Good journals/planners for fountain pens?

So, I like to write simple notes, journaling, to-do lists, or essays/fiction with a fountain pen whenever possible, and I’m trying to find a good journal or planner to use. My Pilot and Diamine inks feather a lot on the paper I’m currently using, and that’s really the main problem I want to address.

What brands or products would you recommend? What kind of paper do you like best?

iamnotacat ,

Another vote for Midori and Rhodia. I’m looking for the spiral version of the Midori, in the meantime my daily driver is a sidebound Rhodia spiral. It just works, any ink, any pen.

toga ,
@toga@penfount.social avatar

@kalanggam As others have said, the Hobonichi's are great with fountain pens, or if it's more of a pure journal you're after the Luechtturm1917 Bullet Journal performs excellently.

pixiecata ,
@pixiecata@kbin.social avatar

I use a Hobonichi techo planner and grid notebooks. I also use Midori grid notebooks. No feathering on both, not too glossy so my nib doesn't "skate" on top. I like Rhodia pads (some of the notebooks feather). Clairfontaine is lovely smooth paper but my pens usually "skate" on it and I can't control my handwriting on it, but YMMV.

ItsJason ,

My favorite notebook is the JetPens Kanso Noto. They have 160 sheets (320 pages) of Tomoe River paper with a 5mm dot grid. Tomoe River paper is a premium fountain pen friendly paper that should solve your feathering problems.

www.jetpens.com/…/29704

JetPens offers free shipping in the US for order of $35 or more. I don’t know what options are available outside of the US.

The notebook is currently out of stock. I expect more to be back soon. Tomoe River paper was sold from one paper company to another. I think JetPens just cleared out their stock with paper from the original company and I anticipate they’ll bring the notebook back soon with paper from the new company (Sanzen). In the past, the notebooks sold for $19.50, which is a great price for a premium paper notebook (seriously, I think only the Nanami Seven Seas notebooks have a better price per page for premium paper) . However, to keep the price low, the notebook doesn’t have bells and whistles like an elastic closure or page marker ribbons.

WARPed1701D ,
@WARPed1701D@wayfarershaven.eu avatar

Midori MD pads with one of their covers work well and aren’t too expensive. Available in A5 and A6 if I recall. Otherwise as already mentioned I like the 90gsm Rhodia or Clairefontaine notebooks. The 80gsm Rhodia paper (found in a lot of their pads) always feels like the backside of the paper has less coating on it and not as enjoyable.

Bozicus ,

I’ve gotten good mileage out of Rhodia and Claire Fontaine, and my sibling swears by Tomoe River. Do not try Moleskine, I have gotten more feathering on those notebooks than on any paper I have ever used. I think they’re designed for pencils, or something.

Fair disclosure, though, I usually just use cheap composition books, and find a pen/ink combo that looks good on whatever I happen to be using. I only use nice paper if I particularly need it for a given pen or ink, or if I am going to show someone else what I’ve written.

marshadow ,

I like my Hobonichi Techo planner. The paper is thin, so it ghosts a bit, but it doesn’t bleed. I think they also make plain journals, and it’s not uncommon for Hobonichi fans to buy an extra planner to use as a journal.

Shihali ,

Hobonichi Techo is always good, but more oriented towards keeping a diary and a little expensive (though you get what you pay for).

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • random
  • [email protected]
  • All magazines
    •