Best Pen/ink Combo For Moleskine

[drafty]

 

All of my Moleskines have been bought in the US and I haven't had an issue with them. I prefer them for the thinner paper (as you said, more sheets per book) and also because the line spacing on the ruled editions suits my handwriting.

 

I agree. I like the tight line spacing. You get so much more use out of a notebook.

 

Also, there's no major issue with the majority of the notebooks I buy in Canada. I do however find the odd patch on a page that makes my writing squiffy. It's usually gone within a couple of sentences though.

 

edit: I do prefer writing on other premium paper with fountain pens (if the experience is the only thing being judged here). Still, said other paper/notebook manufacturers do need to get on the ball re: form factor. Moleskine have that down!

Edited January 24, 2016 by Drafty

[Shaggy]

You are indeed most fortunate!

I guess so. Maybe I should start playing the lottery.

[BamaPen]

I journaled regularly in a Moleskine - with a pencil - for six years. It is a quality product, but not particularly fountain pen friendly. Stick with a fine or extra fine nib and a nice dry ink and you'll be OK. If that is not what you want to use, then try a Rhodia, Clairefontaine, or Franklin-Christoph, which is what I did.

[TSherbs]

the "ink" called graphite

[dcwaites]

the "ink" called graphite

 

Yes. I don't have any Moleskines, but I do have a couple of Modena B5 notebooks, bought because I like B5 (and it is a rare size in a notebook) and they were half price.

They bled with every ink I have, except Carbon inks - Sailor Kiwaguro, Platinum Carbon Black, Pelikan Fount India.

[kenspens]

Ah well, to quote a Leonard Cohen song, "Nevermind". I was and still am delighted to get them - even if I end up using a pencil. The whole point was/is that it's a special thing for me.

 

I may try a Lamy fine nib. See how that goes. But Im still very pleased to have them....

 

Alex

 

I like to use a fine or extra-fine that does not flow a lot of ink. Then I use a freely flowing but intense ink, like Montblanc Mystery Black with a softish but not flexy nib. That works out pretty well. The pen is a Waterman Gentleman with EF. I've also used a Namiki Pilot Fine (too wet) and a Lamy Safary EF (better than the Namiki but wetter than the Gentleman EF).

 

I haven't tried any Japanese EF yet.

 

Actually the Lamy EF with a thicker intense ink, Parker Penman Emerald, was pretty good.

[Alexcat]

Yes. I don't have any Moleskines, but I do have a couple of Modena B5 notebooks, bought because I like B5 (and it is a rare size in a notebook) and they were half price.

They bled with every ink I have, except Carbon inks - Sailor Kiwaguro, Platinum Carbon Black, Pelikan Fount India.

Im a big B5 fan, too: there are some good ones on Amazon and ebay( the eBay ones are more "everyday type" though do take ink well) and of course they are a Deskfax size....and I loooooove those bright red Deskfaxes.....

 

Alex

[drafty]

+1 for Franklin-Christoph - Their soft/hard lay-flat format is great. Pity it costs an arm and a leg to ship them to Canada.

[VivienR]

I never had a Moleskine, but I have Filofax notebook, which based on reviews about Moleskine equally bad in quality, but find usable with my Salior Sapporo's fine nib and using Caran d'Ache Blue Sky. I think the more weight to be usable is reside on the really fine nib.

Understood, that such fine lines are not for everyone.

[mmg122]

Alex...In my experience, Lamy Blue Black ink works very well in most of my Moleskin notebooks using a fine nibbed pen. With this combination, I seldom see bleedthru, feathering or show thru. However, Lamy blue black is not my favorite ink by a long shot and I oftentimes find myself using my Palomino Blackwing pencils (which I really enjoy writing with).

 

That Leonard Cohen edition is awesome!

[Dronak]

Others probably have more experience with this than me. I have one Moleskine notebook in which I tested a bunch of pens and inks. While I wasn't thrilled with the results, they weren't exactly horrible either. Almost all the combinations I tried showed through to the back of the page to some extent, but I expect at least a little show-through. Most of them also seemed to work OK with normal writing. I think there were only a few cases where writing like I typically do caused noticeable bleed-through. However, when I did my stroke tests applying a bit of pressure to check line width variations and how wet lines get, there was much more bleed-through as more ink was put down on the page.

