Which Print Paper Type: Inkjet,laser,all-purpose?

[Stylo]

I know printing paper is often not the ideal type of paper to use for FP writing, but I like the fact that they are not ruled and that they come in convenient packs of 500.

 

They ususally come in three types: inkJet, laser, and all-purpose. Has anyone here experimented enough with these types of papers to draw any conclusions? Which types gives the smoothest writing feel? Which one is least feathering prone? Is paper weight more important than paper type? Any favorite brands or specific models? Thanks in advance for any inputs.

 

As a side note, for notebook/notepad type paper, Clairefontaine had been a childhood favorite, and I recently discovered that Ampad Gold Fibre is pretty good (thanks to a rambling snail memeber).

 

 

PS: After having difficulties accessing the forums throughout the day, I finally posted the above message on pentrace first.

[mr_inky]

I like to use HammerMill Jet Print 24#. 106+ brightness.

 

It works really well in my ink jet printer and has a nice smooooth surface for FP's. No feathering.

[KCat]

I like Hammermill 24lb in general. My first two batches of HP Color Laser paper (28lb) were great - minimal bleed/show-through and wonderfully smooth. The latest is not as great - like they didn't use as much sizing. It's designed supposedly to take color laser printing without feathering and such. so it seems quite compatible with my high-concentration inks that I prefer to use. In general I prefer 28 lb paper.

 

I love Royal Silk Natural. The blue and grey are nice too but rather heavily sized and can clog some pens I think. The Natural is smooth and green inks look lovely on it. Since I love green inks...

[Free Citizen]

PS: After having difficulties accessing the forums throughout the day, I finally posted the above message on pentrace first.

Hi Stylo,

 

I posted this reply at PT but I'll post it here as well for all to see.

 

"A Pentracer here who works in the paper industry once posted some very interesting information about this subject. It seems that there is an industry standard that is used to test paper for feathering and blotting. He found Inkjet paper to be among the best performer in this respect. But be careful when you buy precut and prepack Inkjet paper. Most of these are coated with a compound to enhance the performance of inkjet printing. If you use FP on them, the coating material will clog the slit of your FP nib. The reverse side is safe to use. But why bother? It is best to buy uncoated inkjet paper. "

[KCat]

buy precut and prepack Inkjet paper. Most of these are coated with a compound to enhance the performance of inkjet printing. If you use FP on them, the coating material will clog the slit of your FP nib. The reverse side is safe to use. But why bother? It is best to buy uncoated inkjet paper. "

while I know this can be a problem (as it is for me with Royal silk blue and grey) i've never had any such problem with standard laser or ink jet. For these, i think most can be perfectly safe. We probably clean our ink jet print heads about as often as most of us clean our FPs.

 

I also noticed that I can still use RS blue and grey papers with certain pens and inks. An edged nib tends to pick up the clay particles and clog the pen faster - such that by the time I got to page two my pen would be faltering. But a wet writing stub or standard nib with PR ink worked indefinitely.

[mr_inky]

I would agree that a fine or ex-fine nib would have a worse time of getting clogged on some papers than a medium or stub. Gets into the whole weight distribution, surface area, space / time continuum thing. I've used FP's on carbonless coated paper and never had a problem with a wet medium but had to clean a wet fine.

[Titivillus]

PS: After having difficulties accessing the forums throughout the day, I finally posted the above message on pentrace first.

Hi Stylo,

 

I posted this reply at PT but I'll post it here as well for all to see.

 

"A Pentracer here who works in the paper industry once posted some very interesting information about this subject. It seems that there is an industry standard that is used to test paper for feathering and blotting. He found Inkjet paper to be among the best performer in this respect. But be careful when you buy precut and prepack Inkjet paper. Most of these are coated with a compound to enhance the performance of inkjet printing. If you use FP on them, the coating material will clog the slit of your FP nib. The reverse side is safe to use. But why bother? It is best to buy uncoated inkjet paper. "

If you think about it both general and laser printer paper melt the ink and spray it on the paper while inkjet is a liquid ink that is sprayed onto the paper. I bet that you really would not want that to feather so that quality is best for FP ink as well.

[Free Citizen]

I hate to say this but all of you who experience nib clogging, are using the wrong type of paper for FP. Coated paper will almost do that to any pen, not just FP. It is designed to enhance colour inkjet printing such as photographic reproduction. Uncoated paper will NEVER clog your pens. Always insist on the latter for your writing needs.

[Stylo]

Free Citizen, thanks for your replies here and on pentrace. Unforunately, it seems like there is no reliable way to find out whether your typical print paper ise coated or not. i don't ever recall seeing anything about coatings on the packaging.

[Free Citizen]

Free Citizen, thanks for your replies here and on pentrace.  Unforunately, it seems like there is no reliable way to find out whether your typical print paper is coated or not.  I don't ever recall seeing anything about coatings on the packaging.

