Standard Loose Leaf Paper

[Castaway]

Is there anything wrong with writing on standard college ruled filler notebook loose leaf paper that you can get in reams of 200 for ~$1?

I've heard the paper is important because some papers may damage the nib (?), and I know that most of my pen use will be writing notes in college on standard loose leaf paper; so before I shell out $50 on a new TWSBI mini with an EF nib, I'm not going to damage the nib by writing on regular paper am I?

Oh, and what about white computer paper?

EDIT:

This is the paper I'm talking about

http://www.amazon.com/National-Filler-Narrow-Inches-13551/dp/B001EKI9QW

Edited June 4, 2013 by Castaway

[Snargle]

Probably the worst that would happen would be severe eyestrain from trying to read printing with severe feathering, spreading, and bleed-through. Even that can be controlled to a degree by the right nib (the finer the better) and a well-behaved ink. I wouldn't worry about damaging your nib.

[GabrielleDuVent]

I believe the papers that can damage the nib are acidic papers, or those with such rough fibres that would cling to the nib and clog up. I've never had that happen to me before, and I've used standard notebooks with my EF nibs.

 

Regular computer paper will not damage your nib. Some people on here have gotten fed up with the eternal quest of the perfect notebook and have printed out their own sheets with lines on them to write with. My father does this as well, and his Pelikan's one happy pen.

[Strombomboli]

I don't think that a paper can actually ruin a nib. But there are papers on which a pen writes better and others on which it doesn't. Or else: papers on which YOUR pen writes better or not so good.

 

Some papers feel as if you were writing on sandpaper, but they aren't. I don't know about EF nibs, maybe there is something to worry, but in general, I'd say, don't worry.

[Trebor]

I'm going to echo what others said. Paper will most likely not damage your nibs in any permanent way, unless you're writing on sandpaper.

 

The reason why people tend to dislike more standard notebook paper is because of the "big three" of paper problems: bleed through (ink bleeds all the way through opposite side of paper), show through (seeing what you wrote on the other side of the paper), and feathering (line written down by pen spreads out, becoming wider than the nib's natural width, possibly becoming fuzzy instead of crisp).

 

Two more concerns: one is is that of archival/permanence, in that cheap papers may fade out in a few years / dozen years. Of course, this may not be a concern to you. If so, use whatever paper you want. The other is the feel of the pen on the paper (is it smooth? does it have a bit of tactile feedback? does it feel like sandpaper?). Clairefontaine, for example, is highly regarded as being very smooth, which some people really like, while others prefer more "feeling" in their paper. Standard papers may be scratchy or otherwise provide a feel/feedback that some find uncomfortable.

Edited June 5, 2013 by Trebor

[vinper]

Levenger paper is extremely FP friendly, archives beautifully and will spoil you for anything else. Staples 25% cotton fine laser paper is also wonderful and you can print a template of many different styles of note paper on it. If you buy a good 3 hole punch you can pick up deals on ebay for unpunched papers (I just got 100 sheets of Levenger unpunched annotation ruled paper on ebay for $14.00 plus shipping). You can archive your notes and any downloaded materials in cheap large ring binders from Staples. Don't waste your time on standard refill paper unless you intending using BPs and pencils and don't intend archiving your work. God luck, vinper

[thedeacon]

Loose leaf notebook paper will not harm the nib. I wrote on it for years (and what felt like decades sometimes). I used it during all of my college studies, no problem. (yes, with fountain pens) The same would apply to printer paper. The worst that will happen is bleed through and feathering. Use a F or EF nib with a quality ink, Pelikan Royal Blue 4001 or Waterman Serenity Blue come to mind.

 

As for archival properties, I've been out of school for more years than I want to admit and my notes are still fine and legible. I get it, your in college and you can't justify 14 bucks for a 100 sheets of paper. I would have used that in the first few weeks of biochem. Search for your perfect paper/pen combo when your wallet will allow it. Most of us were in the same boat once. Use the loose leaf paper, you'll be fine. Again, just test it out for bleed through and feathering. If you can live with what you see (and read it) you're good. You won't damage the nib, I never did. The bright side, if a nib catastrophe did occur, TWSBI nibs are easy to replace. Mostly, enjoy using a fountain pen. And frat parties. Oh yea, go to class too.

