Lamy Dialog 3

[devjeethensh]

In answer to Sirksael's and Devjeet's questions:

 

1. Does the finish on the body provide sufficient grip or is it slippery like most metal pens.It the finish matte ?

 

The D3 is matte finished and has the feel of a bead-blasted surface. The texture allows a good non-slip hold, or at least more slip resistant than a polished aluminum surface.

 

 

2. Is it possible to see the ink capacity in the converter, without taking it out of the nib unit. I see that while using a Catridge you can see the ink level without taking it out of nib unit.

 

Even if you take the nib unit out, you can't see the ink capacity with the converter. The knurled section covers the ink window of the converter. I am using Lamy compatible ink cartridges I bought in Germany for this pen (I refill the empties with a syringe if I want to experiment with different ink brands).

 

 

3. Would anybody have any idea if it's possible to use a bigger converter (other than the Lamy converter) as there seems to be a lot of space in the lower section of this pen. I am specifically intereted to know if somebody has tried the Pilot CON-70 converter in this pen. If it works, it would be a great combination .

 

The Namiki/Pilot converters have a much larger opening than the Lamy, I don't think they will fit.

 

Lemon328i,

Thanks a lot for your clarifications. I would most probabaly go for this pen.

 

regards,

 

Devjeet

[HelzBelz]

Great review! The D3 looks cool, but alas, would be too big for my small, light hands.

[dedalian]

ok. whats up? I dont see a review. It just says posted image a number of times.

[dandelion]

A brilliant review - the photos are exquisite! Thanks a lot - I don't know how I could have missed it! I've been very cold towards this pen, but your photos has actually made me more interested in it - I'd like to see it in real life. I also really like the case - simple, functional, refined.

[devjeethensh]

Hi Lemon328i and others ,

 

There is something in this pen which appeals immensely to my subconscious mind, and in order to justify the acquisition of this pen, it tells me the following :

 

1.This pen will take the ordinary Lamy Safary nibs(Please confirm for me).

 

In that case it opens up lots of possibilities in the nib department . You can use the excellent Lamy 1.1 Italic and even ordering custom grind 0.7mm Cursive Italic or Stub will still be one of the cheapest custom grind nibs on the market, which will do the job equally well.

 

Also unlike the Pilot vanishing point, you don’t have to change the entire nib assembly. You just slide out and replace the nib. :clap1:

 

2.There is lots of space in the lower section of the pen , even after you fit the long lamy converter. Thus it should be possible to modify and fit a longer(bigger) Converter / Catridge which will turn this Showhorse into a Workhorse.( :ltcapd: )

 

Pilot Con -70(perhaps the biggest and best converter) is an ideal candidate for such an conversion.

 

3.I can also suggest an application of this pen , which nobody else might have thought of. :embarrassed_smile:

Due to it’s all metal construction and shape it can be used as a Kubotan or Yawara Stick for self defence purposes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubotan)

 

And this last application is the Icing on the cake

 

Regards,

 

Dev

Edited January 18, 2010 by devjeethensh

[sirksael]

Your third application is very original Your pen would require some serious cleaning though.

 

1) Yes, you can

2) I cannot comment on this one, it might be possible.

[devjeethensh]

Your third application is very original Your pen would require some serious cleaning though.

 

1) Yes, you can

2) I cannot comment on this one, it might be possible.

 

and you have an excellent Sense of Humour

[devjeethensh]

Hi Lemon328i and others ,

 

There is something in this pen which appeals immensely to my subconscious mind, and in order to justify the acquisition of this pen, it tells me the following :

 

1.This pen will take the ordinary Lamy Safary nibs(Please confirm for me).

 

In that case it opens up lots of possibilities in the nib department . You can use the excellent Lamy 1.1 Italic and even ordering custom grind 0.7mm Cursive Italic or Stub will still be one of the cheapest custom grind nibs on the market, which will do the job equally well.

 

Also unlike the Pilot vanishing point, you don’t have to change the entire nib assembly. You just slide out and replace the nib. :clap1:

 

2.There is lots of space in the lower section of the pen , even after you fit the long lamy converter. Thus it should be possible to modify and fit a longer(bigger) Converter / Catridge which will turn this Showhorse into a Workhorse.( :ltcapd: )

 

Pilot Con -70(perhaps the biggest and best converter) is an ideal candidate for such an conversion.

