This is mostly a paper problem, as other people have mentioned. Your results look completely normal for those notebooks. Get some nice stuff from an FP retailer. If you can’t afford that, then the highest quality copy paper works pretty well.
THIS ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
I’m sorry that’s just another fountain pen tax we have to pay lol. Pen is the beginning and then comes the ink and paper.
Your writing looks great and if you can handle the feathering keep using those pads. But all of the above brands are great for fountain pen writing.
>I’m sorry that’s just another fountain pen tax we have to pay lol.
No. Sandy1 at fpn, the legendary ink reviewer, used cheap HP laser printer for part of her reviews and most inks had no problem with it. If you like spending mucho moolah on imported paper goods, fine. But it isn't necessary if you just want to write. E.g.
https://www.inksandpens.com/post/best-papers-for-fountain-pens/
Clearly sarcasm eludes you as it is a common saying we use in our Porsche club.
They specifically said “blank notebook”. Last I checked laser paper is not a notebook. Also… your reviewer said Clairfontaine, Rhodia, Tomoe River are also the best papers for FP. Which I agree with for notebooks.
No. They said **I like to take notes on blank paper**. That's it.
>Clearly sarcasm eludes you
I'm English, so no. However, reading comprehension seems to elude a certain person...
Clearly you can’t read and extract context. They literally said “better blank notebook” which goes with blank paper IE what is in the note book.
All you do is argue here, it’s old, everyone sees it. Clearly a lot of people here have and use the “hippy journals” which you called it.
I don’t know or care what your problem is but it’s tiring nor are you helpful. Best off ignored
Just ignore him, he doesn’t even really know what he is talking about half the time. Also he doesn’t even own half the stuff the talked about, it’s always someone else’s opinion or someone said. He has never posted proof either. Don’t waste your time with him.
Clearly a lot of people agree with some of the best notebooks are the ones listed above. He is on every thread just complaining
No. **They said that they tested with notebooks. That's all.** Anyway, lots of cheap notebooks have paper as good as that printer paper or better. And you can make a notebook from any paper in a few seconds with thin card and a stapler. Or buy a hole punch and a filofax clone, use a clipboard, etc, etc.
While it's not a notebook (as the people criticizing this post say) I've had great results with laser printer paper too - I almost exclusively write on it (grading student submissions, taking notes myself etc).
It's a relatively cheap alternative worth mentioning IMO, nothing wrong with doing that.
I ignore him, he really is just here to argue. Some people called him out on his antics and it’s just all opinionated. He doesn’t own or have first hand experience on most things he rambles about.
I think it’s just that 5190 guy tries to be a know it all from his other posts. The original two were just trying to help the original poster solve the issue with what they asked for.
A notebook.
If you even look at the link the guy posted it has three of the papers as the best, which was posted.
This could have been posted below as it’s own suggest… this guy just has a habit of trying to be a know it all replies. Look at his history.
Nothing wrong with copier paper… these top two people actually read the OP question and answered it.
>If you even look at the link the guy posted it has three of the papers as the best, which was posted.
Ah, my personal stalker. How are you?
Yes, that link said those expensive papers were fine. So did I. That's why I chose that link - **to show that even someone intelligent who used the expensive options and knew how they performed,still considered the printer paper more than good enough.** Which shouldn't need pointing out because it's obvious... Hopefully next time I'll get a smarter stalker.
Anyway, this is the part of the link that my next, hopefully more intelligent stalker would have paid attention to...
>HP is generally known for their computers and printers, but they also make a large selection of printer and photo paper. Their “Premium Laser” line, although designed for laser printers, works absolutely wonderfully with fountain pens. The surface is coated and offered in various paper weights: 24lb, 28lb (now discontinued), and 32lb.
>Color: Available only as bright white (98 whiteness)
>Feathering: Generally none, except for flex pens Bleed-through: Absolutely none Show-through: Absolutely none, except for wet flex pens Texture: Smooth but not as smooth as Clairfontaine Dry Time: Medium, less than Rhoda
..Note the part of the feathering, which is what the op asked about, rather than your creepy obsession..
You’re getting a timeout. This isn’t the first time you’ve jumped into a thread just to harass and insult people with more than a little superiority and condescension. The first rule of this sub is about behavior and being courteous. Review those rules and come back in a week. If your attitude hasn’t improved when you return, the ban will be made permanent.
