Pre-Treatment Of Paper To Reduce Porosity

[Gutbucketeer]

So I have like four dot grid notebooks that were gifts because people knew I liked pens and use dot grid notebooks. The problem I'm having is that they bleed and feather when I use anything other than a fine or extra-fine nib, or a wet ink. I would like to find someway to use them, until I can get a fountain pen friendly B5 notebook for my daily notes.

 

There has been significant discussion on using art fixatives to preserve notes, addresses, drawings, etc. AFTER they have been created, but I can't find anything regarding reducing the porosity and absorbency of "cheap paper" to make it fountain pen friendly. Does anyone have solutions or hacks for this, or is it simply buying quality (and expensive) papers.

 

I am going to do a test with my wife's hair spray lightly sprayed on a sheet then quickly wiped down.

 

Thoughts and suggestions appreciated.

 

Jim Bunch

Edited August 8, 2019 by Gutbucketeer

[Tweel]

I haven't used it, but I know a commonly suggested traditional solution is to "pounce" the paper with gum sandarac, e.g.:

 

https://www.johnnealbooks.com/prod_detail_list/s?keyword=gum+sandarac

[Lunoxmos]

Another method which can be used is to use a flat edged instrument of sorts, a bone folder was used but you can use a ruler if thats on hand, and you rub the surface of the paper with it, and what that does is it smooths over the paper fibres to make them more compact and less absorbent. Apparently this is what people in the 18th century did when they had unsatisfactory paper.

 

This was from a video in the writing series on the Townsends YouTube channel

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5fks4Vnu8P0

Edited August 8, 2019 by Lunoxmos

[mhguda]

I had a nice-looking notebook like that, feathering like you wouldn't believe but I wanted to use it. I used a moist microfiber cloth to wipe over each page (laborious!) and let it dry; afterwards, it was much better-behaved. I think the same principle applies: you make the fibers flatter and so there's less space between them where ink can be absorbed; hence, less feathering and bleeding through.

[Gutbucketeer]

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

The hairspray experiment did not work well. Plus it stank :-)

 

JAB

[bizhe]

Ironing?

[Gutbucketeer]

Hmm. Now I will have to find our Iron

[Dmact]

How did the hair spray not work well? Other than being FAR from archival of course? I use the trick regularly when practicing any "high inkflow" writing (read: flex or other calligraphic persuits). $1 can of aquanet and $2 pack of printer paper = a $3 pack of fp/dip friendly paper.

 

I have also used the art fixative BEFORE writing... Although much lower volume of spray vs the collosal drenching of hair spray.

 

I was perusing a book on calligraphy at the library the other day and it discussed corrections. The process was to redo ones calligraphy lines, spray with something( i forget what) and cover up the bad bits with white paint. I cant remember exact process or what the fixative was but the idea was to stop the white paint from both feathering (as it is rather dilute) and mixing with the ink turning it grey. I will try and find that again

[Gutbucketeer]

I was scared to really drench the paper. Will try again.

 

I bought some Sandarac Gum powder which I put in a pounce sac. Then I rub it down with a parakeet cuttlefish bone. That seems to be working pretty well.

 

JAB

[Dmact]

I gave mine a good drench (3 heavy coats) until the paper changed color. Let it dry completely, then i used it for copperplate and got gorgeously crisp lines.

 

Both hairspray and art fixative need to be applied so that they create a solid film on the paper. You will basically be writing on that instead of the paper.