Hey, im new here, as you can tell and so far browsing this forum has helped me out alot in getting started.
My problem is that im a student and i do alot of writing on loose leaf in binders. With the paper im using now, which is regular cheap stuff, im getting alot of feathering. My sister is passing by bromfield pen in boston soon, and I'd love a reccomendation for looseleaf paper. Since in cheap and i go through alot, price is a consideration.
Thanks.

If you don't need lines, my suggestion is to get a ream of an office paper that is wonderful with FPs and to punch holes in it. (You can even get Kinko's to do that for you, and I don't think it costs a lot.) If you have access to a printer for free or cheap, you could even make a Word doc with lines (in something like light gray) and print them on. (Do that before you punch any holes, hole-punched pages tend to jam photocopiers & printers.)

Otherwise, Levenger loose leaf is nice but too expensive. Does the famed Ampac Gold Fibre come in a loose leaf version, I wonder? You can get Black n' Red that have perforations so you can take the paper out neatly, but it's A4 size which might be a problem for you--a little bit taller and skinnier than the U.S. 8.5 x 11.

I tend to use my Franklin planners a lot, since the paper format is loose leaf and I can move things around as I please. I use both the classic size (5 1/2 x 8) and monarch size (8 1/2 x 11) and I write quite a bit, so I'm always on the look out for more paper to fit these planners.

Also, the paper quaility from both Franklin Covey and Day-Timers is better than most and works really well with Waterman inks (at least, for me). It isn't the cheapest paper, but I get it whenever it's on sale or clearance at my local Office Depot or Franklin Covey stores. I don't care of the style too much as long as it's not too flowery. 9

Basically, what you are looking for is the weight of the paper, the heavier (generally) the better. Regular 20 pound office printer paper or school loose leaf filler paper is going to be too thin and sparse for fountain pen use. You might have to go to 30 or 40 or even something as heavy as 60 pound. Anything heavier is going to be card paper, around 100 pounds or more, like for 3x5 index cards, and that's too heavy to carry in quantity in a binder. Plus, it's harder to punch holes in really heavy paper.

You'll still have to test any paper first before buying in quantity.

Regards,
Conrad

I'm also a student; I use the Staples brand of graph paper sold in packs of five pads. The pads are glue bound at the top. The paper is thin, probably 20 lb, but I haven't had any problems with feathering or bleeding, even when I doodle. It's not as cheap as plain copier paper, but it's pleasant to write on.

I believe Staples sells two different "grades" of the graph paper pads. I've used both (I use the expensive ones at work) and the paper is pretty much the same; the only difference I've noticed is the glue used for the binding -- tearing off a sheet on the cheap pads is a bit harder than tearing off a sheet on the expensive pads. I'm not personally willing to pay twice as much for better glue.

HP makes a premium Lasercopy paper with a very smoothe finish and all of my pens love it. I print gray lines on both sides and then use the old three hole punch to put the holes in place. Very good stuff for the old journal at a reasonable price.

I've had good experiences with Mead Five Star paper from the spiral notebooks. Five Star paper is available in looseleaf (college- or wide-ruled). If it's the same quality as the notebook paper, it should work pretty well. It's generally available from the mainstream office supply stores.

If I recall correctly, the SwishMix line of inks (from Swisher Pens) is supposed to work very well with the Five Star paper, as well.

Don

I remember buying all sorts of pads when I was taking reams of notes, but the brand name "Oxford" was usually OK (but maybe UK only) though not always the cheapest.

Perhaps one option is to say the the salesman, "Is this paper OK for fountain pens or will it bleed?"

If he says no, you've saved a mistake, but if he says "Yeah, sure, whatever!" then a quick "Do you mind if I check first?" and a scribble will

(1) confirm the paper is OK or
(2) educate the salesman as you say "No, I think you are mistaken," and hand back the pad.

Actually, a smooth surface and heavy weight, dense weave paper is usually a good sign, but then price is usually higher. Given the amount I spent in the student's bar, I really shouldn't have any complaint about the extra cost of durable notepads.

Some of those notes are now .... years old, and I do still refer to them.

Chris

Hello Lire,

I have also had good experiences with Mead notebook paper.

Best wishes,

Sean

I have found the loose leaf, three hole drilled, college ruled paper that COSTCO is currently selling to be resistant to feathering and print through. From the description of your needs it might suit you. It is marked "Diversafile Everett" and also "Made in the U.S.A." The manufactures website is

www.dfellc.com

Best of luck.

Since there are good reviews about Ampad Gold Fibre, what about the Ampad filler paper (loose leaf)? Has anyone tried it and got good results?

Clairfontiane makes a nice loose leaf paper. Borum Pease accounting loose leaf paper is magnificent, if you can find it.

Where have you bought Clairefontaine looseleaf paper?

I found a package of Pen-Tab college ruled loose leaf paper at the thrift store that is taking ink super-well. I'm assuming it's an older package since its address doesn't include a website. Does anyone know if current Pen-Tab paper is available or still this good. This paper even takes dip pens without feathering or bleed through. 9

Hmm.... well, according to this NYTimes Business News Report:

"The purchase will make the closely held Pen-Tab, based in Front Royal, Va., the third-largest maker of paper supplies for the school and office, after the Mead Corporation and the American Pad and Paper Company."

So, it seems the are definitely still players in the marketplace! Guess I'll keep an eye out for their paper!


-Allen