I received an interesting “check out our new product” email today, featuring the Blu Notebook. While not exactly a tool, the product seemed unique and interesting enough to warrant a post.
Some of the marketing information and language out there on the Blu Notebook seems… I want to say “trendy,” but I find the product to be compelling enough for a quick post nonetheless. Also, I have NOT seen this in person yet, but can make a request or order if enough readers want me to be the guinea pig.
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So what is the Blu Notebook?
They’re calling it a sketchbook with the unique look and feel of blueprint paper.
The Paper
The paper features a “10:1″ grid within a finer 2:1″ grid,” which I take to mean as 1/2″ major gridlines and 0.1″ minor gridlines. 10 squares per inch or 5 per half inch seems like a good scale for engineering sketches.
Inch or Metric Note: In counting the major gridlines in the product images, and comparing lengths in an image where there’s a ruler alongside the open notebook, measurements contradict the 10:1″ and 2:1″ specs, as they match up more closely with metric spacings of 1 centimeter for the major gridlines and 5:1 centimeters for the minor gridlines. The final product could very well be 10:1″ and 2:1″, but that’s not what is shown in the imagery. For instance, in the image above, which I would presume is the 8-1/4″ x 11″ notebook, there are 21 boxes across. If the major gridline spacing was 2:1″, that would mean a 10.5″ width. 21 centimeters is 8.268″, which rounds to 8-1/4″.
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The paper is acid-free, and is said to have a smooth finish with a velvet feel. One of the more emphasized selling points is how the Blu paper “provides a ‘just right’ sensory feeling.” I’m not quite sure what that means, but I guess it means it’s smooth paper with a slight “toothy” texture that provides feedback?
This is the full description:
Writing in BLU provides a “just right” sensory feeling that satisfies and soothes.
Do you see what I mean about trendy marketing language? Will writing in this notebook really satisfy and soothe me? You?
The Notebook
There are two sizes: Classic (8-1/4″ x 11″), and Mini (5″ x 7″). The Classic has a durable cardboard cover, and the Mini has a flexible cardboard cover. Both have lay-flat spiral binding with tear sheets.
Each has 50 pages.
The introductory email I received started with:
Happy New Year! As architects, builders, designers and creatives….. I am sure the ToolGuyd audience would be thrilled to learn about this awesome notebook made from blueprint paper.
Sure, why not.
What pens can you use?
The Classic notebook comes with one Sakura White Gelly Roll 10 Bold Gel Pen.
Here is Blu’s recommendation:
To achieve the blueprint look, we recommend using BLU with opaque white or bright coloured gel/paint pens. However, standard ballpoint pens and other writing instruments work well on the pages of BLU.
You can buy Sakura pens on Amazon and elsewhere. A mixed tip size set is under $4 at JetPens.
So, you kind of need special pens for it, but they’re not proprietary, and you’re not locked to any particular brand.
Where is it made?
Canada.
How much does it cost?
The list price for the Classic is $21 CAD, or $15.87 USD. There are different coupons available. SHOPBLU30 and BLU30 are 30%-0ff coupons. The first came from an odd “want free stuff or discounts” pop-over box, and the other came up at checkout.
The Mini is $12.09 USD.
Shipping is $4.99 USD within the USA, or $10-12 CAD in Canada depending on how many notebooks you buy.
There is also a value pack, for $29.47 USD or $39 CAD, and it includes a Classic notebook, Mini notebook, (2) bold white Sakura pens, and 3 neon Gelly Roll pens in green, yellow, and orange.
More Info(via Blu Notebooks)
Promo Video:
First Thoughts
To put it bluntly, the marketing language is a little too trendy for my liking. Will this notebook satisfy and soothe me? Probably not. Will it boost my productivity? I doubt it.
HOWEVER, speaking as someone who is picky about notebooks but also willing to try new styles and types of paper, Blu Notebooks look intriguing. It’s something I’d be willing to try. The pricing is reasonable, at least compared to typical journaling and sketchbook brand such as Rhodia, Clairefontaine, Doane, Maruman, and Leuchtturm.
There are times when light colored ink on dark colored paper can stand out better than typical dark colored ink or pencil or white or cream-colored paper.
The marketing is cheesy (sorry, that’s actually the nicest descriptor I could think of), but the product did catch and hold my attention. I am even inclined to say that I find it appealing, or at least potentially appealing.
