How Did Your Relationship With Lamy (Or Any) Fp Start?

[Tadeo]

My first ever fp was a Zebra V301. I bought it at a stationery store after treating myself with a nice F301 mechanical pencil. This was about one year ago.

 

My boss uses fps and I guess it got into my subconscious. One thing I dislike about those Zebra fps is that for some reason, the nib is never ever aligned to the hood in the section. It bothered me enough to buy another one only to find that, again, the nib was not aligned to the hood.

 

Meanwhile I started to follow the trail into the rabbit hole of fps, starting with YouTube videos on how fps work and how to use them, and of course, what makes them special.

 

About a month later I decided to get a nicer pen, and a serious fp for that matter. So I went to a big stationery and art supplies store. I looked in to the fine writing instruments aisle and there it lied, the only one with a discount sticker (25 percent off): a grey Lamy alstar with black clip and black M nib. It looked absolutely amazing to me.

 

So, a Lamy was my first real fp, but it did not last long. It quickly escalated to another alstar (an ocean blue one), a vista, a safari, then school pelikans (twist in red) and pilots appeared, followed by some kawecos... and of course a couple of Lamy 2000s. Now I'm close to 50 pens, around 20 bottles of ink and only slowed down because I am concerned that I'm not giving enough love to all of them.

 

Interestingly enough, the knowledge from my fps has made me appreciate better other writing instruments. Recently I'm revisiting ballpoints and started exploring rollerballs. Of course, as a Lamy afficionado, some of my newest acquisitions have been Lamy ballpoints. Oddly enough, current Bic crystals, specially the 1,6mm (Bold) ones result super satisfying to use due to its smoothness and thick, saturated lines.

 

Now I can see how each type of writing instrument has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. But for me, without a doubt, fountain pens are the most enjoyable.

 

Tadeo

[Ruxton]

You started 2 years ago and now have 14 Lamys?!!

 

Who else a late bloomer LOL.

year and a half I have 14 Lamy's

Edited May 8, 2019 by Ruxton

[alexwi]

Back in the 80's I saw a charcoal Safari in a store window and felt that it was the coolest pen ever.

 

I was into EF back then and for some reason it took an inordinate visited stores until I found one. I think I have about 6 Safaris (either charcoal or special edition orange) and what I believe to be a CP1.

 

alex

[Uffuffa]

My first introduction to Lamy was in a UK stationary shop called WH Smith’s... I was looking for a simple ballpoint for work that I wouldn’t mind losing and spotted a few Safari fountain pens on the shelf in blister packs, which I remember a friend of mine had used at school in the mid-80s. I liked fountain pens at school so I decided to buy one. There was an already opened charcoal that was therefore reduced in price, so I picked it up for about £10. I used it at work, and loved it. But I also loved the fact that if I lost it, it would be cheaply replaceable. I therefore returned to WH Smiths to buy some others, but I then realised I didn’t like the glossy finish of all the other colours. So I wondered to myself whether Lamy had ever brought out some other matte finish Safari fountain pens...research and searching online eventually led me to FPN and the realisation that the Terracotta, Savanna and Griso had previously existed. I had to find them...the hunt was on...and the rest is history. I now have a comprehensive Lamy Safari collection and I absolutely love them. All the nuance changes between the generations, the limited releases, the collaborations, and so on. One day I will find the time to photograph and document and share my collection as I do believe it is pretty close to being truly complete.

[Honeybadgers]

I just jumped straight to a 2000, then a CP1. I only have one safari and al star, mostly just because I liked the color and they were LE's (petrol and charged green)

 

But I honestly kind of hate the safari and al star. I keep them because they're pretty, not because I will ever pull them out and use them again.

 

I also hate the logo. Will be selling that at some point.

 

But I adore the CP1 and 2000, I went out and bought a 14k CP-1 platinum as well.

 

Lamy has been hit and miss for me. the two I love I REALLY love. But the rest of their pens I completely hate.

[Sal the List Maker]

My first introduction to Lamy was in a UK stationary shop called WH Smiths... I was looking for a simple ballpoint for work that I wouldnt mind losing and spotted a few Safari fountain pens on the shelf in blister packs, which I remember a friend of mine had used at school in the mid-80s. I liked fountain pens at school so I decided to buy one. There was an already opened charcoal that was therefore reduced in price, so I picked it up for about £10. I used it at work, and loved it. But I also loved the fact that if I lost it, it would be cheaply replaceable. I therefore returned to WH Smiths to buy some others, but I then realised I didnt like the glossy finish of all the other colours. So I wondered to myself whether Lamy had ever brought out some other matte finish Safari fountain pens...research and searching online eventually led me to FPN and the realisation that the Terracotta, Savanna and Griso had previously existed. I had to find them...the hunt was on...and the rest is history. I now have a comprehensive Lamy Safari collection and I absolutely love them. All the nuance changes between the generations, the limited releases, the collaborations, and so on. One day I will find the time to photograph and document and share my collection as I do believe it is pretty close to being truly complete.

