Jump to content

Lamy Abc


CalvaryMaid

Recommended Posts

INTRODUCTION: The Lamy abc comes in a white cardboard box. Within the box are the pen itself, a black cartridge, an instruction booklet that is written in six languages (German, Dutch, English, French, Spanish, and Italian), and some stickers that the owner can use to decorate the pen. The box isn’t anything special, but I am fond of the clean, vaguely-IKEAish design.

 

post-85008-0-28024900-1334595129.jpg

 

Mine looks pretty dog-eared, because the pen was purchased two or three months ago. When it was new, the box was in pristine condition. This pen comes in two colors, red and blue.

 

1. Appearance & Design (8.5/10) – This pen looks like something that would be found in an upscale pre-school or elementary school; it would fit right in with Brio wooden trains and Waldorf dolls. The body of the pen is made of maple wood, while the cap and end are tough plastic. Taking off the cap reveals an ergonomic pen grip that was designed with children in mind.

 

post-85008-0-95304900-1334595190.jpg

 

I like the kid-friendly design, but others might want something more “mature,” especially if they want a pen that would fit into a professional setting.

 

2. Construction & Quality (1-10) – The Lamy abc is pretty light, which is not surprising, given that its target audience is supposed to be small children. I have small hands, so a light pen works for me. Keeping in mind the abuse that children often inflict upon their personal items, the Lamy abc is solidly built. I’ve dropped it several times (accidently, of course) onto a hardwood floor with no ill effects. It is also important to note that the Lamy abc worked right out of the box. This was my first “real” fountain pen, and it was easy to set up and use. If you’re looking for a light, sturdy pen, the Lamy abc would be perfect for you.

 

3. Weight & Dimensions (10/10) – As I mention before, the Lamy abc is a light pen. Although it is not much longer than other fountain pens, it is noticeably chunkier, probably to make it easy for young children to grasp it. I find this design easy to use, but some people with larger hands might not care for it. It is 5.5 inches long (about 13 cm) and the cap has a diameter of 0.5 inches (about 1 cm). Because of the boxy “ball” on the end of the pen, it is not possible to post the cap. I thought this was usual, since I would think that children might be more likely to lose the cap if they can’t post it. I generally don’t post the caps on my pens, but this might be an issue for some.

 

4. Nib & Performance (10/10) – The Lamy abc only comes in one nib size, medium. It is made of stainless steel. No bells and whistles, but it gets the job done, because this is the smoothest nib I have in my collection.

 

post-85008-0-12452400-1334595238.jpg

 

Writing with this pen is a pleasure. Every time I switch between the Lamy abc and other pen, I’m always surprised at how smooth the former writes. Based on the construction, I think the nib is molded to the pen and can’t be switched. The line is moderate, not being particularly wet or dry. I’ve used the Lamy abc on cheap drug-store notebooks and on Clairefontaine products and it works well on both. It has been well behaved with all the inks I have tried so far, but it felt a little scratchy using the De Atramentis Scented Hyacinth. Since I have not experienced this with any other ink, I attribute this phenomenon to the ink, and not the pen.

 

5. Filling System & Maintenance (10/10) - This pen can be filled using either a Lamy cartridge or a Lamy Z24 converter.

 

post-85008-0-64372800-1334595323.jpg

 

I don’t know exactly how much the converter holds, but it seems to hold more than the three Noodler’s pens that I own, and I only have to fill it once for it to be completely full. I’ve never experienced a leak with the Z24, and the whole pen is easily disassembled.

 

6. Cost & Value (10/10) – The Lamy abc was a gift, so I don’t know how much was paid for it. However, it sells for $23 on Goulet Pens. I think this is a great deal for such a well-designed, sturdy product. If a parent bought this pen for a child, I could see it being handed down from sibling to sibling, assuming that it isn’t lost or willfully destroyed.

