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Hi all, I recently got a Lamy 2000 with EF nib. Although not love at first write, it's growing on me quite nicely and I think it'll be a keeper. One of the trade-offs to the gorgeous design (for those who like this particular style) is a rather opaque and narrow ink window. It's possible to determine the ink level if you hold the pen horizontally, wait a few moments for the ink to settle, hold it up to a bright light and squint sideways. But if all of these things don't (or can't) happen it's a bit hit or miss. I have a slight tremor making it difficult to hold the pen steady enough when in the horizontal position for this method to work for me. So I wanted to try a different way to approach to check the ink level. A few folks have discussed that you can use the ink window as a simple "yes/no" way to determine whether it's time to refill. I wanted a way to find a way to get a better idea of determining the actual quantity of remaining ink but still check the ink window while holding the pen vertically. Here's what I've found out. There's some math, here, but it should make sense: Materials: Lamy 2000 with EF nib. Iroshizuku Take-sumi 2 ink vials bright-ish indoor light. Methods: Emptied the pen of remaining ink (not sure how much was there).Filled pen full with ink, cleaned outside of pen.Turned pen nib down and started to expel ink into empty vial, counting the drops as I did.Mind has a capacity of about 1.4 - 1.5 ml which comes to about 35 drops. 35/1.5 = 23 drops/ml. Size of drops may vary depending on nib size.In 5 drop intervals, I stopped and then sucked in air while screwing the blind cap flush to the pen.Initially turned the pen nib up (then down) and waited about a minute. The ink I used slides off the slides of the barrel relatively cleanly.Held the pen up to the light and squinted.Ran experiment twice to confirm results. Results: @ 5 drops expelled & nib up = no light through middle of ink-window.@ 10 drops & nib up = a sliver of light through ink-window at the top edge of the window.@ 15 drops & nib up = entire window clear/positive for light transmission@ 15 drops & nib down = no light through ink-window@ 20 drops & nib down = no light through ink-window@ 25 drops & nib down = ink window clear/positive for light transmission@ 35 drops - pen empty except what's remaining in nib and feed. Conclusions: nib up and no light transmission, at least (approx.) 0.8 ml remaining.nib up and full light transmission, but nib down and no light transmission = (approx.) 0.4-0.8 ml remaining.nib down and full light transmission = less than (approx.) 0.4 ml remaining.Final thoughts: I didn't show all of my math, but the "ml. remaining" measurements should work regardless of nib size/drop size.While not a "perfect" way to determine how much ink is left, it should work for most people in most situations and give a fairly accurate measure of how much ink is remaining.You still need to wait a minute for the ink to settle, but not having the steadiest hand shouldn't make a significant difference.This method might or might not work for inks that "stick" to the walls of ink vials, etc. for a while. You will probably have to give more time for the ink to "settle".It's pretty darn obvious if light is coming through the middle of the ink window, so there's much less guess work (and squinting) necessary.0.8 + 0.4 doesn't add up to 1.4 or 1.5 because I only checked at 5 drop intervals. I'm sure someone could figure it out with a bit more accuracy, but I think it's "close enough"If I have the time and proper equipment, I will try to add photos or illustrations.I hope others find this helpful. I would like to hear other people's thoughts and insights. I was unable to find this information elsewhere. If this is addressed in another thread, I'd love to know about that, too. Thanks much. Cheers.

I just saw a poster on another thread comment that they wouldn't buy another Pelikan without an ink window or some translucence in the barrel to determine ink levels. In looking at the photos of the M600 Vibrant Orange it made me wonder if the ink (especially a dark one) would be visible through the barrel. This will be my first Pelikan, and I am really curious. Looking at you experienced collectors for your thoughts. Thanks in advance Rindy_Ruth

Hello all. I just picked up a Lamy Vista 1.5mm italic from a pen store, and I noticed the ink window is partially blocked by the grip section. I tried to unscrew it and put it back on again, but the window is still blocked. I've read a couple of posts about counterfeit Lamys, and how the window does not align properly. Any chance this is a counterfeit? Or do genuine Lamys come with this defect as well? Thanks.

Hello Everyone, I don't announce this kind of thing very much, but I wanted to share it with you kind people because this is one of my favorite places to go on the internet, and the FPN community is what makes it so for me. I am coming out with my latest production pens since the Icarus. I am very pleased with how they both are coming out. Those of you who know me personally know that I am not very easily pleased. It's been a long time since I used a pen that felt as comfortable as these. 1: As some of you know, I love wood. I think it's beautiful, has an unsurpassed feel, and makes an excellent construction material for many things, but it poses unique challenges when used for a fountain pen. I've been struggling with that problem for years, but now, I've finally gotten good enough that I can work with tolerances tight enough to make the dream a reality. For years I've wanted an all-wooden pen, and now I have one. Wooden cap, wooden barrel, wooden grip. Hands down, this is the most comfortable pen I've ever made. Wood can stain, and that's been accounted for in the design. When you get your hands on this, I think the pen will disappear into the experience of writing with it. I want to use it all the time, but for the work I do, I often need a clip for my pens. This pen will come with the option to install a functional, designed steel clip. My first release of this pen is just about 8 units, but I'll be making more in the future. They all fill with a simple, reliable aerometric sac. The beauty of an aerometric sac is how easy it is to fill and clean, but the ink capacity (around 2.5ml) isn't as voluminous as you might get with an eyedropper filled pen, so to prevent you from getting caught with an empty pen, some of these will have an ink window. Three, to be exact. 2. The first run you'll have available are made from highly patterned fancypantz german ebonite. The material has a black base color and has green, red or blue ripples in it. The big problem with this material (besides it being very expensive) is that it's so dark that it really doesn't photograph well, and even in person, it's hard to get a clear fix on what's going on with the color pattern. Well, I've solved that problem through faceting. The way the light glints off the sides attracts the eye in a way that's hard to describe. The pen has 12 gently tapered, faceted, painstakingly-finished-by-hand sides on the cap and on the barrel. Ink windows are optional, as are clips with this model. So, I've been talking about how these pens feel while writing. What nibs can you use? Jowo F (more of a "Western fine"/medium; .4-.5mm)Pilot XF (a true extra fine .2mm)Zebra G flex nib units (with my usual, handmade, purpose-designed ebonite feeds)Nemosine .6mm italicAll these pens come with interchangeable nib units, so you can switch nibs within one and the same pen. Just unscrew (or, if you want, just use a simple hex/Allen wrench you probably have at home). These will come out this week. I think "Black Friday" is stupid, but if you want to be the first to know when these pens will be available for sale, please consider signing up for my mailing at the top of this FAQ page here. Price? I can't speak to that right now, but I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on that subject. Please email me at DesiderataPens <<<AT>>> JEE-MALE <<<DOT>>> com., or leave a comment.

I have recently inherited two Pelikan pens, a 100N in tortoiseshell, and a 100N in grey marble, whose restoration process I would like to share with you. These pens originally belonged to my grandfathers, hadn’t been used for many years, and were suffering from several problems, which a number of specialized repairers that I contacted in Europe – namely in Portugal, Spain, England and Germany – were unable to solve. Then I was lucky enough to learn about the work of Mr. Francis Goossens, also known as ‘Fountainbel’, who is a retired mechanical engineer from Belgium who nowadays dedicates to develop prototypes of new fountain pens, and to restore old ones. I wrote to Mr. Francis asking him if he would be kind enough to have a look and try to repair my pens, to which he promptly replied saying he would do the best within his power to repair my pens. Last month I sent my pens to Mr. Francis, and he has just sent them back in a mint and fully functional condition. Mr. Francis was extremely attentive throughout the reparation process, patiently explaining all the problems he came across, the different possibilities to approach the repairs, and what was at stake. Throughout this process I have come to admire his work and his ethics, which I think should be known in the fountain pen world. Mr. Francis is a true master of his craft, and a perfectionist unwilling to compromise in the impeccable quality of the work that he so passionately does. Below I am posting a few images of the repaired pens, and listing the problems that Mr. Francis came across, and which he was able to repair. Pelikan 100N in tortoiseshell 01_The pen was missing the golden cap rings. Mr. Francis fabricated new brass ones in his lathe, had them “two cycles” gold-plated by a specialist, and finally swaged them into the cap grooves using an internal back up plug. The rings grooves in the cap were deepened during a previous repair attempt. Consequently the new cap rings were made with a thicker wall in order to get them tight at the bottom of the grooves nearly flush with the outer cap diameter. Swaging was a particularly delicate procedure because the cap wall was very thin, and because the rings had to be swaged to get a perfect fit. 02_The cap clip had at some point been replaced a non-original one, and Mr. Francis was able to find an original one and have it gold-plated together with the newly fabricated cap rings. 03_The cap had two lengthwise cracks that Mr. Francis was able to chemically fuse. 04_The cap also had a bit of glue near the rings grooves because a previous repairer, supposedly a specialist, had tried to glue new rings to the cap, and the result was a nightmare. Fortunately Mr. Francis was able to remove the glue and polish the whole pen, restoring its original shine. 05_Mr. Francis discovered that at some point part of the nib housing of the cap enclosure plug had been cut off, probably to provide a longer screw thread fit between barrel and cap – but which most likely led to the aforementioned cracks. Mr. Francis was able to elongate the bush, restoring it to its original condition. 06_The piston seal was not fully tight, so Mr. Francis installed a new piston seal using two O-rings with silicone grease between both rings, and cleaned the filler. 07_The nib had to be fine tuned, which Mr. Francis also did. Pelikan 100N in grey marble 01_The filling system was not functional at all. The ink window had shrunk over time, and for that reason the piston seal was not sealing any more. In addition, there was a linear crack in the barrel threads, which would result in ink seeping through. In the face of this Mr. Francis fabricated a new green acrylic ink window in which the piston can make its full stroke, with the exact characteristics of the original one. Below you can also find the technical sketch that Mr. Francis elaborated as a preparation for the piece fabrication. The work was so impeccably executed that it is impossible to notice that this is a newly fabricated piece. 02_The ebonite feed missed one of its external fins, so Mr. Francis installed a new feed, now mounted in a new screw-in nib housing allowing easy swapping of nibs assemblies. 03_The cap lip had a long linear hairline crack, and Mr. Francis was able to find an original cap in perfect condition to replace the damaged one. 04_The pen needed a thorough cleaning and polishing, and nib fine-tuning, which Mr. Francis also did.

I wom this pen on e-bay this week-end, and it is proving to be a nice wee writer. Unfortunately, the badge or jewell that may have been on the cap has been detatched and there are no markings on the pen to indicate where it is from. It is resin/plastic or acryllic, there is an ink window, and it is a piston filler (which initally made me think of Pelikan). It is a push cap - and the section where the cap fits is crenelated. It also has a hooded nib, and all the images catalogues I've looked through do not show a Pelikan with a hooded nib - so it may not be a Pelikan. Another candidate may an Aurora 88, but I doubt it as the colours on the band don't match. The pen is a bit beat up - which indicates it was well used, so I'm thinking it's probably not the top of the range. Does any one have any thoughts? (The ink is Diamine's Velvet Blue)

I purchased a pre-owned 146 and was disappointed - to say the least - to find a crack nearly a whole centimeter long. It runs from the section through the threads up to the ink window. The crack seems to have been remedied as it appears to be covered in some kind of sealant. As of now the pen writes flawlessly, but could this be a source of future problems such as leaking? It is a 146 with a beautiful monotone 14k nib. Is this pen a vintage piece worth keeping or is it a $250 refund waiting to happen?

