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Why Is Lamy So Damn Good?


Sundrah

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Well, many people don't like the triangular section on the Safaris (myself included). Is it innovative? I suppose, but it's not a thing that has caught on in the fp world.

I must disagree. Several other school pens have a triangular-ish grip - Pelikano; Pelikano Junior; Pelikan Griffix, Style, Future; Online Switch; Faber-Castell School Pen.

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*climbs onto soapbox*

 

I also want to give a shout out to the oft forgotten (but still fabulous) Lamys that don't see as much love as the Safari, Al Star and 2000.

 

I absolutely love the slimline Lamy range, such as the CP, ST and Pur. I continuously recommend these to people who complain about the Safari triangular grip, or the fact that it looks like a school pen. All the benefits of a Safari (interchangeable nibs!) with a more grown up body.

 

Also, one pen on my to buy list is the Dialog. Retractable nib! A friend has had his for four or five years, and the mechanism is still as reliable as the day he bought it.

 

I tend to go on regular forays to other pen brands (I'm fickle, and I read too many reviews on FPN). But the majority of pens I've used as daily writers have been Lamys.

 

*climbs off soapbox*

It's quite nice out here in the sunshine...

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Damn... In this thread are the only complaints I've ever seen about Lamy products. Guess I fell short in my swift thread whipping... Oh wells, still less complaints than I've seen in comparison to other companies :P

 

It's all a matter of taste and personal preference. For example a Lamy Safari has a beveled grip designed to teach students a standard tripod grip. Some people hate the grip for different reasons some of which may be very valid. Well, it's their preference. I personally like it and think it is a very good idea for those of us that use a standard tripod grip. In fact, I believe the Lamy Safari is a great pen and a small engineering marvel. But then again, that's just my opinion.

 

As far as Lamy inks is concerned, I have found them to be well behaved, the bottles are well designed (have you tried to tip one over?) and the "toilet paper" thingy is very thoughtful. Some people complain about Lamy blue (the same they complain about Pelikan 4001 blue), but then again these are inks designed with students in mind, so they are washable and erasable. And if you only use bulletproof inks don't come knocking at Lamy's door.

 

Concerning nib width, that's a very subjective subject. One of the reasons I returned a Lamy 2000 with an F nib was that the line was too thin! Others on this forum may have found that nib too broad as they only use XXF nibs. Like I said, it's a matter of taste and personal preference. :happyberet:

Edited by carlos.q
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I don't have any Lamy pens, but I tried some Lamy inks (black and blue), and I'm definitely unimpressed. That ink is just too dry and pale for my tastes.

 

Hello Venemo,

 

I can't say I blame you. Lamy black is a good ink, average, but it has nothing on Aurora Black; Lamy Blue is well behaved but very bland ink - it reminds one of Quink Washable Blue. (Like Carlos says, these inks are designed for sloppy students). :D

 

The Lamy inks I use and enjoy are their blue-black, (albeit a bit shy of lubrication), turquoise and coral. The rest I wouldn't recommend, (although, to be fair, I've never tried their green or violet).

 

Best regards,

 

Chris

- He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me; and I in him. (JN 6:57)

- "A woman clothed in the sun," (REV 12.1); The Sun Danced at Fatima, Portugal; October 13, 1917.

- Thank you Blessed Mother and St. Jude for Graces and Blessings obtained from Our Lord.

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At least Lamy is interchangeable nibs. When I feel like wasting money again I'll buy more nibs. Saving up for Pilot's Flagship pen the C845. One day I'll get the perfect nib for the Alstar or I'll just buy a Lamy Gold nib. (Hoping that they test their gold nibs a bit more.)

 

Well for the 78g I knew that they were dry so I expected them to be dry.

 

I guess that is why people say either get the VP or the L2k as a starter pen. Once you chose one you have decided the path from that. But I will one day buy the L2k only because of the design and maybe I'll buy it then get it checked out by a nib mesiter. Or a preowned L2k that was used so I know it works.

 

Maybe I'm just unlucky. But I'll still get the L2k before I die, that design is iconic, sorry pilot but your stuff look like clones of MB.

 

--------------

 

Lamy ink is odd tho.... The bottles flow better than the carts. I'm in a miss which bottle I like better. Iro bottles vs Lamy Bottle.

 

Hello IcyWolfe,

 

Lamy gold nibs are in a class by themselves. Also, to be fair, I have never tried any of Pilot's upper echelon pens, (the Prera was the most expensive Pilot I've tried), I might have a completely different opinion about Pilot if I had, but I'm gun-shy to try any based on my experiences with their lower echelon pens. I thought about getting a Falcon, but I hesitate.......

