Wide-Ruled, 8 1/2 X 11, Us Available, Flat-Lying Journal Suggestions?

[ttarpn]

Hi. I love a big fat nib and lots of ink. I fill a 100 page journal in under a month.

 

I used to use 24 lb paper with a wide-rule template underneath on a clipboard, but kept getting my pages mixed up in the fury of the moment of writing. Plus, I would sometimes neglect to punch holes and put into binders. Lately, I've been using Moleskine and not loving it because of bleed through.

 

Here are my criteria:

 

Lies flat--spiral bound preferred, but open to other suggestions

 

paper that can handle lots of ink

 

wide-ruled (my eyes aren't as good as they used to be)

 

8 1/2 x 11 (or thereabouts)

 

Easily available in the US

 

Would prefer some recycled content in paper

 

Any suggestions?

 

I looked at the notebooks offered through Cafe Press for the network, but they're too small and the lines are narrow. Otherwise, would have been happy to support the cause.

[WirsPlm]

Well, I don't use big nibs, but here's what I've found:

 

Paperblanks makes good journals - they lie flat, with little to no show-through, and the ruling is about the same as a wide-ruled notebook. However, they're too expensive for me to use as regular notebooks, about $20 per. That may be in your price range.

 

My old Miquelrius notebook had nice paper, but the ruling was only about college-ruled. I remember that when I used rollerballs there wasn't show-through, but haven't really tried a fountain pen on it. I think some other people around here have, so there might be reviews. Maybe they have some wider-ruled notebooks you could try?

 

I like wider rulings also, so I'm interested to see if someone comes up with an answer to your question.

Edited August 12, 2013 by WirsPlm

[janemh]

I, too, write with broad nibs (or BB, or OB and even OBB) and keep a journal, plus I write morning pages every day. For me the best solution has been composition books that I get at Target or Staples. For journaling I write on only one side of the page, but for morning pages using both sides doesn't bother me. The Mead comp books with paper made in Vietnam or Brazil are cheap enough (50 cents to $1.50 each, depending on whether they're on sale; 100 sheets) that I don't worry about the "preciousness" of the paper, and yet the quality is good for my purposes. I don't mind a bit of feathering; in fact, I prefer paper with a little tooth. Over the years I have spent many dollars on all sorts of journals and notebooks -- but these comp books are the ones that help keep me writing every day with my beloved fountain pens.

[NativeTxn]

You could always buy some HP Laserjet 24 lb or higher paper, print whatever spaced lines you want on it, and have it spiral bound at Kinko's or Staples or something like that. Very fountain pen friendly at the 24 lb and higher weights.

 

You could also take a look at the Staples Sustainable Earth copy paper and have it bound to your liking. It is only 20 lbs, but is made of 95% sugarcane, and it quite fountain pen friendly. Main problem with the SE paper is that right now, they seem to only sell it by the case.

[barleycorn]

Clairefontain wire or staple bound notebooks available in a variety of colours and formats.

[ttarpn]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've just ordered a Clairfontain to see if I like it. Thrilled to discover they come in wide-ish ruled. Wider than college, anyway.

 

Meanwhile, I came across this:

 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/emnote

 

The guy who makes these was very open to using any paper I cared to name--except not lined. He has something against lines. I, on the other hand, have never met a line I didn't like.

[kde]

I, on the other hand, have never met a line I didn't like.

 

The one at the DMV?

 

I'd like to throw two options out there to you:

 

The Campus MIO paper is my absolute favorite. It's fairly cheap, the notebooks lay quite flat, and the paper is of amazing quality. As a lefty, I love this paper so much because ink dries quickly on it. It's even cheaper from JetPens if you buy in bulk; it ends up to $4.30 each notebook (maybe buy one to try, and buy more if you like it). I won't be able to switch to any other brand of notebook for writing anytime soon.

 

The Maruman Mnemosyne series is fantastic. The paper is just as good as the MIO, but a bit more pricey. If you don't mind the price difference and prefer your paper this way, I find it softer and with less show through. Neither paper has any bleedthrough, and the paper in the MIO shows little, but it's there. Not so with this Mnemosyne.

 

I use the Menmosyne for the special writing requirements I have (today's act for to-do, and the above linked memo notepad will be for things like job interviews and eventually meetings, the little language notebook to help me with learning German) and the MIO for general writing (book notes, maybe journaling if I ever get myself to start again, brainstorming, etc). Both have their uses.

 

You could even go with the Apica Premium CD from Goulet. They have it in an A4 size, as well. I've heard really great things about it, and it's the next brand I want to try. However, since I just placed a big order of MIO and Mnemosyne it might be a few months...

 

I've found Japanese notebooks to be better than their Western counterparts. The Western notebooks are often cheaper (hence why I still use the top staplebound Rhodia notepads), but the Japanese paper is softer, thinner, has just the right amount of feedback, and is all around better quality in my eyes.

[NativeTxn]

The one at the DMV?

 

I'd like to throw two options out there to you:

 

The Campus MIO paper is my absolute favorite. It's fairly cheap, the notebooks lay quite flat, and the paper is of amazing quality. As a lefty, I love this paper so much because ink dries quickly on it. It's even cheaper from JetPens if you buy in bulk; it ends up to $4.30 each notebook (maybe buy one to try, and buy more if you like it). I won't be able to switch to any other brand of notebook for writing anytime soon.

 

The Maruman Mnemosyne series is fantastic. The paper is just as good as the MIO, but a bit more pricey. If you don't mind the price difference and prefer your paper this way, I find it softer and with less show through. Neither paper has any bleedthrough, and the paper in the MIO shows little, but it's there. Not so with this Mnemosyne.

 

I use the Menmosyne for the special writing requirements I have (today's act for to-do, and the above linked memo notepad will be for things like job interviews and eventually meetings, the little language notebook to help me with learning German) and the MIO for general writing (book notes, maybe journaling if I ever get myself to start again, brainstorming, etc). Both have their uses.

 

You could even go with the Apica Premium CD from Goulet. They have it in an A4 size, as well. I've heard really great things about it, and it's the next brand I want to try. However, since I just placed a big order of MIO and Mnemosyne it might be a few months...

 

I've found Japanese notebooks to be better than their Western counterparts. The Western notebooks are often cheaper (hence why I still use the top staplebound Rhodia notepads), but the Japanese paper is softer, thinner, has just the right amount of feedback, and is all around better quality in my eyes.

The Apica Premiums are excellent. Not sure that they are so much better than others (for example the MIO which I really like too) to justify their high price in some cases, but they are definitely excellent.

[kde]

The Apica Premiums are excellent. Not sure that they are so much better than others (for example the MIO which I really like too) to justify their high price in some cases, but they are definitely excellent.

 

I love the MIO paper, but it's the only Kokuyo I have tried. I have heard that a couple of Kokuyo's other offerings are thicker and smoother, but I think the thinness of the MIO notebooks is perfect for me. It's less heft to carry around. Rhodia notebooks of the same size are much thicker.

 

I love the higher quality that goes into the Apica notebooks. The cover looks better, the binding looks top notch (like a real lay-flat notebook), and there are more pages. Does that justify the increased price? For some people, it does. For me, though, the MIO is perfect for what I use my notebooks for.