Steno-Size Pad -- Fountain Pen Friendly

June 22, 2011

Anyone know where I can get a steno book-size pad with top spiral binding that is friendly to fountain pens?

June 22, 2011

I use the generic steno pads from Staples and I find them to be quite FP friendly. No feathering. There's just some show-through because it's not thick paper, but I can still write on both sides. YMMV. The pages and lines are a pleasant light green.

I think steno pads are underrated. They're cheap, and one can buy them 10 to a pack.

June 22, 2011

Anyone know where I can get a steno book-size pad with top spiral binding that is friendly to fountain pens?

I like the Field Notes version of the steno book. I find that the paper works quite well with my pens/inks.

June 22, 2011

Anyone know where I can get a steno book-size pad with top spiral binding that is friendly to fountain pens?

by my own experience, clairefontaine top spiral bound notebooks have very fountain pen friendly paper and they come in a 5.5 by 8.5 size that is in the steno book range. Search around on google, you can get them in lined or grid.

June 23, 2011

Steno pads are basically 5x8 pads.... you want spiral tops... fp friendly

try Rhodia Wirebound Pad Lined or Graph 6 x 8 1/4 16500 list is $6 comes 5 to a pack

Clairefontaine Classic Notepad 5 3/4 x 8 1/4 C8666 list is $7.50 comes 5 to a pack

Both can be found for way less than list if purchasing by the 5 pack shipped.

Or you can just try the Rhodia No 16 top staplebound pad, which is one f my favorite. you can find them for a bout $5 a pad in a 5 pack shipped.

Edited June 23, 2011 by farseer911

October 9, 2011

Rather than start another topic on the same subject: Steno Pads; here is what I found a few days ago at a local Office Depot for $6.59.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6213/6226833466_7c825a4638.jpg

This pad has nice heavy paper that did not feather any of the ink I tried nor did it feather with any of my nibs. I did not ink all my pens. I did not try every ink I have.

The price tag seemed to be expensive for my budget for a steno pad, but compared to Moleskine, Rhodia and others, especially if they must be mail-ordered, the cost is not expesive. It also has 20 more sheets than a standard 80 sheet steno pad. The paper is not glossy smooth, nor is it rough. Nib friction or scratching was minimal, if any. Please pardon my scribbles. I have terrible penmanship and injured hands do not help.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6226833856_cb2ff661b2.jpg

This is an example of the ink and pens I used. The Waterman 302 was sitting inked and not used for about 2 weeks. Something I normally do not do. It is also nearly out of ink judging by how much I had previously written with it. Feathering was very little and much better than my Moleskine notebook and my Ampad gold; both I find greatly over-rated. The Molskinie and Ampad both feather badly and bleed through the paper. This steno pad had minimal if any bleed-through.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6051/6226834094_b40e0b754a.jpg

The back of the page did not look any worse than one of my cheaper steno pads when I use a ball point or gel writer.

I hope this helps answer some questions. If it does not get hits on this thread I will post separately. I also plan more posts comparing the notebooks I found locally that are much less expensive than many that are listed through-out the on-line communities.

Regards,

Bill

October 9, 2011

I forgot to note that the Pilot and Shaeffer pens have F Italic nibs. All others are normal F normal.

October 9, 2011

I have an Ampad Gold Fibre Steno Pad, 144 sheets.

The inks I use show no or little feathering. However, I use one side only. There is considerable show/bleed through. The paper is thin; no weight given but maybe 15-16 lb paper. The words on the NEXT page show through the sheet above (but I use VERY dark, saturated inks, for me, most paper is one side only)

October 10, 2011

I have an Ampad Gold Fibre Steno Pad, 144 sheets.

The inks I use show no or little feathering. However, I use one side only. There is considerable show/bleed through. The paper is thin; no weight given but maybe 15-16 lb paper. The words on the NEXT page show through the sheet above (but I use VERY dark, saturated inks, for me, most paper is one side only)

I bought 2 of the Gold Fibre pads since they really seemed to be high quality. The only pen I have that does not feather is a Waterman Phileas EF. The Phileas does not bleed either. I have found Namiki ink in my Pilot with a Fine Italic nib shows the least feathering. Maybe the composition of the ink has more to do with feathering and bleeding. I'd too new at this to know.

October 13, 2011

Here is another Steno Pad that I like and it is half the price of the Tops Docket and about 1/3 the price of a Moleskine. I find the paper in this pad feathers less than Ampad Gold, Staples store brand and my Moleskine. I like the Moleskine, but it has its limits. Besides I cannot carry a steno pad in my back paints pocket or my shirt pocket.

I made several tests to show the results. I did not have time to ink other pens, nor do I have any additional ink brands to test.

The oldest 2 Waterman pens I tried on the last 2 examples are ones on the brink of being cleaned when this post is finished. The Hundred Year pen is one of my favorites, although my scribbling does not show it. Both pens have flex stamped on the nib. I thought flex nibs were longer. Please pardon my scribbling. Perhaps that may show more feathering or perhaps hide feathering.

The paper in this pad is the smooth light green. It has a smooth feel as the pen is moved across it. I could not detect any feathering. There is bleed through to the backside of the page, but none on the next page in the pad. No complaint since I mostly only use one side of a steno pad sheet even with a ball point or gel writer when I used to use those pens. My pet peve with bleed-through is not with these cheap pads, but with the higher priced one I have.

This is the steno pad:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6117/6242164802_796116de24.jpg

The item number of the pad is 25-274

I was going to insert the examples but for some reason FPN will not link to my images nor display the correct image using the HTMP codes.

The pens used in this example are on my blog and I will post the result of any further tests there because I can add photos to my blog faster and easier than here.

Sorry.

Bill

Blog: http://offountainpen...-all-3-old.html