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Spideysgirl
October 8th, 2018, 05:18 AM
I bought a vintage blotter at the flea market last weekend. I got to looking at it and thought it looked a lot like construction paper. I went to the dollar store and got some construction paper and it seems to work just as well. Is blotter paper really construction paper marked as something else?

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KrazyIvan
October 8th, 2018, 11:47 PM
As long as the paper is absorbent, it will work as blotter paper.

Empty_of_Clouds
October 9th, 2018, 12:17 AM
Not tried this myself, so just guessing, but do you lose the sheen of a sheeny ink if you blot it?

Chrissy
October 9th, 2018, 02:45 AM
I bought a vintage blotter at the flea market last weekend. I got to looking at it and thought it looked a lot like construction paper. I went to the dollar store and got some construction paper and it seems to work just as well. Is blotter paper really construction paper marked as something else?

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
I'm not sure what "construction paper" would be, here in the UK. :confused: Maybe someone else knows?

catbert
October 9th, 2018, 04:30 AM
Construction paper (aka sugar paper?) is rougher and more fibrous than blotting paper. It could work as blotting paper but the coloured sheets would make it harder to appreciate accumulated traces of different inks.

I use an old A5 pad of cartridge paper (watercolour paper) to furnish A6 blotting sheets for my Hobonichi Techos.

@ EoC: no appreciable loss of sheen if you don't blot immediately.

FredRydr
October 9th, 2018, 06:23 AM
...Is blotter paper really construction paper marked as something else?

No. Blotting paper is designed to draw a sufficient quantity of ink off the writing surface so as to prevent the blotted ink from returning to the writing surface, even with an immediate second application of the blotting paper.

My guess is you bought an old advertising blotting card. Those usually perform better than modern blotting paper bought from art supply stores. I never tried construction paper, but given it's thin weight compared to classic blotting paper, I cannot imagine it would have the capacity to draw heavy ink blobs without returning the blotted ink to the writing surface.

KrazyIvan
October 10th, 2018, 09:56 PM
Not tried this myself, so just guessing, but do you lose the sheen of a sheeny ink if you blot it?

Yes. If you are using an ink that shades, you usually end up with no shading after blotting. Blotting speeds up drying if you really need it. Just a side note: I have old leather bank register books that have blotting paper between each page of the book.

jbb
October 11th, 2018, 08:27 PM
Blotter paper is heavier than construction paper in my experience.

Veighag
October 6th, 2020, 08:01 PM
To be honest, this is the first time I hear about something like this. I should check ... I'm pretty sure there are some differences between the two. I am currently doing some repairs, so it will not be difficult for me to check it, though I will have to wait a bit. At the moment I am repairing gutters (https://www.maxima-aluminum.com/service/eavestrough-gutter/), so paper is simply unnecessary here. I think that when I start doing repairs in the garage, I can check it out. It seems to me that this will happen in about a month, perhaps a little later. In any case, when I do this, I will write down my results in this topic ..

Ole Juul
October 6th, 2020, 08:10 PM
Blotting paper is its own thing. Paper manufacturers make it specifically. Other industries use it too.

jbb
October 6th, 2020, 08:23 PM
I have/use blotting paper.

Wile E Coyote
October 7th, 2020, 04:06 AM
No, construction paper is wood pulp based paper and blotter paper is cotton based paper. Blotter paper is much more absorbent.

Ole Juul
October 7th, 2020, 07:44 AM
No, construction paper is wood pulp based paper and blotter paper is cotton based paper. Blotter paper is much more absorbent.

Here's an alpha cellulose (wood) based one. (https://store.opusartsupplies.com/sagro/storefront/store.php?mode=browsecategory&category=1790)

Wile E Coyote
October 7th, 2020, 10:17 AM
No, construction paper is wood pulp based paper and blotter paper is cotton based paper. Blotter paper is much more absorbent.

Here's an alpha cellulose (wood) based one. (https://store.opusartsupplies.com/sagro/storefront/store.php?mode=browsecategory&category=1790)

That's because the Alpha Cellulose is high :hippie:

FredRydr
October 7th, 2020, 10:28 AM
So far, the most effective blotting paper I've found are pages from obsolete photographic print-drying books, better than vintage blotting sheets and cards. You can buy them off eBay, and one should provide you with many years' supply.

I bought used, but here's a seller selling them N.O.S., still wrapped, for only $8! (Still has the $33 sticker on them.) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Delta-1-Photo-Drying-Book-holds-21qty-8-x-10-prints/283932452178

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jVwAAOSwJN1e-2al/s-l1600.jpg

Jon Szanto
March 11th, 2021, 11:27 AM
So far, the most effective blotting paper I've found are pages from obsolete photographic print-drying books, better than vintage blotting sheets and cards.