 

So from my one notebook, it seems like you can certainly get by with using only one side of the page. It may not be ideal, but it would work. Using both sides might work, too, if you can find a pen/ink combination that doesn't bleed through too much with the way you write. Since everyone has different pens and inks, I don't know if I can suggest a specific combination. I think the finer nibs tended to work a bit better, but I only have a few non-medium nibs, so I can't be too sure. I'm not sure about ink characteristics. I guess a generally drier writing ink would work better. Hopefully others will provide (or already have provided) more information, but I hope this is of some help.

[torstar]

I know everyone around here hates on the moleskine, but I have used them for the past 20 years and have never had a problem. Of course, I love Fine nibs so maybe that has something to do with it.

 

Me too, I have dozens of them, when something doesn't work I don't try to force it 15 times and then blame the paper itself.

 

Trial and error, as with everything in this hobby...

[ScienceChick]

I threw caution to the wind and bought a 3 pack of the 3.5" x 5.5" ruled, soft cover journal (perfect size for tossing in my purse) and have been pleasantly surprised. I've tried one with wet, broad nibs and seven inks, no feathering or bleeding. There's a bit of ghosting with Diamine Chocolate Brown and other dark colors but not terrible.

[agentdaffy007]

+1 for Franklin-Christoph - Their soft/hard lay-flat format is great. Pity it costs an arm and a leg to ship them to Canada.

If you buy for more than $50 USD or $75 USD, i believe the shipping is free.

 

Franklin-Christoph has great customer service. Been texting and emailing Jim Rouse and he really does take care of his customer.

 

I got myself a Saddleboot Notebook Cover and the craftmanship is superb from the stitching to the leather. Their A5 notebook is quality as well. I did not use the notebook yet though. I just put Canteo in the cover for now.

[Rama33]

I agree Shaggy. I'm a fine or very fine nib person myself and I love my Moleskins. It's funny. I frequent several audiophile forums and everyone bashes Bose Audio. In an audiophile forum you don't want to admit to owning Bose and in an pen and ink forum you don't want to admit to owning Moleskin. I'm a rebel without a clue though and love my Moleskins.

I know everyone around here hates on the moleskine, but I have used them for the past 20 years and have never had a problem. Of course, I love Fine nibs so maybe that has something to do with it.

Edited July 1, 2016 by Rama33

[dcwaites]

I have been using the Dr. Ph. Martin's Ocean inks, including Edge Blue. These are pigmented inks that don't bleed through on Anything. At All. Ever.

I have combined it with a Dollar pen that I have sealed the cap properly. It is a brilliant combination. Nice medium dark blue ink. Flawless behaviour on all papers. Doesn't dry out in the nib with the fixed cap.

[ink-syringe]

To combat crummy paper: Iron Gall inks, or Carbon inks..

[Proto]

FWIW a Pilot EF nib (this case a VP) with either Noodler's black or Kaweco midnight blue work fine with regular Moleskine paper, I use it all the time and there's no showthrough even with the fineness of the paper.

[Grafeus]

Well, I ve been using Moleskins a lot because they offer the option of a yellowish/cream tint on the paper with quadriller layout. It's a good combination for dense text and easy reading. The paper is rubbish, of course but it's still possible to use it with a fountain pen no less. Like above, the best combination is a very fine nib with a poor paper friendly ink. Most critical of the two is the ink IMO. ESSRI is best, Salix, Scabiosa and Platinum Blue Black work well even with a Fine nib. With a Japanese UEF nib it has been possible to use Pilot Black (an ink which normally would bleed through).

[LuckyKate]

I have a Kaweco fine nib with Lucky orange that writes like a dream on terrible paper, the worse the paper better it writes. On the other hand it is so dry it barely writes on good paper. A great combo on Moleskine.