They Sure Don't Make It Like They Used To: Vintage Office Paper from The Well-Appointed Desk

As an enthusiast of both fountain pens and (to a lesser extent) typewriters, when I saw that my friend Ana over at the Well-Appointed Desk had managed to source vintage typewriter paper (that also happened to be fountain pen friendly) and made it into A5 pads, picking up a few was a no-brainer. The paper, billed as new old stock Esleeck Clearerase Fluorescent White Erasable Bond, 25% cotton with “Cockle Finish” and a 75gsm/20lb weight, is quite good, to the point where I’m going to have to start looking for a modern equivalent.

As with all Well-Appointed Desk and Skylab Letterpress products, the artwork and design are top-notch.

In terms of performance with fountain pens, I’ve not experienced anything quite like this paper, and therefore don’t have anything in my current reference “library” to which I can easily compare it. Maybe bank paper, or perhaps 68 gsm Tomoe River? Both handle fountain pen ink just as well, with no feathering or bleeding, but this paper has a much more tactile feel. Perhaps it’s the finish? Or the coating applied to make the type “erasable” (hence the name, “Clearerase”)? Either way, the Esleeck paper offers a window into what generic office paper must have been like 40-50 years ago, and I’ve got some serious nostalgia for a time when I wasn’t even alive.

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My Hermes Rocket ultraportable, expertly restored by Nashville Typewriter.

But what I was most excited about was how dedicated “typewriter paper” performed in an actual typewriter. I popped a sheet into my favorite “everyday” machine, my Hermes Rocket ultraportable with a wet cotton ribbon, typed out a few lines, and was shocked by the clean imprint. While I wouldn’t say that this paper outperforms heavier, more absorbent cotton “rag” paper with a typewriter, that’s not an appropriate comparison. This Esleeck paper was likely intended as everyday “working” paper, similar to what most people would use in their office printer today, and it’s far and away a better product.

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The paper worked equally well on my Smith-Corona Skywriter with a blue ribbon. (Ignore the smudging on the typewriter writing sample in this picture and below, as that only occurred when I ran the initial writing sample through two additional typewriter platens to test the paper.)

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I compared the Esleeck paper to 25% cotton Southworth resume paper that I had lying around, and while the Southworth paper also handled fountain pens and typewriter ink quite well, it didn’t have the same feel as the Esleeck.

Oh, to be back in the days where standard office paper had a watermark.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

This is exceptional paper. Unfortunately, since supplies are limited, this will be it for this excellent vintage stock unless Ana manages to find more. From a bit of internet sleuthing, it appears that the Esleeck paper company was purchased by office supply stalwart Southworth in the early 2000s. I’ve used Southworth paper in the (now distant) past for resumes, etc., and it turns out I had some of their 25% cotton, 24 lb. resume paper lying around. While the paper I have is quite fountain pen friendly, it’s heavier than the Esleeck, with a rougher texture due to the “antique laid” finish. It appears that there is also a Southworth “uncoated wove” 20 lb. paper that also has 25% cotton content, which may be a closer match, but unfortunately I fear that this exact paper could be lost to the ages unless you’re willing to hunt new old stock on eBay.

(That will not, of course, stop me from obsessively trying to locate a modern equivalent. Stay tuned.)

I purchased the product featured in this review from the Well-Appointed Desk Shop with my own funds for my own use. This post does not contain affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported exclusively by sales from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and via Patreon.

Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper (Last Updated 9.13.25)

Years ago, I compiled a five-part resource titled “The Best Paper for Everyday Writing,” in which I looked at five different product categories that I regularly use in my working life and recommendations for each. These included hardcover notebooks, softcover notebooks, spiral notebooks, pocket notebooks, and writing pads/looseleaf. This particular post (which is semi-regularly updated), stepped back from specifics and offers more general thoughts on paper, this time going by brand.