 

If you shoot for a 2K, get one brand new, (remember KBeezie), I think a lot of used pens are sold because the nibs were damaged and the original owner doesn't want to go through the hassle of having it repaired or replaced, so he/she just pawns it off. (Mind you, that is not always the case - there are some good used pens out there from honest sellers, but like used cars, there are also a lot of dogs out there too). :D

 

As far as inks go, the Iroshizuku inks are fabulous, they are better than Lamy inks, but they better be, they are three times the price. :D As far as the bottles go, I prefer Lamy's bottle hands down - they are almost impossible to knock over, the have the built-in swabs and inkwell, (I know the Iroshizuku inks have that dip on the bottom of the bottle). ;)

 

Best regards,

 

Chris

- He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me; and I in him. (JN 6:57)

- "A woman clothed in the sun," (REV 12.1); The Sun Danced at Fatima, Portugal; October 13, 1917.

- Thank you Blessed Mother and St. Jude for Graces and Blessings obtained from Our Lord.

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I must disagree. Several other school pens have a triangular-ish grip - Pelikano; Pelikano Junior; Pelikan Griffix, Style, Future; Online Switch; Faber-Castell School Pen.

Well yeah, but these are all school pens (as you also state). I see your point, but the triangular grip section has not been adopted in any non-learners pens (none that I'm aware of at least).

There are also triangular pencils (maybe also for learners), but it's not that the pencil makers left and right have been in awe for it.

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I had a Safari years ago then just stopped using fountain pens in general. Srarted again a few years ago and wanted an everyday knock around pen for engineering notes. Got a a new Safari with a fine point and use Aurora Black ink. The results are excellent. Recently got lazy and threw in the Lamy blue cartridge that came with the pen and might have to buy a bottle or at least a few more cartridges. I actually don't use my other pens much anymore.

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In my experience neither Lamy blue or black ink (cartridge) feather at all - lovely performance.

 

And Safaris/al-Stars just work. Clip them to anything, toss them around in your bag, leave them for a while, and they stay utterly reliable and start immediately. They don't need anything like as much care as, say, an Estie, they're good, usable, attractive (OK, attractive if you're a German schoolie) products designed to be easy to manufacture at a good price.

 

Pure Bauhaus, and nothing wrong with that.

Edited by PDW
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Damn... In this thread are the only complaints I've ever seen about Lamy products. Guess I fell short in my swift thread whipping... Oh wells, still less complaints than I've seen in comparison to other companies :P

 

The general rule is if you hear complaints, you are hearing the minority of the population.

When things works, people don't talk, it is only when things do NOT work that people complain.

So unless you hear a LOT of complaints, consider the number of complaints a normal situation.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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I also want to give a shout out to the oft forgotten (but still fabulous) Lamys that don't see as much love as the Safari, Al Star and 2000.

I absolutely love the slimline Lamy range, such as the CP, ST and Pur. I continuously recommend these to people who complain about the Safari triangular grip, or the fact that it looks like a school pen. All the benefits of a Safari (interchangeable nibs!) with a more grown up body.


I have 2 cp1s and a pur. And I like the cp1 best, because it is a slimline, and having been brought up in the slimline era, my hand feels more comfortable with the slim pens. My only issue is the cap is a bit heavy for the pen, so I have to use it unposted. OK, I am also fussy about balance.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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*climbs onto soapbox*

 

I also want to give a shout out to the oft forgotten (but still fabulous) Lamys that don't see as much love as the Safari, Al Star and 2000.

 

I absolutely love the slimline Lamy range, such as the CP, ST and Pur. I continuously recommend these to people who complain about the Safari triangular grip, or the fact that it looks like a school pen. All the benefits of a Safari (interchangeable nibs!) with a more grown up body.

 

Also, one pen on my to buy list is the Dialog. Retractable nib! A friend has had his for four or five years, and the mechanism is still as reliable as the day he bought it.

 

I tend to go on regular forays to other pen brands (I'm fickle, and I read too many reviews on FPN). But the majority of pens I've used as daily writers have been Lamys.

 

*climbs off soapbox*

+1. My first somewhat pricey pen, for when I just started out using FP's, was a Lamy Logo. Slimline, reliable, and lightweight, making it one heck of a writer for school.

Every single Lamy I've had has effectively been perfect out of gate, excepting an older, used 2000 (that was repaired, tuned, and got a new pen body sans fee, surprisingly!) for me. Even the Dialog 3 I bought this summer was perfect out of the gate. No dry-out issues, unlike what a lot of reviews say, and a perfectly smooth nib.

Calculating.

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I can't say I blame you. Lamy black is a good ink, average, but it has nothing on Aurora Black; Lamy Blue is well behaved but very bland ink - it reminds one of Quink Washable Blue. (Like Carlos says, these inks are designed for sloppy students). :D

 

Yeah, but not only are the blue and black quite bland, they also have a very dry tendency and are not a joy to write with. Even Quink black (which is not as 'true' as the Lamy black) tends to be a lot wetter and feels better to write with.

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Well yeah, but these are all school pens (as you also state). I see your point, but the triangular grip section has not been adopted in any non-learners pens (none that I'm aware of at least).

Well that's precisely the point! The triangular or beveled grip is designed for students to learn a standard tripod grip. Once students learn how to use a FP with a "school pen" they should have no more need of this type of grip in other (more "grown up") pens.

