Last three Moleskines purchased falling apart
joelsanda
notebooks are treated the same way, though some obviously get more use
than others. All are kept flat on the desk at my office or at home and
all are carried in a shoulder bag - not pants pockets for these. I
don't bend the bindings back and write in them on a flat surface.
The 2007 Weekly Planner, just like my 2006 18-Month Weekly Planner,
has a split binding - it's only February and the planner is falling
apart. If 2007 turns out like 2006 I'll have two planners - the only
thing holding together is the black binding paper that wraps around
the book. My 2006 planner was thrown away after several tape attempts
failed.
My last two Pocket Ruled Books came with loose binding thread, so
after I hit the third or fourth page the pages were already coming out
of the book! Though I secured the thread down with tape where I first
noticed it was broken the books eventually wore out before I was 30
pages into them.
The only book that is holding up is a Large Ruled Journal - one that
I've had in the wrapper from a purchase about three years ago. Since
the apparent change in manufacturing I noticed early last year quality
has nose dived.
Is anyone else having similar experiences? The fact I'm using four-
year old Moleskines in a few cases leads me to think it's not
necessarily me - as my older notebooks are holding up much better than
ones that aren't even three months. I've probably bought my last
Moleskine, though I'd be interested in knowing if anyone else has had
similar experiences.
Armand
Vramin
ones in my back pocket, and they certainly do suffer there. I got some
linen binding tape from Blick and have used it to effect repairs on my
current one and now it's holding up pretty well. Been carrying it
since December 5th of 2006. My first reporter broke a bit, too, but I
didn't have the linen tape at the time. I have a large squared I have
been writing in since July 7th, 2006, that is showing a small split at
the bottom of the spine. I have another that I've written in as long,
but not as much, that is not showing similar wear - there is a big
difference in the grid color, though, so I'm sure they came from
different runs. I carry them around in much the way you describe, bags
and briefcases, no pockets, no bending.
It sounds like the ones you have gotten are faring much worse, though.
You should see if Modo e Modo would not replace them. It really stinks
to have your calendar go bad, though. Lots of copying required to move
into a new one.
I haven't given up on them yet - but I'm going to keep a supply of
linen tape on hand. Nothing else I've carried in my back pocket has
held up that much better, so I think I'll stick with what I like, but
it doesn't sound like you're punishing them the way that I do.
AndyH
trousers to work so my pocket Moleskines go in my side pocket, but
even then they are in a ziploc bag as I walk to and from work in often
poor weather.
The desk moleskines (large lined, squared or reporters lined or
squared) are kept in a leather cover until I fill it, then it gets
stacked on my desk with the rest.
I have always thought that the diaries were extremely overpriced
compared to the fantastic prices that I have picked Moleskines up for
at Amazon.
Vramin
To each his own.
leslie...@gmail.com
them to them. See what they have to say, it can't hurt.
for the US it's kikkerland.com
leslie
***The studio is back in action; fresh journals are being made!
http://www.ComfortableShoesStudio.com http://ComfortableShoes.etsy.com
Read the Studio blog at http://comfortableshoesstudio.blogspot.com/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/less23/
Vramin
replacement notebooks for their trouble by taking the time to write in
to the manufacturer or distributor. This is good advice, leslie.
On Feb 20, 7:48 pm, "leslie.her...@gmail.com"
<leslie.her...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I would say contact your local distributor- take some pics and email
> them to them. See what they have to say, it can't hurt.
> for the US it's kikkerland.com
>
> leslie
>
> ***The studio is back in action; fresh journals are being made!http://www.ComfortableShoesStudio.comhttp://ComfortableShoes.etsy.com
Evan Edwards
> I carry the pocket
> ones in my back pocket, and they certainly do suffer there.
I think any casebound book is going to suffer there. The softcovers will
fare better, but that's a rough environment for any casebound book.
It's not so much a matter of manufacture or quality, it's simply a
non-book friendly spot. That sticking Waterford crystal into a backpack for
a camping trip is a bad idea doesn't imply anything lacking in the quality,
just that glass is a bad choice for the environment. A casebound book is a
poor choice of format for any situation where it will be chronically bent and
torqued along the length of the block.
I'm not saying that there has never been quality issues, just that
casebound books of *any* sort will suffer in a pocket, especially a back
pocket.
--
Evan "JabberWokky" Edwards
http://www.cheshirehall.org/
Vramin
been searching for the one that suffers the least. Since I've
discovered the linen tape to effect repairs I'm finding that the
Moleskines hold up remarkably well. My next experiment will be with a
pocket sketchbook... I have a feeling the heavier paper will hold up
pretty well, plus the book will fill up a little faster and not *need*
to withstand as much torture. I also think that the Japanese album
would fare well since it only binds in one spot.
I've tried Ru notebooks, and while they take being bent a bit better
with their soft covers, the covers start to split (with the Moleskine
it's usually the binding inside, not the cover, that gives way). I've
carried many other types of inexpensive notebooks in my pocket and
they generally just disintegrate (those miniature composition books,
for instance). I got a few of the Miquelrius Flexible notebooks, but
the pocket version is so much smaller than Moleskine that I'm hesitant
to move into one.
