paper from Germany

[txomsy]

I got a couple of notebooks with fine leather-fibrous material cover (looks somewhat like cork) from transotype / Holtz office support Gmbh (the senseBook model, seemingly got a Reddot design award in 2013), which have nice paper.

 

They are nice, very well thought out and were very affordable as well. The information flap states, though, "Made in PRC", so I think they may not qualify.

[OMASsimo]

2 hours ago, txomsy said:

They are nice, very well thought out and were very affordable as well. The information flap states, though, "Made in PRC", so I think they may not qualify.

 

This is one of the points. Though Germany has the 4th biggest paper industry in the World (not sure what’s the criteria, though), a significant part of the paper might not be produced by paper mills in Germany. I understood @mke’s question in the sense that he asked for German paper mills.

[Chandon]

On 8/4/2022 at 6:37 PM, JulieParadise said:

 

Well, it might be confusing to compare whole brands, as I know several Rhodia papers that differ greatly. Think of the thinner blank 90 gsm Vélin paper in cream they use in their A5 letter pads, which might be the same you find in lined in their A5 pads as well as in the Clairefontaine Neo Deco cahiers. Then there is the Rhodia Heritage paper, cream and with orange lines/grid, which then again totally differs from the stark white paper of the dot pads coming in many sizes.

 

If I take just my local Kaufland (a supermarket chain), then there I get (in Berlin) letter writing pads (meaning: A4, 50 sheets, glued at the top, 60/70 gsm, blank and always including a guiding sheet with one gridded side and one lined to place under your blank sheet) from Talentus, Brunnen Grüner Block, and Kaufland Office Briefblock. All cost about 1 €. The Talentus and Office pad have slightly greyish paper (recycled, I suppose) and handle fountain pens well, so you wouldn't be ashamed to send out a nice letter on that. There is a printer paper, Clairefontaine Clairmail with 60 gsm, that I would compare to that.

 

The lined writing pads such as the Pelikan pad you linked to are mostly comparable with the kind of white paper (lined) you find in the Rhodia composition books and the Clairefontaine 1951 Retro notebooks.

 

All I was going to say with my initial answer: Here it is pretty much unnecessary to go on a hunt for certain specific letter/writing pads, as almost all you get locally in any supermarket will be of nice quality, and that might be the reason why no one bothers to review these. And also what you get at ALDI Nord (in the norther part of Germany) might be different than what ALDI Süd (southern part) sells, and not all batches are the same, etc., talking about batch variety and undisclosed suppliers, as most of these house brands are OEM products.

 

So, these papers are like potato chips: If you take a certain brand, let's say Pringles, you'll know that your actual pack is going to be yummy, you just expect it to be from earlier experiences. But there are some boxes where the chips are especially great: crisp, with a touch more flavour, nearing perfection. 😉 

Thanks Julie, As a foreigner who spends a lot of time in Germany, and specifically Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and Freiburg, I can vouch these brands, and have an especial liking for Brunnen paper. I always buy a few pads to take hone. I think Brunnen even made a nice recycled pad which can even handle a fine or "A" fountain pen nib on my Lamy Nexx. I use these pads to draft all of my work as a writer.

[Azulado]

2 hours ago, Chandon said:

Thanks Julie, As a foreigner who spends a lot of time in Germany, and specifically Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and Freiburg, I can vouch these brands, and have an especial liking for Brunnen paper. I always buy a few pads to take hone. I think Brunnen even made a nice recycled pad which can even handle a fine or "A" fountain pen nib on my Lamy Nexx. I use these pads to draft all of my work as a writer.

I am interested in buying a Brunnen notebook. What is the exact reference of the notebook you use? Have you tried the 70 gsm paper?

[JulieParadise]

41 minutes ago, Azulado said:

I am interested in buying a Brunnen notebook. What is the exact reference of the notebook you use? Have you tried the 70 gsm paper?

 

@Chandon probably referred to either the Brunnen Briefblock (letter writing pad, blank) or the Schulblock (school/note pad, lined/squared/... various)

 

Brunnen 1052726 Briefblock / Schreibblock / Der Brunnen Block (A4, blanko, 50 Blatt, 70 g/m²)

 

Brunnen 1052527 Schulblock / Notizblock (A4, 50 Blatt, liniert, mit Randlinien, Lineatur 27, gelocht, kopfverleimt, 70 g/m²)

 

[Azulado]

36 minutes ago, JulieParadise said:

@Chandon probably referred to either the Brunnen Briefblock (letter writing pad, blank) or the Schulblock (school/note pad, lined/squared/... various)

 

Brunnen 1052726 Briefblock / Schreibblock / Der Brunnen Block (A4, blanko, 50 Blatt, 70 g/m²)

 

Brunnen 1052527 Schulblock / Notizblock (A4, 50 Blatt, liniert, mit Randlinien, Lineatur 27, gelocht, kopfverleimt, 70 g/m²)

Thank you very much!

