Yamamoto Writing Paper Paper Tasting Silky Vol. 4

The Yamamoto Paper Tasting Silky Vol. 4 is a sample pack comprising three notepads, carefully curated around silky-smooth paper surfaces. Each of the three blocks contains 25 sheets of a different Japanese paper – in formats B7, A6 and B6 – and is bound at the top with adhesive. The set is designed for anyone wishing to compare different paper characteristics on a single property directly: smooth surface, but with different raw materials, different weights and different writing feel.

Features

• Three formats, three papers: B7 (approx. 91 × 128 mm), A6 (approx. 105 × 148 mm) and B6 (approx. 128 × 182 mm) – each format suits a different use case, from a quick note to half a sheet of letter paper.
• 25 sheets per block: Enough space to really get to know a paper – with different inks, nibs, pens and over several days.
• Silky theme: All three papers share a silky-smooth surface. Yet they differ in weight, fibre composition and ink behaviour – from quick drying to intense ink shading.
• Compatibility marking: Each set includes an information sheet in German/English and Japanese, indicating with symbols (○, △, ×) which writing instrument suits which paper.
• Adhesive binding: The top adhesive binding keeps the sheets neatly together and can be cleanly separated individually – no tearing, no frayed edges.
• Binder clip included: A reusable metal clip keeps all three blocks compact together during transport.

Use & Tips

• Fountain pen comparison test: Silky papers respond very sensitively to ink flow – a great opportunity to test the same fountain pen with fine, medium and stub nibs across all three papers and observe how feathering, shading and drying time differ.
• Ink shading and sheen: Smooth silky paper tends to make shadings and surface sheen particularly visible. Inks with strong shading, such as rich blues or greens, unfold their full range here.
• Check drying time: Some silky papers – particularly coated ones – dry more slowly. Anyone writing with very wet nibs or ink-rich stub nibs should deliberately test drying time before using the paper in a notebook.
• Gel and ballpoint pens: Coated papers in the set can be particularly suitable for oil-based ballpoint refills and quick-drying gel pens – smooth, without slipping, with clear line definition.
• Small formats as bookmarks or inserts: The B7 sheets (smallest format) are ideal for testing new inks straight from the bottle – as a compact ink logger or colour sample archive.
• Check double-sided writing: With silky papers it's worth writing on both sides and testing for show-through – some papers in this category allow double-sided fountain pen writing without problems.

For Paper Enthusiasts

The Paper Tasting series by Yamamoto Paper follows a curatorial approach: each edition brings together papers from Japanese paper mills that are rarely available individually in retail. The silky theme is not purely a tactile criterion – it describes a surface class created through calendering, coating or special fibre selection, within which very different writing experiences can still be found: from soft velvety resistance to almost glass-like gliding. Anyone evaluating papers systematically will find a structured foundation in these sets to develop preferences for ink behaviour, nib feedback and surface structure.

Technical Specifications