Field Notes
Paper Weight Matters for Fountain Pen Holders
Comparing 100 gsm and 120 gsm paper options for custody journals — bleed, feathering, and long-term archival properties.
Most Portal Heathercore journals ship on 100 gsm acid-free cream stock. It handles ballpoint, gel, and most fountain pen inks without significant bleed. A minority of our clients — particularly those who use wet broad nibs or iron-gall inks — request 120 gsm cotton paper at ₩8,000 extra per volume.
Why paper weight affects your ledger
Custody journals are written in slowly and kept for decades. The paper must accept ink cleanly on the first pass (you should not need to write entries twice) and resist yellowing over time. Acid-free stock addresses longevity; weight addresses ink behaviour.
100 gsm cream stock (standard)
- Handles EF, F, and most M fountain nibs without bleed
- Slight show-through on the reverse side with wet inks — generally not a problem because address columns use only one side per row
- Archival-rated for fifty-plus years in proper storage
- Keeps the bound volume slim (important for safe-deposit box filing)
120 gsm cotton paper (upgrade)
- Recommended for broad nibs, flex nibs, and iron-gall formulations
- Virtually no show-through
- Slightly thicker spine — a three-volume bundle gains about 4 mm total width
- Cotton content improves tear resistance when pages are turned repeatedly during quarterly reconciliation
Testing before you order
If you are unsure, request a sample page through our contact form. We will mail a single printed sheet of each paper type so you can test your preferred pen. Sample pages are free for confirmed bundle orders; ₩5,000 for inquiry-only requests to cover postage.
Ballpoint is fine
We want to be clear: ballpoint and gel pens work excellently on standard stock. The cotton upgrade is for fountain pen enthusiasts, not a requirement for legible, durable records.