Which paper/notebook do you recommend?

[ladyinthemists]

As not all papers are fountain pen friendly, which paper and/or notebook do you recommend as the best one that you wouldn’t want to do without? And, where’s the best place to find it to purchase? Can you find it on Amazon Prime? Any recommendations, suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[LizEF]

There are actually a lot of fountain pen friendly paper, generally from Europe or Japan.  They vary quite a bit in color, rulings, texture, and ink-related features.  I personally recommend you get samples of as many papers as you can stand (either in the form of mini notepads or small packs; or actual samples - the only places I know that offers these are https://fountainpenlove.com/shop/ and the rather expensive Yamamoto sampler). 

 

You can find some FP-friendly papers on Amazon, but I find that the prices can fluctuate wildly and often be more expensive than buying from FP shops, so at least compare prices before you buy.   That said:

 

US Shops

• Lemur Ink (best for Rhodia prices)
• Atlas Stationers
• Goldspot Pens
• Goulet Pens
• JetPens
• PenChalet
• Vanness Pen Shop
• Shigure Inks
• Truphae
• ...and so many more.

Paper Brands (* = I haven't personally tried it)

• Apica
• Clairefontaine (this is one that's very popular but I only like their Triomphe paper, and to a lesser degree, the 90gsm Ivory Vellum in Rhodiarama webnotebooks; not the white, 90gsm paper found in other notebooks)
• Endless*
• Fabriano*
• Kokuyo (they make a lot of different papers, even more than Clairefontaine, so read up on the paper's properties - JetPens is a good place to find details about this brand)
• Leuchtturm1917
• Life
• Maruman Mnemosyne
• Midori MD
• Rhodia
• Sakae TP (they make Iroful which is the best paper for showing off FP properties, IMO)
• Stalogy (mixed reviews)
• Tomoe River (second best next to Iroful at showing off FP properties, IMO)
• Tsubame*

 

Do NOT buy Moleskine - it's awful with FPs.  Black n' Red (and anything else that uses Oxford Optik paper) used to be very friendly and popular, but there have been reports that they changed the paper such that it's no longer friendly for FPs.

[inkstainedruth]

Sadly, the ones I like best may no longer be available.  For doing "morning pages" journaling, I found a Spanish brand called Miquelrius that used to make A5 sized 600 page lined journals -- the paper was relatively fountain pen friendly with not a lot of show through or bleed through and they were relatively soft-covered.   But they no longer seem to show those on their website.  Someone on FPN tipped me off to a source on either Amazon or eBay that was a couple of hours north of NYC, but the last time I ordered from them I kinda cleaned them out  -- and I ORIGINALLY ordered the 600 page journals directly from Miquelrius's USA distributor (my first order was for about 15 or 16 of that size/capacity) -- I go through 2+ per year.

I also used to like some brand that B&N used to have on a carousel rack up by the checkout counter, but they no longer seem to carry those.  And I also (even though the paper isn't quite as FP friendly) pick up cheapie college ruled composition books during "back to school" sales at places like Target or Staples (when the 100-page ones are on sale for four or five of them for a buck or two).  I use those for writing poetry and my attempts at fiction.  

For stuff like taking notes or keeping track of expenses, I like the little mini composition books that you can get at some dollar stores in 3 or 4 packs (the ones made in India have pretty decent paper for being as inexpensive as they are).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[inkandseeds]

I journal daily and do some sketching, pencil coloring and, maybe once a year, watercolor.  I write on both sides of the page. Getting American made is important to me.  I now use Dick Blick’s Studio Sketchbooks.  They’re relatively cheap, 65 lb acid free paper, 110 sheets and hardbound.  Mostly use darker inks and I do get some light bleed through with Noodlers Baystate Blue (Sheaffer Prelude medium nib).   I used to use Strathmores, which are identical to Dick Blicks but more expensive, and Blok Books, which are from Arizona, have stiffer and smoother paper, open flat and are much more expensive. 

[davisgt]

I've been a Rhodia fan for many years.  Love it but you pay a pretty penny for high quality paper. I've discovered a new one recently in journal format on Amazon: Nextnoid. I've only had it for a little while,  but I like it.  A nice size to carry with me for meetings at work.  

[Lithium466]

5 hours ago, LizEF said:

Black n' Red (and anything else that uses Oxford Optik paper) used to be very friendly and popular, but there have been reports that they changed the paper such that it's no longer friendly for FPs.

Optik+ (80gsm)  paper is still FP friendly, just (IMO) a pale shadow of its former self (90gsm). Ok, I like exaggeration...it's still a very good paper, but not as glassy smooth as before (even if it's still a very smooth paper). So not worth going the extra mile to get, compared to some more usual Rhodia for ex.

[LizEF]

2 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

Optik+ (80gsm)  paper is still FP friendly, just (IMO) a pale shadow of its former self (90gsm). Ok, I like exaggeration...it's still a very good paper, but not as glassy smooth as before (even if it's still a very smooth paper). So not worth going the extra mile to get, compared to some more usual Rhodia for ex.

Thanks for the correction!  (I gave up on Black n' Red and Hamelin notebooks when they added the annoying Scribzee marks at the corners, so I haven't bothered looking for, let alone trying the new stuff.  Perhaps I should, just so fix in my memory the differences.)

[Penguincollector]

  I really like the Yamamoto paper sampler. The big A4 one is a bit spendy, but if you buy it from JetPens, it hits the free shipping threshold. There are also smaller samplers around $10, with A5 and A6 sizes, I think. For Exacompta/Clairefontaine/Herbin/Rhodia/etc products,  I like Paper Bistro, they have an outlet. For inexpensive paper, check out your local dollar store and look for notebooks made in India or Vietnam. Plan Ahead notebooks are also at Kroger owned stores, if you have any around you. If you live near Butler’s Stationery, they have been mentioned in social media as a good shop. 
 

