Rhodiarama - Bitter Disappointment!

[Callique]

Thank you for that Tinysnail. I rather agree that I shouldn't get feathering (and/or so much show through!). Makes me reluctant to spend any more money on Rhodia at all. Although as I said I have enjoyed Clairefontaine paper very much so I don't know why this one (made by Clairefontaine, isn't it?) should be so disappointing.

 

I just had an idea - I think I'll write to Rhodia!

 

(oh, new BSinAR? Looks better than I imagined!)

[senzen]

Wow, that's bad! Sorry for your experience, I too would have though all their products would behave well. Currently using a N. 8 block, very happy with it.

[Callique]

Just had to come back here and add that I have now also purchased and tried a standard Rhodia (a "webbie") and it contains the very same paper as is in the Rhodiarama with the same consequences for me (90g "velouté"). Very disappointed.

 

I also got a Leuchtterm 1917 and found ink went straight through the page and stained the next page.

 

I don't know what I'm doing wrong as so many people seem to be happy with these journals… but they're not working for me.

 

The search goes on...

[inkypete]

I would have bought Rhodia on trust. Just shows you can never be too sure.

[sgage]

Have you tried Tomoe River paper? I've used nothing else since I found it. Nanami's Seven Seas Writer journal is awesome, and Paper For Fountain Pens makes a good one as well.

[inkypete]

Have you tried Tomoe River paper? I've used nothing else since I found it. Nanami's Seven Seas Writer journal is awesome, and Paper For Fountain Pens makes a good one as well.

Love it - but a little light for me and expensive. I wish they had that same paper around 70gsm - would be perfect.

[wikeh2004]

I have a Webbie and an unopened Rhodiarama. I hope it doesn't go as badly for me! Maybe I'll do a comparison tonight, if anyone is interested.

 

In my experience, the Webbies have 90 gsm paper and they are fine with FPs. In fact, I think of them as being a little too smooth. I think I need a little bit of feedback or my nib goes skating off into illegibility-land straightaway. Doesn't look we can say the same for the Rhodiarama.

[Callique]

Wikeh, I agree with you about the paper being nearly too smooth. Sometimes it feels like my pen skids across the page. I like smooth but I also like to "feel" the words a little as they come out of my pen!

 

I fear they have changed the Rhodia to now have the same paper as the Rhodiarama. That's what it says on the first page of both books: "Papier Velin Velouté 90g".

 

Sgage, no that's one paper I haven't tried yet. I worry about it being so fine though there is good feedback about how fountain-pen friendly it is. I may give it a try eventually… if I can find some!

[RonLyke]

Thank you for that Tinysnail. I rather agree that I shouldn't get feathering (and/or so much show through!). Makes me reluctant to spend any more money on Rhodia at all. Although as I said I have enjoyed Clairefontaine paper very much so I don't know why this one (made by Clairefontaine, isn't it?) should be so disappointing.

 

I just had an idea - I think I'll write to Rhodia!

 

(oh, new BSinAR? Looks better than I imagined!)

Maybe write to them on their paper. :-)

[RonLyke]

I'm an ignorant neophyte when it comes to this stuff. However, I've been trying a bunch of different papers to find one that performs well. I've tried Staples Sustainable Earth sugarcane, Staples 17 cent Brazilian spiral notebooks (pretty good) and several others. I bought a Rhodia staple bound pad at the Boston pen show, and thought it was great! Then I bought a ream of H-P 32# Laser printer paper at Staples ($20.00). I haven't been able to make anything feather, spread or bleed through--even a blob accidentally dropped on the paper. Unless a binding of some sort is necessary, I'd recommend this paper. At #20.00 for 500 sheets, it's a lot cheaper than the Rhodia pad I bought, and I can always put it in a clamp type folder if necessary.

 

FWIW

[Callique]

Maybe write to them on their paper. :-)

Good idea!

 

 

Then I bought a ream of H-P 32# Laser printer paper at Staples ($20.00). I haven't been able to make anything feather, spread or bleed through--even a blob accidentally dropped on the paper. Unless a binding of some sort is necessary, I'd recommend this paper. At #20.00 for 500 sheets, it's a lot cheaper than the Rhodia pad I bought, and I can always put it in a clamp type folder if necessary.

 

FWIW

 

I don't think I can find this same paper here in the UK… though suggestions like this gave me the idea that I should try some of the top-of-the-range inkjet printer paper. I found one that's great with fountain pen but still feathers when I use my flex pen.

 

My favourite of all papers so far is Clairefontaine Triomphe. But what I was after was a journal… I'm starting to think I'll have to make myself one with Triomphe paper! I see some people do a great job of making their own journals… now to find the time!

[sirgilbert357]

Hi Annette,

 

You're right, it doesn't have anything to do with the price. Not long ago, I bought a really cheap paper pad from a convenience store when I was in France… that paper was just great!! I really enjoyed using my flex pens with it.

 

It's just frustrating because you can't tell by just looking and touching so you have to buy the stuff, take it home, try it… and then?? Most of the time, I feel like I've wasted money once again!

 

I'll keep searching. In the meantime I think I will have to make-do with one of the books I have as I can't just throw them away!

