Rhodia/clairfontane Vs Hp Premium Laser Paper

[Catrin]

I was unsure where to put this question, if it would better go somewhere else on the forum and an admin feels like swooshing this over there please do so.

I like Rhodia paper - also Clairfontaine but as at least one of my pens skips on Clairfontaine I do prefer Rhodia. We all know how expensive fountain pen paper is, and I've read elsewhere that HP Premium (32lb? 34lb) Laser paper is very close to being as FP friendly. As it's only $20 for a ream of 500 sheets, and as I like the three-hole punch Rhodia pads best anyway for personal use - I'm toying with the idea of buying a ream + 3-hole punch and experimenting. I hate to waste money however - as a local government employee my budget for such things isn't large - has anyone here tried this out? If so, what was your experience? I've also seen Brian Goulet refer to this on one of his earlier Q&A recordings although he had not tried it for himself.

[guyinkits]

I used to use Rhodia dot pads and now I only use HP Premium in combination with Staples Arc notebooks. I just looked online for a dotpad pdf and I've got the same writing experience as before except much cheaper and in a more user friendly format (I got my office to purchase the Arc notebook and Arc hole punch for me though).

 

So final answer, the HP Premium will more than suffice and you won't notice the difference. At the very most, you have wasted $20, but in my opinion, you will be fine. Just for your reference, I write a lot and use EF to B to Stub to vintage flex so I totally find that it works for all sorts of writing and ink.

[Catrin]

I used to use Rhodia dot pads and now I only use HP Premium in combination with Staples Arc notebooks. I just looked online for a dotpad pdf and I've got the same writing experience as before except much cheaper and in a more user friendly format (I got my office to purchase the Arc notebook and Arc hole punch for me though).

 

So final answer, the HP Premium will more than suffice and you won't notice the difference. At the very most, you have wasted $20, but in my opinion, you will be fine. Just for your reference, I write a lot and use EF to B to Stub to vintage flex so I totally find that it works for all sorts of writing and ink.

 

Thank you! This was exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I don't have a printer (well, I do, I just won't spring for the $100 laser cartridge (B&W) for it so am looking for other options - but I CAN write a pretty good straight line without a guide.

[Wolverine1]

Also look for the Staples product, I forget what its name is, it is paper made from recycled sugarcane pulp, called Bagasse. Costs about $8 or $9 for a ream of 500 sheets, and this bagasse paper is very fountain-pen friendly. The HP Premium Laserjet printer paper in the 32lb is also very good paper, but it is more expensive.

I am like you on a limited budget, my money goes towards paying for my doctor's and hospital bills, so I look for cheaper alternatives that buying Rhodia or Clairfontaine papers.

[Mulrich]

I've had some good luck with some Staples notepads, I think I'm currently using M by Staples. It isn't perfect, very wet nibs and inks will feather and it's rare to see any sheen, but for my typical notetaking it works well. I've gone through a variety of different notepads and this is my current favorite. I haven't tried (or even found) any sugarcane paper though and I've heard it's great.

[Catrin]

I'm going to go with the HP Premium 32 lb Laserjet paper - found it on Amazon for $10 for one ream (and $35 for 2?)! From what I can tell, the only difference between "laser" and "laserjet" is the name - apparently HP has some laser printers they call "laser jet". I do a lot of journaling and other types of personal writing and want to be able to take full advantage of my lovely universe of inks, love color, shading, and sheen (many samples).

 

If I can get the 32lb laser paper for the same basic cost as the 20 lb Staples sugarcane paper I will take it - hopefully it really IS the same - may stop by a store later and see if there is any difference between the two before I pull the trigger. From all I've been able to tell they really are the same in all but that longer name. Amazon must have gotten one heck of a deal on this to be able to sell it at half price - and it's a subscribe and save item for just under $9. Don't think I will go through a ream of 500 sheets - 1,000 pages (I use both sides), often enough to make it a subscription item...

 

For work I use a 300 page A5? fountain pen friendly journal that Barnes and Nobles sell for $10 (Amazon for $20). Miquel Rius. This IS a gridded paper, but quite friendly to all of my fountain pens.

[KellyMcJ]

HP Premium is great stuff. I've never used Rhodia or Clairefontain, but I love the HP.

[senzen]

HP 32 lbs LJ is nice, if quite thick. I finally settled on Clairefontaine large notebooks to centralize the important stuff, HP and Tomoe River blank sheets to jot down specific ideas. My Le Man 100 used to skip on both Clairefontaine and HP with Mandarin, seems to like Vert Empire better; and Mandarin works fine on both with a Platinum Cool M/FM (as long as it keeps starting, but that's another story).

[ac12]

I use a guidesheet under my blank paper. But the HP 32# Premium LJ paper is too thick/heavy to see the guidelines. I found that a guidesheet works up to about a 28# paper, but just barely on the 28# paper.

For the 32# paper, I have to use it on my light pad, to see the guidesheet underneath.

Edited August 10, 2017 by ac12

[Innosint]

The HP paper should work fine for most normal application of writing.

but it is a bit more prong to bleed through and feathering, and oh... no sheen.

