Customer Reviews

Mead(R) College-Ruled Notebook Filler Paper, 5 1/2in. x 8 1/2in., 7-Hole Punched, Pack Of 120 Sheets

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I inherited a stack of this before leaving for grad school (my mother was cleaning the closets.) I have to say that most cheaper store-brand filler papers are far better.

95% of readers are probably thinking right now that all filler paper is essentially the same, with slight variations in color and printing. Perhaps this is even true for 95% of you.

However, for reasons of legibility and comfort, I use a technical pen with black india to write equations, and a fountain pen (usually a Parker 45) with Platinum brand carbon black ink for general writing. Both of these inks are more or less water-based but rather thick; both are wicked (despite their thickness) by Mead filler paper to the point of near illegibility. Lines begin to blur together and letters become fuzzy and uncomfortable to read.

This paper is fine for scratchwork, but for homework to be submitted or figures to photocopy, it's terrible. On the upside, I don't have to worry about smudges--the mead paper even doubles rather well as blotting paper. Most store-brand filler papers I've used seem to have a higher oil content and don't wick ink nearly this well.

If you only use pencil or gel/ballpoint pens Mead paper will suffice, but if you use rollerball, fountain, or other ink pens, pass this one over and get the generic stuff instead.

Ok, you're probably thinking all paper is mostly the same. Not really. Some brands have thicker paper than others, and some have smoother paper that make things messy. Let's use Mead's College Paper for an example.

For pencil writing, this will do fine. Pencil are harder, and "grab" the paper easily, so you control your writing.

For pens and markers, this paper is a nightmare. Pens seem to be hard to write with on the Mead college paper. They tend to go off, and lose track, making you have to write slowly so the pen won't go in different directions. Markers are the same.

Fountain pens seem to leak through the paper, making things hard to read.

This paper may do pretty well with roghdrafts, but for final copies, this paper is a nightmare.