Midori MD Notebook - Lined
Given so much praise and hype for Midori, I thought I might try out one of their notebooks...
While the paper seems like it is of a good quality, my fountain pens (western EF/japanese M/F) do not lay much ink on this paper, making it not such a great writing experience (very bad and awkward flow). (Maybe better suited for broader nibs, but I will never know.) Also, this notebook does not lay flat, which makes this terrible in my book, especially when it advertises "writer's comfort". And it says no smearing (smudging?)... it smears.
Will most likely not repurchase given its high price. It's cute and packaged well, with interesting stickers and a mid-line in the pages, but these things are irrelevant for me.
There are many better quality paper notebooks (for FP) out there at a much lower price point.
What am I missing here? What's with all the near-perfect reviews? Maybe it's better for non-English writing? Maybe it's better with non-FP writing materials?
TL;DR I don't get it. I don't like it.
Edit: disclaimer: am still new to the FP game, so maybe 10 years down the line, with more experience with FP's and inks and papers, I will change my mind.
Edit (2020-09-23): Ok, I am actually warming up to the paper. I don't hate this paper anymore after trying so many other better pens and worse papers. In fact it is sometimes quite pleasing, even with Japanese Fine nibs. Wow. Now, my contention is with non-Japanese pens, and how much more superior Pilot and Sailor pens are over basically all other non-Japanese pens I have tried. If I had to start over all again, I'd just buy Pilot and Sailor.
Re: Midori MD Notebook - Lined
One man's (or woman's, or gender identity of choice's) meat is another's poison, I s'pose. Personally I quite liked the Midori notebooks I tried and don't recall having any of the problems you describe, but that was a few years ago and they might have changed. Also it's worth bearing in mind that sometimes a review is written when there isn't anything better or cheaper on the market, so the reviewer will be judging accordingly. In recent years the availability of FP-friendly paper and notebooks has improved dramatically, and there should be something to suit most tastes. Enjoy the hunt for your personal favourite - the nib/ink/paper trio of perfection is not always an easy goal, but very satisfying when you find one.
And then the notebook manufacturer will change the paper or discontinue the notebook and you start all over again... ;)
Re: Midori MD Notebook - Lined
Quote:
Originally Posted by
grainweevil
One man's (or woman's, or gender identity of choice's) meat is another's poison, I s'pose. Personally I quite liked the Midori notebooks I tried and don't recall having any of the problems you describe, but that was a few years ago and they might have changed. Also it's worth bearing in mind that sometimes a review is written when there isn't anything better or cheaper on the market, so the reviewer will be judging accordingly. In recent years the availability of FP-friendly paper and notebooks has improved dramatically, and there should be something to suit most tastes. Enjoy the hunt for your personal favourite - the nib/ink/paper trio of perfection is not always an easy goal, but very satisfying when you find one.
And then the notebook manufacturer will change the paper or discontinue the notebook and you start all over again... ;)
Yes I do agree with both those things you said.
I think when using the Midori, I was comparing it with my (most recent) trio of perfection (not quite perfection yet, but close), and it was nowhere like that, and I was telling myself why does writing on this feel like a chore... I guess it's a personal preference then.
After using the Midori, I realised something. The writing experience is just as important, if not more important, than things like bleedthrough, feathering, showthrough and so on... These things just fade into the background if you don't enjoy the writing experience.
Re: Midori MD Notebook - Lined
I've been using for several months now. I find the paper somewhere between Rhodia and Tomoe River. And that's perfect for me. To me it's close to my grail notebook. I've used it with a variety of misbehaving inks (i.e. bulletproof/pigment inks). I've used it with modern and vintage flex, fine, medium and double broad nibs. Some of my inks were wet, some more vicious and some dry....
I find that it enhances most inks and gives a little oomph to the lacklustre ones which can look awful on Rhodia for example.
However, I can understand your frustration. One has to find the perfect balance between, ink, paper and nib.....
I believe the combination EF/F + dry ink/ dry pen won't be pleasant on most papers.
For example I have a fine Chinese nib with a very dry ink (R &K Scabiosa). The combination doesn't work. Actually it doesn't work on Rhodia either. I only use it for cheap copy paper. However, a fine/ extra fine with a wet ink works fine.
I suggest give it sometime and use it with different pen/ink/nib combinations. You might be surprised.....
Re: Midori MD Notebook - Lined
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Yazeh
I've been using for several months now. I find the paper somewhere between Rhodia and Tomoe River. And that's perfect for me. To me it's close to my grail notebook. I've used it with a variety of misbehaving inks (i.e. bulletproof/pigment inks). I've used it with modern and vintage flex, fine, medium and double broad nibs. Some of my inks were wet, some more vicious and some dry....
I find that it enhances most inks and gives a little oomph to the lacklustre ones which can look awful on Rhodia for example.
However, I can understand your frustration. One has to find the perfect balance between, ink, paper and nib.....
I believe the combination EF/F + dry ink/ dry pen won't be pleasant on most papers.
For example I have a fine Chinese nib with a very dry ink (R &K Scabiosa). The combination doesn't work. Actually it doesn't work on Rhodia either. I only use it for cheap copy paper. However, a fine/ extra fine with a wet ink works fine.
