Best Value For Money? (Canada)

[canadian]

I'm waiting for my TWSBI 580, and in the meantime I thought adding a lamy 2000 or pilot VP to my collection wouldn't be such a bad idea.

 

The local pen store I have is selling them for the following:

 

Lamy 2000 Steel: $329.00 (canadian monies)

Pilot VP Black: $175.00 (canadian monies)

 

The TWSBI is supposed to be $67

 

Which of the above does FPN recommend as a reasonable addition to the TWSBI?

[XtianApi]

Honestly, the Steel Lamy 2000 is way way heavy, way way more expensive, and... the most important in my opinion, not THE Lamy 2000. On permanent display in a museum, the steel version is not. That material was a big deal when it came out and it is a historic addition to anyone's collection. The steel, is nice in its own way, but is not the Lamy 2000 that has been around for 50 years. Just my two cents. I have two VPs as well. Love them, but not for long sessions. A broad and a Masuyama .9mm cursive italic.

 

Also love,

Pilot Custom Heritage 92 (piston filling demonstrator with like 15 gold nib options)

Pilot Custom 912 (C/C black resin beautiful pen, with the same huge nib selection)

Franklin Christoph Model 02 Intrinsic and Model 40 Pocket (Just look at the ice versions. Also can come stock with a Masuyama ground nib)

 

Just my two cents..

[Sasha Royale]

That is a lot of money to spend. Let's wait for the TWSBI, and answer some questions.

1. What do you like about your TWSBI ? Weight ? Balance (posted and un-posted) ?

2. What would you want to be different in the next pen ?

Then, we can decide which choice is best. (I vote Parker 51.)

[canadian]

That is a lot of money to spend. Let's wait for the TWSBI, and answer some questions.

1. What do you like about your TWSBI ? Weight ? Balance (posted and un-posted) ?

2. What would you want to be different in the next pen ?

Then, we can decide which choice is best. (I vote Parker 51.)

 

You are right...maybe I'll get a Lamy Safari first as an add-on to the TWBSI. A Lamy can't hurt. Correct?

[flipper_gv]

Man, don't spend on the Lamy 2000 stainless steel. Get the regular one, it's really good and still has a nice weight to it.

[j.a.j.]

If you want to go on a shopping spree get Platinum Preppy in all nib sizes. And maybe also a Pilot Metropolitan and a Jinhao 159. These are some nice inexpensive fountain pens and you get more points of comparison.

[Stu L]

Will the pen store let you try them out?

[canadian]

Will the pen store let you try them out?

 

They did once, the lamy 2000 but I think they're a bit weirded out by me because I return every day.

[shawndp]

Contrary to the above suggestions - don't buy cheaper pens... A Safari isn't an amazing writing instrument in the grander scheme of things. Write with the TWSBI for a while and see what you like the best and miss the most and then buy another nice (C$ 100+) pen. Remember you only have one writing hand so use an amazing pen! I would personally buy a Vanishing Point and they can be had for less than $150 at your door. There are lots of really great pens that represent a jump from the TWSBI (I have 2), so enjoy that pen first to get the most out of your journey.

[XtianApi]

I agree with shawndp. Don't go for a safari unless you specifically want a decent knockabout pen with a snap cap. I say go for the vanishing point between the two. The first nice pen I bought was a TWSBI 530. The second was a Vanishing Point. I got an extra fine, but switched that out for a broad which I had ground into a cursive italic at the time or purchase from BinderPens (in my earlier post I said it was a Masuyama cursive italic, but it was Richards grind). I use the TWSBI still, but that vanishing point, I use all the time, even though I've bought many many pens costing two or three times as much.

Getting a nib professionally tuned, and or ground will turn almost any pen into your favorite. But first, you need to experiment with what you want. i say get a 1.1mm stub nib unit for your TWSBI, they are super smooth.

Good luck

[canadian]

I agree with shawndp. Don't go for a safari

 

Too late. This evening, driven by lust, I sold out to the cheap thrill of procuring a red Lamy Safari (which I am so far disappointed with).

[shawndp]

 

Too late. This evening, driven by lust, I sold out to the cheap thrill of procuring a red Lamy Safari (which I am so far disappointed with).

