Greetings, everyone!

I received a brand new Lamy 2000 fountain pen with an extra-fine nib as a gift about three weeks ago, and I have been using it exclusively (not "taking it out of rotation") in order to "get acquainted" and simply because I love using the pen.

I had not used the pen for almost a week today when I began using it again. Although it wrote as soon as the nib touched the paper (and I had not put the cap on for this quick test), I bled it a bit and added ink (to its full capacity, to the best of my ability).

I then sat down, put the cap on the barrel -- because I always write with my fountain pens "posted" -- and immediately the cap fell off with the first stroke. I therefore assumed that I had not pushed the cap onto the barrel firmly enough, so I put the cap back on the barrel and pushed it down a bit more firmly. I wrote perhaps a single word and the cap fell off again.

I obviously do not wish to apply any more force -- and I should not need to do so -- but I notice that when I post the cap I can actually see it slowly move "up" the barrel. If it does not come off at that point, it wobbles a bit and falls off as soon as I move it one bit.

I have no idea why this problem has suddenly arisen and I would not attempt to resolve the issue myself, nor would I know what to try.

I do not know what it would cost to have a professional fix the problem, nor do I know of anyone in my area who repairs Lamy pens (or any fountain pens) and I am not sure there is an authorized Lamy retailer in my area. (The person who bought the pen as a gift for me ordered it from a seller in Malaysia. The pen has been joy, with no problems, until I realized today that the cap is never going to stay posted!)

I can order a replacement Lamy 2000 cap from Lamy USA for $25, plus shipping, and the wait for it to arrive, but I have been ill for several months and I have to be very careful about spending any money.

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Again, I have no idea why I suddenly have this problem. If I dropped the cap today when I added ink to the pen, I honestly do not recall doing so -- but such a problem does not arise without a cause.

I am very disappointed because of this sudden problem. It is too awkward for me to write with the pen unposted and the cap obviously needs repair or replacement -- and either expenditure is problematic.

Thank you very much, in advance, for your time, patience, and assistance!

Cordially,

David

I'll bite... and then, if I am wrong, everyone can correct me!

It looks to me that the cap grips the barrel by using the four metal fingers on the inner cap. As you slowly slowly slowly post you can feel the fingers touch the barrel and get tighter as the cap lip comes in contact with the barrel. It seems to me that one of the fingers might be bent? You should be able to look in the cap and see them.

How could this happen? You could have gotten the nib stuck under one of them and pried it back.

My 2000 was new old stock, purchased this summer and then sent to Lamy because the section was leaking. As I thought, the pen was missing its o-ring. Lamy USA service was very responsive and eventually did two exchanges, because when I got it back, the F nib was still too thick for my taste, and I wanted a XF.

Anyway, what I have now is a 100% new Lamy, and I had mentioned that the cap did not seem to post well on the old pen. Lamy service assured me that what I had on the return is a good fitting, current production cap.

Well, it just does not post - it falls off. After two service trips to Lamy already under my belt, I decided to just live with it, so I write unposted now with this pen. I wish it did post, but heck. I find that the XF is still too wet for my taste, so at some point, I will have to have it tweaked by Deb K or Richard B to be more useful to me.

Anyway, my point is, you may have done nothing. I had called out this issue to Lamy and was assured by Bob N that I got a good cap in return. I think the current spec for the gripper is just not quite right for posting.

I am still a big fan of the 2000, but it does have its little issues. These nibs are just way too juicy, given the way the rest of Lamy nibs are tuned. For most of us raised on Safaris, the 2000 nibs take a lot of adjustment. They really do need to get an XXF into the nib options (I know, some people feel that violates the design spec for the pen - I say, pooh - if many of us are forced to pay for a custom grind, isn't that the marketplace speaking?).

And then, the issues around the stiff piston and this cap issue, which I think are fairly widespread. I do expect that Lamy has not tweaked the manufacturing for the pen very much in 40 years, which could be behind some of these things. I'm still a fan, but I must say, it's not a 100% perfect experience. The overall design of the pen keeps me using it; the flaws keep me grumbling a bit.

It's probably worth looking in the cap and seeing if one of the gripper flanges looks at a different angle than the rest...perhaps some gentle coaxing can improve?

But my basic point is, don't pay $25 for a new cap and expect that problem to go away. It may or it may not!

