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Hey guys. I am planning to write a letter in a few days with a Noodler's black ink. Unfortunately, the regular black that I had my heart set on just isn't going to be available locally in time because of weather and shipping complications. I might have to buy X-Feather instead, and though I've read about it extensively, I'd just like to know if anyone has tried it on laid paper, which is known to be highly absorbent or "thirsty". So far, I know that X-Feather: has long dry timesis somehow more viscous than most inks (but this applies to Noodler's inks in general?)is drier, less lubricated and spreads less than HOD and Bad Black Moccasin (I prefer thinner lines as long as there's no skipping)I use a pen that varies wildly in its flow, but most people call it a dry pen (Nemosine Singularity with 0.6 mm stub). X-Feather is surely not useful for smooth papers like Clairefontaine, but since laid paper is more or less the exact opposite in characteristics, I am theorizing that it could be suitable for my needs based on how the qualities of the ink and paper match up. In contrast, some people have had trouble using fine nibs, stubs, or dry inks on G. Lalo Vergé de France because of its texture, and maybe other reasons. I'm in a bit of a rush so I hope someone can vouch for this combination of materials. If it comes down to it, I could still buy a few samples of the regular black instead of a new bottle of X-Feather, but I would be under a lot of stress if the absorbency of the paper or the limited amount of ink caused me to run out before I'm finished writing. Also, if anyone has used it, about how many hours should one allocate for drying to prevent smearing? I understand that laid paper should make drying less of an issue, but this is X-Feather, after all. Thank you.

I don't have a scanner...will soon. Wouldn't prove anything anyway, but poor writing. I have printer paper to chunk it into the printer, that included failed papers; and good to better scribble only paper. I have some 20 or so scribble only papers perhaps more. I'm still at a beginning I am missing so many papers many have. I'm into heavier papers or I try to be.. Some times they write better than the lighter or middleweight 120 g papers. Sometimes that purely depends on the ink. In a sample pack, I'd thought Gmund Beige Blank at 170 g better than it at 120, until I ran into some inks where it was the other way around. It irritates me, like here that all I could get was ink jet&laser. I tend to think pure laser should give me a better hand writing paper than one that is also involved with quick sucking up of ink for a ink jet printer. I tend to think that could short change someone who was after shading, if the ink-jet part of the paper sucked it up as fast as it could. I could be very wrong here, in I'm still 'noobie' with paper.. I try or will try harder to make sure I will buy no 'combo' paper. Once bitten don't mean twice shy. I got some Southworth paper when I was in the states....grab now...look later 'combo' paper. This time I did not have a chance to look now, in I had enough trouble through my long established B&M to get what papers I got. No samples...so I couldn't get the medium weight papers of these makes. Took three telephone calls to get me the paper I got. Both my Verge and the Velin are combo papers. I don't have regular Verge de France, nor Velin, so I can't compare these. What I have and thought to tell you is available is: How certain nibs and inks laid.These were in the still inked cup and is not a test of these paper. A test by me requires some 8 nib widths and flexes. for an ink. I think that about that many would do for the start of a test of a paper. How ever I'm just taking what was in the cups...blue cup, green cup brown cup and odd colors cup. It depends on how one defines Echo, ghost, or show through. I rate echo, as less than ghost where neither can be read. Show through by me is if I put my mind to it I can read some of the words. Bleed through is easy...got all that blood on the back of the paper. Velin pur Coton...50% cotton, 125 g. Creme. Ghosts. Verge de France 160 g, 25% cotton ivory Echoes. I have some 100% Strathgmore, that absorbed shading ink, more than I expected. My antique 25 % cotton Eaton's Corrasable typewriter paper really can't be compared in it was formulated for typewriters, and is a one side paper. So I have little little experence with paper with cotton in it. With my very limited experence expect the more cotton in the paper to absorb the ink...lowering the shading. If wrong...I want to know. I'm so far behind the moon, I didn't even know what DCP meant (Digital Color Printing)...from Clairefontaine. 160 g. It is also available in 90-100-130-160-190-210 and up. I tend right now not to chase the 200g level of paper. According to the blurb on the pack it is a high gloss finish, high witness, mellow texture and a delicate satin finish. I've paper with more gloss like Avery Zweckform 120 g.... You have to hold it up off the table to see Echo. By me Echo, means awareness something has been written on the other side. Flat there is no echo. It has the feel of nice paper with out being slick like Avery Zweckform 120 g..Some where stuck away I have higher gloss even slicker 170 g Avery. Now to the pens and inks as viewed under a 2.8 x /D7 250 magnifying glass. BEF...bare eyed feathering/wooly line...as seen from a sitting position. NEF noticeable when held close. NEF/MAG slightly noticeable...confirming with the magnifying glass. (a pretty good line) MAG...needs to be frowned at through a the magnifying glass. (This is a good line.) CSL Clean sharp line I didn't see any feathering, what I saw was a wooly line or uneven ink coverage in the lettering. Diamine has a reputation for wooly lines. Of course I used the old tried and true scientific method..grab a pen, what ink is this???...look it up in the card file. DCP 160g Velin 125g Verge 160 G Lamy 1.5 Joy nail, Noodlers Apache Sunset. DCP 160g CSL Velin 125g NEF Verge 160 G slightly noticeable BEF, wooly line at NEF Black titanium oxide Lamy Persona CI nail B-M width, Noodlers Apache Sunset. DCP 160g CSL Velin 125g NEF Verge 160 G NEF slightly wooly-unclean Pelikan 605 regular flex BB with a 1/4 letter on first word touch of baby bottom in Pelikan 4001 Green. DCP 160g -wooly line MAG Velin 125g NEF wooly line Verge 160 G- NEF wooly line. The ink is better than this nib, which is going to become a B stub. There is a big shade difference with these two similar style nibs. The B is rather murky, the M bright. Papers make this ink, on the Gmund paper mentioned, this ink had a very sharp line. Lamy CPM-1 nail B Lamy Green. DCP 160g CSL Velin 125g NEF Verge 160 G NEF Safari nail M, Lamy Green DCP 160g CSL Velin 125g NEF/MAG Verge 160 G NEF/MAG Geha 790 KM semi-flex wet nib with Diamine Chocolate. DCP 160g CSL Velin 125g NEF Verge 160 G NEF/MAG Pelikan 100N R&K OF easy full flex R&K Old gold green. Ran very dark on all papers in both Galo papers I thought it was a black. DCP 160g MAG slightly wooly Velin 125g MAG slightly wooly Verge 160 G MAG slightly wooly Pelikan 400NN OF 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex Diamine Grape.. DCP 160g CSL Velin 125g NEF/MAG very slightly wooly Verge 160 G MAG very slight wooly. Black Pelikan 140 semi-flex OF MB Sepia (discontinued). DCP 160g CSL Velin 125g MAG very slightly wooly Verge 160 G CSL Geha 790 semi-flex EF ERRS-a blue black iron gall ink. DCP 160g CSL Velin 125g CSL Verge 160 G CSL I don't have the experience with Verge to say 'how' it wrote, it has a rough reputation in lesser weight. .