100 g/sq m

I had this text pending for some time. Hong-Kong-based company Daycraft had sent me a sample of its very appealing line of notebooks for me to enjoy and analyze. Travels and other circumstances kept me away from them and only now I could put my hands on them

The one under analysis today is the model named Daycraft Illusions Notebook—an A5 size with white 100g/sq m lined paper. Its 88 sheets (176 pages) are securely sewed together and are attached to a very colorful flexible cover that includes a pocket on the back.

The psychodelic cover.

But how does this heavy paper react to fountain pens? Well but not exceedingly well. We could think that a density of 100 g/sq m would be a good argument for an excellent performance, but density is not everything. The coating of the paper is indeed a very important element.

The reaction of the paper to the ink is based on two factors: evaporation and absorption. The ink must either be absorbed by the paper or, if kept over the paper, should lose its solvents, mostly water, by evaporation. Then, a very absorbent paper needs to be thick and heavy to prevent the ink from bleeding to the opposite page. But in very glossy, non-absorbing papers, the problem is a very long drying time with the risk of smearing.

On a side note, I will add that the absorbed ink also loses its solvents through evaporation, but in this situation the surface exposed is much bigger and the evaporation is quicker.

Six pens and five inks. Only one--the very wet Sailor Fude pen--creates a problem.

Bleed through of a very wet Sailor Fude pen with Waterman South Sea Blue ink.

The 100 g/sq m paper by Daycraft is very absorbing and creates no problem in drying and smearing. But wet inks and nibs do bleed through it, although this is not an issue for the vast majority of nibs.

Final verdict: Nice looking notebook. Heavy and good quality paper. However, wet nibs and inks can create minor problems.

(Sailor Profit Realo – Athena Sepia)

Bruno Taut
February 7th, 2012
[labels: papelería, Daycraft]