Daycraft Slab Notebooks

As I mentioned in the last review, the recent package I received from Daycraft included more than just the Astrology Notebook. I also received a pair of Slab Notebooks, one finished in gold and one in wood effect.

Like all the Daycraft products I have reviewed, these are quirky and fun notebooks. Each measures 108mm x 157mm and holds a hefty 360 pages (180 sheets) of 80gsm paper, bound with stiff board covers. Each weighs around 270g - over half a pound if you still use US or Imperial weights and measures.

The Gold Slab looks particularly impressive, although it is rather loud for my personal taste. Clearly, it's designed to resemble a gold ingot. It may not be very clear from my poor photography, but on the front cover it reads:

FINE
GOLD

999.9
PURE THINKING

Inside, the cream-coloured pages are printed with 7mm lines. On closer inspection, they turn out to be fine chains across the page.


The pages are glued and stitched together into the block. The spine on the cover separates from the pages, which enables the pages to be laid quite flat on a desk surface. All the pages are edged in gold.



The Brown Slab is covered in a wood-veneer material which is textured. The picture below illustrates this well, I think:


There is no print on the cover at all. This material reminds me strongly of the birch veneer used on Ikea furniture, although it is a bit darker, closer to beechwood colour. It would not appear out of place on a Billy bookcase. If you have an Ikea birch veneer desk this notebook could be camouflaged easily; as it is, it hides nicely when photographed against a piece of MDF. The edges of the paper are also finished in a wood effect; the attention to detail here is such that the woodgrain on the edges is in line with that on the covers.

The pages are also lined, but this time, the Brown Slab has a surprise in store: the lines are not straight, but slightly wavy as though they had been drawn by hand.


It's little details like this which make this a delightful notebook for daily use. Given the choice I'd probably opt for the stealthier Brown Slab, but I can see why the Gold would be a popular choice. Over time, I can see the corners becoming dog-eared and the surfaces becoming marked and scratched, but these are notebooks which are so much fun to own and use they should always raise a smile. Recommended.

Thanks again to Mr Foreal Lee for the review samples.

Note: since I posted the review of the Astrology notebook I have been informed by Daycraft that they now have a UK distributor for their products, so readers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should hopefully see them on the shelves and online in the next few months.

Daycraft Astrology Notebook

A few weeks ago I received another nice parcel from Daycraft in Hong Kong, some of whose notebooks I reviewed a few months ago. It contained three pocket notebooks, the first of which I review here. This is the Astrology Notebook.


Open the packaging, and out comes a very handsome pocket notebook indeed; it has black PU covers, adorned with a fairly accurate rendition of the constellation Gemini set out in Swarovski crystals. The shape of the constellation is picked out by fine grooves between the stars.

At the time of writing (end of November 2011) Gemini is well-placed low in the Eastern horizon in the evenings. It's a bright constellation and not easily missed once you recognise Castor and Pollux, which are represented on the cover by the two largest crystals, towards the top left in the picture.

Naturally, as an amateur astronomer I must dismiss astrology as pure superstition; and of course I do think it's complete hokum. But I couldn't say the same for the Astrology Notebook. It is beautifully made. The stiff board covers look robust, and in strong light, reflections ping off the crystals. You could easily lose track of the time playing with it to see all the different colours. On the day I took these photos, the Sun was shining, which allowed me to take advantage:



The Astrology Notebook measures 148mm by 102mm (roughly 6 inches by 4 inches) and holds 176 pages of what appears to be Daycraft's usual 100gsm paper stock. Every page is printed with a cross-hair design in feint grey which gives you a choice of orientation: you could use it as a regular notebook, or perhaps as a reporter's notebook, which would be my preferred option.


There is a clear sheet enclosed in the inside cover which shows the twelve constellations of the Zodiac, which looks like it could double as a window sticker. The inside cover also has printed on it the astrological symbol for Gemini, and some character traits attributed to Geminis (Versatile and clever. You're someone with sense. You can also be nervous and sometimes too tense. )



Like all the Daycraft notebooks I have reviewed, this is a well thought-out and executed notebook. It looks too nice to write in, almost; it would certainly make a nice Christmas present if you were looking for a stocking-filler. I wonder how robust it may be, however, and how long it may take before the crystals were knocked off. Anyone buying the Astrology Notebook may be well advised to keep it in the smart presentation case it is sold in if they intend to use it as an everyday carry notebook. Would I use it? Of course, but I'd have to prise it from my daughter's hands as she's already claimed it for herself.

Recommended.

My thanks to Mr. Foreal Lee from Daycraft for the review samples.

Daycraft Signature Notebook

Last in the series of Daycraft notebook/sketchbook reviews, I come to the Signature Notebook. This is an A5-sized, 176-page, soft cover notebook finished in Daycraft's signature (pun not intended) Italian PU, this time in a plain, textured, rosy pink hue. The texture is that of a fine-grain leather, and there is a Daycraft logo embossed discreetly on the back cover. This notebook also has black-paper inside liners.

