Got My First Lamy From Amazon - Scratchy Lid?

[Petch]

Hi,

 

I got my first Lamy and started off by getting the 2000 (black). Being the first time I've held a 2000, I wasn't sure if this is normal.

 

When I put the cap back on the pen, it feels very rough and scratchy, and the click isn't *super* defined. I get that the material has a rough brush the begin with, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

 

One of the reasons I'm concerned is because the pen didn't arrive in it's actual box. It arrived in a smaller box, along with the usual 2000 box next to it (both in a ziplock bag). The smaller box containing the pen has some damage (looks like it had been crushed slightly), and that damage is at the cap end of the pen.

 

If this sounds unusual I'll try get it exchanged with Amazon. Other than that, it feels great to write with!

 

Cheers

 

Edit: The SS grip has some minor blemishes that appear in the light, and the face of the cap looks a bit 'dirty'. Polished top has some minor scratches visible in the light, so this might have been a returned pen?

 

Edit 2: the prong... things... in the little aren't aligned in a cross; 3 of them are at 90 degree angles, but the 4th isn't inline. Could be the issue?

Edited March 8, 2018 by Petch

[pitonyak]

Sounds odd.... I do not own one and cannot comment intelligently on the state of the pen, but, I want to hear what others say.

 

Are you able to return it?

[Wolverine1]

Even without looking at the pen, I would say this- return the damn pen and get a refund. And then go to a brick-n-mortar store or go to areputable online pen store like Cult Pens, and buy a pen from them. God knows what kind of junk Amazon retailers ship to customers. For example: a friend who is new to fountain pens, bought one of the Pelikan fountainpens from Amazon. Turns out it was a retailer based in China, and instead of a Pelikan, they shipped some damned Chinese pen to him. So, just return the pen to Amazon, and when you are reimbursed, go to a reputable, British-based brick-n-mortar pen store or a online retailer and buy the pen you want from them.

Just my 2 cents.

[Petch]

Sounds odd.... I do not own one and cannot comment intelligently on the state of the pen, but, I want to hear what others say.

 

Are you able to return it?

 

I have just under 30 days left to return it, I might have to cover the cost of shipping myself unless I can get confirmation that the scratchy/scraping feeling when capping isn't normal. It's not like I'm grinding sandpaper against the pen, but it's far from being smooth!

 

Even without looking at the pen, I would say this- return the damn pen and get a refund. And then go to a brick-n-mortar store or go to areputable online pen store like Cult Pens, and buy a pen from them. God knows what kind of junk Amazon retailers ship to customers. For example: a friend who is new to fountain pens, bought one of the Pelikan fountainpens from Amazon. Turns out it was a retailer based in China, and instead of a Pelikan, they shipped some damned Chinese pen to him. So, just return the pen to Amazon, and when you are reimbursed, go to a reputable, British-based brick-n-mortar pen store or a online retailer and buy the pen you want from them.

Just my 2 cents.

 

I would do this, but I'm not sure of any B&M stores nearby. Even if I found one, the price would be higher than the online retails - all of which are £40 more than amazon (£120 vs £160)

 

 

 

The nib on this is fantastic, so I'm going to be super bummed if I return/exchange and the next I get has a small sweet spot (this current one makes me wonder why anyone would ever complain about the 'sweet spot', I can write at nearly any angle).

 

A bit more info on the cap

 

• The copper prongs inside have black markings on them (presumably from rubbing on the pen) - not sure if this is normal after a couple of days.
• I can securely post a Pilot Vball 0.7 (which is considerably thinner than a 2000) with the 2000 cap

Edited March 9, 2018 by Petch

[ErrantSmudge]

 

I would do this, but I'm not sure of any B&M stores nearby. Even if I found one, the price would be higher than the online retails - all of which are £40 more than amazon (£120 vs £160)

 

 

 

 

There are plenty of online retailers that are authorized Lamy dealers, offer a good price, and will stand behind the product if there is a problem. Goulet, Anderson, Vanness, Pen Chalet, Dromgoole's, are all good places to start and there are more.

[Petch]

 

 

There are plenty of online retailers that are authorized Lamy dealers, offer a good price, and will stand behind the product if there is a problem. Goulet, Anderson, Vanness, Pen Chalet, Dromgoole's, are all good places to start and there are more.

 

That'd be great, if I lived in the US

[pen2paper]

You can be sure of The Writing Desk in the UK, and if W1 is recommending Cult Pens, that's two in the UK, for starts.

The smaller box is one that's used for shipping, but your new pen should be without defect.

Like W1 I'd send it back and purchase from a known UK dealer. Your Lamy 2k is designed to last a long time, and if necessary to repair later on, imho better to start business with a reputable dealer.

[MYU]

Yeah, you've got to be careful with Amazon these days, and pay close attention to the fulfilling vendor... because Amazon seller checking is starting to get a little thin, allowing the human refuse the opportunity to scam. Can't stand those degenerates and the chaos they spread to the unsuspecting.

[twdpens]

Welcome to FPN. Sorry you had a bad experience.

 

I'll just add that the list price for a Lamy 2000 fountain pen in the UK is £195 (including VAT). You have to ask yourself if there is a reason why you have seen it for sale at such a relatively low price.

