Pocket Notebook Showdown

Pocket notebook shootout

I discovered I had three very pocket-sized notebooks to review. So I decided to do one BIG pocket-sized notebook review. I’ve got the new Field Notes Drink Local, the Princeton Architectural Press Pocket Dept. Shirt Pocket notebook and a Doane Garage Series Utility notebook. As you can see, all three books are the same size but the Pocket Dept. notebook is perfect-bound while the Doane and Field Notes are staple-bound.

Pocket notebook shootout

The latest Field Notes feature “soft touch” covers and 50lb text bright white paper printed with yellow gold “Hefeweizen” grid.

Doane notebooks feature their signature paper: wide lines and grid printed in blue on 60lb text weight, bright white paper. Each notebook has 48 pages sandwiched between kraft card stock covers.

The Pocket Dept. notebook has bright green card stock covers and features 64 pages of ivory paper with green lines.

Both the Field Notes and Doane notebooks have rounded corners but the Pocket Dept. has standard square corners.

Pocket Dept. Pen Tests

In writing tests, the Pocket Dept. notebook preformed well with felt tipped, gel and hybrid pens and pencils. The cream ivory color made some of the lighter ink colors a little harder to use but not any worse than any other ivory-colored stocks (like Moleskine or Rhodia).

Pocket Dept. Pen Tests

This close-up shows that the Pocket Dept. was not at all well-suited to fountain pens though. There seems to be a coating on the paper that resists fountain pen ink. The hybrid and gel inks didn’t have any issues though.

Pocket Dept. bleed0through check

When viewed from the reverse of the paper, there is no bleed-through at all with the Pocket Dept. notebook.

Doane Paper Pen Tests
I’m always tickled at how well Doane paper works. The blue lines are light enough to work just about any color ink as well as pencil and even the finest of lines.

Doane bleed-through check

There’s a tiny bit of bleed through from the wider nibbed fountain pens but there was not even any show through with most of the gel, hybrid and felt-tip pens.

Field Notes Drink Local Pen Tests

I’m not normally a grid paper fan but the light yellow lines on the Field Notes made it easy for me to appreciate the latest Drink Local edition. It accepted all the same tools as the other two notebooks and was pleasant to use.

Field Notes bleed-through check

From the back side though, you can see that there is the most bleed through with the Field Notes. There’s some show-through with the hybrid, felt-tip and gel pens but not so badly that the reverse of the paper cannot be used.

Overall, the Field Notes are a paper nerd status symbol and the latest edition has a great feel in the hand and easy-to-use yellow grid lines. Field Notes are not great with fountain pens but for daily use with general-use pens and pencils they will serve you well.

The Pocket Dept. notebooks give a lot more sheets per notebook and you know I love the green covers. The paper is heavy enough to be able to use both sides of the paper with no issues but it is not at all fountain pen friendly.

The standout performer is the Doane Utility notebook. It works decently with fountain pens and all sorts of other writing tools. With both horizontal and grid markings, it satisfies almost all tastes.

Doane Garage Series Utility Notebooks are sold in sets of three for $9. The Princeton Architectural Shirt Pocket Notebooks are sold in packs of 3 for $12.50. Field Notes Drink Local are available in sets of 3 for $9.95 and you can choose between either Lager or Ale colors.


THE GIVEAWAY: Want to do your own notebook comparison? Tell me which notebooks you would like compare in the comments and you could win a $25 gift certificate at JetPens.

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Monday, November 4, 2013. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Tuesday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 30 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Gift Certificate will be sent digitally.


DISCLAIMER: These items were sent to me free of charge by Jet Pens and Clicky Post for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Link Love: Fountain Pen Day and NaNoWriMo

Kaweco Liliput Nib EF

Two big pen- and paper-related events are happening on November 1. There is the second annual Fountain Pen Day so its time to dust off your collection, clean ’em or refill them and show your fountain pen pride. And then there’s the annual NaNoWriMo, AKA The National Novel Writing Month, which starts on November 1 and hopes to inspire and challenge anyone who’s considered writing a novel to devote the month of November to getting it on paper. If you’re more inclined to knit than write, you can join me and the other fiber-obsessed for NaKniSweMo (National Knit a Sweater in a Month) over on Ravelry. We use lots of pens, pencils and highlighters to annotate our patterns and keep track of our stitches.

So, how can I inspire you to participate in these upcoming events?

7 Ways to Make the Most of NaNoWriMo (via European Paper)

November 1 is Fountain Pen Day (via Fountain Pen Day)

Inks:

Pens:

Paper & Notebooks:

Review: Paperthinks Notebook

Paperthinks

For several months now, I’ve seen the epic stacks of Paperthinks recycled leather covered notebooks on various sites. There are about two dozen different colors to choose from with this notebook and they are available in blank or lined, a variety of sizes and in a slim and wide version, page count seems to vary depending on overall book size. Its quite an array of products but all the attention seemed to be focused on the array of colors for the covers and the recycled leather they use for the covers and very little is mentioned about the paper, which, in the end, is what I really care about. So, finally, I decided to take one for the collective paper geek team and buy one. I chose the slim notebook (256 pages, 4.7″x6.7″) with lined paper in the lemongrass color (surprise!).

