What To Do With A Counterfeit Lamy?

[cskroeze]

So, unfortunately, I have confirmed that my Lamy Safari in Charcoal with an EF nib is, in fact, a counterfeit :-( it's not a total loss since the eBay seller apparently didn't know he has counterfeit goods and quickly issued me a full refund and did not require me to ship the fake pen back.

 

My question is: What do I do with it now??

 

The build quality isn't terrible, but obviously not true Lamy quality. The nib is terrible, very thick and scratchy and practically pours ink onto the page, but at least it does write.

 

Any ideas or suggestions?

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Practice smoothing nibs on it. You should be able to make it nice and smooth. If you still don't like it give it away as a PIF since some people like gushing pens.

[balson]

is it one of the hero lamy clones or is it marketed as an actual lamy? i would say if you dislike it you should pass it on, there are plenty of people here who would like it.

[pen2paper]

take photos of the issues that = fake > share photos here > the pen becomes a teaching example.

(don't expose the seller)

 

then modify it. Actually full agreement with Frank C destroy the fake, but do document issues so others see and KNow the details that = Fake. You're helping countless others

Then buy a Real pen that provides reliable service, this type of grief is stressful, and unnecessary, then have fun!

 

Edited to add: everyone has choices, mine would be to use the pen as a teaching tool, then destroy it after that.

Good points in this discussion. I recently presented two programs on "FrankenFoolers", where (non-pen) objects are tinkered with, adding a company decal, or a printed copy which is then glued on, with the raw paper edge covered in paint, and stated to be "Handpainted". You can See the Print Dots of someone else's labor, The squiggle of paint the fooler uses to hide the badness does not = hand painted artwork. Then sold as a collectible object, which may then be entered in to a competitive award, and disqualified, because the judges usually spot fakery a mile away. Sometimes there is a monetary award. So the buyer has spent money on a fake, entry fee, shipping fees, receiving no award, only embarrassment. Final point is that company legally Owned logos are used, so eventually there may be issues when companies take notice. The "artist" perhaps should know to never use the Bird Splat else MB will be all over them like a banty rooster.

 

.Basically the lesson taught was to developing a discerning eye for fakery. In the pen world, detailed photos prevent such errors.

Thanks cskroeze for sharing your learning experience.

Edited April 29, 2015 by pen2paper

[Frank C]

If it says, "Lamy" on it and isn't a Lamy, It should be destroyed. Lamy has trademarked their name and any use of it by another company is an infringement of their rights. You said that the original seller returned your money, so you would not be out anything. You certainly may practice grinding the nib; that will almost certainly destroy it.

[public alias]

I'm in a similar situation. I purchased a Lamy Safari Charcoal EF, and based on a thread I found on fpgeeks I think mine might be Counterfeit as well.

 

Here's the thread in case anyone's interested: http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/10263-Fake-Lamy-Safaris-on-eBay

 

I'm still not 100% positive that mine is a fake, but since I'm thinking it is, I've decided it will be the beater pen of the collection. If I'm going anywhere where I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying one of my more cared for pens, I'm bringing this one to use instead.

[AndrewC]

If you have been reimbursed, keeping the pen would not be fair top the seller. Practice on nib work, then either destroy the pen, or pass it on with the Lamy name sanded off. AS mentioned above, if you are able, take photos so others can learn what to look for. And perhaps let the vendor you bought it from know as well.

[delano]

I myself would be anxious to see some photos. I have a few Lamy Safari pens and would like to know what to look for.

[Frank C]

I myself would be anxious to see some photos. I have a few Lamy Safari pens and would like to know what to look for.

 

I have seen these pens myself. If you have some genuine Lamy pens for comparison, you can easily tell the difference. The plastic is lighter and the imprint is not as deep or precise.

[Tresconik]

So you aren't a 100% sure it's a fake?
Just use the pen man. Why don't you show us a writing sample or some pics of the pen?

[J85909266]

I would send it to LAMY with details on where it came from. I'm sure that their lawyers would like to investigate the issue.