Avoid these,

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v254/FreeCitizen/Rambling%20Snail/InkjetPaper.jpg

 

The types you see here are all coated. Not that you can't use them at all. It is still safe to use on the uncoated side but it would be overkill considering the cost. Check with the nearest Architects office and find out where they get their uncoated inkjet paper for plan printing.

[Stylo]

These are obviously coated (glossy, etc.). I was under the impression that even your typical inkjet paper may be coated too.

[Free Citizen]

Typical Inkjet paper sold in packets and stocked on shelves are normally coated like the first example in the image. At least that is the case in my area. For uncoated ones, only stationery shops that supply to drawing offices have them. Hope that helps

[sleek_lover]

I sorta gotta get in on this one...

 

First, for most purposes, grab whatever paper is handy and write. It is my experience that workhorse pens are remarkably versatile, writing on just about anything.

 

Second, while ink characteristics are not unimportant, the workhorse inks...PR, Noodler, Skrip, Quink...seem to be as unfussy as the workhorse pens.

 

These come from personal observation and experience. Grocery sack/brown wrapping paper to artsy-fartsy 100% virgin fiber grown by organic folks in organic ways in organic areas (btw...organic normally means having a carbon atom somewhere in the atomic structure...as in organic chemistry), I have seen very little difference in pen/ink performance.

 

Don't misunderstand...I don't use grocery bags for nice writin'.

 

Bill

[KCat]

Don't misunderstand...I don't use grocery bags for nice writin'.

 

Bill

yeah but it might be fun to try.

 

one of the "creative" cards/letters from a book I've been using snail embellishment ideas uses a white paper bag with a handle as the stationery. It looks like the sort of cheap bag used by malls during Christmas, and is long and narrow (or cut to appear that way.) This is then folded accordion-style into the proper size for USPS. kinda cool, IMO.

 

I agree with you re: papers - i want the paper to take the ink, to not bleed or feather, and to get the communication across. From there, if I want to dress it up or something fine.

 

i have even... (shudder) begun to use cheap notebooks from drugstores to write my stories in rather than my preferred paper (Levenger notepads.)

[Guest Denis Richard]

I'm realizing that BP and RB are the best for bad paper... That reminds me of some creative moments when I was a student, that ended on a paper napkin at the terrasse of a Cafe.... Can't really do that with a FP... or may be an XF nib, and a very thick napkin

 

Denis.

[Free Citizen]

For newsprint, BP is best. But I hear that Noodler is suited for that media as well. RB ink is just like most FP ink and will just blot if the writing is slow. The same applies for paper towels or napkins.

[JeffTL]

There's something far better than a ballpoint for writing on bad paper -- a pencil.

 

But as for printer paper to use, I've had no trouble using my Parker Reflex (loaded with black or one time washable blue Quink) on HP Multipurpose, which is a pretty good paper for laser printing as well.

[Titivillus]

There's something far better than a ballpoint for writing on bad paper -- a pencil.

 

But as for printer paper to use, I've had no trouble using my Parker Reflex (loaded with black or one time washable blue Quink) on HP Multipurpose, which is a pretty good paper for laser printing as well.

Any paper is pretty much going to have some coating ( sizing) on it's surface as if there was none then we'd be writing on something akin to blotting paper. This sizing is usually a clay type material that might be similar to similar to using gesso in oilpainting, that is to give a nice base to work on. There might be different amounts of material used by different companies but it is hard for me to imagine a nib picking up lots of this material unless pressure is being used to furrow the paper and capturing it then.

 

 

My opinion although some net searching should talk about sizing.

 

K H

[freecia]

i have even... (shudder) begun to use cheap notebooks from drugstores to write my stories in rather than my preferred paper (Levenger notepads.)

Slightly Off Topic side note, while Wilson Jones notebook covers are colorful and durable, the paper inside them is... can I compare it to generic toilet paper or is that just too harsh?

 

It would be funny to non-FP users of how appalled I was upon opening the pack of notebooks only to find such shoddy paper inside. I do believe I made the faces my mom warned me about. I rest assured that FPNers would probably have shared my "booooo!!!! HISS!!!!" reaction.

[KCat]

oilpainting, that is to give a nice base to work on. There might be different amounts of material used by different companies but it is hard for me to imagine a nib picking up lots of this material unless pressure is being used to furrow the paper and capturing it then.

i have some papers that are obviously more heavily coated than average... i dont have problems with a standard nib - but with an italic or sharp oblique, those do seem to clog. So I think you're right in that you have to use pressure or have some other factor that will really pick up the sizing in most papers. At first I thought something was wrong with my Binder Italic.... why was it losing steam after a page or so when it had performed flawlessly for a couple of years now.

 

cleaned it, used it on more FP friendly papers for a while, no problem, went to the heavily-coated paper... hiccough!

 

so i reserve those papers for use with a standard round-tip FP.