I also struggle with not wanting to "waste" paper. I have some notepads of Japanese paper that I haven't used yet (though I want to!) because I don't know what to write and don't want to scribble. Thank you for sharing your experience with paper, and I'm excited for future updates on the paper you have!
I even have thought I maybe need to try a few of the new notebooks as supplemental ink journals if I can get over that "wasteful" judgement in my mind. It won't be a waste if I can test out the inks on various papers ... but it's hard to convince myself of this lol.
Many, many thanks for including comments and assessments of letter writing paper and envelopes. This category is by far and away the most important for me: I don't do much journalling at all. The idea of keeping notes on which pens and inks work and which don't on certain papers is great - I need to start that!
I am always looking for the perfect paper/envelope combination for letter writing ... I always seem to go back to A5 Tomoe River 52 gsm paper and the envelope that fits A5 paper folded once ... boring but it always seems best. I like the Midori envelopes even though they are pricey but I found some good ones in Walmart that do work and come in both white and in pastels. :)
Hello Chris! Thank you for posting this video. I can’t wait to explore your other videos and learn from you! I am a longtime writer and fountain pen user, but I haven’t gotten into the details of this hobby until recently so I am very excited to be here. Thank you!
"Fountain pen friendly" paper is really a fairly modern idea. For years since they started making bond more than laid, paper could be much less friendly with inks. Imagine what your experience would be like with cheaper inks and the paper that becomes more common in the early 19th century, using the quills and other dip pens. I've seen several Victorian era paper conservators who have said much they've seen have been garbage. Frankly, there's a good reason that many vintage pens were finer, and by the "golden age" of fountain pens (1930s until the advent of the ballpoint), many ink manufacturers were focused on dry times than much else. Take the Parker 51 and the Parker Quink inks of that period. By today's standards, the 51 was a VERY dry writing pen. Most of them were fines and extra fines. And the inks, even those that were failures ("51" ate pens not made of the lucite used for the 51, and even ate the early sterling silver breather tubes out of the 51s. Worse than Iroshizoku with a latex sac😁) touted they dried very quickly. Try even their descendants, Waterman, Sheaffer, and Parker Quink. Might be made elsewhere, and owned by others, today, but they're still very close to the "golden age" versions. Diamine standard inks are the same. Probably other standard inks, but they're pretty much outside my experience. By the 20th century, because of more standard manufacturing processes, I'm sure, paper has been generally more consistent than what was used in the dip pen era. Still generally a more porous thing than what is optimal for fountain pen and dip pen use.😉 (there's a good reason most written in pen during the 19th century that survived are either in India ink or iron gall. One tends to not move outside of where it was originally put down, and the other is fairly dry and fast drying, so limited "deformity.") One you shared kind of exemplifies the paper that today we'd consider "fountain pen friendly," but used in the dip pen era. The bank paper. For a while, there was a fascination in finding vintage ledger paper because inks generally behave great on it. Fountain pen friendly paper today is really not that different from the higher quality paper of yesteryear. Laid is generally great. Coated, though it's kinda incidental, plays nice with the slower drying and modern "special properties" inks. Dig into the history of a paper you like. Not generally originally for fountain pen, I'd bet. 😉 Tomoe River was originally for printing catalogs, for example. In the past, you will probably find a lot written in pencil. Reusable, and you can get very cheaply, and pencils were very cheap as well. Inked letters have tended to be on better paper. Journals and diaries were better paper because they were cherished and the writers wanted them to last. Definitely depends on how you are using it. I try to have a standard ink of some sort in a pen in case I need to write on some truly awful paper (like used by doctor's offices everywhere, banks and government offices. They generally use the cheapest they can find, so... 😁) For letters and the like, in my budget, Clairefontaine Triomphe. Available readily in loose sheets (usually in a glued binding pad) and journal and notebook format (though, sadly, not in a hardbound), and very consistent (in my experience, their "sister," Rhodia can be less consistent, for some reason.) Sadly, Clairefontaine doesn't have the envelopes they used to have. Either the Triomphe 90 GSM or my preferred, the more economical 80 GSM I'd found on Amazon (in 50 envelope "pads" for less than the fountain pen retailers were selling the 90 GSM in packages of 25...) But there's apparently more fountain pen users still in the UK, so I've got some DL size envelopes from the UK through Amazon. As decent as Rhodia, IMO, though I've really only used Platinum Carbon Black in these (my younger sister lives in Florida, so a high probability that the envelope will get wet. 😁) I'm keeping track of my diet, because I'm having kidney and diabetes related issues currently, but that's on a fairly cheap Walmart Pen+Gear hardcover journal. Not something for posterity. 😂 Around my area, and because I have difficulty currently going anywhere, Walmart is cheap and with a standard ink, does okay. Dollar Tree stuff, as well. Better than the American made Mead. Might as well write on toilet paper... One of the fun things of using a fountain pen is what you like in certain applications. 😁 And using your preference. Fun dip of your toe into the multitude of papers out there, Chris! Can be a serious "rabbit hole!"😂
Hi Paul! I genuinely never thought much about paper quality until I was over 40 ... lol. The paper used to be such better quality I always wrote on plain cheap steno notebooks the vertical spiral type that secretaries used. My fountain pen with Sheaffer medium nib in high school did good on all my notebooks in the late 70s early 80s. LOL I think many of my paper woes stem from being a broad nib fanatic. :) This is a good idea you have about looking into the history of the papers! Gosh, growing up we had so few choices yet I don't remember any problems ... we wrote with very simple pens and pencils until I got my fountain pen in high school. Mom bought her notebooks by the dozen at a local office supply store and shared with me. I'm still like a kindergartner in this hobby really ... it amazes me all the never ending things that come up to learn that I didn't even know that I didn't know. :) I'm not sure what paper I'd be using if I wasn't a You Tuber with a generous group of viewers, pen pals and pen friends. :) If I had not started ordering online it would definitely be what I could find in the drug stores and Walmart. :) I hope you are doing well my friend!!!! Have you been able to go back to your home yet?
@ChrisSaenz13 There's definitely been a change in inks. I think that's the biggest difference, though the prevalence of writing letters in the past is definitely a factor as well. And those steno pads in the past were probably regularly used with a fountain pen still. I definitely remember more access to high-quality letter writing paper. Even those cheaper ones with the fake linen weave pattern embossed were pretty decent. And by then, even my dad, who probably used his Esterbrook well into the ballpoint era, had switched to what I remember, a Flair felt tip.😁 (I think that Mead made the linen weave letter pads. Far cry from their paper of today. Might as well write on Charmin now...😁) Looking into moving. My apartment was absolutely not handicapped accessible, so my sister and I are actively looking for something better. Either first floor or with an elevator. 😉 When an old farmhouse with part supposedly built in the 1600s is actually more handicapped accessible... (My sister's house in "Shrek country." Sand knoll in the middle of a swamp, wild onions and with a donkey... 😂 Actually, it's a pony mule, but part donkey. 😁)
@@paulherman5822 Good luck with your apartment search!!!! :) Reading your reply I remembered going to the local drug store to buy stationery sets with paper and matching envelopes! Those were the days!!!!! :)
I use Rhodia dot grid for letter writing, Clairefontaine lined for my weight journal, Tomoe River for ink fun, Leuchtturm for my bullet journal, and CVS Caliber for my everyday writing like my commonplace book and a notebook that I use to do the puzzles I copy from my digital local newspaper. I do the daily sudoku puzzle and on Sunday I do the sudoku, KenKen and 7 Little Words. The CVS stores have closed near me so I stock up when I visit my daughter. I always enjoy your videos.
