GSM Ratings and What They Mean.

[Duffy]

I am still on a learning/experimental curve with regards fountain pens and what I use to write on. Having used Clairefontaine and Rhodia ( I love both of these) I recently came across a "Moderno" note pad at a good price and decided to try it. I think it is (like the Rhodia and Clairefontaine) rated at 90 GSM.

There is nothing on the notepad itself saying what GSM it is, but "Mr Google" tells me it it 90. Perhaps there are different types within the brand and the one I have is lower than 90 ?

 

However, my F and EF pens seem like B when using the Moderno.  This was an eye opener for me. I knew that  90-100 GSM paper is generally very smooth, but I did not expect such a broad writing experience with the Moderno. 

 

Any thoughts/comments ?

 

Thanks.

[Mark from Yorkshire]

90 gsm stands for grams per square meter. The higher the number, theoretically the heavier and thicker the paper. How smooth or not the line is depends on how the paper is sized, a paper that is not all that well sized will bleed and feather more than a well sized one. 
 

Also how the pad reacts to ink is also dependent on what the paper is made of, and what the intended final use the manufacturer intends/envisages. 
 

best regards

 

mark

[Mark from Yorkshire]

@Duffy it is slightly lighter 80gsm an apparently fountain pen friendly looking at a review I found for it just know. Is it the WHSmith offering you are referring to?

[Duffy]

@Mark from Yorkshire

 

Thanks for your reply. This is the pad I have. I bought it in "Easons" in Dublin. Looking at the link below, I see it says 100 GSM on the wrapping. 

 

https://www.easons.com/whs-mod-a5-ruled-soft-azurite-notebook-9810219?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8cim95CXhgMV3JlQBh1BugbDEAQYASABEgIKDfD_BwE

[Mark from Yorkshire]

It is a thicker i.e heavier version of the WHSmiths ones sold in England. It is probably sized and designed for use with marker and paint pens. 

[Duffy]

@Mark from Yorkshire

 

Thanks again for your input. I will certainly be more cautious in future before straying away from my beloved Clairefontaine/Rhodia paper. 😁

[Mark from Yorkshire]

Just now, Duffy said:

@Mark from Yorkshire

 

Thanks again for your input. I will certainly be more cautious in future before straying away from my beloved Clairefontaine/Rhodia paper. 😁

It’s all part of the fun / hobby trying new things and see if they work you can’t go far wrong with Clairefontaine or optik (Hamelin brands) paper. Rhodia and Clairefontaine are the same company 

[Duffy]

1 minute ago, Mark from Yorkshire said:

It’s all part of the fun / hobby trying new things and see if they work 

 

True.

[lapis]

As said above, the GSM rating -- more often (and more appropriately) stated as g/m² -- isn't solely an indication of the actual paper's thickness but also one of the paper's density. This is important, because it can let you know what you're getting in regard to paper smoothness. That's one reason why I prefer Rhodia much more over Clairefontaine. Yes, different companies often offer various varieties of paper, even with one and the same GSM. Let's' just take Rhodia's Papier Vélin Superieur and Clairefontaine's Papier Velouté. Both 90 g/m² versions are so completely different to write on.... for me, Rhodia is more than okay, but I hate the Clairefontaine which is forcing me to write on glass.

[Duffy]

Thanks @lapis

 

A very interesting...and enlightening...post. I live and learn !!😉

[Mark from Yorkshire]

21 hours ago, lapis said:

As said above, the GSM rating -- more often (and more appropriately) stated as g/m² -- isn't solely an indication of the actual paper's thickness but also one of the paper's density. This is important, because it can let you know what you're getting in regard to paper smoothness. That's one reason why I prefer Rhodia much more over Clairefontaine. Yes, different companies often offer various varieties of paper, even with one and the same GSM. Let's' just take Rhodia's Papier Vélin Superieur and Clairefontaine's Papier Velouté. Both 90 g/m² versions are so completely different to write on.... for me, Rhodia is more than okay, but I hate the Clairefontaine which is forcing me to write on glass.

Ironically Clairefontaine own the Rhodia brand, so technically speaking are the same company, but size and produce their paper slightly differently. I suppose it is a case of horses for courses. 

