Not a nib in sight!

Brace yourself, dear reader, for today is not a day to write of fountain pens. But you might just be interested nevertheless in a combination of groovy graphite, and especially pencil-friendly paper.

Firstly, there's another Nero's Notes special pencil in town. This time, it comes from over the pond, made by the marvellous Musgrave, beloved of all in the Nero camp for their long and lovely offerings. As usual, there's a sturdy scented wood casing which is a joy to shave down to a point, and the point stays on for a while too, because this is a #2.5 'firm' lead. As graphite goes, it doesn't feel especially hard on the page, and leaves a line as dark as many a B pencil in fact, but the extra firmness reduces the frequency of re-sharpening - which is a great party trick. Excellent for writing as a result, it's not bad for a spot of desultory doodling either. Clever stuff, and of course unique to Nero's Notes. 

Now, pencils can write on just about any paper, but they do prefer something with a bit of texture to rub against. Crown Mill's laid paper has this in spades - indeed, there's arguably too much texture for a fountain pen. But for graphite, it's just perfect. So we commend to you the unexpectedly heaven-sent partnership of Francophone and Websterian on bemusedly British shores. Benjamin Franklin would doubtless approve - but you won't have to conduct any dubious lightning-chasing experiments to try it out!