 

3.I can also suggest an application of this pen , which nobody else might have thought of. :embarrassed_smile:

Due to it’s all metal construction and shape it can be used as a Kubotan or Yawara Stick for self defence purposes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubotan)

 

And this last application is the Icing on the cake

 

Regards,

 

Dev

 

By the way, does anybody know a dealer who sells the Lamy nibs after grinding them to 0.7mm Italic or Stub .

[hari317]

Thank you Sirksael for treating us to this nice review with awesome photographs.

 

Regards,

Hari

[Mr Ink]

Very clear and informative review with excellent pictures. Thanks for that, Sirksael.

[Warriah]

Good work!!

Only 9/10 in "filling system (& maintenance, ok)" for a C/C on a 200€-pen seems to me a bit generous..

Edited January 18, 2010 by Warriah

[duna]

Hi Lemon328i and others ,

 

There is something in this pen which appeals immensely to my subconscious mind, and in order to justify the acquisition of this pen, it tells me the following :

 

1.This pen will take the ordinary Lamy Safary nibs(Please confirm for me).

...

2.There is lots of space in the lower section of the pen , even after you fit the long lamy converter. Thus it should be possible to modify and fit a longer(bigger) Converter / Catridge which will turn this Showhorse into a Workhorse.( :ltcapd: )

 

Pilot Con -70(perhaps the biggest and best converter) is an ideal candidate for such an conversion.

 

 

hi devjeethensh

I pulled off the D3 nib exactly in the same way it's done on other Lamys (model 2000 excluded) and the nib appears to be exactly the same as the others, despite the more precious metal (gold) and look.

 

I confirm also the relative aboundance of free space inside the body. After some minutes pondering options (I don't own a Con-70) , I elected to pull out of the box a Pilot FP with Con-20 (the aerometric, so to speak, converter) and a Lamy Al-Star with Lamy Z24 converter. I unplugged both converters and compared them (I haven't extracted the converter out of the Dialog3 being inked at the moment, hoping the D3 and the Al-star share the same converter, I'm not sure though). The EXTERNAL diameter of both converters is very very similar, but the diameter of the internal hole in the Lamy converter is way smaller. But to my surprise the Pilot Con-20 actually fits the Lamy Al-Star and the fit is not bad, maybe tightier than the original Lamy converter!! That took my by surprise.

Of course, being internal diameters different, the seal cannot properly work, the fit being supported by the external body of the converter alone and not by the internal nipples. But it's a start..

So I dared. I INKED IT (the Al-star, not the D3). It worked, at least partially, but thay better than forecasted. The pen wrote immediately, the flow of ink was excellent. I was able to cycle ink in&out the lamy with full force, a nice rivulet of Pelikan Royal Blue, my weakest ink, beink powerfully drawn inside and pushed out. But the 'system', thus strained, leaked a a small quantity of blue ink that managed to submerge the internal part of the section (being the section transparent, I was able to spot it) without making its way out, on the air, inside the body or staining the external part of the Con-20. So the seal isn't airproof, or even inkproof, but not totally impossible to fix for some experienced tecnician. THe pen wrote just fine, maybe a tad wet.

I also noticed that the internal diameter of the Con-20 nipple is very close to the external diameter of the nipple of the Lamy converter - and cartridge. So, provided possible to wrench the plastic nipple out of a Lamy cartridge, it appears not impossible to glue it inside the mouth of a Pilot converter... maybe with some dremel help...

Long story short: DON'T TRY THIS on a Dialog3, or you'll probably end with ink inside the section. But I'm planning to buy a Con-70 to experiment. Where do you guys think it's easy to buy such a converter? Ujuku? There are other suitable sellers?

[sirksael]

Good work!!

Only 9/10 in "filling system (& maintenance, ok)" for a C/C on a 200€-pen seems to me a bit generous..