Hi Chris! That was a wonderful video about stationery. Clairefontaine wire-bound A4 notebooks are among my favorites. When I write on the Cosmo Air Light paper, I wear one of those calligraphy gloves that covers the side of your writing hand to prevent skin oils from affecting the paper. Thank you for posting this video. 🙂
Hi Chris. Neil Piper from the UK . Good to hear your voice again x I'm into vintage flex pens now. I have a lovely Conway Stewart with a 14 k gold nib. I like Clairefontaine and Tomoe river papers. I like Waterman's inks, especially Tender Purple and Lamy Turquoise.
Hi Neil - I'm trying out Lamy Turquoise for May in my inked pens! I wonder if it's the same as the cartridges I once had from them if so I already know I will like it ... I now have a 3 ml sample a viewer sent to me!
Nice tip on the caliber notebooks! I went and got one for 3 bucks and was blown away when I started writing and saw shading from my inks. Smooth and nice! Can’t beat that price either
The CVS Caliber notebooks are pretty awesome! Glad you liked yours. I love them because I can actively use a water brush on them or splatter inks and they don't bleed thru they may ghost but I'm used to that with the Tomoe River paper anyway!
My absolute favorite is the Midori A5 notebook. All of my pens write well on it. I also like the CVS Caliber and have never had any problem with it. Trying to figure out what to take on a trip to the UK next month, maybe a Travelers notebook or field notes. I usually have three notebooks going, a spiritual journal, a books I have read journal and a brain dump notebook. Thanks for the paper vid.
Hi @lju5001 Midori paper is great! I haven't the mileage on it that I have on Tomoe River paper and CVS Caliber paper but I know it holds up very well and the thickness is so nice on the Midori paper. Have a wonderful trip!!!!!!
This is the frist time I've seen your content, and I liked it! I'll be around to see more. Thanks for all the great info and reviews with why you use (or don't use) each option. I'm a big fan of both the Leuchtuurm and Caliber notebooks, too. Well done and keep it up!
Looks like I'll be stopping in CVS soon😉 if you're making a JetPens order any time soon pick up an Apica CD 11, they are around $3 and are my favorite, super thin books, but I find that most comfortable. I'd like to try the Midori paper too.
@@ChrisSaenz13 They had their composition books on clearance for $0.89 so I got 3. I'm enjoying them, having a hard time fighting the urge to go back and get more!🤣 Thanks for recommending it, it's so nice to have such an affordable option.
OK final comment. Ha ha. Paper is the Sun of my fountain pen and ink solar system. It's critical. Have you ever tried Nebula Premium paper? It has some tooth like Leuchturm and it's really nice for ink. I think Colorverse developed it. I have it in premium notebooks but I also have it in blank sheets. The package of A4 blank sheets also comes with a lined guide page. I'd be more than happy to send a few sheets if you'd like to try it.
I have not tried Nebula Premium paper yet but I seem to remember the Nebula Tomoe River notebook/pads I used for letter writing because one came in an Ink Flight subscription box years ago! :) Right now I'm over loaded with stuff to try but this paper will go on my list for future try-outs!!!! :)
I really enjoyed this video. Paper has been difficult for me. I started out with the Dingbats journal and gotten a lot more courageous since watching your videos. Now I have tomoe river in both gsms, Galen leather journal and some of the other papers. Thanks so much for doing these videos for us. I depend on them so much.
Hi Cynthia - Dingbats journals have some really nice paper in them! I'm still using a pocket size dot grid journal by them for my commonplace notebook where I jot down notes on thins I'm looking into. Glad you're trying out some more types of paper - it's amazing the difference our PEN/INK/PAPER combinations can make!!!!!
I need to do a complete inventory on a spreadsheet ... there is more paper here than what I showed. I just didn't want to put off doing the video any longer. :) When I get that spreadsheet done I'll share it then at least it will be public what I already have or have tried. :)
Thanks for your insights about FP friendly paper. Here in Toronto, Canada, CVS stores are few and far between in the 2nd land mass of a country. I use Muji paper, though not US P&G cheap, but at $3.70 US 96 pg A4 spiral-bound, close enough. I use them as commonplace books. Planner, TN inserts, and Midori for my Hobinichi A6. Journaling, goes to Leuchtturm1917, while jotting notes belongs in a Rhodia pad.
Hi @mellow-jello the CVS stores keep closing in these parts of Texas too. I'm sure someday they won't be here anymore. Muji paper sounds familiar but I don't remember for sure if I've tried it. :)
Good morning. I just found your channel this morning when I was looking for journaling and fountain pen paper discussions. Can’t wait to see more discussions. I wanted to tell you about a new journal I just bought yesterday at Barnes & Nobel. It’s a Good Inkpressions. Small company. I believe they started on Etsy and are based in Spain if I’m not mistaken. The paper is Tomoe River Paper 68gsm. It’s priced at a similar price to the Leutchtrum (sorry, not spelling it right, I’m sure). It beautiful. I immediately came home and started it. If you buy it, let me know what you think. Also, how can we become penpals? I’d love that. Have a great day. Speak soon.
Hi @anasplans5861 -- I heard about the goodInkPressions notebooks over on Seaweed Kisses channel just recently and my husband insisted on taking me to get one ... which was lucky because they had exactly one left. I can't wait to try it ... it will be my next notebook after the Graphilo which is filling up very fast. :) Best was to contact me about pen paling is my email: chris@inkswatch.com
Hello Chris, I enjoyed this video very much. For years I did not really think that much about paper, my attention being mostly on ink and pens and then I started watching Figboot and started to understand the importance of paper….. I am still exploring 😊
Hi Anne - there are so many paper types to explore it's mind boggling! For quite awhile now I've kept to a very narrow lane with paper but it's fun to try new ones. :) I'll have to see what Figboot says about paper I know he has WAY more hobby knowledge than me!!!!! :)
I'm going to share something that has helped me take the plunge with a new, special journal. Start at the back. It sort it breaks the seal in it staying perfect and frees me up to start using it. I can't wait to see what you do with the onion skin!
