What Paper Do You Practice On?

[dgturner]

+1 for the French-ruled paper for handwriting practice, that is what is was made for...

[snowblink]

I have found Cambridge legal pads to be affordable and very FP friendly.

[Scriptorium Pens]

Here's a link to the Staples bagasse paper. It used to be called Eco-Friendly, but some of them are now called Sustainable Earth:

 

Staples legal pads

 

They also have filler paper, composition books, and spiral bound notebooks. The paper is not quite as good as it used to be -- I just got my order of 5 spiral notebooks last week, and they do feather a bit with some inks, but not all. For the price it can't be beat. (Don't try their Eco-Friendly sticky notes -- the have some kind of coating on them that repels ink!)

 

For plain paper, I use HP Premium Choice Laser for practicing my Copperplate because it's very smooth, or Canefield's Sugarcane copy paper, which has a bit of a texture. Here's where I buy the Canefields: EcoPaper.com

 

I also use Neenah Crest if I want something fancier.

 

For regular use, I stick with Rhodia & Clairefontaine products.

[Anne-Sophie]

http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/writing.html

 

Printed on Office Depot Inkjet Paper (24 pound; 113 bright; acid free; 35% post consumer content)

 

I printed a couple of incompetech template on that paper to check how it would fare with my fountain pens.

 

The paper is alright for handwriting practice or if you need to take an enormous amount of notes for school or work.

 

If printing many template pages is needed, print one very dark sheet of each template with a home office printer on different paper, test it with fountain pens then use a local office or printing store to print a ream or a box with your templates.

 

Home office printer ink is way too expensive to print a whole ream, let alone a box or two if the paper is on sale.

 

 

I grew up with Clairefontaine Seyes (French) ruling and Rhodia notepads with grid ruling. Nothing remotely compares to those two brands.

 

 

However, I had to write a lot when I was in school so I would buy loads of generic Seyes ruled packs of binders filler paper. I suspect that the generic brand was made in France because it was very very smooth as well as very fountain pen and pencil friendly.

Unlike Clairefontaine and Rhodia, the generic paper was not eco-friendly but I made sure not to be wasteful. It was only used for note taking and homework, including writing essays which were part of our official grades, any of the paper left over from previous year was used the next.

 

Essays outlines, math formulas and other projects such as timelines, were first written on scratch paper in pencil or other non fountain pen writing instruments.

 

Scratch paper will do a number on fountain pen nibs, I learned that the hard way when I used scratch pads made in the U.S which felt smooth to the touch but took 3 of my fountain pens out of commission.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Anne-Sophie

[beurling]

I use Clairefontaine French ruled paper.

 

It is a bit more expensive, but I justify it by using the sheets for a combination of practice and ink sampling. Each page is done using a different ink and then stored in a binder for future reference.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6591689649_e777714f29_z.jpg

 

your handwriting is stunning..i wish mine was so good..jealous

[tinta]

I would think, that to do effective practice, where your inks & nibs perform at their best, a good quality paper is essential. Then the only other variables may be your writing posture, lighting, concentration, physical coordination & enough repetition. At least for me, it makes sense to pay more for the best paper & tailor the amount of practice I do, to the amount available.

Edited December 30, 2011 by tinta

[themotherlandrussia]

RHODIAS are nice, thick pH neutral paper that are great even for the broadest of nibs; feathering is nonexistent as well as bleedthrough. At my school, there is a nice white loose paper that is very thin, with no feathering but some bleedthrough depending on thickness. I use that regardless for scratch notes and lists. My Rhodias are for the day's notes.

[Scylax]

I use Oxford Optik for everything, including practise. At full prices this would be too expensive for me I admit. But I bought a huge stock during a back-to-school sale at Tesco for about 75p each (two years ago!). I get through about a pad a week for notes, practise, Uni work etc. If you can find it cheap anywhere, I've not found better.

[Alohamora]

I'm another user of the Staples bagasse paper, sold under the name Eco-Friendly or something similar (they've changed it several times). I've also had good luck recently with Norcrom 1 Subject, 80 sheet, wide-ruled notebooks made in India. The country of manufacture matters with these. The ones made in the USA feather and bleed.