[Runnin_Ute]

I used Clairefontaine Triomphe for correspondence once upon a time. It was 90gsm and I discovered it was a bit "too slick" for my tastes. At hand right now, I have three different Rhodia (all 80 gsm) (white and orange cover and a black cover dot pad). Most of my correspondence I use one version or another of 52 gsm Tomoe River. 

 

Yamamoto makes a "fountain pen friendly" sampler with about 5 sheets each of 16 different papers. All Japanese papers. I have a few sheets left, but I got it in September of last year. I got it in a drawing at the 2023 Pelikan Hub in my city. I don't know who might sell it in the UK, but Jet Pens is one supplier in the US that does, although I am sure there are others  Perhaps their are similar products available from one or more local paper mill there.

[Mark from Yorkshire]

4 hours ago, Runnin_Ute said:

I used Clairefontaine Triomphe for correspondence once upon a time. It was 90gsm and I discovered it was a bit "too slick" for my tastes. At hand right now, I have three different Rhodia (all 80 gsm) (white and orange cover and a black cover dot pad). Most of my correspondence I use one version or another of 52 gsm Tomoe River. 

 

Yamamoto makes a "fountain pen friendly" sampler with about 5 sheets each of 16 different papers. All Japanese papers. I have a few sheets left, but I got it in September of last year. I got it in a drawing at the 2023 Pelikan Hub in my city. I don't know who might sell it in the UK, but Jet Pens is one supplier in the US that does, although I am sure there are others  Perhaps their are similar products available from one or more local paper mill there.

Most of our paper mills have closed down. A lot of the brands I use come from France Clairefontaine Europa, Rhodia dot grid and plain. Three Candlesticks and Basildon Bond. Oxford, Red n Black are optik ( Hamelin Brands). The only one I have that I think is uk made and based is pukka pad. 
 

A Quick Look online suggests Silvine is made in uk. I have a stock of old English Paper as well.

[SpecTP]

I've stopped using Clairefontaine a while ago. I still use Rhodia pads now and then. My preference nowadays is Tomoe River. I still have a stock of A5 notebooks from before their change a few years back. I have been trying the newer Tomoe River products with varying degrees of satisfaction.

[Anne-Sophie]

On 5/18/2024 at 2:34 PM, lapis said:

Let's' just take Rhodia's Papier Vélin Superieur and Clairefontaine's Papier Velouté. Both 90 g/m² versions are so completely different to write on.... for me, Rhodia is more than okay, but I hate the Clairefontaine which is forcing me to write on glass.

 

Would you mind elaborating on that? Do you use plain, grid or dot paper? Wired or staple bound? What size nib and what brand of ink do you use most?

[lapis]

On 6/14/2024 at 7:38 PM, Anne-Sophie said:

 

Would you mind elaborating on that? Do you use plain, grid or dot paper? Wired or staple bound? What size nib and what brand of ink do you use most?

As re Rhodia and Clairefontaine, what I have and use are the following:

 

Clairefontaine	Rhodia	Rhodia	Rhodia	Rhodia
White	White	Ivory	White	Yellow
Lined	Grid	Lined	Lined	Lined
Booklet, stapled	Pad, stapled	Pad, stapled	Pad, stapled	Pad, stapled
Papier velouté	Bloc Rhodia No 11	Bloc Rhodia No 12	Bloc Rhodia No 16	Bloc Rhodia No 16
90 g/m2	80 g/m2	90 g/m2	80 g/m2	90 g/m2
7.5  x 12 cm	7.4 x 10.5 cm	8.5 x 12.0 cm	14.6 x 21.0 cm	14.6 x 21.0 cm

 

BTW, neither R nor C are my "best" papers; my "best" is Artoz Fine ribbed paper, 100 g/m², A4, Art.Nr. 330106. Almost always, I use only the cheapest 80-g/m² printer-copy-paper from HP or Canon).

 

I use only nib sizes B and M. Better yet is the BB on my M900. Judging by the amount of ink usage, I'd estimate my brand preference to be Diamine > Monteverde > MB > DeA > R&K > Sailor > Visconti > GvFC > Pelikan. Of course, within every brand, the wetness can vary enormously. In any case, the wetter the merrier!