This is a great idea!!! I noticed once I make a pen test page in the back it's a little easier to "start" on the notebook!!!! :) I "found" your channel the other day!!!! :) The first thing I noticed was the purple Moonman Mini -- WOW!!!! :)
1. For a few years I've bought nothing for drawing but bristol board, full sheets (15" * 30") and sketchbooks of various sizes. Still using up some old, nearly-as-good multi-media paper and watercolor paper, the latter good when brushing or pouring ink right on the paper. 2. For writing, Clairefontaine suits me well. 3. Gloves, especially calligraphy gloves (2-fingered) is good way to deal with the hand oil problem. 4. A Sailor pen with De Atramentis Artist Ink and Strathmore Bristol Board and I am ready to GO.
Hi Chris, you talked about Pen Pals and I was wondering if you are still taking on new PenPals and if so, how may I join in?. I identify with you because I grew up in Houston, TX, have visited Corpus Christi and Padre Island and I am retired. I really enjoy your videos. Lenore
Hi @lenorebreen3394 for quite awhile I was "in over my head" with pen pals and didn't dare agree to any more but things are fairly calm right now ... still my turn around time is between 2 weeks and a month usually ... meaning I usually get to write a letter each month to each pen pal. If you're still interested please email me at: chris@inkswatch.com
I use Clairefontaine notebooks at work and use all sorts of nibs. I never have any issues. I like that thicker Clairefontaine but i have to fight the binding to keep it open. I've been using Endless Recorders or Leuchttrum for bullet journals. I'm using a big Galen Leather notebook for journaling at the moment. Thanks for all your info, it's so useful.
Hi Terri - I have to revisit Clairefontaine paper -- my early impressions were very affected by my newness to the hobby and not understanding too much about how ink and nib width affects things! :)
Hi Chris! I haven't read "Hungry Ghosts" but am a fan of Gabor Matte. Have you read "The Myth of Normal?" Great discussion of your paper journey. Like you I have settled into Tomoe River 52gsm (my journal, commonplace book) and Midori for my TN planner. My journal inserts are either from Goulet or Baum. Kuchen
Your ink website is so great! I find it very useful. I love Tomoe River paper.. now the Tomoe S, which I also love. Also I enjoy onion skin paper which I get off of Etsy, very affordable and offered in multiple sizes. I’m in a Hobinichi techo cousin, and I’m loving it.. Tomoe in that. Midori is lovely too.. 68 gsm Tomoe River is really nice too.. it’s a fun rabbit hole. I’m kind of a paper freak. I use a Mnemosyne ring bound journal for teaching. I really enjoy your vids. Gabor Maté’s work is really helpful.
Hi @Sonicman415 it has been a long time since I wrote on a Mnemosyne journal but I remember liking the paper very much! At one time I kept one with my ink journals for testing inks. Definately I'm finding out what a rabbit hole paper can be! Since I was very little I always bought paper pads and notebooks with my "allowance" but there are so many choices nowdays! :)
I liked the exceed notebooks from walmart that they were selling three years ago, but I haven't had any luck finding them at my local store here recently. I switched to bullet journaling in a hobonichi weeks now since it is skinnier than an A5, easier to carry around to all our appointments. Tomoe River is my favorite, followed by Caliber from CVS. With all the changes going on in the paper companies, by the time I find one, I like they stop making it. I have a sample of Lamy Violet Blackberry I would like to gift to you. Would you like it? I know you like to use a waterbrush on inks and it is very pretty when it interacts with water.
Hi Erin -- thank you for asking ... I would love to try a sample of Lamy Violet Blackberry ... I'm not buying anything at this time and I've not even looked at pen stores online to keep myself relatively FOMO free. LOL
Ok, that's ok. I was asking what address to send the sample to. I'm elnjshumpert over there if you want to try sending me a message. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Lamy Violet Blackberry.
Another interesting video Chris, and it will be most interesting to see how you progress as you report on some of these new papers you've received. Me, I've never really been overly concerned about paper. What I use today is an old note pad that is top stapled and perforated. I use that for quick testing my pens to make sure they're writing, and I'm down to a couple of pages. For my nightly journal/diary that last 3 or for have been A5 Burgundy lined Exceed from Wal-Mart, and I've recently acquired A5 sizes of Rhodia Webnotebook, & Endless recorder. For just writing a quick sample of each pen/nib/ink combo I have an A4 size Rhodia staple bound 96 page 80 gsm notepad. I recently acquired a Pen + Gear notepad in A5 size with sewn binding and 60 pages. Not sure at this point what I want to use it for. I have so much paper on hand that I am definitely not lacking!!
Heya Chris!😊 I'm a big fan of You and Your channel. & today I was hearing of how there's a lot of people who send You gifts. & I am like, I want to send a bunch of stuff to You also. But how? I don't know how to do so. So if You would be willing to recieve a nice parcel, please do let me know. THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE LOVELY CONTENT ON YOUR CHANNEL. Yours truly Steven.
Hi Steven - what you see in this video is a long time of paper being sent over time mostly pen pals .... I'm honestly finding I have so much of everything I would not feel right accepting anymore at this time. Thank you ... but I've been telling everyone I have plenty+ of everything and would like to use up and explore everything I already have this year!!!! Very kind of you to offer though.
Hi @ja14803 - I'll have to give this some thought ... my problem with that is that I put birthdays of pen pals and family members in my bullet journal and appointments etc which all seems to be a breech of security. LOL Maybe I can figure something out though. I am very simple in mine .... I do a monthly spread to get a nice overview of appointments and tasks and I do daily lists .... I also do special spreads and collections on anything that interests me that I'm either researching or trying to learn. Hopefully I can figure out some way to "show" how I do it .... I know in the past I did quite a few. Not too much has changed except I may go lighter on the stickers and stuff now. I still love to decorate my pages but I don't go out of my way to get anything for that nowdays. Here's one from 5 yrs ago ... I do use a separate weekly calendar book now too but my monthly spreads are still the same!!!!! ua-cam.com/video/aFNdLMH0S90/v-deo.html
A new (ish) paper I really like is iroful. There is also a new paper called B7 (named after the musical chord, not the paper size) that I'm experimenting with.
