Dip Pen Friendly Journal?

[Pietru]

I've started journalling and am using a fountain pen, all good. But the paper doesn't seem to like dip pens one bit. The journal I'm using (cachet, by daler rowney) is fine but I'd like something with plenty of pages and that opens flat, preferably not spiral bound. Any ideas? Thanks.

[jbb]

I find that old ledger books are often good for dip pen. I pick them up whenever I can at yard sales. Generally speaking, I find older paper is better for dip pens than modern paper.

Edited September 21, 2011 by jbb

[ExcaliburZ]

Would a sketch book be what you are looking for? Or a watercolor book, they have thicker paper.

[Mickey]

I'm using dip pens almost exclusively these days and have had good luck with Clairefontaine notebooks and with Strathmore Writing Wove (both 25 and 100 percent cotton). Black and Red notebooks also work pretty well. (I use mostly iron gall inks, either McCaffery's or Old World.)

[Pietru]

Thanks for the suggestions, though older paper does seem to work best I'm almost out of paper my grandparents supplied... And I've wasted most of it on practicing copperplate script. But if I do find any more I'll use that. Till then I think I might buy a clairefontaine notebook, though they don't look as nice as I want them to. Has anybody tried using a dip pen in one of the large moleskine books? The paper seems a lot more substantial than usual, though I haven't tried them and the friend I know who does uses hers for drawing in pencil.

[Sandy1]

I'm using dip pens almost exclusively these days and have had good luck with Clairefontaine notebooks and with Strathmore Writing Wove (both 25 and 100 percent cotton). Black and Red notebooks also work pretty well. (I use mostly iron gall inks, either McCaffery's or Old World.)

Hi,

I agree that matching pen to paper to ink is very important, and the use of i-g inks from a dip pen would be a great combo with the papers mentioned above. (I use the Herbin Encre Authentique and the goofy Deatramentis Irongall - it goes down clear then darkens - without dye.)

However, if using an FP ink, then of the current new products I suggest a sketchbook. IIRC there is a sort that uses the G Lalo Verge de France paper, which is very resistant to bleed- show-through, and is otherwise robust. You may wish to view products at The Writing Desk, or give Martin a bell to hear his suggestions.

Bye,

S1

 

 

 

 

[dcwaites]

Many modern fountain pen inks are far too wet for normal notebook paper. I have found that, as well as any of the iron-gall inks, older-style FP inks work well with dip pens. These are less wet, and less saturated, and work better with dip pens. Example inks are Parker Quink Blue, PQ Black, Sheaffer Blue and Black, Waterman Florida Blue and Sailor Jentle Blue.

 

As well, make sure that you are using a normal 'writing' nib, with a slightly rounded nib point, as the sharp pointed ones for drawing or copperplate will scratch the paper surface, allowing feathering and bleeding. Look for Post Office, Clerical or School nibs.

[DanF]

I use regular fountain pen ink with dip pens, but first add a bit of gum arabic solution from Winsor and Newton (from an art supply shop), and then dilute with water to lighten the color, as the color can come out rather dark with undiluted ink. You have guessed that I don't use black. If you go this route, make sure you label your new blend, so that it doesn't accidentally get put in a fountain pen. Such a mixture should work with most fountain pen friendly papers.

 

Dan

[WhiskeyMan]

Many modern fountain pen inks are far too wet for normal notebook paper. I have found that, as well as any of the iron-gall inks, older-style FP inks work well with dip pens. These are less wet, and less saturated, and work better with dip pens. Example inks are Parker Quink Blue, PQ Black, Sheaffer Blue and Black, Waterman Florida Blue and Sailor Jentle Blue.

 

I use dip pens often at my desk and Quink Black seemed like a terrible choice when I used it. It seemed too wet and watery. I haven't bought any ink specifically for DPs, but for black, I would suggest something thick intended for calligraphy dip pens. That would probably work best on any paper.

 

This is just a guess.

 

~WhiskeyMan

[dcwaites]

Many modern fountain pen inks are far too wet for normal notebook paper. I have found that, as well as any of the iron-gall inks, older-style FP inks work well with dip pens. These are less wet, and less saturated, and work better with dip pens. Example inks are Parker Quink Blue, PQ Black, Sheaffer Blue and Black, Waterman Florida Blue and Sailor Jentle Blue.

 

I use dip pens often at my desk and Quink Black seemed like a terrible choice when I used it. It seemed too wet and watery. I haven't bought any ink specifically for DPs, but for black, I would suggest something thick intended for calligraphy dip pens. That would probably work best on any paper.

 

This is just a guess.

 

~WhiskeyMan

 

I agree that a good India ink will always be better than FP ink. I found that Higgins was better than Windsor & Newton for plain writing, with the latter better for drawing or calligraphy.

 

However, I am surprised that you had problems with Parker Quink Black. Most of my university essays in the 1970's were written with a dip pen and PQ black, and I never had any problems. I even just pulled out a modern bottle of PQ Black and tried it with a clerical dip pen on ordinary paper (just copy paper, not Rhodia or Clairefontaine) and got a good, deep black with no feathering or bleeding.

[ihtzazqamar]

I use regular fountain pen ink with dip pens, but first add a bit of gum arabic solution from Winsor and Newton (from an art supply shop), and then dilute with water to lighten the color, as the color can come out rather dark with undiluted ink. You have guessed that I don't use black. If you go this route, make sure you label your new blend, so that it doesn't accidentally get put in a fountain pen. Such a mixture should work with most fountain pen friendly papers.

 

Dan

 

I do the same i.e. adding a bit of gum to my Pelikan 4001 ink. It then stays on almost any paper with almost nil feathering. It also gives a nice shine to it. The sheen is a bit of a problem for me though. When I photograph a page for uploading (on FPN), the flash reflects from the letters.

 

Adding some water to dilute...great idea. Never thought of that. Thanks.

 

Regards

Ihtzaz

[lamder]

 

I agree that a good India ink will always be better than FP ink. I found that Higgins was better than Windsor & Newton for plain writing, with the latter better for drawing or calligraphy.

 

However, I am surprised that you had problems with Parker Quink Black. Most of my university essays in the 1970's were written with a dip pen and PQ black, and I never had any problems. I even just pulled out a modern bottle of PQ Black and tried it with a clerical dip pen on ordinary paper (just copy paper, not Rhodia or Clairefontaine) and got a good, deep black with no feathering or bleeding.

 

Very much dependent on the type of dip pens as well. I am fairly new to them, but having recently evaluated several dozen different types, I found that:

 

1. Smoother, less flexy (relative in dip pen terms of course) dip pens are not as wet. Stiffer, monoline dip pens like falcons, bulb/bowl points, post office pens are some of the ones I am referring. These take most ink alright (I found Quink to work fine with most of them), feather less, and are therefore more tolerant of paper type.

 

2. Very flexy pens (and you are using the flex for, say, Copperplate) tend to write wetter, so is prone to feather especially on less appropriate ink. So paper options are more limited, especially since one has usually eliminate all paper with some sizing as these pens writes really scratchy on them)

 

3. Ink flow can be somewhat tuned. When I attached a few self-made ink reservoirs to the Gillott 303/404 and other Spencerian pens, I found that not only can I write more per dip, but that the lines are less wet and more consistent (not to a point where I can then freely use any FP-friendly paper, but definitely an improvement).

 

Sam