Lamy Gold Nib

[bayindirh]

generally wetter.

 

I find the 14k gold push on lamy nibs to be outstanding. Soft, smooth wet.

 

People always ask if 14k gold nibs are better/worth it over steel. I always thought that if you tried a few, say, Lamy Studio with steel nibs and a few with the 14k nibs you would have a pretty good test right there.

 

I went through a few boxes of Lamy 14k nibs today at my dealer's. All were winners. Incredible consistency and quality. All wrote well, and also looked perfect under magnification.

 

YMMV.

 

(imo the gold nibs are worth it. they are a joy to use)

 

 

Thanks for your answer. I already used FPs with gold nibs, so I'm used to its feeling. I'm holding off for a month or so, because of unexpected heavy hits in my budget, but I will buy it at the end.

 

I will update and write my review as soon as I install it.

[ink-syringe]

Tell us what you think. I bought the studio with the steel nib first and used it that way a while because I only liked the one with the black grip. I don't like polished metal grips and then bought the gold Z50 later. I really dig the gold Z50s. They always surprise me how nice and luxurious they feel. I know that these also get more attention at the factory. I think it shows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your answer. I already used FPs with gold nibs, so I'm used to its feeling. I'm holding off for a month or so, because of unexpected heavy hits in my budget, but I will buy it at the end.

 

I will update and write my review as soon as I install it.

[rlb]

Just curious, for the people who have gold nib how do they compare to their corresponding steel nibs in terms of nib size.

 

What I mean is that I heard the gold nibs run larger than the steel. I like my lamy steel nib in Fine... Should I order EF?

[RMN]

Just curious, for the people who have gold nib how do they compare to their corresponding steel nibs in terms of nib size.

 

What I mean is that I heard the gold nibs run larger than the steel. I like my lamy steel nib in Fine... Should I order EF?

 

I am not an authority on F and EF nibs, preferring Ms and Stubs myself. But I have a black Gold EF nib on my Imporium and that gives me an F feel

 

 

D.ick

[pajaro]

I prefer gold nibs. I prefer the tone of their feedback to that of steel nibs. So far I haven't persuaded myself to swap in any Lamy gold nibs to my Al-Stars or Safaris - but I'm really close to doing that.

 

I thought about this. I bought a used Lamy 2000 instead.

[Calabria]

Bayindirh - I like the fact that the cp1 is your "grail" pen. I got one a few months ago and am astonished how much I like writing with it. I always thought that big pens were more comfortable! This is a really successful design; the cap closes nice and tight, posts well, and the clip works well. A lot of annoying features of other Lamys - rotating, rattling caps - are not a problem with this one.

 

If you go for a gold nib keep in mind they run wider than the steel ones.

[rlb]

I am not an authority on F and EF nibs, preferring Ms and Stubs myself. But I have a black Gold EF nib on my Imporium and that gives me an F feel

 

D.ick

Thanks. I think I'll get the extra fine sine I'd rather error on the side of a finer nib anyway!

[bayindirh]

Bayindirh - I like the fact that the cp1 is your "grail" pen. I got one a few months ago and am astonished how much I like writing with it. I always thought that big pens were more comfortable! This is a really successful design; the cap closes nice and tight, posts well, and the clip works well. A lot of annoying features of other Lamys - rotating, rattling caps - are not a problem with this one.

 

If you go for a gold nib keep in mind they run wider than the steel ones.

 

Thanks for the reply and recommendation. I also like cp1 a lot. Its design is very very clean, feels and handles perfect. On the other hand, gold-nib plan for cp1 is frozen. The steel nib on my cp1 polished beautifully, and someone given me a Sheaffer Targa with an inlaid gold nib as a present.

 

This doesn't change cp1's grail status, but I now have a good fountain pen with a good gold nib, so I think I won't pursue a gold nib for cp1 actively now.

[Calabria]

 

Thanks for the reply and recommendation. I also like cp1 a lot. Its design is very very clean, feels and handles perfect. On the other hand, gold-nib plan for cp1 is frozen. The steel nib on my cp1 polished beautifully, and someone given me a Sheaffer Targa with an inlaid gold nib as a present.

 

This doesn't change cp1's grail status, but I now have a good fountain pen with a good gold nib, so I think I won't pursue a gold nib for cp1 actively now.

Personally I prefer the steel nib on the cp1

[DrDebG]

A couple of years ago I bought the Lamy Studio Wild Rubin which came with the 14K Fine nib. It is one of my favorite pens. Yes, the gold nib is worth it. I am about to swap out a gold nib in medium oblique on my Lamy Aion. I love the pen, but the nib is just adequate.

[rlb]

A couple of years ago I bought the Lamy Studio Wild Rubin which came with the 14K Fine nib. It is one of my favorite pens. Yes, the gold nib is worth it. I am about to swap out a gold nib in medium oblique on my Lamy Aion. I love the pen, but the nib is just adequate.

 

Im curious if you felt 14kt fine nib had the same line width compared to a fine nib in steel.

[bayindirh]

Personally I prefer the steel nib on the cp1

 

Gold nibs require more care, and they make a pen more luxurious and higher maintenance, however steel nibs are sturdier and when they are made well, they polish well and have their character of their own.