Hi @Calcprof - I'm about to try out the Iroful paper ... I think this week as my other 2 that I'm writing letters with are getting very low so I'm about to open the package of A5 Iroful paper!!! What company makes B7 paper? LOL at first it does sound like a size. :)
Got hit with more diabetes complications so I'm way behind of EVERYTHING, including videos.. Trying to catch up, but it's slow going. So much is personal taste and personal need. I really don't like Tomoe River paper at all, and my favorite inks bleed right through Leuchtturm standard paper. I truly HATE onionskin paper. I think it's more of a cool trend than serious paper. I had to use way, way too much of it at one point in my life and it was horrible. I buy every potential fountain pen paper I encounter, but I have finally settled down to five types of paper that I use routinely. I never use broad nibs. I use fine and medium, and this really does make a difference. Paper matters, and it matters a lot, but I worry as much about the binding and cover material of a journal as I do about the paper. Paper doesn't matter much if the journal falls about a year down the road. I LOVE Clairefontaine paper, but I don't like the notebooks it comes in, so I only use Clairefontaine loose leaf paper. Not necessarily in order, my most used papers are: 1. Rhodia top bound tablets. Not fond of Rhodia journals, but I love the top bound tablets. Much better paper. Nothing I have bleeds through, and it works as well with gel ink and pencils as with fountain pen ink. 2. Black n' Red A4 Casebound, but only those made in Germany. Been using this since 1979 for my journals. No reason to switch. 3. Black n' Red side spiral notebooks. One of the best papers I've ever used. Also made in Germany. 4. Apica. 5. Exceed. 6. Filofax. Decent paper, and a love being able to move the pages around. 7. Art Paper. 9x12 Pen & Gear sketch books for everyday use at home, and 5.5x8.5 when away. Strathmore of the same sizes for things I know I want to keep. Wonderful fountain pen paper, and I can write on drawing paper better than I can draw, or watercolor, or writing paper. I must have two dozen of more types of paper, a hundred different journals and notebooks, including every supposedly fountain pen friendly paper I could find, and it was just getting to be too much. I've given the grandkids enough to last them twenty years, so what I can't use for fountain pens I'll use with gel pens or with pencils. I love writing with mechanical pencils, so why not use up non-fountain pen paper this way?
Hi James - I'm sorry you've been having complications. Manuel has been too and he is trying an insulin pen ... he seems to be doing a little better but it was scary there for awhile. I hope you feel better soon. I think on your list the only one I have not had any chance to try is Filofax paper if I'm not mistaken. I've seen plenty of it in other peoples videos. :) I have some Rhodia top bound tablets to try out in the batch of paper gifted to the channel. :) That will be a nice revisit of Rhodia since I didn't like it early on in my return to fountain pens ... some of my pens just seemed too dry to write on it. I'm curious how my experience may have changed in 7+ years. :)
Hi Chris, i hope you are well! i loved this video. A few surprises. A few years ago, i bought my first leustrum journal and i was so disappointed! Everything bled through. Even a fine nib! It has 3 pages written and has been sitting there for years! I can only use ball pointpens in it. I guess they have upgraded their paper in the last 8 yrs! My preference in paper is tomoe because it shows the ink colors well. Then it’s Claire fontaine. It takes a while to dry, but i love writing on it. Then it’s rodia, i also enjoy writing on that but it does not show of the ink’s properties as well! (Especially sheening, which i like ). I’ve also found a vietnam paper copybookz in the dollar store that works well. I guess it depends on where you live, many of the books i need to import and between shipping and other taxes it doubles the price. Have a good day!
Hi Ann-Ingrid -- I think since Leuchtturm now offers 120 gsm paper with dot grid I have stayed with that brand even though the original journals the paper did tend to bleed thru with a lot of my M nib pens even. On your older Leuchtturm paper you may have luck with it with a Lamy F nib. It depends on the ink but I took loads of notes with J Herbin Amethyste de l'Oural in my older Leuchtturm and it didn't bleed thru. I have one of those old notebooks I ripped the front pages out of and I'm starting over since I had a disappointment too with that old notebook. :) That's a great find in the dollar store the copybookz made in Vietnam - I'll have to look for it. :)
I can remember when I first started in the hobby I was using 99 c store journals and they were TERRIBLE but now they have come a long way they still bleed but not as bad and not as often as they use to so they have come a long way and one paper that surprised me was the Jot Journal from the Dollar Tree for a buck 25 its the perfect on the go large pocket size book for those on the go type adventures where you might want to write something down and its taken everything that I can throw at it... and for those who dont know I review fountain pens ink and paper every day because of this obsession to find the perfect ink paper and pen combination and its so hard I got to the store and I see these families around back to school time and they get all excited cause they found a cheap paper and i cry inside a little for them cause its such bad paper then I have to remember that they probably arent using fountain pens so ... but hands down my favorite papers are CVS caliber loose leaf filler paper and tomoe river 68gsm GLP The Author notebooks, Archer and olive 160gsm I can use watercolor or even sharpie and it doesnt come through which is amazing, I also really like the Pen & Gear Heavweight notebook paper its a spiral bound and it only comes in big size but wow that paper is also gonna be right up there with some of the best paper and for $1.95 You cant beat that... Hands down If I can save on money I can spend what I would have spent on ink or pens and I would rather spend my ink on inks that I want and pens that I want over paper. :) take care talk soon
Our 99 cents store didn't ever open and now I'm reading stuff about the stores closing all over ... not sure if that's true or not. Heaven knows we have enough dollar stores but I had been excited for the 99 cents store since they carry different types of things ... and we seem to have tons of Dollar Tree and Family Dollars on every corner lol. Archer & Olive I've not tried yet but I did love my Oddessey notebook with 68 gsm Tomoe River paper. It's funny but I think I do have a Jot journal around here somewhere that I got back when I was going to do a bunch of different composition books. Eeeks ... I tend to start things but not too big on the finishing part. :)
Thanks for your insights about FP friendly paper. Here in Toronto, Canada, CVS stores are few and far between in the 2nd land mass of a country. I use Muji paper, though not US P&G cheap, but at $3.70 US 96 pg A4 spiral-bound, close enough. I use them as commonplace books. Planner, TN inserts, and Midori for my Hobinichi A6. Journaling, goes to Leuchtturm1917, while jotting notes belongs in a Rhodia pad.
‘Feathers like a chicken’ 🤗
I also struggle with not wanting to "waste" paper. I have some notepads of Japanese paper that I haven't used yet (though I want to!) because I don't know what to write and don't want to scribble. Thank you for sharing your experience with paper, and I'm excited for future updates on the paper you have!
I even have thought I maybe need to try a few of the new notebooks as supplemental ink journals if I can get over that "wasteful" judgement in my mind. It won't be a waste if I can test out the inks on various papers ... but it's hard to convince myself of this lol.
Many, many thanks for including comments and assessments of letter writing paper and envelopes. This category is by far and away the most important for me: I don't do much journalling at all. The idea of keeping notes on which pens and inks work and which don't on certain papers is great - I need to start that!
I am always looking for the perfect paper/envelope combination for letter writing ... I always seem to go back to A5 Tomoe River 52 gsm paper and the envelope that fits A5 paper folded once ... boring but it always seems best. I like the Midori envelopes even though they are pricey but I found some good ones in Walmart that do work and come in both white and in pastels. :)
Hello Chris!
Thank you for posting this video. I can’t wait to explore your other videos and learn from you! I am a longtime writer and fountain pen user, but I haven’t gotten into the details of this hobby until recently so I am very excited to be here. Thank you!
Hi @simonneliaa -- welcome to the channel! I'm so glad you're here! Please let me know if there's anything I can help you find!!!
