Fluther: Have you ever tried to write anything on a napkin?

Have you ever tried to write anything on a napkin?

Asked by kneesox (4593

) June 5th, 2021
18 responses
“Great Question” (4

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Folklore has people jotting notes on a napkin in a restaurant. Sometimes detectives in novels do it. Isaac Asimov wrote one of his limericks on a napkin. A lawyer told me you could write a holographic will on a paper napkin, and if it’s signed and dated it will stand up in court.

Have you ever tried to write anything on a napkin? Fine linen might do, but then you’re in trouble. A paper napkin, though: did you get anything but a blurry mess?

Why don’t these impromptu writers carry a notebook or an index card in case they have the sudden impulse?

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Topics: writing, notes, notebooks, planning ahead, immortal speeches, paper napkins, capturing inspiration

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Answers

All the time. It’s better than writing on my hand, because I’ll wash it off and forget. :P

Some napkins take pretty well to ballpoint. Others, not so much.

Rollerball works fine almost all the time. Just write fast—but don’t press too hard. :)

(Hot drink sleeves also do well in a pinch.)

raum (13206

)“Great Answer” (4

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It’s happened many times. The impromptu need at a party or other social event. That’s just another reason I always carry 2 pens.

stanleybmanly (24153

)“Great Answer” (1

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I’m with you, @kneesox. I have yet to get my hand on a napkin that is good for writing. I have never written on a napkin and I can’t understand how people could do that.

But on the other hand, it’s not like anyone could carry a notebook everywhere. Some people just don’t have the space to put a notebook in. And writing on a notebook spontaneously isn’t something a regular person would do regularly either.

Mimishu1995 (23628

)“Great Answer” (3

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I’ve done that many times. There’s an art to it. The napkin has to be stretched out, but not too tight. And the pen needs to be very good.

longgone (19540

)“Great Answer” (4

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Different makes of napkins have different tensile strengths.

Even if I print slowly and gently on a napkin with low tensile strength, there will still be a barely noticeable degree of tearing. However, the printing is legible.
So I’m reasonably sure that I could write on a napkin with higher tensile strength.

Brian1946 (32273

)“Great Answer” (4

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Maybe, but I don’t remember trying. I usually have a handbag with me, which always has a treasure trove of random scraps of paper, receipts, etc. which all can be used to write on instead of a napkin.

jca2 (16267

)“Great Answer” (3

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I have written on napkins, but unless you want your medium to bleed and/or fall apart in interesting ways, I wouldn’t recommend it. Results depend on the pen and the napkin used of course. A notebook tends to work much better, but doesn’t have the same ad hoc style.

Zaku (30354

)“Great Answer” (2

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I wrote a girl’s phone number on a napkin in 1984. We came close to marrying, but alas it did not work out. I still have the napkin.

zenvelo (39429

)“Great Answer” (7

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Paper or cloth napkin?

At this point why not just type (whatever) on your cell phone and email it to yourself?

elbanditoroso (33157

)“Great Answer” (3

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Yes
“You’re fired!”

ucancallme_Al (1013

)“Great Answer” (2

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Sure.

Dutchess_III (46811

)“Great Answer” (3

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“Help me” notes to the waiter when those first dates don’t work out.

But it can be hard to read when you use your own blood…

JLoon (8568

)“Great Answer” (8

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Several times. The only real problem I’ve had was sometimes the pen would poke a hole in the napkin. Quentin Tarantino autographed a paper bar napkin for me at the Riverside Inn. He did a decent job considering he was a tad more than buzzed.

lastexit (2470

)“Great Answer” (4

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