 

It depends on personal preference I guess. When my pen runs out of ink in the middle of a board meeting, I prefer popping another cartridge in to getting the bottle and tissues out

[lovemy51]

thanx for the review. great photos.

 

i don't see myself getting one, tho'. ít's not just the fact that i don't like Lamy .(period!!!), but also this one is way too expensive to be a converter filler, ugly and cumbersome (in shape and complexity). the L2k is probably the only lamy i would ever buy again (i own two safaries).

 

 

one thing (or rather 2)... i do agree with Jorgep1:

 

Great review. I like the box a lot.

[devjeethensh]

Hi Lemon328i and others ,

 

There is something in this pen which appeals immensely to my subconscious mind, and in order to justify the acquisition of this pen, it tells me the following :

 

1.This pen will take the ordinary Lamy Safary nibs(Please confirm for me).

...

2.There is lots of space in the lower section of the pen , even after you fit the long lamy converter. Thus it should be possible to modify and fit a longer(bigger) Converter / Catridge which will turn this Showhorse into a Workhorse.( :ltcapd: )

 

Pilot Con -70(perhaps the biggest and best converter) is an ideal candidate for such an conversion.

 

 

hi devjeethensh

I pulled off the D3 nib exactly in the same way it's done on other Lamys (model 2000 excluded) and the nib appears to be exactly the same as the others, despite the more precious metal (gold) and look.

 

I confirm also the relative aboundance of free space inside the body. After some minutes pondering options (I don't own a Con-70) , I elected to pull out of the box a Pilot FP with Con-20 (the aerometric, so to speak, converter) and a Lamy Al-Star with Lamy Z24 converter. I unplugged both converters and compared them (I haven't extracted the converter out of the Dialog3 being inked at the moment, hoping the D3 and the Al-star share the same converter, I'm not sure though). The EXTERNAL diameter of both converters is very very similar, but the diameter of the internal hole in the Lamy converter is way smaller. But to my surprise the Pilot Con-20 actually fits the Lamy Al-Star and the fit is not bad, maybe tightier than the original Lamy converter!! That took my by surprise.

Of course, being internal diameters different, the seal cannot properly work, the fit being supported by the external body of the converter alone and not by the internal nipples. But it's a start..

So I dared. I INKED IT (the Al-star, not the D3). It worked, at least partially, but thay better than forecasted. The pen wrote immediately, the flow of ink was excellent. I was able to cycle ink in&out the lamy with full force, a nice rivulet of Pelikan Royal Blue, my weakest ink, beink powerfully drawn inside and pushed out. But the 'system', thus strained, leaked a a small quantity of blue ink that managed to submerge the internal part of the section (being the section transparent, I was able to spot it) without making its way out, on the air, inside the body or staining the external part of the Con-20. So the seal isn't airproof, or even inkproof, but not totally impossible to fix for some experienced tecnician. THe pen wrote just fine, maybe a tad wet.

I also noticed that the internal diameter of the Con-20 nipple is very close to the external diameter of the nipple of the Lamy converter - and cartridge. So, provided possible to wrench the plastic nipple out of a Lamy cartridge, it appears not impossible to glue it inside the mouth of a Pilot converter... maybe with some dremel help...

Long story short: DON'T TRY THIS on a Dialog3, or you'll probably end with ink inside the section. But I'm planning to buy a Con-70 to experiment. Where do you guys think it's easy to buy such a converter? Ujuku? There are other suitable sellers?

 

While i was just thinking about it , you actually went ahead and implemented the idea .Salute !!! to you sir.

 

By the way, I was thinking on exactly the same lines as you , about exchanging the nipples of the Pilot and Lamy converters.I would be very interested to know the final outcome of your experiment and at the same time will try the experiment at my end too.

 

Pengallery of Malaysia has both the Dialog3 as well as the Con 70 converter.

 

regards,

 

Devjeet.

[Warriah]

Good work!!

Only 9/10 in "filling system (& maintenance, ok)" for a C/C on a 200€-pen seems to me a bit generous..

 

It depends on personal preference I guess. When my pen runs out of ink in the middle of a board meeting, I prefer popping another cartridge in to getting the bottle and tissues out

Is it even possibile to carry a second one, filled pen (instead of cartridges) and rapidly switch them. However you're right, it depends mostly on subjective preferences.