@@ChrisSaenz13 Thank you!!
"Fountain pen friendly" paper is really a fairly modern idea. For years since they started making bond more than laid, paper could be much less friendly with inks. Imagine what your experience would be like with cheaper inks and the paper that becomes more common in the early 19th century, using the quills and other dip pens. I've seen several Victorian era paper conservators who have said much they've seen have been garbage.
Frankly, there's a good reason that many vintage pens were finer, and by the "golden age" of fountain pens (1930s until the advent of the ballpoint), many ink manufacturers were focused on dry times than much else.
Take the Parker 51 and the Parker Quink inks of that period. By today's standards, the 51 was a VERY dry writing pen. Most of them were fines and extra fines. And the inks, even those that were failures ("51" ate pens not made of the lucite used for the 51, and even ate the early sterling silver breather tubes out of the 51s. Worse than Iroshizoku with a latex sac😁) touted they dried very quickly. Try even their descendants, Waterman, Sheaffer, and Parker Quink. Might be made elsewhere, and owned by others, today, but they're still very close to the "golden age" versions. Diamine standard inks are the same. Probably other standard inks, but they're pretty much outside my experience.
By the 20th century, because of more standard manufacturing processes, I'm sure, paper has been generally more consistent than what was used in the dip pen era. Still generally a more porous thing than what is optimal for fountain pen and dip pen use.😉 (there's a good reason most written in pen during the 19th century that survived are either in India ink or iron gall. One tends to not move outside of where it was originally put down, and the other is fairly dry and fast drying, so limited "deformity.")
One you shared kind of exemplifies the paper that today we'd consider "fountain pen friendly," but used in the dip pen era. The bank paper. For a while, there was a fascination in finding vintage ledger paper because inks generally behave great on it.
Fountain pen friendly paper today is really not that different from the higher quality paper of yesteryear. Laid is generally great. Coated, though it's kinda incidental, plays nice with the slower drying and modern "special properties" inks.
Dig into the history of a paper you like. Not generally originally for fountain pen, I'd bet. 😉 Tomoe River was originally for printing catalogs, for example.
In the past, you will probably find a lot written in pencil. Reusable, and you can get very cheaply, and pencils were very cheap as well.
Inked letters have tended to be on better paper. Journals and diaries were better paper because they were cherished and the writers wanted them to last.
Definitely depends on how you are using it. I try to have a standard ink of some sort in a pen in case I need to write on some truly awful paper (like used by doctor's offices everywhere, banks and government offices. They generally use the cheapest they can find, so... 😁) For letters and the like, in my budget, Clairefontaine Triomphe. Available readily in loose sheets (usually in a glued binding pad) and journal and notebook format (though, sadly, not in a hardbound), and very consistent (in my experience, their "sister," Rhodia can be less consistent, for some reason.)
Sadly, Clairefontaine doesn't have the envelopes they used to have. Either the Triomphe 90 GSM or my preferred, the more economical 80 GSM I'd found on Amazon (in 50 envelope "pads" for less than the fountain pen retailers were selling the 90 GSM in packages of 25...)
But there's apparently more fountain pen users still in the UK, so I've got some DL size envelopes from the UK through Amazon. As decent as Rhodia, IMO, though I've really only used Platinum Carbon Black in these (my younger sister lives in Florida, so a high probability that the envelope will get wet. 😁)
I'm keeping track of my diet, because I'm having kidney and diabetes related issues currently, but that's on a fairly cheap Walmart Pen+Gear hardcover journal. Not something for posterity. 😂
Around my area, and because I have difficulty currently going anywhere, Walmart is cheap and with a standard ink, does okay. Dollar Tree stuff, as well. Better than the American made Mead. Might as well write on toilet paper...
One of the fun things of using a fountain pen is what you like in certain applications. 😁 And using your preference.
Fun dip of your toe into the multitude of papers out there, Chris! Can be a serious "rabbit hole!"😂
Hi Paul! I genuinely never thought much about paper quality until I was over 40 ... lol. The paper used to be such better quality I always wrote on plain cheap steno notebooks the vertical spiral type that secretaries used. My fountain pen with Sheaffer medium nib in high school did good on all my notebooks in the late 70s early 80s. LOL
I think many of my paper woes stem from being a broad nib fanatic. :)
This is a good idea you have about looking into the history of the papers! Gosh, growing up we had so few choices yet I don't remember any problems ... we wrote with very simple pens and pencils until I got my fountain pen in high school. Mom bought her notebooks by the dozen at a local office supply store and shared with me.
I'm still like a kindergartner in this hobby really ... it amazes me all the never ending things that come up to learn that I didn't even know that I didn't know. :)
I'm not sure what paper I'd be using if I wasn't a You Tuber with a generous group of viewers, pen pals and pen friends. :) If I had not started ordering online it would definitely be what I could find in the drug stores and Walmart. :)
I hope you are doing well my friend!!!! Have you been able to go back to your home yet?
@ChrisSaenz13 There's definitely been a change in inks. I think that's the biggest difference, though the prevalence of writing letters in the past is definitely a factor as well. And those steno pads in the past were probably regularly used with a fountain pen still.
I definitely remember more access to high-quality letter writing paper. Even those cheaper ones with the fake linen weave pattern embossed were pretty decent. And by then, even my dad, who probably used his Esterbrook well into the ballpoint era, had switched to what I remember, a Flair felt tip.😁 (I think that Mead made the linen weave letter pads. Far cry from their paper of today. Might as well write on Charmin now...😁)
Looking into moving. My apartment was absolutely not handicapped accessible, so my sister and I are actively looking for something better. Either first floor or with an elevator. 😉 When an old farmhouse with part supposedly built in the 1600s is actually more handicapped accessible... (My sister's house in "Shrek country." Sand knoll in the middle of a swamp, wild onions and with a donkey... 😂 Actually, it's a pony mule, but part donkey. 😁)
@@paulherman5822 Good luck with your apartment search!!!! :) Reading your reply I remembered going to the local drug store to buy stationery sets with paper and matching envelopes! Those were the days!!!!! :)
I use Rhodia dot grid for letter writing, Clairefontaine lined for my weight journal, Tomoe River for ink fun, Leuchtturm for my bullet journal, and CVS Caliber for my everyday writing like my commonplace book and a notebook that I use to do the puzzles I copy from my digital local newspaper. I do the daily sudoku puzzle and on Sunday I do the sudoku, KenKen and 7 Little Words. The CVS stores have closed near me so I stock up when I visit my daughter. I always enjoy your videos.
Hi Kathy! I've been concerned here because 2 of our CVSs have closed .... I really ought to stock up some in case the other 2 close. :)
Hi Chris! That was a wonderful video about stationery. Clairefontaine wire-bound A4 notebooks are among my favorites. When I write on the Cosmo Air Light paper, I wear one of those calligraphy gloves that covers the side of your writing hand to prevent skin oils from affecting the paper. Thank you for posting this video. 🙂
Hi Kurt - how interesting -- I've never seen a calligraphy glove ... I will definitely look into that!