I'd LOVE to see your collection!

[majorworks]

My first Lamy was a Vista that I ascribe to the enabling power of FPN. I started reading about them here and eventually had to have one, which I bought in Manhattan because the itch was so strong that I couldn't wait for mail order.

 

If I could do it over, I might have gone for a Safari vs. the transparent Vista. Maybe I'll add one someday. I've since picked up a 2000 and a NOS teal 99, both of which I like and use more than the Vista.

[Uffuffa]

I'd LOVE to see your collection!

LOL I’m going to have to find that time then! Maybe I’ll seriously have a go at photography and trying to do my collection justice. Will let you know if I get the project off the ground thank you for the encouragement!

[Sal the List Maker]

LOL Im going to have to find that time then! Maybe Ill seriously have a go at photography and trying to do my collection justice. Will let you know if I get the project off the ground thank you for the encouragement!

I'll be watching this space!

[SwipedFromTruman]

My love affair with fountain pens was spurred on by my love of history. While perusing some old magazine ads from the 1940s, I came across the Waterman's "Here Comes the Commando" advertisement comparing it to the tools our boys were using overseas. Ever since then I've wanted one of those 'trigger quick' Commando fountain pens.

[edgewalker]

I started using a fountain pen at school in the '60s. I don't remember much about trepans that i had -- Platignum, I think.

 

My first Lamy was a Safari that I bought about three years ago. It's a charcoal one with charcoal nib (F). I don't use it that much. I also have an ALStar with a 1.1 nib and a 2000 (EF). I love the 2000 but sometimes think I'd be happier with a different nib. I know some people have a problem with the small sweet spot, but that's not an issue for me at all. It just feels like a pen that should be putting down a thicker line!

[AlexLeGrande]

After learning to write with a dip pen in an inkwell that the teacher inserted into the hole in the desktop, we were required to bring in an Easterbrook fountain pen in second or third grade, somewhere around 1953. This was in Newark, New Jersey. Easterbrook pens were manufactured in Camden New Jersey and cost $1.95, so there may have been some New Jersey chauvinism involved, although at $1.95 with screw-in replaceable nibs, they were pretty indestructible. I have 5 or 6 of these now, and I love the 9128 Extra Fine Flexible nib.

[Beginnersmind0]

In grade school we had to learn cursive with a fountain pen. We were only allowed to use Scheaffer school pens. They were skinny, and I guess I held them with a death grip because I needed to replace them once a month. Nobody ever explained how to write with light pressure. I hated those pens. They were always skipping, though that was my fault. I couldnt wait to graduate to ballpoints! I didnt discover fountain pens until my mid twenties. I was working in a book store and came across a interesting book about how to do copper plate calligraphy. I was intrigued! There just happened to be a long abandoned Parker Vector in the lost and found. I was actually able to force some line variation out of that poor pen. It was actually a great pen to learn with! It forced me to be very deliberate about alternating heavy and light strokes. Then came an unrestored vintage waterman from a local antique shop which I refitted with a new sack, then a professionally restored vintage Waterman, and it was all down hill from there.

[countrydirt]

I think I purchased my first Safari in 2007. Since then I've purchased and swapped or lost 2 Vistas, 2 Safaris and 2 AlStars. I currently have a couple of Safaris fitted with 1.1 mm nibs, an AlStar with a 1.9 nib, one Aion with a F nib, 1 Studio with an EF nib, 1 2000 with an EF nib and 1 2000 with an F nib. I think I'm done now. The 2000s are my main pens for my planner and for journal writing.

[Mongoosey]

My first fountain pen was a Safari and I hated it.

 

I went on to try most of everything under $200 (I couldn't stand the L2K), and some above.

 

Now, 2 years on, my daily writer is a Lamy Vista-EF lol. I love it because:

• It works perfectly with my favorite ink Heart of Darkness.
• Great Snap-Cap
• Inner ca.
• Lightweight.
• Demonstrator!
• Durable
• I grew to like the section: it taught me how to write properly and it stuck to fit like a glove.

[DCirjan]

I just jumped straight to a 2000, then a CP1. I only have one safari and al star, mostly just because I liked the color and they were LE's (petrol and charged green)

 

But I honestly kind of hate the safari and al star. I keep them because they're pretty, not because I will ever pull them out and use them again.

