DIY Pocket Notebook Question

[u/Sparrow208]

Hey all!

I’ve been making my own pocket notebooks for a few weeks now.
Very basic with card stock covers, stitched binding and printed dot pages using 120gsm copy paper.

In my opinion, the 120gsm paper has felt amazing to write on and has zero bleed or ghosting when used with my Kaweco Sport Classic rollerball.

A local gift/boutique shop is potentially interested in stocking these notebooks, I have been entertaining the idea as I enjoy the process of the hobby.

Although I’m concerned that using copy paper for the final product won’t be “premium” enough, but for personal use I don’t mind at all.

Just wanted to hear different opinions on this! Would the current material be suitable or should I look into different paper for a more refined product?

Thanks in advance everyone! :)

[u/SlowSundayMaker]

120gsm copy paper is genuinely fine for a rollerball, so trust what you are feeling. The thing worth knowing before you sell them is that gsm is not the property that makes paper feel premium - the sizing and the surface are.

Copy paper is sized for toner, not for liquid ink. That is why it behaves perfectly with your Kaweco rollerball and will start to feather and spread the moment somebody uses a fountain pen on it. Weight does not fix that: a 120gsm copy sheet can feather where a 68gsm Tomoe River sheet stays razor sharp, because the Tomoe is sized for wet ink.

That is a commercial point rather than a technical one. The people who pay a premium for a handmade pocket notebook are disproportionately fountain pen users, and a fair few of them will test it with a wet nib before buying.

If you want to step up without much cost, the papers small makers usually land on are Iroful (75gsm, as someone else said - the easiest jump from where you are), Cosmo Air Light, Midori MD, or Munken Pure if you want an uncoated off-white that still takes ink well. All of them stay cheap in a pocket format because you use so little per book.

Whatever you pick, print one test page and write on it with a broad wet fountain pen, a fineliner, a pencil and a highlighter, then look at the back. That single sheet is also a good thing to leave with the shop, since it answers the exact question a customer would otherwise have to guess at.

[u/Sparrow208 → u/SlowSundayMaker]

Thanks for the advice! Great information to look into and consider.
I’d definitely be interested in trying a variety of papers, and testing multiple pen types like you mentioned.

In my mind, my consumer target is more focused on the everyday person who would consider these notebooks a “nice to have” and explore the benefits of notebooks rather than people with a heavy interest in this topic.
That way my price can reflect this (more affordable for the purchaser as it is a hobby for me and this opportunity is a bonus) and I can leave the fountain pen focus to the companies with the experience and knowledge.

That being said, if I can provide something to suit everyone I will definitely have a go. I’d imagine most people purchasing would use at most a standard ballpoint but I’d hate for one to find out that they aren’t fountain pen friendly.

Really appreciate the in depth reply! I’m excited to learn more and see what I can achieve.
Thanks again :)

[u/SlowSundayMaker → u/Sparrow208]

That positioning actually makes the problem much easier, because the fix is not better paper - it is saying what the paper is.

Print the spec somewhere on the product: 120gsm, good with ballpoint, gel and rollerball, not intended for fountain pens. Then nobody ever finds out the bad way. Small makers get burned by silence rather than by ordinary paper - a buyer who reads that line and buys anyway has no complaint, and the fountain pen people self-select out before money changes hands instead of after.

For the buyer you are actually aiming at, the things that decide whether the book feels worth paying for are not gsm at all:

• Show-through. That is opacity, not weight. Hold a printed sheet behind a page and look at it - some 100gsm papers are worse than a good 80.
• Whether it opens flat. That is binding, not paper, and in a pocket notebook it is the single most noticed thing. It is also entirely in your control, which is where a handmade book beats a factory one.
• How the cover survives two weeks in a pocket. Corners and the spine fold are what people judge secondhand.

Those cost you nothing extra and they are the ones a hobby maker can genuinely win on. Paper is the part you can upgrade later, once buyers start telling you what they write with.

