Notebooks for Class Notes?

**Shimmershadow** · May 16th, 2014, 11:53 AM

I don't know why the top wirebound are so much pricier, either. I took a papermaking class in college, and I suppose I understand some of the fundamentals of why decent paper costs more (denser pulp quality, more processing involved, etc.), but still, le sigh. I suppose one could compare it to high thread count sheets vs cheaper, scratchier sheets. Maybe I'll mix and match side-bound and top-bound books and see which ones I really prefer. Some styles might be preferable to others for lab classes vs. standard lectures.

**snedwos** · May 16th, 2014, 04:48 PM

The answer is it's all imported from Europe or Japan. Speaking of Japan: Apica. Great little notebooks.

**Silverbreeze** · May 17th, 2014, 06:27 AM

I use M by Staples paper (premium ) intermixed with levenger / Rhodia Circa paper. Still adds up, but the disc binding lets me move notes around and still use my nibs

**Shimmershadow** · May 17th, 2014, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by Silverbreeze

I use M by Staples paper (premium ) intermixed with levenger / Rhodia Circa paper. Still adds up, but the disc binding lets me move notes around and still use my nibs

M is still waaay cheaper than the Circa! I actually really like the M series for writing papers and research, particularly for the ability to shuffle pages. I keep all my notes on tarot in an M notebook.

**Silverbreeze** · May 17th, 2014, 07:44 AM

Yup but spend the extra dollar for the premium refill, I can use a stub on that refill. No bleed and barely any show through

**Shimmershadow** · June 2nd, 2014, 05:29 AM

True, the good refill paper does make a difference, but I wouldn't be using a stub on anything note-wise unless I was recopying tarot notes into a nicer hand for permanent use. (which I do do sometimes do, so...)

Anyway. I stockpiled some Rhodia side wirebounds (5 lined and 5 graph) for the Summer and Fall semesters. I think they'll work the best for my purposes, and they're the closest to what I'm used to using in classes.

**Plume145** · July 10th, 2014, 06:44 PM

if you love Clairefontaine, one way to save might be to buy loose sheets to put in a binder. I'm not sure who has it stateside but bureaudirect sells them in ten-packs of 100 sheets for about twenty quid (works out about two quid for each pack of 100). I know there's a CF rep in the US and that it's a big market with all the rhodia fans, so I'd be really surprised if you couldn't find something equivalent there.

An offer like that does mean you have to be sure you like it, because you ARE saddling yourself with 1000 (!) sheets. Not to mention storage! Can be an issue with student living. But if you've got that stuff covered, it's a pretty good way for your pens to prance around on first-class paper with a cattle class budget lol.

**inkyletters** · July 11th, 2014, 06:30 PM

So bts displays are out at my Walmart. It appears that norcom is offering two countries of origin- Colombia and USA. I advise the USA based on the ink test I did. Fairly little feathering, minimal bleed, decent ghosting. The Colombia one bled like crazy. I can post the pics of my ink test if anyone wants to see the comparison. It looks like there were no made in Brazil ones this year though, and I know that's a fall back for many.

**stonerman33** · July 12th, 2014, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by inkyletters

So bts displays are out at my Walmart. It appears that norcom is offering two countries of origin- Colombia and USA. I advise the USA based on the ink test I did. Fairly little feathering, minimal bleed, decent ghosting. The Colombia one bled like crazy. I can post the pics of my ink test if anyone wants to see the comparison. It looks like there were no made in Brazil ones this year though, and I know that's a fall back for many.

I snagged some Brazil ones early last year, but by the end of the BTS season they were all USA and Vietnam I believe? I love supporting made in the USA as much as I can, but the Brazilians have the cheap FP friendly composition book market cornered.

**FayeV** · July 28th, 2014, 03:00 AM

Originally Posted by inkyletters

So bts displays are out at my Walmart. It appears that norcom is offering two countries of origin- Colombia and USA. I advise the USA based on the ink test I did. Fairly little feathering, minimal bleed, decent ghosting. The Colombia one bled like crazy. I can post the pics of my ink test if anyone wants to see the comparison. It looks like there were no made in Brazil ones this year though, and I know that's a fall back for many.

The Norcom brand spiral notebooks at Target this BTS season is made in MEXICO. Avoid at all cost. Ink shows through so you can only write on one side. And it sucks ink out of your pen; with the increased flow, you feel like you need to write faster than normal to avoid a splotch of ink wherever your nib touches paper.