Day Timer Friendly Ink

[sbacpo]

Title pretty much asks the question. I use a two page per day day timer and I'm getting some pretty bad bleed through. I use a Sailor 1911 Fine nib and I've tried Bay State Blue (no surprise on the bleed through but I'm an optimist) Sailors Jentle Blue catridges and Noodlers Liberty's Elysium. Any suggestions or experience with blue fp inks and day timers?

 

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[professionaldilettante]

It's your paper. I'd either find another day planer, or resort to using pencil in that. A F sailor nib is very reasonable in terms of flow, but sometimes it's the paper you use and nothing more...

[fiberdrunk]

. Any suggestions or experience with blue fp inks and day timers?

 

 

Thanks

 

Dave

 

 

Maybe try an iron gall ink. They usually do well on crummy papers. Or else, you can print off a day timer on paper of your own choosing. There's DIY Planner, Donna Young, or Incompetech for possibilities.

Edited August 29, 2012 by fiberdrunk

[sbacpo]

It's your paper.

 

Thought so but I was hopeful.

 

Thanks for the links to the DIY planners.

 

 

Dave

[bogiesan]

I use Franklin products and the paper stocks have diminished in quality over the years. I'm almost out of the blank looseleaf pages I bought ten yeas ago. The current production is terrible for fountain pens, absolutely awful.

But the two-page per day 6-ring compact size is the agenda and system I prefer so I tolerate the lousy paper and compensate by using a nice mechanical pencil for most of the entries.

If you are using a binder version of DayTimer, you can shop around for paper stocks from Meade and other providers. You can also print your own lined stock and have it trimmed and punched to fit at Kinkos/UPS. Hassle, for sure.

[torstar]

Dilute dilute dilute the HIGHLY SATURATED inks.

[Uncle Red]

Sailor's Pigmented inks work well on cheap paper too. Use what you have and then get something else.

[vacation]

Try a less saturated ink like

 

Waterman Serenity Blue

Montblanc Royal Blue

[tnmike1]

This is a topic near and dear to my heart since about 30 years ago I sold printing paper to Day-Timers in PA. They used a very good quality paper, termed in the industry "opaque", and it was just that--you could use virtually any pen on it with virtually no see-through. Then came the PC age and most, if not all, of their sheets these days have recycled stuff in them, paper is a bit thinner and quality has deteriorated.

 

I personally am satisfied with a fine-nib Reform pen using Skrip vintage Blue Black or Waterman vintage Blue. I use the two-page-per week format, have had a very nice leather binder for many years I dearly love and honestly don't want to change from Daytimer. So I put up with the bleed through and wish needlessly for former days.

[kernando]

Bleed through or just show through? The former would be pretty bad. I get the latter with Filofax white paper refill. I've been using grey ink, and that's Herbin Gris Nuage, which I got earlier because it's supposed to be one of the ligher greys.

[spraine]

I have a similar issue with a MEAD Five Star Advance Notebook.

I write with FP on alternate pages... and make notes with pencil on the 'in-betweens'.

 

My current plan is to try NOODLER'S bulletproof Black.

If I understand correctly, it's excellent, and known for no bleed-through.

 

Appreciate feedback-- is my assumption correct ? Do I need a new plan ?

 

Thanks,

Steve

[ZaphodBB]

I have a similar issue with a MEAD Five Star Advance Notebook.

I write with FP on alternate pages... and make notes with pencil on the 'in-betweens'.

 

My current plan is to try NOODLER'S bulletproof Black.

If I understand correctly, it's excellent, and known for no bleed-through.

 

Appreciate feedback-- is my assumption correct ? Do I need a new plan ?

 

Thanks,

Steve

 

I've tried a bunch of different inks in my day-timer and "Field Notes" memo book and Noodlers Bullet Proof Black definitely performs the best; it dries quickly with no bleed-through. (My pens are all wet-writers too)

 

Your plan is good!

[TMac]

Having suffered through the exact same problem, I tried numerous combinations of dry writing pens, drier inks, diluted inks with water, etc, I finally gave up. For a brief while, I started making my own pages on good paper. I found this to be a hassle in printing the paper, cutting it down, hole punch, etc. I just did not want to leave my DayTimer.

 

My solution? I use Pilot Frixon gel pens in the DayTimer. They have multiple colors and work very well in the planner.

[myn]

Noodler's Bad Belted Kingfisher, or Bad Blue Heron bulletproof inks may also provide the answer.

[The Scribbler]

I've used the following blues with medium nibs in my Moleskine Journal with minimal to no bleed-through, ghosting or feathering:

 

Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue

Montblanc Royal Blue

Waterman Blue

Caran d' Ache Blue Night

Sheaffer Scrip Blue-Black

Diamine Prussian Blue

Diamine Presidential Blue

Diamine Misty Blue

Private Reserve Lack Placid Blue

 

One other factor to consider is the flow rate for your nib. Drier nibs are much more friendly to cheap paper.

[KrazyIvan]

I usually recommend Lamy Blue-Black for cheap paper but I have a Day Timer. It bleeds.

[whych]

Most of the pre-printed stuff is rubbish nowadays.

Either print your own from the diy planner link above or from http://philofaxy.blogspot.co.uk/p/diary-inserts.html. Works best for the larger formats like A5 or in US a 1/2 page sheet.

At least that way you get to find a decent paper.

The other alternative is to buy a cheap diary with fp friendly pages and cut the spine off before punching for your organiser.

[tnmike1]

This is a topic near and dear to my heart since about 30 years ago I sold printing paper to Day-Timers in PA. They used a very good quality paper, termed in the industry "opaque", and it was just that--you could use virtually any pen on it with virtually no see-through. Then came the PC age and most, if not all, of their sheets these days have recycled stuff in them, paper is a bit thinner and quality has deteriorated.

 

I personally am satisfied with a fine-nib Reform pen using Skrip vintage Blue Black or Waterman vintage Blue. I use the two-page-per week format, have had a very nice leather binder for many years I dearly love and honestly don't want to change from Daytimer. So I put up with the bleed through and wish needlessly for former days.

 

 

am updating this post. When written, I was using their Flavio edition, which is basically recycled paper. For next year, I've returned to their original pages that have been in use for many years. I find the paper better, then notice it doesn't say it's made of recycled material, which leads me to believe it may actually be 100% paper without a lot of added recycled garbage

[Mescof1]

I've been using "Day Timers" since 1992. The paper was pretty good up until 2000 when they changed the cover style, cheapened the paper, and made the book smaller. I even called and complained. Lot's of good it did.

 

Used fountain pens from '92 through '99 with no problems. Mostly a Parker Duofold with custom Needlepoint nib and Parker Penman Mocha; No bleed through.

 

Since 2000 I had to switch to either a ballpoint or pencil. Carry a Parker T-ball jotter in the book with my Day Timer because fountain pens just don't work any more and I still like the Day Timer format.

 

I might add, I use the 2 Page Per Week "35" size.

 

John

Edited December 2, 2012 by Mescof1

[JonDoh]

I don't use Day Timer any more since I keep my calendar on my phone as it automatically syncs to my computer and other devices I designate. But, before I stopped using them I had switched to using Day Runner refills. The paper was better and I liked the layout better. I didn't use ink but a .5mm mechanical pencil. The Classic Cross Century was a nice one to write with and it fit in the pen slot. Plus being a pencil I could erase entries.