I suggest give it sometime and use it with different pen/ink/nib combinations. You might be surprised.....
I still have a few unopened Midori MD's (I really should have just bought one, but I tend to buy a few when I try out a notebook - novice's mistake I suppose), so they will be ready when I need a more toothy raw paper. Why some people say they are super smooth is beyond me. I use an EF western (Lamy Safari) with wet ink (Diamine Onyx Black) and to it isn't so pleasant to write on Midori (compared to say Muji Loose Leaf - papers from Muji are super smooth!). The Midori paper just seems like birthday card paper.
I think I concede that it is totally preference and subjective. Since I am more of a practical guy and only use black ink, and write a lot, I think I've developed a very strong/niche preference for certain things such as paper smoothness. I don't like it when my handwriting is altered when using a different smoothness (maybe it just takes getting used to, but I do not know yet.)
I guess I just want to know I am not the only one who thinks this paper is less than perfect.
Re: Midori MD Notebook - Lined
I like my Midori paper and also the Cotton series notebooks, and both behave differently. I sometimes grouse that they don't lie down perfectly flat. Another thing that maybe subjective: I feel like the lines or squares affect the paper somehow, and simply prefer writing on the plain notebooks. And a commonplace: some pens and inks are happier on the paper than others . . . what feels like a bit of pleasant tooth on one pen might feel scratchy on another . . .
Re: Midori MD Notebook - Lined
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jace
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Yazeh
I've been using for several months now. I find the paper somewhere between Rhodia and Tomoe River. And that's perfect for me. To me it's close to my grail notebook. I've used it with a variety of misbehaving inks (i.e. bulletproof/pigment inks). I've used it with modern and vintage flex, fine, medium and double broad nibs. Some of my inks were wet, some more vicious and some dry....
I find that it enhances most inks and gives a little oomph to the lacklustre ones which can look awful on Rhodia for example.
However, I can understand your frustration. One has to find the perfect balance between, ink, paper and nib.....
I believe the combination EF/F + dry ink/ dry pen won't be pleasant on most papers.
For example I have a fine Chinese nib with a very dry ink (R &K Scabiosa). The combination doesn't work. Actually it doesn't work on Rhodia either. I only use it for cheap copy paper. However, a fine/ extra fine with a wet ink works fine.
I suggest give it sometime and use it with different pen/ink/nib combinations. You might be surprised.....
I still have a few unopened Midori MD's (I really should have just bought one, but I tend to buy a few when I try out a notebook - novice's mistake I suppose), so they will be ready when I need a more toothy raw paper. Why some people say they are super smooth is beyond me. I use an EF western (Lamy Safari) with wet ink (Diamine Onyx Black) and to it isn't so pleasant to write on Midori (compared to say Muji Loose Leaf - papers from Muji are super smooth!). The Midori paper just seems like birthday card paper.
I think I concede that it is totally preference and subjective. Since I am more of a practical guy and only use black ink, and write a lot, I think I've developed a very strong/niche preference for certain things such as paper smoothness. I don't like it when my handwriting is altered when using a different smoothness (maybe it just takes getting used to, but I do not know yet.)
I guess I just want to know I am not the only one who thinks this paper is less than perfect.
I have one Ef and I only use wet inks with it, unless I'm testing.... I don't use black ink and I don't know Onyx.
Important is that you find the paper that is suitable, for you, your pens and inks :)
I like more or less everything about it ;)
I'm sure you would like Tomoe River 68 gr. It's extreme smooth paper.... and quite expensive :D
Re: Midori MD Notebook - Lined
Funny, I was just looking at Midori MD notebooks yesterday in my FP paper hunt. As stated above, paper preference is subjective. Since starting my FP hobby at the beginning of the year, I've accumulated about 10 different FP friendly papers and journaled in 5 different notebooks in 2020. Plenty of down time thanks to COVID. So far, my favorite paper has been Clairefontaine Triomphe / Rhodia, with Stamford Notebooks Co. as a close #2.
I have a bunch of Tomoe River paper, and while some people rate it highly, for journaling it doesn't make any sense to me. The paper is not very absorbent and the ink takes forever to dry on it. Sure, it brings out the sheen of an ink, but that's because the ink sits on the surface of the paper. Easy smudging.
Re: Midori MD Notebook - Lined
Jace, I had long writing session with my sole EF, on Midori. I finally got what you meant. I had some paper fibres caught on the nib. Nothing dramatic, but I can understand it can be frustrating....
It reminded me of writing with a dip pen......:)
@Thirtyone, Tomoe River 68 is slightly different than the traditional 50gr paper....It's thicker and a bit more absorbent....though I haven't journaled on it, extensively so I cannot say... but the Paper is Rhodia smooth
Re: Midori MD Notebook - Lined
I've used Midori notebooks with stub-nabbed pens, and not only have I had no problems with them, but I was amazed to see how vividly the red sheen of Blackstone Sdney Harbour Blue and Barrier Reef Blue showed up on the page -- much more than on Rhodia, for example.