[Chandon]

20 hours ago, JulieParadise said:

 

@Chandon probably referred to either the Brunnen Briefblock (letter writing pad, blank) or the Schulblock (school/note pad, lined/squared/... various)

 

Brunnen 1052726 Briefblock / Schreibblock / Der Brunnen Block (A4, blanko, 50 Blatt, 70 g/m²)

 

Brunnen 1052527 Schulblock / Notizblock (A4, 50 Blatt, liniert, mit Randlinien, Lineatur 27, gelocht, kopfverleimt, 70 g/m²)

 

Thanks Julie, That is useful to know. Brunnen products have really impressed me over the years I've used them. I tend not buy expensive, premium papers as I use the up so fast at work, so these kinds suit me perfectly. 

[Azulado]

I have started looking for this paper on Ebay. I found it in one, but they replied that they only ship to Germany. I am now trying to see if I can get a seller who does ship to Brazil to get me this notebook. He did have the 10-52 525, but the right margin, unlined, is too wide.

[JulieParadise]

45 minutes ago, Azulado said:

this notebook

 

Just to make sure that it is clear: These are paper pads, glued at the top, not notebooks. Some versions also come as college blocks/pads, spiral bound on the left side.

[Azulado]

12 minutes ago, JulieParadise said:

Just to make sure that it is clear: These are paper pads, glued at the top, not notebooks. Some versions also come as college blocks/pads, spiral bound on the left side.

Thank you for the clarification. Yes, I have seen that that pad is the Rhodia type that reviewers use. In the Brunnen catalog in English/French it appears as "bloc correspondance".

[Bo Bo Olson]

On 8/3/2022 at 2:52 AM, OMASsimo said:

Pre-1980s papers basically all were fountain pen friendly, regardless how basic or cheap

The golden age of paper.

It died in the late '70's or early '80's and no one noticed and mourned.

 

In my Gohrsmühle and Zander's stack of old paper for writing letters only...some day...,  papers too good for my then Dasywheel printer, I found a pad of dirt cheap paper I bought to scribble on when I was a pure Ball Point Barbarian...who wouldn't dream of wasting beer money on paper.

 

It is my best paper. I've 12-15 sheets left..........got to take a sheet out and use it....different pens, different inks....or just looking at the grand shading.

 

Unfortunately, there is no watermark, so I can't track down who made it.

[OMASsimo]

14 hours ago, Bo Bo Olson said:

The golden age of paper.

It died in the late '70's or early '80's and no one noticed and mourned.

 

In my Gohrsmühle and Zander's stack of old paper for writing letters only...some day...,  papers too good for my then Dasywheel printer, I found a pad of dirt cheap paper I bought to scribble on when I was a pure Ball Point Barbarian...who wouldn't dream of wasting beer money on paper.

 

It is my best paper. I've 12-15 sheets left..........got to take a sheet out and use it....different pens, different inks....or just looking at the grand shading.

 

Unfortunately, there is no watermark, so I can't track down who made it.

 

Yup, I totally agree. I had to clear out my parents house and found many old writing pads among piles of other paper. Many conference note pads from all over the world. And the average quality in terms of fountain pen friendliness is just stunning! Also, dirt cheap no-name note pads had a paper quality we could dream of today. There are still great papers around if you want to pay the price. And at least in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Japan, you still can find good everyday writing paper relatively easily. But most of the standard office supply paper pretty much sucks for FP use.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I just (three months ago) picked up an assortment of Swiss Artoz papers...4-5 different ones. In a small shop in Heidelberg I'd not noticed before.

I find them quite good..........of course some were sold 'single sheet' so those always are much more expensive than the couple pads from them. Whole .lots of different colors, some I have no idea what color ink one uses on a chocolate brown paper; and a few off the wall colors............creme, ivory Champaign etc are 'normal' so are not off the wall.

I had never heard of them here on the com....and am happy to tell folks about it.

Great paper* I doubt, but a very good assortment of papers, yes.

 

* I have Gmund, Blanc Beige, creme 170g, that I rate great (the 120g is a slightest tad better)....of course at E-40 for 100 sheets it sure should be. Liking heavy paper I got the 170 over the 120.

[ianmedium]

Late post but if anyone is reading it still I live in Austria, long time Leuchtturm  user and yes, it does shadow through to the next side but not enough for it to be a problem. I am coming to the end of the present one and found a new still in its sealed plastic wrapper an A5 Semicolon on my local buy and sell for€5 so bought it.

 

It has about a hundred pages less that my Leuchtturm which is 80gm paper and I believe the paper is made in PRC

Though the Semicolon loses on the extra sticky paper badges, elastic binder and lined helper paper (none of which I have ever used!) it does retain a cloth page marker.

