Best Paper For Fountain Pens

[Saintpaulia]

I've been searching for a long time for the perfect FP paper. Weight is one factor, but I've determined that just as important is texture and absorbancy. I think that a very smooth texture, and low absorbancy is key. Personal taste, I know, but that's what works best for me.

 

I've used 100g paper that was more absorbent, and experienced moderate bleed-through and echo, where some 80g paper is less absorbent and performs better, in my opinion. For my journal, I absolutely can't have any bleed-through if I'm going to use both sides of the pages.

 

Based on this criteria, my journal of choice is the Clairefontaine Basic Clothbound A4. The 90g paper is a complete joy to write on: smooth and silky, with no feathering, bleed-through, and very little echo. Because the paper is less absorbent, you get nice shading with most inks. I am a big Clairefontaine fan. When they start making the Basic Clothbound with dot-grid paper, I'll be in paper heaven.

 

It always interests me when I see how someone can have a diametrically opposite view of the same thing that I have also experienced. I've tried that Clairefontaine A4 you speak of and I did not care for it at all. It was like writing on glass. No traction for my pen and so no control. Give me some feedback any day. That's why I prefer Rhodia which is less smoothed, and a bit more absorbent. But I have begun to look elsewhere for my perfect pen paper, away from these super smooth papers that have had their surfaces so doctored as to be smooth yes but not absorbent. Simpler papers in comparison. Some of the less expensive types like the bagasse, or the M types at Staples. Or even the Crown Mill papers.

[EKE]

Oh, I do love the Clairefontaine!

 

But, there are as many papers as there are people. Viva la difference!

[goldenkrishna]

Thank you all for the info.

 

With love,

goldenkrishna

[lapis]

.... . I've tried that Clairefontaine A4 you speak of and I did not care for it at all. It was like writing on glass....

Hey, man, you stole that line from me. I discovered it first, I invented it (the line). Seriously, you're absolutely right. I hate this paper but still use a 2x4 cut of it every now and then for a paper sample in a review... but only because so many of us just love the heck out of it. http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu264/peli46/1_ani.gif

 

Mike http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu264/peli46/hidden-171.gif

[lapis]

Here we go again... I swear I only clicked once... wuh-hun tie-hime. But as long as it is an important reply that gets duped, I see no harm...

Edited December 6, 2012 by lapis

[penhand]

Tomoe River from Japan, 52gsm. Smooth, great shading, thin. Cream or white.

[zemof]

Tomoe River from Japan, 52gsm. Smooth, great shading, thin. Cream or white.

 

I’m been trying to search for them but in vain…! Heard so much about it but where could I get them?

[Runnin_Ute]

I just picked up a Black n' Red A4 sized ruled notebook this afternoon. Will let you know how I like it after I have used it for a few days or so. It is a clothbound with 192 pages. They only had one. Probably smart to not buy multiples at this point since I don't know what I am really going to fall in love with.

[vibin247]

Just bought two Rhodia Bloc No. 18 Notebooks in lined rule from Paradise Pen in Costa Mesa, CA, and wow...what nice paper! I'll have to purchase some Clairefontaine notebooks as well as I'm a paper gobbler when it comes to writing with fountain pens. I don't mind the cost too much, when you think about the other options out there that are more expensive and don't have that kind of quality.

[Faulkner]

In my personal experience, Rhodia or Clairefontaine paper can cause some pen-ink combos to skip whereas highly textured paper (Vellum- plaid) is only wide-juicy nibs friendly. Thus, my favorite papers are japanese Midori (I have Travelers notebook, paper pads and A5 notebooks) and G Lalo Velin Paper pads.

[whych]

This journal paper says it is 80 lb. Would that translate, via the multiply by 3.75 rule into 300 g/sm?

http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.ACCT107430/sc.23/category.6757/.f

I hope the link works.

Breck

 

No, because it's a different kind of paper than office paper. The 3.75 rule applies only to "Bond" paper. The journal paper is probably "Offset" paper, for which the multiplier is about 1.48. So the 80lb paper would probably be about 120g.

 

Let's say that I found a notebook that says it has 80 lb. paper in it and that the notebook is 8.5" x 11" in dimensions. How do I use that chart to figure out grams/meter-squared?

 

You need to know what sort of paper it is. If it's a notebook, it's probably bond, ledger, etc. If it's a sketchbook, it's probably offset, book, etc. Then look in the appropriate column of the conversion table.