[mmg122]

Agree with the members above who suggested photographic documentation and using it as a teaching tool. Then (if it were me) I'd send it to Lamy as an example of the fraud being committed in their name...maybe to their legal department or customer service. Don't know if they'd do anything about it but it can't hurt. Just my .02 worth, FWIW.

[mmg122]

I would send it to LAMY with details on where it came from. I'm sure that their lawyers would like to investigate the issue.

Just noticed that you gave the same advice. Guess that makes me "Little Sir Echo"

[cskroeze]

This is all great advice! Thanks to everyone who has chimed in!

 

I'm 100% sure it's a fake. If you hit the link provided by Public Alias my pen looks pretty much identical to his fake (except the whole melting thing) So, no need to photograph my own pen as fake Sarari's are, apparently, a common occurrence and spotting them is pretty easy once you know what to look for. There is a wealth of information already out there on the Internets about how to identify them. Once I suspected it was counterfeit, a single Google search told me everything I needed to know.

 

I think I'll practice a little nib smoothing with the peace of mind of not caring if I mess it up. I'll scratch out the LAMY logos and call it my "Custom Chinese pen" If all else fails, I'll just break it in two and toss it.

Edited April 29, 2015 by cskroeze

[public alias]

cskroeze,

 

Did yours have the issue where screwing the body of the pen onto the grip didn't puncture the cartridge? That was probably the first thing that I noticed which made me suspicious of my pen. With my previous safari - a vista - the body was built in such a way that I could just set the cartridge into it, screw it onto the grip, and feel a satisfying pop as it punctured the cartridge. With the suspected fake, even pushing the cartridge into the feed by hand - with quite a bit of force - didn't seem to puncture it with that same nice pop, but maybe my vista was just special.

 

I think an interesting issue here is the ebay seller themselves. For all we know, they may be completely aware that they are selling fakes, and they issue a quick refund without even asking for the pen back in hopes that they won't get reported to ebay. I'm pretty sure ebay will seize your account if you sell counterfeit items. At the same time that's just purely speculation, there's no way to know for sure, and it would be a shame if they got in trouble and they truly didn't know they were selling counterfeits.

 

I can understand the arguments for destroying the pen. In my case I don't plan on doing so. It's a working pen in my possession, and it's always nice to have a expendable backup. It's nice to have one that I don't care for - I can comfortably take it out in the field, write on dirty paper, write on carbon copy forms with heavy pressure, not worry about drops falls, etc. Also, at some point I'm sure I'll buy another Safari, at which point it will be nice to have this one to compare it to, and see which differences I can spot in person vs. trying to spot them from online photos. As far as hurting Lamy, it feels cheap and I don't see it as a lamy replacement, if anything it makes me want to purchase more genuine Lamys because it makes me miss the sturdy feel of my vista.

Edited April 29, 2015 by public alias

[cskroeze]

cskroeze,

 

Did yours have the issue where screwing the body of the pen onto the grip didn't puncture the cartridge? That was probably the first thing that I noticed which made me suspicious of my pen. With my previous safari - a vista - the body was built in such a way that I could just set the cartridge into it, screw it onto the grip, and feel a satisfying pop as it punctured the cartridge. With the suspected fake, even pushing the cartridge into the feed by hand - with quite a bit of force - didn't seem to puncture it with that same nice pop, but maybe my vista was just special.

 

Yes, this was definitely an issue! I had forgotten about it since I hadn't suspected it to be a fake yet when I was still assembling the pieces. I suspect it is also a counterfeit Lamy cartridge, why else would it come with Black ink instead of blue?

[Charles Rice]

Do the same as you SHOULD do with any fake - destroy it!

[balson]

i can understand why you would want to scratch out the name on the pen, you would not want others later down the line to be tricked into thinking it was a real lamy, but it seems totally wasteful to destroy a working pen.

[Sailor Kenshin]

i can understand why you would want to scratch out the name on the pen, you would not want others later down the line to be tricked into thinking it was a real lamy, but it seems totally wasteful to destroy a working pen.

 

Amen. And are we SURE it's a fake? Really sure?

[Mr. Dante]

I would tuck it away in my pen case or in a drawer and forget about it, except to bring it out occasionally to show as a conversation piece. I wouldn't be able to use it in public. No one would know it's a fake, but I would.