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Lamy 2000 - How To Buy Without Trying?


Keyless Works

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I want a Lamy 2000 in either a fine or an extra fine and I am wondering if anyone has advice on how to buy one of these online.

 

From what I read Lamy seems to produce the nibs for the 2000 with a wanton disregard for precision. I have read some people say the EF nib writes like a medium.

 

I am thinking I should buy from nibs.com but they are on back order so I want to know if there is another store that would test and adjust Lamy pens and give me the line width in MMs so I can pick between Fine and EF.

 

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Keyless....one should remember many...1/3 (wog) or more lately started out with Japanese pens and anything other than Japanese F (western EF) is a Fat nib. And they have their eyes Mark 2 calibrated for the Japanese size, so western is always Fat.

I have my eye calibrated to the older Euro/American Mark 1...so Japanese nibs are too narrow for the marking.

 

What I don't see is reference to Richard Binder's nib writing size chart when those folks complain about fat nibs. It's been a few years since that chart was used by just about everyone...when it came to finding out what their true nib range was..........not counting wetter inks, or dryer papers. :D

I tried using that back when I was 'noobie', but in the end because I was not then*** into thin...F or narrower nibs....found for me it was too much work.

But Skinny Nib Fanatics should be using that all the time. :P

 

 

***Still not ...finding Euro F to be just wide enough to use Shading inks....and only have not counting superflex, three EF nibbed pen, a nail, regular flex and a maxi-semi-flex....off the top of my head. May have a semi-flex EF somewhere.

Each company has it's very own standards...that match no other company's....and I don't think the so called number nibs 0.4, 0,8 or 0.1 are going to be any more accurate.

If fully automated Lamy steel nib stamping, tipping and cutting has tolerance, so with the scam with the numbers. (Downstairs in the main factory.

Upstairs, is the gold nib and pens that take a gold nib section....a lot of hand work, and older hand style machines. They all but two women grinding 2000 ball points at a distance with some sort of grinding wheel. The rest were all on Breakfast as our newspaper won tour came through.....also kept Magpies away from tempting gold. B)

 

So A Skinny M, can exactly = a Fat F.........or be so close you really can't tell....what's a 1/1000st of an inch between friends. Or a Fat M a Skinny B.

 

Ron Zorn tolerance...he did when the US Sheaffer factory closed down...

""Sheaffer used a dial indicator nib gauge for measuring nib sizes. The nib was inserted into the gauge, and the size read off of the dial. A given size being nibs that fell within a given range. What is listed below were the ranges given on a gauge that I saw in the Sheaffer service center prior to being closed in March 2008.

Measurements are in thousandths of an inch.

XXF = 0.010 - 0.013
XF = 0.013 - 0.018
F = 0.018 - 0.025
M = 0.025 - 0.031
Broad* = 0.031 - 0.050
Stub = 0.038 - 0.050

*there was some overlap on the gauge. May be 0.035 - 0.050"""""

 

Modern Lamy is from what I can remember folks, as wide as modern Pelikan 400/600/800 or modern MB's.

 

Outside a semi-vintage Persona OB and 27 OM (sold in I didn't need a nail OM)....which may be narrower than modern, all I've had was a B Safari and M CPM1.....not counting my 1.5 Joy. The Safari and CPM1 were within my Mark 1 eyes stated range.

 

But I think you should ask this in the Lamy section.

 

xxxxxxxx

By the way, some fine Japanese poster found out the markings on ball point cartridges are just as off as fountain pen nibs. :lticaptd:

So much for folks just in from Ball Points complaining about fountain pen nibs.

Ball point markings are just that markings....not exact.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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If you are located in the US, try atending the pen club/pen posse meeting nearest you. You can then try out the Lamy 2000 fp, which is a pretty common pen, and there are bound to be a few fps in the meeting for you to try out. Best of luck.

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You can look at nibsmith.com where Dan normally will give a free grind on pens bought from him and will set it up for how you write.

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You can look at nibsmith.com where Dan normally will give a free grind on pens bought from him and will set it up for how you write.

 

 

+1

 

 

Best answer. Dan will make sure your pen writes FLAWLESSLY before it leaves his shop. There is nothing to worry there. :D :D

 

 

 

 

C.

