# Notebooks, Notepads & Sticky Notes

The pen decides most: paper that suits a ballpoint can feather and bleed under a fountain pen, and paper weight (gsm) only half predicts it, because coating matters too. Form (bound book, tear-off pad or sticky notes), ruling and page size do the rest. Binding decides whether a book lies flat, folds back or takes new pages.

## How it works

Paper is a mat of plant fibres that pulls liquid in. Mills add sizing, inside the pulp and on the surface, so ink stays on top and dries there. Inks put down very different amounts of liquid. Ballpoint ink is an oily paste that dries quickly and sits on almost any paper. Gel ink is pigment in a water-based gel. Fountain pen ink is free-flowing water and dye, so it finds every weak sheet: it spreads along fibres (feathering), soaks through (bleed), or shows through thin paper (ghosting). Weight in gsm adds fibre and opacity, but sizing and coating decide absorption, which is why 52 gsm Tomoe River resists bleed that 70 gsm Moleskine paper does not. The other half is construction: thread, staples, spiral, glue, rings, or a strip of low-tack adhesive on each sticky note decides whether pages lie flat, stay put, or come away. [1] [3] [4] [2] [6] [10] [19] [27]

| Family | What it is | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Bound notebooks | Sheets sewn, stapled, spiral-bound or glued into a book that keeps them. | Journals, school and work notes. |
| Tear-off pads | Sheets glued or wired along one edge so each tears off cleanly. | Legal pads, memo and steno pads, lists. |
| Sticky notes | Small sheets with a strip of low-tack adhesive that re-sticks without residue. | Reminders and page marking. |

## How an expert narrows the choice

```mermaid
timeline
  section 1 · Form
    sticky notes : ask Sticky note adhesive, Note size, Sheets per pad : skip Binding, Pages, Page size, Archival paper
    tear-off pad : skip Binding
    bound notebook : ask Binding, Pages
  section 2 · Pen it can take
    fountain pen safe : ask Show-through, Surface and dry time
  section 3 · Ruling
    lined : ask Line or grid spacing
    blank : skip Line or grid spacing
  section 4 · Page size
    Pocket, A5 paperback size, or full letter size?
```

1. **Form.** Bound notebook, tear-off pad, or sticky notes?
   The label bundles three products with different buying logic. Sticky notes drop binding and page questions entirely and bring adhesive and note size instead, so this answer reshapes everything after it.
   If sticky notes: ask Sticky note adhesive, Note size, Sheets per pad; skip Binding, Pages, Page size, Archival paper.
   If tear-off pad: skip Binding.
   If bound notebook: ask Binding, Pages.
   Skip if already known: a query that already says sticky notes, Post-it, legal pad, memo pad or notebook.

2. **Pen it can take.** Fountain pen, gel or rollerball, or ballpoint and pencil?
   The pen decides whether paper quality matters at all. A ballpoint writer can buy almost anything; a fountain pen writer has to rule out papers such as Moleskine's 70 gsm stock, which reviewers find ghosts and sometimes bleeds.
   If fountain pen safe: ask Show-through, Surface and dry time.
   Skip if already known: an earlier mention of fountain pens or a named pen, memory of the user's usual pen.

3. **Ruling.** Lined, dot grid, squares, or blank?
   Every notebook and most pads carry one ruling, brands state it in the title or variant, and it splits the set into four at almost no cost to the buyer.
   If lined: ask Line or grid spacing.
   If blank: skip Line or grid spacing.
   Skip if already known: a query naming dot grid, graph, ruled or blank, an earlier mention of bullet journaling or sketching.

4. **Page size.** Pocket, A5 paperback size, or full letter size?
   Size sets portability and cuts notebooks and pads alike; anyone can answer it, and titles or variants state it. It ranks above binding, which narrows less and is harder to answer.
   Skip if already known: a query naming A5, A6, pocket, letter or a size in inches.

## What to surface

### Form

Whether the paper comes as a bound notebook, a tear-off pad, or a stack of sticky notes. The three forms share a shelf but not a buying logic. A notebook keeps pages, so binding and page count matter. A pad is glued or wired at one edge so every sheet tears off, whatever holds it. Sticky notes are held by a strip of low-tack adhesive on each sheet, not a binding, and are sold by note size and sheets per pad. [19] [27]

Values: bound notebook, tear-off pad, sticky notes.
Question to ask: Bound notebook, tear-off pad, or sticky notes?

Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: derived from listing fields, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Not a field. Derive from title words in this order: drop easel and wall pads first; then sticky notes, Post-it, repositionable (these win over 'pad' and 'notepad', which sticky titles also use); then pad, legal pad, memo pad, steno; then notebook, journal, composition.
Title keywords settle almost every listing; steno pads are spiral-bound but sold as pads, so treat them as tear-off pads. Out of scope: easel and wall pads (flip-chart paper, `paper`), leather and felt desk pads (`desk-mats`), dated desk pads (`planners`), loose filler and punched refill sheets (`paper`). Bound refill inserts that work on their own stay here.

### Pen it can take

The wettest ink the paper handles without feathering (fuzzy lines) or bleeding through to the back. Ballpoint paste sits on almost any paper, gel ink is wetter, and fountain pen ink is free-flowing water and dye, exposing weak paper. Moleskine's 70 gsm paper suits ballpoint, reviewers split on gel, and fountain pens ghost and sometimes bleed. The buyer's pen maps to a tier: fountain pen needs fountain pen safe; gel or rollerball needs gel safe or better; ballpoint or pencil takes any. Markers map to fountain pen safe (our call; Dingbats ranks them with fountain pens). [1] [2] [3] [4] [10] [9] [8] [12] [5]

Values: ballpoint and pencil only, gel and rollerball safe, fountain pen safe.
Question to ask: Fountain pen, gel or rollerball, or ballpoint and pencil?

Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: needs research, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Brand description text: 'fountain pen friendly', 'ink-proof', 'resists bleeding and feathering'. Rarely a structured field.
Map by paper mill and year where known (Rhodia, Midori MD and Tomoegawa-made Tomoe River read fountain pen safe; Tomoegawa has stopped making it, so later paper under the name needs its own test). Otherwise use reviewer writing tests for the top N. Never infer a tier from gsm alone, and do not read generic copy such as 'fight ink bleed' as a tier. Filter only where a value exists; show unknowns, do not drop them.
Chart: Ink tolerance against show-through.

### Ruling

What is printed on the page: lines, a grid of dots, squares, nothing, or a mix. Ruling decides what the page is for. Lines suit prose; dot grid guides writing yet leaves room to draw and lay out pages; squares suit maths and tables; blank suits sketching. Brands state it in the title or variant name, so it is the cheapest hard filter in the category. [14] [15] [11] [18] [29]

Values: lined, dot grid, grid, blank, mixed.
Question to ask: Lined, dot grid, squares, or blank?

Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost none. Look for it as: Title or variant option (Ruled, Dotted, Squared, Plain at Leuchtturm; Lined, Dot, Grid elsewhere).
Map brand words: Plain means blank; Squared, Graph, Quad Ruled or Quadrille means grid; Dotted means dot grid; Law Ruled, Legal Ruled, College Ruled and Wide Ruled mean lined.
Chart: Ruling swatches.

### Page size

The page format, given as an ISO name such as A5 or as inches such as letter. Size sets portability and how much fits on a page. A5 (148 by 210 mm) is the common size for premium notebooks and journals; A6 and memo books go in a pocket; letter and A4 match printed paper and binders. Brands trim near the nominal size: Leuchtturm's A5 is 145 by 210 mm (one retailer's brand copy). [25] [26] [15] [14]

Values: pocket (A6 or smaller), A5, B5, letter or A4, other.
Question to ask: Pocket, A5 paperback size, or full letter size?

Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Title or variant: 'A5', 'Medium (A5)', '8.5 x 11', '5 x 8.25 in'.
Map inch sizes to the nearest named format; keep the stated dimensions in sizing.

### Sticky note adhesive

How strongly a sticky note grips: standard low-tack, stronger 'Super Sticky', or industrial 'Extreme' notes. Standard notes are made to peel off paper without residue but fall off walls and screens. 3M's Super Sticky notes use stronger glue for vertical and rough surfaces, and its Extreme notes resist water and grip industrial surfaces. [27] [28]

Values: standard, super sticky, extreme.
Question to ask: Paper and desks, or walls, monitors and rough surfaces?

Used as: filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost none. Look for it as: Product line name in the title: 'Super Sticky', 'Extreme', or none for standard.
Brands other than 3M use 'super sticky' or 'strong adhesive' in titles; map those to super sticky.

