Your Moleskine (or other Notebook) of Choice?

[ex machina]

ex, since you're a DIY type, why not make your own monkey fists? http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Post photos.

I really like the Red Oxx ones. Also, the Red Oxx monkey fists have a loop that emanates on both ends from the fist. I have been considering for a spell taking one apart to learn how they are tied. If I can find a cord/rope similar to what my Red Oxx monkey fists are made with, I think I will give it a try. But I will need that cord, as it's a total package item: the knot, the loop, the material. I won't wreck one without a shot at making more than one of comparable quality.

Thanks for the list of videos. I looked at a couple and I see that a couple of fellas use ball bearings in the fist. I just looked it up, and the fists are made from American Parachute Cord. Now I just have to figure which of the six types it is, and then get some. I see American Parachute Cord is available on the web, particularly 550 cord. I sense another project brewing! :P

[gmanedit]

ex, since you're a DIY type, why not make your own monkey fists? http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Post photos.

[DQBunny]

Both products work wonderfully with fountain pens, as they are produced in France and French student still write most of their notes and have to take their exams with pens.

You know, since good notebooks and fountain pens go hand in hand, where can one get a good, inexpensive fountain pen these days? I dearly miss writing with one and used to pick up a cheap one when I was in high school and wrote with it all the time. Now I can't seem to find them any longer.

[backpack]

Since Tom Bihn blog mentioned Rhodia Drive and Rhodia Drive mentioned Tom Bihn blog, I believe it is ok to mention the website of Exaclair, the U.S distributor of Rhodia and Clarefontaine products.


The website below will enable you to find where to buy the products online and at a store near you .

http://www.exaclair.com/purchase.shtml


Both products work wonderfully with fountain pens, as they are produced in France and French student still write most of their notes and have to take their exams with pens.
Fountain pens with erasable blue ink is the instrument of choice in all Humanities exams while pencils are king for Science students.

A cheaper alternative is the use of printer paper, modified with the help of the D.I.Y website templates for Classic size organizers.

[ex machina]

I use Cavallini notebooks with great satisfaction. B&N used to carry a healthy selection, after Moleskines reared their ugly heads my Cavallinis have been slowly replaced, sigh...

I was looking for stationers to visit in Manhattan, and I came across a website called thedailyplanner.com. They have an assortment of the Cavallini journals for sale.

They are a parallel online business of http://www.lincolnstationers.com which was around for 25 years in midtown Manhattan as I understand it, but got squeezed out of their retail location by rising rents (Manhattan rents are whacko.) They are online only until they find a new location with a reasonable rent.

[DQBunny]

I wish Moleskine made a big notebook size for regular journaling needs but I would be in nirvana if they managed that. I usually grab a cheap Picadilly for that function.

When I was at Barnes and Noble the other day, I did see some large 8.5x11 essay books. Is this the type of Mokeskine that you're looking for?

I've been using Moleskine for the past couple of years, but I did get my hands on the Ecosystem books and really liked the feel of them. I plugged in the number of one in my iPhone and discovered it was mostly assembled in Lewiston, Maine, where I lived for about 18 months. I was pretty pleased to see that. I can't afford one now, but I may grab one of the author ones in the near future, along with one of the 2010 planners.

[katiya]

Ah, someone mentioned Moleskine. I'm way too addicted to them, used to buy them in bulk off an ebay seller. I was visiting my parents in Louisiana at the beginning of the year and a bookstore in a mall was going out of business. I picked up a huge cache of the large ruled and graph styles for about $2.50 a notebook. I spent around $200 and I think the cashier thought I was insane.

Every year I get the Large Daily Planner as well. It's true Moleskine bleeds with anything beyond a regular ball point or pencil but I work my way around that if need be. I wish Moleskine made a big notebook size for regular journaling needs but I would be in nirvana if they managed that. I usually grab a cheap Picadilly for that function.

[Akilae]

I use Cavallini notebooks with great satisfaction. B&N used to carry a healthy selection, after Moleskines reared their ugly heads my Cavallinis have been slowly replaced, sigh...

[Jenne]

I've replied before on this thread, but now I am trying out an alternative to the Moleskine. I wanted something I could be "sure" about (on labor issues and such,) so I'm trying out Barnes and Noble's new Ecosystem notebooks. I got the 2010 weekly planner, an "artist" (blank) in my favorite 5 X 8 size, and have ordered the "architect" (grid) in the same size. There's a lot of "marketing" involved that I am a bit suspicious of (like registering your notebook and "building your own," which amounts to ordering one in stock. A bit disingenuous, I think.) The paper is bright white and I prefer the mellow ivory of the Moleskine, but the Ecosystem claims to be made of 100 percent recycled materials and made in the US. (Also, no leather involved. I will not use leather.) I haven't written on it yet, so I don't know how my Ohto Fine fountain pen will work. They cost slightly less than the Moleskine, but not enough to be a dealbreaker if price is your first concern.