I LOVE paper too! Ha - I'm sure I have too much too. I think we ALL have the Fear of Messing the book up. Just go for it! I'm trying to do it too!
LOL I try to tell myself the main thing is to FILL the notebooks up ... not worry about perfection in them!!!!! :)
Hi Chris. Neil Piper from the UK . Good to hear your voice again x I'm into vintage flex pens now. I have a lovely Conway Stewart with a 14 k gold nib.
I like Clairefontaine and Tomoe river papers.
I like Waterman's inks, especially Tender Purple and Lamy Turquoise.
Hi Neil - I'm trying out Lamy Turquoise for May in my inked pens! I wonder if it's the same as the cartridges I once had from them if so I already know I will like it ... I now have a 3 ml sample a viewer sent to me!
Nice tip on the caliber notebooks! I went and got one for 3 bucks and was blown away when I started writing and saw shading from my inks.
Smooth and nice! Can’t beat that price either
The CVS Caliber notebooks are pretty awesome! Glad you liked yours. I love them because I can actively use a water brush on them or splatter inks and they don't bleed thru they may ghost but I'm used to that with the Tomoe River paper anyway!
My absolute favorite is the Midori A5 notebook. All of my pens write well on it. I also like the CVS Caliber and have never had any problem with it. Trying to figure out what to take on a trip to the UK next month, maybe a Travelers notebook or field notes. I usually have three notebooks going, a spiritual journal, a books I have read journal and a brain dump notebook. Thanks for the paper vid.
Hi @lju5001 Midori paper is great! I haven't the mileage on it that I have on Tomoe River paper and CVS Caliber paper but I know it holds up very well and the thickness is so nice on the Midori paper. Have a wonderful trip!!!!!!
This is the frist time I've seen your content, and I liked it! I'll be around to see more. Thanks for all the great info and reviews with why you use (or don't use) each option. I'm a big fan of both the Leuchtuurm and Caliber notebooks, too. Well done and keep it up!
Hi @afriscoe welcome to the channel!!!!
Looks like I'll be stopping in CVS soon😉 if you're making a JetPens order any time soon pick up an Apica CD 11, they are around $3 and are my favorite, super thin books, but I find that most comfortable. I'd like to try the Midori paper too.
Hi Coutney! CVS Caliber notebooks and paper the made in Vietnam ones are excellent for heavy fountain pen writing/inking!!!! :)
@@ChrisSaenz13 They had their composition books on clearance for $0.89 so I got 3. I'm enjoying them, having a hard time fighting the urge to go back and get more!🤣 Thanks for recommending it, it's so nice to have such an affordable option.
For the onionskin journal, write on one side and paste photos on the back side! I might try this myself!!
So glad I found this channel! Thank you!!
Hi Sandy - thank you for being here!!!! :)
OK final comment. Ha ha. Paper is the Sun of my fountain pen and ink solar system. It's critical.
Have you ever tried Nebula Premium paper? It has some tooth like Leuchturm and it's really nice for ink. I think Colorverse developed it. I have it in premium notebooks but I also have it in blank sheets. The package of A4 blank sheets also comes with a lined guide page. I'd be more than happy to send a few sheets if you'd like to try it.
I have not tried Nebula Premium paper yet but I seem to remember the Nebula Tomoe River notebook/pads I used for letter writing because one came in an Ink Flight subscription box years ago! :) Right now I'm over loaded with stuff to try but this paper will go on my list for future try-outs!!!! :)
Another great video Chris; always appreciate your thoughts/insight after trying different items in the pen/ink/paper world. Thanks very much!!!
Hi Mike! I'm going to enjoy trying out all these paper types and talking about how it goes. :)
I really enjoyed this video. Paper has been difficult for me. I started out with the Dingbats journal and gotten a lot more courageous since watching your videos. Now I have tomoe river in both gsms, Galen leather journal and some of the other papers. Thanks so much for doing these videos for us. I depend on them so much.
Hi Cynthia - Dingbats journals have some really nice paper in them! I'm still using a pocket size dot grid journal by them for my commonplace notebook where I jot down notes on thins I'm looking into. Glad you're trying out some more types of paper - it's amazing the difference our PEN/INK/PAPER combinations can make!!!!!
Yay yay yay! A video from Chris! If I have any paper that isn't on your list, I'd be more than happy to send you some!
I need to do a complete inventory on a spreadsheet ... there is more paper here than what I showed. I just didn't want to put off doing the video any longer. :) When I get that spreadsheet done I'll share it then at least it will be public what I already have or have tried. :)
Thanks for your insights about FP friendly paper. Here in Toronto, Canada, CVS stores are few and far between in the 2nd land mass of a country. I use Muji paper, though not US P&G cheap, but at $3.70 US 96 pg A4 spiral-bound, close enough. I use them as commonplace books. Planner, TN inserts, and Midori for my Hobinichi A6. Journaling, goes to Leuchtturm1917, while jotting notes belongs in a Rhodia pad.
Hi @mellow-jello the CVS stores keep closing in these parts of Texas too. I'm sure someday they won't be here anymore. Muji paper sounds familiar but I don't remember for sure if I've tried it. :)
Good morning. I just found your channel this morning when I was looking for journaling and fountain pen paper discussions. Can’t wait to see more discussions. I wanted to tell you about a new journal I just bought yesterday at Barnes & Nobel. It’s a Good Inkpressions. Small company. I believe they started on Etsy and are based in Spain if I’m not mistaken. The paper is Tomoe River Paper 68gsm. It’s priced at a similar price to the Leutchtrum (sorry, not spelling it right, I’m sure). It beautiful. I immediately came home and started it. If you buy it, let me know what you think. Also, how can we become penpals? I’d love that. Have a great day. Speak soon.
Hi @anasplans5861 -- I heard about the goodInkPressions notebooks over on Seaweed Kisses channel just recently and my husband insisted on taking me to get one ... which was lucky because they had exactly one left. I can't wait to try it ... it will be my next notebook after the Graphilo which is filling up very fast. :)
Best was to contact me about pen paling is my email: chris@inkswatch.com
Hello Chris, I enjoyed this video very much. For years I did not really think that much about paper, my attention being mostly on ink and pens and then I started watching Figboot and started to understand the importance of paper….. I am still exploring 😊
Hi Anne - there are so many paper types to explore it's mind boggling! For quite awhile now I've kept to a very narrow lane with paper but it's fun to try new ones. :) I'll have to see what Figboot says about paper I know he has WAY more hobby knowledge than me!!!!! :)
I'm going to share something that has helped me take the plunge with a new, special journal. Start at the back. It sort it breaks the seal in it staying perfect and frees me up to start using it. I can't wait to see what you do with the onion skin!