 

7. Conclusion (9.75/10) - My overall impression is that the Lamy abc is a great pen for children, beginning fountain pen enthusiasts, or anyone wanting a sturdy, affordable writing instrument. It has exceeded my expectations for a “cheap” fountain pen and I would definitely recommend it to others. The Lamy abc is a pen that is suitable for ages 6 to 106 as a daily writer. The only downside is that it’s child-centric design might not be appropriate for a business environment and some users may prefer a heavier pen.

 

A handwriting sample using Noodler's blue-black ink on Clairefontaine french ruled paper:

 

post-85008-0-39861100-1334595369.jpg

 

For those who are interested, the ink looks much darker in real life.

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

Now bridle your horse, cavalry maiden. Soon a furious battle will blaze. Brünnhilde must charge into battle, she must see the Volsung wins. Let Hunding decide where he belongs. I do not require him in Valhalla. So make ready and quickly ride into battle. - Wotan, Act II, Scene 1, Die Walkure

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 8
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Phormula

    1

  • Uncle Red

    1

  • CalvaryMaid

    1

  • JJ907

    1

Thanks for your review, I also own a Lamy ABC and like it quite much. I agree that the only real downside is the design. I've had mine for about 10 to 12 years (since elemtary school) and I still use it although I'm not sure if I'd take it to college with me.

In one point I have to add a little tiny bit to your review. The nib (at least on my model from around 2000) can be switched. You just hold it on the metal point in the front of the nib and pull it off lenghtwise. Just did it today to dumb it into an ultrasonic cleaner.

Thanks again, I have the feeling this really good pen gets overlooked quite frequently. :thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a Staedtler Learner and I am always impressed of the value for money of those school pens. Actually, being designed for childrens, they have been buildt around the concept that they must survive some abuse, even on the nib. Actually those are the kind of pens that I recommend to starters, before they develop a taste and move to a more expensive FP of their choice.

Don't take life too seriously

Nobody makes it out alive anyway

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I also have two ABCs. Though I love them, both of their barrels developed cracks where the plastic finial (knob) meets the barrel.

 

The barrel wood is quite thin. Likely too thin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...

*bump*

 

My wife bought an ABC with F nib. Cost: 13 euros. Just to be clear: I'm not a Lamy person. I don't like their designs, how they look, how they feel in my hand and how they write. Just a matter of personal preference, no more, because obviously Lamy make very good pens.

 

The F nib on this pen is remarkably small-tipped and so pointy that it could be used as a weapon. Accidentally pricking yourself on this nib is not unlikely. With standard Lamy blue ink, I feel that this pen is a poor writer. Sharp, scratchy, dry. My wife felt the same way.

 

So...

 

For one of my pens, which is a dry pen, I use an ink with just a drop of pure glycerine added to it. I put this in the converter of the ABC and, well, wow! Very smooth, juicy, but also precise and controlled. Gone is the scratchiness. Gone is the dryness. The weight of the pen alone is enough for a solid line with just the right wetness. The wonderful shading of the ink is shown in full splendor (Robert Oster Fire & Ice). The thinness of the nib's tip guarantees writing that is both precise and effortless. Add to that the wonderful feel of a rubber-y section on an otherwise wooden barrel and a very light-weight pen, and it's addictive. I wrote with it for an hour straight and there wasn't a hint of fatigue. Very nice. As a bonus, this pen boosts my poor handwriting more than almost any other pen I own.

 

Cons: the cube-shaped filial prevents posting of any kind, and the cap doesn't have a clip.

 

Count me in. I'm getting one myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The F nib on this pen is remarkably small-tipped and so pointy that it could be used as a weapon.

 

 

Isn't that the entire attraction of fountain pens for generations of children?

 

They also make fine darts.

Edited by AidenMark

Less is More - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Less is a Bore - Robert Venturi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

The F nib on this pen is remarkably small-tipped and so pointy that it could be used as a weapon.

Let's hope no one of the security agencies will read this. or ABCs will be banned from planes, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...