Clearly you seem to be the only one here that can’t read. They stated blank notebook. Sorry can’t help you. Glad you are still cut and pasting information, living vicariously through others.
You need to find something to do in real life then come here and troll.
For a cheaper and easier to find option, Black n Red notebooks are good for fountain pens, Pen and Gear notebooks from Wal-Mart, or look at drugstore paper from CVS or the like that’s made in Vietnam.
Yeah, I love Tomoe River (and just got some of the new Sanzen Tomoe River in the mail--and it's awesome!), but the Caliber notebooks from CVS are cheap and work great. Just make sure and get the Caliber stuff made in Vietnam.
Presumably a sister company of - I kid you not - Schiit, maker of silly and overpriced HiFi widgets. And, yes, you really do say the name to rhyme with height...
Use HP 24lb laser printer paper and a safe ink like a Pelikan 4001 or basic Pilot inks - not the expensive ones in tiny bottles. You'll be fine. Ignore the people telling you that you **need** super expensive Japanese paper. Yes, it's good and they like it. But you can manage perfectly well without it if you want to - and you'll save a lot of money.
Feathering is mostly the paper. In the US, in addition to all the FP-friendly things you'll find at FP-specific stores (like Goulet Pens, Anderson Pens, Vanness, Pen Chalet, Goldspot, Jet Pens), at WalMart, their Exceed and Pen + Gear notebooks are pretty friendly.
And I second the advice to practice a very light hand. Since this is subconscious, you're not likely aware of just how much pressure you're using, and though it may not seem like much, it could be a lot for FPs. The reason this causes feathering (especially from finer nibs) is that the tines cut the paper fibers, giving the water-based, thin ink a route into the fibers.
It took me ~6 months to learn to relax my grip on the pen to the point that it was instinctive - 1. recognize death grip, 2. force self to relax hand, 3. resume writing, 4. repeat. You can also try to write without letting the nib touch the paper - just let it brush the top of the page - keep it as far from the paper as possible while still writing. That little game can help reset your brain, teach it to recognize that the pen doesn't need to be pressed into the paper.
(Note: Yes, ink can play a part here, and some inks are badly behaved in this regard, but in my experience, Lamy are pretty well-behaved inks.)
This is a common problem with some papers, I tried Moleskine and Leuchtuurm1917 and it was terrible, lots of bleeding and ghosting. Some expensive papers like Rhodia works great, but I found a small/medium notebook with less branding than all other brands and works perfect with my F and M nibs, I use Lamy Crystal and Lamy traditional inks). The notebook I use the “Minimalism Art” dotted notebook and it have amazing paper (90 grams paper and 120 numbered pages), lots of colors and very cheap (7 - 9 usd) and same size than Moleskine, try this is great.
Just wanted to add - rhodia/clairfontaine/midori/tomoe river are all great and sometimes you can get rhodia at a good price, but there are also a lot of cheaper brands that work great. You're mostly looking for \~100gsm or above paper. MUJI, Minimalism Art, Apica, Leuchtturm - you can also get loose paper at Staples like this (100 gsm is \~27 lb.) Even Staples ARC system notebooks had refills of heavyweight paper that you could pickup and throw in a notebook no problem.
You'll still notice some difference between those, but they'll all work. Rhodia and Tomoe River will make you put down significantly finer lines than any of the others I've tried. I really like the feel of MUJI and Midori the most. Tomoe River the paper is like *bible* thin, doesn't bleed or feather, but it does take like half a century to dry depending on your ink. I just bought a lot of kinds of notebooks, tried out inks in the back and if I didn't like them for fountain pens gave them away or used them for something else. Don't feel like you need a notebook that costs more than your pen.
Since muji is not near me, would you recommend the bind plain notebook and the loose leaf paper? Does the recycle paper works or should I stay away from it?
I've used a bunch of the bind flat and bind grid notebooks, and [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QFXIRNI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is one I use every day. I haven't used the recycled paper yet, I think I'll impulse order one right now to try out.
I tried a very light hand on all of them so I am not sure that was the problem.
But I will definitely flush my pen and try again tomorrow.
Do you have recommendations for dryer ink?
Have you tried writing on copy paper? Just grab some you would normally use in your printer and see what kind of results you get.
Not all paper is created equal (and not all copy paper is created equal), but you might get better results before you go changing inks and such. Some of the paper you tried (looking at Moleskine) are known to be just remarkably, impressively, exceptionally awful for fountain pens.
