Regretable Lamy Studio EF nib...*hahaha*

[thibaulthalpern]

So some of you know my story already.

 

Bought a stainless steel Lamy Studio with EF nib several weeks ago, but found it wrote too, too, TOO thick of a line. More like a medium-broad. So I decided to get a few things tested out. I contacted Pendemonium and they said they can grind down the nib but can't fix the wet issue because it's a slide on nib and only Lamy can fix that issue. That was okay. I thought I'd like to get the nib grinded down to see what the results were. About two weeks after I mailed it to Pendemonium, I receive the pen back grinded. Well, I couldn't tell the difference. It still wrote a thick, wet line the same as before. So off to LamyUSA it went where I explained to Mr. Bob Nurin the issue I had with the pen (too thick, too wet) and also told him that the nib has already been grinded down even finer.

 

Well....today I receive the pen back and....

-- They replaced it with a "new XF nib - this one is the finest EF" they have...Hope it meets your writing needs." I thank Mr. Nurin for trying to work with the pen. Unfortunately for me, it still writes a thick, fat, wet line just like before. I don't see any difference whatsoever. And worse, they actually exchanged the previously grinded nib for now a factory nib. I just have to laugh at this one because so I spent about $20 at Pendemonium and don't even have the nib they worked with any more. The nib I sent in with a note that it is a customised nib, was not returned. Oh well.

 

Lame Lamy.

 

Well, I can't decide what to do with the Lamy Studio right now. I could:

 

1. Sell it here on FPN, or

 

2. Trade it with another fountain pen.

 

But then, the thought of having to spend even more money to ship it out to whoever buys this pen just makes me want to throw it away. It wasn't an expensive pen. I paid about $55 from isellpens.com for it. But then, I spent $20 to grind it (including shipping), and then about $10 for shipping and handling to USPS and Lamy so a total of about $85 on a pen I will never use.

 

Hmm...what to do...anyone want a stainless steel Lamy Studio to trade for something else? Maybe?

Edited October 9, 2008 by thibaulthalpern

[thibaulthalpern]

I'm also wondering, would it be a fair trade for a Parker 51 with an F or EF nib? I don't actually know what is a fair price for the Parker 51. I don't mind trading for something cheaper as long as it's something I am curious to try. After all, I won't be using my Lame Studio (er...Lamy Studio).

[Usui]

Sending PM

[thibaulthalpern]

Folks are still welcome to PM me if you want to consider trading something

 

I'll put up notice when trade consideration is over. Thanks!

[stevo]

It's hard to know how or why such a nib would write like that. Go for a fine, you'll probably be happier.

[Titivillus]

I'm also wondering, would it be a fair trade for a Parker 51 with an F or EF nib? I don't actually know what is a fair price for the Parker 51. I don't mind trading for something cheaper as long as it's something I am curious to try. After all, I won't be using my Lame Studio (er...Lamy Studio).

 

How about a black Sheaffer Admiral with a fine nib and a snorkel fill

 

Kurt

 

[thibaulthalpern]

It's hard to know how or why such a nib would write like that. Go for a fine, you'll probably be happier.

 

Hmm...? Not sure I understand. It's an EF nib, the finest nib Lamy has for the pen. An F nib would be even thicker than what the EF nib writes as.

 

Okay...I'm off to my zendo. Gotta run....will be back in a few hours to check on pictures etc. :-) Snorkel fill sounds mighty attractive.

[darrenimo]

You know, the problem could actually be with the paper or the ink you're using. How about you try mixing around a bit before selling the pen. Good day!

[RevAaron]

I think you should sell it and buy something Japanese. Your idea of XF is obviously a lot finer than what the Western, or at least German, penmakers consider to be an XF.

 

For those reading, note that the complaint isn't that the nib isn't smooth- it just isn't making a line that he defines as Extra-Fine.

 

That said, if the line wasn't any finer after Pendemonium did some grindage I too am curious about what ink and paper combo you're using.

 

I'd seriously consider (bleep)'s offer- vintage Sheaffers are much dryer than most modern pens, and a Fine Snorkel will likely write like an XF or XXF when compared to Lamy, Pelikan and MB.

[lapis]

I wouldn't have bought a Lamy studio in the first place. It is too ugly. AL star is the ugliest, and the 2000 falls somewhere in between.

 

Mike

[troglokev]

You could always try this.

[thibaulthalpern]

You know, the problem could actually be with the paper or the ink you're using. How about you try mixing around a bit before selling the pen. Good day!