I receive a lot of questions about which brand of paper to buy to ensure a good experience with fountain pens. Those are always tricky questions to answer because (1) “fountain pen friendly” is a relative concept; and (2) some brands use different types of paper for different products - some designed with the fountain pen user in mind, others not.

So as a baseline, what needs to happen before I will publicly recommend something as “fountain pen friendly paper”? My standard is fairly simple: No bleed-through or feathering with any fountain pen nib that can be reasonably used for everyday writing. (Because I mainly use my paper for drafting and notetaking, as opposed to drawing, wet ink samples, or flex-nib calligraphy, my standards may be more lenient than some.) I also don’t worry much about how the paper shows off ink color or things like sheen and saturation, though dry time occasionally factors into which paper I want to use for a particular purpose (i.e., quick notes). Below, I’ve divided major paper companies into “Tiers”, based on my own experience with using a range of fountain pens on their products. This is NOT intended as commentary on the overall quality of their offerings, merely to serve as a reference point on how well the paper used by certain brands tends to handle fountain pen ink according to my own standard. For example, while Field Notes is listed in “Tier Three,” that’s not surprising because the company makes pocket notebooks, and their products aren’t directed at those who want to write with a stub nib fountain pen every day. I love Field Notes, sell them in my shop, and use them fairly regularly - just not with most fountain pens.

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All the Midori MD Notebooks.

Tier One

When I place a company into the “Tier One” category, it means that you can likely purchase a product based on brand alone and ensure yourself a good fountain pen writing experience.

1. Clairefontaine. I still consider Clairefontaine the gold standard. Clairefontaine pads and notebooks feature 90g, coated writing stock that works well not only with fountain pens but pretty much any ink you can throw at it. It’s also relatively inexpensive for quality paper, making it my first choice and recommendation.

2. Midori. Both their “MD” and “Cotton” lines work exceptionally well with fountain pens. I find the paper more absorbent than Clairefontaine - especially the cotton - with better dry times. Midori MD paper can also be found in standard Traveler’s Notebook refills and the refills used in the Plotter binder system. Midori also recently introduced a “Thick” version of their MD paper, perfect for heavy ink applications and those who want to use the paper for mixed media projects that involve watercolor and ink washes.

3. Tomoe River. Available in 52g and 68g variants, this ultra-thin Japanese paper has taken on a cult following over the years. Even with the recent change in paper formulation, which I understand slightly changed the texture and the appearance of certain inks on the page, it remains excellent paper for writing. Though dedicated “Tomoe River”-branded notebooks can be found, typically this paper is sourced from third-party notebook manufacturers such as Traveler’s Company (“Lightweight Paper” refill), Nanami Paper, Lochby (68g), Atelier Musubi, and Odyssey Notebooks (68g) (among others). For similar though smaller-batch papers, check out Japanese Paper Distributor Yamamoto’s offerings, which change regularly. I don’t feel comfortable adding any of these as stand-alone entries as many are either not regularly available or being discontinued, hence the rotation in the Yamamoto lineup.

4. Iroful. This ink-friendly paper from Sakae Technical Paper was designed to mimic the now-discontinued Cosmo Air Light, and is known for its ability to showcase ink colors. Some find Iroful to have a too-soft texture, though not as much as Cosmo Air Light. This paper is generally seen as an improvement over Cosmo Air Light because it does not cause the ink to “spread” as much, working better with finer nibs.

5. Maruman. Exceptionally good office or student-grade paper that comes in both spiral-bound and pad formats, in multiple sizes, in both the Mnemosyne (80g) and Basic (70g) versions. In addition to handling fountain pen ink well, the pages are perforated, making Maruman notebooks a top choice for those needing versatile paper to use in the office where filing or scanning notes is necessary. The “Basic” version is slightly lighter weight than the flagship “Mnemosyne,” but still handles fountain pen ink well and comes in at an extremely reasonable price point, making it a good solution for an everyday work or student notebook.

