Clairefontaine – Writer's Bloc Blog

February 28, 2017February 28, 2017

Clairefontaine Staple Bound Notebooks: Great Paper at a Budget Price

Clairefontaine Side Staple Notebooks - Great Paper, Budget Price — Clairefontaine Side Staple Notebooks – Great Paper, Budget Price

There are many things to love about Clairefontaine Side Staple Bound Notebooks. First and foremost is the paper. If you’ve never tried this paper you don’t know what you’re missing! In addition, the price of these staple bound notebooks is easy on the budget, so they are a great way to be introduced to some of the best paper in the world for writing.

Clairefontaine Staple Bound Notebooks and Nova Orange Plaisir Fountain Pen

The thing that makes this Clairefontaine paper so great is the quality. It is 90g, bright white, and because it’s so ultra-smooth your pens will glide effortlessly across the page. If you enjoy writing with fountain pens you will discover that there is little to no ink that bleeds through the paper or feathers on the page.

Prices start at $2.15, and there’s even a large size notebook for only $3.30 (2017 prices), so this notebook is often chosen by teachers to introduce a class of students to the fine art of handwriting. In fact, these are the everyday notebooks used by students in France! The prices in our store are already discounted, and if you’re interested in purchasing 10 or more, there are some deeper discounts for this quantity on our website (contact us for ordering details if you need to place an order larger than our current inventory).

Clairefontaine is environmentally responsible, minimizing impact to the environment as they manufactures their own paper. The bright white paper is not bleached and the wood materials used come from forests independently certified by PEFC or FSC as sustainably managed.

Clairefontaine’s Side Staple Bound Notebooks are basically one thick signature of paper stapled at the spine with 2 or 3 staples. The covers are laminated to repel water and dirt and come in a variety of colors. As a left-handed writer I particularly appreciate that fact that there are no rings, wires, or discs to get in the way when I’m writing in these notebooks!

The number of sheets of paper varies from 24 to 48 depending on the size and style of notebook you get. In the USA, available sizes range from 3″ x 4.75″ to 8.25″ x 11.75″, and paper styles include ruled, ruled with margin, graph and French ruled.

Do you write with Clairefontaine paper? We highly recommend it!

December 6, 2016December 7, 2016

8 Retro Accessories That Will Rock Your Desk

In this digital age, fashionably nostalgic stationery is still highly treasured by writers all around the world. Here are eight of our top modern choices that reconnect us with days of the past.

J. Herbin Wax & Seal Kit

A personalized wax seal is a great way to make any invitation, thank you card or old-fashioned snail mail stand out in the crowd. Wax seals can be used to embellish wine bottles, for scrapbooking, to seal packaging, to add the finishing touch to a wrapped gift and much more. J. Herbin’s Supple Sealing Wax resists cracking or chipping when applied to envelopes being sent through the US mail.

J. Herbin Glass Dipping Pens

J. Herbin’s hand-blown glass pens are beautiful and elegant works of art made in the style of glass pens popular in 17th century Venice. The glass nib on this dipping pen has small spiral grooves that hold enough ink to write several lines without the need to re-dip. They can be used along with fountain pen ink or other specialty inks made for dipping pens.

Brause Calligraphy Dipping Pen Gift Set

For over 150 years Brause has been making steel calligraphy nibs of excellent precision and durability. This gift set includes a small bottle of ink and 6 different nib types for both script and calligraphy.

J. Herbin Dipping Pen Calligraphy Ink

J. Herbin Calligraphy Ink is specially formulated with natural resins allowing the ink to adhere to a metal nib, yet flow smoothly and consistently. For use with dipping pens, steel nibs, glass or quill pens, calames and brushes. It pairs well with the J. Herbin Glass Pens and Brause Calligraphy Dipping Pens.

J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Ink - Bleu Ocean — J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Ink – Bleu Ocean

J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Fountain Pen Ink

J. Herbin’s 1670 Anniversary Fountain Pen Ink comes in a cool retro cube-shaped bottle that is sealed with wax and decorated with a “1670” wax seal. J. Herbin created its “Anniversaire 1670” inks in honor of the 340th anniversary of the J. Herbin ink brand. Napoleon, Victor Hugo and Louis XVI all used J. Herbin inks!

