Amalfi and Feathering

[jamesbest77]

Hi All,

 

After **2 months** of pacing, waiting for my order of Amalfi (Amatruda) paper to arrive - it finally did, and I didn't wait a second to try out a sheet. The descriptions of the paper are not wrong; it is soft and textured with deckled edges, giving an unique romantic feeling. My pen (a binderized superneedlepoint XXXXF flex Pelikan M250) was inked with Waterman Havana Brown ink and ready to begin flowing rich brown ink on to the page.

 

Admittedly, I am use to writing on the smoothest Clairefontaine notepads, but the amount of feathering I saw was completely unexpected, and in my view unacceptable. I have a fairly light hand, and although I was using a superneedlepoint, the binderized pen did not feel scratchy at all. Infact, I have never had any "scratchyness" problems writing with my pen - Richard Binder has done a remarkable job. I should add that my pen is a wet-ish writer, but I guess this is to be expected for a flex pen.

 

I decided to wash and clean my pen and try a different ink. Various people have suggested Herbin Inks in flex pens and I just happened to have a bottle of Perle Noire. The result was the same - more feathering! After this, I tried Noodler's Red-Black which I thought feathered the worse until I tried Private Reserve's Chocolat! Shock-Horror-Disbelief. It was absolutely ridiculous - did Private Reserve completely disregard anti-feathering properties when creating this ink???? I want my money back!

 

I searched the forum again for Amalfi, and various people do indeed mention receiving letters written on Amalfi! Correct me if I am wrong, but I assume the writers used fountain pens - this is "The Fountain Pen Network" afterall. Some people have mentioned slight feathering too, but nothing to this extent.

 

I decided to try a different pen - my trusty Lamy Safari EF reground to italic, which is always inked with Aurora Black. To my surprise there was little feathering with this pen - and Aurora Black (in my opinion) is one of the wetter inks. I washed and filled my superneedlepoint with Aurora Black, and the result was actually acceptable (I didnt see that coming!). Sadly - the reason I don't use Aurora Black in my needlepoint is because there is no shading and it refuses to make a fine hairline. Also, the black ink on the Amalfi is just too bold - brown works so much better.

 

So, I would like to appeal to those of you who have written on Amalfi paper and have experience with any inks that do not feather on this paper. Is there some kind of magical de-feathering solution that can be added to inks to make them feather less? With Amalfi paper being recommended so many times in this forum (and in that famous article "Paper" - by Mr Bentzman), I'm guessing its a case of me just not knowing which ink to use...

 

Living in hope,

James.

 

PS: I do not live in a damp area. =)

 

PPS: I will update this post in a few days (or perhaps next weekend) with scans of samples of text written on Amalfi paper - so you can see what I mean.

Edited December 2, 2007 by jamesbest77

[captnemo]

Gee, that's a bummer. Feathering is somewhat a function of the ink but is mostly a function of how much sizing is applied to the paper when it's manufactured. A paper with no sizing will absorb ink like a paper towel.

 

Since most people write with ballpoints which are immune to feathering because the ink is not a liquid, paper manufacturers can skimp on the sizing and get away with it. I used to assume that "high quality writing paper" would have plenty of sizing but this is not so. I have fancy expensive papers here that feather badly and cheap notebook paper that does not feather.

 

As far as your Amalfi paper, I have no idea. Perhaps someone can chime in with some specific information.

[CD7]

Like captnemo says it could be a matter of sizing.

Perhaps a bad batch or change in formula.

Exchange some sheets with someone else who has the same kind of paper but has had good results.

 

[*david*]

For paper causing this kind of problem, I use Noodler's Black. It has minimal feathering even on newsprint.

[Titivillus]

Admittedly, I am use to writing on the smoothest Clairefontaine notepads, but the amount of feathering I saw was completely unexpected, and in my view unacceptable.

 

James,

 

I've been using Amalfi for about 8 years now as my special paper and haven't seen any feathering out of the ordinary. Not done anything special to it just wrote on it. I have posted a few pieces of dogrell done on Amalfi and I can say that I've not seen any excessive feathering. Can you tell me which watermark your paper has. I prefer the angel as it is a thicker paper and have at times had to use the crest.

 

Here is an attached scan of a scrap of Amalfi with 3 different pens including two italic nibs. Can you post a pic of the feathering writing as I am curious to see it..

 

thanks,

 

Kurt

 

 

 

[LDF]

Wow, for the amount of money Amalfi costs, I'm surprised to hear

about the feathering.

[captnemo]

Admittedly, I am use to writing on the smoothest Clairefontaine notepads, but the amount of feathering I saw was completely unexpected, and in my view unacceptable.

 

James,

 

I've been using Amalfi for about 8 years now as my special paper and haven't seen any feathering out of the ordinary. Not done anything special to it just wrote on it. I have posted a few pieces of dogrell done on Amalfi and I can say that I've not seen any excessive feathering. Can you tell me which watermark your paper has. I prefer the angel as it is a thicker paper and have at times had to use the crest.

 

Here is an attached scan of a scrap of Amalfi with 3 different pens including two italic nibs. Can you post a pic of the feathering writing as I am curious to see it..

 

thanks,

 

Kurt

 

Hmm. The blue and the black look clean, especially the blue, but the green looks to me like it has some feathering going on. An italic or stub should make edges just as sharp as any other nib.