My Lamy 2000 doesn't post well either. If I push fairly hard, the cap will stay ... but I prefer to write unposted anyway.

I'd agree; posting is a little unreliable on my Lamy as well. (...)

Antony

Hi, James.


Thank you for your response.

The first thing I did was to check those "fingers" and they look fine.

I know I did not get the nib stuck underneath them, but a damaged clamping mechanism would seem to be the obvious cause of the cap refusing to post.

I still cannot recall if I dropped the cap when I had the Lamy 2000 and bottle of ink in the kitchen. If the cap did hit the hard kitchen floor, the impact could have caused some damaged or misalignment, but I cannot visually detect any irregularity.

Thanks again, James!

Cordially,

David

Hello, J English Smith.


Thank you for your response.

I honestly do not believe that I did anything to damage the gripper, and the previous time I used the Lamy 2000 it posted properly and with minimal pressure, just as one would expect a cap to stay one (with the exception of some fountain pens made in China that I have received as gifts or bought just out of curiosity).

When the cap refused to post, the gripper flanges all looked fine when I first checked them, but I will get a flashlight and look more closely, although I am beginning to suspect that I am seeing a design flaw.

I have an extra-fine nib on my Lamy 2000 and I do not consider the nib to be too wet, using Pelikan Brilliant Black ink, but there is a catch! I always try to write with a fountain pen with the technique (essentially) of "guiding" the nib across the paper and concentrating on not pressing down. (I prefer extra-fine nibs, by the way, although I have some pens that have fine nibs, typically because the smallest nib available when I bought the pen was fine, but it would cost me a fortune to have a "nibmeister" customize these fine nibs and, if I do not press down, most of the pens do well.)

The catch with my Lamy 2000, even with an extra-fine nib, is that if I start writing faster, I start to push down on the pen without realizing it: The result is that the nib starts to allow the ink to flow at a higher rate and the extra-fine nib is too wet -- the very same complaint that you have!

I have been using fountain pens since 1972, but I typically had one pen only and learned to find the optimal way to hold the pen. Because it was my only fountain pen, the process became automatic.

With the renaissance of my passion for fountain pens, which happened several months ago, I started receiving nice fountains pens as gifts, from kind friends and relatives, and I bought a few fountain pens that were inexpensive (and many of those write very well).

I now "rotate" pens, because I am still trying out pens that I have never used. I "train" myself with a pen to get the ideal writing experience with it, and then I take it out of rotation and try another fountain pen -- so I have to "get acquainted" with each pen.

It took me quite a while to hold the Lamy 2000 in the best position automatically, and suddenly the cap will not post and, for some reason, I need to post a pen's cap in order for the writing experience to feel right. I tried writing with the Lamy 2000 unposted last night and it felt like a different pen than when I had used it for three weeks with the cap on.

I have a Pelikan Technixx fountain pen with a fine nib and it writes more smoothly (and is never too wet) than the Lamy 2000 -- and the fine nib produces the same result as the Lamy 2000's extra-fine nib! The Technixx is relatively inexpensive, has a stainless steel nib, and I use a converter (and it does not seem to hold much ink). I was able, however, to begin writing well with it immediately. (I do prefer piston-fillers, because they hold more ink than converters, to mention one thing.)

I must say that, despite the fact that I love the Lamy 2000, I just cannot write with it unposted. The experience feels odd and I am distracted and find myself wanting to use another pen that I can post!

I did break down and order the replacement cap for the Lamy 2000, but if it posts, I fear I will have the same problem, so perhaps I need to sell this pen after I get the new cap (and ensure that it does post).

I am very disappointed, because the Lamy 2000 has so much appeal!

Cordially,

David

Hello, everyone!

To those of you to whom I have not personally directed a reply to your response (and I appreciate your time and input very much), although I am sure that many -- or most(?) -- Lamy 2000 fountain pens can be used with the cap posted, obviously other people are having the same experience I am having.

I did order a replacement cap from Lamy USA, which probably was a waste of money, because it too may suddenly "go bad" and not post.

Is there a contact e-mail address to have a Lamy fountain pen repaired? I do not have any documentation on the pen, because I received it as a gift.

I loved this Lamy 2000 when I first got it, after I adjusted to the partially concealed nib, but "the honeymoon is over," unless one can get a cap customized to stay posted!