Does anyone know when the ink windows in the Aurora 88s changed colors? I have an 88 #994559 with an amber looking window, and another, #1149369 with reddish tint. I also note that the cap on the older model is slightly shorter than on the newer one. Does anyone have info on that. Also I just acquired an vintage 88 Nikargenta. Does this cap require any special treatment other than the usual care? Thanks for any light you can shed on these questions as I try to learn more than I've already gleaned from this forum about these great pens. Mr. Tutt

Ages ago I got a Lamy 2000, and I do love the sleek, almost sci fi/cyborg looks....but on reading up about it( which .i now know would have been more sensible to do before, rather and after getting it) Ikeep seeing mention of an ink window, and mine does not have one. Plus....those ears,which I thought would not bother me. They do. A lot. And I wish they didn't! But they do....and Im not being hyper fussy or over sensitive - I have some joint/muscle issues, which affect my hands as well as the rest of my anatomy. So....can anyone tell me anything regarding the lack of window? Im seriously considering letting it go to a good home( not that it doesn't have a good home with me: just that we dont fit. Sad, but true)so am trying to get all the relevant information I can. It was a while ago, and I do t remember where I got it from, so that's not an option for information. Thanks Alex

Just wondering if other owners are experiencing worn grooves on the ink window from the cap threads. Obviously the cap isn't coming to rest dead centre on the barrel. The scratches are quite deep on one side of the ink window and I expect will become a weakness in time if the cap keeps biting into the ink window. I've known about this for a long while but just wonder if anyone else is experiencing this. I'd be slightly put off sending it in because I was without a Homo Sapiens for 5 months when that was returned to Italy.

Does anyone know what kind of pen this is? It is 12 cm long uncapped. The cap says Conway Stewart on the clip, but it does not fit, and I doubt it was original. The pen is 12 cm long with a distinctive ink window and a hooded nib. It resisted taking apart, and I did not force it. It is a piston filler with blind cap covering the screw mechanism. The knob of the cap is set a bit off center, and moves what looks to be a white plastic piston. It works, or at least it draws water. The only marking on the pen is 732M incised on the barrel just above the blind cap. Attached are three pictures.

Hi all! Does anyone have any experience using Noodler's more permanent inks in a Lamy 2000? If so have you noticed any staining to the ink window? I regularly use Noodler's stuff in my cheaper pens but I'm considering buying a Lamy 2000 and wanted to make sure the ink window would stay useable. Thanks in advance, Badger

I don't know what to call this resin. It is sort of a dark mica blue with very light turquoise swirls and slightly pearly light and dark brown chunks. It reminds me of the celluloid found on some old Waterman Patricians that I've seen. I really like it, but it is a bear to make. This is a bulb filler, my favorite filling system to make. I've got a full writeup on my website if you care to look: http://www.pensbylyleross.com/richland-2.html I liked the material so much that I decided on a smaller ink window than I normally like on a bulb filler. I did a little plumbing inside to keep ink capacity fairly high, though I haven't measured it. You can see a tube that serves as an extra ink reservoir in the last photo. I also beveled the seam between the ink window and the barrel sleeve just a bit, which should help to avoid sharp edges as the resin wears over time. Large sized Richland (14mm cap threads) #6 JoWo nib And some photos. I'll answer any questions. Thanks for looking. Lyle http://www.pensbylyleross.com/uploads/1/2/6/0/12608908/2380072_orig.jpg?171 http://www.pensbylyleross.com/uploads/1/2/6/0/12608908/5951539_orig.jpg?119 http://www.pensbylyleross.com/uploads/1/2/6/0/12608908/7200777_orig.jpg http://www.pensbylyleross.com/uploads/1/2/6/0/12608908/1913592_orig.jpg?197I really need some black sacs for these