Kokuyo Campus Teeny-Tiny Adorable Notebooks (A7)

February 27, 2014

Sure thing:

http://distilleryimage4.ak.instagram.com/ee8bdf169f6f11e3b7d512b0a3aaf2c4_8.jpg
[also on my instagram]

It's just a bit smaller, I made it to fit the small Moleskine Volant notebooks (6,5 cm x 10,5 cm). I'm probably going to end up making an even smaller one though.

Very beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

March 5, 2014

Plume, I understand your explanation and it makes perfect sense. I have an attraction to smaller pens myself. I have a Birdie, a Pilot Petit, the OHTO, a handful of Sheaffer Compact Cartridge pens (which are huge compared to these others), and some 1930s vintage celluloid golf or bridge pens and matching pencils. I have a cute little golf pen that is only 81mm long capped, but the cap is 11mm in diameter. It's a lever filler with a 14K flexible nib and actually writes rather smoothly. When posted it is really pretty comfortable to use. It's in the second picture from the top on this page. The nib has been straightened since that picture was taken http://jehubbard.com/small_pens.htm

I think I have to get a Cigarette Pen!

John

I have a birdie too, it just seems a little bit scratchy and skippy every time I try it! I should knuckle down and root through that five things that can go wrong with a new pen thread, but I never seem to find the time The golf pen is adorable! I don't know why they call short pens golf pens though. I've seen it with pencils too.

you should definitely get a cigarette pen! I used to mind the hooded nib and in general I don't like them, but it's the only pen I've ever carried in my bag that seems to write every time even with weeks in between uses. Considering it's also the finest nib, that's a bit of an achievement!

Yes, Apica makes beautiful notebooks too! The first and only I have is an A5 CD Notebook I bought at Itoya in the last trip to Japan. It lies flat nicely, very writer-friendly. I usally write with a Pilot drawing pen (1st pic) and a Sailor 1911 FP (2nd pic). The paper is of very high quality, and gets along well with both pens.

Edit：don't know why the first pic is yellowish. The paper is white. The 2nd pic shows more of the actual colour.

That's not too white on the second picture. It's only bright-white I don't get along with - like Clairefontaine or worse, Rhodia. I don't mind off-white. Thanks for the photos, I should look into these!

I don't smoke either but I see all those blue cigarette butts on the ground in the city centre where a lot of people smoke. It's a Chinese brand as far as I know.

Smythson is good - I believe it's really good, smooth, feather-like, and no bleed-through, the book is nicely bound, paper colour is exceptionally beautiful, however, it's way overpriced.

I also don't like to use ball point on notebooks or diaries. Ball points just don't have feel I can get from a fountain pen, especially writing on good smooth paper. I think the cigarette pen is truly amazing given the size. I checked taobao.com - the pen is sold in China for 3.80 renminbi (about USD 0.6). That's incredible! Likely the cost of shipping is much expensive.

Nooo, actually shipping is pretty cheap! Sometimes even free, depending on the seller. The pens do cost more than 60 cents, but then so far I've been getting these off ebay and then of course they have to up the prices to account for ebay fees. Unfortunately I can't use taobao (assuming it ships worldwide) because it's only in Chinese and I cannot read Chinese.

Sure thing:

http://distilleryimage4.ak.instagram.com/ee8bdf169f6f11e3b7d512b0a3aaf2c4_8.jpg
[also on my instagram]

It's just a bit smaller, I made it to fit the small Moleskine Volant notebooks (6,5 cm x 10,5 cm). I'm probably going to end up making an even smaller one though.

These are gorgeous! And unbelievably cute for the tiny Volant It looks like the elastic on the spine and the closure elastic are all one piece - am I right?

Would you kindly share with us a picture of your beautiful notebooks with Descartes and Dali, if it's not too inconvenient? I love all stationery items. Thanks.

+1 And if the inside pages are decorative, do please show us!!

March 5, 2014

These are gorgeous! And unbelievably cute for the tiny Volant It looks like the elastic on the spine and the closure elastic are all one piece - am I right?

Yep, they are. As the volant is so small I thought it'd be good to be able to move the knot a little to make for better writing which is why I came up with this. I think I'll make another one with the regular hole on the spine just to be able to compare them and see which one I like better.

March 5, 2014

That's a good point about the knot. I could never get used to it myself; it was one of the reasons the whole TN thing did not work out for me :-/ That's okay though because it meant I moved on to discover my lurvely Lihit Labs!!

March 18, 2014

Sure thing:

http://distilleryimage4.ak.instagram.com/ee8bdf169f6f11e3b7d512b0a3aaf2c4_8.jpg
[also on my instagram]

It's just a bit smaller, I made it to fit the small Moleskine Volant notebooks (6,5 cm x 10,5 cm). I'm probably going to end up making an even smaller one though.

That looks just like a Mini-midori I did up for myself last year. I really need to hit a leather shop again and make some more, it's a fun little notebook style!

I use a few mini notebook setups, I'll have to post my favorite combos if I get a chance.

@Plume...what was the price on your Kokuyo? I wish I could find more A7 notebooks here in the states, as my stash of good ones (old Levenger Stanley journal style) is running out.

March 23, 2014

Mini-composition books are slightly larger than A7 (3.25" x 5.50" or 8.2 cm x 11.4 cm). The mini-composition sized notebooks are a very good alternative for the A7 size, and pretty readily accessible in the USA.

I've found the Dollar Tree mini-composition notebooks to be very FP-friendly, to the point where I purchased two cases of them a bit back (they're taking up a relatively small volume in the storage closet at the office). I did acquire a couple of leather covers for them, but this discussion is giving me food for thought on fabbing a mini-composition sized traveler's notebook of my own. I try to have a notebook available with me at all times, but I could use a back-up (or two)...

John P.