Edited January 19, 2010 by Warriah

[devjeethensh]

Hi All ,

 

Sorry, for reviving this thread after quite some time. I wanted to thank sirksael and duna for their excellent advice, because of which i bought this pen and couldn't put it down for even for a minute , for last one week. I have no complaints whatsoever and love the heft and solid feel of this pen.

 

I would like to share few things which, i tried out with great satisfaction and success :

 

1. Allthough the Fine nib which comes with this pen is very smooth(and quite flexible too) , the first thing i did with this pen was to put my Lamy 1.1 Italic nib on it.This nib is more of a stub and i have no problems in writing full speed with this pen in meetings. The deliciously thick lines add a new character to my notes. I am also trying to source a 0.7mm Cursive Itallic nib from Pendemonium.Check this http://www.biffybeans.com/2008/07/moleskine-review-of-my-new-custom.html

 

The reason i am mentioning this is that, perhaps this is the cheapest nib to get Custom Ground. So opens up many possibilities.......

 

 

2. I have always felt that the Lamy Catridges were not very friendly to refilling and i exclusively use refilled catridges because i get to use my varied collection of Inks and colours .

 

First the Bad news : I ordered a Pilot Con 70 converter with this pen. This Converter won't fit in this pen as the diameter of converter increases towards the mid of the pen. It may still fit by using a sand paper or dremmel to reduce the diameter ..

 

So i tried out the second best option for refilling catridges which are Pilot Jumbo sized Catridges , which i have been refilling and using for last two years in my various pilot Vanishing point pens. After applying a little bit of cello tape to the neck of pilot catridge it fit perfectly. I have been using the pen with refilled pilot catridge , with no leakage or no problem in flow for a week now. Moreover these catridges are much easier to refill and don't even need a Syringe (you can refill it with the ink bottle cap ...), due to very wide neck opening and are almost transparent , which aids easy ink level monitoring ....

 

I have always carried one spare Pilot Fermo Nib unit(with Ink filled Catridge) , sealed by my home made nib cover in a pen case for last one year to great success . This is my next project for the Dialog 3, because this is much more versatile option then just carrying spare catridges(diffrent nib and ink combinations possible by just swapping out the nib unit). Any suggestions regarding where to get a spare nib unit for the Dialog 3....

 

I am sorry if some of this seems childish , but i am a sucker for tinkering with things, and just wanted to share my ideas with people who have shared so much in first place.

 

regards,

 

Devjeet

Edited January 31, 2010 by devjeethensh

[devjeethensh]

More inputs (just my views)...The Dialog3 and Pilot Vanishing point are two diffrent design approaches towards the same end.There are pros and cons to boths ....I personally like both , like Japanese and German cars ...

 

The Pilots are much more user friendly and evolved design.The latch closes completely with a click or twist(being spring loaded), whereas you have to be sure to visually line up the lines to close the ball joint of the Dialog3 completely...

 

The Dialog3 in my opinion, is a much more sturdy and long lasting design. There are no springs to break and no paint to get scratched. The plunger of vanishing points get scratched pretty bad with use and the Fermo tends to break from lower section if you drop it as the entire weight is in the lowest end of the pen .

 

Best advise ...buy both :ltcapd:

 

regards,

 

Dev.

Edited January 31, 2010 by devjeethensh

[Bentley]

Has anyone experienced any problems with the Dialog 3's nib drying up while the pen is closed?

 

Another review indicates that if the pen is left closed for more than a day the pen is hard to start. I was thinking about picking up one of these pens but the drying up problem would put me off.

[devjeethensh]

Has anyone experienced any problems with the Dialog 3's nib drying up while the pen is closed?

 

Another review indicates that if the pen is left closed for more than a day the pen is hard to start. I was thinking about picking up one of these pens but the drying up problem would put me off.

 

 

I have been using this pen for a week now and i never faced this problem. There is a possibility of the pen drying out , if not closed properly. One has to make sure that the lines on the barrel are lined up to completely close the pen , as it's not a spring loaded mechanism like the Vanishing point.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Regards,

 

Dev