The book is marked designed in Germany but made in Czech Republic with the paper made there.

 

It is superior to the Leuchtturm journal, the paper having that laid lined and watermarked feel to it.

 

It is a joy to write with and feels special to write in. I have tried many cheaper journals (same price as this one discounted though I believe list price is around  €20-€25) from Libro which is a bit like office depot for our Canadian and American friends which i found to be perfectly acceptable but lacked that special feel and I like the special feel as I find my creativity increases.

 

Would I pay full price? Well, I am a person brought up that everything goes on sale eventually so if I see them on sale I will pick more up. At a  stretch if on sale became no more yes I would buy retail. I love the simple cloth cover and the quality of the writing paper which reminds me of the very expensive hand laid letter paper I used to buy in England that came with lined envelops and who´s name I cannot remember but was made in Germany back in the eighties before I started my travelling!

[Bo Bo Olson]

I don't use notebooks, but any 'new' good paper should be made in single sheet reams..somewhere...and I'm glad you told us about this good to better paper.

[Stoic]

I live in Austria and only recently discovered a paper that is an unlikely candidate for the best paper I have ever used with a fountain pen.

These notebooks and pads are sold mostly in grocery and general stores like Spar, Unimarkt, etc. 

It is marked Kyome. 70gsm in lined, blank, checked, ruled or dot. Most are about 50 pages, white, and coated with no ghosting, feathering or bleed through. It is actually better than Clairefontane and each book or pad costs under €3.

 

People here don't talk much about paper and pens due to most children using fountain pens from the age of about 5 years old, which is still very common here in schools.

[Bo Bo Olson]

On 8/26/2022 at 3:36 PM, Bo Bo Olson said:

Swiss Artoz papers.

I have changed my mind....the laid papers in various shades, are nice........the rest ended up in the printer.***

 

7 hours ago, Stoic said:

general stores like Spar, Unimarkt

I don't have those stores, but will start looking in REWE, a higher level supermarket, where I can find Oxford Optic notebooks.... and Edika's new high end supermarket Scheck-in-Center....same with Oxford Optic.

The rest of the paper is only 80g copy paper.

7 hours ago, Stoic said:

Kyome

Is something I need to keep in mind, in case I run into any. Thanks.

 

*** failed papers...for writing. I am putting in the printer Clairefontaine...Clairalfa 120g

Good think I looked, it's almost out.

A few years ago, I had said for just twice as much, I could put 90g paper that shaded in my printer to have a bit of life to my editing....then suddenly in the last two years, 90g printer paper was no better than 80g....and 100g were not worth the extreme mark up.

 

Just brought down an Indian 90g paper JK  excel Bond  from my 10-11 inch paper pile. I have other heavy papers in labeled boxes....

I just ran my 20 loaded pens over it.

The first ink...was WoW...the very next one... then......with just a few inks some shading (from inks I would have expected some to normal shading), with many inks a slight woolly line.

One or two inks the paper handled well. Some M's came out B's. Some B's come out B's. Some F's or EF's were about right.

The Diamine glitter inks were bought also for their shading, which is missing. Does show the glitter with out tilting the paper.

A very uneven paper....Just good enough that it don't go into the printer paper section of my file and drawer cabinet immediately......but nothing for the reserve to the end of time paper section.

 

[Penguincollector]

11 hours ago, Stoic said:

I live in Austria and only recently discovered a paper that is an unlikely candidate for the best paper I have ever used with a fountain pen.

These notebooks and pads are sold mostly in grocery and general stores like Spar, Unimarkt, etc. 

It is marked Kyome. 70gsm in lined, blank, checked, ruled or dot. Most are about 50 pages, white, and coated with no ghosting, feathering or bleed through. It is actually better than Clairefontane and each book or pad costs under €3.

 

People here don't talk much about paper and pens due to most children using fountain pens from the age of about 5 years old, which is still very common here in schools.

 

  @InesF uses this paper and it looks amazing in her photos. A few of us tried to find a way to buy it online (we’re in the US and Canada mostly) with no luck. I would love to find some way of buying (or trading) for a pad.

[txomsy]

Good to know about that Kyome paper. Thanks for the tip, I'll be on the lookout for it in case it is also available around here.

 

[txomsy]

Added: just had a look. It seems to be available on several Amazon stores, among them US, e.g.

 

https://www.amazon.com/-/es/4054153964593/dp/B00MA95R9S

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.amazon.de/-/en/741163/dp/B00UL2LS7G&ved=2ahUKEwis5I_xzteFAxWoTaQEHfQOAJoQFnoECBoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1imz3ZXOWYoQtF1jobEZKJ

 

Don't know if that's the same though...