Paperblanks journals anyone? Feedback?

[coldman]

I've had mixed experience. I've written my way through one large and one small PB journal, with little or no trouble. I have a some trouble with my current one, though--it varies from page to page how thick lines I get and how stingy my pen is with its ink. I think perhaps the ink I'm using at the moment (Diamine Umber) is too dry for the pen (Rotring 600 Lava, BB nib, writes like a fine at times), but the page-to-page variation is annoying, and I didn't see that with the other two journals.

[KatrinaLouise1990]

I have a Charlotte Bronte paperblanks journal and for the most part I really like it. However, the paper really does vary from page to page. Some pages you can literally see the weave of the paper rising up (that is what it looks like to me anyway) while others are beautifully smooth. It's quite bizarre.

 

They are beautiful journals though and I really did struggle with which one to chose.

[Kukuzovac]

Just to make an update on this thread. You can read more about Paperblanks paper quality on this site http://blog.paperblanks.com/2011/01/paper-quality/ . They say the paper changed since 2008 and explain how with their help you can date your journal and found out more about it. Read the comments for more info.

 

I've ordered my first journal, Michelangelo's Handwriting Ultra version, so we'll see how it works.

[WirsPlm]

I've used Paperblanks off and on for years, and since I started using FPs found their paper to be one of the best I've tried (YMMV, I like absorbent, wide-ruled paper that dries quickly) with practically invisible showthrough regardless of nib size.

[Ghost Plane]

I'm currently jotting in a Freud & notice one side of the paper has a slightly rougher texture to the other.

[Kukuzovac]

My journal arrived couple days ago.and I had some time to play with it. It is truly an amazing product! The cover is hard and a piece of art. It just make you sit and look at it.
Mine is post 2008 and it is totally fountain pen friendly. Absorbes ink like all quality papers. There is no bleedthrough or showthrough. There is slight feathering with some wetter nibs, but you must look really hard to see it.
I used Pelikan 400 OB, Noodler's Ahab and Lamy with 1.5 mm italic. Inks were Diamine Ancient Copper and J. Herbin Bleu Pervenche.
I highly recommend this journals, just don't forget to get post 2008 ones.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Kukuzovac

[AnnieB123]

I have used Paperblanks journals and academic planners for years. I love them and have been brand loyal right up til the January planner I bought for 2014 which my daughter just about insisted that I get (Le Petit Prince by Moleskine). I am thinking seriously about giving her the Moleskine planner and getting myself a different paperblanks one for the coming year.

 

I have found PB journals and planners to be fine for FP use... and I like the toughness and quality. My last 18 month academic planner is just now starting to look a little beat up and I've -abused- the thing. (It's the midi sized Grolier one from 18 months ago). I toss it into my backpack without any protection, it's gotten various goopy things dropped on it around the lab occasionally, etc... I should take better care of them, because I do like to keep/store them for reference...

 

Anyhow, quality is fine to excellent in my opinion and I haven't had any problems using FPs with them (but I tend to use EF or F nibs only).

Edited December 2, 2013 by AnnieB123

[Sharksteve]

I have the "Kipling, Song of Songs" Notebook, in Ultra format, 144 Pages lined. This is a wonderfull book and its paper is exceptionally fountain pen friendly. Its better then all my letter (A4) stationary (I have Clairfontaine Triomphe, Rössler Prestige, Zerkall Buetten, Crown Mill Vellum...). Even with BB, Stubs and cursive italic nibs no skipping, feathering, showthrough, bleedthrough - whatever. The paper seems to be coated or otherwise prepared for fountainpen use, its great. I love it. I have the Medium size Silver filligree Notebook with blank paper to - very good paper as well. All paperblanks I tried where great, all are from 2012.

[wikeh2004]

Hmm… I bought a "Moon" midi size, unlined notebook dated 2002 years ago. It had been sitting around for a while, but I used it for the first time a couple of months ago as a travel journal, using fountain pen and rollerball. It worked very well for FP with fine nibs, and it didn't feathered and hardly bled through. I was very satisfied with it. If they improved the paper since then, even better! :-)

[hsianloon]

I've one as well, purchased december last year.

It works well, it tolerates broad and wet nibs without bleed throughs., nib creeps.

 

Overall it'sa good paper that should tolerate most fountain pens.

 

But its slightly rough, or ''texture'' as some would call it, but not ''tooth'', no fibres will snag on your nib. I do like such papers eg the G.Lalo pads, but not on this one

 

I bought it as an alternative to my rhodia, but I think I'll go back to them, though it's decent paper by my account at least.

[idazle]

I've one as well, purchased december last year.

It works well, it tolerates broad and wet nibs without bleed throughs., nib creeps.

 

Overall it'sa good paper that should tolerate most fountain pens.

 

But its slightly rough, or ''texture'' as some would call it, but not ''tooth'', no fibres will snag on your nib. I do like such papers eg the G.Lalo pads, but not on this one

 

I bought it as an alternative to my rhodia, but I think I'll go back to them, though it's decent paper by my account at least.

 

I've been a regular user of these journals for 2 years, and found that the roughness or texture varies depending on the lot. In most cases the paper behaves very smoothly, which is as I like paper to behave. Not so much as "vellum" papers like Clairefontaine, but soft nevertheless.

[bogiesan]

Recent Inkophile post on the topic:

 

http://inkophile.wordpress.com/2014/01/13/paperblanks-journals-are-gorgeous/