I've Had It With Moleskine Once And For All

[kerk1v]

Their notebooks are COMPLETELY unusable with fountain pens now. I just bought one of their new "Pro Notebooks" and the ink (Iroshizuku Asa-Gao) with a Vanishing Point F bleeds through the paper like crazy.

 

Isn't there a reputable, fountain-pen-compatible notebook and/or paper manufacturer who feels like picking up some of the good ideas Moleskine has when it comes to the page layouts and templates in their notebooks, and produce something similar with decent, fountain pen compatible paper?

 

At the price point of Moleskine, they could really put some more effort into their paper quality.

[miwishi63]

I'm gradually clearing out my inventory - using only pencils. I've had good luck with what I've received from Field Notes, although they are not perfect by any means.

[inkypete]

Have not been FP friendly for years now. Nothing new here. Good one day and terrible the next. Excellent notebooks overall and I love what they have done to promote the marketplace for quality notebooks. But not fo FPs.

[jcm499]

My understanding, for which I cannot cite sources, is that Moleskine uses paper from various different mills, so even two notebooks of the same model may have differences in paper quality. In my experience their paper is all bad, though some is worse. My understanding is also that “moleskine” once referred not to a specific manufacturer but to a style of hardbound black notebook with rounded corners and an elastic band allegedly popular in France during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which is why the present company, founded in 1997, cheerfully albeit fraudulently claims to be “the legendary notebook of Hemingway, Picasso and Chatwin.”

 

Anyway, there are lots of brands with hyperbolic fake origin stories. My point is that there are other notebooks in the lowercase “m” moleskine style. Leuchtturm notebooks have the same style, but much better and more consistent paper. Leuchtturm paper doesn’t feel as refined as Clairefontaine, but it’s certainly fountain pen compatible.

[bogiesan]

Molie does not care about fountain users. We’re simply too small, even for a niche, and not in their demographic, never really have been, not since the company changed hands back in the 90s when it was Modo a Modo. And the pocket sized notebook back then was less the nine bucks.

 

I have a pile of dozens of empty molies (at clearance sales) and I fill them at the rate of four or five a year. I enjoy the form factor of the pocket size. Since I only use my fountain pens on the recto side of each leaf, I don’t worry much about the paper.

 

However, I wouldn’t pay the current list price of $15 for a pocket hardcover Molie. That is just nuts. Those pro notebooks are even more, $23. If you want good fountain pen friendly paper in a well made,notebook, you can expect to pay the same or more.

[kerk1v]

However, I wouldn’t pay the current list price of $15 for a pocket hardcover Molie. That is just nuts. Those pro notebooks are even more, $23. If you want good fountain pen friendly paper in a well made,notebook, you can expect to pay the same or more.

 

I'd gladly pay premium price for a premium product, which clearly now Moleskine isn't, it's just another "Lifestyle" product. Well, guess I'll have to stick to Rhodia Webbies, dotted for work and lined for journaling then. A shame, because the page layout of the Pro Moleskine is ingenious and suited my needs very well. A5 Rhodias are also cheaper than Molies here in Spain. assuming you can get your hands on them. Few online retailers and even less brick-and-mortar stores carry them.

[Studio97]

I have sold off most of my Moleskine stash. And now I'm discovering that even some gel pens and rollerballs will not work with that paper; skipping all the time. I'm done too.

[Inkysloth]

 

Isn't there a reputable, fountain-pen-compatible notebook and/or paper manufacturer who feels like picking up some of the good ideas Moleskine has when it comes to the page layouts and templates in their notebooks, and produce something similar with decent, fountain pen compatible paper?

 

At the price point of Moleskine, they could really put some more effort into their paper quality.

Yep. As stylish as they are, they dont consider liquid ink users.

 

Leuchtturm has become my go-to, they have good paper and nice layout / format choices. (A5 dot-grid is my preferred choice.)

 

I had one A4+ notebook with dodgy paper from them a few years ago, emailed them, and they replaced it with no quibble- and the replacement was perfect.

Edited April 1, 2019 by Inkysloth

[Paul80]

Hi

 

I have used these for years

 

http://nuco-direct.com/nu-elite-prestige-black-pu-wiro-journal/

 

Exclusively with fountain pens and never had an issue, I like the cream paper version but the do white as well, covers available in black or tan.

 

They have doubled in price in the last 5 years but worth it.

 

Paul

[bogiesan]

Thanks for the link, I’d never heard of Nu. They offer no direct sub for my pocket molies and Nu only ship to UK from their site.

[dennis_f]

Leuchtturm and Rhodia have been my go-tos. I've recently tried Mnemosyne but I find that any ink I use on their paper tends to look faded, and my lines seem finer on that paper than on others. So I can't recommend them without that caveat... but they are fountain pen friendly, and mainly intended for FP use.

 

I use Moleskines for gifting.

[Karmachanic]

TR 52 and 68gsm paper. Many sizes and page counts to choose from.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/GoodINKPressions?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=542486331

 

Stalogy A6 is FP friendly. Similar to TR 67gsm. 368 pages. 1/2" thick

https://www.amazon.com/STALOGY-Editors-notebook-Black-S4103/dp/B00TYDSQS2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Stalogy+A6&qid=1554143060&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Edited April 1, 2019 by Karmachanic

[sciumbasci]

I used Ciak Firenze by InTempo for a while: first two were good, last one was kind of meh.

