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Paper Choice And Water Resistance

JohnUphill

By JohnUphill
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JohnUphill Near Mint

JohnUphill

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I have been looking around (and coming up dry) for a discussion of the role paper plays in water resistance. Not being sure which forum to post this in, whether paper or ink, I decided to start here. I look forward to seeing your thoughts.

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Olya Vintage

Olya

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The general consensus is that inks will wash off easier/ more off coated paper (eg Tomoe R, Clairefontaine, Oxford, Rhodia etc) than uncoated (eg cheap copy paper).

Reason: The coating prevents ink from soaking in (hence enhanced sheen on coated papers), whilst ink will soak into uncoated paper and penetrate it deeper, thus binding itself more to it.

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stenolearner Near Mint

stenolearner

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I agree with the above. I have been testing out various inks on various papers, and I generally find that uncoated papers, or papers which are more absorbent, tend to make the ink soak into the paper, and thus harder to wash out. Ironically, with pigment inks etc. this may cause inks to feather, but I find still the increased absorption of the ink makes the ink stay on the paper better when exposed to water.

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JohnUphill Near Mint

JohnUphill

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Thanks for the replies. The intriguing interplay between pen, paper, and ink are what keep me fascinated by the use of fountain pens. I am planning to make a handwritten collection of my song lyrics and poems so I have been giving some thought to my choices of tools for the task.

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Bo Bo Olson Ancient Artifact

Bo Bo Olson

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Gee...cheap paper will let you walk in Seattle.

.

Go to one of the many permanent or IG inks....if important.

The papers mentioned are well worth writing on...…….cheap paper don't shade, don't sheen....and some will feather inks that don't feather on good paper.

 

I just don't spill stuff on my paper...………….do you know how often there is a Blue Moon?

 

It could be one don't want to take a glass filled with ice cubes over a sheet of paper due to the dripping of condensation from the glass on a hot humid day. :rolleyes:

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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A Smug Dill Museum Piece

A Smug Dill

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I have been looking around (and coming up dry) for a discussion of the role paper plays in water resistance.

 

I think it suffices to say that different papers — including possibly different batches of paper marketed under the same name and/or sold as the same catalogue item — will cause a given ink to exhibit different levels of feathering, bleed-through, water resistance, or even differences in the colour rendered.

 

Coated paper is a very broad category, when not all coated paper types use the same substances for coating or have the same coat weight.

 

I am planning to make a handwritten collection of my song lyrics and poems so I have been giving some thought to my choices of tools for the task.

 

 

The best way to be assured of the results is to do some testing yourself with candidate inks and papers for the application. Whether you're interested in protecting the content of your writing from a light sprinkle or being dumped into a swimming pool, and whether you want the original colour to be preserved or only require the content to be legible, can be tested under controlled conditions with sheets (or even books, if you prefer) of the type of paper you're considering using, that is covered with content you don't particularly worry about losing.

 

Water resistance may also vary depending on the length of elapsed time from when the ink was laid on the page. Getting caught in a light shower five minutes after writing a verse may give you a very different outcome from getting caught in a light shower when reviewing your writing from a month ago.

I endeavour to be frank and truthful in what I write, show or otherwise present, when I relate my first-hand experiences that are not independently verifiable; and link to third-party content where I can, when I make a claim or refute a statement of fact in a thread. If there is something you can verify for yourself, I entreat you to do so, and judge for yourself what is right, correct, and valid. I may be wrong, and my position or say-so is no more authoritative and carries no more weight than anyone else's here.

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stenolearner Near Mint

stenolearner

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Gee...cheap paper will let you walk in Seattle.

.

Go to one of the many permanent or IG inks....if important.

The papers mentioned are well worth writing on...…….cheap paper don't shade, don't sheen....and some will feather inks that don't feather on good paper.

 

I just don't spill stuff on my paper...………….do you know how often there is a Blue Moon?

 

It could be one don't want to take a glass filled with ice cubes over a sheet of paper due to the dripping of condensation from the glass on a hot humid day. :rolleyes:

 

That being said, Diamine Registrars Ink is used to writing birth, death and marriage certificates here in the UK, and it will shade on any paper. It's iron gall, so will not wash away with water.

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Honeybadgers Donor Pen

Honeybadgers

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Oddly enough, it's the reverse of what you think. The worse and more absorbent a paper is, the more water resistant.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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txomsy Antique

txomsy

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Sorta.

 

The ink will be better absorbed on "bad" (uncoated) paper. But the paper itself may be less resistant and dissolve into a paste when exposed to water. Depends on paper.

 

I have found that there are uncoated papers with a very high quality, tightly "pressed" that can take the ink and any water you throw at them, as well as coated papers that could not take water without disaggregating.

 

It is not only ink that has to be water resistant, the paper too. As does the binding and cover. As already said, the best is to make one's own tests and decide on the best combination.

If you are to be ephemeral, leave a good scent.

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Bo Bo Olson Ancient Artifact

Bo Bo Olson

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That being said, Diamine Registrars Ink is used to writing birth, death and marriage certificates here in the UK, and it will shade on any paper. It's iron gall, so will not wash away with water.

I use ESSR. (also a register ink) ...which has perhaps the longest thread in the history of the com.

ESSR was liked back then more than Diamine Register ink. I tested it with 17 different pens of this and that width and flex, and 40+ papers.

ESSR was once a long traditional British ink, (one of many Stafford/Stephes inks...something like that. A conglomerate bought them up, gutted them and sold the land the factory was on. One of the managers got part of his settlement got the big wooden tub they made the BB iron gall ink in and the recipe.

So saved that IG BB ink from extinction.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Honeybadgers Donor Pen

Honeybadgers

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I use ESSR. (also a register ink) ...which has perhaps the longest thread in the history of the com.

ESSR was liked back then more than Diamine Register ink. I tested it with 17 different pens of this and that width and flex, and 40+ papers.

ESSR was once a long traditional British ink, (one of many Stafford/Stephes inks...something like that. A conglomerate bought them up, gutted them and sold the land the factory was on. One of the managers got part of his settlement got the big wooden tub they made the BB iron gall ink in and the recipe.

So saved that IG BB ink from extinction.

 

What about ESSR is better likes than diamine registrars? Is it better looking, more water resistant, more resistant to feathering?

 

If it's tougher against feathering than registrars, I'll have to buy a bottle.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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