My first decent fountain pen was a Pelikan piston-filler and I love piston-mechanism pens -- and I have written with Pelikan piston fillers most of the time since the mid-1980s. I have never had a problem with these Pelikans, even my first one. (I was totally ignorant about flushing and proper maintenance, but the pen had not problems.)

My Lamy 2000 writes well after I hold it properly and I love the added capacity of its piston mechanism, although it is hard to see the ink level, because I use black ink. I should, however, be able to write with a pen posted -- the way I always write with fountain pens -- and I do not want to write with the Lamy 2000, on a regular basis, if it will not "let" me post the cap. I am entitled to post a cap if that is my style of writing, and if a design flaw in the Lamy 2000 will not let me write in my chose, comfortable matter, I feel that I am justified in being disappointed and upset.

Is there any point in returning the pen to Lamy USA? Will they charge me without a receipt? Have I missed the contact information on the Lamy USA Web site?

I am willing to let Lamy try to repair the existing cap. If the cannot or I get the pen back and this problem recurs, I will still believe that the Lamy 2000 fountain pen has an innovated design, despite first being sold back in 1966 (when I was six years old), but I must accept the fact that my Lamy 2000 is a disappointment for me and not a fountain pen I will be able to use.

If the replacement cap does not work, after Lamy tries to repair the original, I will probably take this pen out of rotation permanently -- and aside from this cap issue, I love the pen. As I have written, however, I feel entitled to write with a fountain pen's cap posted (which I assume is a standard option), and I will never be comfortable with the Lamy 2000 if I cannot write with the cap posted.

I have used the Lamy 2000 for over three weeks, not inking up another pen to test, because I have loved using it, but suddenly to have the cap "refuse" to stay on the barrel is a harsh, totally unexpected "show stopper" for me.

Thank you all for your responses! (I would appreciate information on how to get the pen to Lamy USA for repairs; I feel I should send the entire pen, in case there is a problem with the barrel, too.)

Cordially,

David

Hello, BoxerDad.


Thank you for your reply.

Despite the minor problems I have had with my Lamy 2000, and the major problem of the cap "refusing" to post when I write, I very much like the Lamy 2000 fountain pen!

Today, I am mailing the pen to Lamy Pen USA (care of Filofax, Inc.) for repairs. The usual turnaround time is supposed to be three to four weeks, but I suspect I will not get the pen back that soon, because of the holidays, the one technician taking time off, and the untold number of pens that need repairs before mine is examined.

I decided it is worth the $7.50 check to pay to have the pen shipped back after repairs, plus postage and insurance.

After I received the repaired pen, I will report back to this thread, assuming it has not been locked, to share my observations about the repair and if I am happy with the work done on the pen.

Cordially,

David

P.S. -- With the cap not posting, I might have a problem selling this pen, don't you think?

I don't post so it would not be an issue for me. I checked though and mine posts very nicely. Tell you what, I'll trade my XF that dribbles out the breather hole when it warms up for yours that doesn't post right!

I wonder if the L2K doesn't post well because the barrel's elegant taper is too steep and the makrolon is too smooth. I would never change the lines of the L2K; it is a beautiful work of art. Since I don't enjoy the pen posted, I don't mind the cap not posting tightly.

Hello, Perry.


I gather that caps suddenly "refusing" to post on the barrels of Lamy 2000 fountain pens is a problem that does occur on an irregular basis. In my case, the cap posted just fine the last time I had used it, but a couple of days later, I sat down to write with the pen, and the cap fell write off the barrel!

Yesterday, 17 November (Saturday), I mailed my Lamy 2000 to Lamy Pen USA (care of Filofax, Inc.) to have the pen repaired, so I won't be able to take you up on your offer to trade pens.

The turnaround time for repairs is supposedly three to four weeks, but there is only one technician, we have a US holiday coming up, and the sole technician is taking some vacation time -- so I will consider myself fortunate if I get my repaired Lamy 2000 back before the end of 2007!

In my listing of problems with the pen that I included with the Lamy 2000 (along with a check to cover the cost of shipping the pen back to me), the problem with the cap not posting was -- needless to say -- the main problem.

