Lamy 2000 Vs Pelikan M400

[goodguy]

Lamy 2000 vs Pelikan M400.

 

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/DSC04986.jpg

 

I was dreaming for a while to compare these 2 pens.

For me these pens represents the bread and butter for those who like German everyday users with butter nibs, piston fillers, ink view windows, not a flashy design and not going to a high end pens like the MB or more expensive Pelikans.

Still these pens in many ways are very different and I will try to examine which is better and gives a more superior writing experience.

 

Design

 

What a different design where do I start…...first the L2K is much bigger than the M400 I mean much bigger but then wait the moment you take the caps off they are almost the same size, the L2K is still bigger but the difference is basically insignificant.

Thats quite a surprise for me I must admit I always thought the L2K will be much bigger in the hand but no the cap is simply longer so if you dont post you really dont need to give any extra point for size as they are basically the same size.

But in the hand when you write there is a big difference, first the section of the Lamy is much thicker and I admit I like it a bit more than the M400 but just a bit because the Pelikan sits very comfortably in the hand.

The Pelikans body is much glassier and shinier than the Lamys matt body.

I also like the gold touches of the trim on the Pelikan, to me it makes for a richer look and feel to the pen but of course thats a matter of personal taste.

The Lamy simply looks more functional as if its saying I am here to do one thing and thats write and not play games.

The cap of the Lamy is frictions fit with the ring locking it into place while the Pelikan is threaded so you need to turn it to put it on or off.

Which is better ?

I like the Lamy as it makes for a much faster removal of the cap but to be honest it is not a deal breaker either way.

 

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/DSC04992.jpg

 

Quality

 

Both pens are very well made the Lamy spring clip feels very solid and the Pelikans clip simply slides into the pocket, both pens feel very well made even though the Pelikans trim and material feels slightly more superior to me.

So in the quality department I would say the Pelikan is better and more impressive but just a bit more.

 

Piston

 

The Lamys piston like all Lamys is butter smooth, its smoother then the Lamy but that doesnt mean the Lamys piston is hard to work with not at all its a pleasure to fill the Lamy but the Pelikan is simply smoother.

It also looks to me the Lamy will hold more ink but I am not sure how much more.

The Ink view on the Pelikan is much more user friendly, its bigger and easier to see while the Lamy is not as easy even though I found you can work well with it once you know how to use it.

 

Nib

 

Also here the approach is different, the Lamy has a semi hooded nib with white trim but it is 14k solid gold, nothing fancy to see here it matches the functionality of the pen but what a wonderful nib it is, its so smooth and so responsive since I own my L2K it became my favorite nib.

The flow on is as close to perfect as possible, what can I say its a fountain pen fans dream nib!!!

But here comes the Pelikan with its beautiful nib, this 2 tone nib is so elegant and is quite a statement even though its not the biggest nib out there.

The first time I put this nib on paper my eyes started to twinkle in excitement, this nib is even smoother than the Lamy, I know how impossible this was to me but it simply is butter smooth, its the butters butter smooth, I had friends who use FP's for their everyday for a long time and even they said this is one of the smoothest nibs they ever used and still you get a wonderful feedback from it, this nib is a work of craftsmanship.

I need to add both nibs are fairly stiff like most modern nibs so no big difference here

So which nib is better ?

Very tough for me to say, really I went back and forth, the Lamys nib feels a bit faster, quicker and more direct and involving while still being smoooooth on the paper but the super buttery feeling of the Pelikan is so addicting.

I dont like to take the easy road and say they are equal because they are not, they are different and I will choose my favorite nib.

The Lamy is still winning here even though its by the slightest of margins, I just love its direct feel how it connects you to the paper.

 

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/DSC04996.jpg

 

Conclusion

 

Who is winning here ?

Its very hard to choose here, both these pens are among the best pens any pen fan that looks for a perfect everyday user that doesnt attract attention can get.

The Pelikan has the advantage of quality, a more user friendly ink view window and a slightly smoother nib and a smoother piston.

On the other hand the Lamy has a more comfortable section, slip cap and that work of art nib of it.

So to me the Lamy still wins, as wonderful as the Pelikan is to use the Lamy is still better the section is more comfortable and that super hero of a nib wins this comparison add to it that its more than 100$ cheaper and it will just make this decision easier.

My advice to all of you is get BOTH pens if you can and if not then get the Lamy.

Edited November 15, 2012 by goodguy

[Robert Alan]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and excellent photo comparisons of these two fountain pens. I especially liked your comment about the L2K:

"The Lamy simply looks more functional as if it’s saying I am here to do one thing and that’s write and not play games." It put a smile on my face. 'Sounds like true Bauhaus.

 

I own both pens and enjoy them very much. I like how my L2K has acquired a patina over the years and the matte surface actually has taken on a slight sheen. The pen has aquired a special personality with use and it's beyond the usual 'marks of distinction,' like surface scratches on my Pelikan M400.