 

I've tried Sheaffer's Skrip Black, Lamy's own Blue, and I may have tried Quink Black on it too. The paper? Regular computer paper, notepad paper. These are all paper and ink that my other FPs use and have no problems with, INCLUDING my German Rotring Core. Lamy's XF is just way too thick.

[thibaulthalpern]

I wouldn't have bought a Lamy studio in the first place. It is too ugly. AL star is the ugliest, and the 2000 falls somewhere in between.

 

Mike

 

Ah...see, I bought it in part because I liked how it looked

[thibaulthalpern]

You could always try this.

 

Oh, I don't grind. I only write with the pens. The other things I do with them are...erm...refill them, cap the pen, and post the pen. That's about as technical as I go with the pens. :ltcapd:

[stevo]

It's hard to know how or why such a nib would write like that. Go for a fine, you'll probably be happier.

 

Hmm...? Not sure I understand. It's an EF nib, the finest nib Lamy has for the pen. An F nib would be even thicker than what the EF nib writes as.

 

Okay...I'm off to my zendo. Gotta run....will be back in a few hours to check on pictures etc. :-) Snorkel fill sounds mighty attractive.

 

 

I'm not sure, but it seems that the xf nibs get a reputation for writing wide. I've been sent scans of them and am surprised that they write wider than my fines. Go figure, but my fine nibs are "true" fines in my opinion.

 

If you are willing to call Lamy, they can choose a finer xf nib for you since they grade nibs within widths.

 

However, if it's a very fine line you're after, I'm not sure Lamy can help you. Snorkel mate!

 

S

[Sailor Kenshin]

So some of you know my story already.

 

Bought a stainless steel Lamy Studio with EF nib several weeks ago, but found it wrote too, too, TOO thick of a line. More like a medium-broad. So I decided to get a few things tested out. I contacted Pendemonium and they said they can grind down the nib but can't fix the wet issue because it's a slide on nib and only Lamy can fix that issue. That was okay. I thought I'd like to get the nib grinded down to see what the results were. About two weeks after I mailed it to Pendemonium, I receive the pen back grinded. Well, I couldn't tell the difference. It still wrote a thick, wet line the same as before. So off to LamyUSA it went where I explained to Mr. Bob Nurin the issue I had with the pen (too thick, too wet) and also told him that the nib has already been grinded down even finer.

 

Well....today I receive the pen back and....

-- They replaced it with a "new XF nib - this one is the finest EF" they have...Hope it meets your writing needs." I thank Mr. Nurin for trying to work with the pen. Unfortunately for me, it still writes a thick, fat, wet line just like before. I don't see any difference whatsoever. And worse, they actually exchanged the previously grinded nib for now a factory nib. I just have to laugh at this one because so I spent about $20 at Pendemonium and don't even have the nib they worked with any more. The nib I sent in with a note that it is a customised nib, was not returned. Oh well.

 

Lame Lamy.

 

Well, I can't decide what to do with the Lamy Studio right now. I could:

 

1. Sell it here on FPN, or

 

2. Trade it with another fountain pen.

 

But then, the thought of having to spend even more money to ship it out to whoever buys this pen just makes me want to throw it away. It wasn't an expensive pen. I paid about $55 from isellpens.com for it. But then, I spent $20 to grind it (including shipping), and then about $10 for shipping and handling to USPS and Lamy so a total of about $85 on a pen I will never use.

 

Hmm...what to do...anyone want a stainless steel Lamy Studio to trade for something else? Maybe?

 

Don't throw it out! That's criminal.

 

I never warmed up to Lamys myself but lots of people love them.

 

[MYU]

I wouldn't have bought a Lamy studio in the first place. It is too ugly. AL star is the ugliest, and the 2000 falls somewhere in between.

 

Mike

Well, you're in the minority, Mike. The Lamy 2000 has won a number of design awards. Many marvel at its Bauhaus simplicity.

 

Anyway, I've heard plenty of great feedback on the Studio. I have to believe, as others suggested, that there may be a paper and/or ink issue going on. Or who knows--maybe the feed is at fault. If anyone has a Studio with EF nib, please post comparative writing samples--it would be interesting to see how it fares.

[excarnate]

I think you should sell it and buy something Japanese. Your idea of XF is obviously a lot finer than what the Western, or at least German, penmakers consider to be an XF.

No no, that's not it. Most of what I hear is that other western and German pen makers are narrower than Lamy.

 

That aside, the Lamy XFs I've seen all write as wide as the Lamy Fs I've seen!

 

There should be line variation between the different sizes of nibs from the same maker, all else being equal.

