... KOKUYO Century Edition Record Book Review ...

[TMLee]

This is a review of the KOKUYO 100TH RECORD BOOK - CENTURY EDITION

 

This is the 5mm grid variant .

(There is a lined variant)

 

This gridded variant comes in black , grey, and  orange.

The Soft cover comes in a clear plastic book sleeve.

 

 

very nice , textured cover paper

the texture recalls to mind the pattern like on the body of the PILOT JUSTUS fountain pen

this sample being reviewed is black

 

 

The shopkeeper told me that this notebook was made to commemorate the 100th year anniversary of Kokuyo ?

 

A5 size

 

and dimensions specified

 

Here is the loose leaf jacket

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to the spine

 

 

 

 

I think this is the article number

 

 

The Book Block

The book block has this nice herringbone? pattern in black lines.

Very nicely done 👍

(This pic is of a orange cover variant)

This is the top of the notebook

 

Long side of the notebook

 

Bottom side ...

all the same pattern but extremely exacting in position and perfectly printed, ie no faded parts or unprinted patches

 

 

The Binding

The binding seems to be a 'perfect binding' , ie glued.

I couldn't find stitches.

as you would expect of Japanese workmanship, the binding is really very well done.

The book keeps its crisp form and shape, no deformity in any X , Y or Z axis.

There's a little of a 'gull wing' effect (not illustrated here) from this kind of glueing but even so, it is very well minimized because of the care and precision in binding.

 

I cannibalized the notebook to craft an A6 journal.

(Sorry , I couldn't resist putting good paper into a nicer book.)

Here you see the cover ripped from the bookblock.

 

 

The Writing Paper

 

There are only 70 sheets in this notebook.

So this means 140 writing pages.

 

As specified on the loose jacket, the writing paper is

KOKUYO (high grade) CYO-BO paper , 100g , acid free.

This gridded version is in 5mm grids.

 

The grids are printed in medium or light grey tone , (not black) which is a good design because it doesn't distract your note taking.

Greys or blues are kinder on the eyes. And it doesn't compete with ink colours  should you decide to go psychedelic in your ink choices.

 

The grid is very very precisely printed.

Very impressive .

Look at how the grids end on each edge of the paper....

There is a consistent distance away from each edge of the writing page, including the spine edge !!!

This pic below is bottom right corner.

 

 

Same spacing at top-right corner of page

 

 

Between two pages

Pic of bottom of spine

 

 

The Ink Test

I carried out an ink test of sorts with some of the inks that I had .

Also tested with assorted ballpoint inks 

 

Very good paper.

NO bleedthru

NO feathering

 

The paper surface is smooth.

It is a real pleasure to write if you prefer smooth paper surfaces.

The paper does not have any 'tooth' , however slight, like as in Midori refill booklets.

 

Page 1 of 3

Black paper underlay

 

Backside of Page 1

white copier paper underlay

the shadow from the  assorted inks are insignificant. 👍

 

Page 2

Black paper underlay

 

Page 3

which is also the backside of Page 2

 

whole view of page 3

 

Very good notebook.

Opens flat and stays flat open (almost)

 

I paid SGD$20 for any 2 copies (sale price)

apparently the distributor set aside a certain number to be sold at a bargain as part of their anniversary promotion.

 

😊

 

 

 

[amberleadavis]

Thank you for this very detailed review!

[TMLee]

On 5/1/2021 at 6:33 AM, amberleadavis said:

Thank you for this very detailed review!

 

welcome 🙂

[TMLee]

On 4/29/2021 at 7:29 PM, TMLee said:

 

The Book Block

The book block has this nice herringbone? pattern in black lines.

Very nicely done 👍

(This pic is of a orange cover variant)

This is the top of the notebook

 

 

 

 

I think I know why its patterned as such ...

Its like criss-cross - perhaps signifying grid paper inside.

 

The lined variant has parallel lines , and logically signifying lines inside.

 

They think of everything !

 

😊

 

 

[awaking]

Great review, they look really nice! 

 

 

I might have to keep an eye out for them as I have been very keen on Kokuyo since arcfide's japanese paper review inspired a purchase.

[mhguda]

what did you make with the cannibalized notebook? I hope at least a book with more sheets/pages...70 sheets is never enough in my view!

It's a good thing though - I was sorely tempted to try and get one of those, and I don't even like grid or lined paper!

[TMLee]

On 8/11/2021 at 8:30 PM, mhguda said:

what did you make with the cannibalized notebook? I hope at least a book with more sheets/pages...70 sheets is never enough in my view!

It's a good thing though - I was sorely tempted to try and get one of those, and I don't even like grid or lined paper!

 

 

Here you go ...

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/302808-homemade-journal-2016/?do=findComment&comment=4463547

 

😊

 

 

[mhguda]

yeah saw that one. I think you got punished for cannibalizing a good notebook... lost the nice herringbone paper edges...

the bookcloth does look good though, and your emboss/deboss is gorgeous with it.

[TMLee]

15 hours ago, mhguda said:

yeah saw that one. I think you got punished for cannibalizing a good notebook... lost the nice herringbone paper edges...

the bookcloth does look good though, and your emboss/deboss is gorgeous with it.

 

 

Haha ...

 

and yes, you would like this shade of bookcloth . its very close to the Indian Red bookcloth but not exactly the same shade.

 

Its very nice. 

[TMLee]

deleted post

Edited November 22, 2021 by TMLee
wrong thread