This is a half review. This is a sample notebook sent to me to check out. It's filled with Tomoe River, but not the 52 gsm variety we all know. This is 68 gsm - slightly thicker than the very crinkly 52 gsm. Please have a look and see if you'd be interested in a notebook like this. I'm not affiliated with the person who is interested in making these available, nor will I receive any of the proceeds. This is just to help out and help you out in case you'd be interested in a notebook and paper like this! If you would be interested in this paper (pricing details and all that will be available later, this is just about the paper still!), please leave a comment below and let me know!
ABOUT
Color: Off-White
Ruling: Blank
APPEARANCE
The notebook is not the final product, so I won't focus on that. It's a very nice midnight blue cover with rounded edges, and two bookmarks.
PERFORMANCE & FEEL
This paper is a lot less crinkly than the 52 gsm Tomoe River paper. Personally, I love that crinkle and think that's half its appeal, but some people hate it. If you're one of those people, this paper offers what Tomoe River offers: highlights shading, sheen, and no feathering.
Show through is lower than on Tomoe River, although I found bleed through to still happen. Not often, but it happens. Have a look at the images and you can assess for yourself! With normal use, bleed through should be very minimal. I really pushed it with wet writers, and a few flex nibs.
Good sheen, no feathering, nice particles. I love filling this notebook up because it has that "written on paper" feeling. Delectable.
Would you be interested in a notebook with this paper? It should be priced at a comparable price to other notebooks of its size/type.
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30 comments:
Yeah, I'd buy it. As long as its cost is reasonably priced with competitors. If not, I might buy it alongside the Nanami paper notebook even if it costs a bit more. But how could I justify it over something like a B5 Paperforfountainpens notebook? I am assuming it is a5.
I will say, it looks great, and the heavier paper may be useful. I'd really appreciate it if it was b5. Even if that was not possible, it could definitely go into rotation if it was reasonably priced.
This would undoubtedly be an expensive book, having said that, if it had a guide sheet included, or came lightly printed with a dot grid or graph, I would probably buy it. I unfortunately find blank books a little difficult to use, and prefer grids or guides so that I can keep my writing straight. I also prefer white paper, but I always make an exception where Tomoe is concerned. Looks like an awesome book, love the double book mark.
I would love to try this.
I'd definitely purchase one at a reasonable price. $~20/25
Yes! I would buy one to try. I am am a Tomoe River junkie. The paper looks like it holds ink beautifully. I love my Paperforfountainpens and use my Nanami daily.
I would probably want to try the paper separately before investing in a journal. I like the idea of a slightly heavier Tomoe River paper, but plunking down $30-$40 on a journal of untried paper would be a bit tough for me.
I would be interested. I would be even MORE interested if it came in a dot grid!
Nope. Too much shadowing for my tastes. I write on both sides in a journal.
I'm certainly interested in the concept as I love the Tomoe River paper in my Techo journal, but I'd like to have some way of trying the paper before investing - particularly if the journal is more at the $30 price point than the $20 price point.
I'd definitely be interested in buying a few! Particularly if a lined version becomes available. There's nothing I'd love more than a hardcover tomoe river journal with lines!
Tomoe River Junkie is a great way to put it! I'm a TR junkie too. :)
I love the crinkle too, but I'd still be interested in a journal with this paper.
Yep. Add me to the "I'd buy that!" list. I love Tomoe River. I use a writing mat, so I'm not worried about ghosting or bleed through.
Very useful review. The paper looks good, but purchasing a journal would depend on the price.
It's a lovely notebook...And you have great handwriting!
Sure, I'd probably buy one, but (as long as we're listing preferences) I'd rather have a way to remove pages. Perforated or some such. I'm too precious with bound journals, and I have trouble starting them. :-p
I am a conditional yes, depending on price. I'd also love to get my hands on some of the heavier paper in loose sheets.
Oh, I'd definitely love some thicker TR paper (notebook, or not). While I love the "crinkly" thin quality of the current TR paper, I really enjoy the idea of something a little thicker as I have a bit of a heavy hand.
Oh, come on Matt! You gotta have some room left on one of those credit cards for a case of these journals, right? I promise that if you buy one and tell me it's great, that I'll buy one, too. Ha!
While the thicker paper sounds nice, as others have suggested, I am price-sensitive as well, and wouldn't want to go much past the $30 mark.
With that said, however, I am disappointed in the ghosting and bleeding through even on this thicker paper, Maybe it's because of greater writing pressure required to do flex writing... Could you have possibly written with greater force than normal even with the regular FPs, Azizah?
It might boil down to simple semantic games for some, but I think it is also very important to characterize this product as a journal and something that justifies the thicker paper and elevated price, rather than a notebook --something I am going to want to pass on when I see the $35-40 price and compare it to other "notebooks" as I understand them to be.
Hi All,
Many thanks Azizah for your review of my samples and to everyone who have commented.
I have been working on this product for a few months now and like many of you, I love the 52 gms original TR paper. However for me personally, I sometimes found it was rather too delicate and show through made writing on the other side slightly more difficult.
Once I came across the 68 gms version of the TR paper, I thought it might be quite interesting and another option to consider.
So just for everyone's benefit, I was looking at a price point of less than $20, aiming for $15-20 mark
Hope that helps and would welcome your thoughts on this price point as well as any further improvements I can make.
As for sizes, initial sizes will be A5 and my favourite size B5 with A6 likely to follow
Thanks again for all your comments and looking forward to further feedback prior to go ahead with the initial order
Thanks
If this was lined paper I would jump on it without thinking twice.
If IzzyWizzy can really keep the price under $20, I'd be thrilled to buy a TR-filled journal at that price-point. I got my first Hobonichi Techo a week or three back and though I adore the paper, the dry time is a pain and as it's an EDC for me, fountain pens are out of the question. A journal, I could leave open to dry overnight (or hell, I might actually spring for blotter paper...eventually...) and theoretically the greater weight = faster to dry, right? Maybe? :'D
Honestly, I'm a collector of notebooks/journals (*coughjunkiecough*) so if the price is reasonable I'm pretty much a guarantee.
Awesome price and awesome sizes (B5). I'd like to purchase one if and when they are done.
I'd definitely be interested as long as it comes with lines or a dot grid.
I would be happy to buy one but for me the deal breaker is whether it lays flat when it is open.
Love that there would be more than just A5 sizes!
Did this ever happen?
I believe he's refining the notebooks. Fingers crossed! I'll post updates/links when things change!
I would be interested in a journal like this. I would prefer the paper to have a little more weight to it.
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