In addition, I mentioned that the gripping mechanism has marred the barrel above the indentation that encircles the barrel (not to far from the knob at the end to move the piston mechanism). I was in shock when the cap suddenly would not post and I put it back on the end of the barrel several times: I could actually see the cap moving up toward the end of the barrel each time! I did not apply excessive force, but I did try to post the cap multiple times. I realize that there is no way to repair this marring, unless the the entire black portion of the barrel is replaced (which is almost as drastic as replacing the pen, for which I also gave permission).

Although my extra-fine nib did (does?) not dribble ink from the breather hole, after I had written several pages with the pen, I noticed that ink accumulated where the top of the nib enters the pen. I did not have this problem of ink accumulating the first three or four weeks I had the pen (and it was the only fountain pen that I was using). I have no explanation for this phenomenon, but I did list it as a problem.

I also included on the list of problems the fact that the extra-fine nib on that Lamy 2000 produces a stroke width that is actually a bit wider than the results I get with the Lamy Safari I have with a fine nib. I expected the Lamy 2000's extra-fine nib to be less "wet" -- and I essentially "guide" my fountain pens on the paper without pushing down -- but I realize that the technician can do little more than confirm that the nib is extra-fine and positioned correctly on the feeder. (By the way, I used the same ink and the same paper when I wrote with the extra-fine Lamy 2000 and the fine Lamy Safari.)

I very much enjoy writing with the Lamy 2000 and I love the aesthetics of its Bauhaus design. I can only hope for the best regarding the repairs. My guess is that the caps gripping mechanism will be adjusted or the cap will be replaced: In either case, I am concerned that the problem could happen again.

Cordially,

David

Hello, Russ!


Thank you for your response.

I had never thought of the taper of the Lamy 2000's barrel toward the top, but I think that you are correct: Perhaps the taper, while aesthetically pleasing, is a bit too steep.

Despite my thrill at receiving the Lamy 2000 as a gift (and with an extra-fine nib), the immense pleasure it gave me when I wrote with it, and the shock and disappointment when the cap suddenly stopped posting, I also consider the Lamy 2000 to be a beautiful and functional work of art. I packed the pen Friday and mailed it at the post office late Saturday, and I have been missing the pen greatly since I decided to send it in for repairs.

My passion for fountain pens started in 1972 (at age twelve), but I had only a couple of friends who also used fountain pens. When I wrote, I automatically posted the cap, starting with my very first fountain pen, and I never considered that people ever wrote with their fountain pens in another fashion.

I have quickly learned, however, Russ, that you and many other fountain pen enthusiasts do not enjoy writing with the cap posted! The important point, of course, is to use the pen in the way that you enjoy it the most.

I did read recently, on a Web page with the obvious goal of providing information about fountain pens and getting people interested in them, that writing with the cap on the barrel does help keep the pen from rolling, if one briefly puts the pen down on a desk or table while still using it. Of course, Russ, I know that you are careful to ensure that your pen does not risk rolling.

My first nice fountain pen, a Pelikan with a piston mechanism, was knocked off my desk onto the hardwood floor by one of my cats, and the barrel broke in half! I was writing a long letter in my very first apartment and just stepped into the kitchen for a brief moment to pour myself another cup of coffee!

The pen was capped and would not have rolled, but that particular cat was, frankly, psychotic, and either could not control the urge to play with the pen -- or perhaps was determined to destroy it!

(Posting the cap would not have saved the pen in that situation, which was especially traumatic because the pen was a gift and my sole fountain pen! I was working at my first technical-writing job and struggling to make ends meet, so I could not afford to replace my one and only fountain pen.)

I actually feel a sense of void without the use of my Lamy 2000, Russ.

I will report the results of the repair work, after I get the pen back -- whenever that day might be!

Cordially,

David

Hello, everyone!

My Lamy 2000 fountain pen (extra-fine nib) arrived on Friday, after warranty repairs, via Lamy Pen USA (care of Filofax, Inc.). I have not had time to try out the pen yet.

The technician, Ben, listed the work he did on the pen. He replaced the cap (which would not post), smoothed the marring on the barrel caused by the original cap's gripping mechanism (although the damage is still visible), cleaned the inside of the pen, replaced the entire piston mechanism, and wrote twice on the form that the nib is indeed extra-fine, even putting scrawling and message scribbles beneath the word 'extra-fine'.