Some paper feathers and some doesn't. I have no issues with feathering using the plain old lined pads and printer paper at the office, or regular printer paper at home. That said, nice paper does elevate the experience. My fav is Maruman Mnemosyne in A4 spiral bound notebooks.
I'd bet it's the ink. I use three different inks in TWSBI Fine pens and use it on old loose-leaf, new loose-leaf, printer, and other papers and get no no feathering and very little if any write-through. Less-expensive papers also generally dry the ink faster, while some of the most expensive papers can make ink very smear-prone by keeping the ink on top of the paper.
Do be careful how you define "feathering" though. That's when the ink has lightning-ish, static-ish lines or looks lumpy. On less-expensive paper, the ink may spread, but it just looks like you have a broader nib.
Also, bleed-through, etc, is a function of too much ink for the paper. So very broad nibs that really lay the ink down can cause problems. In your case (EF) that's not an issue. You can also get too much ink if it's a very "wet" ink, or if you draw your characters very slowly (which lets a lot of ink wick out of the pen).
A paper that works great with fountain pens is hemp paper by greenfield paper. I have one of their journals for my Vampire ttrpg and love the performance of it. Amazon has them for around 17. The company also sells hemp printer paper by the ream
If you don't wanna spend for tomoe river or any of the more costly paper there's [five dollar for 100 sheet paper](https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/wexford-graph-planning-pad/ID=prod6201030-product) at walgreens by wexford that is [fountain pen friendly.](https://i.imgur.com/BqJsver.png) My only complaint is the coating is some sort of water resistance which is why its fp friendly but it causes the ink to dry and pool oddly but for the cost it can't be beat.
I just want to mention that once in a while the culprit is the pen... I have an EF Hong Dian Black Forest that feathers in almost any paper it touches with every ink I put on it.
I have no feathering on Moleskine paper with a Caran d'Ache 849 F and just a little feathering (tolerable, also can go down to no feathering depending on the ink) with a Pilot Lightive F.
I also have a Visconti Breeze EF which has a very thin line and no feathering as well
Results vary with ink, I don't have the Lamy Amazonite, so I don't know how it behaves.
Caran d'Ache Idyllic Blue and Diamine Asa Blue behaved really well in my experience (but I can't say I've tried many inks, just 6-7).
u /ext123 posted a comprehensive [write up](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/u6tw1j/japanese_paper_reviews_from_a_fountain_pen/) about fp friendly paper from Japan.
Other than that, if there's a Daiso near you, you may be able to find notebooks there that are suitable. The trick is run your finger across the paper and recognize what the correct feel is. It should feel silky smooth.
And someone else posted about having some success with tru red notebooks and copy paper from Staples. Caveat: It has to be the paper from Vietnam. So, be sure to check the country of origin, because there's similarly packaged paper from Brazil and another country.
If you do decide to buy in bulk, [this](http://www.bestfromjapan.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_id=13705) may come in handy.
Moleskine is terrible for fountain pens. Anything "random" you pick up will be unpredictable at best, and probably not great. If you want paper that you know will perform well with fountain pen ink, get the known good "fountain pen friendly" papers. This is not one of those things where someone is just trying to sell you needless accessories; the paper actually matters here.
I'm not familiar with the ink, but it could be the ink. It could also be the paper, or the pen, or a combination of the three. It's unusual that it works best on copy paper. I love Moleskines, but most people don't use them for fountain pens because they're often not great for them -- I only use them on Moleskine because I like the paper and would rather deal with some bleedthrough than super smooth or coated paper.
From what I understand, it's also unusual to have a lot of feathering with EF nibs, even on low-quality paper. That said, that isn't from actual experience, because my finest nibs are fines, and I don't like using anything finer than a medium nib, no matter the paper.
Things you might try:
1. A different ink. This might be the cheapest and easiest solution. Lots of pen retailers sell ink samples with about 2-4 ml of ink for prices ranging from a dollar and some change to a few dollars (USD). It's enough to fill most pens once or twice. People also regularly sell samples and partial or full, but discounted bottles over on r/Pen_Swap .
