Lamy 2000 - thoughts...

[Firecrest]

A month or so ago I finally took the plunge and purchased a Lamy 200 with ef nib.  Most of what I'd read was positive though some comments were rather less than enthusiastic concerning this particular nib.  I'm glad to say my experience has been wholly positive.  I do like the nib even if I find it rather smooth for my own style.  Sailor caters for my needs better than any other nib maker but...I have barely written with any other pen since this purchase, nib notwithstanding.  I just find this pen a delight to hold and look at.  There is something so perfect about its clean and elegant lines that takes my breath away; a smile appears every time I pick this stunner up.  Folks have mentioned the warmth of the Makrolon and I now know what they mean.  I love this pen and am so glad I made the decision to buy it!

 

[SpecTP]

congrats on your choice, mine is an every day carry and I recently picked up the stainless steel version too.

[1nkulus]

A fine choice and wish you many reams of happiness.   

I have a few of them but prefer the SS version for the heft and it has been used frequently as an EDC.

[maclink]

I'm happy to read your joys with the L2K.  I'm a huge fan myself, having 4 of them.  The L2K, as you say, has an understated look about it and has been around for a long time.  Its unassuming appearance likely has a lot to do with it slipping in the background, with all the buzz being about the new, novel and, in particular, more colourful offerings out there.

[Mercian]

Congratulations!

 

I love my 2000.

It’s a robust and user-serviceable German piston-fill pen with a 14k gold nib and an ink window, and at a much lower price than other equivalents.

I too love its understated aesthetic; every aspect of its design is about offering ‘utility’.

 

And the ‘hand-feel’ of the Makrolon! I find that I keep wanting to handle it.

 

I hope that it gives you many years of joy 

 

[austollie]

I also love my Lamy 2000 EF.  I ended up buying the EF (rather than the F that I would otherwise have purchased), based on feed-back from other users on this forum.  The EF nib is just right for me.  I am glad that we have this forum so that we can learn from the experiences of others.  My pockets aren't deep enough to allow me to learn all these experiences myself.

 

Whilst on the subject of this forum, I stumbled on a review of the Kaco Edge, a pen clearly inspired by (but not a copy of) the Lamy 2000.  For some time, I had hoped that Lamy would bring out a cartridge filler version of the Lamy 2000.  If it did, I would be a keen customer.  The Kaco Edge is the nearest thing that I have found and a small fraction of the price of the Lamy 2000, it has proved to a worthy companion to my Lamy 2000, particular for applications that warrant a broader nib.

 

Whilst I prefer the aesthetics of an exposed nib, the semi-hooded design of the Lamy 2000 gives it a remarkable ability to resist drying out.  

[Glenn-SC]

I like both of my 2000s (makrolon and SS) but they don’t “call to me” to use them as other pens do. This is through no fault of theirs as they have both performed flawlessly (except for the “sweet-spot” that the nib on one has).

[AmandaW]

Is the Lamy 2000 easy to clean? How do you know? I do like the look of it, but was worried the tiny ink window wouldn't be much help in seeing whether it was clean enough for an ink change.

[Mercian]

13 hours ago, AmandaW said:

Is the Lamy 2000 easy to clean? How do you know? I do like the look of it, but was worried the tiny ink window wouldn't be much help in seeing whether it was clean enough for an ink change.

The ink-window on a 2000 is far more ‘minimalist’ or ‘discreet’ than is the ink-window on e.g. a Pelikan M200, but it’s good enough.
It’s always ‘dark’ when the pen is full, or still has loads of ink left in it. And you get a hint/clue that you might need to check the ink level, because you start to ‘notice’ that it’s a lighter colour while you are writing with the pen.

The best way to check the ink-level is to hold the pen vertical & slowly tilt it to horizontal (or the other way round) to get the best idea of how much ink is left, but it’s perfectly usable.

 

As for cleaning, it’s really easy to give the pen a ‘deep-clean’.

The whole brushed-steel ‘nose cone’ can be unscrewed from the pen’s body - but remember to be careful not to drop the little metal ring that has the cap-securing ‘ears’ on it if you do this!

