Ancicraft Leather Journal Diary Notebook Refillable A5 Cover with Feather Pen Loop Vintage Lined Craft Paper Handmade

This cover has pluses and minuses:First - there seems to be confusion in some reviews about the paper size. It's A5, which is a standard metric size (A,B,C,...) everywhere except in the U.S. If you order replacement books made in Japan, Europe, or just about anywhere else an A5 book will fit. Moleskine (not standard) will not fit.Pen loop - apparently there are two versions, one with and one without. Mine doesn't have one.Now on to the review:== Overall well made and solid. The color is a deep brown mat finish. I haven't extensively used mine, but no particular wear seems to be evident.== This is made from relatively thick leather. That isn't a criticism - like many things it depends on what you want. I have other leather covers (G.Feller, Midori) that use thinner leather. The thicker leather doesn't make the cover stronger or last longer, and the cover/insert weighs more and takes up more space. For me the thinner leathers are preferred, since a thinner, lighter notebook is more likely to be with me when I need it. If it spends its life on your desk it probably doesn't matter. For ME this is a negative.== The end tabs (where you insert the covers) cover only half the page. This makes it easier to insert the blank book, but means that for some pages on either end you are writing over a bump. The best books have inside covers that span the entire page, making for smooth writing at both ends of the book. A negative.== Cover will stain anything it's in contact with. I put a different (expensive) A5 insert into the book, and within a short time pages on each end of the insert were stained brown with the dye used on the leather. Paper notebooks on a bookshelf next to the cover ended up with brown stain on their covers. Will this eventually stop? No idea, but it makes me unwilling to put the notebook next to anything I care about, so it gets little use. A notebook cover that damages other items is a big negative.Overall I would rate the notebook construction and material a 4, and worth owning and using - the two first negatives are very minor. But one additional demerit for damaging other items, so a 3.I did not use and have no comment in the included paper insert..

In a word, “wow.” I really liked the concept of the Midori Traveler’s Notebook, but the form factor of it was just too small for me. I’m left handed and a fountain-pen user so that may have made it harder. I loved the leather of the Midori, however.This is a pretty good substitute conceptually. It fits an A5 notebook (it has flaps inside), so my Leuchtturm medium notebooks fit perfectly in it. The stitching is very good quality and the leather feels really nice. Very happy with it.The paper notebook it comes with I haven’t tried, so I can’t speak to its quality.

Frankly, the journal was of better quality than expected. The leather is thick and supple and reminds me of saddle leather. The journal was wrapped in a cloth bag that added an unexpected touch of class and protection. The paper refill was the only downside. It looks and feels cheap. I can pick up refills at Barnes and Noble. The paper is not a big issue since I bought the journal for the looks and leather, not the paper. The journal still deserves a high rating.

great! it DOES have a pen loop. i like the so called craft paper cause it takes the pen well. i'm using schmidt black fine tip model 5888, and it's running very smoothly. writing feels like painting, so at least that barrier to keeping up the journal is beaten. flapping it open to make an entry, and it is fun to flap it open, enhances the experience with this great leather product. i don't take it out and about, but you cinch it up with the strap, and it will pack anywhere. enjoy, people.

I was looking to treat myself at the end of the semester, and I found this beautiful leather journal.I'm hard on things - It's just the way I am. Traditional spiral notebooks not only end up in tatters among my books by the end of the semester, but the wires chews through anything else in my pack. I decided it was time to search for something a bit more aesthetically pleasing for non-school related stuff, and also a bit more rugged - this notebook has more than fit the bill.The leather quality is outstanding. The outside feels rich and supple, without feeling oily or like it's going to lose its luster any time soon. Also, like any quality leather, it is resistant to scratching and damage; I've had mine for several weeks now and not a single scratch/puncture/tear. It is a good carrying size/weight if you do not have a bag with you and just want to carry it around (don't lose it!). The inside of the cover is lush and velvety to the touch and the stitching over the entire piece is superb.Immediately, my first concern was the strap. Again, I'm hard on things. I was worried that it would easily break. Not only is the strap itself exceptionally durable, but the simple (brass?) snap holding it in place appears very secure.A word on the paper: I don't maintain a lot of needs when it comes to paper quality. For school, I load up on $0.14 spirals before the semester starts. But *this* paper... I had no idea what I was missing! I'm certainly not going to dismiss the my inexpensive spiral notebooks for daily/hourly/minutely scratch use. But this paper is incredible; the feel, the smell, even the sound of it is awesome, with no bleed-through at all even with a liberal pen-stroke.The gift box this journal comes in is beautiful as well, with magnetic fasteners and concise packaging.This journal makes a wonderful gift for a man or woman. I'm a guy and I wanted something simple and reasonably rugged while maintaining utility.There are some things to watch our for:The pen holder seems a little like an afterthought. While it is made of the same quality leather and is protected by the cover, I worry a little bit about it catching and ripping while inserting/taking out a pen. However I haven't had a problem yet, and since I have a dedicated pen that I keep in the journal I've simply pried the pen clip open a tiny bit to allow for a loose-but-not-too-loose entry and exit from the holder. The leather used for the pen loop is thick, so make sure to give yourself enough room that the pen isn't significantly tugging at the pen holder and comes out easily, but also doesn't slide out of the journal when it's closed.Also, the leather on this piece has been treated with oil. When you first open it, you'll notice the first and last pages of the included paper will appear a tiny bit oily. At first I thought it was a kind of adhesive; then I left a white envelope inside the front cover overnight. The next morning, the oil had visibly seeped onto the envelope. I assure you, this is not as significant as it sounds: it was a very light amount of oil and it only occurs if paper is in contact with the leather for very long periods of time. This will likely subside over time and it has not seeped past the first page. If you plan on putting important documents in your journal, just do so after the first page or before the last page.While the paper is 5x7", the journal is not (it's more like 6.5x9" using the widest point of strap when closed). I cycle a lot and have a dedicated cycling pack that has a 5x7" pocket. This journal will not fit in said pocket, so if you have a specific carry-case in mind just make sure it can accommodate.I know the above sounds a little nit-picky. I also know how we Amazonians work: when we're about to drop a bill on a notebook, we want to know exactly what we're getting. I am more than happy with this purchase - it serves my purposes well, it looks and feels great, it is a wonderful size, and (surprisingly) it starts conversations. I love it.Happy journaling!- MP.S. I went with the lined paper. It is very nice, but I have big handwriting so it can appear a bit crammed at times - I think I'll go with unlined when I get my refill. :)

I bought this for one of my students and it is really beautiful. The leather is well treated and the construction is solid. I like that it is refillable and the inside paper is love and inviting to write on.