 

Noo!!!! Lamy's are like Sirens - making you crash into the scratchy rocks in an inky sea

[canadian]

 

Noo!!!! Lamy's are like Sirens - making you crash into the scratchy rocks in an inky sea

 

My devastation was no lesser than King Solomon's when he discovered Queen Sheiba's beard.

[XtianApi]

 

My devastation was no lesser than King Solomon's when he discovered Queen Sheiba's beard.

 

Well now hang on. I think in your position, not having many pens, the Vanishing Point would have made the better choice because it would have made a great workhorse that you would love for years to come, but I don't think all is lost. I have, and use two Lamy Safari's. (Well one Safari and one Al Star (like the Safari better than cold metal)) They have their place in my collection and I don't regret buying them.

 

With some Mylar polishing paper, from gouletpens.com or somewhere else, you can smooth that nib and always have a fountain pen on you that is capable and smooth, within reason. There are times when I am pretty sure I don't need a fountain pen, and don't want to bother with worrying about it. In those times, I take my Safari. I am actually quite fond of it for that fact. When I am riding my motorcycle, or going to do something physical outside and I think of something I have to write down, or risk forgetting, I grab my Safari. It is the only pen I can truly forget is in my pocket until I need it. It is not the smallest, and I have just started carrying a Stipula Paparazzi for smallness, but if you find it comfortable enough, I say that it does have a place in your collection.

 

Also, switching nibs is crazy fast. I use a very broad Lamy stub to test and record inks I buy and also have a medium nib that I smoothed which is quite nice for the price. It also makes for a great loaner pen, if someone wants to try. "Can I try your Pelikan Toledo? No, but you can try this Lamy" The snap cap is also great for work or school as it is so fast.

 

Lamy pens, even the Lamy 2000, are strange at first. I was very disappointed when I first wrote with my 2000. It has a weird stiff kind of ultra clinical/utilitarian feel to it. However, once I learned the sweet spot, and got used to that type of feedback and tool-like feel, I have grown to appreciate it. The nibs on the Safaris are similar, minus the sweetspot. They seem tuned to be used on a wide range of paper. If you want to smooth it for use primarily on premium paper, then you can and it will be pretty darn smooth. However, if you are going to be using it on crappy school/work paper, then that little bit of feedback, in my opinion, helps drudge through the paper fibers. If Lamy wanted the nib to be super smooth, I believe they could have made it as such, which you can do also. The majority of my Lamy nibs are stock and not smoothed by me. The makers of some very high end nibs want a little feedback as well like, I think, Sailor? Platinum or Sailor, I don't remember which, have feedback in their high-end nibs. Also, not being gold, and having that shock absorbing quality, can make a nib feel less smooth than a gold version. The gold Lamy nib feels way smoother, but under a microscope, looks to have the same level of polish.

 

Sorry, too much information, but the whole weirdness of the Lamy Safari has grown on me. I voted for you getting the VP, but there is still time for that. Who knows, you may hate the weird grip. I don't find it as comfortable as the Safari. I am no longer after glassy smoothness in all my pens. But, if that is what you want, the medium and especially broad VP is like butta. Combine that with ultra smooth paper, and I find it too slick. If I lost my vanishing point, I would replace it. If I lost my Safari, I would replace it. If I lost my Al Star, I would replace it with another Safari.

 

Okay, I will stop now.

[Biber]

 

Noo!!!! Lamy's are like Sirens - making you crash into the scratchy rocks in an inky sea

 

Lamy's a German company so the more appropriate reference would be Lorelai.

[torstar]

Man, don't spend on the Lamy 2000 stainless steel. Get the regular one, it's really good and still has a nice weight to it.

 

ditto

[Fabienne]

 

Too late. This evening, driven by lust, I sold out to the cheap thrill of procuring a red Lamy Safari (which I am so far disappointed with).

You are looking for help in the wrong place here, my friend. Take my advice, stop weirding out the people at the pen shop, spend your time trying to find other hopeless addicts and form a pen club. Then you can torment the pen store guys en masse. You would have done best with a Pilot Metropolitan or a Pilot Varsity (great fun). BUT you will love your new TWSBI (smooth fun writing, it's my EDC).

[denix]

I bought the metal Lamy 2000 about a year ago. I like it, but I'm not thrilled with it. I do like it a bit better than my regular Lamy 2000. My favoite is my VP though.All amazing pens by the way.

 

Guy