Finding the Best Pens for Thin Paper

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Some paper is just plain delicate.  One example of this is the paper in a Hobonichi planner, and another is engineering paper.  If you’re dealing with a notebook, pad, or other source of delicate paper, you know how difficult it can be sometimes.   If you love to bullet journal, you may have also faced this tough issue.  As someone who has used all these types of paper and more, I have learned the best pens for thin paper through a ton of trial and error.

Common Issues With Pens and Thin Paper

When it comes to writing on thin paper, there are a number of common issues when it comes to what pen you are using.  The most common problems are:

  • Ink bleeding through pages
  • Pens leaving indents on the next page
  • Pen tips ripping pages

With thin paper these issues may not just impact the page you are writing on, but the back of the page and page after as well.  Generally, if you bleed through to the next page you will ruin that page, as well as the back of the page.  If you are writing only on one side of the page, you may be able to get away with a little bit more than the average person writing on thin paper.

The same goes for some fine tip pens.  If your tip is too fine it may have a tendency to rip through the pages, think a of pen tips less than .5 mm and extra fine fountain pen tips.

Tips for Working With Thin Paper

When it comes to thin paper, one of the easiest ways to avoid issues is to avoid certain types of pens.  Avoiding permanent markers, as well as most gel pens (even if they are quick drying and smear resistant) and fountain pens will go a long way.  Personally, I absolutely love both of these, so I have also learned a couple of tips to get away with using them.

First, write fast and light.  If you write slow and hard, more ink will be absorbed by the pages, increasing the chances of the ink bleeding through.  This took some trial, error, and well, ruined pages to figure out.  If you write light, you will also be less likely to rip pages or make indents on the next page.

These Pens Are Also The Best Pens for Bullet Journaling

One common source of thin paper is bullet journals.  If you aren’t familiar with bullet journaling, it is an amazing style of journaling that can really send your productivity through the roof.  Most bullet journal users create a number of different views, some daily, some weekly, and some monthly.

The best part of bullet journaling for me has always been looking back through my bullet journal.  One of the reasons bullet journals have such thin pages is to that we can use the same journal for a long time!

These pens for thin paper are also the best pens for bullet journaling.  Bullet journals often have thin pages, so everything we talked about in this guide holds true.

The Best Pens and Markers for Thin Paper and Bullet Journals

In this list you will see a number of different types of pens, both black and colored, as well as markers for thin paper and bullet journals.  This list has a little bit of everything to help you get on your way when it comes to working with thin paper.

Now, for my favorite pens to use with thin paper and bullet journals.

Best Pens for Thin Paper

Looking for the best pens for thin paper? This is my go to guide for pens I have tested that will not bleed through thin paper or damange thin paper.

Becaus these pens are so great for thin paper, they are also the best pens for bullet journals too!

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