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Keyless....one should remember many...1/3 (wog) or more lately started out with Japanese pens and anything other than Japanese F (western EF) is a Fat nib. And they have their eyes Mark 2 calibrated for the Japanese size, so western is always Fat.

I have my eye calibrated to the older Euro/American Mark 1...so Japanese nibs are too narrow for the marking.

 

What I don't see is reference to Richard Binder's nib writing size chart when those folks complain about fat nibs. It's been a few years since that chart was used by just about everyone...when it came to finding out what their true nib range was..........not counting wetter inks, or dryer papers. :D

I tried using that back when I was 'noobie', but in the end because I was not then*** into thin...F or narrower nibs....found for me it was too much work.

But Skinny Nib Fanatics should be using that all the time. :P

 

 

***Still not ...finding Euro F to be just wide enough to use Shading inks....and only have not counting superflex, three EF nibbed pen, a nail, regular flex and a maxi-semi-flex....off the top of my head. May have a semi-flex EF somewhere.

Each company has it's very own standards...that match no other company's....and I don't think the so called number nibs 0.4, 0,8 or 0.1 are going to be any more accurate.

If fully automated Lamy steel nib stamping, tipping and cutting has tolerance, so with the scam with the numbers. (Downstairs in the main factory.

Upstairs, is the gold nib and pens that take a gold nib section....a lot of hand work, and older hand style machines. They all but two women grinding 2000 ball points at a distance with some sort of grinding wheel. The rest were all on Breakfast as our newspaper won tour came through.....also kept Magpies away from tempting gold. B)

 

 

The only gold nib Lamy I have had was the Profil 86(?) and that was sort of an older baby 2000. I love Lamy pens but have had some rotten luck with their steel nibs and no longer recommend them people who are new to fountain pens.

 

I generally like western fine nibs but there are always exceptions.

 

You can look at nibsmith.com where Dan normally will give a free grind on pens bought from him and will set it up for how you write.

Thank you for the Nibsmith recommendation. I have never used them before but I went ahead and placed an order for a fine. I love Nibs.com but they aren't always the most responsive and it is nice to have another pen retailer that can do a proper nib setup.

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The only gold nib Lamy I have had was the Profil 86(?) and that was sort of an older baby 2000. I love Lamy pens but have had some rotten luck with their steel nibs and no longer recommend them people who are new to fountain pens.

 

I generally like western fine nibs but there are always exceptions.

 

Thank you for the Nibsmith recommendation. I have never used them before but I went ahead and placed an order for a fine. I love Nibs.com but they aren't always the most responsive and it is nice to have another pen retailer that can do a proper nib setup.

 

 

Dan Smith does good work, but he also does not communicate the best so don't worry if you don't hear as much as you should from him.

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Doesn't Lamy have a boutique in SF? Here is a thread by ErrantSmudge about it:

 

The Lamy store is at 645 Market Street in San Francisco, for those who would like to visit when they are in town.

Hours of operation:
10-7 Monday through Friday
11-6 Saturday
12-5 Sunday

 

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/331636-lamy-boutique-opens-in-san-francisco/

Washington Nationals 2019: the fight for .500; "stay in the fight"; WON the fight

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I own two Lamy 2000's, both bought with fine nibs. I have retro fitted one with an extra fine gold nib and enjoy this nib far better than the fine version.

 

The reason for my change, well simple Japanese nibs. I have got into Japanese fine and extra fine nibs and really love them. No matter what anyone says there is so much variation between nib manufacturers even in the Japanese range. Comparing a fine on my Platinum 3776 and say a fine on my Pilot 91 it is chalk and cheese, the Pilot feels like an extra broad compared the the Platinum.

 

I find the extra fine Lamy a glorious nib to write with but in comparison to my Japanese pens it does feel much wider.

 

My best advice is to try before you buy, if at all possible.

 

 

Greg

Edited by inkeverywhere

"may our fingers remain ink stained"

Handwriting - one of life's pure pleasures

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The big three german makers currently all make nibs one size larger. So a XF is actually an F(0.5mm), an F is an M(0.7mm) and the M is a B(0.8mm). The XF L2000 i`ve tested definitely wrote like an F.

