This is the Paper Primer.
What is paper?
A thin cellulose mesh
Rags Make Paper
Paper Makes Money
Money Makes Banks
Banks Make Loans
Loans Make Beggars
Beggars Make Rags
-----Anon. English 19th C.
What does it take to make paper?
Pulping
Machining -mesh forming
Drying
Finishing (sizing)
Washi fiber length 13-17 mm, naturally acid free
Cotton 3-5 mm
Wood pulp cellulose 2-7mm
Begasse paper 1.2 mm
Recycled fibers <1 mm
What are the characteristics that make one paper more suited for a particular application?
Absorption/ghosting / Bleed through
Feathering
Shade
Sheens
drying time
Western paper makers
Massive List of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper
Williams Paper Museum at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA.