Lamy Safari Grip Question.

[Donuts]

I am a newbie, with a pilot metropolitan, fine nib. I hate the grip and how scratchy it is. It may be the paper, but I don't think so. I tried a Lamy safari at a bookstore and really liked the grip. My metro's is way too thin, I want something about the thickness of a pilot G2. I feel like I'm trying to write with a ballpoint refill, minus the actual pen. Now, I only got about five seconds with the safari, so I must ask: is the grip much thicker? is it very ergonomic in long writing sessions? and how much more smooth is a medium western nib compared to a fine Japanese nib? Is something wrong with my metro nib?

 

Also, could I be using too much pressure? I'm writing about how much pressure I use with a rollerball/ gel like a G2. Thanks!

[pen2paper]

I can't answer to the Pilot.

 

Safari, yes, from my experience. The grip and length does work for my hand, allowing me to relax into my writing - no pressure necessary - during hour-plus daily reports for a few years. Not the same experience for everyone.

I've grown to prefer the 1.1 nib as best performer for me. Solid regular flow from the moment the nib touches paper. (do make sure poor paper is not your real issue).

 

Do you have the opportunity to revise the store for another test drive? If you find Safari does work best for you, the pilot will easily be a WTB, maybe a trade from others here who find it a best choice fo rtheir hand and style?

[Bluey]

Japanese nibs are a little finer than their western counterparts, and the fine and extra fine especially tend to be on the scratchy side.

The section on the Lamy is just a smidgen wider, but there's not much in it. Many like writing with it so there doesn't seem to be much complaint there for long writing sessions.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Bluey

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Check out Goulet Pens. They have detailed specs including grip diameter for most pens. A fountain pen should be used with little to no downward pressure on the nib. Paper as well as ink can impact how a nib feels scratchy or not. Another possibility is that the tines are slightly out of alignment.

[Renly]

Definitely seems like you're putting to much pressure. My pilot metro is not really scratchy. It has some feedback/resistance but its minimal. I use the Pilot G2 aswell and I have to apply pressure on that in order for it not to skip. Even the fine metropilitan is wet so not a lot of pressure needs to be added. You could write with just hte pressure of the pen but you couldn't do the same with the G2.

[Rednaxela]

Did you try the pen sitting down at a table, writing something in your normal writing position? I didn't, and found out afterwards that this made a huge difference re. the feel of the pen.

[PaganArcher]

I have large hands (ring size of 13 to 17), and a fine Metropolitan as well as 3 Lamy Al-Stars, and a Metropolitan rollerball. While the section on the Metropolitan tapers more than the Al-Star, I find I hold the the Metropolitan higher up, my thumb resting on the decorative band on the barrel. In this manner, it's a very comfortable pen with some feedback, but not scratchy. The ink choice will also affect the feel on the page, and I find the Pilot ink cartridges to be rather dry for such a fine nib.

 

And if you're using a similar pressure as you would with a G2, that's definitely too much. The Metropolitan fine favors a lighter hand and a wet ink.

[shawndp]

The Safari grip forces your hand into a specific position by virtue of its shape. This can either be a good thing or not depending on your preference for holding a pen and writing style. I find it works very well for me to the point that most of my office pens are Lamy - Al-Star, Safari and Nexx. The Nexx has a soft rubber grip compared to the hard plastic of the other two and is most similar to the feeling of the G. It also seems wider to me. You may consider that pen (Nexx-M) if you are gripping too tight or write for extended periods. All the nibs are the same and weights are close enough to not matter. All the best!

[knarflj]

It is possible that you are pressing too hard. But yes, the Safari grip feels a wee bit broader, and the pen is also considerably lighter; I find it easier to hold a Safari lightly than my Metros, although as PaganArcher suggested, it helps to hold the Metro a little higher up. I enjoy writing with both, but I would choose my Safari for a long writing session.

 

If you like the line width of the fine nib on your Metropolitan, you will not want a Safari with a medium nib! The extra-fine Safari nib is a wee bit wider than the fine Metro.

 

Jenny

[Stevieraith]

The grip on the Al-Star is the same as the Safari, but slightly wider, so if you are going for a bigger grip, give that a try

[Torrilin]

Too much pressure for sure. If you're used to rollerball and ballpoint type pens, a European style M or F cheapie nib will be able to handle the pressure. The line won't be as fine, but the more you lighten up on the pressure, the finer the line will be able to be. I really like a plain Euro M nib for a lot of situations, because you can get a lot of line variation out of one. Very expressive, even if the nib isn't designed to have flex.

 

An italic nib will also encourage less pressure. But they also are pretty hard on cheap paper. Most italic nibs gush ink, and they're prone to bleeding issues. And if you're pressing hard, a lot of italic nibs will catch on the paper even more than fine nibs. (italic nibs were actually my gateway into fountain pens as a kid. I wanted handwriting I could read, so I taught myself italic script starting out with a big 4mm or so chisel marker. Wrote it out of ink, was given one of those Schaeffer calligraphy sets. Wrote THAT out of ink cartridges mostly with the biggest nib. Wrote out a lot more Schaeffer carts over the 4 years of high school, almost none of it in my regular class notes) (I'm fairly sure I used up quite a few Pilot Varsities too, but they were expensive compared to a ball point and they could be kind of bleed prone for lefty me. And I didn't have anyone to teach me that fountain pens were pretty simple mechanically.)

 

Also, don't discount the paper. We're all a little different in how we write, so a nib/ink/paper combo that is highly recommended by a lot of people may wind up being terrible for you. I don't think the pool of paper reviews is as deep as ink reviews here. But it might be worth taking a poke at reviews and seeing if there are reviews of any of the inks and papers you've used. It can be really helpful in calibrating how you read reviews (and in finding reviewers who have similar tastes to you).