"fountain Pen Friendly" Notebooks Vs Regular Cheap Notebooks

January 30, 2014

Just picked up another Silvine Memo Book from my local newsagent today, which will be familiar to UK residents (possibly of a certain age) and while if you're show-through phobic it might bring you out in a rash (it's really not bad, but they don't favour thickness in their paper), for lack or feathering and bleed through I've yet to find anything cheaper and more consistent. That applies to their school exercise books as well; can't speak for other items in their extensive range. It's a different writing experience to that of Clairefontaine or Rhodia, but I find I have room in my life for both.

Cheers, Al

I purchased some of those red colored Silvine memo Books last summer in Edinburgh. They are red colored, say British made and have this cool logo on them.The covers are a bit thin and get beat up easily but as far as the paper, I agree with you, completely fountain pen friendly, fairly smooth, no feathering or bleed thru and dirt cheap too (65p). The paper is far better than Mead or other generic notebook paper we have here in the States, even better than the bagasse papers we can find here. I will definitely pick up some more next time I am in England.

Edited January 30, 2014 by cellmatrix

January 30, 2014

Paper is a bit like wine. If you like the one you have then its good. Doesn't matter about price or reputation. If you like it that is all that matters.

January 30, 2014

The trick is when you find something cheap that works for you, buy some more. Than you have a supply of paper that works.

+1 on this point.

I did some tests a bit back on inexpensive mini-composition notebooks from Dollar Tree at a net cost of three books for a dollar. "Inexpensive" may be a touch of an understatement in today's high priced world ! Having used the notebooks for almost three months, I'd describe them as "fountain pen friendly", but not perhaps "fountain pen seductive" (e.g., Tomoe River paper). Nonetheless, they've been in my pocket or case pretty much every day in that test period. I'm not going through them quickly, more gradually, but I realised that they were hitting all the marks for my needs.

So I purchased two cases of the notebooks, 24 packages per case, three notebooks per package, through Dollar Tree's online system. Since these are mini-composition notebooks, this is actually a pretty trifling storage volume. Given the net price per notebook, it's also not an immense investment - I spend more on printer and copier paper for my work quite easily - and they work as small gifts for FP-using friends. The important issue for me is that I'll have the kind of paper that I want ready at hand for a fairly significant time.

One addendum to markh's comments - make sure that the bulk ordered materials are all the same one as was so much liked initially. Many stores "mix and match" their lower priced commodity items, so a little care is in order (my order, BTW, came quite promptly with free delivery to the local Dollar Tree, and all matched up on materials).

John P.

P.S. The regularly sized composition notebooks at Dollar Tree also turned out to be quite FP friendly, but I work with the smaller size more often, so I've stayed with those.

January 30, 2014

Yes the made in India comp books have good paper. Rather light 16# or lighter, but it is good stuff.

But at $1 each they don't compare to the 2 for $1 made in Brazil spiral notebooks when on sale at Staples.

January 31, 2014

I've had pretty good luck with CR Gibson Markings journals (available at Target and Staples) and with the Ecosystem notebooks (available at Barnes and Noble). In both cases the paper is smooth and also heavy enough that I don't have showthrough that I've noticed. That being said, I write on pretty much any paper and journals I can find, even some handmade journals with paper that is pretty non-FP friendly (rough, linty, and the ink feathered and bled badly).

I was in my local Staples today and did not see *any* of the Sugarcane paper notebooks at all (I have a couple which I've liked fairly well, but I do have some showthrough with some inks); I have considered ordering a ream or two of the bagasse copy paper from their website.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

January 31, 2014

I've had pretty good luck with CR Gibson Markings journals (available at Target and Staples) and with the Ecosystem notebooks (available at Barnes and Noble). In both cases the paper is smooth and also heavy enough that I don't have showthrough that I've noticed. That being said, I write on pretty much any paper and journals I can find, even some handmade journals with paper that is pretty non-FP friendly (rough, linty, and the ink feathered and bled badly).
I was in my local Staples today and did not see *any* of the Sugarcane paper notebooks at all (I have a couple which I've liked fairly well, but I do have some showthrough with some inks); I have considered ordering a ream or two of the bagasse copy paper from their website.
Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

That's what I ended up doing, except it was a pack of a dozen letter-sized pads.