 

Personally I'm not a gold nib elitist. I wanted one to experience and understand how they feel and differ. Now I have one a good example, I can happily continue with Lamy steel nibs, which are very well made IMHO.

[plumista]

My advice: if you have more than one Safari/AlStar (or any other model except 2000), and you have the proper humour and enough budget, then enjoy the pleasure of ONE gold nib (which you can then swap any time for any of the other nibs), keeping the others with the standard steel nibs (which should be perfect writers in the first place). Best of both worlds! And yes, that is what I did myself, without any remorse up to now.

plumista

[Calabria]

 

Gold nibs require more care, and they make a pen more luxurious and higher maintenance, however steel nibs are sturdier and when they are made well, they polish well and have their character of their own.

 

Personally I'm not a gold nib elitist. I wanted one to experience and understand how they feel and differ. Now I have one a good example, I can happily continue with Lamy steel nibs, which are very well made IMHO.

Bayindirh - I agree. The Sheaffer Targa btw was my second fine pen. The nibs are amazing. Enjoy!

Derek

[bayindirh]

My advice: if you have more than one Safari/AlStar (or any other model except 2000), and you have the proper humour and enough budget, then enjoy the pleasure of ONE gold nib (which you can then swap any time for any of the other nibs), keeping the others with the standard steel nibs (which should be perfect writers in the first place). Best of both worlds! And yes, that is what I did myself, without any remorse up to now.

plumista

 

Actually, it's a nice and sound advice. I have many Safaris and AlStars, however I currently don't have the required funds for a gold nib. I also tend to ink minimal number of pens, and my primary pen (currently an AlStar) always travels with me in a bag, so I cannot risk damaging a gold nib like that.

 

If I will buy a gold nib in the future, I will keep it on my CP1. Given that its nib already polished well, and I love how it handles with steel nib, it's a bit of a low probability right now.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Personally, I prefer the Z50 steel nibs to the Z55 gold ones especially in feel and how they transfer the feel of the paper to your hand. They do definitely feel different from the Z50 steel nibs, and the Z55 gold nibs feel a lot different to the nibs in the Lamy 2000, probably due to geometry differences.

 

One thing that is interesting is that the Z55 gold nibs are often finished a little more carefully than the steel nibs are. They are polished to a higher polish. The steel nibs can be tuned and adjusted and finished so they perform similarly to the gold nibs. I prefer the suspension characteristics of the Z50 steel nibs to the Z55 gold nibs.

 

I would not say generally that gold nibs are softer or smoother or have better flow than steel nibs. That depends on a number of different things such as overall nib geometry, the tipping geometry, the alloy and temper of the nib, and things like that. Flow depends a lot on the tine spacing of the nib, and any material nib can be made to have that spacing. Smoothness is mostly from tipping geometry and tine alignment. Both steel and gold nibs are tipped with some hard tipping material. You are generally not writing directly on the gold or steel. The shape of that tip and the alignment of the tines is the difference between a smooth nib and a scratchy one. Geometry changes how and where the nib absorbs load and the nib suspension characteristics. This is also affected by the temper and alloy of the nib. Some gold nibs are very stiff and unyielding due to the combination of the alloy, temper, and geometry and transmit a lot of the imperfections in the paper to your hand. Some steel nibs are also very flexible. Before there were some Italian pens with very springy and flexible steel nibs.

 

Unless you need the gold nib for improved corrosion resistance or like the suspension of the gold version of the nib compared to the steel one, I wouldn't go for it. If I were to get a Lamy pen with a gold nib that wasn't a 2000, I would put a steel Z50 Anfanger nib in it and put the gold nib somewhere safe or in a different Lamy.

 

Dillon

[1nkulus]

Gold vs Steel nib is more of an aesthetic issue. I have both in different widths and I do feel the gold may be a bit better/soft but not worth the premium.

There are no italics in gold.

 

Lamy nib prices have recently increased.

 

I doubt if there is any brand whose gold nibs are significantly superior to the steel version.

[TheLostOne]

I have not tried Lamy steel nibs. I recently got my first gold nib pen Pilot Custom Heritage 91 in Soft Fine. It feels **significantly** better than the Metropolitan in Fine and Medium. But the flex nib of Noodlers Ahab is very close too.

I think I am discovering my nib preferences - I appear to like finer, softer nibs. I am using these nibs for normal writing, not flexing.

I have a Lamy 2000 in Oblique Medium on the way. *fingers crossed*

Edited July 6, 2018 by TheLostOne

[1nkulus]

I think I am discovering my nib preferences - I appear to like finer, softer nibs. I am using these nibs for normal writing, not flexing.

 

I have a Lamy 2000 in Oblique Medium on the way. *fingers crossed*

 

The japanese nibs are finer than european ones.

 

You might find the Lamy OM comparatively wide and I hope you did not choose it for line variation.

[pitonyak]

The pens I have been using lately have gold nibs. I was using some Pilot's with a gold nib, and my Lamy 2000 and Studio (both EF gold nibs). I set my CP1 down about three weeks ago and I picked it up this morning and it wrote just fine. The nib feels very hard after using the gold nibs, however.