But my large notebooks don't ride in my pocket, and one is showing a
bit of a split on the spine, while the others are not. There is a
difference in the texture of the covers in many cases as well. In the
pocket notebooks I've seen variance in the covers and in the binding
itself (the one I'm carrying now had a bit of a dodgy spine from day
one, so I was not at all surprised when it tore). Hopefully this is a
quality issue that will settle out over time, but for my money I
believe I'll still be hauling around my battered little Moleskines in
my back pocket from now on. They gain a certain amount of "character"
as they take their abuse. I just love them.
Evan Edwards
> Since I've
> discovered the linen tape to effect repairs I'm finding that the
> Moleskines hold up remarkably well.
I've done that with two, it does help.
> I also think that the Japanese album
> would fare well since it only binds in one spot.
The two problems are the block cracking and the case warping and breaking
free of the block. I'd imagine the Japanese album could tear free, but it
shouldn't suffer from the block cracking. Of course, I haven't used one, so
it's all guesswork.
> I've tried Ru notebooks, and while they take being bent a bit better
> with their soft covers, the covers start to split (with the Moleskine
> it's usually the binding inside, not the cover, that gives way).
Have you used any of the block softbound Moleskines? The planners are
often done that way. They can be overstuffed and survive much better. They
should also survive bending (but not shearing) much better.
Miquelrius notebooks have a similar reputation to Moleskine in terms of
price versus quality. They are all softcover, similar to the planners. You
might try them... they are also thicker, with thicker paper, which is why I
moved away from them.
> difference in the texture of the covers in many cases as well. In the
> pocket notebooks I've seen variance in the covers and in the binding
> itself (the one I'm carrying now had a bit of a dodgy spine from day
> one, so I was not at all surprised when it tore). Hopefully this is a
I had one pocket tear down the spine as well, it was one of the two I used
binding tape on. It was about the same time the reports of problems were
rampant. Since then, I've had no problems. I live in a University town and
they go through Moleskines very quickly here, so whatever I get is likely
recent stock.
> quality issue that will settle out over time, but for my money I
> believe I'll still be hauling around my battered little Moleskines in
> my back pocket from now on. They gain a certain amount of "character"
> as they take their abuse. I just love them.
I used a series of pocket plains as front pocket wallets for several
years. They are beat up and distorted. With the one exception (the one I
mentioned above), they all survived intact, and even the one whose spine
broke is in pretty good shape. I love going through them now and then.
Vramin
> free of the block. I'd imagine the Japanese album could tear free, but it
> shouldn't suffer from the block cracking. Of course, I haven't used one, so
> it's all guesswork.
I've nearly filled my current pocket plain, so it's time to make a
decision on the next one. The Japanese album could feasibly tear, but
I think part of what happens with a case bound book is that the bend
in the pocket pushes one cover up and the other down, so the bound
edges on the covers start to break. Since the Japanese album only
binds to one cover, it won't get that kind of force applied, so it
might survive better - plus it's a little thinner. What I don't know
is how the Japanese album or sketch book paper takes to being bent.
The regular paper is so thin that it seems immune, but the thicker
pages would probably pop, etc.
> Have you used any of the block softbound Moleskines? The planners are
> often done that way. They can be overstuffed and survive much better. They
> should also survive bending (but not shearing) much better.
I've used Cahiers, but they are too thin for my taste. If you mean the
Volants, I've never run across them. I wish they would make them
again. I have wondered about using a planner and just ignoring the
calendar (I keep my calendar in my PDA).
> Miquelrius notebooks have a similar reputation to Moleskine in terms of
> price versus quality. They are all softcover, similar to the planners. You
> might try them... they are also thicker, with thicker paper, which is why I
> moved away from them.
I have a couple of the older Miquelrius "leather like" notebooks and
love them, both large and small, but they are too fat for the back
pocket, and lack the elastic closure and back pocket. The newer
Miquelrius Flexible notebooks have these features and are more like a
Ru notebook, although the cover is more rubbery and might not split
like the Ru did. The Ru's have even thicker paper than the Miquelrius.
The pages are just too small, almost the size of a business card.
I'm guessing that if you don't like thick paper that you've never
tried carrying the sketchbook instead of the plain.
> I had one pocket tear down the spine as well, it was one of the two I used
> binding tape on. It was about the same time the reports of problems were
> rampant. Since then, I've had no problems. I live in a University town and
> they go through Moleskines very quickly here, so whatever I get is likely
> recent stock.
I think the one I'm using is probably a bit older, but the fresh ones
on my shelf are from a newer lot. I think that the linen tape has more
give to it than the paper to paper binding, so it handles the shearing
forces better. If I choose another pocket plain, I will probably just
apply the linen type right off the bat instead of waiting for it to
tear. My only issue with the linen tape is that I've seen it get
brittle over time.
> I used a series of pocket plains as front pocket wallets for several
> years. They are beat up and distorted. With the one exception (the one I
> mentioned above), they all survived intact, and even the one whose spine
> broke is in pretty good shape. I love going through them now and then.
Carrying it in the front pocket would certainly make a difference, but
I've got keys in one and my Treo in the other. Moleskine has to ride
in the back. ;)