HP is fine for jotting notes down using a normal fine to medium nib from my experience.

but I wouldn't recommend it for anything that involves flexing or really, really wet nibs.

 

Oh... and as many ppl probably would have guessed, it does not sheen

[Catrin]

The HP paper should work fine for most normal application of writing.

 

but it is a bit more prong to bleed through and feathering, and oh... no sheen.

 

HP is fine for jotting notes down using a normal fine to medium nib from my experience.

 

but I wouldn't recommend it for anything that involves flexing or really, really wet nibs.

 

Oh... and as many ppl probably would have guessed, it does not sheen

 

Interesting, I've had others tell me the HP Premium 32 lb LASER has performed well for them, they compare it with Rhodia (not the regular inkjet copy paper) - well, I will be able to tell soon!

Edited August 10, 2017 by Catrin

[gryphon1911]

If you happen to have any Dollar general stores near you, they have their own brand called "DG Office" of notepads in various sizes. While not quite "rhodia-like" in their performance, they do work very well for everyday writing. Can't really go wrong at $1 each.

 

The HP paper works well, I have a ream of it, run it through the laser printer for making lines or for specific templates I like to have for work use.

[Catrin]

I use a guidesheet under my blank paper. But the HP 32# Premium LJ paper is too thick/heavy to see the guidelines. I found that a guidesheet works up to about a 28# paper, but just barely on the 28# paper.

For the 32# paper, I have to use it on my light pad, to see the guidesheet underneath.

 

I thought that would likely be the case. I really don't need a guide to write a decent straight line as long as my first line starts off well, but am also considering economical options to perhaps print my own dot grid on the paper. ONLY if it doesn't cost me a fortune. A guide is nice but not required AND I like that it's going to be thick enough to use both sides. Did I say I got a ream from Amazon for < $8? Crossing my fingers this works as I hope!

Edited August 10, 2017 by Catrin

[Bo Bo Olson]

"""but it is a bit more prone to bleed through and feathering,"""....that is why I stopped looking for it.

 

For a while Fugi/Xerox had a real good rep....then others say...which one...the ones they tried failed at being perfect.

[Innosint]

 

Interesting, I've had others tell me the HP Premium 32 lb LASER has performed well for them, they compare it with Rhodia (not the regular inkjet copy paper) - well, I will be able to tell soon!

 

 

Yes, I'm referring to the 32LB laser.

 

normal writing would be perfectly fine. but it doesn't handle juice or flex nib with lots of ink output too well.

[Catrin]

 

 

Yes, I'm referring to the 32LB laser.

 

normal writing would be perfectly fine. but it doesn't handle juice or flex nib with lots of ink output too well.

 

Cool, that's what I need it for Perfection is a never ending chase so I don't attempt to reach it. I will always have at least one Rhodia pad around - love that paper - just can't afford to use it for most of what I need FP friendly paper for.

Edited August 10, 2017 by Catrin

[bobje]

Deborah Basel, who teaches calligraphy in Maryland and Washington, DC, tested papers with her calligraphy classes. They rated Xerox multipurpose paper from Sam's Club first. Then ink jet paper, then multi-purpose, then laser paper.

 

I have HP 32-pound laser paper, and it's fine with some inks, but bleeds on many.

[Catrin]

Deborah Basel, who teaches calligraphy in Maryland and Washington, DC, tested papers with her calligraphy classes. They rated Xerox multipurpose paper from Sam's Club first. Then ink jet paper, then multi-purpose, then laser paper.

 

I have HP 32-pound laser paper, and it's fine with some inks, but bleeds on many.

 

So that means I will have to play....errr...TEST all of my samples and bottled inks with the new dip pen that should arrive tomorrow to determine which inks work best with the paper? Oh the humanity of it all, but I think think I can do that

[Catrin]

My $7.84 ream of HP 32lb premium choice laserjet paper arrived yesterday. While my new dip pen doesn't arrive until later today, I DID test all 5 of my pens (nibs range from EF to Medium) with thier currently loaded inks (Diamine, De Atramentis, Noodlers). All of my samples and bottles are pretty much from the same sources, as well as Pilot and Robert Ostler.

 

For my purposes I think this will work just fine. NO sign of feathering or bleed through. When laying flat no ghosting is visible. I don't have any flex pens and do not do calligraphy. I think this will work well for my current nibs. It's good to know to not expect it to handle any expansion to flex pens if/when I choose to experiment with that - and I don't usually care for nibs larger than medium. Several of my pens are quite wet - regardless of their size - so all is good for now.

 

Thanks for the helpful comments from your experience! I'm pretty new to all of this and I've a lot a learn.

[Chuckie]

I love the HP 32 premium paper for journaling. I’ve never had any issues of bleeding with any of my fountain pens and inks (20 pens and 20+ inks). It’s glossy but still gives nice feedback. Not as smooth as Tomoe River, but very satisfying. I also like to slice the pages in half (giving me two 5.5 x 8.5” sheets) to write letters with. The thick, glossy paper gives a luxurious feel to the letter (compared to the thin feeling of the Tomoe River paper).