(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)
Back in 2017, I reviewed my first Moo Notebook (here). They sent us another one to review in 2020. To be honest, nothing much has changed, except this time the paper is dot grid instead of lined (and it doesn't come with a pencil). That said, this is such a well-made notebook, it's worth reviewing again, especially if some readers have never heard of it.
The notebook comes encased in a slip cover. This protects the edges and bottom of the notebook and makes for easy archiving later.
The cover is made of soft, lightly-textured cloth. Since I've begun bookbinding, I really appreciate a nicely-bound book.
A couple of extras are included. There's a bookmark ribbon and a business card holder you can tape inside.
A distinctive feature of the Moo Notebook is that the book is not glued in at the spine. Not only does this show off the beautiful Swiss binding, but it also allows the pages to lay flat when the book is opened. I think it looks cool and is a neat little piece of craftsmanship.
The front page is made of textured card stock that protects the pages beneath it.
Inside are 160 pages of white Swedish Munken Kristall 100 gsm paper with soft grey dots. In the lower corner is a circle for page numbers (or any other symbols you'd like to insert).
The paper is smooth and thick, handling fountain pens with ease. None of the ink bled, even when using broader nibs. I did notice some show through and a tiny bit of bleed through on the other side of the paper.
I used my Nakaya Dorsal Fin with a flex nib and Iroshizuku Tsukushi ink to write a longer writing sample. The paper is excellent for writing--smooth but not too slick.
Ink swabs look bright and true-to-color on the paper. However, there's not much sheen. Some of the ink bled through to the other side, and the paper buckled from the moisture.
In the middle of the book you'll find sixteen pages of G. F. Smith's Colorplan 135 gsm paper.
This paper is meant for drawing, presumably, although I tested it with pens, swabs, and painting. The paper has texture to it, so finer tines can get caught. There was no show or bleed through, but I did notice a bit of bleeding because this paper is more absorbent.
The green paper (it looks white in the photos) affected the colors of the swabbed inks, dulling them slightly. A bit more sheen was displayed, and there was no show or bleed through at all.
I also tried a watercolor with a tiny bit of bleach in the wash and the inks used in my swabs. Although the paper buckled, it handled the bleach wash, inks, and multiple layers of brushstrokes without any bleed through.
The Moo Hardcover Notebook is simply a gorgeous piece of craftsmanship. I love how it feels in my hands. The paper is top-notch, and the binding is unique and functional. At $19.99, I think it is a terrific value. You can purchase the Moo Hardcover Notebook directly from the Moo website. The notebook comes in the following color combinations (the color of the cover is followed by the color of the Colorplan pages): Jet Black/Duck Egg (the notebook reviewed here); Sky Blue/Pastel Pink; Berry Red/Turquoise; Lime Green/Steel Blue; Wine Red/Lavender; Midnight Blue/Tan; and Charcoal Grey/Mint. You can choose either lined or dot grid paper.
(Moo provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
