Lamy 2000 Fine Nib -- Is This Trashed Or Normal?

May 17, 2016

Hi.

I've recently lost my (beloved) Lamy 2000 medium nib fp. I loved how smooth and beautifully it wrote but my handwriting is too small for it in all honesty, so I decided to go for the Fine this time.

The fine, however.... is really scratchy. I mean, at least by comparison. Is this normal? Or is this just me being used to how effortlessly the medium would move over the paper without so much as a whisper. I've tested clairefontaine, leuchtturm, and copy paper and it still has the same toothy, grainy feel. It's very frustrating. Again, I wonder if this is because I've been spoiled with how beautiful the medium felt.

Anyway my question is, particularly for those of you who may own both, is this common/normal? Is there a huge jump in terms of how the fine feels on paper compared to medium? Am I probably just being a princess about this?

Disclaimer: I'm fairy new to fountain pens, so I'm not 100% on what I should be looking for in terms of things that are wrong. I've posted a few pictures, not sure if they'll be helpful or not. The last one is the medium vs fine nib... Please excuse my scrawl. I've also flushed the pen a few times.

Thank you.

May 17, 2016

Your pen looks normal.

Lamy 2K "M" has a nib with round(spherical) writing tip.

"F" and thinner have a different shape (more flat) with rounded edges.

That makes the filling difference - you have to rotate your pen in your hand finding so called "sweet point".

There was a similiar topic/discussion:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/281754-lamy-2000-sweet-spot/

Another issue is more or less lubricating abilities/properties of the ink used.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Padawan

May 18, 2016

Your pen looks normal.

Lamy 2K "M" has a nib with round(spherical) writing tip.
"F" and thinner have a different shape (more flat) with rounded edges.
That makes the filling difference - you have to rotate your pen in your hand finding so called "sweet point".

There was a similiar topic/discussion:
https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/281754-lamy-2000-sweet-spot/

Another issue is more or less lubricating abilities/properties of the ink used.

Thanks for you reply. I think I've chilled out a bit since receiving it. I originally inked it up with Diamine blue/black and then swapped it out with noodlers Saguaro wine which it seems to take a little better. Again, I think I was spoiled with my medium nib that would take anything beautifully.

I think honestly it might be the feedback that's irking me rather than anything else, the "feel" of it on the paper and the tangible noise of it. Is this normal? I mean, it seems to write fine... I think it may be a case of getting used to it rather than a fault with the pen.

May 18, 2016

I can't comment on the pen, but was your writing sample the title of Brandon Sanderson's first Stormlight novel? Because if so, you have excellent taste in reading!

May 18, 2016

Using a woman's hat pin as an example, the knob end digs into paper and skin less than the sharp end. Finer nibs are sharper and will always "scratch" more.

No, it is not normal to lose your LAMY 2000. Yes, it is normal for a fine nib to be more scratchy than a medium nib, especially if the pen is used more vertically. I have several helpful / semi-helpful / no-help suggestions :

1. Stick with the medium nib that you like, and write bigger. Everyone will appreciate the results. With any given nib, a lighter touch yields a finer line.

2. Select paper with smoother, more polished surface.

3. Reduce the writing pressure, and the writing angle.

4. Think of the "scratchiness" , instead, as being "paper texture / nib feedback".

( #3 and #4 are called "adjusting the nut that holds the pen barrel.")

My LAMY 2000 has a medium nib. The balance and ink flow are very satisfying.

Write with you.

Edited May 18, 2016 by Sasha Royale

May 19, 2016

I can't comment on the pen, but was your writing sample the title of Brandon Sanderson's first Stormlight novel? Because if so, you have excellent taste in reading!

Haha yes! Sanderson is god. His Mistborn series is one of my all time favourites.

Using a woman's hat pin as an example, the knob end digs into paper and skin less than the sharp end. Finer nibs are sharper and will always "scratch" more.

No, it is not normal to lose your LAMY 2000. Yes, it is normal for a fine nib to be more scratchy than a medium nib, especially if the pen is used more vertically. I have several helpful / semi-helpful / no-help suggestions :
1. Stick with the medium nib that you like, and write bigger. Everyone will appreciate the results. With any given nib, a lighter touch yields a finer line.
2. Select paper with smoother, more polished surface.
3. Reduce the writing pressure, and the writing angle.
4. Think of the "scratchiness" , instead, as being "paper texture / nib feedback".
( #3 and #4 are called "adjusting the nut that holds the pen barrel.")

My LAMY 2000 has a medium nib. The balance and ink flow are very satisfying.

Write with you.

Thanks for the tips/wisdom. I think you're right. I've asked a few people to write with it and the consensus is I'm probably just being a brat and mourning my old pen. Especially now I've written with it a bit more, yes it's very different from the medium, but it is also wonderful. It suits my writing a little more too I think.

I'm going to keep my fine and order another medium alongside it. I'm also going to stop taking my £100+ pens to uni with me!

Thanks for your help everyone.