Back in the early 2000s, Levenger was one of the more readily available sources of quality, yet reasonably priced, stationery and desk/reading accessories, and I fondly recall spending hours browsing their original factory store when my parents lived near Delray Beach, Florida. (I would also visit the old Tysons Corner, Virginia location when I attended the D.C. Pen Show at the old Sheraton location.) The Levenger Circa disc binder system still plays a role in my personal carry, and I love that I can hole-punch any letter or A4-sized looseleaf paper and organize notes by sheet, much the same way as I have used William Hannah.
Levenger paper is more absorbent, so it doesn’t show off sheen or shading as much as coated paper. It does, however, dry fairly quickly. I love these pads for notetaking in meetings, using the ruled areas to take actual notes and the shaded “annotation” section to summarize talking points and follow-up questions.
While Levenger has long advertised their paper as “ballpoint, rollerball, and fountain pen friendly”, I’ve found it to be somewhat inconsistent over the years. I suspect they’ve changed the sourcing more than a few times. In the early 2010s, I acquired a large batch of Circa notebook refills, Oasis desk pads, and annotation legal style pads which I would describe as “relatively” fountain pen friendly. The paper was certainly usable (especially for the price point), but it still suffered from some feathering and pinpoint bleedthrough with especially wet pens and nibs broader than a fine, and sometimes a medium. The current generation of Levenger paper, I’m happy to report, performs much better.
The grey-shaded annotation pads feature a monthly/weekly date function that allows you to date your notes by circling a specific day or a range. The color shaded annotation pads do not feature the calendar.
I’m still working through that original giant bulk order, sp I’ve not had much of a chance to sample any of Levenger’s latest releases until recently, when I acquired a large batch of their “Freeleaf” notepads from an estate sale. I’ve been using them for about six months or so, and have been so pleased with the quality that I not only bought more but decided to bring them into the shop. To me, what makes Levenger products fun to use are their diverse array of layouts, ranging from their classic “annotation ruled” paper (a version of Cornell-style formatting) to this new “Vintage Library” pad that looks like a giant library card. The annotation pads are definitely the most fountain pen friendly of the bunch, and I’ve had no issues with this paper bleeding or feathering even with very wet nibs and grinds like architects and kodachi/blade grinds that can dig into the paper a bit. I hope Levenger keeps this source and begins to use this paper across their entire product line, because in addition to performing well with ink it has a pleasant texture and tactile feel when writing.
Ever wanted to write on a giant library card? Well, now you can live that dream.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
As a shop owner, I’m constantly paying attention not only the best-performing paper, but paper that performs well at a price point that’s accessible to those of us who use it every day and, as a result, burn through a lot of it. While all the specialty Japanese papers out there can be interesting to use and often perform superbly with fountain pens, they tend to be too pricey for me to use on more mundane office tasks where the paper often has to end up in the shredder. The Levenger “Freeleaf” legal pads handle fountain pen ink quite well, and can cost as little as $8 on a per-pad basis, making them a great office resource. I love that the pages are formatted on both sides to maximize usability and minimize waste.
We currently sell the Freeleaf pads individually and in a pack of five, in three different layouts. We also carry a curated selection of Levenger accessories, including some newly arrived leather pen cases and canvas stationery pouches. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve tried so far, and definitely plan on adding as much as Levenger will make available to independent retailers.
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