### Note size

The size of one sticky note in inches, with 3 by 3 in as the standard square. Size decides what a note is for: small squares mark pages, 3 by 3 in carries a short message, and 4 by 6 in or larger holds a list. Sizes start at squares under 2 in. Super Sticky easel and wall pads are flip-chart paper and sit outside this register. [27] [28]

Question to ask: Standard 3-inch squares, smaller, or bigger?

Used as: filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost none. Look for it as: Title: '3 in x 3 in', '4 x 6 in'.

### Tear-out pages

Whether each sheet has a line of small cuts near the binding so it tears out cleanly. It decides whether a page can be handed over or filed without a ragged edge, which binding alone does not say. Mass-market spiral books state it in the title (Five Star's 'Perforated' at Target), and premium makers name it too: Rhodia pads and Maruman's Mnemosyne ring notebook use micro-perforated sheets. [29] [13] [17]

Question to ask: Pages that tear out cleanly?

Used as: filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Title or bullet words: 'Perforated', 'Perforated Pages', 'micro-perforated'.
Where the word is absent, record unknown, not no.

### Pages

How many writable pages the book holds, counting both sides of each sheet. Brands mix two units, and some titles call sheets pages. Moleskine's 240 pages are 120 sheets, while Five Star's Target titles say '100 Pages' for 100 double-sided sheets. One sheet is two pages, so a '100 sheet' notebook holds as much as a '200 page' one. Normalise to pages before comparing size or price. [10] [23] [15] [12] [29]

Range: Premium A5 hardcovers state a few hundred pages: Dingbats 192 (its own copy), Moleskine 240 (Scribbright), Leuchtturm 251 (one retailer's brand copy); memo books far fewer.
Question to ask: Slim to carry, or thick enough to last months?

Used as: shown on the card, sortable. Data: on the listing, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Title: '240 pages', '251 numbered pages', '100 Pages', '150pg', '80ct'. Check the unit word against the description.
Read the count from the title, then check the description: where it gives sheets (Five Star: '100 double-sided ... sheets' under a '100 Pages' title), use sheets x 2. A title count of 'pages' on a mass-market school notebook with no sheet line stays low confidence. 'ct' means sheets, mostly on filler paper, which belongs to `paper`.

### Binding

How the sheets are held together: sewn thread, staples, a spiral or wire, glue, or rings and discs. Binding decides whether a book lies flat, folds back or takes new pages. Sewn books open flat and lose pages only if ripped; thin stapled books also open flat; cheap glued books can shed sheets. Spiral and wire open flat and fold back on themselves. Rings and discs let pages move. Answers map: bound like a book is sewn, stapled or glued; folds back is spiral or wire; rearrangeable is ring or disc. Tearing pages out is a separate facet. [20] [21] [22] [19] [15] [16] [29]

Values: sewn, stapled, spiral or wire, glued, ring or disc.
Question to ask: Bound like a book, folds back on itself, or rearrangeable pages?

Used as: filter. Data: needs research, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Title or description: 'Sewn Binding', 'thread-bound', 'stitched', 'Spiral', 'Wire-Bound', 'ring'. Ignore 'Glue Binding' on sticky-note titles. Spiral and rings show in photos; sewn versus glued does not.
Premium brand pages state sewn, and mass-market titles name Spiral, Wire-Bound or Sewn Binding. Where a hardcover says neither sewn nor glued, leave the value unknown; it still answers 'bound like a book' because it has a spine and no coil or rings.

### Show-through

How much writing on one side can be seen from the other side, also called ghosting, even when no ink has crossed. It decides whether the back of every page is usable. Thin coated paper can stop bleed yet still look like tracing paper from behind: The Pen Addict found Tomoe River's reverse unusable, and JetPens says it shows through heavily. Scribbright reports ghosting on Moleskine's 70 gsm Classic with fountain pens, and The Well-Appointed Desk saw some on the Moleskine planner and Cahier. Buyers who write on both sides want low show-through. [5] [6] [10] [8]

Values: low, some, heavy.
Question to ask: Writing on both sides of each page?

Used as: shown on the card, filter. Data: needs research, backfill cost high. Look for it as: Almost never stated by brands; appears in reviews and retailer Q and A.
Needs reviewer writing samples. Backfill the top N fountain-pen-safe books only; elsewhere leave unknown.
Chart: Ink tolerance against show-through.

