American Paper? Recommendations.

[zquilts]

I just looked at the Fench Paper Company's website and I am totally impressed - and can't wait to try some of their papers and envelopes! Thanks for posing this question!

[zquilts]

I just looked at the Fench Paper Company's website and I am totally impressed - and can't wait to try some of their papers and envelopes! Thanks for posing this question!

[javachoco]

I have bought Canson and Gallery Leather journals, all are made in USA.

 

I used fine nib pens Pilot Cavalier, Pilot Prera, and Platinum maki-e and extra fine nib 14k Sailor to try the papers.

 

The inks are Noodler's Old Manhattan Black, Diamine Majestic Blue, and Diamine Imperial Purple.

 

 

Canson journal takes ink quite well IMHO. Very little show through and no bleeding for all my fountain pens.

 

Gallery Leather journal is only good with Sailor, very little show through and no bleeding. However, with my fine nib pens especially the Platinum one, the ink bleeds through quite a bit.

 

I also got Piccadilly journal which said printed in China. So I'm not sure where it's made in. Similarly to Gallery Leather, it's only good with my Sailor fp.

[Blade Runner]

Crane and Co., Dalton, MA.

[nitnop]

Cranes is very nice. Also William Arthur,stationers. Most good U.S. papers seem to be geared toward letter writing and corrispondance or wedding invitations. I don't know a good source for note books unless you include art pads. I'm trying to find a nice paper to make my own notebooks and stationery at New York Central Art Supply. Any suggestions?

[ObserveClosely]

Southworth: " A privately-held company with manufacturing facilities at our paper mill in Turners Falls, MA, and our headquarters in Agawam, MA . . ." More here: http://www.southworth.com/

 

Twinrocker: Located in Indiana. More here: http://www.twinrocker.com/about_our_papers.html

 

But all the trees/pulp probably come from Our Friends Up North in Canada. Hurrah NAFTA!

Edited August 10, 2012 by ObserveClosely

[aschup]

I have a couple marble notebooks from these guys that are really excellent quality: Roaring Springs Paper. I'm actually surprised they haven't gotten more attention on here -- maybe because you can't buy direct form them.

Edited August 10, 2012 by aschup

[escribo]

I've had good luck with the Southworth business & resume papers, in fact I've bound them into books.

Far superior to the HP premium paper wrt ink handling performance, but about 30 bucks per ream at Office Depot.

Some of them are a bit too textured for my liking though.

I haven't tried them all yet; maybe they make one with some, but not too much texture. I like a little texture. I think the look of ink lines on textured paper is classy (even with my handwriting!).

Edited August 10, 2012 by escribo

[dgturner]

The Ecosytem series are pretty decent and made here in the US.

[lowks]

FWIW I too have been searching for U.S. paper and I have an Ecosystem journal here from B&N. I absolutely hate it. It's rough and scratchy and bleeds through easily. I was planning to post a review but I haven't gotten around to it.

 

Ugh... should have reviewed it bro ... just bought one!

[terminal]

FWIW I too have been searching for U.S. paper and I have an Ecosystem journal here from B&N. I absolutely hate it. It's rough and scratchy and bleeds through easily. I was planning to post a review but I haven't gotten around to it.

 

Ugh... should have reviewed it bro ... just bought one!

 

LOL! Sorry I wish I had. Has your experience been like mine?

[Ecriveur]

Franklin-Cristoph is about to start selling their own branded paper pads. They were showing them off at the LA Pen Show last weekend. The pads might not be the size or form that you're looking for, but if they are you can check them out.

[Tryek25]

There are still many paper mills lets in the US. The industry can be very varied depending on the type of paper you are looking for but since I'd imagine that you are looking at FP friendly papers then your choices are narrowed.

 

International Paper produces the HP series papers and the majority of that paper is made here in the NY. They also make all Hammermill papers domestically.

 

Opaque papers will give you fairly good performance although feathering can vary depending on the weight you are looking at. See through performance is the main goal of this kind of paper. Domtar has the Cougar, and I know that they have Mills in the US but I do not know for certain whether they import any of their paper across the border (I would be surprised). Finch has some offerings but I am not very familiar with them. International Paper has the Accent Opaque and Finch has the "Finch Opaque".

 

I heard that Wausau Papers recently left the marked although they are still making other grades. If I remember correctly, Crane makes everything they offer in the US. There is MeadWestVaco but I was under the impression that they only import finished products and don't make much for the US market in terms of printing papers.

 

I'm sure there are a bunch of other small companies out there that are making great quality papers but they escape me right now. Hope this helps.

[inkstainedruth]

FWIW I too have been searching for U.S. paper and I have an Ecosystem journal here from B&N. I absolutely hate it. It's rough and scratchy and bleeds through easily. I was planning to post a review but I haven't gotten around to it.

 

I had been wondering what those were like. They seemed pretty pricy when I looked at them a while back.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[J.R.]

Even though I do enjoy good quality writing paper, I have not had the time yet to become as learned as I should on the variances.

 

That being said, I have used this company's monarch stationary for a year with high satisfaction and it is commended by everyone I write to. The paper may not be perfect for the educated and the purists, but I am very satisfied with this companies service and products as I begin.

 

http://www.americanstationery.com/shopping/prod_catalog/main.asp?cat=11

 

Regards, M.

 

Hey Stylus,

Which of the Monarch sets have you been using ? They've got a very wide array of choice, at American Stationery. Do you buy the sets with matching envelopes, or try to use a cheaper envelope ?

K/R/

[N2theBreach]

There's a paper factory in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Accounts for the lovely smell.

My nose tells me that the paper mills in Spring Grove and Roaring Springs, Pennsylvania are still going strong. Paper from the Roaring Springs mill was mentioned above. It's full name is (was?) The Roaring Spring Blank Book Company. Although I've seen the signs, I don't know which brand the Spring Grove mill supplies, but it is a good weather forecaster: when we get a whiff of it, we know it's likely to rain.

[Doctor J]

There's a paper factory in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Accounts for the lovely smell.

SO true lol

[Vipersdad]

Try some Classic Columns or Classic Linen from Neenah Paper. I make my own journals and paper with custom letterheads and Classic Columns is one of my favorites. My two main colors are White and Windsor Blue.

Edited February 24, 2013 by Vipersdad

[Letterman]

Good luck in your American paper search. There is a rumor that Cranes will discontinue monarch sheet and their A4 Cranes Crest has a bad review for use with fountain pens. You should avoid paper with post consumer waste content because it is not fountain pen friendly. I learned that the hard way. Twenty-five percent cotton is a good blend of paper for fountain pens. Cranes is 100% cotton but it has a finish that makes it work well. Strathmore Writing is my backup choice to replace Cranes if they quit making social stationery. Cranes makes paper to print currency so dropping their social stationery line would not hurt them.

[DaleR]

I can vouch for the quality of Crane papers. I always have a supply of Crane note/thank you cards on hand, and they are very fountain pen friendly (at least with my P-51 and Noodler's Air Corps Blue Black). Just checked their site, and they do sell journals and notebooks, which the site says are made in the USA. For example:

 

http://www.crane.com/product/personalized-black-soft-cover-traditional-leather-journal/CDJLLTR1BLK

 

Dale