Clairefontaine- Rhodia

[Aquarian]

 

Hello Everybody

 

Been looking for a good journal for a few weeks. So after some research got myself the Rodia Webnotebook..mainly for the Clairefontaine paper, got one rule and another plain one.

 

My first impressions have to say are superb- mainly love the flow of the pen over paper, and more importantly the bleed through is almost non-existent.

 

Have attached a few snaps. Not done this before so please correct any mistakes and ask me for any more info you want

 

Have tried differnet pens on the single sheet,the ones used in order

1. Bramham-handmade pen- with Diamine Saddle brown ( come out a bit dark here,is otherwise a lovely colour )

 

2.Pelikan M200 -Fine with Diamine Woodland Green ( caused the most bleedthrough with other paper..done well here )

 

3.MB- Boheme- M with Diamine Jet Black

 

4. Parker Cisele - F with Diamine ASA Blue

 

will keep you posted with more findings.

 

Regards

 

Pav

[Jadie]

I agree with you on paper making the world of difference for inks. I didn't know how much I liked my J. Herbin PdL until I tried it in my Exacompta...I'll be happy to keep an eye on this thread, to see what other discoveries you find! (Since I'm pretty new to the FP business, I haven't gotten time to look into notebooks yet, much less even touch a Rhodia, so I'm always on the lookout of other people's reviews.) =D

[The Good Captain]

Welcome to FPN and glad you like these notebooks. I've just ordered three of them as I'm getting right near the end of my current notebook, a Moleskine. Although I've not really had any serious problems with them, it's time for a change.

Glad you use the Asa Blue as it's an ink that doesn't get a lot of comments.

[Aquarian]

I agree with you on paper making the world of difference for inks. I didn't know how much I liked my J. Herbin PdL until I tried it in my Exacompta...I'll be happy to keep an eye on this thread, to see what other discoveries you find! (Since I'm pretty new to the FP business, I haven't gotten time to look into notebooks yet, much less even touch a Rhodia, so I'm always on the lookout of other people's reviews.) =D

 

 

The problem is once you start on this road...there is no stopping !

 

This paper is especially good with pens/nibs which tend to cause bleedthrough easily

[Aquarian]

Welcome to FPN and glad you like these notebooks. I've just ordered three of them as I'm getting right near the end of my current notebook, a Moleskine. Although I've not really had any serious problems with them, it's time for a change.

Glad you use the Asa Blue as it's an ink that doesn't get a lot of comments.

 

 

Thank you for the welcome. I've use the Moleskine, but was noticing too much bleedthrough, this performs much better. Got one with a black and another with a orange coloured cover..one ruled and plain....they are a good size to carry around too. Have fun with them

[P.A.R.]

I have used the 6*8 1/4 ruled Rhodia pads from my local art store and they're amazing. Even with the full line width from an Ahab there's no bleed through, so fancy titles are possible. I have never gotten any feathering either - I can now actually use a dip pen for drawing (copy paper just sucks the ink from the nib in an enormous blob.)

 

Rhodia for the win.

[GemMayhem]

And for Levenger Circa fans, Levenger has Circa Rhodia refills. It is a bit pricey, as many good papers can be, but worth every penny when you get that magical glide across the paper with you favourite pen and ink combo. Circa + Rhodia is a match made in heaven for my work notes.

[The Good Captain]

My three notebooks arrived this morning and I am really pleasantly surprised. They are described on the vendor's website as being A6 but I hadn't bothered to read the 'small print' and the dimensions are actually 9cm x 14cm which is the same as my Moleskines/Guildhall and much more acceptable to me. A6 is actually 10.5 x 14.8 which I find less pocket-friendly.

There's still a little way to go in my current Moleskine so it will be a day or so before I try one of the Rhodias out. I'll post a comment when I do.

[Aquarian]

I have used the 6*8 1/4 ruled Rhodia pads from my local art store and they're amazing. Even with the full line width from an Ahab there's no bleed through, so fancy titles are possible. I have never gotten any feathering either - I can now actually use a dip pen for drawing (copy paper just sucks the ink from the nib in an enormous blob.)