6. Nakabayashi. Nakabayashi makes fountain pen friendly notebooks and paper under several different lines in multiple formats. The “Logical Prime” and “Logical Air” notebooks offer a multi-lined ruling similar to Clairefontaine French-ruled paper, and the “Yu-sari” paper is thicker paper designed to handle even the wettest of fountain pen nibs. Yu-sari paper is also sold in A5 and B5 looseleaf sheets. Nakabayashi is another relatively cost-effective option, especially if you are looking for notebooks to use in a Roterfaden, Lochby, or other notebook system/cover that uses the standard A5 format.

7. Profolio. Similar to Nakabayashi, Profolio notebooks contain a multi-lined paper that I find quite versatile and convenient. Available in multiple sizes (A6, A5, and B5), these notebooks offer another fountain pen friendly option in a thread/clothbound lie-flat format.

8. Life. Another Japanese paper that can be counted on to handle fountain pen inks reliably, though Life paper can be difficult to source in the U.S. and on the expensive side. Life also makes products in harder-to-find paper styles such as bank paper, typewriter paper, and Airmail/Onionskin paper.

9. Apica. Though Apica primarily makes very slim notebooks with lower page counts - a product I don’t use extensively - their paper is very fountain pen friendly and cost effective.

10. Stálogy. I love Stálogy’s 365-Day and Half-Year notebooks, which feature white paper and a light grey grid. While the paper is almost as thin as Tomoe River, it’s slightly more absorbent, resulting in shorter dry times that make it more “work friendly” for quick notes. (Several lefties I know love this paper.) Stàlogy used to be included in Tier 2, but from customer reports, they have resolved some issues with bleedthrough and I’ve now included them in “Tier 1”.

11. Rhodia. A sister company to Clairefontaine, Rhodia products have a different design aesthetic and the paper features a slightly different texture (i.e., many people find their paper slightly less slick than Clairefontaine and more absorbent, with quicker dry times).

12. Blackwing. I’ve waited to include Blackwing on this page to see if their paper quality remained consistently good, and I’ve been impressed with their standard offerings, particularly the paper in the Blackwing “Illegal Pad” writing pads. Note that the paper used in Blackwing products can vary across their special edition line, so this only applies to the standard pads and “Slate” notebooks, which I have enjoyed.

13. Notsu. I’m primarily including Notsu on this list for their ink-friendly index cards, which are frankly the best I’ve ever used and feature a wide variety of different formats. In addition to the index cards, Notsu also makes notebooks and notepads with thick dot grid paper that I enjoy because it’s textured and fairly absorbent, so it dries quickly. I debated whether I should include Notsu yet, since the brand is relatively new, but the lack of really good index cards on the market pushed this over the edge. I’ll probably continue to watch them though to make sure they don’t change card stock.

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Tier Two

Outside of the first group of papers, many of which are specifically targeted to fountain pen users, you have to start to think a bit about how you intend to use the notebook. Personally, I would still consider most of the paper listed in this category as “fountain pen friendly” for my own purposes (i.e., writing with EF-Medium nibs and “practical” inks), but since you may experience spots of bleed-through and feathering if you push the paper, I don’t feel comfortable discussing them in the same context as the papers listed above.

1. Leuchtturm 1917. Having developed a reputation as a “Moleskine upgrade,” Leuchtturm has become a fixture not only at specialty stationery stores, but more mainstream retail outlets. Leuchtturm paper is quite usable with fountain pens but you may see slight “pinpoint” bleed-through with very wet nibs and inks.

2. Lamy. Last year Lamy released a series of notebooks featuring a unique take on combination lined-grid ruling, with textured paper that behaves similarly to Baron Fig and Leuchtturm. Since this paper is quite fibrous, it doesn’t bleed but has a tendency to feather with very wet pens.