 

And if you have a nib ground down and the line width doesn't change, clearly there is a defect in the product, whether in design or build.

 

For those reading, note that the complaint isn't that the nib isn't smooth- it just isn't making a line that he defines as Extra-Fine.

No, that's too broad a statement.

 

He liked the design enough to spend extra on getting the nib ground. And it didn't change the line width!

 

Note, I do not agree that the Lamy "XF" is fine enough. It is by NO MEANS fine enough. I haven't measured the width I see out of my XF nibs, but it seems roughly like a 0.7 ballpoint. That can NOT be the bottom of the line width scale. It isn't reasonable. If you think it is, then what do we call Richard Binder's 0.1mm? He calls it an XXXXF, not an XXXXXXXF. We'll have to go to scientific notation soon, and I know there are some here who'd pop a gasket if they saw that

 

I'd seriously consider (bleep)'s offer- vintage Sheaffers are much dryer than most modern pens, and a Fine Snorkel will likely write like an XF or XXF when compared to Lamy, Pelikan and MB.

Not in my experience (n of 1 but with a well-graded Snorkel from a premier seller). It wasn't especially wet or dry. It was about perfect. Anyway, saying it is XF compared to Lamy, Pelikan and MB isn't good enough based on the reviews I've seen (note, I've never tried Pelikan or MB personally). The one I got was described as an XF but wrote too wide. Not like my Lamys, mind you, but not as XF as I wanted. A pity as I really liked the pen a lot. I'd have had it ground but it was too nice and it had true feedback (not the scratchiness my Lamy XF's used to have) and I didn't want to spoil that.

 

Anyway, just like with cars I am now only considering Japanese. Although the saving grace for non-Lamy western pens is that you can have their nibs ground down to produce a finer line.

 

I really want to like the Lamy fountain pens. I like their style a lot, I like the way at least the Safari-type Lamy fits my hand and the ergonomic hold. They are a bit expensive for what they are, but nothing like the Nakaya

 

Since Lamy is likely spoiled in thibaulthalpern's mind, perhaps the Myu 90 would be a good pen to get. It has style, is stainless steel, should write a much finer line (my wife's <f> Myu 701 writes a true fine (based on Richard Binder's scale)), is available in medium if a less fine line is desired. Of course it costs a lot more and there is a waiting list (and I'm already on it, what a wonderful wife I have!).

[stevo]

Note, I do not agree that the Lamy "XF" is fine enough. It is by NO MEANS fine enough. I haven't measured the width I see out of my XF nibs, but it seems roughly like a 0.7 ballpoint. That can NOT be the bottom of the line width scale. It isn't reasonable. If you think it is, then what do we call Richard Binder's 0.1mm? He calls it an XXXXF, not an XXXXXXXF. We'll have to go to scientific notation soon, and I know there are some here who'd pop a gasket if they saw that

 

I'd be interested in seeing someone do a macro shot of xf, f and m in Safari and 2000 nibs and/or some line scans with exactly the same inks. Perhaps we could uncover what's going on here. There are always variations within a nib width, but certainly an xf shouldn't write like a medium. I have a medium 2000 and a fine 2000 and both are in their ranges. My medium is a very good fine-medium and will broaden to .7 with pressure. My fine is a good fine, broadening to about .5 when pressured. I'm surprised to hear how wide the XF nibs are. Maybe they're just coming in too wet and need adjusting? Close inspection of my two nibs shows significant difference in the size as one would expect.

 

I really want to like the Lamy fountain pens. I like their style a lot, I like the way at least the Safari-type Lamy fits my hand and the ergonomic hold. They are a bit expensive for what they are, but nothing like the Nakaya

 

I agree. Close inspection of all the little design features of the Safari tells me that a lot of thought went into these pens. I like the way the converter has little safety snaps, has a little rubber gasket and can be seen through the ink window. I like the ergonomics of the grip and the function of the clip as well as the quality of the writing experience. Equally, the 2000 is a very cool design for those of us who are into the monolithic look.

 

Here is an informative thing to see:

 

http://www.nibs.com/TippingSizespage.htm

 

S

Edited October 9, 2008 by stevo

[DirtyDog]

I have a black Parker 51 Special I would be willing to trade you for the Lamy Studio. This Parker 51 writes too fine a line for me and I tend to prefer pens that lay down thick wet lines as you have described. I currently have it loaded with Aurora Blue ink and the nib is just too thin for my liking. I have been looking for a Lamy 2000 with the characteristics you describe, but I would be willing to settle for a Lamy Studio.

 

Let me know if you would like some pictures of the Parker 51 Special.

 

DirtyDog