Designing the Ultimate Fountain Pen Notebook?
Posted on February 4, 2011 in Asides
(last edited on April 29, 2014 at 1:25 am)
(last edited on April 29, 2014 at 1:25 am)
I was up at my printer this morning, and showed him my beloved Cachet Classic Graph 9×12 notebook. It might not be that expensive to produce a similarly-rugged notebook with really nice paper that takes fountain pen ink well, bound in heavy-gauge two-wire, in a portable size…Would anyone be interested in such a product?
21 Comments
I would be interested. Finding nice notebooks that take ink well is no easy task.
I’ve been also looking for heavyweight quality graph paper to punch for my levenger circa notebook.
Count me among the curious.
I would like 5×7-inch format, with stiff covers with rounded covers. Wire-bound, so you can fold it over, but not the spiral kind whose ends catch; let the wires be the double kind that are parallel to each other.
Thanks,
Excuse me–rounded “corners,” on the stiff covers, not “covers.”
Thanks,
yes! I had a moleskin but would prefer a spiral bound – I’ve been buying graph pads, I hate fighting with a notebook to stay open.
Im always on the lookout for one.
Is there a place that will make notebooks with custom covers (and cover images) for a decent price?
Ok, it looks like there’s some interest, so I’ll start looking at production costs.
I’m thinking of making something that’s essentially like the cachet classic graph, around the size of the moleskine, but more reporter-style notebook format. Useful for sketching and todos. Quadrille (graph) style paper with very light blue lines based on an inch grid.
I’ll look into making heavy-weight graph paper too. Sounds like a day spent in the paper file at the printer! I have Noodler’s Bullet Proof Black to use as test, in a Lamy w/ medium nib.
I would love to see more fountain pen friendly notebooks!
What was your question? It looks like it was not completed.
Ivan: Fixed my comment. I had a question, then figured I wouldn’t bother asking it because it would be unwieldy to handle (suggestions for other fountain pen inks / variations to test, but I’ll just find local enthusiasts).
I’d be interested (although I would love if the paper would be plain instead of graph).
Whoa. Noodlers in a Lamy M nib sounds wet. If it can handle that, it will handle just about anything!
I am very interested something in a 6×8 or that neighborhood would be great.
Oh god. Yes, please. I would even pay for international shipping to the UK, because being able to use my lovely pens without smearing and ink-bleeding is a human right as far as I’m concerned.
I’d be interested, especially if Sharpie permanent markers didn’t bleed through. I like to color code with the ultra fine points.
Update: I’m thinking of an unruled 5×7 or 3×6 notebook with paper thick enough to write on both sides without bleedthrough. I ordered a new Lamy Safari to load with Diamine Royal Blue, which I understand is a pretty tough ink to control on paper. Printer is going to provide some fountain pen ready paper stock for me to review in a couple of weeks. If it looks like a go, I may set up a Kickstarter project to fund the first print run so I don’t risk as much capital.
Hmmm, mocked up a 3×6 just to see how it would fit in my hand and it does not appeal to me. Then again I am not a designer. I like the 5×7 idea. I actually heard an older gentleman specifically looking for a 5×7 spiral bound notebook at my local big box office store on Sunday. The sales rep was no help. I pointed him to some Piccadilly (SP?) journals because that is the only one I know of that is close to 5×7 and spiral bound.
I just threw that number out there, as a 2:1 ratio looks pretty good. Ergonomicwise, it may be a crappy size. I just looked up the dimensions of the Moleskine Reporters I used to like, and they are 3.5 x 5.5 inches. That extra half-inch in width might make a big difference. Although, I was thinking that if people liked index cards at 3×5, then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, but perhaps these are more used on a card briefcase or on a tabletop.
I actually have a 5×7 double-wire bound journal I like…I believe it’s this one: http://www.cutting-mats.net/sketch-book-6043.html. You can write on both sides with my Lamy + Noodlers Bulletproof Black it doesn’t bleed through. Absorbency is pretty good too, in my opinion.
Or like the Clairefontaine Classic Wire Bound Ruled Notebook 4.75″ x 6.75″ but with heavier covers, and ,please, rounded corners (they are easier on everything else in the bag, and don’t get dented).
hi,
great idea (shipping to Europe please)?
My best layout / NB I had was using faint dots not a grid and on the LHS plain. This I cannot find anywhere…
Dave
If you can post it across the Atlantic, I’ll buy it.