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A.D.D.i.c.t.
August 21st, 2012, 10:17 PM
What is it that draws you to Lamy writing instruments?
For me, I've always liked their designs, especially the cap retention method. None of their caps screw on and off, which is faster and more convenient for me while at the office.
Is Lamy the only brand with caps like this, even on their higher end models?

the addiction continues...

FLJeepGuy
August 22nd, 2012, 07:49 AM
I have 6 of them, including two 2000s, with a couple more on my to-buy list as well. I like the simple, no-nonsense designs and the fact that all of their pens except the 2000 can share nibs. This lets me swap nibs around based on the task at hand. Their build quality is top notch and I've yet to have a single issue with any of my Lamy pens. My only real complaint is their section designs. The Safari/Vista/Al-Star pens' sculpted section doesn't fit my normal grip so I have to modify my hold when using these. On several of their other pens, they use polished metal sections that can be a bit much to hold (slippery) for a long writing session. Other than that, Lamy is one of my favorite brands.

KrazyIvan
August 22nd, 2012, 08:58 AM
The triangular section on the Safari will always hold a special place in my hand. :) I learned how to hold a pen properly and cured my death grip on one. Force Choke, still working on that. :p

DogArtist
November 4th, 2012, 11:05 AM
I'm new to Lamys, just got my first one (Al-star with F nib) a week or so ago. I was reluctant to buy one at first because I thought they looked clunky and wasn't sure about that weird grip. Well, consider me cured of all doubt! I freakin' LOVE writing with that pen. To the extent I'm looking for any excuse to go write random thoughts in my day journal. And planning to buy two more pens so I can have one on my desk, one in my sketch kit, and one in my purse. There's just something lovely about the pen from the moment you pick it up and begin to write with it. It is balanced, my hand doesn't get tired writing with it, the tip glides so nicely along the paper. It just feels "right" in my hand. It was "love at first write", as I wrote in my review of the pen on Amazon.

manoeuver
November 4th, 2012, 02:38 PM
many fp users start with a safari.

and their first safari is still in active rotation. it gets better from there.

dependable gear. If my house burned down and I lost all my stuff, I'd still have at least one Lamy cause there's always at least one on my person.

The Follows
November 5th, 2012, 06:10 AM
Snap on lids, modern designs, smooth/interchangeable nib make these pens a daily workhorse for me. My job requires a lot of stop and go note taking.

ballboy
February 19th, 2013, 03:52 PM
The triangular section on the Safari will always hold a special place in my hand. :) I learned how to hold a pen properly and cured my death grip on one. Force Choke, still working on that. :p

This is definitely what I like about them. As for their light sabre styling; not to be underestimated :)

KrazyIvan
February 19th, 2013, 04:20 PM
I'm waiting for someone to make a light saber styled fountain pen. :)

TheRoXFiles
February 23rd, 2013, 10:18 AM
Why Lamy.... Well, I can talk about why I personally chose Lamy, but it's a long, rambling story that goes into some of my preconceived notions about fountain pens in general. :P Here goes....

Up until about six months or so ago, I didn't know fountain pens still existed or that people still use them. Then, over the summer, I was watching NHK World on my iPad one day and I saw this really fascinating documentary about some Japanese manufacturer of fountain pens. The manufacturer had also made some kind of demonstrator fountain pen that looked so cool. I can't remember the brand of this pen, but I do remember looking it up online and balking at the price...it was hundreds or thousands of dollars and...I think it was a limited edition, which drove up the price? I don't remember offhand. But I went away from that assuming that all fountain pens would be way out of my price range. I was sad because I really wanted that pen, but I wasn't going to cough up hundreds or thousands of dollars for one, either.

Fast forward to this past December. I'd bought something small at Amazon and wanted Super Saver shipping. So I started looking around for other stuff I could toss into the cart. I don't remember how I stumbled on the Lamy Vista, but I was astounded when I saw it. It was another one of those see-through pens--just like the Japanese one I really wanted. And it was well within my price range. I was on the fence about buying it because I didn't know the first thing about fountain pens, so I started doing some sleuthing online. I started out with Googling "fountain pens" to see the general kind of stuff that would come up. It didn't take me long to go to YouTube, too--which was the better choice, I think, because I could see people demonstrating how to use these pens and gving their reviews. Based on the sleuthing I did, I bit the bullet and bought that Vista.

I think I like Lamy in general because you never forget your first...whatever "first" it is that you think about. :P Seriously, though, I think this is a lot of why I have a soft spot in my heart for Lamy. I know Lamy makes expensive pens, too, but I love that they make reasonably-priced starter/workhorse pens, and the limited edition versions of those pens are inexpensive enough to be collectable.

In the time since I started out with that Lamy, I've also tried out Pilot pens (the Plumix and the Metropolitan) and TWSBI (the Mini, with a Vac 700 on the horizon at some point in the future...). I like those pens I've got, too. But like I said--I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for Lamy pens. :)

kgodefrio
April 27th, 2013, 05:25 PM
I bought my first Lamy Safari in 1986, I was impressed by its modern design and unpretentious look. Thirty years after and the design remains timeless!
By now, my unintended collection has grown and I'm pondering if I shoud organise it and try to complete it with all produced models of Safari and Al-star. :)

jor412
April 28th, 2013, 02:31 PM
All this Lamy love has rubbed off on me. I have a yellow Lamy Safari with a medium nib which hasn't seen much use but I'd like to give it another try. Maybe if I find the right ink to go with it. It writes quite smoothly but on the dry side.

velo
April 28th, 2013, 10:08 PM
Luckily for me, or moreso my wallet, I don't find traditional or ornate styled fountain pens appealing. I can appreciate them but much prefer cleaner, more modern designs. Hence the reason I own Lamy pens. The flipside is that my choice of pen brands to buy from is limited.

