Fountain Pen Friendly Planners: Archivist Paper vs Tomoe River | Hemlock & Oak

i've wanted to write this post for a long time. if you're a fountain pen user, you probably already know the frustration of finding a planner that actually works with your pens. most planners use paper that feathers, bleeds, or ghosts so badly you can barely use both sides of the page.

that's why we spent over a year developing our own paper.

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✧ why we made archivist paper

when we started hemlock & oak, we focused on using thick bleed-resistant paper. until recently, all our planners used heritage 120gsm. great for gel pens and fine-tips, but not optimized for fountain pens. we kept hearing from customers who loved our layouts but wished they could be writing on something that would show off ink qualities and work with a multitude of nibs.

so we partnered with an FSC-certified european paper mill and set out to create something purpose-built. the result is archivist, a smooth, 70gsm paper designed specifically for fountain pen users. it's uncoated, and made to handle even wet inks with minimal ghosting.

Tia visiting our mill partner during archivist production.

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✧ how it compares to tomoe river paper

if you've been in the fountain pen world for any amount of time, you know tomoe river paper (TRP). it's been the gold standard since the 1980s, famous for its thin, smooth surface that makes ink sheen and shimmer beautifully. it's what you'll find in hobonichi planners, and it's what every paper maker in this space is measured against.

so how does archivist compare? we put both papers under a microscope to find out.

what archivist does well:

→ strong sheen visibility - dye concentrates at the surface as it dries, producing that golden shimmer along ink edges that fountain pen users love

fountain pen ink on archivist 70gsm paper. you can see the golden sheen forming at the ink boundary where dye concentrates as it dries.

a closer look at the sheen boundary. the gold band forms right where the ink meets bare paper.

→ minimal ghosting - at 70gsm, archivist is thicker than TRP's 52gsm, which means less show-through on the reverse side. you can comfortably use both sides of every page

→ clean line edges - no feathering, even with wet nibs and saturated inks.

→ excellent ink shading - you can see the gradation from light to dark strokes clearly

the fiber web of archivist 70gsm paper visible through blue ink. the uncoated surface lets ink interact naturally with the paper structure.

where tomoe river still has an edge:

→ slightly sharper ink edges at the microscopic level

→ more dramatic sheen and chromatographic separation, that effect where you see different colours at the edges of your ink lines

→ higher ink saturation. colours appear slightly more vivid on TRP

tomoe river paper (2019) under magnification. the ink forms a more uniform film on the coated surface, producing slightly sharper edges and higher saturation.

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✧ coated vs uncoated: why it matters

we dug into expired patents to better understand what could have been used to develop the original tomoe river paper and found that the manufacturer tested the use of thin acrylic copolymer coatings on both sides of a sheet. these may have been for thermal rolls, and while we can't say for certain whether recent production still uses the same coating, we weren't able to rule out synthetic polymers as part of how TRP achieves its ink behaviour, although we're not excluding the possibility of something like clay being used. paper-making is an incredibly complex undertaking, and there are so many variables that could affect the final product.

what we were able to accomplish: our archivist paper achieves similar results through the paper itself: the fiber structure, the formation, and how the sheet is made. no coating.

we made a deliberate choice to keep archivist uncoated. here's why:

sustainability. coated papers can use more additives and possibly synthetic polymers, essentially a thin layer of plastic on both sides. even if the layer is incredibly thin, it's just not something we want to get into! basically we're doing what we can to ensure our paper repulps cleanly.

performance balance - we're 90% of the way there without it. that's not us guessing. Fountain Pen Love, one of the most respected review sites in the community, tested our 70gsm paper and rated it 4.33 out of 5, tied for their highest score, calling it "very impressive" and "high-performing."

our uncoated fiber structure under magnification. the paper does the work without an additional coating barrier.

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✧ what the reviews say

John Bosley at Fountain Pen Love put archivist through a comprehensive battery of tests with different inks, nib sizes, and writing styles. here's what stood out:

→ rated 4.33/5 overall, tied for their highest paper score ever
→ described the paper as "very impressive" and "high-performing"
→ noted strong water resistance and excellent ink handling
→ highlighted the lay-flat binding and page-numbered layout

you can read the full review here.

From Carola also did a detailed video review showing the paper in action with various fountain pen inks. you can watch it here.

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✧ a note about tomoe river paper quality

if you've been following the fountain pen community lately, you may have noticed some concerns about recent batches of tomoe river paper. some users have reported inconsistent ink behaviour and occasional bleed-through that wasn't present in the original runs.

we're not entirely sure what's behind the recent discrepancies. while we we're going to keep our paper uncoated, we may be able to print our planners on tomoe river 68gsm in the future, which could be a great option alongside archivist. we're still a small team, and don't want to spread ourselves too thin, but it's something we have an interest in.

in the meantime, every batch of archivist paper is to be produced to the same specification, at the same mill, with the same process. consistency is something we take seriously.

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✧ what archivist paper is available in

we use archivist 70gsm in planners and notebooks across our lineup:

planners:
→ weekly & daily planners - 576 pages in a single book, fountain pen friendly throughout
→ undated weekly & daily - same layout, no dates, start anytime
→ academic planners - august to july, perfect for students

notebooks:
→ dotted and graph notebooks - 288 pages of 70gsm archivist paper in a slim, lay-flat binding

all of our fountain pen friendly products are designed, printed and bound in canada. no plastic in our packaging.

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✧ for hobonichi users

if you currently use a hobonichi planner and you're looking for alternatives, whether because of the recent paper quality concerns, because you want a larger format, or because you'd prefer something made closer to home, our weekly & daily planner is worth a look.

like the hobonichi techo, it combines weekly overview spreads with daily pages. the layout includes space for goals, reflections, and notes alongside your daily schedule. and the archivist 70gsm paper handles fountain pen ink in a way that will feel familiar if you're used to tomoe river.

the main differences: ours is thicker paper (70gsm vs 52gsm), which means less ghosting and virtually no bleed-through. it's uncoated, so dry times are shorter. and it's thread-sewn and bound in canada.

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we're constantly working to improve archivist paper. this isn't a "set it and forget it" product. we're actively developing the next generation with our mill partner, pushing the fibre science further to close that last gap while staying true to our uncoated, sustainable approach. in fact, we're going to try making a 120gsm version in 2026. the thickest fountain-pen friendly paper around!

if you're a fountain pen user who's been looking for a change, we'd love for you to try archivist.

→ shop fountain pen friendly planners
→ shop fountain pen friendly notebooks

happy planning!

- the H&O team

P.S. not sure which planner is right for you? reply to this email and i'll help you pick one out. you can also download our free layout PDFs to try at home.