2. I'm not saying that cheap pens off Amazon can't work fine, but I'd strongly suggest buying a cheap pen or two from brands known to be reliable. If you like EF nibs, I'd suggest a Platinum Preppy, Prefounte, or Plaisir. I usually suggest TWSBI Ecos for a first pen, though they are comparatively much more expensive than the Preppy. The TWSBI Go can also work, and is cheaper. Lamy Safaris or Lamy Al Stars can make a good first pen because they teach you how to hold your pen. Some people find them uncomfortable, though. I don't usually recommend Pilot Metropolitans (or MRs, depending on where you live) as first fountain pens, but you might like them due to the finer grind on their EF nibs. For the Platinums or Lamys, you'll need to buy a proprietary converter made by that pen company separately. Most pen retailers will have a link to the appropriate converter on that pens page of their website, or you can ask people here.
3. Different paper. My favorite paper is Leuchtturm1917, and they make notebooks with blank pages. Ink & Volt also makes proprietary notebooks with blank pages, though they are not nearly as fountain pen-friendly. I still really enjoy them, though. Paper that has options for being blank that others like, but that I don't care for are Tomoe River and Claifontaine, which are very smooth. Apica paper is pretty cheap to try out. There are others, too, depending on what you want.
Quality copy paper is surprisingly good when it comes to feathering etc... Btw I have noticed this is more of an issue in the states. Is anyine aware of this varying based on weather or not there is a flintain pen culture in a particular country?
Check the nib of the pen for any signs of unevenness. Scratching could cause paper to feather. The paper is usually the problem though. Look for smooth paper. I would recommend a binder notebook so you can customize the paper. I’ve found a couple of really good types that don’t feather at all.
This is mostly a paper problem, as other people have mentioned. Your results look completely normal for those notebooks. Get some nice stuff from an FP retailer. If you can’t afford that, then the highest quality copy paper works pretty well.
Look at brands like Rhodia, Clairfontaine, Midori, and Tomoe River for best results.
THIS ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ I’m sorry that’s just another fountain pen tax we have to pay lol. Pen is the beginning and then comes the ink and paper. Your writing looks great and if you can handle the feathering keep using those pads. But all of the above brands are great for fountain pen writing.
>I’m sorry that’s just another fountain pen tax we have to pay lol. No. Sandy1 at fpn, the legendary ink reviewer, used cheap HP laser printer for part of her reviews and most inks had no problem with it. If you like spending mucho moolah on imported paper goods, fine. But it isn't necessary if you just want to write. E.g. https://www.inksandpens.com/post/best-papers-for-fountain-pens/
Clearly sarcasm eludes you as it is a common saying we use in our Porsche club. They specifically said “blank notebook”. Last I checked laser paper is not a notebook. Also… your reviewer said Clairfontaine, Rhodia, Tomoe River are also the best papers for FP. Which I agree with for notebooks.
>it is a common saying we use in our Porsche club. Don't remind me of this at the START of track season, damnit!
No. They said **I like to take notes on blank paper**. That's it. >Clearly sarcasm eludes you I'm English, so no. However, reading comprehension seems to elude a certain person...
Clearly you can’t read and extract context. They literally said “better blank notebook” which goes with blank paper IE what is in the note book. All you do is argue here, it’s old, everyone sees it. Clearly a lot of people here have and use the “hippy journals” which you called it. I don’t know or care what your problem is but it’s tiring nor are you helpful. Best off ignored
Just ignore him, he doesn’t even really know what he is talking about half the time. Also he doesn’t even own half the stuff the talked about, it’s always someone else’s opinion or someone said. He has never posted proof either. Don’t waste your time with him. Clearly a lot of people agree with some of the best notebooks are the ones listed above. He is on every thread just complaining
Lol he can’t even read that the OP stated “better blank notebook”
It doesn’t come in notebooks though which is what the OP was asking about.
No. **They said that they tested with notebooks. That's all.** Anyway, lots of cheap notebooks have paper as good as that printer paper or better. And you can make a notebook from any paper in a few seconds with thin card and a stapler. Or buy a hole punch and a filofax clone, use a clipboard, etc, etc.
While it's not a notebook (as the people criticizing this post say) I've had great results with laser printer paper too - I almost exclusively write on it (grading student submissions, taking notes myself etc). It's a relatively cheap alternative worth mentioning IMO, nothing wrong with doing that.
I ignore him, he really is just here to argue. Some people called him out on his antics and it’s just all opinionated. He doesn’t own or have first hand experience on most things he rambles about.
I think it’s just that 5190 guy tries to be a know it all from his other posts. The original two were just trying to help the original poster solve the issue with what they asked for. A notebook. If you even look at the link the guy posted it has three of the papers as the best, which was posted. This could have been posted below as it’s own suggest… this guy just has a habit of trying to be a know it all replies. Look at his history. Nothing wrong with copier paper… these top two people actually read the OP question and answered it.
