Lamy rollerball refills: M63 v. M66

[Scribero ergo sum]

Question: are Lamy M63 and M66 rollerball refills interchangeable, especially in the 2000 and/or the Studio? I had understood they were, but after a bit of firsthand exposure it now seems like it's unlikely.

 

I am planning to buy either a Lamy Studio or 2000 in rollerball format. (heresy though that otherwise be...)

 

I have other RBs, so I went ahead and bought a pair of M63 refills, assuming I could try them in other pens until I complete my purchase.

 

The M63s were huge, they barely fit in even one of my pens, and worst of all they put down an enormous, very wet ink line that would be nearly a double-broad by any measurement against a fountain pen nib. I exchanged the M63s for a pair of M66s, which appear to have a much more precise ink line, just as I'd hope from a German pen manufacturer. I wasn't looking for a fine-nib-like line, I was looking for the same rock-solid feel of other German hardware in my arsenal, both RB and FP. (note: the huge ink like of the M63 did not provide the same sense of solidity)

 

It would seem that the M63 and M66 are similar enough to be interchangeable, but now that isn't clear at all.

 

Does anyone have any experience with these and can lend a bit of enlightenment?

 

Very much appreciated.

Edited August 18, 2009 by Scribero ergo sum

[Pfhorrest]

I bought 2 M66 refills a while ago, and one of them wrote very wide while the other was much thinner.

 

I suppose that the consistency of all of Lamy's products are not the very best.

[djh]

I use both of these Rollerball refills regularly and never have a problem. The 66 is a little shorter and considerably thicker than the 63- maybe the difference in the line widths is because the 66 is meant to be a capless rollerball refill?!

[Scribero ergo sum]

I use both of these Rollerball refills regularly and never have a problem. The 66 is a little shorter and considerably thicker than the 63- maybe the difference in the line widths is because the 66 is meant to be a capless rollerball refill?!

 

David,

 

Have you used the 66 and 63 in the same pen (not at the same time, obviously)?

 

The actual dimension of each refill was very similar, although not exactly the same. But they seemed to be more than similar enough to be likely to fit the same Lamy pens. And in fact, that was the key to my assumption: that if used in the Studio or 2000 (for two examples), the refills of the same type from that same manufacturer should be interchangeable.

 

Thanks for your response.

[polaris]

The M66 refill is designed for the capless pens eg Swift, Tipo and Dialog 2 where as the M63 is for the capped models eg 2000, Studio and Safari etc.

[Scribero ergo sum]

The M66 refill is designed for the capless pens eg Swift, Tipo and Dialog 2 where as the M63 is for the capped models eg 2000, Studio and Safari etc.

 

Then I would be correct in concluding that they are specifically not interchangeable, nor are they meant to be?

 

Thanks.

[cmeisenzahl]

I'm pretty confident that they are definitely not interchangeable.

[Scribero ergo sum]

Thanks, all.

 

Appreciated.