3. Roterfaden. While known for their Taschenbegleiter organizers that are compatible with most standard size notebooks (A4, A5, and A6), Roterfaden also makes their own proprietary refills in a variety of rulings. I’d compare the paper quality to Leuchtturm and Lamy, in that it works fine with finer lines and drier inks. The biggest selling point of these notebooks is that they lie flat and work exceptionally well with the metal clips in the Taschenbegleiter.

4. Kokuyo (Standard Paper). I love Kokuyo’s “tall and skinny” hardcover pocket notebooks, and the micro-grid paper works well enough for any writing instrument I would consider as pocket carry, including extra-fine and fine nibs on my pocket fountain pens. You may see pinpoint bleed-through otherwise, depending on the ink.

5. Laconic. Laconic paper behaves similarly to Stálogy and Kokuyo in that it works fine with extra-fine and fine nibs but is targeted to the Japanese planner market, which relies heavily on fine-tipped gel pens (particularly the erasable Pilot Frixion). I personally can tolerate a small bit of show-through, and have no issues using the wide variety of Laconic refills for practical tasks.

6. Shorthand Press. Los Angeles-based Shorthand Press has been around for years, and they’ve recently expanded their color range to include different covers and rulings. The paper has a vintage off-white tone, and will handle extra-fine through medium fountain pen nibs reasonably well, but may struggle with show-through and feathering with wetter inks and wider lines.

7. Appointed. I love the feel of Appointed’s textured, thick paper, as well as their linen stock covers, but since the paper is highly absorbent (presumably due to a higher cotton content found in U.S.-made paper), it can feather and bleed with wet fountain pens. While you can certainly get by with an extra-fine or fine nib, Appointed paper really shines with pencil, where its tactile feel pairs perfectly with graphite.

8. Baron Fig. Baron Fig has fallen off the radar in recent years, but I still draw from my stockpile. I love the texture of Baron Fig paper, especially with pencils, but I can no longer speak to how the current stock handles fountain pens as I have not bought any in some time.

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Tier Three

These are brands where you shouldn’t expect much compatibility with fountain pens, and if you purchase a notebook or notepad from one of these companies, you might see significant bleed-through and feathering. That’s not to say you can’t use fountain pens, I just wouldn’t expect to be able to use both sides of a page.

1. Moleskine. The ubiquitous black notebook that you see everywhere. If you’re a pencil or ballpoint lover, Moleskine has some great limited and special editions, but I’ve never had a good experience with any of their paper using a fountain pen, or even a rollerball.

2. Field Notes. While some of the special edition Field Notes pocket notebooks use thicker paper, Field Notes are relegated to pocket ballpoint territory in my own personal carry. That’s fine - it’s their intended purpose.

3. Doane Paper. One of my favorite paper rulings of all time (Doane’s signature Grid + Lines) is generally relegated to the ballpoint + gel pens + pencils rotation. While Doane paper handles fountain pen ink somewhat better than Field Notes, it’s best categorized in the same tier.

4. Any drugstore or big-box brand. Sure, occasionally you can find batches of very inexpensive imported composition or spiral notebooks made from sugarcane paper or another fountain pen compatible stock, but it likely won’t remain consistent from year-to-year and you may have to start your search over annually.

Missing Brands and Future Updates

Obviously I don’t have extensive experience with every paper brand out there, so I haven’t included many in this list and won’t do so until I’m comfortable discussing their performance with some degree of certainty. This rough guide therefore shouldn’t be read as “exclusive,” and I intend to add to it. Also, I’ve avoided commenting on small makers or boutique brands that can change their paper stock periodically. (I’m currently watching Nebula Note, Endless, Anecdote and Levenger for this reason, but to date I’ve been impressed with their offerings. As I gain more experience with some of these and/or see that the products show consistency, I will consider adding them to this list.)

You will also note that Write Notepads has fallen off this list, due to the company pausing their consumer/retail line to focus on B2B sales and custom work. While I hope they return at some point in the future, I have not included them due to the lack of availability.