Don't know how good they are as of now.

[txomsy]

Paperblanks, though they are on the fancy side and much more expensive.

 

Other than that, not much problem around here (EU). There are plenty of paper companies producing good quality paper. I've seen good comments on Miquelrius, Unipapel and Liderpapel.notebooks from Spain. Clairefontaine from France and others (I have a couple DEHA, cork bound, that can't remember where I got 20+ years ago) I remember but can't find the original reference, about bible paper A5 FP-friendly notebooks. And I have had some good notebooks from Italy too, mostly from retail vendors in tourist cities (like Venice) who likely get them from local makers. I usually collect visit cards but just seem unable to find them now.

 

These are a Paperblanks (~A5) and a Miquelrius (A6 or A7) by a Kaweco Stonewashed Sport.

 

A small Clairefontaine one (no elastic band nor pocket) by a Kaweco Brass Sport.

 

 

I have also found many good quality (and affordable) notebooks sold at museums memorabilia shops (at least in large museums like El Prado, Modern Arts, etc) and even at artisan markets (though in this case it is highly variable and I usually rely on tact to decide before buying): I have some leather bound ones that I got in Chile and Argentina.

 

One from the artisan market at Los Dominicos, in Santiago de Chile, by a Kaweco Copper Liliput.

 

Oh, and go figure! I also have some very nice paper notebooks from Zara Home. With many thick, soft and nice FP-friendly sheets.

 

One from a museum (El Prado) over a second one from Zara Home

 

I just looked, and also have two wonderful black notebooks, with pocket and elastic band, and cream paper, but sadly they have no maker markings and I can't remember where did I get them from.

 

These.

 

And yes, I also have way too many notebooks already and need to use them more.

 

What I want to say is that there are plenty of FP-friendly notebooks around, one just has to look for them, and not only at stationary shops.

 

Now if only I could learn to upload pictures in the proper orientation...

Edited April 1, 2019 by txomsy

[Paul80]

Thanks for the link, I’d never heard of Nu. They offer no direct sub for my pocket molies and Nu only ship to UK from their site.

I have seen them on Amazon so you might be able to get them through that route.

 

Paul

[Pentode]

Flying Tiger Copenhagen, a quirky variety store chain that recently opened stores in the US, carries moleskine knock-offs at about 1/3 the price and the paper is better.

 

Now, just to be clear, the paper isnt spectacular, but its better than Moleskine for FPs IME. Its not in the same league as Rhodia or the like.

[txomsy]

The Tiger sketchbooks have a lot of texture/grain, but in my experience behave a lot better than their notebooks, at least for italic/stub nibs, are thick paper and not scratchy but rather on the soft side.

 

The notebooks I have found to be inconsistent in quality from sheet to sheet in the same notebook: some sheets may do OK, while others will bleed through badly, or be scratchy, or feather... they are (to me) more like standard, thin paper. To explain it better: using an EF, some pages may be scratchy. some pages will result in M lines, and depending on ink, some pages may show through. But, OTOH, and at least around here, they cost around a couple of EUR (vs ~10-15 EUR for a Moleskine), come hard bound in black (I guess PU), have a back sleeve pocket and an elastic band.

 

I do use the notebooks, assuming the page inconsistency, for taking notes that are not so "important" (where I do not mind quality).

 

And when I want better quality, for the price of a Moleskine I can get a much better Paperblanks, or, for less money many EU notebooks (Deha, Clairefontaine, Liderpapel, etc...).

 

Oh! BTW, I found this morning a landscape A5'ish journal of the like of those little black notebooks in gorgeous cream paper that I mentioned in a previous message, this one was engraved "Martini Rosso", so maybe I got them in Italy a couple of years back, but I don't know if that's a trade mark or just resold promotional material. I will look again when I return home, but maybe some Italian member will know.

[Uncial]

I've had recent poor experiences with Moleskin and a few Paperblanks. I love the Paperblanks covers but the paper is very hit and miss. I now almost exclusively use Leuchtturm and Seven Seas Writers when I can get them. It's a bit more expensive, but much less grief. Taroko are also great notebooks but a bit pricier again.

[almoore]

Flying Tiger Copenhagen, a quirky variety store chain that recently opened stores in the US, carries moleskine knock-offs at about 1/3 the price and the paper is better.

 

Now, just to be clear, the paper isnt spectacular, but its better than Moleskine for FPs IME. Its not in the same league as Rhodia or the like.

+1

 

I've been using their A5 black notebooks (lined cream paper and colour printed edges) and they are FP friendly which was a very nice surprise for such an inexpensive notebook.

 

Muji has some good FP friendly notebooks.

 

Al

[putteringpenman]

If you like the look and feel of Moleskine notebooks but hate the paper quality, try Rhodia Webnotebooks instead. They feel very similar but use higher quality Clairefontaine paper (since Clairefontaine owns Rhodia).