 

I also hate the logo. Will be selling that at some point.

 

But I adore the CP1 and 2000, I went out and bought a 14k CP-1 platinum as well.

 

Lamy has been hit and miss for me. the two I love I REALLY love. But the rest of their pens I completely hate.

I do agree, the company can induce some hate-love relationship due to their wildly different models, in terms of aesthetics and quality (in my opinion). I have never been a safari, al, star fan but the 2k ... now that's a beautiful pen ...

[jslallar]

I was unaware of Lamy till I heard tell about it on this forum (FPN)

 

initially I was not impressed and considered it a cheap pen then i read many posts from people saying that one of the top 5 pens they have is a Lamy 2000 - got intrigued

 

Now AI have a 4 lamy safaris, ! Jpy (and 3 chinese copies)

and Lamy 2000 - which is definitely a keeper and defninitely deserves its reputation

[N1003U]

On a whim back in the early 1980s (when I was a university student), I bought a couple of cheap Pilot disposable fountain pens, and I fell in love with the tactile experience of putting liquid ink to paper. A few years later, I bought myself a Montblanc Meisterstück as a reward when I accepted my first full-time job, and then I was off to the races with fountain pens. Now I seem to have an ever flowing collection of pens that, like old friends, come into and sadly too often go out of my life, but I treasure every experience, and I try to go with the "flow" as it were.

 

As for Lamy: I knew of the brand, and I even had a bottle of Lamy ink, but I didn't really discover the pens until a couple of years ago when I moved to SW Germany where a.) Lamy is located, b.) there are many, small brick and mortar shops that carry writing instruments, c.) it seems one can't go half a block in a shopping area without stumbling over a Lamy display (or is it because I am subconsciously always on the lookout for fountain pens?).

 

So I bought a Lamy Safari to try it out, and I found it to be a super pen with an outstanding performance/price ratio (and even interchangeable nibs were cheap and easy to come by!). Eventually I landed on Lamy Studios as one of my EDC favorites, due to their attractive design, nice selection of colors, option for a gold nib, and for me a sold metallic feel and moderate weight.

Edited January 8, 2020 by N1003U

[Doug C]

I have always had a heavy beard, and in the 70's, thought that safety razors, or other traditional shaving methods were old fashioned (I'm going somewhere with this).

 

My ex wife bought me an Eltron shaver that was all black with rubber nubs on it. Up until that time, I had only seen Remingtons with the all chrome toaster style design. The minimalist German design of the Eltron knocked me out. I went on to buy several Braun shavers in the following years, but one thing the Eltron offered was a free gift; a cheapie little Lamy rollerball.

 

Again, I had not seen anything like it so I paid a visit to a local pen/stationery store, and they had a number of Lamy's in the $5 range. I bought a white Safari RB and matching BP and MP.

 

That was it.

Over the years I expanding my Lamy collection but also delved into to 'real pens' i.e. fountain pens. At one point I had about $70k worth of pens (retail) consisting mostly of Italian and Japanese pens, but always holding on to my Lamys.

 

 

I am downsizing my collection now, focusing on pens I tend to really use like Conid, Dani Trio, Oldwin, etc but I will always have my starter pens.

 

(I told you I'd get there)

Edited January 8, 2020 by Doug C

[austollie]

My fountain pen obsession started in the 1970s, when I started primary school in Germany, where all kids were required to write with a fountain pen. While at school, I only ever wrote with Pelikano pens. Notwithstanding that I was still at school in Germany in 1980 when the Safari was released, I was only vaguely aware of the Safari until well into the 1990s. In the 1980s, the idea of having a non-standard cartridge would have been anathema to many people.

 

Even though my primary interest in fountain pens is in student fountain pens (particularly Pelikano and Montblanc Carrera), I was late to the Safari range. My first Lamy was a Lamy Linea from about 10 years ago and I've steadily built my Lamy collection since then (a Lamy 2000, several Lamy Al Stars and, of course, a decent number of Lamy Safaris). My view is that the Lamy Safari is hands down the best designed student pen on the market today. The design is beautifully simple, the pens are highly functional (albeit that not everyone likes the triangular grip section- personally I love it) and the price is reasonable. My favourite Lamy Safari is the Petrol LE (and I loooove the matching ink) with the Dark Lilac LE being a close second (and I missed out on the ink- very disappointing). I also love that one can upgrade the Safari with Lamy's very well made gold nib (the steel nibs are more hit and miss).

 

So while I will always collect student pens from the 1970s (because that's where my obsession started), when it comes to modern student pens, the only brand that I am interested in is Lamy.