Wayne R.
My father was an architect, and for a long time I made most of the prints from his mylar originals. Yes, there’s a special feel (and scent) to them.
If I ever have enough disposable income to overcome the cost of these notebooks, I will have won the Lotto and won’t care to write things down, probably. And if I need to keep notes, it’ll be on the graph paper I usually use.
John
I can’t see this for everyday use. But I can see its use in easel/bulletin board presentations. Pricey, but for presentation purposes, I could justify it.
John
… Also, I’ll add that I really like the way it looks on my computer screen. So, I can see it used for video presentations (i.e. YouTube) where you’re shooting a video of something you’ve drawn or handwritten.
TonyT
The marketing sounds like yet another typical Kickstarter notebook…yawn!
BUT to be fair, it appears they did put some thought into it
BUT when it comes to notebooks, I’m a value guy, so when I buy expensive notebooks they have LOTS of nice paper and better yet, I LOVE finding Japanese or Korean notebooks with nice paper at Daiso.
BUT like John, I could see this as being cool for something special, but not everyday use.
Stuart
I’ve never seen a Kickstarter notebook before, but I agree with what you mean.
Notebooks and other stationery items are tricky. My father is a “give me any pen and composition notebook” type of person, whereas I have very specific wants and preferences.
I’ll use the cheapest composition notebook I can find for some things, and a very specific brand or style of notebook for others. For some things, I’m happy with a 12-for-$1 disposable pen. For others, no way.
This notebook doesn’t meet any of my current needs, but seems like it might be a fun style to explore one day.
TonyT
I’ve seen too many pen and notebook Kickstarters, but the only participated in the Hippo Noto notebook (because 500 pages of 68gsm goodness for a reasonable price), too many Tactileturn projects (Will’s design and approach obviously resonates with me), and a number of Big I Designs.
I really like the latest Big I, the Ti Click EDC: https://bigidesign.com/collections/pens/products/ti-click-edc-pen (KS price was $70)
MT_Noob
Speaking of EDC I recently started using the clickable “retractable” sharpie marker. I instantly fell in love with the one handed operation. So I ordered a few more and decided to carry one around in my front pocket instead of having a kaweco sport pen. Carrying the sharpie in front pocket of my jeans was not the brightest idea since moving around/sitting standing could actually deploy the marker and I ended up with an inkstain. : ) Lesson learned. I still love the clickable sharpie, I just carry it in my shirt pocket. My other recent favorite is the sharpie metallic silver. It shows up well on items that a regular black marker won’t work well on. My apologies for sounding like a Sharpie employee. I’m not. I just love these two items I came across recently. I probably should have listed them in the 2018 favorite tools post instead. Now if only I could convince the makers of Sharpie to create a fine tip silver metallic retractable permanent marker… that would fit all my needs in one fell swoop.
OhioHead
Code & Quill has had successful Kickstarters for Notebooks & Planning your day system.
I have supported BigiDesign pen Kickstarters before and I like the almost “unlimited” ink options.
BauxPen (also the brothers behind Spoke pencils, strong like a bull magnets) has had some cool KS’s as well.
My go to “moleskine/rhodia” style notebook is via Wally World for $7.00, faux back leather cover, nice paper & elastic strap (found in the office section).
Michael Quinlan
In an earlier career I worked at an engineering firm. There’s nothing soothing about blueprint paper, even without the ammonia smell that comes with making blueprints.
Benjamen
This is my preferred “notebook.”
https://www.amazon.com/Ampad-Evidence-Engineering-Sheets-Squares/dp/B000EFJ6VU
Ryan
what about rite in the rain?
Stuart
Good stuff, specialized for field use or in challenging environments.
Evadman
Rite in the rain is an awesome notebook, I have been using them for years.
Ken
I have been having Staples or Office Depot make br custom bound notebooks using engineering paper for most of my career.
I just ordered the value pack with a 20% discount.
MT_Noob
“Wow, that will automatically make me more creative!” It is indeed pretty cool looking. There certainly are a lot of really cool options for notepads/sketchbooks etc.
There’s graph, quadrille, engineering compute, isometric, dots, hexagon, and the one I still want to try, the one where the lines are white and the page is grey – Whitelines
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01MA6QGWT
There is certainly no shortage of choices.