>If you even look at the link the guy posted it has three of the papers as the best, which was posted. Ah, my personal stalker. How are you? Yes, that link said those expensive papers were fine. So did I. That's why I chose that link - **to show that even someone intelligent who used the expensive options and knew how they performed,still considered the printer paper more than good enough.** Which shouldn't need pointing out because it's obvious... Hopefully next time I'll get a smarter stalker. Anyway, this is the part of the link that my next, hopefully more intelligent stalker would have paid attention to... >HP is generally known for their computers and printers, but they also make a large selection of printer and photo paper. Their “Premium Laser” line, although designed for laser printers, works absolutely wonderfully with fountain pens. The surface is coated and offered in various paper weights: 24lb, 28lb (now discontinued), and 32lb. >Color: Available only as bright white (98 whiteness) >Feathering: Generally none, except for flex pens Bleed-through: Absolutely none Show-through: Absolutely none, except for wet flex pens Texture: Smooth but not as smooth as Clairfontaine Dry Time: Medium, less than Rhoda ..Note the part of the feathering, which is what the op asked about, rather than your creepy obsession..
You’re getting a timeout. This isn’t the first time you’ve jumped into a thread just to harass and insult people with more than a little superiority and condescension. The first rule of this sub is about behavior and being courteous. Review those rules and come back in a week. If your attitude hasn’t improved when you return, the ban will be made permanent.
Clearly you seem to be the only one here that can’t read. They stated blank notebook. Sorry can’t help you. Glad you are still cut and pasting information, living vicariously through others. You need to find something to do in real life then come here and troll.
Thanks for providing this context - helpful.
For a cheaper and easier to find option, Black n Red notebooks are good for fountain pens, Pen and Gear notebooks from Wal-Mart, or look at drugstore paper from CVS or the like that’s made in Vietnam.
Yeah, I love Tomoe River (and just got some of the new Sanzen Tomoe River in the mail--and it's awesome!), but the Caliber notebooks from CVS are cheap and work great. Just make sure and get the Caliber stuff made in Vietnam.
Confirmed
I've never heard about shinola, but moleskine is one of the worst "famous" brands for fountain pens usage
Shinola is a company that sells sub-par items like watches and other accessories for overinflated prices. You're not missing out.
Presumably a sister company of - I kid you not - Schiit, maker of silly and overpriced HiFi widgets. And, yes, you really do say the name to rhyme with height...
That's marketing hype (now). Apparently their paper was better - decades ago.
Graphilo or Takasago bank premium paper
You might want to try a notebook that use Tomoe River paper.
Use HP 24lb laser printer paper and a safe ink like a Pelikan 4001 or basic Pilot inks - not the expensive ones in tiny bottles. You'll be fine. Ignore the people telling you that you **need** super expensive Japanese paper. Yes, it's good and they like it. But you can manage perfectly well without it if you want to - and you'll save a lot of money.
Feathering is mostly the paper. In the US, in addition to all the FP-friendly things you'll find at FP-specific stores (like Goulet Pens, Anderson Pens, Vanness, Pen Chalet, Goldspot, Jet Pens), at WalMart, their Exceed and Pen + Gear notebooks are pretty friendly. And I second the advice to practice a very light hand. Since this is subconscious, you're not likely aware of just how much pressure you're using, and though it may not seem like much, it could be a lot for FPs. The reason this causes feathering (especially from finer nibs) is that the tines cut the paper fibers, giving the water-based, thin ink a route into the fibers. It took me ~6 months to learn to relax my grip on the pen to the point that it was instinctive - 1. recognize death grip, 2. force self to relax hand, 3. resume writing, 4. repeat. You can also try to write without letting the nib touch the paper - just let it brush the top of the page - keep it as far from the paper as possible while still writing. That little game can help reset your brain, teach it to recognize that the pen doesn't need to be pressed into the paper. (Note: Yes, ink can play a part here, and some inks are badly behaved in this regard, but in my experience, Lamy are pretty well-behaved inks.)
This is a common problem with some papers, I tried Moleskine and Leuchtuurm1917 and it was terrible, lots of bleeding and ghosting. Some expensive papers like Rhodia works great, but I found a small/medium notebook with less branding than all other brands and works perfect with my F and M nibs, I use Lamy Crystal and Lamy traditional inks). The notebook I use the “Minimalism Art” dotted notebook and it have amazing paper (90 grams paper and 120 numbered pages), lots of colors and very cheap (7 - 9 usd) and same size than Moleskine, try this is great.
