What's All The Fuss Over Rhodia?

[Bo Bo Olson]

It is a good paper for shading of ink.

 

Ink jet paper is not good for shading inks in it absorbs the ink too fast; as designed, so the pools of ink that make an ink shade can not form.

[thedeacon]

Try writing in it.

Try writing on both sides of a sheet with a wet broad nib, using a free flowing saturated ink and compare your results with 'cheap ol' graph paper'.

 

This. There is nothing special about how it looks, but it is really great to write on with fountain pens. Smooth, and very few inks bleed or feather on it.

 

But why? What makes it better than regular paper?

 

I think if anyone knew why, there may be only one paper for fountain pen inks. More than meets the eye when it comes to making "good" paper. In the end it all comes down to a matter of personal taste. I'm still new to FPN, but not fountain pens as a whole. After taking some extended time away from using FPs daily, I'm starting all over again. This means paper too. After doing some lurking and research here, I bought small pads or notebooks of the "most popular" ones. Including Rhodia, Clairfontaine and Moleskine among some others. This helped me learn the different feel and characteristics of papers.

 

These are just some newbie thoughts, but they may help you answer your own personal "why".

[markraschi]

doh, wrong place.

Edited April 18, 2013 by markraschi

[PolarMoonman]

doh, wrong place.

 

:ltcapd:

[JDR]

First, don't get aught up with the WalMart mentality that says, "everything is the same except the price." As you can see above, Rhodia is definitely worth the little bit more that it costs. Second, if your ink is drying too slowly, use a fountain pen's best friend - a blotter. Doh!

[FountainPenCollector1994]

Hello, My name is Silas.

 

I am 18 and have a love for collecting fountain pens!

 

I am trying to expand my collection of pens, inks, papers, and all I can get! I love both new and old.

 

To get an idea of what I am working with;

 

I currently own four pens, a Pelikan m150 F, Waterman Hemisphere M, Noodler's Jade Ebonite Konrad Flex, and Noodler's Rattlesnake & Adrenaline Acrylic Konrad.

 

As for inks, I am a big fan of Noodler's Inks!

 

I am trying to expand my collection of inks, and am open to all samples of inks and papers! I haven't ever tried any of the great papers I have read about. I can use all I can get lol. As you can imagine the fountain pen hobby is a bit pricey for a kid my age! But I love it, and we all start somewhere.

 

Thank you to all the wonderful people on here for all the great reviews, help, and knowledge I have gotten from reading. I joined FPN last year and used it before that. I thought it was time to introduce myself!

[Anne-Sophie]

Rhodia has been in business for a very long time.

 

Their paper is the best for fountain pen and pencil.

 

The production is sustainable both in term of raw material, manufacturing and labor.

 

 

For those of us using juicy medium and bold nib with generously flowing ink, a piece of blotting paper or/and a desk blotter at home are all that is needed.

 

In term of quality and price Rhodia pads cannot be beaten.

[Strombomboli]

It's interesting that some people here call Rhodia an inexpensive paper. Obviously, I do not know enough about papers, even after decades of rummaging through every stationery store on my way.

 

To me, Rhodia is the most expensive paper there is. I am also astonished that someone said, it was a little cheaper than Clairefontaine (in another thread).

 

Clairefontaine is sold here in Germany in department stores as a very good paper for everyday use, whereas Rhodia is hard to find, even though my country neighbours France, the homeland of Exacompta, which produces Rhodia as well as Clairefontaine and a few others. I noted that Rhodia is as expensive in Paris as it is here; but the reason for this might be that everything is very expensive in Berlin.

[PatientType]

I have to admit that after several years of fountain pens I've never written on Rhodia paper. I tend to be resistant to premium-priced papers or inks when lower-priced alternatives have worked very, very well for me. For quite awhile I've mainly used Staples bagasse paper. That used to be spectacular for a variety of reasons but the quality has declined and now there are good and not-so-good bagasse papers at Staples.

So, I appreciate the post and the comments. You've inspired me to pick up a Rhodia pad and give it a try.

[Strombomboli]

I noted that Rhodia is as expensive in Paris as it is here; but the reason for this might be that everything is very expensive in Berlin.

I made a mistake in my last post which I don't want to leave uncorrected: everything is very expensive in PARIS, whereas in Berlin, not everything, but rather few things are very expensive. This is why we are the favourite destination for young people from all around the world (tourists as well as hipster migrants from the US as well as poverty migrants from Southern Europe).

[Runnin_Ute]

I have received correspondence written on Rhodia, but have yet to try it out. Perhaps after I use up the Strathmore Parchment paper I have I will get a pad to try.

[harrietthespy]

I love it for the fact that it comes in so many sizes and shapes, is reasonably priced and fairly easy to find. I have one of their yearly calendars and love it.

[Garageboy]

Rhodia is not the least expensive paper out there, but man does it feel great

Perfect tooth, perfect finish, perfect stiffness

When you fold it, it produces the crispest edge of any paper

 

I am curious to know which Kokuyo paper would impress more than Rhodia (I've only played with the Campus notebooks)

[tinta]

One of my pen friends got me interested in using dot-pad paper for correspondence.

My cursive hand writing is fairly large, to match the wide stubs or CIs I prefer to use. A faint grid pattern is easy for me to follow.

(I used to use blank paper with a liner sheet underneath.)

 

First I tried a Dot Grid Book by Behance, but found the dot pattern too tight for my script. The also paper seemed rough & stiff like cardboard.

 

I was already familiar with the smooth, hard-finished papers of the Rhodia 80g. blank & lined writing pads.

Once I found a Canadian source for the Rhodia #19 Dotpad, I was hooked. This dot grid pattern seems to be just a tad wider than the Behance.

The Rhodia Dotpad #19 has now become my standard letter paper. I have not yet experienced show through with any of the inks I use.

 

Rhodia paper may be a little more expensive, but for me, performance trumps price.

I no longer need to take reams of notes. I just write the occasional letter.

[TomJKT]

Rhodia is not the least expensive paper out there, but man does it feel great

Perfect tooth, perfect finish, perfect stiffness

When you fold it, it produces the crispest edge of any paper

 

I am curious to know which Kokuyo paper would impress more than Rhodia (I've only played with the Campus notebooks)

 

Kokuyo paper is the only choice where I live when you want to write on a decent paper. 'Campus' is the 'student' line as the word should suggest. Within this line there is the 'Campus high grade' paper line, a 100g/m² loose leaf paper. IMHO not bad but also not exciting FP-wise. Their best line is made by Clairefontaine (sic!) Unfortunately only available in a DinA6 notepad format. Why it states Made In Japan is a secret to me:

[dinomium]

Resurrect this post? Sure. I am addicted to the orange and black. I find air corps from Noodlers too slow to dry and will smudge even after blotting. This could be my bottle but Mont Blanc blue also is slow to cure. The page does take graphite fantastically and I love the rhodia pencils as well

I would advise to try a notebook.

[I like mango cheesecake]

Not all Rhodia papers are the same. My first Rhodia was a centre stapled 48 page lined notebook. I then got a Webbie. Big difference between the two. I never got shading with the centre stapled notebook, but the webbie offers lots of shading and is way more smooth and oozes of a premium paper.

[honza]

To me, Rhodia is the most expensive paper there is. I am also astonished that someone said, it was a little cheaper than Clairefontaine (in another thread).

 

Clairefontaine is sold here in Germany in department stores as a very good paper for everyday use, whereas Rhodia is hard to find, even though my country neighbours France, the homeland of Exacompta, which produces Rhodia as well as Clairefontaine and a few others. I noted that Rhodia is as expensive in Paris as it is here;

 

I note that your post is more than year old, but since this thread was reopened recently, I thought might add some comments.

 

I have to agree with you w.r.t. price of the Rhodia notebooks, having just returned from Paris, where I yesterday spent almost an hour going through the "back to school" section of the Carrefour at Place d'Italie. (Some great deals to be had on Oxford and Clairefontaine notebooks, at least compared to prices in the Czech Republic ) For example this bloc, 80 sheets of 80g paper for €5.80 (if I remember correctly). Which is at least twice as much than 80 sheets of 90g Oxford (Optik Paper) or Clairefontine (Papier Velouté) would cost. Paying €5,70 for a lot of 5 Clairefontaine 96 page (actually 48 double sided sheets) notebooks seems like a great bargain (80 vs. 240 sheets for +/- the same price)