 

Some other practical notes: I like that I can disassemble the L2K completely--incuding nib and feed--without tools, for a thorough cleaning or adjustment. Regarding the Pelikan, I like that I can unscrew the nib unit for cleaning the pen or lubrication of the piston. Both these pens offer the ability to easily carry out preventative maintenance, and that is a bonus, in my opinion. As a matter of fact, with a little vegetable-based lubricant (like the stuff available at dive shops), both pistons will be equally smooth and perform in exactly the same manner.

 

Thanks, again!

Regards, Robert

 

 

[amk]

A fascinating review. Many thanks.

 

I'd just like to add one aspect of the L2000 that I'm discovering; it's easily the most tactile of my pens. Maybe because of the brushed material, maybe because of the smooth shape, or the size, but it is a pen I find myself really enjoying just holding and touching and running a finger down the barrel - even when I'm not actually writing with it.

[AndyHayes]

Thanks a lot for the review. It made an interesting read. I have a couple of Lamy 2000s, one away at the moment to sort a nib that is too sharp for me. They are nice pens. I bitterly regret the day that I lost my L2K with the OM nib. I haven't got any of the Pelikan 400 range. I find the 605 a bit too small and the 805 just about a perfect size.

[Namo]

Thanks for the review, I like to see two pens side by side. Although I love Pelikans, I was never able to get to love the modern m200 and m400 modern nibs, I am still dreaming about the 400 series from the 50s and 60s. The 2K is really a winner as far as am concered!

[tonybelding]

Warning... I come into this seeing the Lamy 2000 as an over-rated pen. Not bad, no... Just not worthy of the amount of unqualified praise that's so often heaped upon it. I find it a bit irksome when a newbie asks for pen suggestions and then we have a dozen people chime in with "Lamy 2000" and no mention of its imperfections.

 

 

Lamy 2000 vs Pelikan M400.

The Lamy simply looks more functional as if it’s saying I am here to do one thing and that’s write and not play games.

 

It looks that way, but it's misleading. The Lamy 2000's functionality is compromised in a number of ways to achieve that appearance of minimalist elegance. IMHO it's sort of like an Apple mouse. For many years Apple would never issue a mouse with more than one button, and a lot of Mac users would immediately throw it away and buy a third-party mouse with the extra buttons and scroll wheel that they needed. But you know, Steve Jobs was devoted to the austere simplicity of a one-button mouse, and he got his way.

 

 

Both pens are very well made the Lamy spring clip feels very solid and the Pelikan’s clip simply slides into the pocket...

 

I do like articulated pocket clips, usually. However... The Lamy's clip doesn't have enough clearance to fit comfortably over the folded hem of denim or canvas pocket (such as the one on my my range vest). Also, it has sharp edges that can chew on the fabric, over time.

 

 

...it’s a pleasure to fill the Lamy but the Pelikan is simply smoother. It also looks to me the Lamy will hold more ink but I am not sure how much more.

 

After the first time I disassembled and lubricated my Lamy 2000, the piston action became much more smooth than it had been before. I believe the Pelikan may actually hold more ink, but I don't have the numbers in front of me. I don't think the difference is significant either way. Both of them hold a healthy amount, in excess of 1 cc.

 

 

The Ink view on the Pelikan is much more user friendly, its bigger and easier to see while the Lamy is not as easy even though I found you can work well with it once you know how to use it.

 

I find the tiny-and-foggy ink window of the Lamy 2000 quite irksome. The easier it is for me to see my ink supply, the happier I am. Demonstrators and pens with large ink windows are my preference.

 

 

...what a wonderful nib it is, it’s so smooth and so responsive since I own my L2K it became my favorite nib.

The flow on is as close to perfect as possible, what can I say it’s a fountain pen fans dream nib!!!

 

Mine is a bit too dry and is actually more flexible than I really prefer for daily use. It's reasonably smooth, but nothing too remarkable in that respect.

 

 

On the other hand the Lamy has a more comfortable section, slip cap and that work of art nib of it.

 

More comfortable section, really? I find the Lamy's section too slim to feel comfortable in my hand, especially since it has no flare or "stop" to rest my fingers against.

 

 

My advice to all of you is get BOTH pens if you can and if not then get the Lamy.

 

They are, of course, both respectable choices, and I daresay "classics" as their designs have been successful for decades. I can think of several pens in its price range that I'd rate above the Lamy 2000, though. Mine collects a lot of dust.

[Gerd W]

Excellent and informative review, many thanks!

[bluejay]

I don't like the nibs on the Lamy 2000. Feels like writing with a felt marker. Also its too wet! The clip on the sides bother me. For some reason everyone who tried my Lamy 2000 loves the feel of it. I prefer the M400. The Lamy 2000 really does have a finicky piston filler as well.

[Robert Alan]

I can think of several pens in its price range that I'd rate above the Lamy 2000, though.

 

Hello Tony! Which pens? Thanks!

/Robert