LAMY Safari Charcoal with EF - extra fine nib

[Edgar Allan Bo]

yay, my first review - I wasn't ready for a big review yet because I was too unsure of my english-skills (it's just my third (or even fourth)

language) but after a looong time here on FPN I learned alot and I'll try to describe a pen we all (should) know very well - a LAMY Safari!

 

The half of you has probably clicked the thread away by now -> "Oh no, not AGAIN, a LAMY Safari review!"

 

Yes, again and again and again... and I'm sure there will be many reviews of the Safari after this one, like there were allready many reviews

of it before this one!

 

But let's go to the important things - the pen itself:

 

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/3271/zwischenablage01v.jpg

 

I'm sure that allmost everyone of you owns (has owned - or at least has tried) a LAMY Safari! I choose the charcoal because it's the perfect

anti-bling pen - EVERYTHING on th epen is black (well, except the tiny iridium tipping point on the nib but it makes such a small BLING that I

can live with! )

 

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/1120/zwischenablage03p.jpg

 

The surface of the pen isn't a shiny polished black - it's textured and has some kind of a cool stealth look, I read alot comments that the grip

is better on this textured LAMY models but I don't feel any BIG difference to other Safaris with flat glossy surface... of couse it feels different,

but it's not better or worse...

 

The nib I choose is an EF = extra fine and it's a typical european extra fine... something that's rather a FINE on some other pens, but it's really

extra fine enough wo be called an extra fine... yes, there are variations between the LAMY nibs, too, some EF's are rather F's and some F's are

rather M's, but this EF is really a EF!

 

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/1222/zwischenablage04l.jpg

 

Some of them can also be scrathy, here and there you can see some complaints about the Safari nibs and yes, I've also seen some scrathy

Safari nibs (most of them F's ans 1.1 italic nibs) but most of them were smooth, and this EF is just right - of course it CANNOT be as smooth

as a LAMY Medium nib but it it smooth and not scratchy at all...

 

The FIRST line is made with no pressure at all (or, normal writing pressure)... the SECOND line is made with pressure!

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5462/zwischenablage05.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/6356/zwischenablage06v.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/2623/zwischenablage07r.jpg

 

It's cut in a way that the sidestroke is broader that the downstroke, that's very common among the LAMY nibs (also on the 2000) and that's ok for me...

 

The Flow is very good, but a Safari is considered as a rather dry writing fountain pen... maybe it depends on the ink used with it, I have a standard LAMY

blue cartridge that came with the pen inside at the moment, and the flow is just right, rather wet than dry...

 

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3962/zwischenablage09.jpg

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/9925/zwischenablage10o.jpg

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/49/zwischenablage11.jpg

 

The special Safari-fingergrip is not everybodys darling, some of you even HATE it with passion :mad: and some of you love it, it's really a

LOVE it or HATE it thing... I used "not to like it that much" but if you keep using it you adapt to it automatically (at least it was so in my case)

and now I quite like it, it helps me to find the right angle without even looking at the pen and adjusting it first on the paper... but I also can

understand those who don't like the grip because I have few different scripts and some of them aren't really a joy to write with the Safari-grip,

so I have to use the Safari-friendly scripts when I write with the pen!

 

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5438/zwischenablage02aav.jpg

 

So, this is it, my first review! Thank you for reading!

[dashreeve]

I have one if these and like it a lot, thanks for the review. I like the writing samples and the cool monkey pictures

[UNDERDOG]

Nice. This was my first "real" fountain pen. Only a year a so ago. Can you be "nostalgic" after only a year?

[Cassandra]

Thanks for the review - I have a charcoal safari myself, very very smooth in F.

I think that the yellow and charcoal are THE standard safaris

 

Oh, love for the monkeys btw.

[diplomat]

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/kostea/sunglasses-smile-round.gif

 

Uh! I can't stand that iridium tip, so flashy!!

 

Ah-ah, nice review. Those pictures remind me of some nice job done by QM2 some time ago with a Nakaya.

Well done!

 

Cheers,

 

[Bearcat]

I have the clear Safari Demonstrator in my shirt pocket right now....been using it all day today. Still among my favorites.

 

Thanks for the Chimp photos......More here at http://www.bushorchimp.com/

 

Edited September 1, 2009 by Bearcat

[MYU]

Review #20 of the Lamy Safari!

 

Very good review. I like the "monkey" motif. Is the pen so usable, even a monkey could write with it? When you hold the pen, do you want to write or monkey around? Or maybe, the monkey just makes a great companion on a Safari. Nice job.

[rahulg]

Nice review, glad to know you like the Safari StealthEdition

 

Have fun!

[Yuki Onitsura]

Love the photos =)

 

Yuki

[rookieboyliu]

Review #20 of the Lamy Safari!

 

Very good review. I like the "monkey" motif. Is the pen so usable, even a monkey could write with it? When you hold the pen, do you want to write or monkey around? Or maybe, the monkey just makes a great companion on a Safari. Nice job.

 

I think it's because there are monkeys in the Safari. Not the black kind though.

[andy1m]

Safari everywhere. I haven't owned one yet. It's always on my wish list. I prefer EF but harder to find here. Thanks for sharing this great looking pen!

[lovemy51]

i have two (vista and charcoal). terrible section grip, at least for me!! otherwise, great pens.

[picautomaton]

Agreed, :roflmho: the pen is not loud at all other than the flashy iridium tip, silver etching on the nib and the gloss black paint on the clip. :roflmho:

 

I would like to add that for a pen that isn't precious resin the engineering is - oh and if Lamy could add a completely round section to the Safari we would then have the close to perfect contemporary writing 'tool', no?

 

 

[MOVIESTAR]

i just love those monkey pictures

[wvbeetlebug]

Just picked up a Charcoal myself. Great review! Love the monkeys!

[Watercycle]

the monkey pictures are what sold this pen

 

awesome review ^^

[isPen]

I have a Lamy Al Star which I liked so much..it convinced me to buy a shiney Black Safari for my Daughter and a shiney white Safari for my wife...They both love their little fountain monkey pens! I would have bought one for my 3 year old son, but he likes breaking walls and I don't think the nibs would take the punishment. Great review, like your style!

[blizzardras]

the only problem i have with the lamy safari is the horrible nib creep. good review though!

[Hohn]

Good review.

 

I have the Safari EF in blue. The nib was pretty scratchy at first, but it was mostly operator error. The EFs prefer a really light touch, and also want to be in the "sweet spot" too.

 

I'm using BSB in it, which probably doesn't help the smoothness all that much. It works for me, though. Safaris are addictive. I want one in every color and nib width, including italics...