Lamy Safari Lifespan.

[Bromide]

Hello, I bought a Lamy Safari recently, and I've been using it as daily writer. I was curious how long should I expect this pen to last me before it starts giving me issues? How long have people here had their safaris?

 

Thanks.

[pajaro]

Three years and no issues. I think the pen will last until the plastic disintegrates. If you change nibs all the time you might wear something down. The C/C filling system is renewable.

[SeeksAdvice]

Depends... washing machine or no washing machine ;P At the end of the day, the score was: Washing Machine 1 - Lamy 0. Cap came off and nib/feed bought it.

[discopig]

From what I gathered around this forum, they seem to pretty much last forever unless you really beat them up, lose them, or put way too much pressure on the nib regularly.

 

I'm more worried about losing mine than breaking it.

Edited November 11, 2013 by discopig

[P.E.N.S]

The lifespan of every pen is 5+ years if one takes good care of it.

[Mike 59]

Hi, I use several Safaris here, can't think of any problems at all.

One useful feature is the easy way the nibs can be swapped for different widths, and the nibs are USD13 at the moment, so it's a simple way of trying out various widths for different writing styles.

But it's easy to imagine how the feed grooves that the nib slides onto, could be worn if the nibs were changed very often, but even then it would mean hundreds of nib 'swaps' to cause wear like that.

The cartridge or converters both work as they should, the caps seem to keep a positive 'click', and the clips don't seem to loose any spring.

The only servicing mine get is the usual glass of water, and the nib/grip section dropped in to soak the ink out, then the nib stood on a paper towel for an hour to 'wick' the water/ink out. I do this about every second ink refill.

The greatest danger is leaving the pen somewhere, so you need to buy another !

[Laura N]

I had one for 20 years before my brother "lost" it. I'm sure it still is working well somewhere, possibly in his possession.

 

I have fountain pens from the 1920s that are as good as new, so I don't think lifespan is an issue. If something goes wrong on a Safari, it probably would be cheaper to replace it than to send it to Lamy for repair. But a Safari is durable.

[akustyk]

The Safari will last for decades. It's also very easy to take apart and clean completely, which will increase its lifespan. The only thing that might break down over time is the converter. Otherwise, if you take okay care of it, it will last.

[Gamma Goblin]

I have a Lamy Safari since the early 90s and it still is all original and functioning well.

[MisterBoll]

It should last at least 87 years.

[Brian C]

It should last at least 87 years.

Why 87?

[Felix1]

I don't know about '87' but you'll get tired of it before the tip will wear out unless it's otherwise abused or you spend your days continually writing with only one pen and write on inferior paper. You might have to replace the converter (if you use one) infrequently but I'd bet the cap seal will be the first part to fail.

[Wolverine1]

If used with reasonable care, your Safari will outlast you. Of course, you have to be careful, like not putting it into your washing machine with your laundry, and etc.

Just as an example- I filled up 2 pens for use today morning. One was a Parker Lucky Curve Duofold, that was probably manufactured around 1923-1925, and the other was a Sheaffer Balance Oversized that is of similar vintage. Both are about, say, 85 years old, and work just fine.

[View from the Loft]

Hmm, a Lamy Vista (the demonstrator version) lasted my eldest through 7 years of secondary school and is still going strong on the original nib and convertor, with many more years of use in it.

 

A Lamy Safari was my back up pen for four years before being appropriated by my daughter, and has been her school pen for the last three years. Sill on the original nib and convertor.

 

These are sturdy pens, parts are easily available. I fully expect my children to pass them on to their children.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

It's difficult to say with certainty the exact lifespan of the pen. The materials of the pen may become brittle in many years, but as far as we know, the plastics seem to be stable for at least 20 years. The other thing I would worry about is the inner cap becoming loose.

 

Having a Lamy ABC that is likely from the early 90's that I use every day, I think the Safari should last a long time.

 

Dillon

[JakobS]

I have used two daily for almost seven years now. I have found a few issues have come up:

 

1. If you are using them in a field will you will constantly need to uncap and recap the cap, the cap will start to become loose to the point will it will fall out of it easily and with little to no force. The US warranty will cover cap replacement. I have replaced one cap already about a year ago, and need to replace the other. I use them in crop fields assessing insect populations so I need to cap them a lot. The cap I replaced a year ago already is getting pretty loose again.

 

2. The feed will become a little worn, and cause the nib to be a little loose if you change nibs often. This has not been a major issue, as the nib is still on tightly, but is noticeable compared to a Safari that hasn't had its nib changed as often.

 

3. More a cosmetic issue for older Safaris, the ones with black plastic covering the copper clips, but the plastic can start to rub off after a few years of daily use. I dont find this to be a major issue, as I like the color of copper, and it was on the pen that I had the cap switched as well.

 

Otherwise, I find the Safari to hold up well, especially after 3-4 foot drops, leaving one in a soybean field for a week, and banging the nibs against desks, walls, and floors.

Edited November 12, 2013 by JakobS

[sargetalon]

I think that the longevity of any item is dependent on the care taken with it. I have many pens that are 60+ years old, some of which look like new. I try to take good care of all of my pens and in return, expect them to far exceed my lifespan (minus expected sac degradation, etc) and be passed along to the next generation. The Safari specifically should have no problem with longevity if used lovingly.

[Bromide]

Thanks for all the input, it answered my questions perfectly. I'm definitely going to keep the Safari as my daily writer.

[TLab3000]

I have one Safari from the 80's that's not been taken care of at all and actually treated rather harshly. The cap is lose and the plastic has very many scratches, but it's still working fine.

I guess if you treat it well, it'll last longer than you do.

[casualmerlinconstant]

The thing is indestructible! Friend of mine smashed it to the ground in rage, not even a scratch lol