 

Rhodia for the win.

 

Using a dip pen ! That says something !

[Aquarian]

My three notebooks arrived this morning and I am really pleasantly surprised. They are described on the vendor's website as being A6 but I hadn't bothered to read the 'small print' and the dimensions are actually 9cm x 14cm which is the same as my Moleskines/Guildhall and much more acceptable to me. A6 is actually 10.5 x 14.8 which I find less pocket-friendly.

There's still a little way to go in my current Moleskine so it will be a day or so before I try one of the Rhodias out. I'll post a comment when I do.

 

 

Have fun...the size is perfect actually...though I initially thought it maybe small

[Aquarian]

And for Levenger Circa fans, Levenger has Circa Rhodia refills. It is a bit pricey, as many good papers can be, but worth every penny when you get that magical glide across the paper with you favourite pen and ink combo. Circa + Rhodia is a match made in heaven for my work notes.

 

 

So is the paper made by Rhodia in this one ? I don't know this brand so pardon my lack of knowledge on this. As in the one I have the paper is made by Clarefontaine

[GemMayhem]

And for Levenger Circa fans, Levenger has Circa Rhodia refills. It is a bit pricey, as many good papers can be, but worth every penny when you get that magical glide across the paper with you favourite pen and ink combo. Circa + Rhodia is a match made in heaven for my work notes.

 

 

So is the paper made by Rhodia in this one ? I don't know this brand so pardon my lack of knowledge on this. As in the one I have the paper is made by Clarefontaine

Yes, the paper is made by Clairefontaine.

 

It gets confusing with all of the different brands involved:

Levenger: the company that designed and sells Circa notebooks, a style that allows you to easily move pages within or between notebooks

Clairefontaine makes the paper

The paper is branded as Rhodia and has the normal purple colour printing

 

I have no affiliation with any of them, other than purchasing and enjoying the notebooks and paper.

 

In case photos would help, here is a link to the Rhodia branded Circa notebook and here is a link to the

Rhodia refill paper (at special promotional price ) for a letter size Circa Notebook.

 

As an aside, I generally only purchase when Levenger has special promotional pricing, either during a "stock-up" sale or through a loyalty coupon.

 

I hope this helps.

 

All the Best,

Gem

[Jadie]

I agree with you on paper making the world of difference for inks. I didn't know how much I liked my J. Herbin PdL until I tried it in my Exacompta...I'll be happy to keep an eye on this thread, to see what other discoveries you find! (Since I'm pretty new to the FP business, I haven't gotten time to look into notebooks yet, much less even touch a Rhodia, so I'm always on the lookout of other people's reviews.) =D

 

 

The problem is once you start on this road...there is no stopping !

 

This paper is especially good with pens/nibs which tend to cause bleedthrough easily

 

Hahaha, that's true. Which is why I make myself only buy one empty notebook ahead of time so I don't go overboard...

[Bo Bo Olson]

$13 for 50 sheets and the addiction don't say, you can get much more Clairefontain than that. Nope, it says you have not got that Kid finish paper.

 

Then one wonders what weights it comes in.

And one has gone from if it don't work well, stick it in the printer...to that is too thick, except for single sheet feed, which is too much trouble.

 

Heavy writes better 150-170 perhaps even more.

It's them that has problem affording stamps that should not buy fine heavy stock paper, that is fun to write on....Email will do, if you have problems with buying stamps.

One could buy less pens or admit one has enough inks, when one is a paper junky.

 

 

I don't need that paper that is still being made one sheet at a time in Italy......this year.

[Aquarian]

And for Levenger Circa fans, Levenger has Circa Rhodia refills. It is a bit pricey, as many good papers can be, but worth every penny when you get that magical glide across the paper with you favourite pen and ink combo. Circa + Rhodia is a match made in heaven for my work notes.

 

 

So is the paper made by Rhodia in this one ? I don't know this brand so pardon my lack of knowledge on this. As in the one I have the paper is made by Clarefontaine

Yes, the paper is made by Clairefontaine.