### Line or grid spacing

The distance between ruled lines, or between dots or grid squares, in millimetres. Spacing should match handwriting: wide rule suits large handwriting and young writers, narrow rule suits small handwriting and fits more lines. European brands state millimetres, such as Leuchtturm's 6 mm lines (one retailer's brand copy). Dots and squares sit at 5 mm on the Leuchtturm and Midori books read and on maths grid paper, so spacing is asked for lined pages. US listings name wide, college and narrow rule instead. [18] [15] [16]

Question to ask: Small, tidy handwriting, or big and loopy?

Used as: shown on the card, filter. Data: needs research, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Brand descriptions ('6mm line spacing', '5mm dot grid'); US titles say Wide Ruled or College Ruled instead.
Brand pages give millimetres directly. Convert US wide (or legal), college and narrow rule by Wikipedia's ruled-paper values in notes.md; they are single-source, so mark converted values approximate. Leave Law Ruled spacing unknown unless stated.
Chart: Ruling swatches.

### Surface and dry time

Whether the paper feels glassy smooth or has a slight tooth, which sets how long wet ink takes to dry. Very smooth paper keeps wet ink on the surface, which shows off colour but dries slowly: The Pen Addict warned left-handers about Tomoe River's 'Rhodia-length dry time'. Midori sells its MD paper on a slight tooth that gives feedback. Dry time matters for wet inks; ballpoint paste dries quickly. [5] [17] [3]

Values: glassy smooth, light tooth.

Used as: shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Brand description words: 'silky smooth', 'ultra smooth', 'tooth', 'feedback'.
Brand copy names it for premium papers; leave unknown for mass-market notebooks.

### Paper weight

Grams per square metre of the paper, the standard measure of how heavy and usually how thick a sheet is. Weight adds fibre and opacity, so among uncoated papers heavier bleeds less: Moleskine at 70 gsm, Leuchtturm at 80, Rhodia at 80 or 90. It is not the whole story, because coating and sizing decide how fast ink soaks in: Tomoe River at 52 gsm resists bleed better than many heavier papers but shows through heavily. Read it with ink tolerance, never alone. [10] [11] [15] [13] [12] [6] [7]

Range: Moleskine 70, Leuchtturm 80 (its range runs 80 to 100), Rhodia 80 or 90, and Dingbats' own lines 100 to 160; thin coated Tomoe River is 52.

Used as: shown on the card, sortable. Data: needs research, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Brand pages and premium-retailer descriptions ('80 g/m²', '70 gsm'); seldom on mass-market listings.
Leading brands publish it on their own pages. Mass-market school notebooks rarely do; leave unknown rather than infer from thickness.
Chart: Paper weight scale with the coated outlier marked.

### Sheets per pad

How many notes are stacked in one sticky-note pad. Pads come at many counts and titles mix sheets per pad with pack totals. Wikipedia lists pads from 30 to 400 sheets and calls 100 typical; at Target, standard Post-it pads come at 50 or 100 and Super Sticky at 30 to 90. Two packs with the same pad count can differ twofold in notes, so compare cost per note. [27] [28]

Range: 30 to 100 sheets a pad, per Wikipedia's list and Target's Post-it titles; cubes run to 400.

Used as: shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Title: '45 Sheets/Pad', '50 sheets per pad', or a pack total such as '180 Sheets' beside a pad count.
Read 'per pad' or 'each' as sheets per pad. Divide a pack total by the pad count. Where the title does not say which ('12 Pads/Pack, 90 Sheets'), check the description before storing a value.

### Archival paper

Whether the paper claims to resist yellowing and brittleness over decades, from a loose 'acid-free' line up to the ISO 9706 permanence standard. It matters for journals meant to last. 'Acid-free' alone says little, because much commercial paper is acid-free anyway since mills moved to calcium carbonate filler. Paper meeting ISO 9706 or ANSI/NISO Z39.48 may carry a circled infinity mark, which is the stronger claim. [24] [10] [6] [29]

Values: not stated, acid-free claim, ISO 9706 or Z39.48.

Used as: shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Title or bullets: 'Acid-Free' appears in Five Star titles at Target. The infinity mark appears on packaging, not listings.
Read 'acid-free' from the title or bullets; never upgrade an acid-free claim to ISO 9706.

