Composition Notebook Quality

[Poetman]

The composition notebook, as we call it in America, seems to be a pretty universal piece of stationery. I have seen comparable notebooks from France, Italy, Spain, and Russia, with Clairefontaine being an easy example of a popular, and notable, one. But, lately, the composition notebooks available from Staples and Walmart, which were fine for many years, are DELPORABLE! The covers are like thin card stock, and the paper is abominable! The quality has certainly deteriorated. It used to be easy to find heavy cardboard covers that contained graph paper with light lines at many stores and university bookstores--no longer is this the case! What inexpensive alternatives remain? Are average student notebooks of such poor quality-- like this-- in other countries? I can't imagine most French students shelling out the asking price of a Clairefontaine for average grammar school work, but from what I understand these were/are the classic student notebook? What is the average quality and price of student notebooks in other countries? Given Staples and Norcom's disappointments, what remains?

Edited August 8, 2017 by Poetman

[Poetman]

Anyone else find recent comp. notebooks to be deteriorating in quality?

[frankb3]

Palex composition notebooks from Target: $0.50 each. In store only. Made in Vietnam. Not Clairefortaine quality but useable. The graph paper versions are hard to find in stock.

 

https://www.target.com/p/pallex-composition-notebook-graph-ruled-200pgs-black/-/A-17079119?lnk=fiatsCookie

[Retro-user]

I find the recent trend among comp books to have flimsy vinyl covers to be deplorable. Likewise with rough, toothy paper that's only a step above newsprint. Give me smooth sulfite, please!

[Inkvisible]

This blog has a two-part comparison of composition books. I usually just try to get the best quality paper.

 

http://comfortableshoesstudio.com/back-to-school-sale-composition-book-round-up/#more-13040

 

I find the evaluations to be accurate.

[Sailor Kenshin]

The composition notebook, as we call it in America, seems to be a pretty universal piece of stationery. I have seen comparable notebooks from France, Italy, Spain, and Russia, with Clairefontaine being an easy example of a popular, and notable, one. But, lately, the composition notebooks available from Staples and Walmart, which were fine for many years, are DELPORABLE! The covers are like thin card stock, and the paper is abominable! The quality has certainly deteriorated. It used to be easy to find heavy cardboard covers that contained graph paper with light lines at many stores and university bookstores--no longer is this the case! What inexpensive alternatives remain? Are average student notebooks of such poor quality-- like this-- in other countries? I can't imagine most French students shelling out the asking price of a Clairefontaine for average grammar school work, but from what I understand these were/are the classic student notebook? What is the average quality and price of student notebooks in other countries? Given Staples and Norcom's disappointments, what remains?

But tell us how you really feel!

 

No, I agree. I've found one or two China paper comp books that were surprisingly good. I have also been satisfied with comp books made of India paper that I get from dollar stores.

 

And hoarding. Never forget hoarding.

Edited August 11, 2017 by Sailor Kenshin

[Inkvisible]

I am also fond of the dollar store notebooks from India, especially when they have holographic or glittery covers. I like this season's navy with glitter "moons".

 

The Mead 79 cent cardboard books from Target, while ugly, have paper I find to be a little better. No bleeding, even with Qin Shi Huang or Concord Bream! I am looking for stuff to glue to the cover to improve its appearance. I found these through the Comfortable Shoes reviews.

Thanks to Ana Reinert for the link.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I am also fond of the dollar store notebooks from India, especially when they have holographic or glittery covers. I like this season's navy with glitter "moons".

The Mead 79 cent cardboard books from Target, while ugly, have paper I find to be a little better. No bleeding, even with Qin Shi Huang or Concord Bream! I am looking for stuff to glue to the cover to improve its appearance. I found these through the Comfortable Shoes reviews.

Thanks to Ana Reinert for the link.

Yes, that was a comprehensive and interesting read.

[Poetman]

I know any of you who wanted to buy a comp. book made in the last year or two have also been disappointed. So, what brands have hard covers and fp paper? I've temporarily given up on finding plain or graph paper because the hard covers and secure bindings are the whole point of comp. books.

 

Norcom covers are thinner than card stock, and the spines I have from a few years ago have already started to detach. Has anyone lircahed anything adequate this year?

 

I bought an unbranded "Composition Book" item #1499 made in Vietnam from Job Lot, and, though lined, its superb: thick cover, no feathering or even ghosting--really exceptional! It was the only one of its kind there.

Edited August 13, 2017 by Poetman

[Retro-user]

I think to get the very best quality every time, we would have to expand the definition of composition book beyond the marble cover, school-type models. For example, we might have to consider premium offerings from Red and Black, Mead Cambridge, and other casebound models that can be ordered from office supply stores.

 

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/598345/Blueline-Executive-Journal-8-12-x/

Edited August 13, 2017 by Retrouser

[pen2paper]

A FPN plus, since we're such a vast user force, when new school year stock of paper supplies arrives, sharing details about usable moderately priced paper manufactured where, and available at, is useful for everyone.

 

I too noticed a shift in typically available supplies at brick & mortar including those listed above. No Red & Black, Bagasse-sugarcane stated discontinued not to be found (bought last 3).

 

So do use this thread to list where you find pen friendly paper at moderate prices, as Poetman did include details with ID #'s.

 

I haven't visited our local university campus school recently to compare & price. Are there values to be found & when?

Forgive me for being repetitive, but a super ink friendly paper is now being manufactured in the USA by a company that supplies campus stores, Whitelines.

They also made the price reasonable. It also has it's own nifty App that scans/stores/uploads notes/calculation/designs in conjunction with computer programs.

