Thin Paper Comparison - 50, 60, 70Gsm

[DanielCoffey]

Sam - I am part-way through doing the Ryman 45gsm paper review at the moment and have to wait till I have finished this load of Registrars before refilling with Sargasso Sea.

 

I can say that the Ryman 45gsm Bank is a bright white, hard finished paper somewhere near Rhodia in feel, maybe tending towards copy paper a little. There is no appreciable surface texture but when held to the light there is a little variation in density from one small area to another. I would say this is made from short fibres. I did spot one pinhole on one sheet out of the first ten or so. It happened to be the outside sheet so I suspect it was damaged through the packaging.

 

There is no bleed or feather at all with Eclipse and Registrars but the show through means only one side can be used unless you use a fine nib. Of note is the fact that the Registrars oxidises slowly, indicating that there are no bleaches/oxidisers present in the paper unlike cheap copy paper. You get amazing shading with the Registrars!

 

If you were to order the paper from the UK, it only comes in 100-sheet film-wrapped packs for £3.79 and one pack weighs 315g without any packaging. It is flimsy so would need board on both sides to protect it. You would be eligible to reclaim the 20% VAT outside the EU of course.

 

From the website...

 

International deliveries

 

Unfortunately, we are unable to process orders for international delivery via the website. To place an order for international delivery, please call our sales team on 0800 801 901 (9am - 7:00pm, Monday to Friday)

 

Deliveries are charged based on weight and destination and can take between 3 and 15 working days. We will send you an email advising of the delivery costs before processing the order and any additional cost will be charged to your card/account, if applicable.

 

It looks like you have to place International orders from within the UK but specifying an overseas address. This will be so they can deal with the necessary Customs paperwork and payment I suspect.

[y_bauluck]

Those Ryman's papers looks damn impressive mate. Cheers for that finding

[DanielCoffey]

PAPER : TOMOE RIVER 58GSM

 

Colour : Cream

Sheet size : A4 or A3

Feel : Hard, smooth surface not unlike Clairefontaine Triomphe.

 

This paper gives a really crisp outline to the ink strokes and has a subtle silkiness to the hand and nib that makes it strangely pleasurable to write on.

 

===

 

 

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewTomoeRiver58Front.jpg

 

 

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewTomoeRiver58Back.jpg

 

 

DIAMINE SARGASSO SEA

• Feathering : None
  
• Bleedthrough : None
  
• Showthrough : Fairly visible
  

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewTomoeRiver58Sargasso.jpg

 

 

DIAMINE ECLIPSE

• Feathering : None
  
• Bleedthrough : None
  
• Showthrough : Fairly visible
  

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewTomoeRiver58Eclipse.jpg

 

 

REGISTRAR’S INK

• Feathering : None
  
• Bleedthrough : None
  
• Showthrough : Fairly visible
  

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewTomoeRiver58Registrars.jpg

[DanielCoffey]

PAPER : RYMAN BANK TYPING PAPER 9LB 45GSM

 

Colour : Bright white

Sheet size : A4

Feel : Slightly toothy surface, a little less smooth than Rhodia.

 

DESCRIPTION : The Ryman Bank Typing Paper is A4 sized. It is a lightweight 45gsm paper that has a specially designed surface that allows you to make easy to read carbon copies. The Bank Pack is 100 sheets of white paper and would be suitable for use in the office or at home.

 

SOURCE : http://www.ryman.co.uk/0203210468/Ryman-Bank-Typing-Paper-A4-45gsm-100-Sheets/Product

 

===

 

 

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewRymanBank45Front.jpg

 

 

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewRymanBank45Back.jpg

 

 

DIAMINE SARGASSO SEA

• Feathering : None
  
• Bleedthrough : None
  
• Showthrough : Clearly visible
  

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewRymanBank45Sargasso.jpg

 

 

DIAMINE ECLIPSE

• Feathering : None
  
• Bleedthrough : None
  
• Showthrough : Clearly visible
  

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewRymanBank45Eclipse.jpg

 

 

REGISTRAR’S INK

• Feathering : None
  
• Bleedthrough : None
  
• Showthrough : Clearly visible
  

http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/fountainpennetwork/ReviewRymanBank45Registrars.jpg

[DanielCoffey]

Huge thanks to The Good Captain for the tipoff about the Ryman Bank 45gsm paper. It behaves amazingly well and is incredibly thin. Show through is perfectly acceptable on papers this thin but it handled the Sargasso Sea like a champ.

 

Cheers too to Sam for the sample of Tomoe River. A little treat is on the way to you over the pond... check your mail some time towards the end of next week.

 

The main difference apart from the thinness between the Ryman and the Tomoe River is the surface texture. The Ryman has a slightly toothy feel a little less smooth than Rhodia but not as rough as some copy papers while the Tomoe River is smooth all the way with a strange softness to it that can only be described as "silky".

[SamCapote]

As I have heard said as high praise in your neck of the woods: Jolly Good Show! This whole review is just so clean, succinct, well demonstrated, and informative that you deserve heaps more praise than you will likely receive. My take away summary is that the Ryman and Tamoe are the best performers in sub 60gsm category, with the main difference being the smoothness as a personal preference. I think I may call Ryman next week and order some of that as well.

 

Now I need to find some nice looking A4 size envelopes.

[cellmatrix]

very nice review, thanks Daniel.

Both the Ryman and Tomoe seem like great papers.