[Titivillus]

Admittedly, I am use to writing on the smoothest Clairefontaine notepads, but the amount of feathering I saw was completely unexpected, and in my view unacceptable.

 

James,

 

I've been using Amalfi for about 8 years now as my special paper and haven't seen any feathering out of the ordinary. Not done anything special to it just wrote on it. I have posted a few pieces of dogrell done on Amalfi and I can say that I've not seen any excessive feathering. Can you tell me which watermark your paper has. I prefer the angel as it is a thicker paper and have at times had to use the crest.

 

Here is an attached scan of a scrap of Amalfi with 3 different pens including two italic nibs. Can you post a pic of the feathering writing as I am curious to see it..

 

thanks,

 

Kurt

 

Hmm. The blue and the black look clean, especially the blue, but the green looks to me like it has some feathering going on. An italic or stub should make edges just as sharp as any other nib.

 

The green Bold italic was one I haven't used in awhile and I had to squeeze the converter to get it to flow so I expect that is the reason for the edges. Remember also that Amalfi is not a smooth paper bu one with a wonderful texture that does give some nooks and crannies for the ink to find. I don't think that can be considered feathering.

 

Kurt

 

[LDF]

The green sample looks feathered to me also.

[Titivillus]

The green sample looks feathered to me also.

 

And as I explained I had squeezed the cartridge on that pen to get it to write so the fins were full of ink, I would have expected it to write extremely wet and the lack of blobs on the paper is a testiment to Sheaffer calligraphy pens .

 

But I think the point is missed that the fine nibbed pen and the fine italic pen did not feather.

 

 

Kurt

 

[Matt]

James,

 

I also have a packet of Amalfi paper with envelopes and I also am very disappointed with the feathering. It is really bad, and unacceptable for a paper of this price and quality. I'm not sure what to do with mine as I refuse to write a personal letter with a ball point pen.

 

Matt C.

Edited December 3, 2007 by Matt

[Farace]

I have some of the Amalfi paper sitting unused, waiting for someone special enough to whom to send a letter written on it. I'll consider myself forewarned and test it before I start writing in earnest.

 

[Titivillus]

James,

 

I also have a packet of Amalfi paper with envelopes and I also am very disappointed with the feathering. It is really bad, and unacceptable for a paper of this price and quality. I'm not sure what to do with mine as I refuse to write a personal letter with a ball point pen.

 

Matt C.

 

 

Was it in a brown folder with a picture on the front selling for about $35. If you'd like to get rid or it please PM me as I love the stuff.

 

 

Kurt

[Titivillus]

I have some of the Amalfi paper sitting unused, waiting for someone special enough to whom to send a letter written on it. I'll consider myself forewarned and test it before I start writing in earnest.

 

Here's another warning the glue on the envelopes is either bad or non-existent so if you are using one be sure to use a glue stick as well. I use their paper but not their envelopes for letters.

 

 

Kurt

 

[captnemo]

The green sample looks feathered to me also.

 

And as I explained I had squeezed the cartridge on that pen to get it to write so the fins were full of ink, I would have expected it to write extremely wet and the lack of blobs on the paper is a testiment to Sheaffer calligraphy pens .

 

But I think the point is missed that the fine nibbed pen and the fine italic pen did not feather.

 

 

Kurt

 

 

It's true that the blue looks really good to me.

[LDF]

The green sample looks feathered to me also.

 

And as I explained I had squeezed the cartridge on that pen to get it to write so the fins were full of ink, I would have expected it to write extremely wet and the lack of blobs on the paper is a testiment to Sheaffer calligraphy pens .

 

But I think the point is missed that the fine nibbed pen and the fine italic pen did not feather.

 

 

Kurt

 

 

It's true that the blue looks really good to me.

Maybe you could switch the green with the other colors and see if there's more

feathering. Maybe it's a line width or ink issue.

[Titivillus]

Maybe you could switch the green with the other colors and see if there's more

feathering. Maybe it's a line width or ink issue.

 

That is true it may be a line or ink issue since the other two lines didn't feather so I am thinking that the feathering shown is really because the pen had overfilled fins making it an incredibly wet writer.

 

I would love to continue 'burning' :ltcapd: my Amalfi stock but maybe someone who says that Amalfi feathers with a normal size nib should post a pic.

 

 

[jamesbest77]

Hi All,

 

Here are the scans as promised. I have to rush off now, but I will write a proper reply to your many answers later on

 

Waterman Havana Ink samples:

 

Noodlers Red-Black:

 

Private Reserve Chocolat:

 

Herbin Perle Noir:

 

Aurora Black in my Lamy Safari:

 

Aurora Black:

 

Walker's Copperplate Ink in a Gillott 404 (*not* a 303):

 

 

James.

[captnemo]

Hmm, well the PR Chocolat would make a fine textbook example of feathering. It looks like blotter paper instead of writing paper, but it's clearly dependent on the ink too. Interesting.

[Titivillus]

After looking at the pictures of feathered ink I have to say that there must be some variation in paper since in all the years that I have been using the paper I have never seen anything like that and I've probably used a dozen inks and pens.

 

I buy my paper from stock ( 100 page boxes) I wonder if there is a quality difference in the packaged versions. I know that I prefer the angel watermark over the crest watermarked pages.

 

 

Kurt