Lamy Studio Review

[visvamitra]

There was a time when I loathed most of Lamy’s fountain pens designs. I considered Lamy Safari ugliest pen ever created, Lamy Joy didn’t make me smile.

It’s no longer the case as, in some unexplicable way, Lamy Al-Star became one of my favourite pens and I started to enjoy Lamy Safari quite a bit. I would even risk to claim that Lamy bacame my favourite brand. But let’s not go ahead. The thing is even then there was one Lamy pen I considered more than great looking.

Lamy Studio

I always enjoyed this design and I still think it’s great and fairly unique. The pen was designed byHannes Wettstein. Let me share my experience with the pen with you.

Lamy Studio comes in a nicely designed cardboard box, that is nice and elegant. It can be bought in few finishes but I find blue one most appealing. The pen itself looks sleek – torpedo shaped, with blue-lacquered barrel with slight tapers on each end with a chrome clip, grip, and end caps. The grip is super glossy and it collects fingerprints too easily.

There’s also the clip. Yes, the clip. How to describe it without using wow too much? The paddle design is unique even among Lamy’s other offerings. The propeller-shaped clip accents the pen’s shapely form. It turns in on itself and is more reminiscent of a modern piece of sculpture than a conventional pen clip. To me it’s this element that makes Lamy Studio a complete eyecatcher which pleasantly does not fit into any rigid design category.

The blue coating has a nice, textured feel to it, but in order to write we need to uncap the pen and take section between fingers. The diameter of the section is perfect for me but I believe it would be better if it didn’t taper towards the nib. Taper on chrome, hmm, result can be only one. The section is slippery. Sure, glossy finish serves well the design and aesthetic intentions but it makes this pen unpleasant during longer writing sections. Finding good grip may be an issue. On the other hand Lamy Studio comes in several other finishes and materials with different grips. I believe one of them sports some kind of rubber(?) grip that is quite comfortable.

The fit & finish are very good, but not perfect, especiallty if you tend to cap the pen. Snap-on cap attaches via the tiny trim rings on the grip and barrel of the pen. It tends to rotate instead of staying in place.

Filling System

This is a cartridge convertor pen like most of the rest of Lamy’s offerings. It uses the same proprietary cartridge as other Lamy’s but the convertor is the LZ26 for this one instead of the LZ24 used with the Safari’s and Al-Star’s.

Dimensions

Closed: 140 mm

Open: 128 mm

Weight: 30 g

Nib

I mostly used this pen with 1,1 italic nib. It’s not bad but can’t compare with TWSBI 1,1 whicg is much wetter and pleasant in every day use.

I won’t write a lot about the nib because you can easily fit most of Lamy nibs to this one. And that’s a serious advantage.

Summary

I still think Lamy Studio is Lamy’s nicest pen, sadly, due to slippery section it’s also the one I practically don’t use. I’m huge fan of metal section but this one just doesn’t work for me.

Overall the pen is well priced and well constructed and I would recommend it to everyone but only after they verified whether the section works for them.

[Prithwijit]

Hi Visvamitra,

 

thanks for posting a wonderful review. personally I am an unabashed fan of all utilitarian Lamy pens. I believe their Safari line represents the pinnacle of quality and minimalistic focus on utility. You just cant go wrong with them.

 

I personally like the studio design as well, but tend to stay away from them since their metallic section and my slipper (read perspiring) grip tend not to get along well together.

 

Regards,

 

Prithwijit

[J_MM]

Nice review. I have the brushed metal version which has a rubber section -- great every day pen. I also like the ability to switch nibs in and out.

My Studio Palladium with a 14k M nib is a very smooth writer and the section has a good grip.

[aderoy]

Have also found the Palladium section to be very good for long writing sessions.

 

The chrome version has a rubbery section, has started to become a bit 'sticky' after a few years. Monitoring.

[migo984]

Thanks for your review :-)

 

I had a Lamy Studio Platinum. Used it twice & sold it on very quickly. The profile of the section on the Studio seems to exacerbate slippage.