Paperthinks Notebook

The only branding on the exterior of the book is a screen print logo done in tone-on-tone ink at the bottom edge of the spine. On the back cover, at the bottom is embossed the words “Recycled Leather”. There are a slip of paper inside the book describing the process for creating recycled leather. They compare the process to how wood-pulp paper is made, shredding scraps of leather into a fine pulp and then mixing it with water and binding agents to reform it into sheets. Then texture and color are added. It certainly smells and feels like real leather.

The book has a thin, color-coordinated ribbon bookmark as well as a gusseted pocket in the back of the book for loose papers and ephemera. The book cloth gusset on my book was a lighter shade of lemongrass green and looked particularly well-constructed.

Paperthinks pocket

The Paperthinks notebooks feature a Smythe sewn binding so the book lays flat pretty easily. The recycled leather covers are pliable with just a paper endpaper lining attaching them to the book. It gives the book a pleasing feel, stiff enough to write on your lap but not rigid.

Paperthinks lines

The paper is a soft ivory color, a little bit lighter than the Rhodia/Quo Vadis ivory. The lines are a fine light grey and spaced at 6mm.

Paperthinks Pen Test

So far, the notebook is checking all my boxes. Nice lines, great leather covers, pocket in the back, good price value ($12.95 from Kate’s Paperie) so all that was left was to determine how good the paper was. Color me impressed. There was a little bit of tooth to the paper but none of my fountain pens splined or bled. I tried EF, F and M nibs and all worked fine.  Gel/hybrid pens took to the toothy surface quite well as did the felt tips like my beloved Marvy Le Pens. Pencils skated along and only the lightest leads (F-C Castell 9000 HB) seemed a little too light on the paper since the graphite color was almost the same as the lines.

Paperthinks bleed-through check

 

On the reverse side of the paper, there was a little show-through from the fountain pens but with all the gel, hybrid and felt tips, there would be no issues using both sides of the paper.

Overall for the quality, price and options, these are really good notebooks. I’d certainly recommend these as an upgrade to anyone who normally uses a Moleskine. Paperthinks are now offering a version with an elastic as well, so its even more competitive to a Moleskine in terms of features. If you are a diehard fountain pen user though, I’d say stick to the Rhodia/Quo Vadis line, especially if you use broad nibs since the bleed-though would probably be even more noticeable.

Review: The Groove from Dudek Modern Products

The Groove by Dudek Modern Products

For months now, I’ve seen all the pen dudes raving about the Dudek Modern Products The Groove ($55) — this gorgeous solid wood walnut block with holes for pens and a slot for the ubiquitous Field Notes books (or similar) and I thought “Wow, that’s a pretty manly product.” I confess, I thought it was a “Guy Thing”. Then Mr. Mike Dudek kindly sent me one and, holy smokes, was I ever impressed! It is beautifully finished with a smooth satin stain, the edges are ever-so-slightly rounded in a way that makes you want to touch this block, to fill it with your favorite notebooks and writing tools and set it proudly on your desk.

The Groove by Dudek Modern Products

As soon as it arrived, I filled it with a few of my favorite things. My vintage Esterbrooks (and my lone Parker Duofold) look fantastic against the warm wood block. The Field Notes Salesman Edition is almost a perfect match for the color finish on The Groove.

The Groove by Dudek Modern Products

I was able to fit four Field Notes into the “groove” comfortably and Mike sent me The Groove model with 0.5″ holes for pens. Mike also offers a version of The Groove with three 0.675″ holes in the center row for larger diameter pens. All the fountain pens, my Karas Kustoms RETRAKT and Retro 51 all fit easily into the 0.5″ holes. The only pen I had that is large enough to require a larger diameter hole is the Kaweco Student.

If you are not interested in storing pocket notebooks, Mike also makes The Cube ($40) which is just a 9-hole walnut wood cube and is also gorgeous.

I knew The Groove would be well-crafted and perfectly created for its task but I didn’t realize how much I would like it. It really is fabulously beautifully and suitable for any well-appointed desk. Just just for dudes!

Now, for the giveaway! Mike has graciously offered one Groove to a lucky reader here at The Well-Appointed Desk. To enter, leave a comment and tell me which of your pens or pencils are worthy of such a classy home.

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Friday, November 1, 2013. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? One entry per person, please. Winner will be announced on Saturday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 30 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Fulfillment will be handled through Clicky Post/Dudek Modern Goods and this giveaway is open to US and international readers.


DISCLAIMER: This item was sent to me free of charge by Dudek Modern Products AKA Clicky Post for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Neatography: A Subscription-Based Paper Goods Shop

Neatography Subscription

Neatography is a subscription-based paper goods company from outside Chattanooga, TN. As a former resident of Chattanooga, I was really excited to see what kinds of products Neatography would offer and to have a chance to offer support to a hometown girl. The package was wrapped in lovely grey-and-white twine with a hand-stamped tag. It felt like a delightful little present!