The pages are the customary 100gsm notebook paper, ruled with 6.5mm lines, which is handy for people with small handwriting. The paper is cream-coloured and edged with black. I tried to take a photo of this but my photography is rubbish, so the resulting picture was blurred. Notebook Loves Pen did a much better job of it, and I suggest you look there if you need an illustration. This notebook has a black ribbon page-marker, but surprisingly, no elastic closure or rear pocket. I don't miss these features, but many people might; personally, I find it refreshing that this notebook does not try to copy the Moleskine design. Daycraft have kept this design simple and elegant and should be praised. Like the Skinz and Animal Pals notebooks I reviewed earlier, it can be made to lie flat if required, though it will not lie flat on its own.

Unlike NLP, I found that, in my tests on the back page using a battery of fountain pens, rollerballs and pencils, the paper held up pretty well. There is no discernible feathering from the ink that I can see with the naked eye, and only slight bleedthrough with my wetter nibs, the M90 and the Capless.



Of all the Daycraft notebooks I have reviewed in this series, this is my favourite, because of its simple design. It is unfussy and begging to be used, if only for shopping lists or for writing down notes at a boring work meeting. The cover should hold up well inside a handbag or briefcase if used with care. Recommended.

It is available, as with all the Daycraft range, at stationers' in Asia and Australia, one or two places in central Europe, and also online. My thanks once again to Daycraft for the sample.

Data:

Dimensions: 151mm x 212mm
Pages: 176
Cover: Fine Italian PU, case bound
Content: 6.5mm ruled lines, cream coloured paper
Other: Inkjet printed edges

Daycraft Decoder Sketchbook

Fourth in this series of reviews of Daycraft products, this is the Decoder Sketchbook. This one, the Semaphore, is one of a range of four A5-size wire-bound sketchbooks, the others being Braille, Morse Code and Sign Language. This comes with a handsome board cover in dark chocolate brown which has UV-spot printed semaphore symbols on the front in glossy paint, and an elastic band closure. Being wire-bound it will lie flat for drawing and it has 100 pages of 120gsm art paper.

I have not been able to test the paper, because as you can see in the picture below, it is made in the same dark brown as the covers, so it is clearly meant for people who sketch white-on-dark with coloured pencils or chalk, which I do not do. The paper has a matte finish, with enough tooth in it for pencil drawing. I can imagine someone rendering lunar craters or maria, or perhaps a cathedral spire, using this sketchbook. Despite my inability to use it, I can still see that this is another high-quality book. I had problems photographing it properly, as these photos do not do it justice. In reality, this is a darker brown than illustrated - think Bournville or Hershey's chocolate for an approximation of the colour.

There is a key to the different symbols on the back cover, and a blurb on the inside, on the first sheet, describing what semaphore is and how it could be used: according to this, it is still acceptable internationally to use semaphore for telecommunication.

This is a fine, if unorthodox, sketchbook.

Thanks to Daycraft for the review sample.


Data:

Dimensions: 148mm x 210mm
Pages: 100
Cover: Wire-O bound paper
Content: Plain brown paper
Other: UV spot semaphore cover

Daycraft Cookie Bookie Notebook

This isn't just any old cheese cracker, this is the Daycraft Cookie Bookie Notebook.

It seems blatantly obvious now, that someone should make a notebook based on a biscuit. (Note to anyone from the USA: here in England we use the French name - biscuit or bis cuit - twice cooked - rather than the Dutch name koekje to describe small, hard, sweet wheat-based products.) The cream filling you see below, is in fact the case-binding of the Cookie-Bookie, which is exposed for all to see...yum...


In common with the previous Daycraft products, the covers are made from "Fine Italian PU", in this case with the fine pigskin-texture of the Animal Pals notebook but with added upholstery-stitching to suggest the shape and texture of a baked biscuit. Underneath, the board used is rigid, just like a biscuit, in fact.

This notebook is 125mm x 125mm in size, ie about 5 inches by 5 inches. It feels a bit strange using a perfectly-square notebook, but this is so well-made that it doesn't matter. On to the paper, which is a lovely, bright and cheerful pumpkin-orange:


This paper is as good as any, anywhere. I found almost no bleedthrough with my fountain pens:

The edging is darker than the rest of the paper, which I suppose is the result of the manufacturing process. This notebook is great fun, and forms part of a small range which includes an Oreo clone and a lemon waffle (or wafer, as we would call it here). There are 144 pages to play with, which should be enough for anyone.

Highly recommended. (I'm keeping mine.)

Data:

Dimensions: 125mm x 125mm
Pages: 144 pages, 6.5mm ruled, orange paper in this case
Cover: Italian PU
Binding: Case-bound


Thanks again to Daycraft for the samples.

Daycraft Skinz Notebook

Second in the series of Daycraft notebook reviews, this is the Skinz notebook, finished in silver with a curious "tattoo"-style design on the front cover. I have just checked the Daycraft website and can find no reference to this line, so I guess it is new for 2012. There are two notebooks in this line, the other sporting a beige cover with crossed Colt .45 revolvers.