[apkayle]

If you live near a Giant grocery store, go to their stationary section and look for Smart Living paper. For $0.99 you get 150 sheets of lined paper that will not feather, but they will bleed through with most nib/ink combinations.

 

Otherwise, I would...

 

1) search eBay for good deals on Clairefontaine, Muji, Rhodia, and other recommended brands (Muji is probably the cheapest out of most of them)

 

2) Simply buy the HP 32 lb copy paper. I haven't used it (maybe I have? Does Goulet Pen Co. write their little thank you notes on that paper?) but I have read some fantastic reviews on them.

 

I'm in the same boat as you are on the whole lacking money and being in college issue. (Somehow I scraped by and managed a pen collection, I guess I've become used to giving up eating out and seeing movies to be able to afford this hobby.)

[vinper]

Loose leaf notebook paper will not harm the nib. I wrote on it for years (and what felt like decades sometimes). I used it during all of my college studies, no problem. (yes, with fountain pens) The same would apply to printer paper. The worst that will happen is bleed through and feathering. Use a F or EF nib with a quality ink, Pelikan Royal Blue 4001 or Waterman Serenity Blue come to mind.

 

As for archival properties, I've been out of school for more years than I want to admit and my notes are still fine and legible. I get it, your in college and you can't justify 14 bucks for a 100 sheets of paper. I would have used that in the first few weeks of biochem. Search for your perfect paper/pen combo when your wallet will allow it. Most of us were in the same boat once. Use the loose leaf paper, you'll be fine. Again, just test it out for bleed through and feathering. If you can live with what you see (and read it) you're good. You won't damage the nib, I never did. The bright side, if a nib catastrophe did occur, TWSBI nibs are easy to replace. Mostly, enjoy using a fountain pen. And frat parties. Oh yea, go to class too.

If money is an issue, and it always seems to be with college students, save the $50 for the FP, buy a package of Bics and supermarket looseleaf refills and write away. There will be time enough after graduation for experimenting with fine quality nibs and equally fine papers. If you want to indulge your love of FPs now why not try a small batch of nice stationery and save your FP for special occassions? I've found high quality pencils (Rhodias, Blackwings, Faber Castells) a joy to use when preparing lecture notes and they can be a relatively cheap indulgence. My feeling is that the use of a FP is something to be savored, and scrawling away while trying to kep up with a rapid fire lecturer can blunt the experience, poor quality paper can only make the experience worse. Maybe, for the time being, you can keep your FP hobby separate from the practical business of note taking rather than compromise your enjoyment. Good luck with your studies. vinper

[jjdeal]

I concur with the HP 32 lb paper. It is heavy and takes ink beautifully. It might be a bit thick for some people, but I prefer to consider it "sturdy."

[AlejoPlay]

Staples Filler Paper Made in Brazil is AMAZING. They'll probably be on sale later this summer for Back to School. I stocked up then and probably will again. It takes ink so beautifully.

[Bookman]

Forget you ever heard there might be a problem with paper's effect on nibs. The only effect you're likely to encounter is the errant paper fiber that can get stuck between the tines at the tip, which usually comes out with the wipe of a towel.

 

If you want inexpensive loose-leaf notebook paper, I've found decent stuff at Staples and Target. At Staples, look for Staples-brand filler paper that was made in Brazil. (Get that phrase in your head: Made in Brazil. For loose-leaf and notebooks, Brazil-sourced paper tends to be FP-friendly.) The Staples paper I bought is relatively smooth, resistant to feathering, and suffers only moderate show-through. At Target, look for Up&Up Reinforced filler paper, which is made in Argentina. It likewise is relatively smooth and resistant to feathering, but because the paper is thicker there is much less show-through than with the Staples paper. You could comfortably write on both sides if that were your preference anyway. Ink on this paper, however, does tend to spread, and so your writing line might be wider than usual.