Apparently, he was irritated that I feel the pen's strokes are too wide for an extra-fine nib, but he should not have allowed himself to have a minor outburst of anger at me on the form returned with the pen! That anger, however, is his problem and not mine.

I posted the cap and I have a gut feeling that it will "refuse" to post in time. In addition, unless I pay someone to adjust the nib, it will still seem too broad for an extra-fine nib, unless the new piston-mechanism changes the rate at which the ink flows.

I still like the style of the Lamy 2000, and the fact that it is a true piston-mechanism filler, but I do always put the cap on the end of the barrel with every fountain pen I use, so time will tell if this problem recurs.

Finally, the turnaround time from the day that I mailed the pen to Lamy Pen USA and the day that it arrived at my home via Federal Express was less than three weeks, which I consider very good, especially when one considers the amount of work done on the pen, that there is only one technician, and that a holiday occurred during that time frame.

Thanks!

Cordially,

David

Posting the cap securely is a matter of friction. Perhaps, after writing and handling the pen for awhile, moisture and oil from your hands have accumulated on the barrel causing the cap to slip. Try washing it with soap or window cleaner (ammonia solution). That may improve the friction enough to keep the cap posted. If this is indeed the cause of the problem, you may need to clean the barrel frequently. Hope this helps.

Hold the 2K up unposted. Look at it. The shape is perfect. Posting a 2K ... shudder.

I sympathize though. If it doesn't feel right to you it would be annoying. I'm the other way around. Posted pens always feel top/back heavy to me.

Mine never posted right to begin with. I just don't bother

Hello, everyone.

Thank you for your suggestions and comments.

It has not taken long for me to realize that many people do not "post" the caps of their fountain pens when they are writing with their pens.

When I got my first fountain pen at age twelve (1972), a now-discontinued Sheaffer "student" cartridge-only pen with a metal cap (which lasted for fourteen years, by the way, until the metal ring on the barrel that kept the cap on disappeared), I immediately posted the cap the first time I wrote with it. I do not recall making a conscious decision: I did so automatically.

I have never stopped writing with a fountain pen's cap posted. I have experimented a few times recently, trying to use a fountain pen without posting the cap, and the sensation was so strange that I realized I will always write with the cap posted.

I have not even tested out the Lamy 2000, since getting it back for warranty repair. I suspect that the cap will eventually "refuse" to post again, but I have been busy with other matters.

For example, I was given two Sheaffer Intrigue fountain pens of different designs, but both with fine nibs, and I have been evaluating them. The first one I tried has a rough nib and it is simply too "scratchy" to endure; it also skips and has trouble writing when I start moving the nib on the page. The second one has a rough nib as well -- almost tolerable -- but the nib and barrel sections are not aligned, which is a problem for me only because I have to post the cap or I am not comfortable with a pen. Both are going back to Sheaffer for warranty repair.

In addition, I have to ship a brand new Boulder Thunderbird to Krone to take care of a tarnished clip, thread problems with the blind cap, and a free nib exchange.

Sending new pens in for warranty repair and/or nib exchanges has been a regular task for me lately, and the time, postage, and insurance for the "free" warranty service can start to add up!

I need to have the extra-fine nib on the Lamy 2000 adjusted before I can enjoy the pen. The width of the pen strokes is perhaps the widest I have seen for a so-called extra fine nib!

The brand of ink or brand of paper make no difference either. I cannot afford to have a pen's nib customized right now, but I know that I should test the Lamy 2000 to ensure that the new piston mechanism works smoothly and properly, although I will know that every time I use this pen, I move a step toward the next time when the cap suddenly will not stay posted.

Krone is taking care of a couple of problems with the Boulder Thunderbird and exchanging its fine nib for an extra-fine one at no charge. Sheaffer instructed me to ship the Intrigues to them for lifetime warranty repair, but did not ask for a check for return shipping (although they wanted $10 for return shipping when I sent them a Legacy Heritage for a free nib exchange -- and I am still awaiting that pen).

I have mixed feelings about the Lamy 2000. It is comfortable, a genuine piston filler, and aesthetically pleasing, but I find the problem of the cap eventually not posting to be ironic, given the Bauhaus roots of the pen!

Perhaps the Lamy 2000's cap will stay posted, but the nib needs customization before it truly is extra-fine!

Thanks!

Cordially,

David