Review: Exacompta Index Cards

March 1, 2009

Full review with pictures here

Index Cards (Also called "Bristol" cards.)

For notes, designs, organizing, planning and study aids

• High quality paper - use both sides, ink never bleeds

• Five subtle pastel colors: green, blue, yellow, pink, white

• Pale violet grid lines

• Acid-free, pH neutral card stock

Five assorted colors in each pack

Graph 100 cards 4 x 6 E10272

Graph 100 cards 5 x 8 E10273

Graph 100 cards 5 ¾ x 8 ¼ E10378

Note: My box of the A5's only had 4 colors in it. No white. Not sure if what I have is old or new stock as my box design is different compared to what I see on the Exaclair site.

I really enjoy using these cards for note taking, list making, organizing my thoughts. This A5 size fits perfect in the journal I'm currently using; a Kunst & Papier Sketch Journal.

I started using these the moment they showed up on my doorstep. Immediately fell in love. All of my fountain pens glide smoothly over the surface, though it does take a few moments for the ink to dry.

As I started to test them for this review, I wondered if there would be a quality difference between the different colors and sure enough, there was. Of the 11 fountain pen inks I tested, a few of them feathered and spread on the different colored cards. Not horribly, but if you use a medium or bold pen it could be worse.

The pink card fared the best with no inks feathering or spreading, the yellow & blue each had two of the more saturated Herbin inks feather, (Rose Cyclamen & Bleu Pervenche) and the green was the worst, with 6 of 11 inks feathering. (3 Herbin, 1 Noodler's, a Private Reserve, and a Sailor.) Some of the feathering is visible to the naked eye, some I found when looking through a magnifying glass.

I still love them and will use up the whole box.

The 4x6 ($8.00) and 5x8 ($10.00) can be purchased at Lincoln Stationers and The Daily Planner

March 1, 2009

Thanks for the review!

I've not tried the Exacomptas yet, but I recently tried the "graphed" index cards from both Office Depot & Staples--white with light blue grid lines. I had no feathering with Noodler's Bulletproof Black, PR Copper Burst or PR American Blue.

I like them a lot for note-taking as well. I tend to use such cards more in the portrait than the landscape view. A few of them tuck neatly in the pocket of my Moleskine cahiers.

March 1, 2009

No problem! And you asked about my camera - it's a 7MP Canon Elph. I shoot most everything in Macro, outside, on sunny days. It's a small camera, which means small lens, which means that I really need good sun to take a decent picture. The other day was great. Took 190 pictures. (Though later pared it down to 127.) Digital is wonderful!

Thanks for the review!

I've not tried the Exacomptas yet, but I recently tried the "graphed" index cards from both Office Depot & Staples--white with light blue grid lines. I had no feathering with Noodler's Bulletproof Black, PR Copper Burst or PR American Blue.

I like them a lot for note-taking as well. I tend to use such cards more in the portrait than the landscape view. A few of them tuck neatly in the pocket of my Moleskine cahiers.

March 1, 2009

No problem! And you asked about my camera - it's a 7MP Canon Elph. I shoot most everything in Macro, outside, on sunny days. It's a small camera, which means small lens, which means that I really need good sun to take a decent picture. The other day was great. Took 190 pictures. (Though later pared it down to 127.) Digital is wonderful!

Thanks for the review!

I've not tried the Exacomptas yet, but I recently tried the "graphed" index cards from both Office Depot & Staples--white with light blue grid lines. I had no feathering with Noodler's Bulletproof Black, PR Copper Burst or PR American Blue.

I like them a lot for note-taking as well. I tend to use such cards more in the portrait than the landscape view. A few of them tuck neatly in the pocket of my Moleskine cahiers.

Thanks, biffybeans, for the helpful info!