A pad of their graph paper, along with basic dollar store composition book could be a great combo for students.

[inkstainedruth]

The Sustainable Earth Sugarcane paper composition books are still available on Staples' website. But NOT in B&M stores. And they aren't cheap, at $5.29 US. They are 100 sheets per (which I like) but only come in wide-ruled -- as opposed to college-ruled (which I DON'T like).

@ pen2paper -- It's good that Whitelines is coming out with more affordable notebooks. I looked into them a couple of years ago and found them to be kinda pricy for the size and number of pages.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[bobje]

The Norcom composition notebook that is made in Brazil and available at my local Wal-Mart for $0.50, is not bad for the price. Some bleed-through on wider nibs. However, if the Norcom notebooks are marked "Made in Colombia" or "Made in USA", they bleed and feather horribly They are priced the same and look almost identical to the "Made in Brazil" composition books. Avoid those, but the Brazil books are worth 50 cents.

 

Taking a worthwhile step up in quality, the "Studio C" pattern play collection, available at Wal-Mart for $2.77, offers excellent paper with a nice texture, and no feathering or bleed-through, even with a flex pen. This "Studio C" was made in Vietnam, and the back of the composition book looks like the photo below. This is from a current back-to-school composition book roundup in the "Comfortable Shoes Studio" blog.

http://comfortableshoesstudio.com/back-to-school-sale-composition-book-round-up-part-2/

 

[pen2paper]

The Sustainable Earth Sugarcane paper composition books are still available on Staples' website. But NOT in B&M stores. And they aren't cheap, at $5.29 US. They are 100 sheets per (which I like) but only come in wide-ruled -- as opposed to college-ruled (which I DON'T like).

@ pen2paper -- It's good that Whitelines is coming out with more affordable notebooks. I looked into them a couple of years ago and found them to be kinda pricy for the size and number of pages.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I hear you.. I recall when the bagasse sugarcane waste paper was regular price under $2. (1.75 & on sale for 1.) I paid $3 clearance on the last 3. I asked the salesperson who firmly stated no longer a brick & mortar item. It was always sort of a fight to get them to maintain stock. I've kept them in constant use since day 1. Wonder if the super heavy covers were a cost issue? The sheets are standout ink friendly, but require protective covers since the paper wrinkles easily. But if I'm going to spend cents extra for ink friendly it's WL's

 

What I super-like is that when Whitelines moved manufacture to USA they actually produced a better product. (& for less$) Clearly more smooth and now two side ink friendly. BTW, somewhere in your region.. here's their history http://rspaperproducts.com/about/ They don't do sales on this page but does list the types of composition books they have in campus bookstores. But Bobje's list above notes known inkfriendly + budget.

[Poetman]

I think to get the very best quality every time, we would have to expand the definition of composition book beyond the marble cover, school-type models. For example, we might have to consider premium offerings from Red and Black, Mead Cambridge, and other casebound models that can be ordered from office supply stores.

 

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/598345/Blueline-Executive-Journal-8-12-x/

Yes, I agree. I've considered lab notebooks and business notebooks, but once I get close to $10, the luxury fp brands seem more appealing. My criteria is not all that demanding. Corporations just prefer profit to quality.

 

Sewn binding

Hard cover

Appx. comp. book size

Fp wide ruled (preferably blank) paper

Under $6

[bobje]

As it turns out, the 75-cent Mead composition notebook, Made in Vietnam, available at Target, and highly recommended by the Comfortable Shoes Blog referenced above, is available to order online. The paper quality is quite good, no bleed, feathering, or show-through, even ink laid down by a flex nib.

 

https://www.target.com/p/mead-174-composition-notebook-college-ruled-striped/-/A-52681217#lnk=sametab

[Poetman]

Here are some photos of the comp. book I purchased from a local Job lot. With Noodlers and two rather wet pens, there is no feathering, bleed through, or problematic ghosting. The cover is hard, and sewn/tape binding seem sturdy. The only complaint I can offer, which is minor, is that the paper is not as bright as I would like--but certainly not distracting my so. If anyone finds this locally, I would eagerly reimburse you for the costs to send me some.

 

http://imgur.com/a/9Jcyn

 

I just checked a Norcom from circa 2010, and it's everything Norcom was touted to be. Last year's Norcom clearly has a different binding tape, which is now peeling off, and the covers are nearly as thin as the paper!

Edited August 15, 2017 by Poetman

[ac12]

Do you NEED a comp book?

I switched to Staples, Wire bound, single subject notebooks.

But only the made in BRAZIL notebooks.

In the back to school sale, they are 25 CENTS each.

I picked up 20 of them.

[Poetman]

Yes, the sewn binding is the principal motivation--it even forced me to relinquish my adherence to unruled pages for lined sheets, so I could still use comp. books. Though lab books and other, affordable, notebooks with similar bindings are equally suitable.

Edited August 15, 2017 by Poetman

[Sasha Royale]

My experience with Clairefontaine is excellent paper, that I would not use for college lecture notes.

Drying time for ink is too long. Smearing potential is great.

 

In college, I always recopied my class notes to a permanent volume. In class, I used the blank backs of any paper found (bulletins, junk mail, etc.) . Writing on the reverse side was never an option, so I got out of the habit. "Bleed-through" is rarely an issue. The Norcon compo books work fine. Each year, I shop the Wal-mart school sale, in August. I buy one of each to test with liquid ink, then return ASAP to stock-up. @ 25¢ each, I can suffer to be flexible. I have little doubt that I can find "perfect" , similar fp-compatible books for eight , ten, twelve dollars. Why ?

Edited August 15, 2017 by Sasha Royale