UPDATE: If you’re interested in how paper and notebooks are sized, check out this post comparing various popular sizes (i.e. A4 vs. A5 vs. A6).

All links are to Gentleman Stationer Reviews, the T.G.S. Curated Shop, or to my friends at Vanness Pens. This post does not contain affiliate links.

An Abundance of Good Paper: Write Notepads Memo Pads

We not only live in a new “golden age” of fountain pen ink, but also fountain pen friendly paper. In the past few months alone, I’ve had the pleasure of testing at least four different legal or desk pads, all of which turned out to be excellent. When I first got into this hobby, there was Rhodia and Clairefontaine. Hard Stop. Not only do today’s fountain pen enthusiasts have a much more extensive selection to choose from, but the cost of good everyday paper has dropped.

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After revamping their notebook lineup to include some of the most ink-friendly paper on the market, Baltimore-based Write Notepads has now released a new set of “Memo Notepads” - 8.5” x 11” legal-sized writing pads containing the same 70# paper stock found in the notebooks. Each pad is glue-bound at the top, so the sheets tear off easily, and backed by a sturdy kraft/chipboard back cover.

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One thing I love about Write Notepads paper is that it is uncoated and more absorbent than your typical “fountain pen friendly” paper. It dries quickly, and despite the absorbency does not bleed or feather.

Write Notepads Memo Pads are sold two pads to a pack, with each pad containing 50 sheets. You can choose from three different 1/4” rulings: dot grid, lined, and “Meeting” (a Cornell-style ruling optimized for taking and summarizing meeting notes). These pads are ruled on both sides, so you actually get 100 pages of writing per pad - a feature that I wish makers of other high-end legal pads (such as Blackwing) would emulate. When I’m paying for good paper, I want to be able to easily use both sides of the page.

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Some people really enjoy the “Meeting” ruling for the ability to easily summarize notes and pull together action items. It’s also useful for research.

You can purchase Write Memo Notepads in the Curated Shop, priced at $18 for a pack of two. The Shop also carries the full range of Write Notepads products, from spiral Notebooks to pocket notebooks to hardbound journals. I can’t wait to see what Write releases next - perhaps a landscape desk pad? (Suggestion….)

The TGS Patreon Program, sales through The Curated Shop, and affiliations with other sites and retailers are how I fund The Gentleman Stationer. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Personal Favorites: Clairefontaine French-Ruled Paper!

One type of paper that is featured on this website fairly frequently is Clairefontaine “French-ruled”, sometimes referred to as “Seyes-ruled” notebooks and looseleaf. As many of you know, I have a personal soft spot for this product - perhaps making it my all-time favorite stationery - because it reminds me of when I was living in France during college and law school, which is when I first truly started to appreciate good stationery and writing supplies. Clairefontaine paper was everywhere, even drugstores, and at that point in my life it was easily the best writing paper I had ever used. Since then, I’ve always kept a steady supply on hand, even if it meant carting back overweight suitcases stuffed full of French-ruled notebooks from Europe. I always said that if I was ever fortunate enough to have my own stationery shop, one of the first things I would do is stock it full of Clairefontaine paper! Now that’s a reality.

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There’s something elegant about this ruling that I love but can’t really explain. Part nostalgia, part stationery nerddom, I guess.

In general, Clairefontaine paper is some of the most fountain-pen friendly paper you can buy, but it also works great with other wet writers such as rollerballs and felt-tipped pens. While the French-ruled paper uses a combination of grid and lines originally intended to help those learning handwriting maintain consistent height and spacing of letters, I appreciate this paper for its unique aesthetics, as well as its versatility in allowing you to write both large and small, depending on the type of work you are doing. Use the darker blue lines if you need a wide ruling, or use the lighter blue lines to size down.

