Clairefontaine Vs. Rhodia

[Rhoddo]

I'm using Clairefontaine paper everyday for school and i like it.

I notice almost no seethrough, even with my music nib.

Why does everyone seem to use Rhodia, is it smoother?

What are the advantages in your opinion?

[inkypete]

I'm using Clairefontaine paper everyday for school and i like it.

I notice almost no seethrough, even with my music nib.

Why does everyone seem to use Rhodia, is it smoother?

What are the advantages in your opinion?

I'm a clairefontaine user too - best paper for FP use bar none. However I do use some Rhodia. The difference? Rhodia is not quite as white and a little less smooth - only marginally. Both sensational papers.

[Rhoddo]

that's great, I wouldnt like to be restricted to orange and black because of the paper quality.

I like the colorful registers and the personalized frontpage of my claurefontaine notebooks.

Is there a dot grid clairefontaine paper out somewhere? Otherwise I might aswell test Rhodia just for the dot grid.

[ajzeller]

Rhodia is almost made by Clairefontaine. There isn't much difference - Rhodia tends to be a little less smooth and not quite as bright (as inkypete said above,) but the largest difference you'll probably find is the price. Rhodia tends to be cheaper all around (though usually lighter weight too.)

 

For rulings, Clairefontaine is available in: lined, graph, blank, and french ruling. Rhodia offers: lined, graph, blank, and dot ruling.

 

If you'd like to use dot ruling with Clairefontaine, I have free downloads on my site inlcuding the 5mmx5mm dot ruling used by Rhodia that you can print out and place behind the page that you're writing on to use a ruling/guide when writing.

[Ecriveur]

Both Clairefontaine and Rhodia make first-rate, fountain pen friendly paper, probably the best paper a fountain pen user can get. The paper quality of the two is quite similar, which isn't surprising since Clairefontaine owns Rhodia, they bought Rhodia in 1997. But their products are slightly different, e.g. the dot format paper that Rhodia sells but Clairfontaine doesn't.

[Rhoddo]

thank you all, that's very informative!

 

 

ajzeller: I'll print out your dot grid paper, not ordering anything else because of shipping costs.. (would have loved to try your pen flush though )

[ajzeller]

ajzeller: I'll print out your dot grid paper, not ordering anything else because of shipping costs.. (would have loved to try your pen flush though )

 

I hope that you find the grid paper useful! I would have loved to send you out some too, but USPS is definitely causing a slow down, if not complete cessation, on international orders because of their recent price increase - just to send you a sample (an approximately 4oz package,) it would cost right around $8-9

[Rhoddo]

and Swiss customs would probably add another 20$ administration fee to that

 

but thank you for the dot grid pattern!

[vinper]

Both are fantastic papers. The Clairfontaine is as smooth as glass; the Rhodia has a very slight amount of "tooth"and I find it is more pencil friendly because of that quality. Vinper

[Audit This]

Clairefontaine - primarily because I dislike orange. Also, I tend to have a notebook per client/project and the different colors help me stay organized.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Audit This

[dizzymizzy]

The quality is similar. Something interesting to note (as far as I am aware)

 

1. clairefontaine makes the paper for the rhodia webnotebooks.

2. the quality of rhodia webnotebook dot paper is much different from the quality of the rhodia dot pad paper (i.e.: webnotebook paper bleeds and feathers more than dot pad paper)

 

I'm a rhodia user, and use webnotebook for journals, but I love the dotpad paper best.

[lapis]

Rhodia (made today by CF) is IMO a better paper. I prefer Rhodia because CF is for me much too glossy/glassy. No fun to write with, regardless of the pen or ink... Yes, CF is like writing on a piece of glass. No, Rhodia is not like writing on a piece of sandpaper.

 

Mike

[ShallowJam]

I'm a clairefontaine user too - best paper for FP use bar none.

 

That is absolutely false. Your favourite perhaps, but not best.