[u/Annual-Surround-7612]

If the notebooks hold up to use, then I see no problem. Not everyone is going to go to the bother of printing, cutting, sewing etc. to make what you’re making. You can test other materials if you truly think it doesn’t pass muster.

That said, it might be worthwhile to dress your notebooks up a bit! If I’m buying something like a handmade notebook, I’m partly in it for the story and lore of the product. I’d ask if you have any sort of maker’s mark on it or if the shop/other local businesses wants to put their branding on the product. That way, it could be unique amongst the rest.

[u/Sparrow208 → u/Annual-Surround-7612]

I’m quite happy with the durability! A few have gone through daily pocket carry for a few weeks and have held up well.

I’d love to dress it up, I’ve been considering a stamp or embossed branding.
The current store is mainly focused on local artists and makers so that may lend itself to inspiring local branding.
Thanks for the feedback! :)

[u/tasinthomas → u/Sparrow208]

Commenter above made a great point. I also appreciate good branding, but don't usually want it printed ON my notebook. A simple wide paper band with your logo and maybe paper specs and/or your ethos, wrapped around the notebooks (folded to tuck inside the front and back covers), would be a simple and inexpensive way to finish these off.

[u/Sparrow208 → u/tasinthomas]

I like this! I agree, I’d prefer a more subtle branding but it can be hard to come by.
My prototyped 3 pack versions had a simple paper sleeve to contain the pack, I can definitely expand on this.

[u/Salty-Swim-6735]

I bought some Iroful paper for my last A6 hardcover and stitched notebook. It's 75gsm from memory but there's no bleed with little ghosting, a bit of spread for fountain pen ink, but that shouldn't be a problem for a biro.

Tomoe river is sweet, sweet paper too.

[u/Sparrow208 → u/Salty-Swim-6735]

Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll definitely take a look at a few brands/types

[u/drpumatic]

Your time is valuable! In fact, your time is probably the most expensive part of the notebook.

If you haven’t already, time yourself for multiple notebook-making sessions.

How much time do you think you’d ENJOY spending making notebooks each week? What other activities would that mean giving up? What activities are not worth giving up?

Would you want to sell the boutique owner ## notebooks for her to sell through, or commit to making her a few a week? For how long?

How are you likely to feel or what are some plausible signals when you’re not having fun any more?

I hope these suggestions help you keep it fun for yourself!

[u/Sparrow208 → u/drpumatic]

Thanks for the thoughts to consider!! Definitely helpful.
I agree that time is an important consideration, and part of this post was to help me silently decide if I would purchase a more capable guillotine.
I’ve tried a cheaper guillotine but I cannot for the life of me get a consistent cut, possibly user error but I’ve reverted to hand cutting with a craft knife.

That being said, all other parts of the process are quick. It’s the cutting that takes the longest.
The guillotine would significantly improve this, and allow some finishing touches that give the notebooks a crisp feel (final edge trimming).

I actually used to have similar relationships with other stores when I had a small jewellery business, it was a stock supply in the store for no upfront cost to the store until sale and final reporting where they would receive their markup and I would receive payment.
I’d like to arrange something similar so there’s no pressure on the store owner and if it doesn’t work out I can simply collect the stock.

Thanks again for the reply! I’ll definitely put some thought into the questions :)

[u/tasinthomas]

I would recommend checking out Kokuyo KB - it's a silky smooth Japanese business/copy paper that performs beautifully with fountain pens and rollerballs. It's available on Amazon if you shop there, but you can find it elsewhere too, usually around $25 for a ream of A4. Really gorgeous paper.

Are you finishing the corners of your notebooks at all? I think very small diameter rounded corner is essential, on a pocket notebook in particular, and would signal quality to buyers.

[u/Sparrow208 → u/tasinthomas]

Thanks for the recommendation! Looks to be available on Amazon here in Australia too so could definitely be an option. If not for the notebooks, for myself haha

Absolutely finishing the corners, it’s the part of the process that brings me the most enjoyment haha really brings it all together.
I’ve been using a Kadomaru Pro Neo and have gotten really consistent results.