## Numbers worth computing

| Metric | Formula | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Price per page (currency per page) | `price / page_count, with page_count in pages (sheets x 2)` | Thick and thin books, and sheet-counted and page-counted ones, only compare once both are in pages. Where a title's 'pages' may be sheets (Five Star at Target), the result is off by 2, so show it only for a checked count. [10] [23] [29] |
| Price per sticky note (currency per note) | `price / total notes, where total notes = sizing.pack_count x sheets_per_pad, or the pack total when the title states one` | Packs with the same pad count hold different numbers of notes, and titles mix sheets per pad with pack totals. [27] [28] |

## What you give up

- Thin coated paper like Tomoe River packs more pages into less bulk and still stops fountain pen bleed, but the back of each page shows the writing through, so many users write on one side only. [6] [5] Board branch: "See more notebooks you can write on both sides of".
- Heavier paper stops more bleed but fills the same book with fewer pages: Dingbats' 160 gsm book holds 128 pages against 192 in its 100 gsm books, by the seller's own figures, though the two papers also differ in coating. [12] [6] Board branch: "See more slim, high-page-count notebooks".
- The smoothest papers keep ink on top, which brings out colour and sheen, but ink takes longer to dry and can smear, which hurts left-handers most. [5] [7] Board branch: "See more quick-drying papers".
- A sewn book lies flat and loses pages only if they are ripped; buyers who want to hand pages over need perforated sheets or rings instead. [20] [17] [13] Board branch: "See more notebooks with removable pages".

## How to draw it

**Ink tolerance against show-through** (two axis map, shows Pen it can take, Show-through). Puts the two ways paper fails on one picture, so a buyer sees that the papers safest for fountain pens are not always the ones you can use on both sides. This is a proposal, nobody draws it this way yet. [5] [6]

**Paper weight scale with the coated outlier marked** (scale, shows Paper weight). Shows where common papers sit by weight and marks coated thin papers apart, so weight is not read as the whole answer. Used today by Weight bands by pen type appear in brand buying guides such as Dingbats'.. [12]

**Ruling swatches** (swatch grid, shows Ruling, Line or grid spacing). A small drawn sample of each ruling at its true spacing shows the difference between 5 mm dots and 6 mm lines faster than words. Used today by Brands and specialist shops show ruling samples as product images..

## Words you will meet

- **gsm**. Grams per square metre, the weight of a sheet of paper; heavier usually means thicker and more opaque.
- **Sizing**. A treatment added to paper so ink stays on the surface instead of soaking into the fibres.
- **Feathering**. Ink spreading sideways along paper fibres, so lines look fuzzy.
- **Bleed-through**. Ink soaking through the sheet so it marks the back of the page or the page beneath.
- **Show-through (ghosting)**. Writing visible from the back of a sheet even though no ink has crossed it.
- **Dot grid**. A ruling of faint dots, usually 5 mm apart, that guides writing and drawing without full lines.
- **College rule**. The common US line spacing, narrower than the wide rule used in grade school.
- **Sewn binding**. Folded bundles of sheets stitched through the fold, so the book opens flat and keeps its pages.
- **Padding**. Gluing a stack of sheets along one edge so each sheet tears off, as on a legal pad.
- **Perforation**. A line of small cuts beside the binding so a sheet tears out with a clean edge.
- **Sheet and page**. A sheet is one piece of paper; it has two pages, front and back.
- **A5**. The ISO page size of 148 by 210 mm, half of A4.
- **ISO 9706**. The international standard for paper meant to last, marked with a circled infinity sign.
- **Super Sticky**. 3M's sticky notes with a stronger adhesive for walls and other vertical or rough surfaces.

## Where we made a call

- Paper weight predicts bleed-through only among uncoated papers; coating and sizing matter more for fountain pens. (confidence high). Sources disagree. Dingbats calls gsm the primary predictor. Tomoe River at 52 gsm resists bleed (JetPens, The Pen Addict, The Well-Appointed Desk), so we treat gsm as one input to ink tolerance, not a stand-in for it. [12] [6] [5] [7]
- Moleskine's 70 gsm paper suits ballpoint and pencil; reviewers split on gel; fountain pens ghost and sometimes bleed. (confidence medium). Sources disagree. Scribbright, Inkophile and a Well-Appointed Desk commenter say gel works; Dingbats, which sells heavier books, calls Moleskine a poor choice for gel and asks 80 gsm or more. We record gel as disputed and never set a tier from gsm. [10] [9] [8] [12]
- Page counts mix pages and sheets, and some titles call sheets pages, so counts need checking before comparing. (confidence high). Moleskine's 240 pages are 120 sheets (Scribbright). Five Star's Target titles say '100 Pages' for 100 double-sided sheets, so the unit word itself can be wrong. [10] [23] [29]
- An 'acid-free' claim on a notebook is weak evidence of longevity; an ISO 9706 or Z39.48 claim is stronger. (confidence medium). Much commercial paper is acid-free already since mills switched filler (Wikipedia), so the claim is common by default. Our call; no source compares the two claims on notebooks directly. [24]
- Ink tolerance belongs to a paper batch, not to a brand forever. (confidence medium). Tomoegawa confirmed a 2020 process change to its 52 gsm paper and has since stopped making Tomoe River; Well-Appointed Desk commenters say Sanzen took production over. Moleskine users report recent books bleeding more than older ones. [7] [8]
- No safety standard is a buying factor here; US rules treat paper and process inks as within children's lead limits. (confidence medium). 16 CFR 1500.91 lists paper and CMYK process inks as not exceeding CPSIA lead limits. Covers, wire and spot-colour inks are not on that list, which matters only to the maker of a children's product. [30]

