Typewriter Talk / The Official Fountain Pen Thread

**Posted by colrehogan** 20-5-2015 11:16:14

I would suggest searching the Fountain Pen Network forums and/or the Goulet Pens Blog (this is on their website). This is discussed quite a bit. I have a "flex pen" but have not really spent the time to tweak it to my liking, plus flexing means slowing down my writing even more than it already is.

**Posted by Spazmelda** 23-5-2015 16:27:19

A couple of hours ago my husband came up and whispered in my ear, "I have a confession to make." Waiting for something juicy, I asked him what. He told me, "I used your fountain pens, and I like them." He had been sort of semi rolling his eyes at this new thing, probably imagining the credit card bills. So, anyway, we went on Goulet pens and ordered him one, and some orange ink samples. He will probably want ink to match all his pocket squares now.

**Posted by colrehogan** 23-5-2015 23:18:09

Great to hear this!!

**Posted by JoeV** 27-5-2015 17:21:14

I've been in search of that elusive paper that resembles classic typing paper, rather thin, almost like airmail paper. Being also a fountain pen user, finding just the right paper, that doesn't feather or bleed through, can be a challenge. Could it be that one and the same paper can satisfy both needs?

Staples sugarcane pulp "eco-friendly" paper I've known about for awhile as being very fountain pen friendly. Now, I've also tried it out on my typewriter with great results. But just last night I found that they also sell the same paper unlined, as copier paper, and I've ordered a ream, for typing purposes. I'll report back here once it arrives and I have a chance to use it. If it's the same paper as their lined notepad paper, I'll be very pleased.

~Joe

DSCF3333a by Joe Van Cleave, on Flickr

Typecast068 by Joe Van Cleave, on Flickr

Last edited by JoeV (27-5-2015 17:22:40)

**Posted by Uwe** 28-5-2015 11:42:31

Interesting stuff, Joe. I just checked online and my local staples has stock of the copier paper and it's only $6 for 500 sheets. They also seem to have myriad other paper items made of the same material, so I'll go by there later today to pick some up. The only time I'm at all fussy about the paper I use, for pen or machine, is when I'm using it for a mailed letter, and for that I like using onionskin paper, but I also like to try new things and this intrigues me. It's also given me the idea that we should have an official paper thread for everyone to post their favorite typewriter paper in. I'll set that up later too.

**Posted by Spazmelda** 28-5-2015 12:00:41

I just ordered some, I think I got the right stuff. It wasn't listed as in stock at our local staples, but they have that where you can have it shipped to the store for free. I think it was $6 something for a ream.

I make little hard bound notebooks, with the folded/stitched pages and an elastic band to hold shut. I'm always looking for neat paper to use in them.

**Posted by Uwe** 01-6-2015 11:04:52

I just finished a direct comparison of sugarcane paper with my regular paper and concluded that it provided almost equal performance.

My regular paper for typing - I use Leuchttürm1917 paper for writing - is Xerox Premium Multipurpose paper. It's around $8 for 800 sheets and is 24 lb. with brightness rating of 96. It works really well in any typewriter and allows me to type on both sides. When used with a fountain pen it exhibits minimal feathering and bleeding.

The sugarcane copy paper from Staples is only 20 lb. with a brightness of 92, but despite this it performs almost as well as the Xerox paper. I wouldn't hesitate to type or write on both sides of it as well.

I also bought a notebook made from sugarcane paper (no specs were provided) and found it feathered slightly more, and bled enough that I wouldn't be able to write on both sides of a page.

Based on my comparison I would use the sugarcane paper for typing, but since it's not any better (performance or cost wise) than my regular paper, I will probably stick to what I've been using. As for the notebook, it was half the price of a comparable Leuchttürm notebook, but it didn't provide half the performance of the Leuchttürm's fountain pen friendly paper, so I definitely won't be using sugarcane paper notebooks for writing.

**Posted by BrianE** 05-6-2015 19:30:51

A fountain pen topic? !

Either "uh-oh..." or "goodie goodie!"

Here's some doodling I did for another forum. Was before I got a decent camera so gamma & color might be off.

Waterman ink on Hamermill 28# "color copy digital" - brightness = 100

Happy typing and writing I guess!

--Brian

Last edited by BrianE (05-6-2015 19:35:06)

**Posted by skywatcher** 09-6-2015 00:22:21

Greetings All

Many of your stories sound familiar as I had to use a fountain pen in high school and just continued using them through technical collage. I was the only apprentice heavy duty mechanic who used a fountain pen for his noted. Actually had 4 fountain pens. 3 Shaeffer's, blue, black and red with corresponding color of ink and a Shaeffer Slim Line loaded with Peacock Blue for writing to my girlfriend and the occasional letter to family.

OK, back to the subject of paper, while searching around, I came across this site Bond Smooth 10lb White Paper 8 1/2" x 11" R | 3-ONSKN-N (thepapermillstore.com) and thought it would be interesting to try some of their onion skin paper. As yet, I haven't bought any so can't speak for or against it. For the corresponding envelopes, one needs to go to http://www.envelopes.com/business/regular/10-regular-envelopes-airmail . I'll see if I can gather up my old fountain pens and take a picture or two. Meanwhile, take care and all the best,

Sky

Last edited by skywatcher (05-12-2022 15:31:03)

**Posted by Uwe** 09-6-2015 11:16:09

skywatcher wrote:
thought it would be interesting to try some of their onion skin paper.

Sky, I use onion skin paper all the time - for typing - and it's readily available at Staples if you have one in your area.