Trouble With My New Lamy Safaris - Any Advice?

[LamyOne]

Hello All,

 

I purchased two Al-Stars and they're both great pens. They prompted me to buy two more - but Safari's this time to save a couple of bucks and have pens I don't mind posting. They arrived today - one fine nib and one broad nib.

 

The fine nib is dryer than dust - I can barely get any ink of it.

 

The broad nib is moderately wet - when it works - it skips a lot.

 

I did flush out both pens with warm tap water; siphoned out the excess water with a Kleenex and let them dry out for a couple of hours before loading them with ink. When I loaded them, I also purged out the converter just to make sure there were no air bubbles or water droplets left in the feed or channel.

 

These are brand new, German-made pens; I have no clue why they shouldn't be working perfectly. Any other suggestions?

 

 

Best regards,

 

Chris

Edited August 12, 2014 by LamyOne

[TheDarkFaery]

Try using a different ink. If that doesn't work contact the retailer.

[LamyOne]

Hello DF,

 

OK, I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

 

Best regards,

 

Chris

[LamyOne]

Oh well; I can't report any changes at this time. I suppose I could floss the tines with brass shims, but I don't think I should have to do that with brand new pens - and I don't want to void out any warranties.

 

I'm really tempted to go back to roller-balls and felt tips; they don't glide quite as nice as a fp - but I've never had any trouble getting one to write.

 

Thanks all the same,

 

Chris

Edited August 12, 2014 by LamyOne

[Uncle Red]

Chris, most Lamys write well without fooling with them. Contact the seller for assistance.

[Anne-Sophie]

I second that, they are school pens, they should write perfectly right away.

 

Contact the seller and keep us posted!

 

 

Every time I was or am in need to write extensively, I use fountain pens.

 

Hand cramps and wrist fatigue and later in life, arthritis or general joint pain, is no fun.

 

A properly sized and balanced fountain pen can alleviate that.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Anne-Sophie

[LamyOne]

Hello everyone,

 

I have contacted the seller and I'm waiting to hear back from them.

 

In the meantime, I have been able to solve the problem - to a fashion. I had purchased a couple of spare Lamy nibs when I bought my Al-Stars, so I replaced the original nibs with those and now both pens are great writers!

 

I still haven't heard back from the seller, but I'm going to see if I can keep the pens and get an exchange on just the nibs. (They do sell the loose Lamy nibs, so I'm hoping it won't be an issue). I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

Thanks again,

 

Chris

Edited August 12, 2014 by LamyOne

[Koyote]

Lamy nibs are hit and miss. It was wise to purchase a couple extra, just in case.

[ink-syringe]

I find the pens to be totally solid and reliable. The nibs are hit and miss but once you get the pen mated with a good nib you they are usually really solid.

 

There is a video (Goulet?) that explains that some Lamy pens could be cleaned first b/c they are tested and sometimes occasionally have a little left over Lamy blue in them. Personally I have not had any problems with new Lamy pens other than somewhat dry and scratchy nibs.

 

Here you get to change the nib once (which i have done twice so far) and usually I go home with a pen that is at least good or (in the case of my Vista) excellent. (I usually pop in a cartridge right there or in a nearby cafe and then go back if the nib sucks).

[MBFan]

Maybe there was some residue on the bottom f the original nibs? It might be worth wiping them clean and trying them again, just to see if that played any part.

[rwilsonedn]

Just a couple of observations. First, yes, Lamy's quality control on nibs is, shall we say, unfortunate. It is not uncommon for people to have trouble with them. Second, it is a good idea to flush any new pen--not just a Lamy--with a mild solution of dishwashing liquid ( a couple of drops in maybe a half cup of water) or household ammonia (maybe a quarter tsp in a half cup of water) about a dozen times. Then flush with clean water about a dozen times. You are not just trying to flush out little particles, you are trying to dissolve greases and such that the manufacturer left in there for you. After that, try the nibs again. If they are not better, it is easy to gently adjust the flow with your fingertips, without doing anything that would void the warranty. Have a look at the posted thread on the First Stops Topic: Five Bad Things That Happen to New Pens.

ron