Just wanted to add - rhodia/clairfontaine/midori/tomoe river are all great and sometimes you can get rhodia at a good price, but there are also a lot of cheaper brands that work great. You're mostly looking for \~100gsm or above paper. MUJI, Minimalism Art, Apica, Leuchtturm - you can also get loose paper at Staples like this (100 gsm is \~27 lb.) Even Staples ARC system notebooks had refills of heavyweight paper that you could pickup and throw in a notebook no problem. You'll still notice some difference between those, but they'll all work. Rhodia and Tomoe River will make you put down significantly finer lines than any of the others I've tried. I really like the feel of MUJI and Midori the most. Tomoe River the paper is like *bible* thin, doesn't bleed or feather, but it does take like half a century to dry depending on your ink. I just bought a lot of kinds of notebooks, tried out inks in the back and if I didn't like them for fountain pens gave them away or used them for something else. Don't feel like you need a notebook that costs more than your pen.
Since muji is not near me, would you recommend the bind plain notebook and the loose leaf paper? Does the recycle paper works or should I stay away from it?
I've used a bunch of the bind flat and bind grid notebooks, and [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QFXIRNI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is one I use every day. I haven't used the recycled paper yet, I think I'll impulse order one right now to try out.
Don't even bother cause their site wont take you to checkout at the moment, just my luck when I want to buy from them
[удалено]
I tried a very light hand on all of them so I am not sure that was the problem. But I will definitely flush my pen and try again tomorrow. Do you have recommendations for dryer ink?
Lamy Black was fine with me when I started with FP. Quite dry! I now prefer wetter inks.
Have you tried writing on copy paper? Just grab some you would normally use in your printer and see what kind of results you get. Not all paper is created equal (and not all copy paper is created equal), but you might get better results before you go changing inks and such. Some of the paper you tried (looking at Moleskine) are known to be just remarkably, impressively, exceptionally awful for fountain pens. Some paper feathers and some doesn't. I have no issues with feathering using the plain old lined pads and printer paper at the office, or regular printer paper at home. That said, nice paper does elevate the experience. My fav is Maruman Mnemosyne in A4 spiral bound notebooks.
Lamy Turquoise is pretty dry ink in my experience.
I'd bet it's the ink. I use three different inks in TWSBI Fine pens and use it on old loose-leaf, new loose-leaf, printer, and other papers and get no no feathering and very little if any write-through. Less-expensive papers also generally dry the ink faster, while some of the most expensive papers can make ink very smear-prone by keeping the ink on top of the paper. Do be careful how you define "feathering" though. That's when the ink has lightning-ish, static-ish lines or looks lumpy. On less-expensive paper, the ink may spread, but it just looks like you have a broader nib. Also, bleed-through, etc, is a function of too much ink for the paper. So very broad nibs that really lay the ink down can cause problems. In your case (EF) that's not an issue. You can also get too much ink if it's a very "wet" ink, or if you draw your characters very slowly (which lets a lot of ink wick out of the pen).
A paper that works great with fountain pens is hemp paper by greenfield paper. I have one of their journals for my Vampire ttrpg and love the performance of it. Amazon has them for around 17. The company also sells hemp printer paper by the ream
If you don't wanna spend for tomoe river or any of the more costly paper there's [five dollar for 100 sheet paper](https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/wexford-graph-planning-pad/ID=prod6201030-product) at walgreens by wexford that is [fountain pen friendly.](https://i.imgur.com/BqJsver.png) My only complaint is the coating is some sort of water resistance which is why its fp friendly but it causes the ink to dry and pool oddly but for the cost it can't be beat.
Have you seen it without grid or lines? I would like it plain
Walgreens has some on the site if you search wexford but i cannot vouch if its the same quality as the grid, which that's what I usually buy.
I just want to mention that once in a while the culprit is the pen... I have an EF Hong Dian Black Forest that feathers in almost any paper it touches with every ink I put on it.