Surely the type of paper shouldn't make a difference. The paper weight is worked out as the weight per unit area of paper.

So 100 gram per square metre paper means:

Take 1 square metre of paper and weigh it.

Whatever the weight is means it is that number of grams per square metre.

You then cut the paper into sheets, which doesn't change it's weight per square metre.

(In lb weight, is it not pounds per square foot, or is the Amnerican system not as simple?)

[penhand]

Tomoe River from Japan, 52gsm. Smooth, great shading, thin. Cream or white.

 

I’m been trying to search for them but in vain…! Heard so much about it but where could I get them?

I'll be putting more up in the classifieds in the next day or two when the new case of cream arrives. If anyone can't wait, PM me.

[UncleJoe420]

Thus far, I've found that Rhodia paper has been the best paper that I've used thus far with fountain pens - and I have tried a fair chunk of unusual paper in recent years (green banana paper, anyone?)

 

Once I've finished using my current Moleskine cahier, I'm switching to an a4 Rhodia!

[dcpritch]

Tomoe River from Japan, 52gsm. Smooth, great shading, thin. Cream or white.

 

This. Nothing better, and I've tried almost everything. Every time I write a letter or note to someone using this paper I get a comment on either the paper or the ink, the latter because the paper allows ink to really shine.

 

You should do what you can to find some and even if you pay a bit you will not be sorry. I've noticed that penhand does a very fine service to FPNers by making it available in reasonable quantities. I bought my own ream of 4,000 sheets of this A4+ sized paper and I don't regret it at all. I had a bunch printed for correspondence and made into A5 tablets of 50 sheets each.

[nitnop]

Thanks for the pounds to square meter conversion help. Most useful.

The german maker, Zerkall, makes some very nice paper for fountain pens. I particularly like their Frankfurt, which has a wonderful silk laid finish. I buy large sheets and make my own envelopes and writting sheets.

[GallBladder]

Stillman & Birn makes really nice artist sketch books which are very good with the fountain pens and ink that I have tried on them.

Epsilon series

Edited December 29, 2012 by GallBladder

[Bo Bo Olson]

Everyone has differences, and I've not got to the smoother than ice Triumphe. I'm working on it.

 

I have been disappointed on how much cotton swallows shading.

Some is very nice to write on, but I now favor 25% over the softer more feathery 100%.

 

Oxford Optic 90g is what the Red and Black notebook is now made of...I like it a lot...A nice poster sent me a wide spiral notebook of that from England. It's available in Frankfurt 100km north of me, but not by me.

 

I can buy Clairefontaine Veloute locally.

I now have one in Clairefountaine Veloute 90g, along with a notebook pad in A4. Both of them Veloute and Optic are very close to being =.

IMO both are very good inexpensive papers....they are not cheap paper.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxx

As warning do not buy Brunner paper in any weight or type.They had some 90 g Faux laid, linen and blutten. Even at 120 g marbled which I thought at first ok, turned out not worth buying.

Brunner is the biggest or second biggest paper maker in Europe....and makes nothing worth the ink of a fountain pen. Ball point and gel pen only.

 

I was ever so lucky, it started my learning curve....Aldi our very large discount grocery store chain has a yearly back to school sale and they have paper from Zebra paper company in those 4 types; 90g marbled, Hammered, laid and 120 g linen effect; that is 100% better....Brunner is a goose....all feathers.

 

Avery Zweckform ...is not something I'm going to buy again, except perhaps the 120g creme though there are better than that too (soft to write on is a plus point...slightly wooly lined...just that tad.).

Perhaps Avery good enough for all copiers and faxes....but each of the 4-5 types I've bought that was Laser was not quite good enough for fountain pens.

[lapis]

Everyone has differences...

 

AMEN

 

I like and use both Brunnen and Avery Zweckform papers a lot! Sooo.... first try it out yourself, then decide.

[Sasha Royale]

Get some. Try some. Exchange samples with FPN members. It's part of the fun. It will be wonderful. You will arrive at the paper that suits you best. However, as with any journey, the joy is in the going.

[Sasha Royale]

Me, too, Lapis !

 

Following the praise for Clairefontaine paper, I got six tablets of the Triomphe. Excellent paper, but I don't really like it. I still have four tablets. Instead, I found 24# Astroparche paper, at the resume rack of Target.

An 80-sheet package will yield 25 homemade envelopes and four-page letters.

 

A Parker 51 on Clairefontaine paper is super, super smooth, but I don't much care.