 

 

Rhodia (made today by CF) is IMO a better paper. I prefer Rhodia because CF is for me much too glossy/glassy. No fun to write with, regardless of the pen or ink... Yes, CF is like writing on a piece of glass. No, Rhodia is not like writing on a piece of sandpaper.

 

Mike

 

My thoughts exactly. I find the most significant difference between the two is not necessarily the writing experience (Rhodia does have a more appealing experience for my tastes, CF is too glassy) but the way the ink dries. Rhodia I feel provides a better representation of the inks when they dry - the colours are more vibrant, the shading more dynamic, etc. Its a much nicer paper in my opinion.

[Dalriada]

For rulings, Clairefontaine is available in: lined, graph, blank, and french ruling. Rhodia offers: lined, graph, blank, and dot ruling.

 

Rhodia is also available in french ruling (Seyes), at least for some products in France.

[brunico]

I'd rather write on copy paper than on Clairefontaine Triomphe, which I find way too white and impossibly glossy. I'm not sure how it came to be known as the best paper for fountain pens: if anything, it seems to be made for biros, so that the ball doesn't pick up bits of paper and leave oily deposits. But decent copy paper is decent enough.

 

Then again, I'm really enjoying writing on laid paper and in cartridge paper notebooks (sold as artists sketchbooks).

[Rhoddo]

Rhodia (made today by CF) is IMO a better paper. I prefer Rhodia because CF is for me much too glossy/glassy. No fun to write with, regardless of the pen or ink... Yes, CF is like writing on a piece of glass. No, Rhodia is not like writing on a piece of sandpaper.

 

Mike

 

 

I'm a clairefontaine user too - best paper for FP use bar none.

 

That is absolutely false. Your favourite perhaps, but not best.

 

 

Rhodia (made today by CF) is IMO a better paper. I prefer Rhodia because CF is for me much too glossy/glassy. No fun to write with, regardless of the pen or ink... Yes, CF is like writing on a piece of glass. No, Rhodia is not like writing on a piece of sandpaper.

 

Mike

 

My thoughts exactly. I find the most significant difference between the two is not necessarily the writing experience (Rhodia does have a more appealing experience for my tastes, CF is too glassy) but the way the ink dries. Rhodia I feel provides a better representation of the inks when they dry - the colours are more vibrant, the shading more dynamic, etc. Its a much nicer paper in my opinion.

 

 

Now I really have to try that Rhodia dot paper. I was thinking it might be less glossy than CF, but was a little afraid it might bleed through easier.

If anyone wants to trade a notebook of Rhodia dotpaper (A4 if possile) for a Clairefontaine ringbook for testing purposes pm me

[therealjamesg]

Rhodia tends to be cheaper all around

 

I'm finding that on http://www.bureaudirect.co.uk/ CF comes out quite a bit cheaper if we're just talking about A5 notebooks, by about £1.50 - £2 per pad.

 

Edit; while they're currently out of stock of many types, these guys are offering pretty large discounts on 3 packs or some notepads (up to 75% off apparently): http://www.officestationery.co.uk/paper-products/notebooks-notepads/brand/rhodia/

Edited April 14, 2014 by therealjamesg

[harrietthespy]

Rhodia is also available in french ruling (Seyes), at least for some products in France.

Is Rhodia dot pad available in France? I have yet to find it there and buy it in the US when I visit my Mother.

[Buzz_130]

In my opinion, Rhodia offers the wider and more robust selection of sizes and "binding" (staple, ring, pad, left, top, etc) to meet a wide number of specialized to very general needs. I also seem to find more Rhodia "stands" in paper stores.

 

Buzz

[jethrobrink]

I use both for college. I use Clairefontaine for the form factor. They come in perforated spiral bound A4+ notebooks that arent too expensive. Rhodia is my favourite fountain pen paper though. Clairefontaine is a little bit too smooth, almost light greaseproof paper.