What Is The Cheapest Paper I Can Buy In The Usa Which Doesn't Have Feathering?

April 9, 2015

As cheap as you can find, go!

April 9, 2015

A ream of Hammermill 32 lb laser is about $9. It feathers with extremely wet pens but takes most ink well. It's absorbent so you might see some spread. It also tends to dull inks so you won't see any shading or sheen.

I've used some Fabriano sent by pen pals which I'm told is available at WalMart in notebooks for about $1. This paper performs very well and does not have the same issues as above. It will feather with gushers, though.

April 9, 2015

Brazil made notebooks at OfficeDepot/OfficeMax and Wal-Mart for $1.00 or less...

April 9, 2015

Staples EcoEasy sugarcane paper spiral bound notebooks. The paper is very good and takes ink well. I wish it was available in reams.

April 20, 2015

Wally World cheap notebooks are shockingly good with ink. Not sure what they'll be like in about 10 years, but initially they take ink well.

As far as writing pads go, I'm still searching for a good, cheap US option. Staples' brand with the paperclip bent into an M isn't bad, but the binding material false apart.

Hammermill digital imaging paper isn't bad.

April 20, 2015

I've just realized my Hammermill is 24 lb laser rather than 32 lb. 32 lb might be better, but I can't speak to the performance of that paper.

April 20, 2015

Fabriano is very good, and very cheap. A few dollars for a staplebound A5 notebook. It takes on very wet pens just fine. It's like a champ. I see those at Michaels and Hobby Lobby, probably also available at WalMart.

Also you have Miquelruis notebooks which are pretty good, you can find those at Barnes and Noble, Container Store, and Fry's electronics. Not sure if they are the cheapest, but they have very good paper.

You also see Black n' Red notebooks at Staples and Rite Aid, awesome paper, retina-searing white but bulletproof with fountain pens. Amazon sells the thread bound version in A5 size at a very cheap $3, a very good value considering what you're getting. Link is here.

If you're looking for loose paper by the ream, I think you have two options with HP, maybe the HammerMill that others have suggested is cheaper, I've only tried the HP papers and am quite happy with them. First is the "HP Laserjet paper" 24lbs or 90 g/m², good for all purpose FP writing. The second is "HP Premium Choice Laser" at 32lbs or 120 g/m², very thick and heavy weight paper. They might not be cheapest but I've had good experience with both.

Good luck.

January 22, 2017

I use Hammermill Ivory 20 lb paper, and buy it 10 reams at a time on amazon. Cost is around $55. This paper does not easily feather, is quite smooth and never gunks up the nib. I like the ivory color because it reduces glare and has a classic look about it; I've always disliked white paper.

January 23, 2017

First point, is feathering is affected by 4 variables, not just the paper; pen, ink, paper, and the writer. Change any one to the wrong choice, and you can get feathering. I have one ink that will feather and bleed through on EVERY paper that I have, out of all but one of my pens. So do NOT expect the paper to solve your feathering problem.

Staples, single subject, wire bound, made in BRAZIL.

In the "Back to School Sale" in July/Aug it sells for 17 CENTS each.

It isn't up to Rhodia quality, but makes a good general purpose notebook/journal. It will be scratchy for XF nibs and Japanese F and XF nibs, as the surface texture is not SMOOTH and HARD. But for Western F and wider, it works just fine.

Staples, Sustainable Earth, Sugar Cane Paper.

Not SMOOTH, but works surprisingly well. It handles all my pens and inks, including dip pens. I use it for letter writing with my dip pen.

Note, this is based on the ream that I bought 2 years ago. I understand that the current production may be of lesser quality. I have to test the current paper.

January 24, 2017

Feather is a fault to be blamed on the combination of ink AND paper, and sometimes excess ink flow.

One solution is that success rate increases with the lowering of standards. It is the principle of

"Lowered Expectations".

January 24, 2017

As ac12 has pointed out, the nib and the ink make a difference. It is much easier to find paper that won't feather with an extra fine nib than paper that won't feather with a bold nib, and some inks are less prone to feathering than others.

February 23, 2017

If you have a Dollar General near you, I can't recommend enough their "DG Office" line of paper. I've used their envelopes, writing pads, steno books and multi-purpose copy paper without any problems. It's definitely not a Rhodia substitute, but It's great for everyday writing.

It's really cheap too. Their copy paper (http://www.dollargeneral.com/dg-office-paper-multi-purpose-paper-200-sheets.html) is 200 sheets for aprox. $2. I haven't used the DG Office notebooks or loose leaf paper, but considering it's from the same line, and it all seems to be the same paper, I can predict those are great as well.