You know, Fred, it was late and I should have headed off to bed. Then I saw this thread, and started looking on eBay, looking at my slightly-smaller rocker blotter, thinking about felt padding...

So I went out to the garage, got the box of imported felt I have for covering timpani mallets and found some piano felt to cut a piece to soften my rocker. And then I looked and the only piece of blotter paper I've had on there was pretty used up, so I had to dig through another box of materials to find the pack of blotting papers I bought from Sam and Frank (Pendemonium) to cut a new piece. The sheets from there are odd because I can only get one piece out of every sheet so there is a lot of waste, but even still it would last me for years, I think...

And then I ene up on eBay, still, and find a pack for about $10 plus almost that for shipping, and I'm thinking "Do I really need this? More than I'll EVER use?"

I don't know. If I bought a book of this stuff (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Crystal-Britz-Photographic-Blotter-Book-Drying-Prints-Resin-Coated-Paper/313385361972?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649), would anyone want to share in the cost for part of it (it doesn't say how many pages)? I don't mind spending money on stuff I like or would use but space is now at a premium and it seems folly, just because I am interested, to get this much.

Yea, I'm rambling. My rocker blotter is happier this morning, though!

Jon Szanto
March 11th, 2021, 11:40 AM
BTW, Fred, while I was looking for various searches on "blotter", I came across the following, which appears to be nearly custom made (size-wise) for one of yours:


59597

FredRydr
March 11th, 2021, 11:44 AM
BTW, Fred, while I was looking for various searches on "blotter", I came across the following, which appears to be nearly custom made (size-wise) for one of yours....
For one of my...what? I only have one!

Jon Szanto
March 11th, 2021, 12:01 PM
BTW, Fred, while I was looking for various searches on "blotter", I came across the following, which appears to be nearly custom made (size-wise) for one of yours....
For one of my...what? I only have one!

Ah, my bad. In your other rocker blotter thread I thought all the photos you posted of them were still part of the collection. I'm not going to read anything else into... anything else.

FredRydr
March 11th, 2021, 12:11 PM
... I'm not going to read anything else into... anything else.
:tea:

linearMN
March 12th, 2021, 08:10 AM
I buy my blotter paper at the local art supply store. It comes in 18"x22" sheets, so you can get a lot of 4"x6" blotters out of a sheet. There is a bit more texture and the sheets are heavier than the old style ink blotters but work well. I've been printing on blotters I send out to pen pals and FredRydr will be receiving one in the next letter if I get around to it.

Printmakers use the blotter paper to remove excess moisture from printmaking paper before printing.

mizgeorge
March 12th, 2021, 08:19 AM
I was thinking about blotting paper only the other day. When I was young, we all used to have a desk pad with a sheet of blotting paper held in it - mine was a half demy, my father had a full demy. I haven't seen one for years - but I did look for large sheets of blotting paper and was horrified at how difficult it was to find, and how expensive. And on reading the reviews, they all seemed to be very different to the nice thick absorbent stuff we used to use. I obviously need to to the art shop (when they open again).

FredRydr
March 12th, 2021, 08:32 AM
I was thinking about blotting paper only the other day....
Here's my assessment of available blotting paper. https://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/24112-Blotting-paper-and-rocker-blotters I bought sheets of modern blotting paper from Blick's, and it wasn't very absorbent for fountain pen purposes, compared to the good stuff.

Ole Juul
March 12th, 2021, 09:12 AM
I thought about using a blotter. After all, it's nice to collect "fountain pen stuff". I've seen people use blotters when I was a kid, and I wish I'd paid attention then. In any case, at this point I can't for the life of me figure out what I'd use it for. Apparently my writing habits are sufficiently different from others to qualify me as an alien. I have yet to see ink sitting on the surface after I've written. It just seems to go into the paper right away. That applies to all my inks, and not just iron gall.

That said, I'm not a fan of wooden papers, although the cheap copy paper (1¢ per sheet) that I use for scrap has much the same quality in that regard as my 35¢ a sheet preferred papers. I did buy some Tamoe River paper a while ago and I think I understand what people are talking about because (in my highly biased opinion) that's a bit like wax paper to write on. It's certainly an interesting effect, but far from practical in my opinion. Too smooth and not ink friendly. Yes, I'm familiar with real blotter like what @linearMN talks about, but I just don't need it since the paper I use is already more like that than Tamoe River or other hard surfaced wood papers.

Yazeh
March 12th, 2021, 09:28 AM
I got a small Herbin blotter and blotting paper (https://www.amazon.com/White-Blotter-Sheets-10-pack-4-75x6-3/dp/B001D2EGOK) in the early days. But I don't use it anymore.
@Ole, the cotton paper is so unusual for us woodpaper user, it somehow acts as blotting paper ;) :D

Jon Szanto
March 21st, 2021, 01:46 PM
Well, this came in the mail yesterday. I cut a sample, put it on my small rocker, and it works just fine. Now I have a ton of this. I'm thinking I'll cut pieces to include in letters I send. Fred, what would be the optimal 'universal' width (not length) of pieces for rocker blotters? Mine is 2.5" wide.