This notebook is slightly smaller (102mm x 146mm) than the Animal Pals notebook, and finished in the same Italian polyurethane soft leatherette, though the finish has a definite cow-leather grain to it, rather than the fine pigskin grain on the Animal Pals notebook. The material is a bit thin, so you can see in the picture where it has been folded in and glued to the boards if you look carefully. It is shipped with a sheet of temporary tattoo stickers, complete with instructions on how to apply them:



The paper is white, ruled with 6.5mm lines, and decorated with a "tattoo" design at the top of each page which would not be out of place on a motorbike or the small of a rock-chick's back. This paper is excellent - there are 128 pages of 100gsm stock which takes fountain pen ink very well. There is barely any bleedthrough at all with my fountain pens at any rate, and no feathering detectable in any of the ink samples I tested it with. (Sorry, I forgot to take a pic of the reverse, but believe me, there's barely a trace.) The covers are board-like, much stiffer than the Animal Pals notebook and more like a Moleskine.



This notebook is case-bound, and the pages can be made to lie flat for writing on. The styling is not to my taste, but then again I don't think I am in the target audience for this one - I'm guessing it's really for teenagers, and there's nothing wrong with that, especially to introduce young people to fine stationery. My teenage daughter was impressed with this notebook, at any rate.

This is another fine product and I can recommend it. As with all the Daycraft range it is likely to be available widely around Asia and Australia.


Data:

Dimensions: 102mm x 146mm
Cover: Italian PU cover, board
Pages: 128pp, 6.5mm ruled with tattoo design in light grey
Paper: 100gsm white paper
Binding: Case-bound
Other: Includes tattoo sticker


Thanks to Daycraft for the sample.

Daycraft Animal Pals Notebook

Recently I received a small consignment of notebooks (and one sketchbook) from Daycraft, a Hong Kong-based manufacturer. I shall review them over the next couple of days, and I thought I would review this, the Animal Pals notebook, first.

It's an A6-sized pocket notebook with soft covers, and designed with this cute abstract animal design stitched into the lilac-coloured "Italian PU" (sic) cover. Have you guessed what it is yet? Actually this one is a hippo, and is one of a range of five designs, each with a different animal from every continent. The others on the website are penguin and baboon; sheep and panda versions should be available in 2012, if I read the catalogue correctly.

First impressions are that this is a very nicely-made notebook indeed. The cover is soft and flexible, unlike the small Moleskine hard black notebook. At A6 size, it is also slightly larger than the Mole (106mm x 150mm, compared with the Moleskine's 90mm x 140mm). I wonder how hard wearing this cover actually is, though, inside a briefcase or handbag, because from experience, I have found the Moleskine to be pretty tough. I'm also slightly surprised that Daycraft have chosen Italian-made material to cover their notebooks, but they make a feature of "imported" materials for their range. It feels very similar to a soft leather, and only the plastic smell betrays its hydrocarbon roots. There's the regulation pocket inside the back cover for ticket stubs, stamps and receipts, and a baby-pink page-marker ribbon, too.

The paper, which is probably 100gsm stock, is printed with 6.5mm ruled lines. There's also a subtle animal print on some of the pages - you may be able to spot a monkey's tail curling across one of the pages below. The animal prints are very subtle, as I did not notice them at all until I began to write this review; they are more apparent on the photographs.

As far as the paper is concerned, I did not test it in quite the same way that AK from the superb Notebooks Loves Pen blog tested it when she reviewed Daycraft's Signature Sketchbook a little while back. She used a variety of pens including a felt-tip and found some significant bleedthrough. I am a fountain pen user, however, and tested a page with various pens and pencils I had to hand, and found very little bleedthrough. Some of my pens are a fairly stern test of the integrity of certain papers, so I am pleased to report that I could detect no readily-visible feathering or other defects, at least from the paper. I did note some minor changes to the lines of the fountain pen ink where the FP ink met the printed animal designs on the pages, where the printer's ink used (I'm guessing it is oil-based) forms a barrier to the fountain pen ink to bond with the fibres in the paper. This is the most minor of quibbles, probably of no interest to anyone but FP fanatics, and one I only noticed when editing this review. With a ballpoint or pencil, it is not an issue, but on the photo below you can see some thinning of the lines, for example on the sample I wrote with the Kelly Green ink:



With the fountain pens, drying time is normal, though as usual, the Noodler's Bulletproof Black took the longest to dry, hence the smudges on the page. The creamy paper is very pleasant to write on and the 6.5mm gap is a sensible size for most handwriting. It is case-bound, so whilst it does not lie flat on the desk, you can flatten it out to write in.

Overall, this is a fun, very well made notebook, which I think would appeal to children or adults who are young-at-heart. It appears to be available widely around Asia and Australia, and Poland, but nowhere else yet in Europe as far as I know.

Data:

Dimensions: 106mm x 150mm
Pages: 128 cream colour pages, 6.5mm lined, animal pattern printed
Cover: Italian PU (polyurethane)
Binding: Case-bound, with pocket inside back cover

My thanks to Mr Foreal Lee at Daycraft for the samples.