## References

1. [Wikipedia, Sizing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizing) (primer). Supports: Sizing keeps ink on the paper surface instead of being absorbed; Internal and surface sizing; hard-sized coated papers resist water most.
2. [Wikipedia, Fountain pen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_pen) (primer). Supports: Fountain pen inks are water-based and almost all dye-based.
3. [Wikipedia, Ballpoint pen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballpoint_pen) (primer). Supports: Ballpoint ink is a viscous paste of dyes, solvents and fatty acids that dries quickly.
4. [Wikipedia, Gel pen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gel_pen) (primer). Supports: Gel ink is pigment suspended in a water-based gel.
5. [The Pen Addict, Tomoe River Paper Review (2013)](https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2013/6/3/tomoe-river-paper-review) (specialist review). Supports: Tomoe River: no bleed or feathering across nibs; Long dry time, 'lefties beware'; back of page unusable from show-through.
6. [JetPens, Tomoe River 52 gsm Loose Leaf Paper (Internet Archive, Nov 2025)](https://web.archive.org/web/20251126231635/https://www.jetpens.com/Tomoe-River-52-gsm-Loose-Leaf-Paper-A4-Blank-White-100-Sheets/pd/11514) (retail listing). Supports: 52 gsm, resists bleedthrough and feathering, acid-free, designed to reduce bulk; Staff note: no bleed, but heavy show-through on the reverse.
7. [The Well-Appointed Desk, Jesi answers your questions about Tomoe River (2021)](https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2021/06/jesi-answers-all-your-questions-about-tomoe-river/) (specialist review). Supports: 52 gsm paper resists fountain pen bleed; coating enhances sheen and shading; Tomoegawa confirmed a 2020 process change and later stopped production; Commenters report Sanzen took over Tomoe River production.
8. [The Well-Appointed Desk, Reconsidering Moleskine (2016), with reader comments](https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2016/01/reconsidering-moleskine/) (specialist review). Supports: Author: some ghosting and show-through on the Moleskine planner and Cahier; Commenters: fountain pens bleed, gel, ballpoint and pencil fine; recent books worse.
9. [Inkophile, Moleskine Paper Meets Ink And It Ain't Pretty (2013)](https://inkophile.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/moleskine-paper-meets-ink-and-it-aint-pretty/) (enthusiast community). Supports: Any instrument but a Sharpie or fountain pen works on Moleskine; fountain pens bleed and feather.
10. [Scribbright, Moleskine Classic Hardcover Notebook Review](https://scribbright.com/moleskine-classic-hardcover-notebook-review/) (specialist review). Supports: Moleskine Classic: 70 gsm, acid-free, 240 pages equal 120 sheets; Handles ballpoint and gel; fountain pens ghost and sometimes bleed.
11. [Little Coffee Fox, Moleskine Classic Notebook Review](https://littlecoffeefox.com/moleskine-classic-notebook-review/) (enthusiast community). Supports: Moleskine paper is 70 gsm against Leuchtturm1917's 80 gsm; Moleskine is common in the bullet journal community; dotted ruling offered.
12. [Dingbats, Best Notebook That Doesn't Bleed Through (2026)](https://www.dingbats-notebooks.com/blogs/the-dingbats-blog/best-notebook-that-doesnt-bleed-through-in-2026) (spec sheet). Supports: Brand claims gsm is the primary predictor of bleed; Lists Moleskine 70, Leuchtturm 80, Rhodia 90 gsm; coated Tomoe resists bleed but shows through; Own books: 100 gsm with 192 pages (96 sheets); 160 gsm with 128 pages; Recommends 80 gsm or more for gel pens; calls Moleskine a poor choice for wet inks.
13. [Rhodia, View All Collections](https://rhodiapads.com/collections/pads) (spec sheet). Supports: Classic pads use 80 g extra white paper; Webnotebooks use 90 g ivory.
14. [Leuchtturm1917 US, Hardcover Notebook (product JSON)](https://www.leuchtturm1917.us/products/hardcover-notebook) (spec sheet). Supports: Six formats A6 to A4+, four rulings, 80 to 100 gsm FSC paper, numbered pages.