Delta Vintage Fountain Pen – Ruby Red

This Delta Vintage Fountain Pen is made from a mother of pearl acrylic resin that beautifully catches the light. Like fountain pens of the past, it is carefully hand-crafted and made with attention to detail to produce a quality writing instrument that can be treasured for generations. Also available in Lava Stone Black, Deep Ocean Blue and White.

J. Herbin Wooden Rocker Style Ink Blotter

J. Herbin Traditional Wooden Rocker Style Ink Blotter

The Traditional Rocker Style Wooden Ink Blotter from J. Herbin is easy to hold and a clean way to avoid smearing excess wet fountain pen ink. It can be refilled with Rocker Ink Blotter Paper Refills, or purchase larger sheets of Blotter Paper to tuck inside the cover of your journal or notebook.

Clairefontaine Triomphe Stationery Tablet

In addition to all of your great nostalgic writing gear you’re going to want some high quality paper to enjoy it with. Classic Clairefontaine Triomphe Stationery Tablets fit the bill with brilliant white 90g, acid free, ultra-smooth paper. Fountain pens write like a dream on this paper! Matching envelopes are also available.

What are your favorite “vintage” writing tools?

September 13, 2016September 25, 2016

What’s the difference between Clairefontaine and Rhodia?

Both Clairefontaine and Rhodia brands of paper notebooks have some of the best paper in the world for writing and they are loved by writers from many lands. What makes Clairefontaine and Rhodia different?

Today they are owned by the same parent company Exacompta Clairefontaine, but originally they were two different companies. Clairefontaine began making paper in the Vosges region of France in 1858 and began making stationery products in 1890. They were the first company to make school notebooks in France.

Henri and Robert Verilhac, two brothers from a family of paper merchants, created the first Rhodia notepads in 1934 in Sechilienne, France. The name Rhodia comes from the Rhone River and legend has it that the Rhodia logo with two fir trees symbolizes the two founding brothers. Rhodia was purchased by Clairefontaine in 1997.

Clairefontaine Side-Wire Notebook with 3-hole punch

Clairefontaine’s signature notebooks are for students and come in a variety of sizes, colors and binding styles. The paper inside is bright white 90g French ruled or college ruled.

Rhodia’s signature notepads are top staple bound and contain bright white 80g graph paper with a violet 5 mm x 5 mm grid. They are easily recognizable by their bright orange cover and appeal to artists and designers.

Clairefontaine manufactures both their own paper and the paper contained in Rhodia notepads so it is consistently of the same high quality. This paper is well known for its extra-smooth finish and its ability to handle fountain pen ink, reducing or eliminating any ink bleeding through or showing through the paper.

Over time, both Clairefontaine and Rhodia have expanded their selection of paper notebooks to include a wide variety of products for all sorts of different writing and creative needs. You can take a look at a large selection of their extensive product line at Writer’s Bloc.

Which one should I buy: Clairefontaine or Rhodia? Both are great choices! If you’re looking for specific features, in the USA the brand that has the best selection is as follows:

French Ruled Paper – Clairefontaine
School Notebooks – Clairefontaine
Art & Music Notepads – Clairefontaine
Disc Bound Notebooks – Clairefontaine
Loose Leaf Paper Sheets – Clairefontaine
Blank Paper Notepads – Rhodia
Ivory Paper – Rhodia Webbies, Rhodiarama, R Premium
Dot Grid Paper – Rhodia
Top-staple Notepads – Rhodia

If you like plain, conservative notebook covers try the Clairefontaine Basics series or get a Rhodia notebook with a black cover. Most Clairefontaine paper has a weight of 90g. If you prefer a lighter weight of paper Rhodia has a good selection of 80g paper (although they have a lot of 90g paper as well). Take a look at the Clairefontaine and Rhodia paper writing tests at the bottom of this blog post if you’d like to see a comparison.