This is a great idea!!! I noticed once I make a pen test page in the back it's a little easier to "start" on the notebook!!!! :) I "found" your channel the other day!!!! :) The first thing I noticed was the purple Moonman Mini -- WOW!!!! :)
Thank you Kris...excellent experience knowledge you share with us....see you again, in the next video...have a great day.
I love earth-toned inks and the paper I love most for these colors is the Bujo Leuchtturm notebook. I hope to try onion skin one day just for fun.
1. For a few years I've bought nothing for drawing but bristol board, full sheets (15" * 30") and sketchbooks of various sizes. Still using up some old, nearly-as-good multi-media paper and watercolor paper, the latter good when brushing or pouring ink right on the paper.
2. For writing, Clairefontaine suits me well.
3. Gloves, especially calligraphy gloves (2-fingered) is good way to deal with the hand oil problem.
4. A Sailor pen with De Atramentis Artist Ink and Strathmore Bristol Board and I am ready to GO.
Hi Ichiro -- I went and looked up calligraphy gloves - 2 fingered - I had never heard of them before - thank you for mentioning them!
Hi Chris, you talked about Pen Pals and I was wondering if you are still taking on new PenPals and if so, how may I join in?. I identify with you because I grew up in Houston, TX, have visited Corpus Christi and Padre Island and I am retired. I really enjoy your videos. Lenore
Hi @lenorebreen3394 for quite awhile I was "in over my head" with pen pals and didn't dare agree to any more but things are fairly calm right now ... still my turn around time is between 2 weeks and a month usually ... meaning I usually get to write a letter each month to each pen pal. If you're still interested please email me at: chris@inkswatch.com
I use Clairefontaine notebooks at work and use all sorts of nibs. I never have any issues. I like that thicker Clairefontaine but i have to fight the binding to keep it open. I've been using Endless Recorders or Leuchttrum for bullet journals. I'm using a big Galen Leather notebook for journaling at the moment. Thanks for all your info, it's so useful.
Hi Terri - I have to revisit Clairefontaine paper -- my early impressions were very affected by my newness to the hobby and not understanding too much about how ink and nib width affects things! :)
Hi Chris! I haven't read "Hungry Ghosts" but am a fan of Gabor Matte. Have you read "The Myth of Normal?" Great discussion of your paper journey. Like you I have settled into Tomoe River 52gsm (my journal, commonplace book) and Midori for my TN planner. My journal inserts are either from Goulet or Baum. Kuchen
Hi @incognitoedc -- I have yet to read his book The Myth of Normal. It looks good! I'm waiting for it to trickle into the used book sources. :)
Your ink website is so great! I find it very useful.
I love Tomoe River paper.. now the Tomoe S, which I also love. Also I enjoy onion skin paper which I get off of Etsy, very affordable and offered in multiple sizes. I’m in a Hobinichi techo cousin, and I’m loving it.. Tomoe in that. Midori is lovely too.. 68 gsm Tomoe River is really nice too.. it’s a fun rabbit hole. I’m kind of a paper freak. I use a Mnemosyne ring bound journal for teaching. I really enjoy your vids.
Gabor Maté’s work is really helpful.
Hi @Sonicman415 it has been a long time since I wrote on a Mnemosyne journal but I remember liking the paper very much! At one time I kept one with my ink journals for testing inks. Definately I'm finding out what a rabbit hole paper can be! Since I was very little I always bought paper pads and notebooks with my "allowance" but there are so many choices nowdays! :)
I liked the exceed notebooks from walmart that they were selling three years ago, but I haven't had any luck finding them at my local store here recently. I switched to bullet journaling in a hobonichi weeks now since it is skinnier than an A5, easier to carry around to all our appointments. Tomoe River is my favorite, followed by Caliber from CVS. With all the changes going on in the paper companies, by the time I find one, I like they stop making it.
I have a sample of Lamy Violet Blackberry I would like to gift to you. Would you like it? I know you like to use a waterbrush on inks and it is very pretty when it interacts with water.
Hi Erin -- thank you for asking ... I would love to try a sample of Lamy Violet Blackberry ... I'm not buying anything at this time and I've not even looked at pen stores online to keep myself relatively FOMO free. LOL
You're welcome, Chris. I have sent you a message on Instagram.
@@erin_s_7942 Hi Erin I didn't see a message over there. Over there I am @Snowball7470
Ok, that's ok. I was asking what address to send the sample to. I'm elnjshumpert over there if you want to try sending me a message. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Lamy Violet Blackberry.
Another interesting video Chris, and it will be most interesting to see how you progress as you report on some of these new papers you've received. Me, I've never really been overly concerned about paper. What I use today is an old note pad that is top stapled and perforated. I use that for quick testing my pens to make sure they're writing, and I'm down to a couple of pages. For my nightly journal/diary that last 3 or for have been A5 Burgundy lined Exceed from Wal-Mart, and I've recently acquired A5 sizes of Rhodia Webnotebook, & Endless recorder. For just writing a quick sample of each pen/nib/ink combo I have an A4 size Rhodia staple bound 96 page 80 gsm notepad. I recently acquired a Pen + Gear notepad in A5 size with sewn binding and 60 pages. Not sure at this point what I want to use it for. I have so much paper on hand that I am definitely not lacking!!
I have meant to get back to Walmart and see if they still have the A5 Exceed notebooks in our store. :)
I've found that inexpensive notebooks/journals with paper made in India or Vietnam are quite good for fountain pens!
Yes they sure are!!!!
Heya Chris!😊 I'm a big fan of You and Your channel. & today I was hearing of how there's a lot of people who send You gifts. & I am like, I want to send a bunch of stuff to You also. But how? I don't know how to do so. So if You would be willing to recieve a nice parcel, please do let me know. THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE LOVELY CONTENT ON YOUR CHANNEL. Yours truly Steven.
Hi Steven - what you see in this video is a long time of paper being sent over time mostly pen pals .... I'm honestly finding I have so much of everything I would not feel right accepting anymore at this time. Thank you ... but I've been telling everyone I have plenty+ of everything and would like to use up and explore everything I already have this year!!!! Very kind of you to offer though.
Could you show HOW you do your Bullet Journal?
Hi @ja14803 - I'll have to give this some thought ... my problem with that is that I put birthdays of pen pals and family members in my bullet journal and appointments etc which all seems to be a breech of security. LOL Maybe I can figure something out though. I am very simple in mine .... I do a monthly spread to get a nice overview of appointments and tasks and I do daily lists .... I also do special spreads and collections on anything that interests me that I'm either researching or trying to learn. Hopefully I can figure out some way to "show" how I do it .... I know in the past I did quite a few. Not too much has changed except I may go lighter on the stickers and stuff now. I still love to decorate my pages but I don't go out of my way to get anything for that nowdays. Here's one from 5 yrs ago ... I do use a separate weekly calendar book now too but my monthly spreads are still the same!!!!! ua-cam.com/video/aFNdLMH0S90/v-deo.html
A new (ish) paper I really like is iroful. There is also a new paper called B7 (named after the musical chord, not the paper size) that I'm experimenting with.
