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Bonjour - Barb Marshall of WriteWhileUCan posted that September 1 is World Letter Writing Day. The founder would like to receive letters from different countries. http://www.ritewhileucan.com/september-1st-world-letter-writing-day/ Merci, et bon journée!

I live in the Twin Cities MN area and need to get some new envelopes. I'm currently using generic business envelopes which really suck with fountain pens at least the ones I have lol. I've had real good luck finding smaller envelopes since there seems to be more out there, however, the selection of No. 10 sizes seems to be smaller. I know I can order some online through most of the pen sites since some of those sites have good paper selections. Anyone in the Twin Cities have any suggestions? also, would love to hear in general envelope brands people like. I'm open to go to target, walmart, staples, michaels, etc... but honestly, don't want to buy some from those stores and find out they also suck with fountain pens. I figured many of you have some knowledge in this are and I would like to lean on your personal experiences.

The Boston Globe recently interviewed Crane & Co. creative director John Segal. http://postscript.crane.com/paper-habits-boston-globe/http://postscript.crane.com/paper-habits-boston-globe/ Reminds me of visiting my Uncle John's print shop as a kid. Happy reading and writing.

I'm trying to get organized. A colleague of mine wrote this blog post on how she stays organized, and I think I'm going to try it. Question: Where would you get a big heavy bound journal like the one she describes, but with fountain pen-friendly paper? So many of the sketch books I've seen in art supply stores aren't suitable. Thanks. - Yumbo

Calling all teachers -- does anyone have any lesson plan books that they find to be fountain pen-friendly? I'm (obviously) old fashioned and I like writing my lesson plans in a book. Usually I use my Pilot Custom 823 in a Fine nib. But even with that thin of a nib, there was a lot of bleeding and bleed-through with the book that I used. So, I'm definitely in the market for a plan book that uses better quality paper and was hoping for some suggestions. Thanks!

Hello, I'm recently moved to Jakarta, and I wanna know where are the best places to buy stationery items (fountain pens and inks). Actually I want know if Jakarta have a active community of fountain pens aficionados.....

What do you use for your ink swatches? Do you like keeping them in a notebook or do you use small sample papers? Also, what kind of paper do you like to use?

Take a picture of something you wrote! I usually look for a random quote or excerpt I can put down in writing, in most cases it ends up being tossed to the trash, I guess i just enjoy the writing process itself... Montblanc 146, MB Midnight Blue

I recently purchased a "traveler's notebook" (in quotes and not capitalized because it's not Traveler's brand... is there an accepted way to refer to these when they're not made by Midori or Traveler's Company?) that takes 3.5 x 5.5 inch notebooks. I have a Clairefontaine in there (which is spectacular) but I'd REALLY love some dot grid paper. Does anyone have any recommendations for a fountain pen friendly, dot grid, 3.5 x 5.5 inch notebook with a soft cover? Staples vs stitched binding doesn't matter to me but I don't want glue and I'd like it to be relatively small - the Clairefontaine has 48 pages. Thanks in advance paper gurus!

Hi, has anyone had any experience with any paper rolls that are bleedproof. I was looking for a good paper roll for practice that's extremely smooth (like tracing paper) and bleedproof for very wet pens. I was looking at drafting paper that architects use but they seem to be too see through. My next option was coated inkjet paper, but apparently its not possible to write on them due to the coating T.T Anybody have any suggestions? And yes it has to be a roll (I work very big), and not too expensive (water colour paper rolls are out of the question ) And if you're wondering, I don't only use fountain pens on it, I use large italic dip nibs too Thanks

I meant to do this back at the end of October but I forgot about it and a post on Facebook reminded me to do it. When I first bought an Oberon book cover it came with an insert that was easily the worst paper I'd ever used. It was like writing on tissue paper. It feathered everywhere, often spreading out into the paper like nothing I've ever seen and the bleed through meant the reverse side of the page was completely unusable, sometimes bleeding through two pages. I fixed it with a Tomoe insert curtesy of Gatzbon here on FPN (still using it!). Essentially though I bought Oberon for the cover not for the insert. I'd heard about the poor quality paper of the inserts but had no idea it was quite so terrible. The quality of the covers are second to none - very high quality, beautifully finished, robust and tough. So, I found it hard to resist another one when the opportunity presented itself. It came again with the large black covered insert. However, it does seem like they have improved the paper considerably. It's not perfect by any means, but it isn't like tissue paper. Some inks will feather a tiny bit but not greatly so, and I'm glad to report there is no excessive bleed through. I'm presuming they 'upped' the quality at some point and I may have missed the announcement, but thought I better post here to let folks know, or have you correct me if I'm wrong and I just got a freak insert!