  As for Amazon, I have bought all sorts of good paper from them- Iroful, Tomoe River, random heavyweight notebooks- search for fountain pen in the review section. 

[lamarax]

This one. It may be a bit on the expensive side, but to this day I haven't been able to find anything that equals it.

[Lithium466]

21 hours ago, LizEF said:

Thanks for the correction!  (I gave up on Black n' Red and Hamelin notebooks when they added the annoying Scribzee marks at the corners, so I haven't bothered looking for, let alone trying the new stuff.  Perhaps I should, just so fix in my memory the differences.)

Oh the Scribzee marks 🤬! And worse, they darkened the ruling (probably to accompany the Scribzee thing), and reduced the weight of their cardboard covered notebooks and made it super flimsy...did I say they bought Pelikan? 

I'm mostly kidding but their new notebooks felt much cheaper than the old models to me. They also have a more ordinary paper, I'm not too sure what's in the Black n' red these days? Optik, Optik+, or not? 

[Penguincollector]

Just now, Lithium466 said:

did I say bought Pelikan? 

  Honestly, I went to my local in November to see the Cream/Blue M800, and it was nowhere near as nice as I expected it to be. It may not be their design, but the look of that one left a bad impression of the new owners. 

[LizEF]

2 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

Oh the Scribzee marks 🤬! And worse, they darkened the ruling (probably to accompany the Scribzee thing), and reduced the weight of their cardboard covered notebooks and made it super flimsy...did I say bought Pelikan? 

Wait, are you saying the folks who own these brands also bought Pelikan?

 

3 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

I'm mostly kidding but their new notebooks felt much cheaper than the old models to me. They also have a more ordinary paper, I'm not too sure what's in the Black n' red these days? Optik, Optik+, or not? 

I haven't bought Black n' Red in ages, so I don't know if it's changed (Scribzee, you see).    OK, I went to look - "Optik Paper+".

[ladyinthemists]

Thank you all for so many great suggestions! Now I need to get a list of all of them together so that I can check them all out. Your help is greatly appreciated!

[Penguincollector]

   I’m a huge paper nerd, so feel free to message me if you’re stuck between a couple of different brands, or are looking for something specific and don’t quite know how to find it. 

[Lithium466]

11 hours ago, LizEF said:

Wait, are you saying the folks who own these brands also bought Pelikan?

 

I haven't bought Black n' Red in ages, so I don't know if it's changed (Scribzee, you see).    OK, I went to look - "Optik Paper+".

I could be wrong but I thought the Hamelin group bought Pelikan out. There's this link:

https://thepelikansperch.com/2023/07/01/pelikan-sold-to-the-hamelin-group/
 

and I thought I read somewhere it went through, but I'm nowhere near interested enough in the details to have researched the subject.

 

What I have noticed is that the Hamelin paper products seem to have more presence in Europe (being a French group, duh), and they may be trying to diversify or improve their cost efficiency or sales there...or they are falling under that "energy austerity" pressure (with reduced weight, reduced energy for transportation?), don't know. Their products don't seem to go in a direction I like, compared to my previous stash of pre pandemic Optik paper and notebooks (sadly gone and that I was just looking into replenishing).

 

With all that said, and I have to repeat it to be fair, if you exclude the Scribzee things and darker lines (maybe not on all their ruled papers, don't know), the Optik+ paper is still an excellent paper...maybe like TR machine #7 compared to Sanzen TR paper? Individually, no problem, but comparisons kill sometimes, you'll always have fans of one or the other.

 

(and now for completeness, I need to see if Baystate blue feathers on Optik+  )

 

[LizEF]

3 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

(and now for completeness, I need to see if Baystate blue feathers on Optik+  )

 

3 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

With all that said, and I have to repeat it to be fair, if you exclude the Scribzee things and darker lines (maybe not on all their ruled papers, don't know), the Optik+ paper is still an excellent paper...maybe like TR machine #7 compared to Sanzen TR paper? Individually, no problem, but comparisons kill sometimes, you'll always have fans of one or the other.

Good comparison.  Thankfully, there are enough other papers that we still have quite a variety to choose from.

[Sailor Kenshin]

@LizEF, now you're making me curious about my Black 'n' Reds.  But then again, they are old, with light gray lines.

 

Wonder if some of us would be willing to send paper samples to OP…

[LizEF]

17 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

@LizEF, now you're making me curious about my Black 'n' Reds.  But then again, they are old, with light gray lines.

If they don't have the Scribzee marks in the corners (you can't miss them - big obnoxious black marks), then it's the old Optik paper for sure.  If they do have the marks, then I don't know - from @Lithium466's description of the darker lines, it sounds like you have the older paper (mine are also light grey lines).

 

19 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Wonder if some of us would be willing to send paper samples to OP…

I will happily send samples (of the papers I still have) to anyone who sends me a letter (address in my profile).

[torstar]

for daily life....  24lb is a huge step up in notebook paper from the ubiquitous 20lb in an office

 

As a lefty I lean my hand on the page and Claire picks up tiny bits of sweat, salt, and who knows what, that damage enjoyment down the page, plus it doesn't dry the ink sufficiently for my liking

[Sailor Kenshin]

@ladyinthemists, I'll send samples if you want.  Nothing unobtainium, that I know of.  
 

Spiral-bound Miquel Rius takes ink well, but doesn't highlight shading or sheen.  Lined or grid.  Great for taking notes, and pages are detachable.

 

Oh, and MD paper, cream and sorta white.