Using Card Stock For Blotter Paper?

[xwingrox]

Has anyone tried using medium/heavy card stock for blotter paper?

I'm thinking of Neenah Exact Vellum Bristol Card stock, 67 lb with "semi-smooth, quick drying finish." Essentially, I'm trying to avoid paying $10 for J.Herbin blotting paper when I can get 250(!) sheets for less! 250 pages of card stock for $8.05 shipped Prime on Amazon.

Link to card stock

 

I'm hellbent on making my own Midori style journals - but in larger sizes. So J.Herbin's single size won't cover an entire page in my journals - or my Kokuyo Campus semi-B5 journals for that matter!

[huy3825]

i think its smoothness would smudge the ink, think about clairfontaine. that stuff is smooth and wont let ink dry on it. i think blotting paper is more fibourous and has a far greater surface area than card stock

Edited August 27, 2014 by huy3825

[xwingrox]

i think its smoothness would smudge the ink, think about clairfontaine. that stuff is smooth and wont let ink dry on it. i think blotting paper is more fibourous and has a far greater surface area than card stock

Not to be direct, but have you used this card stock? or any other card stock for that matter? I'd like to get first person experience if possible

The card stock I linked to is actually designed to be printed on... so it should actually absorb ink quite well (so I think...)

[View from the Loft]

I use blotting paper all the time, and certainly don't pay the prices asked for the J Herbin item. Try searching on Amazon or other big box office supply stores for refills for desk blotters. A pack of 25 sheets that I purchased 5 years ago is only half used. I take each sheet and quarter it, tobring it to a sensible size to slip into my notebooks (A4 sized). Blotting paper is far more absorbent than anything else I have found (apart from kitchen towel), and is cheap when purchased as I do.

 

I tried card once in an emergency. Never again.

[xwingrox]

I use blotting paper all the time, and certainly don't pay the prices asked for the J Herbin item. Try searching on Amazon or other big box office supply stores for refills for desk blotters. A pack of 25 sheets that I purchased 5 years ago is only half used. I take each sheet and quarter it, tobring it to a sensible size to slip into my notebooks (A4 sized). Blotting paper is far more absorbent than anything else I have found (apart from kitchen towel), and is cheap when purchased as I do.

 

I tried card once in an emergency. Never again.

What brand of blotter paper do you have? I'm finding lots of results for regular paper refills but no specific blotter paper refills. Your help is much appreciated!

[xwingrox]

Something like this maybe? http://www.amazon.com/Dacasso-Bramble-Brown-Blotter-Paper/dp/B008MAZ5RI/ref=cm_cr_pr_pl_footer_top?ie=UTF8

[Orrell Post]

We have lots of card stock as I desktop publish etc, I don't have any Bristol Board but have tried several other around the same weight as the one you mention. I have also tried slightly less heavy laser printing paper and injet paper. They all pick up the ink but smudge the writing in varying degrees. If I find one that works I will post again. You could try what is in the UK 'sugar paper', like scrap books were once made from. I have not been to the US for a while but if you are near to a Michaels (I love that store) or the other large craft chain whose name escapes me you could pick some up for trials.

[Paddler]

The Bristol board I have will smudge the ink you are trying to blot. A paper towel will work better.

Go to an art supply store and get blotter paper. They should have it in large sheets for cheap. They can even cut it for you.

[Octo]

I've done something similar to what the OP is suggesting. When ink feathered badly on a manilla folder I was trying to label, I cut the folder to a page-size blotter for my composition notebook and cut the scraps to fit my checkbook. I've also used the backs of FP-unfriendly greeting cards.

[View from the Loft]

What brand of blotter paper do you have? I'm finding lots of results for regular paper refills but no specific blotter paper refills. Your help is much appreciated!

 

I have no idea what brand it is.

 

I have one of these on my desk at work:

 

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/852103/Desk-Pad-Blotter-19-14-H/

 

For the refills, you need something like this:

 

http://www.viking-direct.co.uk/a/pb/Blotting-Paper-White-445-x-570mm-140gsm/pr=Q28&id=ND182281/

 

Blotting paper is around 140gsm, very soft, very absorbent - and wonderful as a surface under the paper that I am actually writing on.

[xwingrox]

Thanks for all the replies. I will look into the desk blotters and refills once I have more time. I will update this thread with my findings!

[KenS]

Not knowing the age of the OP, I'll put forward that I sometimes save the coaster that my adult beverage was served on. While not large enough for blotting a document, it's large enough for my signature. Happy Blotting!

[xwingrox]

Not knowing the age of the OP, I'll put forward that I sometimes save the coaster that my adult beverage was served on. While not large enough for blotting a document, it's large enough for my signature. Happy Blotting!

I'll keep that the next time I'm at a bar

I'm thinking of ordering a few cheap sets of desk blotter paper and adhering a sheet onto thin card stock

[Randal6393]

I understand that you don't feel that the J. Herbin paper looks like a good deal. But considering that I have three sheets left from the package I bought six years ago ... Well, it may be a better bargain than you think. Good blotting paper holds the ink, again and again. You really have to work at it to overload a card of blotting paper.

 

Paper towels or tissues also work well, especially if you are doing something like paginating a book. Write a number, blot, turn the page, write the next number, blot, etc.

 

But, the sizing used in card stock interferes with picking up ink in the amount needed to do a good job of blotting. So, would keep that Bristol stock for other purposes.

 

Best of luck, enjoy,

[xwingrox]

I understand that you don't feel that the J. Herbin paper looks like a good deal. But considering that I have three sheets left from the package I bought six years ago ... Well, it may be a better bargain than you think. Good blotting paper holds the ink, again and again. You really have to work at it to overload a card of blotting paper.

 

Paper towels or tissues also work well, especially if you are doing something like paginating a book. Write a number, blot, turn the page, write the next number, blot, etc.

 

But, the sizing used in card stock interferes with picking up ink in the amount needed to do a good job of blotting. So, would keep that Bristol stock for other purposes.

 

Best of luck, enjoy,

Actually, I do like J.Herbin blotting paper - I just want a larger sheet of it! I am looking for letter sized blotter paper