Oxford Index Cards (4x6 inch)

I have been trying to find a system that I could use to organise my ideas for the business in a way where I can quickly and easily reorganise the order without having to constantly reproduce items. I came across a writing blog where writers would use index cards to reorganise points in their plot, so I decided to see whether this system would work out for me.

In Australia, there aren’t a whole heap of index card options that don’t involve expensive shipping costs from overseas. I didn’t need anything super high quality, just something that was blank and around A6 size – the ones I could find in Australia was the Oxford Index Card.

These index cards aren’t made of particularly heavy or smooth cardstock – in fact there is quite noticeable texture to this card. Its heavier than photocopy paper, but not by much. I would guess they are around 200gsm or so? I’ve seen a lot of criticism about the lack of weight to this, but to be fair, they are quite cheap – so its not realistic to expect too much. The lack of weight is also good in that they are easier to carry around if you want to include these in your EDC.

I have mainly been using these to print on via a laser colour printer and these were able to support that work with no issues. Some of the better quality cards were too thick to work with my printer, but these were great – no jams and I could put them through the tray – no single feeding required! For handwritten notes, I also printed a dot grid onto the cards, making them more convenient (for me) to use.

I didn’t purchase these expecting that they would provide a brilliant writing experience. A quick test shows feathering for all “liquid” inks – fountain pens and rollerballs – although I can’t see any feathering with the Schmidt P8127 rollerball. Felt tip pens were uncomfortable to use with these cards – the paper is just too textured for smooth writing.

There is no bleed through or shadowing on the back of the cards, which you could expect for a thicker cardstock.

The lack of performance doesn’t bother me – if I’m writing on these I will be using a gel pen or pencil which both work well on the paper. If you’re looking to use these with a specific writing implement, like a fountain pen or a rollerball – these are not the cards for you. If you just want something cheap, blank and ok for basic usage, these are a good, cost effective option for you.