Paper For Letter Writing

[Garageboy]

No love for the Kid Finish Crane paper?

[DrCodfish]

"My problem is finding blank paper around 8 x 5 that holds up to letter writing. I do not need a huge amount, but i would like to solicit some suggestions for pad or loose paper or stationary that I can find online that does not break the bank. I considered ordering some actual stationary but I guess I think most is not "manly" for a fella to use. It makes me feel like a dandy. I am not ruling it out, just explaining where I have been looking already. "

 

First, may I respectfully suggest that you forget about the cost. you have already said that you don't write many letters and that you invariably default to the fountain pen. If you were writinig five letters a day cost might be a consideration, but a letter or two a month? Even the most expensive paper does not stack up to your monthly Latte' budget ....right?

 

And as Sandy1 so astutely pointed out, FP is a trinity of fountain pen, ink, and PAPER. Use crappy paper and you are driving your Porshe 814 ove gravel roads, how enjoyable is that?

 

Like you, I'm new to rediscovering FP and in my 'dive in not wade in' way I've accumulated lots of different kinds of paper; some good, some great, and all different by degree. My recommendation is to take advantage of Penhand's gracious offer. It seems whenever I do write a letter I almost always find myself using Tomoe River paper which I got from him. You may not like it at all, it is really much different than most any othe paper, but like anything unique, you ought to at least give it a try, ... who ever was born liking a dry martini? By the way, mention my name, I get a $50 commission whenever I steer a new customer his way. Kidding, no affiliation but I do appreciate the paper and his personal service.

 

Oh and as for your 'Dandy' concern: Well composed correspondence, written with an old fashioned fountain pen has Dandy 'written' all over it especialy if written on (bleep) paper. Go deep with some well behaved paper to complete your Truman Capote makeover.

[FLZapped]

 

I agree that the smoothness can be a problem for some people. In addition, the hard surface (that results in little to no bleedthru and feathering and beautiful shading) also causes longer ink drying times. On the other hand, the thinness harkens back to letter writing paper of old vs. this 20# and heavier paper we live with today (a vestige of modern copiers and computer printers). I'm disappointed that even directly from big paper mills (like Neenah) you can't get thin letter writing paper. Has anyone suggested NOS onion skin paper? Crops up fairly often on ebay.

 

The papermill store carries a 9 pound oinion skin. They also have a 17 pound translucent paper vellum. Of course, it is mail order only.

 

http://www.thepapermillstore.com/

 

 

-Bruce

[theexpanciluser]

I use Southworth, from Walmart but I see you are not in the USA so I don't know where you can find it, maybe internet.

[fncll]

I'm not a huge fan of the onionskin paper from the Paper Mill. But I can say this objectively: it is very little like vintage onionskin!

[sargetalon]

This has been a great thread. I have some A4 Clairefontaine Triomphe and a wax seal kit coming from the Goulets. Can't wait to give it a try.

[PJohnP]

I'm not a huge fan of the onionskin paper from the Paper Mill. But I can say this objectively: it is very little like vintage onionskin!

 

I think that this is a fair comment.

 

Schoellershammer onion skin paper is more like a lighter weight vellum paper than onionskin. I think the designation is intended more for the net weight per square meter of the paper than the texture.

 

Still, the pen glides on the paper with a sure crisp line, so it's very much a favourite of mine.

 

 

 

John P.

[FLZapped]

 

I think that this is a fair comment.

 

Schoellershammer onion skin paper is more like a lighter weight vellum paper than onionskin. I think the designation is intended more for the net weight per square meter of the paper than the texture.

 

Still, the pen glides on the paper with a sure crisp line, so it's very much a favourite of mine.

 

 

 

John P.

 

I've never used their onion skin. Personally, I use the Glama 17 pound paper vellum from the Papermill Store for letter writing since most of mine go overseas.

 

-Bruce

[Centopar]

I had a note from a neighbour asking for a favour today - and I responded about 300% better than I might have done because she'd used a fountain pen, and she'd used Basildon Bond paper. Depending on finances, I'm a Basildon Bond or a Smythson girl.