Paper for Journals

Stonehenge warm white, though it is a bit heavier than text weight.

Something like 80# text Neenah Classic Crest would definitely work. There’s also Mohawk Strathmore, which has both pure cotton and 25% cotton lines.
—
Michael Hurley
Titivilus Press
Memphis, TN

My favorite paper for hand bookbinding is Mohawk Superfine. It’s not a cotton paper, but is archival, has a lovely tooth, and as a bonus, takes a flowing ink pen (fountain or calligraphy) beautifully. When folks pick up my journals, the first question usually is how it takes a fountain pen—so I’d say that should be a primary consideration, rather than cotton content.

I have copies of Fine Print magazine from the 1980s that were printed on Mohawk Superfine which have foxed just like any other tree-based paper. It is sold as archival, but is only acid buffered which may give it a slight edge over some commercial papers. The cost of truly archival hand-made or mould-made papers will substantially increase the cost of each journal, but if quality is what you are selling that would be the way to go. It has gotten to the point that commercial grade text blocks for journals, imported from Asia, can be purchased for almost the same cost as the paper in sheets. Talas in New York, Atlantic Paper in King of Prussia, PA and Dolphin Papers in Franklin, Indiana sell a wide assortment of text weight papers, and offer sample books of their hand-made and mould-made papers in stock. The papers made by Zerkall and Hahnemuhle look to me to be the best quality for the price, but of course you will need to make your own decisions.

http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_listing.cfm?ClientID=15&C...

http://www.atlanticpaperco.com/homenews.html

http://store.dolphinpapers.com/Catalog2012_October.pdf

In its later years, I believe Fine Print was able to switch to Mohawk Letterpress Text, which was a version of Mohawk Superfine, but specifically formulated for letterpress. It didn’t survive all that long, folks, as usual, were forever on the seach for the cheapest not the best. I used it quite a bit for bookwork. Bit of a disappointment to see it go. Still have several good reams of it (one in a special white that was only made for a certain printer, picked up when at the fini they were dumping). And samples of a heavier sheet Mohawk was considering (too bad they didn’t bring it back later before Crane dug through its archives and dragged out that old embossing paper so now popular for the new card folks). For letterpress it was a softer sheet than Superfine, and thus a finer print.

Gerald