 

I find nearly all Lamys incredibly uncomfortable to write with, due to their designs; mainly, but not only, relating to section shape. It doesn't help that I dislike the feel of Lamy nibs, both steel & gold. They create a disconnect between paper, nib & hand in my experience, probably because of their shape & rigidity. I find that the case for both writing & sketching. On a more esoteric note, I find Lamy pens strangely cold & soulless in design, yet I'm a fan of utilitarian design generally.

 

The exception is the Bellini-designed original Persona; the comfortable ribbing & exceptional balance work well.

 

Edited to correct an autocorrect! :-)

Edited September 29, 2016 by migo984

[inkeverywhere]

Very nice review. I own a Imperial Blue Studio, bought some years ago now. Used to love it but in hot and humid weather the chrome section is not the best to use. When I do use it, in cooler weather, I do like the 1.1 nib, I have other steel nibs in various sizes but they now leave me feeling underwhelmed.

 

Of course gold nibs are available for Lamys but for what they cost here in Australia I can buy a nice Japanese pen already fitted with a gold nib.

 

Overall I still think it is a great looking pen but it maybe greatly improved with a gold nib.

 

 

Greg

[mehandiratta]

has anyone tried sanding the section...

[J_MM]

I saw one picture of someone who sanded the section and it looked very nice.

[pollandakuma]

Looks a bit like a much better version of Parker's Urban!

[FrozenLand]

Parker Urban is also not a champion when a decent grip is considered.

Somehow, I find the German simplicity of the Lamy design nicht so echt... In many of their models, there is at least one detail disturbing overall composition. Here, in my opinion, the case is... the clip, which visvamitra likes so much

Even though, I find it attractive. Having the grip problem solved, it would make a nice and not too ostentatious everyday writer. And I appreciate Lamy's nibs, I was never disappointed.

Edited September 30, 2016 by FrozenLand

[vojtahlad]

I hate metallic sections so I chose the brushed metal finish which has a rubber-like grip. It is such a lovely pen. How to dislike the clip is out of my understanding

 

[Newjelan]

Thanks for the review, I too love the design of this pen (and Lamy pens in general). I have 2 Studios: 1 in Royal Red with a Steel Nib and 1 in Platinum Grey with a Gold Nib. I prefer the gold nib but enjoy both.

 

I have numerous Safaris, a couple of Al-Stars, both a stainless steel and a black 2000, as well as a Lamy Dialog. Somehow my love affair with Lamy pens has crept up on me.

[FOUR X FOUR]

Ive heard that this pen can be had with a gold nib. Is that true? Thanx

[Newjelan]

Ive heard that this pen can be had with a gold nib. Is that true? Thanx

yes, I bought my grey one with a gold nib.

[Heldin]

I was thinking about getting this as my next pen, but I really dislike slippery grips. Thank you for the review! The blue colour is absolutely stunning.

[usk15]

Thank you for review! I have receive one in matt black from my work team as birthday gift, just change the nib to a black fine. I do like the design, shape and size but I find the grip section a bit weird to hold. It takes some times to get used with that. Anyway I think is a great alternative to Safari range.

[gryphon1911]

I should be receiving my stainless Studio tomorrow. I much prefer the blue one, but am not a fan of slippery grips. If I like the black grip on the stainless, I'm probably going to then get the blue one and swap the grips.

[Ted A]

I do not find the metal grip section to be a problem with the Studio. I think I, perhaps, have less of a problem with slipperiness than some people do. there are some pens that I struggle with, but not the Studio. It's one of my favorite pens.

[inotrym]

Definitely a looker!

 

I wasn't really bothered by the metal section, but it felt to me a little bit back heavy.

 

I also found very disturbing the play when it posts (there is a little space between the cap and the body as to not scratch it) and most importantly that thin line of the grip's shiny metal that is still visible when the pen is capped.

 

I really wish they would somehow redesign it to make it a screw-on cap.

[Mister5]

I just inked up the brushed Stainless Steel version of the Studio this week and the rubberized (or whatever it is) grip on it is very comfortable. Can't afford the Stainless Steel 2000 but this will be my wonderful consolation prize from the Philly Pen Show. The EF nib writes smoothly with a touch of feedback.