59724

FredRydr
March 21st, 2021, 02:48 PM
Vintage rocker blotters in the states are either 2 inches or 2 1/2 inches or 3 inches wide. You always need plenty of extra length to fold over at the ends, so do not precut them to length. The longer the extra length at each end, the more secure it will be when you tighten down the top.

Also, get some soft felt that will be cut to the same widths, but the length will equal the curved underside of each rocker blotter. Place it between the bottom and the blotting paper.

Okay, using American business size No. 10 envelopes to send to your friends, they are 4 1/8 x 9 1/2 inches: My largest 3-inch rocker blotter needs 6 1/2 inches of paper along the length of the curved bottom, plus 1/4 inch at each end to 'round the corners, leaves a maximum 2 1/2 inches to fit in the envelope. 2 1/2 divided by 2 is only 1 1/4 inches at each end to be held down by the top of the rocker blotter. It's enough, but I wouldn't want less.


59728
Look! It's Bakelite. Whatever you do, don't drop it!

If you have one of those giant modern Montblanc rocker blotters without a knob, you're on your own for dimensions.

Jon Szanto
March 21st, 2021, 03:22 PM
Vintage rocker blotters in the states are either 2 inches or 2 1/2 inches or 3 inches wide. You always need plenty of extra length...

Ahem. Well, I can certainly make a nice extra width that will still fit in a standard envelope and cut the longest I can. If people have special needs they will have to ask! And I mentioned earlier about having added felt to the rocker after your suggestion. I am now completely set, except that now I want a larger rocker blotter.

jbb
March 21st, 2021, 03:54 PM
My biggest rocking blotters are 2¾" wide. I have big sheets of moss green blotter paper and some brown sheets of a brand called "Verigood" which is.....very good.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51059771418_333136ed77_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kMYF9w)IMG_0223 copy (https://flic.kr/p/2kMYF9w) by JBBJBB (https://www.flickr.com/photos/192255753@N06/)

FredRydr
March 21st, 2021, 04:04 PM
job, the upper left is cool!

Jon Szanto
March 21st, 2021, 04:22 PM
Fred, the pages in my book are 9 x 12. I could get three pieces of 3 x 12 per page. Do you think if I folded over each end equally, to fit in the envelope, it would harm usage? Seems like it would be ok, as the fold would be inside the covered part. So much thought over such a little-used resource!

FredRydr
March 21st, 2021, 04:30 PM
Simply fold it so that one side of the crease is 9 inches

Yazeh
March 21st, 2021, 07:26 PM
My grandfather's blotters looked much bigger... If my memory isn't playing tricks with me, they were 4 inch wide... :)

Jon Szanto
March 21st, 2021, 07:41 PM
As hard as it may be to believe, in this day and age, there it is (http://rockerblotters.com/):


59732

Yazeh
March 21st, 2021, 08:03 PM
Thanks Jon. It wasn't solid wood actually. It was hollow and open.... and no knob...
This is the closest it looked like, though I'm sure my grandfather's wasn't a Montblanc... :)


https://lux-ua.com/image/cache/catalog/product/pens/montblotterblack/s-l1600-600x600.jpg

Jon Szanto
March 21st, 2021, 09:26 PM
Thanks Jon. It wasn't solid wood actually. It was hollow and open....

Sorry, Yazeh - that wasn't meant as a direct response to your post, I was off doing research when you wrote about your grandfather's blotters! It was just curious to me to see someone zeroing in on such a niche product. That MB piece must cost a fortune.

FredRydr
March 22nd, 2021, 05:18 AM
...It wasn't solid wood actually. It was hollow and open.... and no knob....
Rocker blotters are typically either three piece or two piece. Your grandfather likely had the latter type.

A three piece version will have (1) a solid bottom curved piece against which the blotting paper lies, (2) a flat top piece that presses down upon the extended ends of the blotter paper and (3) a knob with a screw that passes through a hole in the center of the flat top and into the center of the curved bottom, clamping the top and bottom to grip the paper. My wooden (https://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/24112-Blotting-paper-and-rocker-blotters) and bakelite blotters, jbb's ivory and black blotter and Jon's modern wooden blotter in the photos above are examples. Two-part rocker blotters use (1) a sprung sheet steel bottom that fits into notches in (2) the flat top, thereby holding the paper against the steel curve. jbb's two cast metal blotters in her photo above are examples. I don't know how the Montblanc rocker grips the paper; 24k thumbscrews?

Jon, I had one of those modern rocker blotters in the photo. It has a great classic look, but compared to the originals, I found its length too short and the bottom radius too tight, making it toy-like (the ringtop of rocker blotters?).