15. [Dromgoole's, Leuchtturm1917 A5 Medium Hardcover Dotted Notebook](https://www.dromgooles.com/products/leuchtturm1917-a5-medium-hardcover-dotted-notebook-black) (retail listing). Supports: 251 numbered pages, 80 g/m², 145 x 210 mm, thread-bound, opens flat; 5 mm dots, 6 mm ruled lines, 5 x 5 mm squares.
16. [Dromgoole's product catalogue (Apica, Midori Yuru Log listings)](https://www.dromgooles.com/products.json) (retail listing). Supports: Apica CD: stitched binding to lay flat as you write; Midori Yuru Log B6: 5 mm dot grid.
17. [Urban Kit Supply product catalogue (Midori MD, Field Notes, Maruman)](https://www.urbankitsupply.com/products.json) (retail listing). Supports: Midori MD: opens flat, paper with slight tooth, resists bleeding and feathering; Field Notes stapled memo books; Maruman micro-perforated ring notebook.
18. [Wikipedia, Ruled paper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruled_paper) (primer). Supports: Wide rule suits larger handwriting; narrow rule suits smaller handwriting; US wide (or legal), college and narrow rule values; 5 mm squared maths paper.
19. [Wikipedia, Notebook (legal pad section)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notebook#Legal_pad) (primer). Supports: Binding methods affect whether a notebook lies flat and keeps pages; Glued stacks of sheets are called padding.
20. [Wikipedia, Bookbinding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookbinding) (primer). Supports: Sewn-through-the-fold books open completely flat; pages fall out only if ripped; Cheap glued books may lose sheets with handling.
21. [Wikipedia, Coil binding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coil_binding) (primer). Supports: Spiral-bound documents open flat and rotate 360 degrees.
22. [Wikipedia, Exercise book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercise_book) (primer). Supports: Thin notebooks stapled through the fold open completely flat; National school ruling conventions of 6 to 9 mm.
23. [Wikipedia, Recto and verso](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recto_and_verso) (primer). Supports: Each leaf has two pages, front and back.
24. [Wikipedia, Acid-free paper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid-free_paper) (primer). Supports: Much commercial paper is acid-free since mills switched to calcium carbonate filler; ISO 9706 and ANSI/NISO Z39.48 permanence; circled infinity mark.
25. [PaperSizes.org, A Paper Sizes](https://www.papersizes.org/a-paper-sizes.htm) (primer). Supports: A5 is 148 x 210 mm; A6 is 105 x 148 mm.
26. [Wikipedia, Paper size](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_size) (primer). Supports: A5 is 148 x 210 mm; Japan's JIS B series differs from ISO B.
27. [Wikipedia, Post-it note](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-it_note) (primer). Supports: Low-tack re-adherable adhesive strip; 3 x 3 in is typical; Super Sticky (2003) for vertical, rough surfaces; Extreme (2018); typical pad 100 sheets, counts 30 to 400.
28. [Target, search results for Post-it notes and Post-it Super Sticky notes](https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=post-it+super+sticky+notes) (retail listing). Supports: Standard Post-it pads at 50 or 100 sheets; Super Sticky at 30 to 90 sheets; Titles mix sheets per pad with pack totals such as '180 Sheets'; sizes in titles.
29. [Target, search results for Five Star college ruled notebooks](https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=five+star+college+ruled+notebook) (retail listing). Supports: Titles say '100 Pages' for books the copy calls 100 double-sided sheets; Titles carry ruling, size, 'Perforated', 'Acid-Free', 'Spiral', 'Wire-Bound' or 'Sewn Binding'.
30. [16 CFR 1500.91, lead content determinations (Cornell LII)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/16/1500.91) (regulator). Supports: Paper and CMYK process inks are determined not to exceed CPSIA lead limits.