 

*Sigh…*

 

You could sell them though, couldn't you? Surely not everyone uses a flex nib and they'd be of use to someone. If you're open to that, shoot me a PM and list out what you have and what you'd take for them. I'm looking at different options right now...

 

Edit: Oh, just saw the "I'm in the UK" reference...shipping might be too much to the USA for me to buy something from you...but maybe others closer to you would work.

Edited October 3, 2014 by sirgilbert357

[wikeh2004]

Hi Callique,

 

You might try the TWSBI Notebook. http://www.twsbi.com/collections/notebooks. I bought a couple and found that their paper performed well with my pens, and has enough texture that you don't feel like you're writing on glass. My only objection to them was that the elastic band used to hold it shut was weak and over time, has weakened even more as to be useless. But, otherwise, I thought they were quite good. Available in lined, grid, and blank.

 

I also tried a Pro Art sketchbook. Got it from Amazon. The paper is thick and isn't as smooth as the TWSBI, but it still performed quite well. If I remember, I'll scan a sample and post it. It's unlined, so if you want a lined page, this isn't it.

 

Wikeh, I agree with you about the paper being nearly too smooth. Sometimes it feels like my pen skids across the page. I like smooth but I also like to "feel" the words a little as they come out of my pen!

 

I fear they have changed the Rhodia to now have the same paper as the Rhodiarama. That's what it says on the first page of both books: "Papier Velin Velouté 90g".

 

Sgage, no that's one paper I haven't tried yet. I worry about it being so fine though there is good feedback about how fountain-pen friendly it is. I may give it a try eventually… if I can find some!

Edited October 3, 2014 by wikeh2004

[mhguda]

I received a dotgrid Rhodia web notebook with this same paper, Papier Velin Velouté 90g. I find it wonderful and while if the ink is very saturated (for instance having been in the pen, unused, for over a week) it may seem to spread a little, I have had no issues with bleeding, feathering, or showing through. The paper is very fountain pen friendly.

I'm starting to suspect that you press down very hard, Callique. Which should not be necessary even with flex pens - read Bobo Olson's posts...

[Callique]

Silgilbert, yes, thank you, I may offer to sell them if there's any taker otherwise they'll just gather dust here...

 

Mhguda, I totally understand that some people do like this paper very much and it works well for them. As I showed earlier in this thread, the paper is really good with my normal handwriting and is also fine with an italics nib. As for flexing, it is true that the modern flex requires a fair amount of pressure to spread the tines (more than I would like) but I have also tried it with my vintage flex (much softer and doesn't require a lot of pressure) and I had the same problem. I also show the result of flexing with a dip nib and that also doesn't require much pressure. So I don't think I press down hard, in fact I like to hold my pen very lightly for regular handwriting, and only exerting whatever pressure is necessary for flex writing. I have the feeling that flexing damages the "velouté" coating of the page and that's why I have a problem with flex nibs. If anyone else can show me their flex writing in a (new) Rhodia or Rhodiarama, I'd love to see it.

 

Thank you all for your contributions to this thread and my search for the perfect journal…

Actually I think I may have found the solution...

 

​Last night, I made my very first journal!

 

Realised it's not that difficult after all. Well, of course, it depends what kind of journal you're after but I'm quite happy with a fairly "rustic" look, as long as the paper is right… and it lies flat for easy writing.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Callique

[malang]

I'm on the search for a new diary (journal). I had a few at home that I'd received as gifts, tried them all, and very sadly, none of them were fountain pen friendly.

 

I'd heard about Rhodia and decided to try one of theirs. I found a Rhodiarama (green cover) in a local shop. Happy.

 

Happiness was very short-lived:

 

SDC11307.jpg

 

Totally awful with a flex pen! What a disappointment!

The paper is acceptable with a fine nib though I find the "chalky" finish seems to grab the nib rather than let it slide smoothly but when I tried some flex pens, it just doesn't work at all. At first the ink seems to sit on top of the paper but very soon it starts to seep through and make little blotches all around the letters.

 

It also comes through quite badly on the back:

 

SDC11308.jpg

 

The green ink is Diamine Meadow and the red is a mix of Noodler's Apache Sunset with some Diamine Ancient Copper added to it.

 

I know many of you will say that the Rhodia journals are the best so I can't tell you how disappointed I am.

 

I'm back on the search…. and to be frank, I don't know what else to try.

 

I like Clairefontaine paper so I don't know why this Rhodia book doesn't work for me. My favourite for writing letters at the moment is Clairefontaine Triomphe. Really great with all inks and fine with flexing too.

 

 

Glad you posted this as I was going to buy one.

 

Try the Miro Journal Series, 100gsm paper, extremely minimal bleed through even with heavy inks in 1.5mm italic stubs (generally only bleeds through if there's way more ink on that spot than would generally happen). Just got one as it was the only option in A6 size for a pocket journal in store, very happy.

 

There is some show through, but generally no bleed through. I'd be interested to hear what you think of Miro's Journal Series if you try them. Btw they are extremely good value for money, much cheaper than the comparable Moleskine.

 

Paper is slightly off white, if you get a lined version the lines are a grey colour and there's a thicker line at the mid point of each page so it's easy to keep track of space. They feature a pocket in the rear, but it's not expandable. Even so you could fit a few bits and pieces in there as necessary.

Edited July 20, 2016 by dauodwa