What is your opinion about the Lamy Safari?

[13KnifeThrower13]

hey guys! i was looking at some fountain pens yesterday, and i found the Lamy Safari for around $23. i would like to know what your opinions on this pen are, so i can decide if i want it or not! i would also appreciate it if you would let me know what nib width is the most suitable for general writing, and what brand of ink writes the best. THANKS!!!

[jar]

It's a nice entry level student pen.

[Julio]

If you are new to fp, buy it. Good pen, good price, nice colors. Ask for a "F" nib.

[professionaldilettante]

Not a bad starter pen. Extra fine is great cause it causes the least amount of bleed through in cheap school papers, I've found out.

[pen2paper]

13, I use my Safari at work daily..

It has a medium nib, which is a bit wider, imho, than most mediums.. am able to initial small graph boxes.

also have a fine point, which I use at home.

Use Waterman black ink, which flows very well, pen starts instantly, never skips.

Also, tried Pelikan 4001 brilliant black for a while..found it too dry.

 

Some have commented that their Extra Fine nibs can be a bit dry/scratchy.. if this nib is what you prefer, there are inks, such as Private Reserve Tanzanite, known for being a very wet/fluid ink.

[Aunt Jill]

I have a Lamy Safari that I've had two nibs for, and both nibs have been smooth as butter.

 

Here are some threads that might be useful.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/153778-lamy-question/page__hl__safari__fromsearch__1

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/148242-whos-got-a-lamy-safari/page__hl__safari__fromsearch__1

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/153077-cheapish-college-pen/page__hl__safari__fromsearch__1

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/153011-writing-samples-from-vp-and-safari/page__hl__safari__fromsearch__1

[Possum Hill]

It's a very practical, useful pen; I have three and lost a fourth . For most writing I like the EF nib, or maybe the F, but for pure enjoyment I like Noodler's Baystate Blue with the 1.1 mm italic nib.

 

For inks, everyone's idea of what writes best is different. Look at the reviews and discussions, find a few you think you might like and order an ink sampler from Pear Tree Pen Co.

[Bill M]

My Safari rocks. I like the Med. nib. My favorite inks to use in it are, Aurora black, Private Reserve plum and Cosmic Cobalt.

[bjornhansson]

hey guys! i was looking at some fountain pens yesterday, and i found the Lamy Safari for around $23. i would like to know what your opinions on this pen are, so i can decide if i want it or not! i would also appreciate it if you would let me know what nib width is the most suitable for general writing, and what brand of ink writes the best. THANKS!!!

 

For the money it costs, the Lamy Safari is very hard to beat. The Safaris are good and reliable writers, but the triangular grip can be a deal-breaker for some.

 

For general writing, I would suggest a fine or extra-fine nib. (In my experience, Lamy nibs tend to run broad.)

 

As for the ink, most inks would work fine. My favourite brand is Pilot/Iroshizuku, but in my Safaris I use Lamy cartridges. I like the look and properties of Lamy's blue ink.

[bardolator]

I have an Al-Star, which is basically the metal version of the Safari. LOVE it--bought it in the Marketplace here. I'm still using the blue cartridge that came with it, but I've about written it dry. As soon as the converter I ordered from JetPens arrived, I think I'll try the Iroshizuku Yama-Budo I also ordered in it. Seems like I might get some nice shading from that medium nib, and the color will be different enough to use for marking papers.

 

EDIT: As for the grip/section, I do find it a bit awkward, so I just rotate the pen in my grip a bit and go from there. The smoothness of the nib and the wet line more than makes up for it.

Edited May 8, 2010 by bardolator

[13KnifeThrower13]

thanks, i will probably get a fine, because i dont want anything too small...if anyone could post the thicknesses actually writing that would be great!

[willprice94]

I got one on er. . . friday. Its very nice, its a step up from using a uniball vision elite, or G2 in my opinion. I grip my pens really wierdly, yet holding this is the correct manner feels ok, on other pens when i try it doesn't. Anyway i recomend it, I have a fine nib which is quite nice, personally i like very thin lines but i avoided the EF nib incase of poor quality control.

[dexaco]

I have four - EF, EF, EF and OM. Love 'em! The triangular section is a bummer, me being a lefty underwriter with a peculiar gripping style, but I just sanded the sharp corners a little rounder and don't mind them now. 

 

Derick

[bgray]

You'll be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't like their Safari.

 

Price and utility. It's a great pen.

 

And if you would like a demonstrator version, get the Vista.

[Marko Kloos]

The Safari is sturdy, reliable, and unpretentious. Every fountain pen person should have one or two.

[StyloBug33]

Personally, I think they are like potato chips - you can't have just one. I am up to 9. I have also bought them for each of my four sons and one daughter. This morning i bought one for a friend of mine. My friend really liked my Lamy All-Star in Rasberry and I actually saw one at a store this morning and so bought it for her.

[mhwombat]

I find that triangular grips don't suit me at all. My fingers end up on the edges, and it's uncomfortable. But all my Lamy pens write wonderfully!

 

I love the Lamy Nexx. Even though it does have a triangular grip, it's soft. And it's inexpensive enough that I've considered trying to modify it to either file off the edges of the grip, or even turn the nib so my fingers end up in the right spot for the grip.

[countrydirt]

I have a Charcoal Safari - XF nib, a blue Al star - F nib and am awaiting a Vista (clear Safari) with a F nib and convertor. I have been pleased with both of my Lamys. The Al star is now in the possession of my 16 year old. I use the Safari for everyday writing, including writing checks (duplicates) and filling out forms. It gets duty as a journal writer, note taker and even lumber marker (I teach a carpentry class) It remains in my pocket all day. I intend to use the Vista for the same sort of tasks (except for the lumber marking!) My students love to grab my pens and write something!

[eslemexe]

I have 2 safaris (charcoal and white, F&M) and i Love them!!! are excellent pens for college i use the charcoal with dark colors and the white one with red-orange ones. I'm thinking in buying a vista, because I want a demonstrator, but first i'm going to buy a more "serious" FP, but my safaris would still be my college pens.

[Possum Hill]

I have a Charcoal Safari - XF nib, a blue Al star - F nib and am awaiting a Vista (clear Safari) with a F nib and convertor. I have been pleased with both of my Lamys. The Al star is now in the possession of my 16 year old. I use the Safari for everyday writing, including writing checks (duplicates) and filling out forms. It gets duty as a journal writer, note taker and even lumber marker (I teach a carpentry class) It remains in my pocket all day. I intend to use the Vista for the same sort of tasks (except for the lumber marking!) My students love to grab my pens and write something!

:roflmho:

 

I've often grabbed a nail out of my nail apron to make a note or mark a dimension on lumber, but that's taking the Safari = nail comparison to an extreme.