Hi all, I've been sneakily reading the posts on this site for a while, but it's the first time I actually write a post (except for the FB page). I've been looking for the best notebook for journaling and such for some years now, and I figured I would share my experiences and disappointments, and hear about others' thoughts on this. I started using Moleskines (classic, large notebook, hardcover, black) way before I was using fountain pens. I had to switch to something else when I started using FPs due to heavy feathering and bleeding. (And in the case of MB toffee brown, discoloration.) But in terms of design and binding, my favorite ever will be the softcover large notebooks. I also like how they are a little thinner than A5. I then switched to Leuchtturm1917. I like that their pages are numbered, and they hold the ink well and the paper is not excessively smooth (like Rhodias or Clairefontaines). I prefer soft covers, so I'm a little disappointed that they are way thinner than Moleskines. They need to be at least 1.5x thicker. Also, I've found that the paper is not that consistent. Leuchtturm1917 notebooks that I've purchased at different times had papers that react differently to the same pen/ink combination. I've had one that feathers more than it should, and another that had the ink kind of spread on it evenly without feathering -- in addition to a few perfect ones, of course. I tried a bunch of A5 Clairefontaines, too. For me, their paper is superior to both Leuchtturm1917 and Rhodia -- that is if you don't particularly dislike smooth paper. But their binding is just horrible. Forget about laying a staple-bound notebook flat on your desk. I tried "my essential" which has sewn-binding, which does a lot better than the others, but still falls short of both Moleskine and Leuchtturm1917. Their covers are a lot more modest too. I would have loved to see that paper in leather or Moleskine-style cover instead of just craft paper. And then there's Goulet's new Tomoe river notebooks. Everytime I write on Tomoe river paper, I'm amazed by how much ink a paper so thin can hold. I like my pens really really wet, so it'll always be my favorite paper. Goulet's notebooks are staple-bound, and very thin, so I'm not a huge fan of their binding either. I'm also a little disappointed that they only come with the white TR paper and not cream. They are also a bit on the expensive side, with $9 for 48 sheets (96 pages), which is fair I guess, considering 100 sheets come for ~$14. With all these notebooks considered, I think I'll continue using a combination of Leuchtturm1917 and Goulet notebooks. My dream would be TR (or similar quality paper) in Moleskine binding. Perhaps I should learn bookbinding and make my own notebooks using TR paper... What are your thoughts? Have you had similar experiences?

During an internet outage this evening, I went out to one of my local Walmarts and came away with triplets. A set of Norcom composition books, one each from the US, Mexico, and Vietnam... http://i.imgur.com/qFkKf7S.jpg Mexico top left, Vietnam top right. I put them through their paces with different pens, inks, and nibs. The results speak for themselves, I think... http://i.imgur.com/bO1mX62.jpg http://i.imgur.com/oGnWhHj.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/tIXdXWt.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/DWmcLXp.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/5uaWfXm.jpg http://i.imgur.com/xUax6ZE.jpg The Vietnamese book far outperformed the American and the Mexican books. At 88 cents US, the Made in Vietnam Norcom composition book is an absolute bargain. (And it's a bit obvious what album I was listening to while doing these tests, hmm? )

What's the verdict on Shinola notebooks? I saw a display for them at my local Barnes & Noble. Are they more fountain pen friendly than Moleskine? Bennett

Hello, I recently made a post earlier, but I think I might have put it in the wrong section. I have moved to Aachen, Germany and am dipping my feet into fountain pens. I have acquired a Fabri Castel writink with a B nib, and am in the process of looking for quality paper to use for it. Cost is negligible, I would rather gather my options now and narrow them later. I was advised that: Clairfontaine would be an excellent paper to choose from, but I was wondering if there were any others people had in mind? I'm thinking specifically German and European manufactures that are not easily obtained in the U.S. (as well as some options that might be). Thanks!

Hello, I recently made a post earlier, but I think I might have put it in the wrong section. I have moved to Aachen, Germany and am dipping my feet into fountain pens. I have acquired a Fabri Castel writink with a B nib, and am in the process of looking for quality paper to use for it. Cost is negligible, I would rather gather my options now and narrow them later. I was advised that: Clairfontaine would be an excellent paper to choose from, but I was wondering if there were any others people had in mind? I'm thinking specifically German and European manufactures that are not easily obtained in the U.S. (as well as some options that might be). Thanks!

I recently picked up my first fountain pen. Actually, it is my second, but my first was nearly 4 years ago, and I never used it to its full potential. I'm trying to adapt to a Faber Castell WRITink with a B nib. The papers I am writing with however, seem to have a decent amount of feathering. I currently live in Aachen Germany, and as germans usually have a german equivalent of everything non german, I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for good quality paper of all price ranges (all I care about is quality) the price I will decide on. I know 32lb hp premium choice paper is a constant recommendation, what would be the german equivalent of this? I know many german companies are hesitant to sell online or ship oversees, but are available through domestic distributors, any advice would be great. I'm running blind!