In recent years, Clairefontaine French-ruled paper has become easier to find in the U.S. Starting today, I’m pleased to offer this favorite of mine in spiral, cloth, and staplebound Clairefontaine French-ruled notebooks in The Curated Shop. Despite its high quality and the fact that it’s imported, Clairefontaine paper remains relatively inexpensive compared to many other fountain pen friendly options. You can give the French-ruled paper a try for as little as $3 in the A5 staplebound format. (For those of you who prefer graph, I also have spiral bound A4 and A5 notebooks.)

“You have a store now?” I get that all the time. Yes, earlier this year I launched a small curated retail operation that I’ve dubbed the “T.G.S. Curated Shop.” The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all products sold in The T.G.S. Curated Shop, including Clairefontaine, Write Notepads, Midori, and others. You can discover all the brands I carry here. If you’ve purchased from me, and were happy with the experience, I’d be eternally grateful if you’d spread the word!

Paper So Good It Should Be Illegal? Reviewing the Blackwing "Illegal Pad"

Personally, I think Blackwing undersells their paper products. While paper quality is less important to pencil users, Blackwing’s paper is still versatile, and works well even with fountain pens. Previously I’ve reviewed Blackwing’s “Slate” notebooks, and today I turn my attention to their latest release, the “Illegal Pad.” Note up front: For purposes of this review, I’m going to test the paper with pens. It’s slightly tactile and exceptional with pencils, but that’s a given coming from Blackwing.

As a practicing attorney, I can testify to the fact that truly great legal pads are hard to find. You end up playing the “good enough” game and settling for something that meets most, but not all, of your stationery needs. Blackwing’s version may change that. The Illegal Pad features quite nice ivory 80gsm paper in either a ruled, blank, or dot grid format, yet maintains the traditional slim “legal pad” profile. (More on this later.) The pad is 8.5” x 11” letter-sized, not the longer, traditional “legal” format, which is something I prefer because the paper is compatible with more binders, notebooks, and file folders. (In my experience, hardly any attorneys still use actual “legal-sized” paper, though this may be more a function of the specific courts in which I practice.)

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The Illegal Pad is sewn-bound and the pages perforated, making it very hard to accidentally tear loose pages when you’re working or carrying the pad around in a portfolio or briefcase. Returning to the slim format, one thing I prefer about the Blackwing Illegal Pad over other pads of high-quality paper, such as Clairefontaine or Rhodia, is that the Blackwing version fits easily into portfolios. Even if you have to sacrifice a bit of page count to maintain a slimmer profile, I don’t like it when a portfolio appears so overstuffed that it barely closes.

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And paper performance? Well, see for yourself!

The only pen that bled through, just a touch, was the Baron Fig rollerball. Even some very wet fountain pens, such as my Momento Zero Grande, performed quite well. Since the pages are perforated and most people will want to use both sides of the page at this price point, I would like to see Blackwing incorporate a double-sided format.

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Pens used in this review, from left: Baron Fig Squire, Erasable Podcast edition; TWSBI Yellow ECO; Caran d’Ache 849 Ballpoint; Montblanc Starwalker Rollerball; Leonardo Momento Zero Grande in Primary Manipulation; and my Conway Stewart Model 100 in “Honey Noire”.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’ve been looking for a quality, reasonably priced pad of paper to fill this slot in my work rotation, and I plan to place a bulk order for more Illegal Pads. I ordered the paper featured in this review directly from Blackwing. The Illegal Pads are currently priced at $17.95 for a pack of two - just under $9 per pad, which isn’t inexpensive but also falls within the range of reasonableness for this format and for paper of this quality. On a per-page basis, this product is priced similarly to the Baron Fig Mastermind Desk Pad, and while I love the Mastermind as a desk jotter, the glue-bound pages tear off easily, making the Illegal Pad much better suited for portable use. The letter-sized paper also fits my files and notebooks better if I need to retain my handwritten drafts.

Disclaimer: I purchased the product featured in this post with my own funds, for my own use. This post does not contain any affiliate links.