Stuart
There’s also open squares (Midori), and different types of paper, such as Tomoe River. And… different sizes, binding styles…
Whitelines is decent. I found it distracting at first, but grew used to it. But, I do like dot grids better, partly because there’s so much greater notepad and notebook variations and paper styles.
Yep, definitely no shortage of choices in today’s day and age.
John
I just use whatever paper is in the workshop! I just need a concept on paper to help visualise what it will look like and then I add dimensions. A lot of stuff I keep in my head anyway! Pens I am a bit more fussy about. Actually I use Sharpie permanent markers which are available in thick and thin, different colours. Good quality and reasonable price.
Stuart
Sharpie also makes some nice fine-point pens.
Koko The Talking Ape
I thought I was going crazy until I realized that what we called “blueprints” back in the day were really diazo or “whiteprints,” with blue lines on white paper. I was thinking “I could swear the paper was white….”
For rough designs I use notebook pads. For measured drawings, I use engineering graph paper. The tiny squares let me choose a variety of scales (1 square equals 1 inch, 2 inches, 1/4 inch, etc.) and the subdividing by tens and fives makes it easier to count. That quadrille paper gets old. Either way, I use a 0.5 mm mechanical pencil. Fine enough to be useful, thick enough not to be maddeningly fragile.
It might be fun to use the Blu Notebooks, but I would lose the special pens (“special” because I couldn’t use them on ordinary paper.)
aerodawg
ehh think I’ll stick with my engineering pads
fred
I have a relative – writer – who appreciates fine paper and notebooks. My wife and I have found ourselves in Italy most every year for the last six years. In Venice – this is one of my favorite stores for buying notebooks
https://veneziaautentica.com/il-pavone-di-paolo-pelosin-marbled-paper-decorations-and-books/
There is another handmade paper store that we ran across in Amalfi – called Tabula that we thought was nice as were some paper stores in Florence like Cozzi.
What we bring back each year as gifts – have only moderate utility – but utility is not everything in life.
BTW – if you get a chance – there are quite a few paper museums around the world. We’ve been to the ones in Amalfi and Basel – plus ones closer to home at Georgia Tech and in Brooklyn.
Jim Felt
I love the “creativity” of their offering.
But no way would I bother. I buy ruled and graphic notebooks for work and have never ever heard anyone observe (let alone care) for the more exotic ones I occasionally “surprise” them with.
Our favorite actual notebooks always tear off at the top near the spiral. Speed and convenience. And clearly no clients ever care. (Except to “borrow” ours).
Personally I’m no better.
Sorry.
fred
I recall clients who would ask “where do I get one of those?” This was probably code for “can you leave me one of those?” Usually it was not about notebooks – but more pricey or exotic tools. If the cost was de minimis – we’d just throw it in. If it was going to impact our profit margin – we’d offer to provide it at cost or point them to where they could get one.
I recall that Ladder Doks were one gizmo that we were asked about – and sometimes threw in:
https://www.bigrocksupply.com/5-in-K-Style-Pro-Ladder-Dok.aspx
Jeff_MCVT
I have one of these on my desk right now, just checked and confirmed the grid is 1cm squares, minor grid 2.5mm square.
I bought it because I liked the novelty. It’s a nice medium-heavy paper, good feel and the pen fits nicely inside the spiral binding so it’s easy to keep them together.
I don’t think I’d buy this for everyday scratch paper, but for when I’m sketching ideas for myself I like it.
Nathan
little too pricey for me to really consider but overall I sort of like the idea. I assume here their blu paper doesn’t have the same chemical base as actual blueprint paper.
Just a guess. Nobody uses blueprint paper these days – or rather I’ve not seen it.
We get large scale drawings and they are printed on matte white smooth paper roll paper. We mark them up using standard sharp point pens in color.
So I guess I’d pass. I use an engineering pad and various pencils and pens.
Nathan
Wait – let me put this on a finer point. I have autocad on my mobile phone – and on a laptop. ANd if I didn’t have that I’d use one of the free programs on either. There is a drafting app on android if I recall.
basic sketches of ideas – don’t have to be that fancy. Now dark paper and light writing I can sort of get behind – as that’s how my autocad is setup on view.
Bobby
This is pretty cool. Price doesn’t seem too bad compared to other notebooks. I use field notes and have a northwoods notebook that I like.
Bobby
Correction: Northbooks**
T
It’s not a kickstarter notebook 🙂 Just want to throw that out there.