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Fountain Pen Friendly Card Stock


Rancho Gordo

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I like to send thank you notes or quick messages with cards via the mail. Most of my clients don't care but when you have one that "gets" it, you have them for life. It's just a nice thing to do in not so nice times. And it justifies my insane fountain pen habit.

 

My current card is just over 4 x 6 inches. It's ok but I like wet pens and I'd prefer something wonderful, not just tolerable.

I'd like to print my company logo on that top and I would be wildly happy if I could find a letter press version. But just the name of a good commercial card stock would be a fine start.

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I'm not sure how they would suit being overprinted but I use the Nock cards for small handwritten notes and they are superb. FP friendly, good solid weight - best I have ever used. I use the dot dash standard cards that are 5x3 but they also do a smaller and larger version. These cards are not inexpensive but for the quantity I use I am happy to pay for such quality.

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/7260/postminipo0.png
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Whether you send your cardstock out for card-making or you're willing and able to make your own cards, this is excellent for use as cardstock: Strathmore Bristol 300 Series Smooth Surface paper. I make all my own cards—post-, calling. birthday, graduation, bereavement, everything. This is the only "cardstock" I use. It is smooth, very FP-friendly, and easily handles wet and broad nibs. It is noticeably thicker and stiffer than typical cardstock but not overly so, with a feel that says "upscale" card. Of course, you have to cut the paper to size yourself, and there are no lines. But one sheet of this pad yields 5 4"x6" cards, 20 sheets = 100 cards at about 10 cents a card. The sheet size gives you the versatility to make notecards (2 cards, 5½"x7", 25 cents a card). FYI.

Edited by Bookman

I love the smell of fountain pen ink in the morning.

 

 

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Whether you send your cardstock out for card-making or you're willing and able to make your own cards, this is excellent for use as cardstock: Strathmore Bristol 300 Series Smooth Surface paper. I make all my own cards—post-, calling. birthday, graduation, bereavement, everything. This is the only "cardstock" I use. It is smooth, very FP-friendly, and easily handles wet and broad nibs. It is noticeably thicker and stiffer than typical cardstock but not overly so, with a feel that says "upscale" card. Of course, you have to cut the paper to size yourself, and there are no lines. But one sheet of this pad yields 5 4"x6" cards, 20 sheets = 100 cards at about 10 cents a card. The sheet size gives you the versatility to make notecards (2 cards, 5½"x7", 25 cents a card). FYI.

This is an excellent idea Bookman. Assuming you use envelopes, what size do you use for your 4x6 cards and what and where do you get them?

The prizes of life are never to be had without trouble - Horace
Kind words do not cost much, yet they accomplish much - Pascal

You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream - C.S. Lewis

 Favorite shop:https://www.fountainpenhospital.com

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This is an excellent idea Bookman. Assuming you use envelopes, what size do you use for your 4x6 cards and what and where do you get them?

 

When I put a 4" x 6" folded card in an envelope, I use an A6 (4¾" x 6½"). I buy my envelopes at Paper Source and in three sizes—A6, A7 (5¼" x 7¼"), and A9 (5¾" x 8¾").

 

I make a folded card a size that seems appropriate to the occasion or the message. If size is not thus delimited, I tend to size the card to fit the envelopes I have the most of. Currently, I have more A9s than anything else. And since all my handmade cards are photo cards (I print the photos myself and make them any size I want as well), I sometimes use a size that best presents the photo, which sometimes means preserving the original aspect ratio.

Edited by Bookman

I love the smell of fountain pen ink in the morning.

 

 

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I use custom notecards from moo.com and take anything i throw at them. They always send me referral cards so if you (or anyone else on this thread) wants one let me know

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The current batch I have I picked up at Michael's. 80 for $6.99. Better than I expected and several different colors.

 

The ones I use most dor more formal use is a brand I get at Office Depot. 50 cards doe $20. They come in ivory and white. The ivory seem to play nicer with fountain pens. Even wet wide nibs.

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

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The current batch I have I picked up at Michael's. 80 for $6.99. Better than I expected and several different colors.

 

The ones I use most dor more formal use is a brand I get at Office Depot. 50 cards doe $20. They come in ivory and white. The ivory seem to play nicer with fountain pens. Even wet wide nibs.

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

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You might check RSVP cards or invitation cards at big box office supply or craft stores. Look under wedding stationery. You can print your company logo, etc. Often the cards are FP friendly and come with matching envelopes.

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When I put a 4" x 6" folded card in an envelope, I use an A6 (4¾" x 6½"). I buy my envelopes at Paper Source and in three sizes—A6, A7 (5¼" x 7¼"), and A9 (5¾" x 8¾").

 

I make a folded card a size that seems appropriate to the occasion or the message. If size is not thus delimited, I tend to size the card to fit the envelopes I have the most of. Currently, I have more A9s than anything else. And since all my handmade cards are photo cards (I print the photos myself and make them any size I want as well), I sometimes use a size that best presents the photo, which sometimes means preserving the original aspect ratio.

 

Thanks Bookman

The prizes of life are never to be had without trouble - Horace
Kind words do not cost much, yet they accomplish much - Pascal

You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream - C.S. Lewis

 Favorite shop:https://www.fountainpenhospital.com

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  • 2 months later...

Verified that Debra-Dale Premium-Grade #140 card stock tolerates lots of ink
EDIT: I take it back about Debra Dale. They're feathering a lot. Exacompta doing much better.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5KOL2U

Also Exacompta cards do a great job

https://www.gouletpens.com/products/exacompta-index-cards-4-x-6?variant=11884642172971

 

fpn_1572107412__2019-10-26_09-01-37_963.

 

fpn_1572107483__2019-10-26_09-01-43_635.

 

fpn_1572107544__2019-10-26_09-01-49_806.

Edited by rebcabin
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Notice that my Meisterstuck nib has a very slight Architecty feel to it: slightly fatter sideways than up-and-down. The other nibs are all delightfully round.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I used Levenger 3x5 first, with my letterhead on top. they used to have crazy clearance sales, and I got a ton of leather Levenger folios with card pockets, as well as pocket folios. I bought about 1500 cards, and they lasted quite a few years. Probably ran out 15-20 years ago, and my address changed by one digit (moved office next door).

 

Levenger cards became unacceptable, both with ink and the stock not sliding into the pockets, and fraying badly. Went to a confrence in Boston and found a Crane store and they were having a sale. My 1500 cards lasted longer, as I found Exacompta which are better with ink, and more durable, and my pocket personal data doesn't need the letterhead..

 

Envelopes were crazy expensive. Found great one in a San Jose Costa Rica dept store. Funny how there is better stationary outside USA. These were made in Peru, about 4 cents each.

 

I’ve printed on blank cards all sorts of info and time management templates, using Tables in Word Perfect. I haven’t had time to play with that for decades.

 

I have a guillotine, but I'm a clumsy nerd and didn’t have the patience, and my scrap production was high.

 

if I ever get the time, I'd try to make a folding card that would fit the Levenger pockets. Oh, and I would finally get organized.

Edited by adamselene

Cheers,

 

“It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness

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