Hi @Calcprof - I'm about to try out the Iroful paper ... I think this week as my other 2 that I'm writing letters with are getting very low so I'm about to open the package of A5 Iroful paper!!! What company makes B7 paper? LOL at first it does sound like a size. :)
@@ChrisSaenz13b7 is apparently name for the musical chord. I could b7 paper at jet pens.
Got hit with more diabetes complications so I'm way behind of EVERYTHING, including videos.. Trying to catch up, but it's slow going.
So much is personal taste and personal need. I really don't like Tomoe River paper at all, and my favorite inks bleed right through Leuchtturm standard paper. I truly HATE onionskin paper. I think it's more of a cool trend than serious paper. I had to use way, way too much of it at one point in my life and it was horrible. I buy every potential fountain pen paper I encounter, but I have finally settled down to five types of paper that I use routinely. I never use broad nibs. I use fine and medium, and this really does make a difference.
Paper matters, and it matters a lot, but I worry as much about the binding and cover material of a journal as I do about the paper. Paper doesn't matter much if the journal falls about a year down the road. I LOVE Clairefontaine paper, but I don't like the notebooks it comes in, so I only use Clairefontaine loose leaf paper.
Not necessarily in order, my most used papers are:
1. Rhodia top bound tablets. Not fond of Rhodia journals, but I love the top bound tablets. Much better paper. Nothing I have bleeds through, and it works as well with gel ink and pencils as with fountain pen ink.
2. Black n' Red A4 Casebound, but only those made in Germany. Been using this since 1979 for my journals. No reason to switch.
3. Black n' Red side spiral notebooks. One of the best papers I've ever used. Also made in Germany.
4. Apica.
5. Exceed.
6. Filofax. Decent paper, and a love being able to move the pages around.
7. Art Paper. 9x12 Pen & Gear sketch books for everyday use at home, and 5.5x8.5 when away. Strathmore of the same sizes for things I know I want to keep. Wonderful fountain pen paper, and I can write on drawing paper better than I can draw, or watercolor, or writing paper.
I must have two dozen of more types of paper, a hundred different journals and notebooks, including every supposedly fountain pen friendly paper I could find, and it was just getting to be too much. I've given the grandkids enough to last them twenty years, so what I can't use for fountain pens I'll use with gel pens or with pencils. I love writing with mechanical pencils, so why not use up non-fountain pen paper this way?
Hi James - I'm sorry you've been having complications. Manuel has been too and he is trying an insulin pen ... he seems to be doing a little better but it was scary there for awhile. I hope you feel better soon.
I think on your list the only one I have not had any chance to try is Filofax paper if I'm not mistaken. I've seen plenty of it in other peoples videos. :) I have some Rhodia top bound tablets to try out in the batch of paper gifted to the channel. :) That will be a nice revisit of Rhodia since I didn't like it early on in my return to fountain pens ... some of my pens just seemed too dry to write on it. I'm curious how my experience may have changed in 7+ years. :)
Hi Chris, i hope you are well! i loved this video. A few surprises. A few years ago, i bought my first leustrum journal and i was so disappointed! Everything bled through. Even a fine nib! It has 3 pages written and has been sitting there for years! I can only use ball pointpens in it. I guess they have upgraded their paper in the last 8 yrs! My preference in paper is tomoe because it shows the ink colors well. Then it’s Claire fontaine. It takes a while to dry, but i love writing on it. Then it’s rodia, i also enjoy writing on that but it does not show of the ink’s properties as well! (Especially sheening, which i like ). I’ve also found a vietnam paper copybookz in the dollar store that works well. I guess it depends on where you live, many of the books i need to import and between shipping and other taxes it doubles the price.
Have a good day!
Hi Ann-Ingrid -- I think since Leuchtturm now offers 120 gsm paper with dot grid I have stayed with that brand even though the original journals the paper did tend to bleed thru with a lot of my M nib pens even. On your older Leuchtturm paper you may have luck with it with a Lamy F nib. It depends on the ink but I took loads of notes with J Herbin Amethyste de l'Oural in my older Leuchtturm and it didn't bleed thru. I have one of those old notebooks I ripped the front pages out of and I'm starting over since I had a disappointment too with that old notebook. :)
That's a great find in the dollar store the copybookz made in Vietnam - I'll have to look for it. :)
I can remember when I first started in the hobby I was using 99 c store journals and they were TERRIBLE but now they have come a long way they still bleed but not as bad and not as often as they use to so they have come a long way and one paper that surprised me was the Jot Journal from the Dollar Tree for a buck 25 its the perfect on the go large pocket size book for those on the go type adventures where you might want to write something down and its taken everything that I can throw at it... and for those who dont know I review fountain pens ink and paper every day because of this obsession to find the perfect ink paper and pen combination and its so hard I got to the store and I see these families around back to school time and they get all excited cause they found a cheap paper and i cry inside a little for them cause its such bad paper then I have to remember that they probably arent using fountain pens so ... but hands down my favorite papers are CVS caliber loose leaf filler paper and tomoe river 68gsm GLP The Author notebooks, Archer and olive 160gsm I can use watercolor or even sharpie and it doesnt come through which is amazing, I also really like the Pen & Gear Heavweight notebook paper its a spiral bound and it only comes in big size but wow that paper is also gonna be right up there with some of the best paper and for $1.95 You cant beat that... Hands down If I can save on money I can spend what I would have spent on ink or pens and I would rather spend my ink on inks that I want and pens that I want over paper. :) take care talk soon
Our 99 cents store didn't ever open and now I'm reading stuff about the stores closing all over ... not sure if that's true or not. Heaven knows we have enough dollar stores but I had been excited for the 99 cents store since they carry different types of things ... and we seem to have tons of Dollar Tree and Family Dollars on every corner lol.
Archer & Olive I've not tried yet but I did love my Oddessey notebook with 68 gsm Tomoe River paper.
It's funny but I think I do have a Jot journal around here somewhere that I got back when I was going to do a bunch of different composition books. Eeeks ... I tend to start things but not too big on the finishing part. :)
@@ChrisSaenz13 it is true the 99 only store is closing it's doors so if you're thinking about getting something you better go fast
@@ChrisSaenz13 yeah the joy journal from the dollar tree comes with a little sticker pack it's a6+ so a little bigger than a6 the paper is excellent
Thanks for your insights about FP friendly paper. Here in Toronto, Canada, CVS stores are few and far between in the 2nd land mass of a country. I use Muji paper, though not US P&G cheap, but at $3.70 US 96 pg A4 spiral-bound, close enough. I use them as commonplace books. Planner, TN inserts, and Midori for my Hobinichi A6. Journaling, goes to Leuchtturm1917, while jotting notes belongs in a Rhodia pad.