Paper recommendation if I don't like Midori MD?

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, stalepie said:

I've tried the Midori notebook now with a Platinum Preppy (medium nib, their included blue-black ink cartridge) and it writes perfectly smooth. No problems. I think that Lamy pen is just a little scratchy.

If the Lamy's tines are actually out of alignment, so that the trailing tine is actually scratching the paper, that would cut the sizing and fibers and give ink a way in and entirely account for the bleed-through.  You might want to find a loupe or magnifying app for a smartphone (or similar magnifying device) and study those tines.  (Excess writing pressure will simulate this problem by exposing the inner edges of the tines to the paper, but instead of scratching in just one direction - when the lower tine is trailing - it will scratch in all directions.)

 

1 hour ago, stalepie said:

I will try out some other notebooks too.

Just like pens and inks, there's a lot of personal preference in paper - our hobby  really requires a lot of experimentation.

[stalepie]

On 5/10/2022 at 2:18 PM, LizEF said:

If the Lamy's tines are actually out of alignment, so that the trailing tine is actually scratching the paper, that would cut the sizing and fibers and give ink a way in and entirely account for the bleed-through.  You might want to find a loupe or magnifying app for a smartphone (or similar magnifying device) and study those tines.  (Excess writing pressure will simulate this problem by exposing the inner edges of the tines to the paper, but instead of scratching in just one direction - when the lower tine is trailing - it will scratch in all directions.)

 

Just like pens and inks, there's a lot of personal preference in paper - our hobby  really requires a lot of experimentation.

 

Sorry for not replying sooner. Does the everyday use of steel nibs smooth them out over time or does a person have to look into nib grinding and other mods, like swapping out for a different nib? (Z53, for instance, I've read is smoother). 

 

The tines look fine to me to the naked eye. I am probably just not used to nicer quality paper. 

[LizEF]

40 minutes ago, stalepie said:

Does the everyday use of steel nibs smooth them out over time or does a person have to look into nib grinding and other mods, like swapping out for a different nib?

In my experience, time alone is not enough - except to train the human into writing the way the pen likes.  If the tines are out of alignment, or there's some other issue with the nib, it generally requires deliberate correction.

 

Note that I'm just mentioning possibilities - only you can determine what's really going on.  And everyone has their individual preferences, nothing wrong there.

[stalepie]

43 minutes ago, LizEF said:

In my experience, time alone is not enough - except to train the human into writing the way the pen likes.  If the tines are out of alignment, or there's some other issue with the nib, it generally requires deliberate correction.

 

Note that I'm just mentioning possibilities - only you can determine what's really going on.  And everyone has their individual preferences, nothing wrong there.

 

Thanks. Will keep this in mind. 

[Karmachanic]

1 hour ago, stalepie said:

The tines look fine to me to the naked eye

 

Time for a Belomo 10x loupe.

[arcfide]

13 hours ago, stalepie said:

The tines look fine to me to the naked eye.

 

I agree with @Karmachanic, that you should pick up a loupe to verify the state of the nib. You should be able to use cross hatching and figure 8's to identify if there are specific stroke directions that feel more or less smooth, and that will help to indicate if there is something wrong with the alignment. then a loupe will help you verify this and confirm correct adjustments if necessary.