 

During the back to school sale I was able to stock up on "Made in Brazil" Norcom composition books, the paper is great, even if the covers are flimsy. I agree with Wendy, country of origin matters a lot with Norcom. The good ones seem to disappear after the sales are over.

 

I also use the Staples Bagasse (Eco , Sustainable, whatever they're called now) spiral notebooks, they should be available year-round. If you go to the store and examine the ruled lines closely, you can see some have nice clean crisp lines and some have dull, blurry lines. Avoid the ones with blurry lines, the lines look crisp on the better paper. Yes, it's nutso to stand in the notebook aisle and examine the paper that closely, but I love the these notebooks. They are well made with heavy cardboard covers and sturdy spiral binding that doesn't get all bent up with use.

[omegabenz]

I've been writing on many different surfaces, and I seem to like the linen paper the most. I did by a Midori pad the other day, but it doesn't bleed enough for the fine ink. Just trying whatever I can, but I am pretty new.

[beurling]

i second the oxford optix....

 

i am going to be purchasing a broad wet nibbed pen so will see how it handles that,.

[MrsWeetag]

Whatever is on the table in front of me; typically the day's paper and mail.

 

I do that too. Junk mail envelopes rarely escape unscathed if they hang around too long on the dining room table. :roflmho:

[Ryder Blade]

Whatever is on the table in front of me; typically the day's paper and mail.

 

I do that too. Junk mail envelopes rarely escape unscathed if they hang around too long on the dining room table. :roflmho:

I'm glad I'm not the only one to do that. XD It's one of the reasons why I kept asking for those college info letters when I was applying last fall.

[Mike Schutz]

For practice, I've found Tops Docket Gold 20# White Bond tablets to work wonderfully. Relatively inexpensive and convenient. I get mine at Office Max. I use them regularly for rough drafts for work and they double well for practice.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Mike Schutz

[mhphoto]

Clairefontaine clothbound notebooks are fairly inexpensive considering how excellent the paper is. They're what I use.

[djunderw]

A cheap daily pad that is fountain pen friendly is the "@ the office" writing pad available at that store I hate so much: Wal-Mart. It is a take off of the Ampad "Gold Fibre" writing pad from Staples which is also very fountain pen friendly, but is sometimes not available at my Staples.

 

Another vote for Ampad Gold Fibre legal pads. The paper is very FP friendly (though not nearly as slick as Rhodia), and every page separates perfectly and easily along the perforation.

 

If I want to use "better" paper, I go for Rhodia.

 

I have also had success with Staples's standard printer paper.

[spraine]

One should avoid Ink jet paper, in it must absorb the ink faster than laser. That is not good from what I read for fountain pens.

If it is combo paper...how can that be best for fountain pens when it is also ink jet paper.

Laser paper only.

 

If the paper absorbs the ink faster (is that the same as "more"?), does that mean the ink is better-bonded to the cellulose?

 

Is laser paper a better "archival" paper than inkjet?

 

Is Clairefontaine, & similar paper, the best archival paper?

 

 

Steve

[zuerincolour]

My Warwick 200 leaf value pad. It's cheap ($2 for a giant pad), easy to get and doesn't feather with my M nib. The paper is very thin but the ink barely shows through to the other side. Sadly it's only made in NZ but lovely either way.

[ItwasLuck]

One should avoid Ink jet paper, in it must absorb the ink faster than laser. That is not good from what I read for fountain pens.

If it is combo paper...how can that be best for fountain pens when it is also ink jet paper.

Laser paper only.

 

 

 

Practice paper....any paper, you want good to better paper as is.

90 g/24 pound is a minimum. Cheap 80 gram copy paper is cheap copy paper not designed for anything but copy machines and ball points.

 

I had Lamy turquoise, which was sort of blaaaa; with 80 g copy paper. Then in ink review I found it shaded on 90 g paper. I had a small pad of Oxford Optic https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/thumbup.gif , and it shaded.

 

 

Oxford Optic is great paper...equal to the cheaper Claire-fountain and Rhoda, but you will have a hard time finding it. I live in Germany and some is made here, but no store near me carries any . The Spanish version is good also.

