Is My Lamy Safari Fake?

[disaster999]

I recently bought a Lamy Safari at a fairly small local pen shop I happen to come across. While researching how to disassemble the pen to clean it any other tips or tricks in using the pen, I stumbled across this video showing how to tell if your Lamy is fake.

 

 

After watching the video, I quickly checked my pen and it seem to hit about 50% of what he described.

 

Heres the overall pen. Looks pretty promising.

The logo is pretty defined

The ink window isnt blocked

The "o-ring" isnt an o-ring, but just a plastic circle that clips into the pen. It spins freely when installed on the pen

The paper spacer that came with the pen isnt printed on both sides like in the video

Finally the slit on the nib isnt prefectly centered, but the eching is very defined.

The pen also didnt come with a converter as described in the video but did come with a Lamy cartridge

 

Is my Lamy real or fake?

[twdpens]

As far as I can tell from the photos, it looks real.

 

HTH,

 

Martin

[dfo]

Totally real. I was just playing with the same model pen in Heidelberg.

Edited August 11, 2015 by dfo

[junlon]

I think it is real. I bought a fake Lamy Safari from eBay a few weeks ago. The hole on the nib is much higher than yours and the pen came with the converter and not cartridge.

The fake pen got a F nib but wrote thick lines.

Luckily I was able to return it.

[Alma]

Looks like a real one.

[disaster999]

Thanks for all the replies. This makes me feel much better about my purchase.

[dfo]

Thanks for all the replies. This makes me feel much better about my purchase.

enjoy

[pen2paper]

The spacer on all of my Safari's are printed on one side only, but the print is dark, and the cardboard very solid.

 

In all other criteria they pass 100%, and were purchased from known, reputable Lamy resellers, including two collector/resellers. All but the current models purchased well-before the fakes arrived on the scene.

 

My first was red/black clip & nib in the plastic square box. I've kept most of the original packaging with labels, so besides actual details I'm confident that each Safari I have is original. Considering the prices of out of production LE's and early black clip/nib models, keeping tabs on fakes obviously manufactured with intent to deceive the collector market is a wise move.

[lisantica]

Just received a fake one today.

Thank goodness for the video posted here.

 

Things mine had were:

 

1) Nib hole too close to the point.

2) X on the cap wasn't embossed as close to the edge as my real ones.

3) GERMANY imprint on the bottom was faint.

4) The edges of the cap were rough to the tough..not smooth like my real ones.

5) There was a faint line inside the cap about 1/2 an inch up from the lip.

6) Small circular cardboard spacer unravelled when I took it off.

7) Literature showed filling a converter and had "Founfain" pen on it.

8) Box color was a lighter grey whereas my real ones came in a darker grey box.

 

On a side note, I'm not certain that no imprint on the inside of the circular spacer is a condition of a fake. A few I've purchased from licensed retail establishments have come with no imprint on the inside. **Edit, just saw your comments pen2paper about this. I agree.

Edited August 25, 2015 by lisantica

[Cole_Phelps]

This one is also showing founfain pen on the packaging:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/286424-bought-a-fake-safari/page-1

 

Does it look similar to yours?

These "founfain pen" misspellings seem to be quite popular for the counterfeits, heard some more people who got a fake safari marketed as "founfain pen"...

 

C. P.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Cole_Phelps

[lisantica]

Yes, that was the same literature.

I should have taken some photographs, but I wanted that fake pen on its way back to the seller ASAP.

[Cole_Phelps]

Yes, that was the same literature.

I should have taken some photographs, but I wanted that fake pen on its way back to the seller ASAP.

Hopefully he will send you a real safari back (or at least give your money back to you)! Lots of luck on that!

[lisantica]

I believe so, it is in route. It is also covered under the eBay protection…so I feel confident I'll get my money back.

Part of me thinks I should have kept it so I could always reference a fake one….but in the disgust of the moment, I wanted it gone.

[Cole_Phelps]

I wonder about the quality of these fake pens... I did read about someone using one of those counterfeits since years without problems, but I do not believe that every counterfeit has such a good quality.

[lisantica]

C.P. I would have thought this one was real. It felt the same to the touch. I had to use a loupe to see some of the imperfections.

I actually didn't ink it up. I knew it was going back to the seller, so I didn't even try it.

[pen2paper]

I wonder about the quality of these fake pens... I did read about someone using one of those counterfeits since years without problems, but I do not believe that every counterfeit has such a good quality.

to use these pens without complaint is to perpetuate the issue. I rarely take a firm stand, but this is one. Safari is often the first fountain pens selected, and so the first experience is a poor one, and troublesome to rectify. Needless, when there are Many fine resellers who have genuine Lamy that's likely to be a reliable writer for 20 years, at reasonable prices.

[lisantica]

Wish I could buy them all from authorized resellers, and I have bought many of the new colors from them, but it's these limited edition ones and older years that have me looking on the used marketplace and bidding house.

[gammada]

I wonder about the quality of these fake pens... I did read about someone using one of those counterfeits since years without problems, but I do not believe that every counterfeit has such a good quality.

Never have been sold a fake Safari pen (fortunately), but two of my pens came with "free" fake Lamy Z24 converters and they failed right away! As soon as I put them to use, they started leaking ink from where the nipple makes contact with the feeder. The first time it happened I thought it was a faulty converter, until a second one had the same issue on the first inking, that's whenI noticed there's a moulding difference on the black plastic part just below the red screw. Also this part comes off very easily on the fake converters.

 

So I really don't think a fake will be able to provide good service, let's not even talk about user experience, for many years.

 

Also, I can confirm that the separator with the inner side printed is not a good pointer to spot a fake. None of my pens came with cardboard separators printed on the inside.

[Cole_Phelps]

to use these pens without complaint is to perpetuate the issue. I rarely take a firm stand, but this is one. Safari is often the first fountain pens selected, and so the first experience is a poor one, and troublesome to rectify. Needless, when there are Many fine resellers who have genuine Lamy that's likely to be a reliable writer for 20 years, at reasonable prices.

That's indeed a good point you have there. My first pen was also a safari and I would always buy them in pen-shops offline if there's the possibility. You can test and swap nibs/pens on side till you have the pen writing the way you want and take it home for a cheap price! but I see the issue with the limited edition. I made this experience too. Most sellers on eBay for example take bad photos of the pens. Nearly impossible to spot the pens details. You can be easily fooled there...

[chrisoslo]

_{My latest Safari Al-Star from The Writing Desk did NOT have print on both sides of the cardboard spacer.
I doubt it is a fake.}

 

Edited August 27, 2015 by chrisoslo