 

 

Unless you have a Parker 75... ;)

Edited by carlos.q
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I own a couple of 2000's, a Studio, some Lamy cheapies and some vintage Lamys. I enjoy them all!

 

I use Lamy inks and have no problem with their product.

 

I'll put my neck on the chopping block and say the 2000 in fifty or sixty years time, will become what a Parker 51 is to collectors in this day and age.

 

Greg

"may our fingers remain ink stained"

Handwriting - one of life's pure pleasures

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Not to interrupt this love-fest, but views of Lamy differ greatly around FPN. Many feel that the pens are neither particularly good nor good values for the price in today's market. And their lack of quality control on nibs has been a continuing subject.

ron

These echo my thoughts perfectly. I ordered a Safari with the M nib online, I figured the price and rave reviews meant I didn't need to really try it before. Worst nib I have ever used - scratchy doesn't begin to describe it. Any ink, felt like I was writing on cardboard with a knife.

 

Fast forward to a bit later, I was going to give them another go, I had credit, and went for the B nib one. Given I was out so little money and I waited too long, I am stuck with it. It's an OK nib, but I've used cheap pilot varsities with a smoother nib costing $1.50.

 

I then wanted to see if this was my luck or not and went to one of my local pen shops. I tried a medium and a fine and maybe another. ALL felt like I was writing with some scratchy, poorly aligned nib.

 

Can someone speak to their more expensive offerings? I highly doubt I'd purchase one over another brand, but do they at least put out better quality control if you decide to part with more money? Lamy has left a bitter taste in my mouth and I know it's them, not me.

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The general rule is if you hear complaints, you are hearing the minority of the population.

When things works, people don't talk, it is only when things do NOT work that people complain.

So unless you hear a LOT of complaints, consider the number of complaints a normal situation.

I fear that is neither a general rule nor a correct generalization. You cannot infer response bias from only the content of some responses.

As an example (not intended to represent Lamy, since it clearly does not apply directly) suppose that a pen was sold primarily to beginners who had negative expectations of fountain pens. And suppose that the pens' overall quality was poor, so that most of the pens worked poorly, a few not at all, and a few very well. It could happen that the few who received excellent pens would all fall in love with fountain pens, join FPN, and write positive things about the brand. But the people who received poor or non-working pens would be discouraged, throw out the pens, and never comment to anyone on what they considered to have been a foolish waste of money. So you would have a brand of poor pens and mainly positive comments.

ron

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Morphling27: I agree with you about Lamy's steel nibs, I've tried F, EF and 1.1 with my Logo; all scratchy although they've run in somewhat; the EF (which writes like others' F!) is OK and lives on the kitchen table for shopping lists and crosswords. Pens are good, nibs poor in my limited experience, and I think all their pens other than 2000 and Dialog use the same nib.

 

I also have an Accent with the gold nib, again the pen is great. So now is the nib; again a bit scratchy to start but it's run in nicely to writing smooth with a touch of feedback, which I like. It only needs a light pressure but it's a good nib, although I'd question if it's worth the premium - the gold-nib pens run out about £50 more than steel equivalents andI'm not sure they're worth the extra.

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Every one of their products has supreme performance in relation to cost. I just decided to whip this thread up after trying some Lamy black ink versus my previous go-to Sheaffer Skrip, and on poor quality paper it doesn't bleed at all whilst the Skrip bled hard(all with the same pen). I've also had great experiences with the Safari. Is it because the pen designs are quite underwhelming? It's really all I can think of that is a downside, and it seems very fixable.

 

I just got an Al-Star. It is damned good. I enjoy it far more than I thought I would. I have the Joy for calligraphy and it's absolutely awesome and my memories of my Osmiroids in college are fading fast.

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I'm one of the Lamy 2K buyers who got a bad nib out of the box. (To their credit, the Goulets exchanged it.) I have never used any other pens of theirs, but I think the clip on the Safari looks like a giant paperclip, and is not a tool I care to have.

 

I have only tried one of their inks, Lamy blue-black. I thought it was thin and watery, and compares poorly with, say, Franklin-Christoph Blue 72 or several Diamines.

 

So, pen companies are like our favorite friends. They are usually pretty good, but sometimes have their failings.

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Parker sonnet brought me to the fountain pens again (after childhood compulsory using of fountain pens until highschool).

I go through many pelikans and get caught by Sheaffer Legacy Heritage for so long. Then I found Lamy 2000, studio, safari.

Nowadays I used Lamy Al-star most of the time. It is reasonable priced, of good quality, durable, easy-to-fix. And most of all, it writes so well.

 

 

And with Lamy in my shirt pocket, I don't have to be worry by theft, too !?!?!

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a234/sinthavalai/lamy2000.jpg

My fountain pens:

Parker Duofold, Sonnet,Premier

Pelikan Souverän M1000, M800, M805, M600, M400 White tortoise

Sheaffer Legacy Heritage, Valor,

Lamy 2000, Vista, Safari, Joy ,Studio

Montblanc Meisterstück 149, Pilot 78G

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