[backpack]

If the Field Notebook could have an horizontal slit on the top of the inner back cover, one could insert a junior size writing pad.

They are available in a whole range of paper and price from the lovely smooth
Rhodia to ones made with really cheap paper found in bulk on the stationery shelves in supermarkets.

One could make its own writing pad using printer paper cut in half With a guillotine or a scrapbook paper cutter and held together with Circa, Myndology or binder rings.

The backing can be made of two layers of cereal boxes cardboard, an older pad or bought.

I know that stationary stores or office stores with copy areas can make a
writing pad with any kind of paper. I know they can do it in letter size, junior size, I don't know.


Since we know that Field Notebook is going to be junior size, it is time to go to the D.I.Y page and plot the templates ones want to use.

I have done that with my Filofax, I wanted to use dot matrix printer paper with the templates found in AppleWorks it was a long time ago before the DIY pages were created and there was still good programming on tv.

[ex machina]

I also picked up in the last week a three pack of the Moleskine Cahiers, squared journals. They are working out quite well, I use them sideways. The size is 3x5, and they are slim. I keep them in my shirt pocket against my pocket briefcase. I find I am going through less notecards for the pocket briefcase. I like the way it functions for me and I will be keeping the Cahiers or similar as a regular carry item.

I use Retro51 Tornados as my everyday pens. One regular size, one Bigshot size. I also have a Parker Jotter (in brushed stainless steel) as a back-up.

All my pens are ballpoint/rollerball. I use to use the Fisher inks because of the no leak nature of them and the tremendous amount of writing you get from one. But I also find that ink, while amazing as inks go, not flow-y enough for my everyday use. I was in a quandary, and experimenting for awhile. I did land upon an ink I am quite happy with now. My main in is now the SCHMIDT® easyFLOW 9000. Designed as a hybrid between a rollerball and a ballpoint. Writes easily, responds well to a light touch but can handle a heavy hand, dries quickly, doesn't bleed. Stays fresh and ready uncapped for up to a year. I just had 10 refills delivered. I want a nice stock so I won't run out.

[notmensa]

I use the Moleskine Volant Pocket size, lined for my journal. Cheapest place for me to buy them for delivery to Australia is through <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/">The Book Depository</a>.

I came across Guildhall notebooks via <a href="http://blackcover.net/?p=36#more-36">Black Cover</a> and purchased them on the <a href="http://www.ukge.co.uk/UK/guildhall.asp">UK Geologists Equipment</a> website. Ink takes a little longer to dry on the paper compared to Moleskine, but the notebook itself is lovely.

O-Check Design Graphics is another brand that has lovely paper. It's Korean and I get through <a href="http://notemaker.com.au/">Notemaker</a> in Australia.

Finally, I use Uniball Signo 207 pens, but with the 5mm refills. The ink flows nicely and the thin tip makes my poor handwriting look a little neater!



[Yes, I have thought about my carbon footprint. I've also thought about the many jobs my international purchases help support across the globe.]

[ex machina]

Moleskine pic with TB stickers

This is my Moleskine and my 2 TB stickers. I left room for a release of another TB sticker.

I like the Red Oxx sticker, and I did buy a dozen of the monkey fists from them, but no bags. The monkey fists are fantastic.

[ex machina]

I use a moleskin to vent (therapeutically efficacious) and a junior Circa to track my lists and notes. I also use a circa PDA. I am a recent convert to Circa and got a great big cache of discs by shopping on eBay. Now I just have to vet out how I will organize my Circa. I think I will fuse the junior and the PDA into one unit. I got some 1" discs I can do that with now. What I would like to know is will the field journal be compatible with circa? I would really like a housing that is both protective and featureful (while looking stunning no less.) This sounds like a job for Tom Bihn! Dunh dunh DUNH! (That man should have his own comic book.)

Armed with his adamantium cafe bag, mild mannered bag designer Tom Bihn, becomes Captain Cafe where ever the cries of travelers are heard! Producing his Magikal Sewing Machine from the limitless depths of his cafe bag (its bigger on the inside, like a TARDIS) the needs of travelers are met in brilliant living color! Producing bags that cause envious UFOs to travel to Earth seeking a purchase, the galaxy stands in waitful awe!

Maybe Tom can build a bag called World Peace? : ) Stranger things...

[maverick]

Yeti - thanks for the tip on Clairefontaine. Know of any bricks & mortar stores that carry them??

my local container store in vienna, va carries them. i imagine that they would have it in their other locations also.