[SamCapote]

Daniel sent me some samples of the Ryman 45gsm paper which I was playing with today. It does perform very well in terms of bleedthrough for a 45gsm thinness. I have found some inks that are bleeding a bit, but the biggest surprise was MB's Hitchcock red in a wet broad Sheaffer. It has a more onion-skin, tissue paper (exaggerating with that description) feel to it, and not as buttery smooth writing on as the Tamoe. Makes me realize I prefer the cream color.

 

The easiest way to see what I am trying to say is to hold the tops of a full sheet of both papers in each hand, and wave them back and forth quickly and listen to the sound they make, and do the same thing with each of these and a sheet of onion skin. TR paper is less crinkley (? word), softer, and a more elegant feeling. Like Daniel said it has a more silky feel to it that is both in the surface and holding the sheet in the air. I know that is a strange description, but it is hard to describe the subtle feel, appearance, and writing experience of each paper.

 

I'm sure I would be happy with the Ryman if I had not found the Tamoe River though.

[Zanshin]

That was a superb review Daniel, many thanks and thanks too to the Good Captain for the tip off about the Rymans paper. I've just picked up a pack and have found no bleedthrough at all with even a hugely wet Conway Stewart 58 filled with Diamine Midnight.

 

Is it my imagination though, or is one side of the Ryman's paper very slightly smoother than the other?

[DanielCoffey]

It is good to know this stuff performs so well. All the thin papers creased very easily so making bound notebooks out of the Rymans will be a challenge.

 

I didn't notice any difference in the sides but since you can only realistically use one side of it unless you use an EF nib, I suspect you could just choose the side you preferred.

[The Good Captain]

You are right: the Ryman's does seem to have 'front' - smoother - and a 'back' - rougher - sides. I do use both sides, because I'm tight, but make that slightly more pleasurable for the reader/recipient by leaving slightly more space between lines on one side and writing in the 'gaps' on the reverse. I might lose one line per side than if I used my normal writing spacing.

[DanielCoffey]

NEW SUPPLY of Bank Paper in the UK...

 

koralatov has informed me of extra sources of 45gsm Bank Paper in the UK which may be the same stock as the Ryman Bank Paper 45gsm but simply sold in bulk.

 

Q Connect Bank Paper 45gsm : A4 White Ream (500) for £4.95 plus postage from http://www.officepad.co.uk/stationery/kf51015.shtml also available from other suppliers. Just google "Q Connect Bank Paper"

[Renfield]

NEW SUPPLY of Bank Paper in the UK...

 

koralatov has informed me of extra sources of 45gsm Bank Paper in the UK which may be the same stock as the Ryman Bank Paper 45gsm but simply sold in bulk.

 

Q Connect Bank Paper 45gsm : A4 White Ream (500) for £4.95 plus postage from http://www.officepad.co.uk/stationery/kf51015.shtml also available from other suppliers. Just google "Q Connect Bank Paper"

 

Cheers Daniel!

 

Standard postage is £4.95+VAT for most of UK. That's quite steep.

 

For me in Northern Ireland it is £7.95+VAT, which makes it £9.54.

 

I will have to investigate other sources.

[Renfield]

There seems to be a few different Batch numbers.

 

Here seems to be the info:

 

KF51015/IS Q Connect Bank Paper, White, Pack of 500

KF51016/IS Q Connect Bank Paper, Yellow, Pack of 500

KF51018/IS Q Connect Bank Paper, Deep Blue, Pack of 500

 

Cheapest (for me) would seem to be from Amazon....

 

Choice Stationary have it at £7.78 with free UK delivery. Or at least I don't see it excluding Northern Ireland, everyone else does.

[daTomoT]

I hate paying delivery as much as the next man. However, buying 100 sheets of bank paper for nearly as much as a 500 ream that has £4.95 shipping is just morally wrong.

[Renfield]

I hate paying delivery as much as the next man. However, buying 100 sheets of bank paper for nearly as much as a 500 ream that has £4.95 shipping is just morally wrong.

 

The one I pointed out at Amazon, was 500 sheets?

 

It had a weight of 1.4kg, must be a ream?

[DanielCoffey]

The Ryman paper was sold in 100 sheet packs... thinking that was a good deal then discovering a place that sells it in reams for the same price is what hurts.

[The Good Captain]

The Ryman paper was sold in 100 sheet packs... thinking that was a good deal then discovering a place that sells it in reams for the same price is what hurts.

Good point but at least I've been using and enjoying the Ryman stuff I bought a while ago. As I'm fortunate enough to have a relatively-local branch, I was able to save on the carriage by collecting it from there when we were next in town.

I'll think I'll give the Q Conect one a go, though. I recently bought 500 70gsm 'light-weight' airmail envelopes from the Q Connect range for less that £15 including carriage, through Amazon as it happens.

 

 

[The Good Captain]

I hate paying delivery as much as the next man. However, buying 100 sheets of bank paper for nearly as much as a 500 ream that has £4.95 shipping is just morally wrong.

 

The one I pointed out at Amazon, was 500 sheets?

 

It had a weight of 1.4kg, must be a ream?

What's the score for you to buy from Eire? Try this link.

[The Good Captain]

NEW SUPPLY of Bank Paper in the UK...

 

koralatov has informed me of extra sources of 45gsm Bank Paper in the UK which may be the same stock as the Ryman Bank Paper 45gsm but simply sold in bulk.

 

Q Connect Bank Paper 45gsm : A4 White Ream (500) for £4.95 plus postage from http://www.officepad...y/kf51015.shtml also available from other suppliers. Just google "Q Connect Bank Paper"

These people seem to have the best deal going: I've had a pretty good look too! It works out at £5.39 per ream plus £0.99 P&P. Including VAT! Total £6.38 - I've just ordered one so now I can start making the Filofax refills!