Hey, I really hate to open another topic on Baystate Blue. But I really don't know how to find ALL the BSB threads that are available, and check whether this has already been comented on (For what is worth, I have searched as best I could via Google, here and elsewhere, but I couldn't find an appropriate thread about this). So then, I thought I might ask everybody a question: Does YOUR (sample of) Baystate Blue turn purple on plain, white, copy paper (80-90 gsm), and predominantly on such paper? I don't mean a hint or a tinge of purple - rather bright, saturated, vibrant ... purple. To put a bit more context into it, I must say I just received my 3 oz. bottle of THE ink (ordered on Amazon, shipped by the manufacturer) a few days ago. I made sure to clean the pen extra well (flushed until water ran clear, THEN flushed with minor concentration dish-soap solution and left it in for 24hrs., THEN flushed until water ran clear of bubbles, and left another 24 hrs. with clean water in it, AND finally flushed dry, and left another 24hrs. to ... well, dry out, with nib resting on absorbent tissue paper - so, I guess the pen was .. clean), then loaded it with THE stuff. In case anybody is wondering, the pen is a black HERO 616 mini version with an M nib - I had well researched this ink beforehand (but apparently, still not well enough), so I knew well enough to choose a cheap pen. So far (3 days after) the pen behaves perfectly (with no melted plastic/feeder, or flow modification; it actually behaves better than with Diamine Blue Velvet in it; I do expect the rubber sac of the aerometric filler to be stained, but I couldn't care less; we'll see about the rest). And then I tried it on for size. First, on a glossy paper notebook - white (don't know what paper the supplier used, because the notebook is internal stationery at the HR firm I work at). And it came out ... purple. I felt my throat going dry. Secondly, on plain/cheap A4, 75gsm, ECF (Elementary Chlorine Free), Unpunched, Ecolabel copy paper - obviously, white (generic brand, nothing to do with printer manufacturers). And it came out ... purple. I was gutted. Not far from crying (not really, but still...), considering how many inconvenient properties and risks I am ready to put up with, just for this color. As in this BLUE color, not purple color! Then I needed to scribble something really quick, and the first paper that came to hand was the back of a store receipt (so thin, thermal paper, I would say, and also white), and the closest instrument at hand was the BSB pen. And what do you know - it came out as the perfect, pure, intense and bright cobalt blue I had thought I was buying. Exactly that! Amazed at my discovery, I started scribbling "Test Color" on every paper I had at hand - which means that now I have quite a few books and book covers scribbled on their last page in BSB. And the color stayed blue (albeit with some hints of purple in some cases, but which are BARELY discernible). Also, I checked ALL my results the following day, in plain daylight (on a beautiful sunny day, around noon). And they were unchanged: my (sample of) ink is purple on some papers, and the proper blue on others. And some papers are white, others are cream, and others plain yellow. Thus, it seems that my BSB reacts with the paper and changes hue, for I can think of no other explanations. Now, I know what many will say: Rhodia, Clairefontaine, Tomoe River, etc. And that's all fine - to each his own, but I am not really a fountain pen afficionado, nor do I plan on becoming one (I have only 3 inks, and ... let's see, erm... 7 fountain pens, and I really want to stay at this level). I really place practicality above tastes, and I consider it dandy enough to be using a fountain pen (in spite of the extinct-species/wolly-mammoth looks I get from some...), that I most certainly won't carry Tomoe River pads with me to the meeting room. Nothing wrong with those that will, as I was saying above. My point, however, to anybody reading this, is that performance on plain copy paper is THE deal breaker for ME, as I won't change paper except entirely accidentally. So it doesn't really help me to know how the ink performs on those FP dedicated papers (actually, I already do considering how much research I put into this color), and/or that I should change stationery. And the color is the deal-breaker part of the performance - as I was saying previously, I will put up with many things, but not with a different hue/color, because that makes it a different ink, actually. I have also read about reports that Noodler's inks have some relatively looser Q.C.s (i.e.quality controls), in that performance can vary from one batch to the another, within the same product line (for instance, different batches of BSB might behave differently). So then, I am well aware this could be a batch-related rather than a product-related problem. Being thus aware if that as well, I dare (after a mammoth post) phrase my question anew: Does YOUR (sample of) Baystate Blue turn purple on plain, white, copy paper (80-90 gsm), and predominantly on such paper? N.B.: for those who don't know/don't remember, would you be so kind as to test it a bit on some copy paper, if possible? I know it doesn't really do much for you, but I would really appreciate it, and it would mean A LOT to me to know whether I could still like this ink (that otherwise, I have to confess it, I would love in spite of all its other shortcomings... eh, true love i guess they call it, lol)