 

Some like to screw around with different inks/paper to slightly alter the width of the line and pretend this is not the case, but personally i`m into fountain pens, not magic tricks(can you pull a rabbit out of a pelikan cap???).

Edited by rochester21
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The big three german makers currently all make nibs one size larger. So a XF is actually an F(0.5mm), an F is an M(0.7mm) and the M is a B(0.8mm). The XF L2000 i`ve tested definitely wrote like an F.

 

Some like to screw around with different inks/paper to slightly alter the width of the line and pretend this is not the case, but personally i`m into fountain pens, not magic tricks(can you pull a rabbit out of a pelikan cap???).

 

 

Compared to what? Boch and Jowo are german companies that make nibs for many companies and they don't run as wide as you list. Even if I look at the Pelikan, Lamy, and Montblanc that I own I don't have a medium that writes wider then 0.65mm and most are 0.55mm. My Lamy B is only 0.7mm. Now lets look at my two Pilot Vanishing Points M's and a Pilot 74. All three M's are 0.6mm with Pilot ink. Yes my Sailor B was 0.6mm, but so was my German Jowo nib in B.

 

I have never seen a European M that is 0.8mm.

 

Check at Richard Binders Stroke Width chart and he does not show Western nibs the way you are talking about. You can also look at nibs.com to see his nib sizes which do show Pelikan as wider then other western brands but not as wide as you say.

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I have both. the QC on the 2000 is night and day different. The "problem" is that people don't like how the lamy 2000 is not very forgiving to people who over-rotate their pens. But I have both the F and EF. I wound up selling the F because I wanted a superfine line but chickened out on the EF due to the complaints people had. I wound up using the EF a boatload more.

 

Long story short - the lamy 2000 is one of the best made pens money can buy today. The nib is a little quirky, not prone to QC issues. It took me five minutes to get used to the way it fit in the hand and afterwards, it was second nature.

 

It is a very nose-heavy pen. so it does encourage a light touch.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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OP: you really ought to try to before buying, this pen is not for everyone.

 

It forces, or more diplomatically put, coaxes the hand to write in THE way it ought to be written and handled.

 

Yes, some people mention the 'ears' between barrel and section can be used as a guide but that guide only helps in the left-right direction/plane of motion. And the nib is not a round blob so it will refuse to write properly, or completely does not write when not handled the way it wants to be handled.

 

I have had the pen for more than 2 years now and refuse to use it frequently. I tried, of course, to make friends with it but it can never be the pen that I can write carefreely and carelessly. Doodling, of course, is restricted.

 

Mine is a fine nib.

 

If you really cannot try it out, choose a vendor/shop that has a good refund policy so that you won't regret in case you find it unsuitable for you.

 

On a more positive note, it could be seen as 'training' your hand: it is a strict teacher. Once in a while, the hand needs to be disciplined :)

Edited by minddance
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OP: you really ought to try to before buying, this pen is not for everyone.

 

It forces, or more diplomatically put, coaxes the hand to write in THE way it ought to be written and handled.

 

Yes, some people mention the 'ears' between barrel and section can be used as a guide but that guide only helps in the left-right direction/plane of motion. And the nib is not a round blob so it will refuse to write properly, or completely does not write when not handled the way it wants to be handled.

 

I have had the pen for more than 2 years now and refuse to use it frequently. I tried, of course, to make friends with it but it can never be the pen that I can write carefreely and carelessly. Doodling, of course, is restricted.

 

Mine is a fine nib.

 

If you really cannot try it out, choose a vendor/shop that has a good refund policy so that you won't regret in case you find it unsuitable for you.

 

On a more positive note, it could be seen as 'training' your hand: it is a strict teacher. Once in a while, the hand needs to be disciplined :)

 

Reselling a lamy 2000 for a very small loss in value is easy. I sold mine for $100, I paid like $105 for it.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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When I wanted a Lamy 2000, I ordered it from Amazon. When it turned out to have a poorly adjusted nib, I simply returned it and ordered another one. The second one also had a bad nib, so I gave up.

 

At any rate, Amazon is an option. As long as youre buying it directly from them - not a third-party seller -the return privilege is excellent.

Edited by Koyote
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