JetPens View Corona 52 gsm Paper Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

You can never have enough options when it comes to good paper, and I've been very excited to try out the View Corona 52 gsm paper from JetPens since I saw it arrive on the site. With specifications that reminded me of the classic Tomoe River paper, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this to see how it compares.

The JetPens View Corona 52 gsm paper is available in A4 and A5, as well as a white or light cream color. Every option is blank and loose paper — no lined or grid options, and no notepad options. The paper is extremely thin, but really strong. Trying to tear a sheet was pretty difficult, but it does just fine with a hole puncher if you want to make your own holes to fit these sheets into a notebook or binder system.

Writing with this paper is fantastic. Since it's so thin, you can lay it on top of a lined or grid paper for some guidelines on keeping your lines straight. The paper surface is pretty smooth but offers just enough tactile texture to provide good feedback and feel when writing. I threw everything I currently have inked at this paper, and the results are impressive. Regardless of the type of pen or ink, there was zero feathering or bleed-through. The show-through is pretty bad since the paper is so thin, so don't plan on using the back sides of these sheets. After trying all the pens and pencils I had nearby, I went for an ink swab to see how the paper could handle large amounts of ink. It took a few minutes for the ink to fully dry, and it managed to cause some wrinkles in the paper due to the amount of moisture, but I'm happy to report that nothing bled through to the back side of the page. That's impressive.

The writing experience with this paper is quite enjoyable. It's smooth without being too smooth, which I find makes it difficult to control my writing. That little amount of tooth allows me to write quickly but with great control and precision. I've used some papers in the past that feel like I'm writing with a soft stylus on a smooth glass pane. This paper is not one of them. It provides a fantastic writing experience.

The fact that this is only available as loose pages may be a deterrent for some, and that's okay. There are so many other great options for thin paper that handles all kinds of inks and pens, so you won't have any problem finding something that suits your needs. But, if you're looking for something that you can quickly punch holes in and throw it in your favorite planner or binder (or just keep loose sheets on hand), then this paper is a perfect option.

Assuming you're looking for loose sheets, I can recommend this paper as a great place to start. At just $9 for 100 sheets of A5 paper, it's a good deal for the quality and amount. The A4 is a little more expensive at $15.50, but you get a lot more paper with that size.

If you're looking for some thin paper that comes in some sort of bound format, your options are plentiful, and I recommend you try a few different types. There's always Tomoe River, but most Japanese notebook manufacturers have their own version of an ultra-thin fountain-pen-friendly paper, or they offer something with Tomoe River paper inside. One of my favorite alternatives is the MIO paper from Kokuyo, or anything from Stalogy and Hobonichi. Either way, it's great to see more ultra-thin papers on the market that work so well with fountain pens.

If you'd like to pick up some sheets of this paper, you can choose from A4 or A5 size, and white or light cream. If you're using or prefer loose sheets over bound format, let us know why and how in the comments!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on April 20, 2022 by Jeff Abbott and filed under JetPens, Paper Reviews.

Galen Leather Magnum Opus 12-Slot Pen Case Giveaway

*Narwhal x Galen Leather fountain pen not included. :)*

Today, we complete the product trifecta of receive, review, re-home.

It doesn’t always work out this way, but when I’m fortunate enough to get my hands on awesome products like the Galen Leather Magnum Opus 12-Slot Pen Case, which I reviewed yesterday, I want to pass the awesomeness on to you.

I’m giving away my review unit, which comes with a few love marks from using it regularly over the past month. I appreciate Galen Leather sending this case my way. If you would like a chance to win it, read the rules below and get to entering!

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Galen Leather, Giveaways.

Galen Leather Magnum Opus 12-Slot Pen Case Review

For all my years in the pen hobby, I’ve never owned one of the larger hard-sided, leather pen cases like the Galen Leather Magnum Opus. I think I’ve been missing out.

Big, bulky pen cases aren’t for everyone, or every situation. I should know, I helped design small, compact nylon cases for years at Nock Co.. I worked on those products for a reason: They were an expression of my style. But storage options such as this serve a purpose as well.

Galen Leather has been making stationery goods since 2012 from their shop in Turkey, and have grown into one of the more prominent makers in our space. I was lucky to converse with founder Zeynep about their products prior to her way-to-soon passing, and am proud of her husband Yunus, and brother Yusuf, for carrying on the family business and creating something I know she is proud of. I’m fortunate to call them friends, so forgive me if I’m a lot biased when discussing their goods. They deserve all the praise in the world.

So, the Magnum Opus. As the name might dictate, this is a beast of a case. It is a 12-slot horizontal layout, with a removable velvet tray for easy access, or sharing, of pens. It is hard-sided, giving it a boxy feel when closed. The closure is magnetic, allowing for a nice snap to know your pens are tucked away safely.

As their brand name indicates, Galen specializes in leather goods. My Magnum Opus is made from a distressed Crazy Horse Brown leather, and comes in several other dyed and undyed leather colors. It also comes in a 6-slot version in many of the same colors.

In use, I keep the Magnum Opus on, or near, my desk. All pens inside are easy to access - even the short ones — due to the ability to slide the pen tray out easily. The case lays flat when not in use, or I’ll stand it vertically if the situation allows.

This case is at its best when used at home, or for dedicated events such as pen shows or meetups. You’ll want to keep it vertical when moving it around, as the pens aren’t held in place other than with dividers between the slots. Placing it vertically in a bag, for example, wouldn’t be a great idea as the pens slide left and right in the case. A bag-in-bag this is not. The 6-slot case is a much better portable option, for obvious reasons.

At $159 for the large model, and $109 for the smaller model, these Galen Leather goods are priced well. Quality leather goods aren’t cheap, and given the handmade nature of these cases, you are investing in pen storage that will be around for years to come.

You can order directly from Galen Leather with fast and fairly-priced shipping options. If you are in the US, both Vanness Pens and Goldspot carry a large amount of Galen’s ever-growing product lineup, so be sure to check out all they have to offer.

(Galen Leather provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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