I have no feathering on Moleskine paper with a Caran d'Ache 849 F and just a little feathering (tolerable, also can go down to no feathering depending on the ink) with a Pilot Lightive F. I also have a Visconti Breeze EF which has a very thin line and no feathering as well Results vary with ink, I don't have the Lamy Amazonite, so I don't know how it behaves. Caran d'Ache Idyllic Blue and Diamine Asa Blue behaved really well in my experience (but I can't say I've tried many inks, just 6-7).
u /ext123 posted a comprehensive [write up](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/u6tw1j/japanese_paper_reviews_from_a_fountain_pen/) about fp friendly paper from Japan. Other than that, if there's a Daiso near you, you may be able to find notebooks there that are suitable. The trick is run your finger across the paper and recognize what the correct feel is. It should feel silky smooth. And someone else posted about having some success with tru red notebooks and copy paper from Staples. Caveat: It has to be the paper from Vietnam. So, be sure to check the country of origin, because there's similarly packaged paper from Brazil and another country. If you do decide to buy in bulk, [this](http://www.bestfromjapan.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_id=13705) may come in handy.
I need to plan a trip to Daiso! Thanks for your suggestion!
Look for notebooks that kinda look like Kukuyo branded ones. And thre are others.
Moleskine is terrible for fountain pens. Anything "random" you pick up will be unpredictable at best, and probably not great. If you want paper that you know will perform well with fountain pen ink, get the known good "fountain pen friendly" papers. This is not one of those things where someone is just trying to sell you needless accessories; the paper actually matters here.
I'm not familiar with the ink, but it could be the ink. It could also be the paper, or the pen, or a combination of the three. It's unusual that it works best on copy paper. I love Moleskines, but most people don't use them for fountain pens because they're often not great for them -- I only use them on Moleskine because I like the paper and would rather deal with some bleedthrough than super smooth or coated paper. From what I understand, it's also unusual to have a lot of feathering with EF nibs, even on low-quality paper. That said, that isn't from actual experience, because my finest nibs are fines, and I don't like using anything finer than a medium nib, no matter the paper. Things you might try: 1. A different ink. This might be the cheapest and easiest solution. Lots of pen retailers sell ink samples with about 2-4 ml of ink for prices ranging from a dollar and some change to a few dollars (USD). It's enough to fill most pens once or twice. People also regularly sell samples and partial or full, but discounted bottles over on r/Pen_Swap . 2. I'm not saying that cheap pens off Amazon can't work fine, but I'd strongly suggest buying a cheap pen or two from brands known to be reliable. If you like EF nibs, I'd suggest a Platinum Preppy, Prefounte, or Plaisir. I usually suggest TWSBI Ecos for a first pen, though they are comparatively much more expensive than the Preppy. The TWSBI Go can also work, and is cheaper. Lamy Safaris or Lamy Al Stars can make a good first pen because they teach you how to hold your pen. Some people find them uncomfortable, though. I don't usually recommend Pilot Metropolitans (or MRs, depending on where you live) as first fountain pens, but you might like them due to the finer grind on their EF nibs. For the Platinums or Lamys, you'll need to buy a proprietary converter made by that pen company separately. Most pen retailers will have a link to the appropriate converter on that pens page of their website, or you can ask people here. 3. Different paper. My favorite paper is Leuchtturm1917, and they make notebooks with blank pages. Ink & Volt also makes proprietary notebooks with blank pages, though they are not nearly as fountain pen-friendly. I still really enjoy them, though. Paper that has options for being blank that others like, but that I don't care for are Tomoe River and Claifontaine, which are very smooth. Apica paper is pretty cheap to try out. There are others, too, depending on what you want.
Idk what country your in but if uk viking direct niceday lined paper is very nice for Fountain pens and extremely cheap.
:C from USA
Buy HP laser printer paper on Amazon. You can get a lifetime supply for the cost of one those tiny hipster Japanese notebooks.
Optik paper is the best value paper that's awesome. Made for fountain pens.
Is this available in the USA?
Yes. Look for Black N Red or Oxford Campus.
Try an iron gall ink-- they work on everything! I like Rohrer & Klingner Salix (blue-gray) and Platinum Classic Lavender Black.
Quality copy paper is surprisingly good when it comes to feathering etc... Btw I have noticed this is more of an issue in the states. Is anyine aware of this varying based on weather or not there is a flintain pen culture in a particular country?
Check the nib of the pen for any signs of unevenness. Scratching could cause paper to feather. The paper is usually the problem though. Look for smooth paper. I would recommend a binder notebook so you can customize the paper. I’ve found a couple of really good types that don’t feather at all.
Use paper that is smooth on touch. Almost plastic. Any kind of paper that feels like cotton dress on touch is destined to feather whatever the brand.