I love writing with fountain pens for a smooth writing experience with a connection to the past. Writing with fountain pens helps me to slow down and think carefully about every word I write and how they work together to express my thoughts. It was only natural for me, then, to use my fountain pens in my Full Focus Planner. But I have found that some pen and ink combinations work much better than others. So, here is a quick summary of my fountain pen experiences with the Full Focus Planner.
Bleedthrough
Bleedthrough is the ink passing through the page so that it is clearly seen on the reverse side. This is not acceptable when you need to write on both sides of the paper as you would in the Full Focus Planner. Several factors contribute to bleedthrough:
- Ink – You will want to use an ink that dries more quickly.
- Paper – Fortunately, the Full Focus Planner is made with high quality paper that accepts many ink and pen combinations. But some will still cause problems.
- Nib – I have found that “scratchier” extra-find and fine nibs are prone to cause bleed-through problems more than smooth ones. So look for a pen with a smooth nib. Hint: Japanese nibs run smaller than Western nibs. Example: a Japanese medium nib is very similar to a Western fine nib.
Ghosting
Ghosting is often confused with bleed-through but it is not bleed-through. Ghosting refers to the ability to “see” the writing on the opposite side of the page, but when no ink actually transfers through the paper. Darker inks may be worse, but usually, ghosting will not cause any problems in the Full Focus Planner.
Pen and Ink Combinations
My go-to pen and ink combination is Sailor Pro Gear Slim with Sailor Pigment Ink. The pen is lightweight and the perfect size for pocket or desk. I do not experience any bleed-through or smudging with these Sailor inks and pens. And these pigmented inks are permanent, so if you spill something, the ink will not run. Click here to shop for Sailor Pens.
I have also had great experiences with Pilot and TWSBI pens. If you are looking for a silky smooth writing experience with minimal feedback, you won’t go wrong with a Pilot fountain pen. Many Diamine inks serve me well in Pilot and TWSBI pens.
Pilot Frixion Pens
If you like writing in ink, but want the ability to erase, you might want to try Pilot Frixion Pens. These gel pens put down a medium line and they are available in a variety of colors. And, they are erasable. Pilot uses an ink formulation that magically disappears when friction is applied by the eraser. But you don’t want to leave your planner in a hot car. Since the heat from an eraser is what actually erases the ink, the heat in your car could erase all your notes!
Conclusion
So, now that I have introduced you to some pens and inks that serve me well with the Full Focus Planner, I would love to hear from you about your pen and ink combinations. Please leave your comments below. I will post detailed writing samples with different pen and ink combinations in the future.
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