Greetings! i'm Cam. I have a history of cheap FP usage, but have strayed. I stopped using when i ruined a white work shirt years ago... Today is a new day. I've been researching a major project I'm about to embark on, which will take years, and I keep finding myself on the fountain pen network, for guidance and research, so It makes sense to join. Hopefully my experience will enable me to return the favor... I begin with a BIG "THANK YOU", because much of my research has met with meaningful success as a result of the contributions & research of many members in the FPN. I owe you a debt of gratitude! My project - To hand write the Bible. What I have concluded so far is the following (I'm prepared to change my mind as new information is discovered) 1. Tomoe River Paper 2. TWSBI ECO fountain pin F nib I love the ink colors, I need enduring Ink I'm looking for ink that will hold its edge, will stay sharp after it dries, and when i use the Bible, which I will regularly, won't fade away or lose its color. (I know nothing is permanent)... With respect to ink, I'm still researching, and have seen significant research done here, but I still have a couple questions. My current plan is to develop 32 page 'signatures'. The challenge is that I will likely make a mistake every so often. Crossing out and leaving mistakes is something I'd prefer to avoid. 1. Is there any ink that allows for rapid cleanup/removal (as a result of a mistake), that will become durable after it has dried / cured? (assuming Tomoe River) 2. Or, to be less proscriptive, is there an alternative approach that allows FP+ink on thin, FP friendly paper that allows erasure, while resulting in permanence after the ink dries/cures? Any way to accomplish, with FP approach? FP+ink is my path, even if mistakes are part of the bargain... I very much appreciate your contributions. Thx, cam

It appears that everyone here hates the old Moleskine. I have noticed that they advertise quite a bit on this site. So someone here must be buying them. I would like to hear from the people that like them. What have you been doing with them? Have you customized them? I personally mostly use fine point nibs so I have never had a problem with them. Of course you need to buy them on sale. This is a lot easier to do with something you can pick up at Staples. I have put pen loops, pockets and extra book markers on them. This one is a book that I am working on at the moment. It is pictured here up side down to show the additions better. It has cap from a Pilot Varsity attacked to the top of the book. I use that as a holder for my red pen. The sleeve attached to the side of the book can accommodate you average size fountain pen. In general I have a Nemosine Singularity on the pocket. My singularity always had a fine point nib.I have never had bleed through ghosting or feathering.

Hi All, First time posting on here. I have recently become fascinated with the fountain pen and paper realm. Curious if anyone has seen my dream notebook? !!WANTED!! B5 Threadbound Hardcover 90+ sheets FP Friendly paper (obvious no?) Dot Grid Multiple ribbons Numbered pages 81 - 100 gsm 10-20 perforated pages If not? How do I find a manufacturer to create this unicorn notebook? I appreciate all your advice in advance. Best, Oscar

Alright, I've got a search challenge related to several practical limitations. I'm a hook handed lefty that has been using ef to med nib fountain pens for everything, but I've recently run into a problem where I can't find notebooks that fit my needs. The following preferences for the notebook are in order of relative necessity. The notebook has to be bound, glued, or otherwise spiral free (because spirals are murder). It has to be either grid or dot graph. Preferably 3 mm-4 mm I'm not opposed to it being a nonstandard graph such as isometric graph, because, why not. I have to be able to fit a regular set of lectures in it. e.g. it needs to hold approx 100 pages of notes and have fp friendly paper. I want it to be somewhere between B5 and A5 although a little bigger or smaller isn't a deal breaker. I prefer it to be a simple cover... nothing too fancy: simple softback or hardback are fine.I usually can find something that meets 2 of these specifications at once, but rarely can I find something that meets 3-4 of them, and I have yet to have found something that meets all 5. I would be deeply impressed if someone found something that met all of these things. May your bandwidth be wide, Alexander O.

I have received a few A4 sized sheets of excellent (FP friendly, lightweight, off-white) paper. In fact I like them so much that I want to have them bound but there are no good-quality paper binding services in my neighbourhood. Can someone please give me some ideas about how I could use these lovely sheets of paper? Thank you.

While perusing Badger and Blade yesterday (as it seems a number of us do), I found a running thread with this title and wondered if it could be adapted to FPs. So to break the ice, here's my starter for 10: Pen - Conway Stewart 58 - UK Ink - Pilot - Japan Paper - HP 32lb Letter - US (Yes, I did carry a ream back in hand luggage !) Notebook - Clairefontaine A5 - France Diary - W H Smiths mini leather A6 6-hole refillable - UK Is it a goer?

Hi guys and gals. I've had a bit of a rummage around the forums but cannot find much information on Chinese Rice Paper (xuanzhi). Just bought a package of 38 sheets on the internet to trial it. Have heard that it is good paper for brush calligraphy and so I am hoping it may be suitable for fountain pens too. If not then I'll have to bust out the brushes! Does anyone have any direct experience of this genre of paper?