Bristol Sampler- Making My Own Index Cards

[owenj]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/LitlJaimo/Fountain%20Pens/Paper/8aa39040-d115-4e50-9443-750d83cf8ccc.jpg

I like to use index cards, and while the Exacompta ones are great, they're availability in the 3x5 size is spotty. I figured that if I was going to be cutting the larger ones down anyway, I'd try out some paper alternatives. Bristol paper/board was recommended in a few other threads on the forums, so I ordered four different brands from Blick (dickblick.com).

 

Fabriano Bristol+ is lovely! Brightest white of the four, smooth, & didn't seem to feather at all. I paid $11.33 for a 20 sheet 9x12 pad, so this isn't as cost effective as the others, but the paper surface is most similar to the Exacompta cards.

 

I accidentally got the Bienfang Vellum instead of the Smooth finish. The Bienfang has a slightly coarse side & a smooth side, but I didn't notice a difference between the two when writing on them. Both it and the Strathmore are white, but not bright white like the Fabriano. There was a smidge of feathering, but it's not enough to be very deterring.

 

The Strathmore felt very similar to the Bienfang, and at $8.75 for a 15-sheet 14x17 pad this is probably the one I'll go with unless I really feel like the Fabriano for smoothness.

 

The Blick pad is the cheapest, but also the least pleasing of the four. It feathered with a fine nib TWSBI, and I'd be worried about it with a thicker nib. It's also more noticeably off-white/cream-colored than the others.

 

If you don't mind cutting your own index cards, consider giving bristol a try!

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks for the info. Did you cut them with something like an x-acto knife, or on a paper cutter?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[owenj]

Thanks for the info. Did you cut them with something like an x-acto knife, or on a paper cutter?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I have a large paper cutter. An X-acto knife would've probably been too tedious for me

[cobalt]

Invest in a paper cutter, called trimmers or rolling cutters rather than a guillotine type. I bought a Dahl cutter years ago and saved tons on cut paper. I bought a 5-pack of paper in a heavy weight (probably 120 gsm or so, not regular paper). Anyway, buying paper in bulk is cheaper anyway, when you think of the packaging and branding being what drives the price. The cutter will prove its worth in the long term and you are now liberated from uncertain supply. There is a Fabriano shop in London (if you're up to travel) and they have lovely paper as you know and whole store full is a feast for the eyes.