 

It gets confusing with all of the different brands involved:

Levenger: the company that designed and sells Circa notebooks, a style that allows you to easily move pages within or between notebooks

Clairefontaine makes the paper

The paper is branded as Rhodia and has the normal purple colour printing

 

I have no affiliation with any of them, other than purchasing and enjoying the notebooks and paper.

 

In case photos would help, here is a link to the Rhodia branded Circa notebook and here is a link to the

Rhodia refill paper (at special promotional price ) for a letter size Circa Notebook.

 

As an aside, I generally only purchase when Levenger has special promotional pricing, either during a "stock-up" sale or through a loyalty coupon.

 

I hope this helps.

 

All the Best,

Gem

 

 

Thanks you for that Gem...that was some super useful info !

[Ophelia D]

I notice in the comments for that Levenger Rhodia Circa refill paper, that people using fountain pens have been very disappointed that there is bleedthrough, making the other side of the paper unusable. Seems that there's some variation in Rhodia quality?

[Aquarian]

I notice in the comments for that Levenger Rhodia Circa refill paper, that people using fountain pens have been very disappointed that there is bleedthrough, making the other side of the paper unusable. Seems that there's some variation in Rhodia quality?

 

 

I've used the Rhodia with Clairefontaine paper ( name printed on the first page )....at has shown bleed through very rarely and only with the thickest of nibs....among the best paper I've used....

 

So like you said surely the quality varies

[GemMayhem]

I notice in the comments for that Levenger Rhodia Circa refill paper, that people using fountain pens have been very disappointed that there is bleedthrough, making the other side of the paper unusable. Seems that there's some variation in Rhodia quality?

So far, I haven't had any bleedthrough on the Rhodia Circa paper except with one very wet (9/10) BB nib when using an ink that isn't well behaved. The reason I switched from the Levenger refills for Circa to the Rhodia refills was what perhaps was a bad batch of Levenger refills. If you should order Levenger's own refills, look carefully at the item description -some will be 60 gsm (more likely to experience some feathering and bleedthrough) and some will be the superior 90gsm.

 

Another option if you like the Circa style notebooks is the Arc Notebook system from Staples (again, no affiliation). Their notebooks and refills are compatible with Levengers Circa notebook and refills and visa versa. The Arc paper feels and behaves more like Rhodia than the regular Levengers refills. And it's less expensive.

 

Example of current pricing in USA:

 

Levenger regular refills for Circa (8.5"x11"): 300 sheets for $39 USD = ~$0.13/page

Levenger regular refills for Circa (8.5"x11") special promotion 300 sheets for $33 USD = ~$0.11/page

 

Levenger Rhodia refills for Circa (8.5"x11"): 300 sheets for $41 USD = ~$0.137/page

Levenger Rhodia refills for Circa (8.5"x11") special promotion 300 sheets for $34 USD = ~$0.113/page

 

Staples Arc refills for Arc or Circa (8.5"x11"): 50 sheets for $4.29 USD = ~ $0.086/page

 

I recently ran out of Circa paper whilst traveling for business and located a Staples to purchase Arc refills to tide me over the rest of my trip. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality, smoothness, and thickness of the paper, as well as the performance of my fountain pens on it. Reading the fine print on the package, the Arc paper is made in Singapore.

 

If I had to rank the Circa-compatible papers I've tried so far, it might look something like this:

 

PAPER. QUALITY. VALUE

Rhodia Circa. 9/10. 8/10

Arc. 8.5/10. 10/10

Levenger 90gsm. 7/10. 7/10

Levenger 60gsm. 5/10. 6/10

 

I hope this is helpful!

 

All the Best,

Gem

[stevesurf]

Thanks for that summary, Gem.

It looks like the Circa Rhodia could really be possibly the best system around! I just ordered Junior and got the reduced price and a repeat customer discount:

 

300 Circa Rhodia Annotation RL Refill Sheets, JNR...$53.14; $53.14/600= $0.09/sheet plus shipping

[curiouslizard]

+1 on the Arc refills. No feathering or bleedthrough with any of my pens or inks.