Cambridge NASB Clarion Reference Bible, Black Calf Split

7 reviews for Cambridge NASB Clarion Reference Bible, Black Calf Split

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   Michael Delahunt (verified owner) – January 29, 2022

   A superlative NASB Bible! The paper is very easy on the eyes, and the layout is incredibly readable (single column). There is room for taking good notes, and the pen ink does not bleed through any more than the ghosting from the printed words (I’m using Faber-Castell pens). The size of the Bible is neither compact nor large. It’s a great medium size that doesn’t compromise on readability nor pull your arm out of your socket as you carry it.
   One main reason I purchased this Bible was because I wanted a tank of a Bible. I have a few floppy goatskins and calfskins which are fabulous in their own right, but I am so protective of them that I don’t feel like I get the most out of them. Not so with this Calf Split option! I have young children, the Bible has been picked up and dropped multiple times, and it is still in very good conditions. This Bible is encased in a very attractive armor. Buy it if you want to feel comfortable throwing it in a book bag without having your heart jump to your throat.
   One thing that could improve this is making the pages red under gold. They are just gold gilded. However, because you are buying a premium Bible at a relatively low cost and it is so tough, go ahead and check out how to apply red stamping ink to get that red under gold look. I did it and love the way it looks.

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   Aaron King – April 4, 2014

   This is a wonderful Bible. To me the calf-split is the perfect meeting point between the extremely supple goatskin/calfskins and your average genuine leather Bible. I normally dislike single column Bibles because it is so easy to lose your place, but not this one. The single column is short enough that I don’t have a problem at all. The references being on the side are great because you can ignore them and just read without distraction (unlike a center column reference) but can still refer to them if you need to. I know others have commented that the Clarion’s pages tend to curl up, but the curling is extremely minimal (at least in mine). They did use line matching to reduce ghosting and the text looks great! There are 2 ribbons. They are not as nice as the ribbons in the Allan Bibles but nicer than your average ribbon. There is no red under the gold gilted pages, but that doesn’t bother me in the least. The words of Christ are in black, and normally I love them in red but with the single column layout the all black seems to fit much better. I recommend this Bible to anyone looking for a high quality NASB. The binding is great, the text is clear and uncluttered, and it is just an all around solid Bible. I have bought from evangelicalbible in the past and highly recommend them, but I found this Bible at my local store on sale for a whoppingly low $55 and just couldn’t pass it up. No matter where you find it, it is a great one!

3. Rated 4 out of 5

   Michael Kear – June 10, 2013

   I own two Clarions: the ESV in Goatskin and the NASB in Calf-split. The goatskin is one of the nicest Bibles you’ll ever hold in your hands. Soft, thick, and leather-lined. The Calf-split is made to use! The leather is sturdy but flexible. The print in both is fantastic and the size is nearly perfect. My only complaint (and it is a minor one) is that the paper is a bit too thin and curls inward at certain places. I would have preferred a heavier paper and would have gladly accepted an extra 1/4″ in thickness as a trade off. Nevertheless, these are fantastic Bibles, extremely well made. Highly recommended!

4. Rated 5 out of 5

   Brandon Elder (verified owner) – April 2, 2013

   Just recieved my new Cambridge Clarion NASB Black Split-Calf in the mail today. It is SUCH a great bible to read. The single column paragraph format is perfect. Everything flows alot easier. It is also easier to keep verses in context when in this format. The text is really easy to read…especially given its size. It reads like a much larger typeface. The split-calf cover looks great. It is a bit stiffer than I expected, but I’m sure it will soften nicely with some use..and I’m positive it will get plenty of that Lord willing. Now all i’ll have to do is try to decide which one I want to use come Sunday morning ..this one or my R.L. Allan ESV1 in Chocolate brown. I know asthetics are really meaningless, but God’s word deserves to be bound in quality. I am happy with my purchase.

5. Rated 5 out of 5

   Bruce Morrow (verified owner) – February 1, 2013

   First off let me start by stating that Ihnrc had this Bible now for a handful of months and have had a chance to break it in. Finding a quality NASB is quite difficult considering two quality of most major publishers. This is not the case with Cambridge. I own some ob what I believe to be the best NASB Bibles in print in reference to quality and craftsmanship (including Allen SCR disappointing). Cambridge here has the market cornered -The best NASB in print – IMO. The others miss the mark by cutting corners or poor execution, sometimes by a large degree. Cambridge is not just trying to sell a fancy looking Bible, it just is a fancy Bible! The price tags on “high-end” Bibles at times is not justified, Here I happily recommend . Remember though The Calf-split is the bargain Cambridge. There is not art edging and the cover isn’t the same quality as the “full-calfskin”(spend the extra 20$). In a market where NASB Isn’t the most widely printed, pick one of those up while you still can. Great paper and impressive text block keep this Bible in your hands, Where it should be!

6. Rated 5 out of 5

   Jeffrey Burns (verified owner) – October 5, 2012

   I have owned the Cambridge Pitt Minion NASB in black goatskin for 3 years and have used it everyday during that time. It is a phenomenal Bible. However, the font is just a tad too small for me to preach from and after seeing the comparison pictures of the Pitt Minion vs. Clarion on J Mark Bertrand’s blog (http://jmarkbertrand.typepad.com/.a/6a00e3981f1e398833015390c62919970b-popup) I knew the Clarion would fit the bill.

   I have just received the Clarion today and it is everything I had hoped it would be. I chose the split calf because of the classic look of the VERY pronounced grain in the leather. It is beautiful and I know that though the boards behind the leather are a little stiff out of the box, they will break in over time and be just as supple as the finest goatskin. I agree with other comments about the readability of the text. It is deceivingly legible for 8.75 font. The single column makes reading extended sections much more natural, and the design editors hit a home-run on column width. If you’ve ever continually gotten lost in a paragraph because the individual lines were too long, you know how frustrating it is. This is not a problem with the Clarion. It is by no means a wide-margin, but if you can write small and have a good pen (pigma micron), there is plenty of room for notations.

   The concordance is much much more comprehensive than the Pitt Minion’s. It is over 100 pages of triple column text!

   The only thing I dislike about the Bible is that the maps have been changed from the Moody Institute maps from the Pitt Minion. They are Oxford/Cambridge’s own maps now and for whatever reason left out the double page map found in most Bibles depicting probable locations for various events in Jesus’ ministry in Israel. This is a very small gripe, but I do wish they had included this helpful map.

   In sum, you will not find a more readable, well constructed, and beautiful edition of the NASB from any publisher, regardless of size or cost.

7. Rated 5 out of 5

   W Larry Enzor (verified owner) – August 27, 2012

   Another high quality Cambridge bible. I can understand why the Clarion gets mostly very high reviews.

   I’m espeically impressed by the readability of the text and references. I’ve not seen a Bible this small and portable that is such a pleasure to read without eye strain (even the references). I intend to use it as my day to day portable Bible (BTW I have an Allan NASB SCR as my primary desk Bible).