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Lamy Studio Palladium (14k) Finish Durability


SHPenFan

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So, I've been fortunate enough to be able to obtain a Palladium 14k Lamy Studio at a reasonable price. At the time I just settled for the cheapest pen with a gold nib that I can swap with my Lamy Vista, but I've grown to enjoy the studio in its own right. I wonder how long the Finish would last, as I've seen several horror stories about the Lamy Studio Palladium's finish peeling off, leaving brown pits of corrosion, especially on the section.

 

I've had something similar happen on a cheap (but amazingly smooth) Hero Fountain pen that I daily drove for a year. Does anyone have experience with long-term, daily usage of the Lamy Studio Palladium? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences (and if there are any tips to slow this deterioration).

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I have one that has never been inked, just sitting in its box inside a drawer, since I got it two or three years ago. It's already showing splotchy permanent discolouration on the finish from where it has been handled (which could have been by me, or the staff at the retailer from whom I got it, who knows).

I endeavour to be frank and truthful in what I write, show or otherwise present, when I relate my first-hand experiences that are not independently verifiable; and link to third-party content where I can, when I make a claim or refute a statement of fact in a thread. If there is something you can verify for yourself, I entreat you to do so, and judge for yourself what is right, correct, and valid. I may be wrong, and my position or say-so is no more authoritative and carries no more weight than anyone else's here.

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59 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

I have one that has never been inked, just sitting in its box inside a drawer, since I got it two or three years ago. It's already showing splotchy permanent discolouration on the finish from where it has been handled (which could have been by me, or the staff at the retailer from whom I got it, who knows).

Yikes. That is concerning. So it corrodes/tarnishes with exposure to human skin oil? I guess I'll just have to use it and adopt the Wabi-Sabi mentality (embrace the patina) with it, then.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Mine still looks like new, even though I bought it second hand; perfect pen for Ama Iro in EF (steel nib) even though I would prefer a darker pen with such a light ink.

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."

 

B. Russell

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On 5/22/2023 at 12:30 PM, senzen said:

Mine still looks like new, even though I bought it second hand; perfect pen for Ama Iro in EF (steel nib) even though I would prefer a darker pen with such a light ink.

Thanks for your input. Just curious, how long have you had it for? Maybe it has something to do with the Alkalinity/Acidity of the ink? Ama-iro is alkaline, but Waterman Serenity Blue (which I have it currently inked with) is Acidic.
(p.s. Ama Iro is one of my favourite light inks, and it's great with a slightly flexible/bouncy nib!)

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On 5/28/2023 at 11:17 PM, SHPenFan said:

Thanks for your input. Just curious, how long have you had it for? Maybe it has something to do with the Alkalinity/Acidity of the ink? Ama-iro is alkaline, but Waterman Serenity Blue (which I have it currently inked with) is Acidic.
(p.s. Ama Iro is one of my favourite light inks, and it's great with a slightly flexible/bouncy nib!)

 

Possibly something like 4 years? I do have another 50ish pens so it does get used but not daily. I would think it has more to do with one's hand oils, maybe even the weather. 

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."

 

B. Russell

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I have a Lamy Studio in Palladium which I have used regularly for about 7 years. The finish on the section is in pretty bad shape: it looks like the palladium finish has mostly rubbed off where my thumb usually rests, and in other places it has bubbled and chipped.

 

In fact I just signed up to this forum to ask if anyone has any advice on repairing it. I love the pen and it has sentimental value, but I don't use it much anymore because I am worried the damage will get worse, and also it just doesn't look as nice. My local shop quoted me a price for replacing the section that was higher than getting a brand new pen shipped internationally! I can find replacement sections online for the black and stainless versions but not the palladium. Is there anywhere I can get a palladium replacement online? Or is there any sort of DIY thing I can do to make the section look nice again? I am thinking of replacing the section with the black one since I expect another palladium one to degrade equally fast.

 

I might also be able to visit the Lamy store in Heidelberg next month, does anyone know if they do these sorts of part replacements on-site?

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On 6/3/2023 at 3:58 PM, harmless said:

I have a Lamy Studio in Palladium which I have used regularly for about 7 years. The finish on the section is in pretty bad shape: it looks like the palladium finish has mostly rubbed off where my thumb usually rests, and in other places it has bubbled and chipped.

 

In fact I just signed up to this forum to ask if anyone has any advice on repairing it. I love the pen and it has sentimental value, but I don't use it much anymore because I am worried the damage will get worse, and also it just doesn't look as nice. My local shop quoted me a price for replacing the section that was higher than getting a brand new pen shipped internationally! I can find replacement sections online for the black and stainless versions but not the palladium. Is there anywhere I can get a palladium replacement online? Or is there any sort of DIY thing I can do to make the section look nice again? I am thinking of replacing the section with the black one since I expect another palladium one to degrade equally fast.

 

I might also be able to visit the Lamy store in Heidelberg next month, does anyone know if they do these sorts of part replacements on-site?

About cleaning, have you tried any metal cleaner yet? They are usually very effective and I have read that the stains come out.
If you plan to go to Heidelberg, it might be best to send an e-mail to Lamy to tell them about your case and ask them what to do.
I have no experience with the model, but I have read a lot about the case because it caught my attention. As far as I know, the origin of the stains is, at least in many cases, inside the cap. The moisture created by the ink oxidizes the palladium and eventually the substance created escapes through the liner cap into the section. If you buy a section of another material - they are available - the problem will persist, although cleaning will be easier. What raises the price of the version is the gold nib. It may be more appropriate to buy a cheaper version and put the gold nib on it. The difference between a replacement section and a new Studio can be around 30 to 40 euros, maybe a little more, depending on the version.
However, keep in mind that the rubber sections can get sticky over time. In that sense, a chrome section should be considered.
There is still a chance that Lamy has corrected the Studio Palladium deficiency. Perhaps the best thing to do is to ask Lamy straight out if this is the case. The company may replace the pen for you, even at no costs, but if it is going to rust again, we have not fixed the problem.

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On 6/8/2023 at 4:17 PM, harmless said:

@Azulado, thank you, that was very helpful!

I'm glad you found it useful! 😉

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  • 6 months later...

Mine has two patches on the barrel and one on the cap. It hasn't chipped, yet.

Used 5 times in the last two years.

Always stored in a pen case; cleaned and uninked.  

Engineer :

Someone who does precision guesswork based on unreliable data provided by those of questionable knowledge.

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On 6/5/2023 at 7:51 PM, Azulado said:


However, keep in mind that the rubber sections can get sticky over time. In that sense, a chrome section should be considered.

The rubber sections get sticky and then the rubber peels off, under the rubber is a tube of plastic that can keep the pen working but feels thin. I like the stainless steel body, but it looks quite awkward with a shining section.

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Yeah. To be fair, if/when the finish starts to corrode and feel uncomfortable in the hand, I might just buy a Lamy Aion in a color I like and swap the nib. I've used that one for a while and the anodization is very tough, and it has a similar, if a bit girthier, feel to the Studio Palladium.

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