In the package, Lindsey includes an assortment of products that value at least $25. Since the monthly subscription rate is $23 +$4 shipping, that seems more than fair. My kit included a letterpress fill-in-the-blank card from Ruff House Art; a set of fabric-covered, polka dot thumbtacks in grey and orange from Girl of All Work; an “Old School” notepad, also from Ruff House Art; a roll  washi-style masking tape with arrow pattern from Side Show Press; and four US Forever stamps with the heart wax seal from this year. Neatography also includes a self-address, stamped reply postcard to send back to Lindsey with your comments about the set.

Details of Neatography Subscription

 

I think this is one of the nicest collections I’ve received from a paper good subscription and I particularly liked the inclusion of a block of stamps. Its a very thoughtful way to make keeping in touch quick and easy. All of the products seemed to come from small, independent companies and none were products I’d seen or purchased before which was quite a treat.

The notepad is lovely offset printed tablet of 50 lined sheets and I look forward to using it. I’m about to move offices at work again and I think the cloth thumbtacks will be nice on my plain office pinboards. And, seriously, who doesn’t love a roll of washi/masking tape? Its a giant roll!

The Neatography subscriptions are available in a limited quantity and can be purchased as a one-time shipment, monthly or on a quarterly basis. The price is the same per shipment regardless of which option you choose. A single one-time purchase would be a great gift for a friend. Sadly, it doesn’t look as if international shipping is currently available.


DISCLAIMER: This item was sent to me free of charge by Neatography for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Ink Drop: September AND October 2013

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Once again, I let my subscription to Goulet Pens Ink Drop accumulate for two whole months before I even opened the packages. The packages now include a glossy postcard with theme name and ink colors along with the Goulet Pens bookmark and five sample bottles of inks.

Inside these packages were two totally different color experiences. September was called Cool Down and featured deep, complex jewel tones and October’s theme was Autumn Leaves which is all shades of red, orange and browns. I tried something new with my ink swabs this time, inspired by the ink samples on European Paper’s site and I used a watercolor paint brush (Windsor & Newton Cotman #6 round).

Ink Drop: Sept 2013

In the September Cool Down set were Noodler’s Navy, Diamine Merlot, Private Reserve Ebony Purple, Omas Sepia, and Noodler’s Zhivago. Oddly, I had just reviewed Noodler’s Zhivago but its so rare that I get a color in an Ink Drop that I already own that I was not too bothered by it. Partially because the other colors were fabulous!

When I saw the color names on the sample vials with names like Navy and Merlot, I was not hopeful that I’d like any of them. But when I put the ink on paper, wow! Especially the Noodler’s Navy which I would never describe as navy. There is a brightness to it that reminds me of Van Gogh’s Starry Night. The Diamine Merlot is a deep red with just a hint or a burgundy color. Diamine Ebony Purple can best be decribed as a purple black — a rich, complex plum color. The Omas Sepia is a warm, rich brown with lots of shading.

As much as I enjoy the Ink Drop subscription, I tend to like that its a small quantity of ink. Just enough to sate my desire for a new color without making a long commitment to a particular shade. However, several of the colors in the Cool Down batch are ones I want in massive quantities. I’ll be buying a bottle of the Noodler’s Navy for sure and probably bottles of the Diamine Merlot and PR Ebony Purple too. I’d buy a bottle of the Omas Sepia for the cool shaped bottle alone.

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October’s Ink Drop is called Autumn Leaves and included Noodler’s Qin Shi Huang, Stipula Sapphron, Diamine Blaze Orange, Noodler’s Antietam and Noodler’s Golden Brown.

My favorites from this were the Diamine Blaze Orange which was a lovely orangey with a hint of red and the Noodler’s Antietam which is a reddish brown. I do already have a bottle of Antietam which I should review thoroughly soon.

The Noodler’s Golden Brown has a bit of a greenish tinge to it that I found similar to J. Herbin Lie de Te which I never particularly liked. The Stipula Sapphron is a very yellowy orange and seemed very wet if that’s a quality you like in your inks. The Sapphron is a very light color and would work best with wider nib pens. The Noodlers Qin Shi Huang is a warm red, just a tiny bit pinkish. I didn’t notice much shading in this ink.

Ink Drop subscriptions are $10/month for US and $15/month outside the US and include five ink samples. Subscribers receive 10% off any full bottle purchase that was featured in the Ink Drop subscription for up to three months from the time of the subscription.

Both sets of inks were tested on Quo Vadis Habana bright white paper. The Cool Down colors for September were tested with my Parker Duofold flex 14K nib, dipped since the vacumatic no longer works. The Autumn Leaves set was tested with my Easterbrook double jewel in red (ladies size) and my vintage #2442 falcon nib, dipped because its easier to clean that way.


I pay for my subscription and receive no compensation for writing about the Goulet Pens Ink Drop subscriptions. I’m just a happy customer.