 

Also, Lamy changed its distribution policy in Europe last year which resulted in many accounts (ie all the dodgy ones) being closed and other accounts being restricted in what ranges they can stock. As a result there were a lot of effectively non-authorised Lamy pens being dumped onto the market.

 

 

Edit 2: the prong... things... in the little aren't aligned in a cross; 3 of them are at 90 degree angles, but the 4th isn't inline. Could be the issue?

 

This is actually not uncommon and isn't a problem.

 

HTH,

 

Martin

Edited March 10, 2018 by twdpens

[hari317]

The cap should go on smoothly without feeling of roughness. The click will be subtle. The roughness is certainly not normal.

 

Inspect the ears on the section. These ears engage the groove in the cap. Do these ears look ok?

 

Personally I would return the pen if there is the option.

 

Else you could send the pen off to Lamy service in Heidelberg for warranty repairs.

[Petch]

Thanks for the responses thus far

Okay, the pen was sold directly by Amazon EU S.a.r.L. (not 'fulfilled' by). If they're getting hold of stock they shouldn't be, I'd be surprised!

 

Can anyone please tell me where the cap stops on the pen if they let it fall when holding it nib-up? Mine only just covers the 'ears' before it stops, and pushing any further to securely cap it is where the rubbing feeling starts. There is an audible noise (albeit a quiet one) when pushing it from this 'resting' position to being fully capped.

Posting it is very smooth, on the other hand - similar to my Elite 95S (but not quite as buttery)

[Astronymus]

Did you remove the paper ring?

Why not show pictures of the pen? This is fishing in muddy waters.

[Driften]

Can anyone please tell me where the cap stops on the pen if they let it fall when holding it nib-up? Mine only just covers the 'ears' before it stops, and pushing any further to securely cap it is where the rubbing feeling starts. There is an audible noise (albeit a quiet one) when pushing it from this 'resting' position to being fully capped.

Posting it is very smooth, on the other hand - similar to my Elite 95S (but not quite as buttery)

 

 

Yes it only drops to just covering the ears. Also mine is a little gritty but I never noticed it until now slowly working the cap. When I cap as I normally would I don't notice anything. This is a new pen I have only had a few weeks and only used a few times. I expect the feeling goes away as the cap insert wears in/polishes a little.

[Driften]

 

Did you remove the paper ring?

Why not show pictures of the pen? This is fishing in muddy waters.

 

 

Paper ring? Were does a Lamy 2000 have a paper ring anywhere? It's not like a Safari.

[Petch]

 

 

Yes it only drops to just covering the ears. Also mine is a little gritty but I never noticed it until now slowly working the cap. When I cap as I normally would I don't notice anything. This is a new pen I have only had a few weeks and only used a few times. I expect the feeling goes away as the cap insert wears in/polishes a little.

Amazon are sending another one out before I return this one, so I'll see if that is the same. I can understand it being a little gritty (given the finish) but this particular pen feels quite abrasive when doing so.

 

Does yours make a noise that you can hear in a quiet room? Not the click that is, the bit that comes before

 

 

 

Did you remove the paper ring?

Why not show pictures of the pen? This is fishing in muddy waters.

 

Not too sure how I can photograph a feeling. The minor blemishes, which aren't anything to do with the feeling of capping, will be impossible to pick up with my phone camera.

Edited March 10, 2018 by Petch

[Driften]

Amazon are sending another one out before I return this one, so I'll see if that is the same. I can understand it being a little gritty (given the finish) but this particular pen feels quite abrasive when doing so.

 

Does yours make a noise that you can hear in a quiet room? Not the click that is, the bit that comes before

 

 

Not too sure how I can photograph a feeling. The minor blemishes, which aren't anything to do with the feeling of capping, will be impossible to pick up with my phone camera.

 

 

If I put it up to my ear I can hear a noise that goes with the gritty feeling of the pen sliding over the brass fingers. If it is capped quickly I can't really hear anything but the final click when the cap is fully seated. I expect the fingers in the cap get polished from use and after a time it would go away. There is no damage to the pen I can see.

 

I really never noticed the feeling in normal use of the pen.

[Petch]

 

 

If I put it up to my ear I can hear a noise that goes with the gritty feeling of the pen sliding over the brass fingers. If it is capped quickly I can't really hear anything but the final click when the cap is fully seated. I expect the fingers in the cap get polished from use and after a time it would go away. There is no damage to the pen I can see.

 

I really never noticed the feeling in normal use of the pen.

Is it a similar feeling to posting it? Posting and capping (before the 'click) are night and day on mine in terms of smoothness

[Driften]

Is it a similar feeling to posting it? Posting and capping (before the 'click) are night and day on mine in terms of smoothness

 

Posting is fully smooth with no drag or anything..

[Astronymus]

 

 

Paper ring? Were does a Lamy 2000 have a paper ring anywhere? It's not like a Safari.

Indeed. Mixed up some threads.

[RazorJack]

Why would they ship the pen in a separate box? I wouldn't know because I've bought all four of my Lamy fountain pens at a reputable brick-and-mortar store here in The Netherlands. But it doesn't make any sense, because putting the pen in a separate box only increases the risk of damage, I would think. The box that the Lamy 2000 comes in should be able to protect the pen during shipping.