 

You asked about computer paper. They all have their pro (price) and cons (varying degrees and types of FP-unfriendliness). Save yourself some misery. Go to Staples/Office Max/Office Depot and buy a ream of 24lb HP Laserjet paper. It costs about $12 for 500 sheets. If money is no object, buy a ream of 32lb HP Premium Choice Laser while you're at it. But at the very least, buy the 24lb HP Laserjet. You can then go to http://incompetech.com/ and download semi-customizable templates for lined paper (ordinary lines, notebook style, grids, etc.)

[mrcharlie]

I used the exact brand of filler you linked to on Amazon ("National" brand, made by Dennison at the time I bought it) in the 1980s, and I used it with all sorts of pens in the 80s and early 90s including pencils, ballpoints, pilot razor points, and fountain pens. All the notes and things I wrote on said paper that were stored in folders and notesbooks are still readable today.

 

That said, the paper is not archival quality, and if left out in the light will yellow and degrade. I have a few sheets that were on top of a notebook left open on the floor of a garage for a few years, and the writing is gone, the pre-printed lines on the paper are gone, it is yellowed and aged. The pages that were covered by the top pages are fine; just yellowed at the very edges.

 

I have recently used up, using FPs, over a hundred sheets of this paper, left over from my school day purchases in the late 80s. It isn't the best paper ever for FPs, but works fairly well. I wrote on both sides; most inks didn't bleed enough to make the other side difficult to read but a lot of inks bled at least a little, on i dots and punctuation at least. The paper didn't damage the pens I used in the late 80s/early 90s, and it didn't damage my pens as I used up the paper over the past 6-8 months.

 

I have found that 20lb Staples brand "Multipurpose" paper (ie meant for copy machines and both laser and ink printers) is sometimes on sale or has a coupon on the Staples site such that I bought a ream for $2 or $3, and it seems to work well in my sister's ink jet printer, and also works acceptably well with most FP ink. It isn't luxury stationery paper by any means, but is a lot cheaper than the 24 or 32 lb HP laserjet paper if you are using a lot of it. If only the printers' ink cartridges were not outrageously priced ...

[ac12]

Another factor is smoothness of the paper.

I picked up a ream of Hammermill Ink Jet paper at Office Depot.

The ink does not feather, but my F tips FPs feel scratchy with it, even my B tip feels scratchy.

I'm going to give a try to the Hammermill that is advertised as very smooth, and see if that works better.

 

Then I'm going to Target and Staples to check out the filler paper you guys mentioned.

 

When I was in college, I had to get a specific brand of paper that was FP friendly.

The standard filler paper was bad for FP use, I gave every other sheet to my brother.

Edited July 8, 2013 by ac12

[Sasha Royale]

Some of it is pretty bad with "recycled content" -- like writing on newspaper. I doubt that it will damage your

pen, though the nib might pick up a furball from time to time. (Cat owners are okay with this.) 200 sheets

for a buck is very cheap. If the results are okay with you, go for it !

(BTW: The industry defines a "ream" as 500 sheets.)

 

Not all computer paper is the same. Some are fountain pen friendly. Others are not. I can't advise on

local availability.

 

Good luck.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Paper made in India is also good. Feels a little different, you lose shading, but good to write on.

[DanF]

I agree about the Staple's filler paper - Have to make sure it's the stuff from Brazil though, there may be Egyptian and Mexican mixed in on the same shelf. Hold out for the Brazilian. It will go on sale in late July or August.

 

Dan

[ac12]

I just picked up some of the Egyptian paper from Staples, and it seems to do alright with my F tip pen.

Best of all the paper is not scratchy, which happens with less than smooth paper.

 

I was looking for the Brazilian paper, but they only had Egyptian paper.

I'll check back later in the summer.

 

I tried an Indian made composition book (from the Dollar Store) and it was smoother than either Brazil or Egypt composition books.

Nice paper.

[ac12]

@Bookman

Thanks for the link to the line templates.

Just the thing that I was looking for.

Now I can make line widths as wide as I want them, and not stuck to the standard college and wide ruled papers.

And I can print the handwriting/penmanship lines also. Since I also have to clean up my handwriting.