Strathmore 500 Series Lined Writing Paper Pad, 8.5x11 inches, 50 Pages (24lb/90g) - Professional Artist Paper

So, a bit to touch on for context: I write notes, letters, lists, forms, cards. I collect pens and inks, loose paper and notebooks from all over the world. When I say I am picky about what I call 'good' paper, I mean it. Not that there is anything wrong with okay paper - most products fall squarely in the 'okay' category. This paper, though? It's good. Now I do say 'good' and not GREAT, or HOLY GRAIL, but it is very satisfying. At this price point, I don't think you will find many types of notebook or paper that isn't Korean, Japanese, or Taiwanese that comes CLOSE to this paper. There is a lovely texture to the paper. When you run your hand along as you write, it doesn't feel overly smooth, doesn't hold onto hand oils, and allows for a nice tactile grip so you can take your time with calligraphy or lettering. The thickness of the pages is darn near perfect. I have used oil based inks and water based inks with no problems other papers may have like pooling or soaking. I have used rollerball, fountain pens with various nib types and materials, fudosuke brush pens, and even dip pens on this paper, and all worked perfectly without bleeding through. There is no ghosting if letters when you write on both sides, even with black ink. Now, there are some things I don't prefer. The scent of the paper is a bit acrid to me. I wish there were thicker pads you could buy. If you use an ink with a slow drying time, you do need to be careful with this paper (especially if left handed!!), as the texture can hold moisture a bit longer. Washi tapes do not stick well. Folding (like for mail) can be a hassle as it doesn't fold in a way that is aesthetically pleasing (aka, it folds across writing lines, not directly on the line) which is a small thing for most -- but to me does make this less 'perfect'. All of that said, I will absolutely be keeping this paper around for writing nice notes, letters, and to scrapbook with. I wouldn't write a letter to like... A long lost relative or other super important thing. But I'll definitely give my little old lady neighbor a nice note when we swap garden veg with this paper. Or use it for the letter I give with my holiday gift for the mailman. This paper feels good, even to a snob. That's the best compliment I think you can give 🙂

I use broad and stub nibs and pens that write ‘wet.’ Most of the papers recommended for fountain pen geeks are touted for being ultra smooth and lightweight, but for those of us that like fat wet lines, they just don’t work like they do for the extra-fine nib people. THIS paper does. It’s smooth without being overly coated and slippery - you can feel it, but the pen glides along with no skipping. There is no, repeat no bleed through. My super-wet Targa broad nib is slightly visible on the backside, but a Lamy stub is not. I had to hold the Targa’s point in place for 12 seconds, or go over a line 8 times, before there was any bleed through. The paper is a rich cream (and I would like a white option), and it has that rarest and most wonderful of formats, the dotted line, rather than a solid line. It’s faint but clear, and only on one side of the paper. This now my #1 paper, and I plan to buy a lot of it -- it's also available in a hard-bound 80-page journal, which I have ordered.

To be honest, I only ordered this paper because I needed to get my order up to $35 for same-day delivery. As someone with a fountain pen-ink-paper addiction, I didn't figure I could go too wrong. I know the name Strathmore from its art papers. After placing my order, I read some of the reviews. I mostly use EF nibs, so I wasn't so concerned about the talk of bleed through, and I couldn't care less about whether there is sufficient glue on the binding. It is the paper that matters. Well, talk about a find! This paper is marvelous!!!! I've got my new favorite paper for note taking. I like the thicker weight, which is generally considered a detriment in Japanese papers. And I also tried my stub nib with its free flowing ink on the paper, and there was no bleedthrough. In fact, I like this paper so much that I just ordered two pads in a smaller size.

I purchased this on a whim. On the bright side it's readily available and inexpensive, especially compared to higher quality stationery pads like from clairefontaine, midori and Life. Unfortunately it doesn't show off shading or sheening at all, the paper is extremely absorbant and doesn't allow the ink to pool which is a prerequisite for these fountain pen ink effects. Most fountain pen papers have a water resistant coating to allow ink to briefly pool before being absorbed into the paper. Because this paper absorbs ink so quickly it also makes darker inks look black, which is frustrating. On the flip side, shimmering inks show up brilliantly, as do lighter colored inks as they effectively get concentrated into the paper. I'll personally be using this and maybe buying more. It's handy and readily available and shimmering inks look great. Also pro tip: standard a6 envelopes (for a5 paper folded in half) fits well in this. The envelopes I have are 4.25 by 6.25. I can fit 5 sheets folded in half but they're a bit of a squeeze. This should be fine unless you're hand writing your dissertation.

Very happy with the quality of this paper thanks.

Para quem gosta de escrever com caneta-tinteiro ele é excelente. A tinta não passa para o outro lado e ele tem uma textura muito agradável. Recomendo.

Bueno

Will buy this again...

Lovely paper.