Clairefontaine Basics Cloth-Bound Notebook in Black — Clairefontaine Basics Cloth-Bound Notebook with a black cover

If you’ve never had the opportunity to try Clairefontaine and Rhodia notebooks and you want to find out for yourself why people love this paper so much, we’re giving away a limited quantity of sample paper packages. Each package includes:

2 sheets of Clairefontaine 90g ruled paper
2 sheets of Clairefontaine 90g graph paper
1 sheets of Rhodia Ice 80g ruled paper
1 sheet of Rhodia 80g ruled paper
1 sheet of Rhodia “R” Premium 90g ivory ruled paper
1 sheet of Rhodia 80g dot grid paper
1 sheet of Rhodia 80g graph paper

To receive one of these sample packages, please send us an email with your mailing address (USA mailing addresses only) or request a sample with your online order by mentioning it in the comments box during order check out. Once you get started with this fabulous paper you’ll never want to write on anything else!

Clairefontaine 90g Paper Writing Test - Front — Clairefontaine 90g Paper Writing Test – Front

Clairefontaine 90g Paper Writing Test - Back — Clairefontaine 90g Paper Writing Test – Back

Rhodia original 80g white paper writing test - front — Rhodia original 80g white paper writing test – front

Rhodia original 80g white paper writing test - back — Rhodia original 80g white paper writing test – back

August 16, 2016December 15, 2016

Space Saving Paper Notebooks

If you walk, bike or take public transportation to class or work, keeping your stationery supplies compact and light weight is a necessity. Paper notebooks that keep you organized while at the same time reducing bulk are much appreciated! Here are a few ideas to keep you streamlined while on the go.

Myndology Disc Bound Notebooks

Myndology disc bound notebooks give you the flexibility of a 3-ring binder along with the compact size of a paper notebook. Specially shaped discs with matching punched paper allow each page to be removed and then put back into these notebooks. College ruled, blank and graph paper refills are available and so are folder and tab inserts that divide your notebooks into organized sections. These features are offered for both Myndology Letter (8.5″ x 11″) and Journal (6.5″ x 8.5″) sized notebooks. If you’ve never had the opportunity to try this style of notebook, take a look at our previous blog post that answers frequently asked questions about disc bound notebooks.

Myndology Notebook Folders and Tabs — Myndology Disc Bound Notebook Folders and Tabs

Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebooks

Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebooks use two different methods to divide your notebook into sections: by tabs on the right side of the page and by varying the pastel color of paper used in each section. You get anywhere from 4 to 12 sections, depending on if you buy the small, medium or large version of the notebook. The paper in this notebook has a 5 mm x 5 mm grid, so if you write small you can get a lot of notes into one notebook! For more information check out our detailed review of Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebooks.

Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebook - Medium — Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebook – Medium

Clairefontaine Twinbooks

Clairefontaine Twinbooks have extra white 90g paper that’s divided into two sections by 2 tabs cut into the right side of the paper. These notebooks are side-staple bound so they have a slim profile and there are no wires or discs to get in the way – great for left-handed writers! They come with either a 5 mm grid or ruled paper.

Clairefontaine Wirebound Notebook with Pockets

Clairefontaine Notebooks with Pockets are divided into three sections of 20 pages by 3 dividers that have 2 storage pockets – one on each side of the divider. These pockets are handy for storing paper receipts, notes, tickets, business cards or whatever slips of paper come your way each day. These medium size notebooks have micro-perforated pages so you can neatly remove them from your notebook. Available with tan, black, red, green, blue or multi-color covers.

Clairefontaine Medium Size Notebooks with Pockets

What are your favorite space-saving notebooks?

August 2, 2016August 2, 2016

Back to School 2016 for Stationery Lovers

Back to school for students who love stationery is an exciting time that means backpacks full of shiny, fresh school supplies with that brand-new stationery smell! Here are some of our favorite supplies for your stationery fix in the new school year.

