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Ink Window Does Not Line Up With The Nib 100%


TomFPN

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Several years ago, I bought a Lamy Safari pen. Its ink window lines up with the nib 100%. Recently, I bought several Lamy Safari pens from Amazon 3rd sellers. I found their ink windows do not line up with the nibs 100%. The attached is a picture. No. 5 pen is old and others are new. Is this a new design or just the new ones are not Grade A pens? How about your Lamy Safari pens? Thanks.

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Also see this recent FPN thread: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/315784-bleistift-blogs-article-on-safari-fakery/

 

I bought a Dark Lilac Safari from Goulet Pens as a holiday gift and its ink window lines up perfectly, so I don't think Lamy has changed the design. Whereas ink windows that don't line up are seen on counterfeit Safari pens.

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The ink window is the only issue. Other things about the new Safari pens seem good/genuine to me. If they are counterfeit pens, they are really well made.

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Check out the links, and especially the video from Goldspot pens. The counterfeits are really well made.

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Also see this recent FPN thread: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/315784-bleistift-blogs-article-on-safari-fakery/

 

I bought a Dark Lilac Safari from Goulet Pens as a holiday gift and its ink window lines up perfectly, so I don't think Lamy has changed the design. Whereas ink windows that don't line up are seen on counterfeit Safari pens.

 

I bought a dark lilac from a highly respected UK retailer and the window on mine is about 2-5 degrees out - I just checked. I might be able to get it fully aligned if I were to be willing to risk over-tightening and cracking the barrel, so I won't.

 

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In my case, I am working on the assumption that Goulet Pens is an authorized Lamy dealer and wouldn't risk their reputation by selling counterfeit pens.

 

I also purchased a blue Safari from an Amazon retailer at the beginning of November. I can't be certain it's genuine - I think it is - but its ink window lines up perfectly as well.

 

If I received a Safari I was confident was genuine and the ink window didn't line up, I'd send it back as defective.

Edited by ErrantSmudge
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Several years ago, I bought a Lamy Safari pen. Its ink window lines up with the nib 100%. Recently, I bought several Lamy Safari pens from Amazon 3rd sellers. I found their ink windows do not line up with the nibs 100%. The attached is a picture. No. 5 pen is old and others are new. Is this a new design or just the new ones are not Grade A pens? How about your Lamy Safari pens? Thanks.

 

I see one thing that could your problem. If twisted on correctly the lamy logo is visible aligned with the top of the nib.

Take it apart, then give a slight turn to orient the thread correctly.

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Hi pen2paper, I have tried that also. The result is the same.

 

In fact, if I use the barrel of No.5 pen on each of the other pens, the ink window always lines up with the nib 100%.

 

So, I think the barrels of the new pens cause the issue and might be defective.

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If I could chime in, I have a couple off Safaris with absolutely no red-flags either, other than, perhaps, the ink window line-up. First of all, as with yours it's very slight. I think if I cranked it, I could also get them to line perfectly, but why would I do that? If I were you I wouldn't sweat it.

Stay unposted, friends.

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I own 5 Safaris, no problem with the ink windows lining up as designed, but if I tried enough I could over-tighten any of them and make them look wrong, as there is no end stop on the threads. The rubber 'o' ring is the limiting factor on where the barrel ends up.

Edited by Mike 59
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I guess my new Safari pens are just defective pens. They might be made by Lamy. They should not enter the market. But somehow they do. Since they write well. I do not bother to return them.

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If I take the 'O' ring off of the Safari's section, the barrel will then go several mm past the correct ink window position, the 'O' ring is the 'end stop'. If a Safari user screws the barrel on very tightly, then over time it will get squashed thinner, very slightly, and the barrel will then go too far around the section, and the ink window will not line up.

Obviously this cannot be the case with a new pen, and I don't tighten my barrels any more than the minimum it needs to bite.

Hope this is clearer.

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Hi pen2paper, I have tried that also. The result is the same.

 

In fact, if I use the barrel of No.5 pen on each of the other pens, the ink window always lines up with the nib 100%.

 

So, I think the barrels of the new pens cause the issue and might be defective.

Not a single Safari of mine (most colors) orients incorrectly unless I turn the Lamy logo side down = easy adjustment.

It IS a problem if we're supporting products labeled Lamy that are not Lamy products.

Reputable dealers like Goulet's have a history of quickly adjusting issues. After that, Lamy pens have a warranty.

If you orient Lamy Logo up and they still fit incorrectly, Return these pens to the Amazon seller as problematic and possibly not Lamy, get a refund and buy "Lamy" from known dealers who All have sales at times.

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Good observation. Out of 20+ pens, I've just checked on the 8 currently inked and the tally is: 4 align correctly (two needed an additional tightening to do so), 4 won't align (2 Al-Stars, 2 Safaris); one of the Al-Stars aligns well if I let it a little loose!

 

I don't think your pens are fakes or defective (fakes are quite easy to spot) and their ink windows just won't line up well with the section threads, which is not your case. If you read through the topics on this forum, you will find many entries of Safari, Al-Star and Vista pens not writing well off the box with nibs and feeds that have issues, others have hard to remove nibs, others come with sharp edges over their barrels and none of them are fakes. It is simply that their fit and finish is not the best out there, and their quality control is a little... shall we say, relaxed.

 

PenIngeneer (which was part of Lamy's development team for the plastic feed that these pens use) can attest to that.

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At the Safari's price, I'm happy if it writes well. Mine does, and I had never (until now) noticed that the ink window lines up with the nib.

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honestly surprised to hear others having the same issue.. no intention to sound harsh.. simply have yet to see this in a legit Safari.

 

no experience with Al-Star's.

 

tried to upload a photo with all ink windows not covered. won't upload. could you be over tightening?

Edited by pen2paper
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I have all AL-Star Models, one Lx, two Safaris, one Joy and one Vista. Never had this problem.

 

But you can overtight them.

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