Time once again to try to help each other out by crowd-sourcing some notebook questions!

Toby writes:
The enclosed picture is of my favorite notebook, well the notebook is a few weeks old but the cover I have carried since I was fifteen, everyday it goes in my left pocket and more of my most cherished ideas are inscribed into it. I have taken it everywhere everyday, even overseas…but alas it is falling apart. Rather than carry it to complete ruin I am looking to replace it so that I may have what remains as a memento. Please tell me if you know where I may find a cover that is similar.

I haven’t seen notebook covers for sale in this particular format, where a top-opening pad fits into a side-opening leather cover. But maybe Etsy would be a good place to search for someone who could make one? I did a quick search and spotted a seller called CLWorkshop who offers handmade leather journals and says “If you wanna special size journal cover, pls let us know your book’s size, length, width, thickness, we will give you the best price.” Anyone else have any ideas?

Armelle, who lives in the south of France, is looking for advice on a business idea:
I always loved note books, and recently I thought of making my own.. and even to make some for others. I would like to find out how to make spiral bound note books, with hard cover (so that one can easily write on it, even if on one’s knees when one doesn’t have a table). I’m ready to invest a bit in the business by buying some binding machine. But as my financial situation is pretty difficult these days, I can not take much risk. I would like to hear others experience.
It looks like you can buy such machines online for as little as a few hundred dollars but I’m not sure how sturdy they’d be for a business. Can these machines punch through thick covers as well as sheets of paper? Has anyone tried this and do you have any advice for Armelle?

TonyB is looking for a journal with tabs that stick out to divide it into different subjects:

I’m tired of juggling three or four journals all the time. It’s a pain to keep up with and the cat keeps knocking them off my desk. I’m looking for one journal that I can use for all subjects. Something with good-quality lined paper and tabs (the kind that stick out), under $15 hopefully. Ideally, something like this, but maybe with a better binding and not so expensive.
A good old-fashioned refillable binder like a Filofax or Franklin Planner is one idea to consider. The paper they come with might not be ideal, but they sell hole-punchers that match their rings so you could insert your own favorite paper. My other idea would be to find a notebook whose paper you like and then add your own removable tabs (such as these to divide it into sections. This would work best if the notebook has a wider cover overhang, so the tabs are somewhat protected. Otherwise, I can’t think of any good-quality notebooks that have divider tabs. Any reader suggestions for Tony?

Iñigo wrote to share a couple of notebook-related tips, including one about Jackie Collins, who has since died, sadly:

La Papeterie d’Italie, which “designs handcrafted notebooks made by artisans in one of the oldest paper mills in Italy.”

http://papeterieitalie.com

As always, thanks to everyone who writes in with questions and tips, and for your patience with me getting a chance to post them!