You can then remove the feed/nib to clean them, or you can easily re-grease the pen’s piston.

 

SBRE Brown made a video that shows you how easy it is to completely disassemble the Lamy 2000 - without even needing any tools - here.

Personally, I have no intention of trying to remove the piston & mechanism from mine, but it’s nice to know that it's possible.

 

Edit to add:

If you are changing inks in a pen, it’s always a good idea to clean all the old ink out first, in case the new ink has any kind of reaction with the remnants of the old ink.

Cycling a few fills of plain water through the pen should be sufficient.

 

I personally am much more ‘OCD’ about it, and cycle water that contains ‘dish soap’ to flush the pen, and I then ‘wick’ that solution through the nib repeatedly, until no more ink comes out, before cycling & ‘wicking’ plain water through to remove the detergents.

 

[Firecrest]

Lovely to hear all these views on this icon of a pen.  It's a treat just to pick it up such is the warmth of its touch and smoothness of its nib.  I'm currently rotating between a Sailor Pro Gear fine (with ESSRI), a vintage Pelikan 400 ef semi-flex (with Diamine Deep Dark Brown), and this terrific L2K (Pelikan 4001 Blue Black).  The latter is a fine addition and gives me something quite unique...but I love all these pens.  On the subject of cleaning, I haven't the confidence to take pens apart, preferring just to flush thoroughly before changing inks.  That does it for me.

[LMpensandthings]

I love my L2K, it very quickly became my daily carry. My biggest challenge is using an ink other than waterman serenity blue in it. 

[N1003U]

I picked up a Lamy 2000 for the first time in a pen shop a few weeks ago and bought it. I find the appearance and performance of the 2000 pleasant, and so far it finds its way into my hand for writing more often than I expected.

[es9]

I have a love-hate relationship with mine. I absolutely love everything about the design and I find the pen in general works very well. The nib, however, is another story. It took a lot of adjustment, including by a professional, before I could get it to write acceptably smooth. 

[RJS]

How much is this thing going for now? It was €300 in a shop I was in today! Online I see claims of sales bringing the price down to €230? It was only €120 online just before Covid.

[Doc Dan]

I am glad to see this thread. This is a pen I am very interested in. I am saving my pennies and when I get enough I'll go to the local B&M and try one. Sometimes, when you try a pen you love it and sometimes you get surprised that another one feels better. That happened to me recently when I went to try out a Diplomat Aero and walked out with a Delta Spaccanapoli instead. I hope the Lamy 2k is what I hope it is. 

[Merrick]

The Lamy 2000 was the first high end gold nib pen I ever bought. I have bought many pens since then, several of them gold nib, some in exotic materials, and the Lamy 2000 remains one of the best I own. It’s a dependable, enjoyable writer that feels supremely balanced and comfortable in the hand. Its bauhaus design is simple but distinct and classy without being flashy. Its reputation as a mainstay in this hobby is well deserved. 

[jchch1950]

I have used on and off one Lamy 2000 since 1976 that I bought in Germany. It has never failed and it still is in excellent condition. I have been looking for an L2000 with a broad oblique nib but without success. I hope that I will be able to find it in a future vacation in Europe.

[Doc Dan]

6 hours ago, jchch1950 said:

I have used on and off one Lamy 2000 since 1976 that I bought in Germany. It has never failed and it still is in excellent condition. I have been looking for an L2000 with a broad oblique nib but without success. I hope that I will be able to find it in a future vacation in Europe.

Pengallery.com.my

[Penguincollector]

6 hours ago, jchch1950 said:

I have used on and off one Lamy 2000 since 1976 that I bought in Germany. It has never failed and it still is in excellent condition. I have been looking for an L2000 with a broad oblique nib but without success. I hope that I will be able to find it in a future vacation in Europe.

  Endless Pens has it in both OB and OBB. 

[Surlyprof]

31 minutes ago, Penguincollector said:

  Endless Pens has it in both OB and OBB. 

It’s on sale there now, too.  Use their discount code DOUBLEDROP and it brings the price down to about $125usd.  At less than half retail, I bought a second medium.