Clairefontaine Notebooks

Clairefontaine notebooks rock some of the best paper in the world for writing! This paper has a super smooth coating on it that reduces writing fatigue by allowing your pen to easily glide across the page. The quality of the paper minimizes any instances of ink bleeding through or showing through the paper which allows you to write on both sides of each page. Clairefontaine notebooks are especially awesome if you like to write with a fountain pen. There’s a huge variety of notebook styles and sizes from Clairefontaine, we’ll mention a few of our favorites here and you can check out the rest yourself.

Clairefontaine Wirebound Notebook – Large, Ruled w/Margin. 8.5″ x 11″ size and each page is 3-hole punched to fit American 3-ring binders if you decide to remove the paper from the notebook. 90 sheets per notebook.
Clairefontaine Classic Wirebound Notebook – A4 Large Size, Ruled. Includes a generous 96 sheets and you choose the cover color: Blue-Gray, Red, Blue, or Black.
Clairefontaine Classic Staple Bound Notebook – Large, Ruled w/Margin. Great paper for an economical price!

LAMY Safari Fountain Pens and Pelikano Fountain Pens

A fountain pen is the perfect companion to go along with your Clairefontaine notebooks. Fountain pens help with writing fatigue by reducing the friction required to write and Clairefontaine paper has a satin smooth surface to reduce the fatigue even more. If you’re going to spend a lot of time writing you may as well enjoy it! For school or college purposes we would recommend a pen that’s not too expensive that can be filled with washable blue ink cartridges (more info on that in a moment). When you’re on the go, ink cartridges are easier to use than bottled ink and both the LAMY Safari and Pelikan Pelikano have washable blue ink cartridges with a decent ink capacity: LAMY Blue ink cartridges or Pelikan Royal Blue giant ink cartridges.

Pelikan Super Pirat Ink Eradicator

The Super Pirat Ink Eradicator can erase mistakes made when writing with royal blue fountain pen inks and then you use the blue correction tip to correct the mistake. This correction pen is a fantastic addition to your fountain pen and Clairefontaine paper. If you’re wondering how it works take a look at this blog post: What is the Pelikan Super Pirat Ink Eradicator?

Quo Vadis Textagenda Academic Planner with a Red Chelsea Leather Cover

Quo Vadis Academic Planners for 2016-17

Academic planners are special because their dates correspond to the school year instead of the calendar year. They begin with the month of July or August and end with the month of July in the following year. Quo Vadis offers a variety of high quality planners and covers to keep even the busiest students organized.

Textagenda Daily Student Planner
Minister Weekly Student Planner – fountain pen friendly
University Pocket Size Student Planner
Scholar Weekly Student Planner – fountain pen friendly, open format
Monthly 4 18-month Monthly Planner

Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebook - Large — Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebook – Large

Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebooks

Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebooks get their own mention because they accomplish more than one purpose. In addition to tabbed, different colors of paper to keep your notes on different subjects organized, they also help save on space and weight to minimize the number of supplies you need to carry with you. These multiple subject notebooks have paper with a 5mm x 5mm grid so if you happen to have small handwriting you can get a lot of notes on one page. Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebooks are available in small, medium and large sizes.

Uni-ball Jetstream 3 Multicolor Pink Ballpoint Pen - 0.7mm — Uni-ball Jetstream 3 Multicolor Pink Ballpoint Pen – 0.7mm

Uni-ball Jetstream 3 Multicolor Ballpoint Pen

If you’re not into fountain pens, check out the space saving, smooth writing Uni-ball Jetstream 3 Multicolor Ballpoint Pen. It conveniently gives you 3 choices of ink color in one pen body. The pen comes with blue, black and red ink ink cartridges with a 0.7mm tip but can be refilled with any colors you wish. The pen is available with your choice of a pink, light blue, lime green, black or transparent body.

Clairefontaine Basics Blue Oval Leather Pencil Case

Aston Leather or Clairefontaine Leather Pen & Pencil Cases

Carry your writing instruments in style with a leather zippered pen and pencil pouch from Aston Leather or Clairefontaine. Both cases are reasonably priced and durable enough to last for years.

What are your favorite new school supplies to buy at the beginning of the school year?