and two stylus toppers in a metal case. Of course the $40 gift card is for whatever you want. The photo of the pen shows it a bit darker than it is.

So, apparently, "some time ago" Levenger stopped making Rhodia refills for their Circa noteobooks. Okay. Before I plunk down $30 on refills, is the paper they are using now tolerable? The young lady with the drawl ten times more sugary than mine said it was smoother than rhodia but a little thainer (thinner). Just wondering if I'd be better off finding my own paper and punching it.

Has anyone picked up one of the Levenger Circa Voyager notebooks or seen one in person? http://www.levenger.com/circa-voyager-leather-notebook-13079.aspx I use the Levenger Circa/ Staples Arc system extensively at work, and have really enjoyed the ability to switch around pages in the order that I want while on the fly. This looks almost like they're trying to take a little bit of the vibe of the Midori Traveler system and apply it to their Circa line. Not connected to Levenger or Staples at all... Just wanted to see if anyone had tried one of these since it's a little spendy for something that I might not like. John

Levenger is having a semi-annual sale now. Lots of Circa stuff on sale if you're interested. http://www.levenger.com/SEMI-ANNUAL-SALE-18.aspx

http://thefrugalfountainpen.blogspot.com/2014/07/hidebound-custom-planner-cover-for.html

I'm starting to use discbound systems and have liked Arc a lot so far, but hear that the Levenger Circa aluminum discs are easier to turn pages on than the plastic Staples discs, does anyone here have personal experience with this they can share?

For those who have been waiting, Staples is running a 40% off sale this week on Arc notebooks. The Staples Arc line of disk based notebooks is somewhat comparable in quality to the Levenger Circa series, but the MSRP at Staples is typically much less than Levenger. A 40% sale is about as good as it gets for these notebooks. Important Note : This is a "coupon needed" sale, so make sure that you have a downloaded and printed coupon before heading out to a Staples store ! Check the Staples site for the local "Weekly Sale" and then click on the coupon shown for your specific area. John P.

I've been searching for the best journal solution for my life/work flow, and I think I've finally found it. I'm an architect, and I write and draw with fountain pens all day. I take notes, I sketch, i doodle ideas for details, I make to-do lists and check them off. My criteria for an excellent journal: - Must have excellent, smooth, top quality paper. No bleedthrough, feathering, minimal ghosting. I'm a Clairfontaine guy. - A5 is the perfect size for me. - For note taking and basic journaling, I like lined white paper. - For sketching, I prefer blank white or cream paper. - I work through one journal after another, and I archive them all for future reference. - I like pockets in my journal for business cards, receipts, little shreds of paper, etc. I've tried all of the basic choices: Rhodia Webbie, Habana, Leuchtturm. All good, but all having some drawback or minor/major inconvenience that caused me to move on. For the last couple of years, I settled in on the Clairefontaine Basic Clothbound A5, which is excellent, but I've found it difficult because it doesn't lie flat, and when you get to the end of the book, it's a real pain to write in. So, I decided to try a Circa Junior Lev-Tex Notebook, which was on sale. And now, after six months or so, I am a big Circa fan. http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/ErikEvens/IMG_2913_zps6d15aac2.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/ErikEvens/IMG_2911_zpse8053239.jpg I think it's handsome and professional looking. I bought a punch and I can put any kind of paper in it I want. I have been using Clairefontaine Lined Triomphe, which is perfect for me. It's actually a bit less expensive than the Rhodia Circa from Levenger, and I just love it. Another big advantage for me is that I can also insert blank drawing pages anywhere I want. I punched some nice thick cream drawing paper, and I keep a bunch at the back of the journal. When I want to sketch, I pull a sheet out and insert it right into the current day's notes, and draw away. This is fantastic for my workflow. http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/ErikEvens/IMG_2915_zps433dee3e.jpg A few other advantages of this system: I can insert pockets for business cards, etc. (Got those from Staples. The Arc system is great and the accessory bits are fully compatible and cheaper). And the journal lays flat, which makes notetaking much easier. I added the nice ribbon bookmark as a custom modification. When I fill the journal, I take the pages out, and put them in an Archive Circa notebook which sits on the bookshelf, and add new paper. It's really an efficient way to store my notes. I was worried that removing and inserting sheets would be difficult, but it's really easy. http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/ErikEvens/IMG_2914_zps7fc7d5a5.jpg I held off posting about this until I had used this system for a few months, to see if I could find any problems with it. So far I have found none. I think this is just about perfect...for me, anyway -EKE

For those of you who, like me, have been hoping Levenger would offer options for A4 and A5 size notebooks, they now do! Say hello to the Circa Universal Notebook and the accompanying Circa Universal Desk Punch They also have several Circa paper options in A4 and A5, so it looks like Levenger is looking to get more into the international market.. For now they only offer the notebook in black leather, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll start offering it in a nice bold color soon too. Not affiliated with Levenger, just a European gal currently living in California who's been drooling over the Circa notebooks, but refusing to spend that kind of money if I can't use it when I leave the US in a few years. (Just in case you're wondering: junior size notebooks can accommodate A5 size paper, but letter size notebooks cannot accommodate A4 size paper.)