 

 

I find Crane 90 (US made) to be less than expected.I had three types. I think one should send off for some samples of the 100g/27, 105/28 or 110/29 pound.

We are waiting for Sam's Crane test.He sent off for a lot of samples.

 

The texture; butten/hammered/verge, laid or linen, matt or smooth will make a big difference too.

Some papers are hard to write on, others feel good, but feather.Some feel good with M or B nibs, and less on F and not at all well with EF nibs.

Clairefontain can be too smooth for some nibs.

 

I have one Zerkall 100 g deckel edge (that torn look) that feels so good, it's a sin not to write on it. It feathers and has show through. It is a 'cheaper' level of Zerkall paper. It cost me $0.75 a sheet. Some day soon, I'm going to my B&M and order ( the minimum https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/crybaby.gif ) the good stuff.

How good is that paper? In Kansas it will be forbidden like the Ice Cream Soda to be used on Sunday...sinfully good to write on.

 

Watermarks are nice to have but not 100% needed. I have a couple of Euro papers that seem the same except one has a watermark.

 

US.... Southworth 32 is good, it has mild show through, but no BEF...Bare Eye Feathering from the writing position.It has feathering under magnification.

Strothmore 100% cotton was less than expected.

 

Paper is good for you....good to better paper costs only a can of coke or cup of starbuck's coffee more per ream than your regular cheap paper. Perhaps two cans of coke or cups of cofee.

 

You diet is helped because Coke with out sugar is fake, and tasteless. The things advertising will convince you is good tasting as long as it has no calories. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/roflmho.gif

Hopefully you live in a place with safe water.

 

Coffee is bad for your nerves.

Buy good to better paper for your health. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/rolleyes.gif

Coffee is actually quite healthy for the body. Caffeine in normal amounts on a daily basis helps the mind with daily tasks and improves memory, cognitive functions, alertness, it is quite amazing actually. Haha

But writing in good paper is quite soothing to the mind as well, for that I prefer Monokaki Manuscript paper if I'm practicing but for regular use I use Tsubame H100S notebooks, I get them for less than 5 bucks and it has 200 pages, so it's pretty good. Also it's not so smooth, if your gonna practice get paper that has a little tooth to it. Especially if you have a very goldilocks sort of nib like me where it is extremely smooth yet exhibits no skipping whatsoever, so I'm actually forced to use cheaper/rough paper. On smooth paper like my Mnemosyne notebooks for example, my Visconti writes as if it's gliding on a piece of glass, there is no feedback at all. Some love this but I like to feel the paper as I write the same way I prefer my m6 when I'm driving to my house in the Poconos over my A8L, the feedback you get from the wheel is so accurate!

The same sort of concept applies to paper especially if your practicing.

I believe even people with excellent penmanship would write much better on a paper with some tooth to it over the common over smooth, coated papers out there.

This would explain why Japanese authors swear by Monokaki! The paper is uncoated, you can feel the paper as you write but it doesn't detract from the writing experience, rather it actually enhances it.

 

Smooth paper has its uses though, why do I keep Mnemosyne notebooks? If I have to jot things down quickly, I'll always use them over my Tsubame or Monokaki notebooks. Smooth paper is great for writing quickly, it degrades penmanship slightly in my eyes, although this depends on the writer. Some people have excellent penmanship so much so that they don't need to feel the paper at all, so they prefer smooth paper.

 

I do wonder what's the actual long term effects of using rough paper vs smooth paper on the tipping material of modern FPs. Do chime in guys.

[grasshopper]

Whatever is on the table in front of me; typically the day's paper and mail.

Hehehe. This is me, too. But then I'm not practicing seriously yet. I doodle more than practice. If/when I do actually start practicing properly, any form of lined paper would be my preference.

 

As for the quality of the paper, something a bit thicker than newspaper would be my preference since the sharper edges of an Italic or flexy nib might not work so well on such paper (well, they don't work comfortably enough for me). But I would personally save the high-end paper for actual writing rather than practice.

 

Good luck with the practicing anyway - I'm sure your writing will be better than mine!!