Preliminary Review: Us Military Logbooks: Nsn 7530-00-222-3521

[Ted Andkilde]

I've been using the "large" sized Moleskine 5"x8" notebooks as my working journals for a few months, I take a fair number of notes daily and do quite a few sketches of equipment and whatnot so the 1/2 sheet size is handy for me.

 

I love everything but the pricetag, they run $20 or so locally which causes me tremendous heartache as a dedicated cheapskate...

 

I've not had a "bad" Moleskine yet, and from reports here I'm due.

 

So, in my desire to find something inexpensive, in the same form factor, I managed to find some US Army logbooks that look like a potential stand in, sewn binding, sturdy cover, $3.35 ea.

 

The paper is crisp white in colour, with light blue ruling, cover size is the same as a Moleskine but the pages are slightly smaller as they're not trimmed flush to the binding as a Moleskine is.

 

Cover is decent quality cardboard, cloth covered, resembles a 60's or 70's hardback novel.

 

The paper feels a little thinner than a Moleskine, mild feathering with my 9314B Estie nib (super wet writer), none with the fine Parker 21, paper is uncoated, fast drying and has a tiny bit of tooth, unlike Clairfontaine/Rhodia paper (which I find a bit too slick, ink takes forever to dry). Follow up sample with my everyday ink & pen, Pel 400 with BBK looks pretty good as well.

 

I tend to write my 'neat' notes primarily on the right face, my 'scribbles' on the back face so a bit of bleeding doesn't phase me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moleskine bleed comparison, same pen & ink

 

 

I posted a few bad cellphone pics the other day in VickyWatson's "Trying To Source A Green Linen Bound A4 Journal..." thread, I've reshot a few decent one's and figured I'd post my first review.

 

I'm giving the journal's a tentative thumbs up, great value, work best with a drier pen/ink combination.

 

Sourcing: Mancon, nice people to deal with, $10 flat rate shipping.

 

$3.35 ea for the 5.5" x 8" (~Moleskine sized)

 

Cheers, Ted

[teeniebeenie6]

Wow, thanks for the review. These look interesting. My concern is it doesn't say whether or not the paper is acid free.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have the old 7530-00-222-3525.

Mine says Record, and is a 8" x 10 1/2".

 

I don't know about it being acid free. We didn't worry about that back in the day. It's good paper, the military/government had set good standards for writing papers before computer printers came into being.

 

I kept mine because it was the best I'd ever seen. Of course back then Moleskine was sized to be fountain pen friendly and for the more well to do. So Moleskine was not really an option. It was more a specialty shop item then.

 

Back in Typewriter days, we had good still fountain pen friendly paper, and the Government also.

 

I've it for ages, 30 + years. I had tried one or two small ones your size but gave them away or trashed them during moves as being too small to be of any use.

 

 

I only have one of the Record books left that is not well used. It has some notes for SF book ideas.

Another is full of a western or other western ideas, but it is in a crate of the first draft.

 

Just pulled it out and gave it a testing with some five or six fountain pens. A wet BB, a B, A wet semi flex KM, and a couple of pens with a wet MB Winter Forest. There was some show through with the wet MB ink. It was in a 'flexi' OF so was a wet nib with a wet ink. Not enough to make writing on the other side any kind of a problem.

 

Once our Government made things right...back in typewriter days, they even had good paper. It was then still expected. I suggest Army/Navy Surplus stores, for the good 'old' Record books.

Edited October 20, 2011 by Bo Bo Olson

[Ted Andkilde]

I have the old 7530-00-222-3525.

Mine says Record, and is a 8" x 10 1/2".

 

Hi Bill

 

Same source has the larger "3525" books for $4.52

 

Cheers, Ted

Edited October 20, 2011 by Ted Andkilde

[tfwall]

You can get these a wide variety of sizes and designs. Just don't pay full price, they aren't worth $20/ea (at least to me).

[Bo Bo Olson]

Ted that's a great deal, but I'm in Germany.

Thanks.

 

It's a very solid book. It's meant to survive wars.

[Merrib]

I remember when I used them when I was in the Navy. Of course that was many moons ago. But they just seamed

to take all kinds of abuse and yet were still usable.

[Keye Skware]

Thank you for posting this review. I was a desk sergeant in the US Army Military Police and we kept our operations journal in these. I think I'm going to order a few for old times sake. It will make a nice change from the $20 Moleskines.