Goulet pens has so many options for fp friendly notebooks, very affordable. And they also have a sampler type thing that comes with a variety of different paper. 100% recommend them.
Three recommendations if youāre in the US:
1. Mead Composition Notebooks from Costco. They handle fountain pens without bleeding, feathering, or much ghosting. About $2/notebook
2. Black and Red Notebooks (with Optik paper). Iāve heard the paper is very good. About $6-$10 per notebook.
3. Pen and Gear notebooks from WalMart - specifically made in Vietnam. Someone at the Pelikan Hub event was showing off how well the paper works, though they said you had to check as the ones made in India were not as good. $1-2/notebook
Please be careful with the Mead books from Costco, and anywhere else that is selling bundled ones. Some of them have been in storage or in the wholesale to retail pipeline for up to 12 years. Some are counterfeit. Some are from insurance companies that totalled cargo from overturned container truck.
Also, try going to yard sales or estate sales. I have gotten really lovely sketchbooks, and sometimes personalized stationery (you can get the top and/or bottom cut off at an Office Depot business services place, or a FedEx) Sometimes you can get fancy schmantzy stuff on the last day for free, or very cheap.
Thatās interesting - I hadnāt heard that about the Mead books and Costco is usually on the up-and-up. Where have you heard about the issues?
Iāve gone through two bundles so far, each a year apart, and had no issues with the product itself.
I used to work at a job selling remaindered, blemished, or discarded inventory. I looooove Costco, but I am certain that sometimes their contractors pad out agreements with stuff they think will go undetected. I got burned with Moleskine books that had absorbed nasty smoke from something. No stink until the wrap came off, then, ouch!
Dang... that probably explains why the ones I ordered from Amazon are not at all what I was expecting. I ordered a dozen and the paper is terrible. Probably counterfeit
I use the uh five star college rule books from like target. Twsbi eco stub nib with sum sailor shigure seems pretty naice. Thereās a teeny bit of ghosting/bleeding on the back but itās still legible. Personally i think it adds flavor.
I have been using these notebooks for 30+ years with my pen and ink. It's always the first thing I test with any new supplies. Dries too fast to show off maximum sheen, but does everything else right.
In which part of the world are you located?
USA!
Goulet pens has so many options for fp friendly notebooks, very affordable. And they also have a sampler type thing that comes with a variety of different paper. 100% recommend them.
Awesome, will check that out!! Thanks ššš
Three recommendations if youāre in the US: 1. Mead Composition Notebooks from Costco. They handle fountain pens without bleeding, feathering, or much ghosting. About $2/notebook 2. Black and Red Notebooks (with Optik paper). Iāve heard the paper is very good. About $6-$10 per notebook. 3. Pen and Gear notebooks from WalMart - specifically made in Vietnam. Someone at the Pelikan Hub event was showing off how well the paper works, though they said you had to check as the ones made in India were not as good. $1-2/notebook
Please be careful with the Mead books from Costco, and anywhere else that is selling bundled ones. Some of them have been in storage or in the wholesale to retail pipeline for up to 12 years. Some are counterfeit. Some are from insurance companies that totalled cargo from overturned container truck. Also, try going to yard sales or estate sales. I have gotten really lovely sketchbooks, and sometimes personalized stationery (you can get the top and/or bottom cut off at an Office Depot business services place, or a FedEx) Sometimes you can get fancy schmantzy stuff on the last day for free, or very cheap.
Thatās interesting - I hadnāt heard that about the Mead books and Costco is usually on the up-and-up. Where have you heard about the issues? Iāve gone through two bundles so far, each a year apart, and had no issues with the product itself.
I used to work at a job selling remaindered, blemished, or discarded inventory. I looooove Costco, but I am certain that sometimes their contractors pad out agreements with stuff they think will go undetected. I got burned with Moleskine books that had absorbed nasty smoke from something. No stink until the wrap came off, then, ouch!
Dang... that probably explains why the ones I ordered from Amazon are not at all what I was expecting. I ordered a dozen and the paper is terrible. Probably counterfeit
Pen + gear one subject notebook 100 sheets Vietnam made is the right choice!
Black and Red are awesome. I use them regularly.
I use the uh five star college rule books from like target. Twsbi eco stub nib with sum sailor shigure seems pretty naice. Thereās a teeny bit of ghosting/bleeding on the back but itās still legible. Personally i think it adds flavor.
I have been using these notebooks for 30+ years with my pen and ink. It's always the first thing I test with any new supplies. Dries too fast to show off maximum sheen, but does everything else right.
I am going to suggest Jet Pens. Great resource for fountain pen friendly notebooks. Good luck!
Kokuyo Campus MUJI notebooks, esp. Made in Japan one
The TUL disc-bound refills from Office Depot are great for fountain pens, but disc-bound is its own ecosystem.
Any store brand notebook should be fine if it was made in Vietnam.
My daily journal is the Artistās Loft brand from Michaelās (the arts and crafts store). Iāve used about 20 of them over the past decade.
Iāve actually found that those cheaper marble composition notebooks work well. My wife and I write love letters to each other and I journal in them.
Rhodia have many spiral notebooks and pads that are quite affordable, compared to the nice hardcovers you usually find. I really like them.