Lamy Safari question

[playpen]

Today I was correcting compositions in class with my Lamy Safari. The kids were using the typical looseleaf paper. The ink was Noodler's Apache Orange. My pen kept skipping and it was the sort of thing that gave me chills and hurt my teeth...IYKWIM....I was tempted to toss the pen aside and use a Bic but I didn't. What can I do to "train" the pen to behave or..don't they write well on looseleaf paper?

[southpaw]

Today I was correcting compositions in class with my Lamy Safari. The kids were using the typical looseleaf paper. The ink was Noodler's Apache Orange. My pen kept skipping and it was the sort of thing that gave me chills and hurt my teeth...IYKWIM....I was tempted to toss the pen aside and use a Bic but I didn't. What can I do to "train" the pen to behave or..don't they write well on looseleaf paper?

There could be a variety of culprits. First, does the pen write well on other paper? Try a fresh, clean sheet of loose leaf and see what happens. If it's ok, then the likely cause is the oils from your students hands are coating the paper and causing a problem. Particularly on a large graded assignment, students are going to be extra nervous, which means their hands will perspire more. There are some inks that take this better than others. IIRC, the Noodlers permanent/waterproof inks do fairly well.

 

hth, southpaw

[playpen]

Hmm, thank you. I'll have to try it out on other papers.

[HDoug]

Or maybe ink dyes have built up and are clogging the pen. Maybe just try flushing the pen out with water, then reloading with ink and see what happens.

 

Doug

[phillychuck]

I have found some inks flow better than others in the Safari. Right now I am using Levenger Emerald in my Al-Star (which I understand is basically the same nib), and it is flowing well.

[Garageboy]

Cheap filler paper usually feathers like nuts..hmm try on copier paper

[Betty]

I have 2 Lamy Safari that I love. I finally started using the Lamy blue cartridge it came with this week. The color seems very unimpressive at most. It looked like a marker instead of a pen.

[Dip Head]

All very good suggestions.

 

In the past, I've cleaned out my Lamy with water mixed with just a drop of soap (maybe one drop of liquid soap to two ounces of water). Then, run the mix out, wipe off the nib and refill with ink. :ph34r: It seemed to free up the flow a little bit and run a little smoother. But only a hint/whiff/scent/view of the soap seemed to be required.

 

Your mileage may vary, I am not a lawyer, I am not a doctor, let the buyer beware, look before you leap and don't run with scissors. :roflmho:

 

(my disclaimer... )

[*david*]

Usually when this happens, it's the paper's fault, or else something got on the paper (like greasy dirt from someone's hand).

Occasionally, a different ink may work better on that paper.

Only rarely would it have anything to do with the pen - as long as the pen isn't clogged (and then the pen would act funny all the time).

[playpen]

I just had the same experience with my Rotring Core yesterday. So much for marking compositions with fountain pens!

[MartiniPundit]

I've had excellent luck with Safaris. I had a blue-barreled one which I hadn't written with in more than a year (it was in a drawer). When I uncapped it, it just wrote as always. I do always use Lamy inks in them, and I can echo the comment about the lack of depth. Lamy blue and red are very faint inks, although the black is quite good.

 

I've tried Levenger black in a Safari, however, the ink is so deep is bleeds through the page. (I'm disappointed in the Levenger inks - they clog most of my pens - though not the Safari. The other exception to this is my Rotring 600 which has an EF nib - not enough ink gets through to soak the page.)

[southpaw]

I just had the same experience with my Rotring Core yesterday. So much for marking compositions with fountain pens!

Before you give up, try one of the waterproof Noodlers - it must might work for you (and there are quite a few nice colors also, including Devil Red, a true bright red). No affiliation, just a happy repeat buyer of Noodlers.

[Michael Wright]

I'd agree with *david*. It's pretty certainly the paper. Some cheap paper, and thermo-whatsit paper on some billrolls, can have a coating that will come off and clog a nib. That's the one thing where checking the pen might do some good.

 

But a lot of cheap paper, for one reason or another, just isn't going to work with a fountain pen. What's more, the worst of it might not be totally happy with a roller ball. Different ink can help with marginal cases, but some paper won't work with anything water-based.

 

You have two choices: you can give your students Clairfontaine to submit their work on, or you can bow to force majeure and use a BP. I always used a pencil, myself, but that might not be possible for you.

 

Commiserations on having grading to do

 

Michael

[playpen]

Good grief...I can just imagine all the Clairfontaine paper airplanes...but for my kids that would be par for the course since I regularly show them the fabulous jewelry ads in the front of the Times every day!!

 

BTW - as soon as I work up the courage to hint about waterproof ink to DH, I might just try a bottle (I may have a few pen purchases pending this week...more to come).

[BMWRT]

Playpen,

I just ordered a Safari.

After this discussion I can't wait to see how it performs

 

What nib are you using?

I ordered a fine based on the description here

[playpen]

Believe it or not, while I love the fine nib on my Namiki Falcon, the fine on the Lamy seemed too scratchy so I opted for a medium.

[BMWRT]

Did you replace the fine, or have to buy another pen?

If replaced, how?

[playpen]

No, I did not replace the fine. I tried it in the FPHospital and decided against it so I didn't buy the fine, I bought the medium. I can tell you one thing however, if I ever bought a pen and decided I did not like the nib, I might hesitate to replace it...after all..maybe the pen has something (pardon the pun) "fine" to say!

[BMWRT]

that is so difficult for me because there are no brick and mortar stores anywhere near me. I have to go by what I read and hope it works for me.

Oh well. I will find out in a day or two if the nib is too fine

[MartiniPundit]

I have two Safaris with fine nibs, and I find they write just great. I do notice some scratch compared to other pens, but nothing that I find bothersome. YMMV.