79spitfire
April 28th, 2013, 10:37 PM
For me it's simple quality products that work. I don't think I've ever gotten a 'bad' Lamy, sure, one that could use a tweak, but never a 'gusher' or a 'dart'. :clap2:

Joker
May 3rd, 2013, 05:08 PM
New guy here first post.
I really like the Safari fit and finish. I like how it feels in my hand, I really love having a clip that really works to keep it in my shirt pocket. Last but not least I like the look.

jor412
May 4th, 2013, 07:03 PM
I inked my only Safari with Iroshizuku Yama-guri and I enjoyed the smooth M nib so I bought an EF nib and changed nibs. The EF writes like a Japanese M to me, which I'm not too happy about, but it's smooth. I like the pen's lightness and it feels like it can take a beating and still write -- though I have yet to test that. I'm glad I read through some Lamy threads and gave this pen another chance. I'll definitely be getting another one, or maybe another three. :p

ndw76
May 4th, 2013, 07:39 PM
I gave in and bought my first Lamy yesterday. I got the Lamy Joy. Previously I had stayed away from Lamy because I didn't like the look of their nibs. But now I have enought pens with pretty looking nibs that I feel I can buy some pens with not so pretty nibs. I can't really say what I like about it yet because I haven't had a chance to play with it. That will come later tonight.

snedwos
May 31st, 2013, 05:55 AM
I inked my only Safari with Iroshizuku Yama-guri and I enjoyed the smooth M nib so I bought an EF nib and changed nibs. The EF writes like a Japanese M to me, which I'm not too happy about, but it's smooth. I like the pen's lightness and it feels like it can take a beating and still write -- though I have yet to test that. I'm glad I read through some Lamy threads and gave this pen another chance. I'll definitely be getting another one, or maybe another three. :p

Interesting situation where the ink bottle costs more than the pen?

Edit: Huh, just looked at Goulet, and it would seem that my claim doesn't work for the US.

Here in Spain Iroshizuku inks are not much less twice the price of a Safari (where I've looked).

BK_Starkey
May 31st, 2013, 07:47 AM
Two words....Inexpensive Workhorses. I have several in my rotation and almost all of them are flawless. For some reason my Vista has has flow issues since the day I bought it. But otherwise they are easy to take care of, last a long time, and don't hurt the wallet. I guess that's more than two words huh? :blink:

Sailor Kenshin
May 31st, 2013, 07:48 AM
I bought my first Lamy Safari in 1986, I was impressed by its modern design and unpretentious look. Thirty years after and the design remains timeless!
By now, my unintended collection has grown and I'm pondering if I shoud organise it and try to complete it with all produced models of Safari and Al-star. :)

For me, it was the opposite; my first Lamy Safari was a lemon. See? (http://heartofsock.blogspot.com/2013/03/from-lemon-to-love-in-which-dr.html)

It put me off them for years, until I finally bought one of the LE colors.

Now I collect them. And a few of the Nexx. Because I LOVE color, and because I can afford lots of them, and can also equip them with so many different nibs.

Titivillus
May 31st, 2013, 08:45 AM
Half of my pens are Lamy and all below $40. I like that they are a quality, well designed pen that seems to need little maintenance and just keeps working. It isn't the equivalent of a Franklin Mint plate nor a gold and diamond encrusted monstrosity. It is a pen that write; simple as that.

jor412
May 31st, 2013, 03:41 PM
Interesting situation where the ink bottle costs more than the pen?

Edit: Huh, just looked at Goulet, and it would seem that my claim doesn't work for the US.

Here in Spain Iroshizuku inks are not much less twice the price of a Safari (where I've looked).

Iroshizuku inks aren't available here but one of our local pen members brought in a whole lot of bottles and sold them to us. So I paid almost the same as what I paid for the Lamy. The selling price of the Lamy here is roughly $35. By default, the pen comes with a converter, two carts & a cool Lamy box. If I want more Iroshizuku, I'll have to buy the bottles elsewhere and have them shipped to the Philippines, in which case, they may well end up being more expensive than the Lamy.

AtomicLeo
June 7th, 2013, 07:55 AM
They just work. I own almost a dozen 2k, Sarfari's and Alstar. Only one (1!) has had a few writing issues out of the box. That is an incredible QA record and the prices just can not be beat.

Sailor Kenshin
June 7th, 2013, 08:36 AM
I'm interested in the 2K for its look. Is it really really heavy?

AtomicLeo
June 7th, 2013, 04:21 PM
Not at all. It's a light weight pen but feels well made. Some folks do not like the little fins on the side. It's never bothered me and I love the feel of the material. No other pen like it. The only reason I don't have one in constant rotation is how difficult it is to clean. I use pigment heavy inks like Noodler's and I like to switch out my inks. Since you can't disassemble the pen, it takes quite a few flushes to clean out ink.

DGG
June 14th, 2013, 02:18 AM
I agree that the 2000 just feels like a really well made pen. I have one Lamy 2000, and it's a terrific pen that's always ready to work. Always.

My first Lamy was a black cp1. I bought it from a small specialty shop in Little Rock, AR, of all places. It was really my second fountain pen. The first being a stainless steel German pen I bought in Vienna, Austria. Still have no idea what brand that pen was or what happend to it. Anyway, that black cp1 was a workhorse. I had that pen on me everyday for at least two years. The springloaded clip finally popped off, and I almost went into shock. I went back to the store, and (to their credit) they told me they could sell me a new cp1 but that I should try to send my old one back to Lamy to see if they would repair it. I did. And they did (only for the cost of shipping). And I've been hooked ever since.

In the last ten years I've acquired a lot more Lamys. Many of them vintage or out of production models because I like the design history of the company, and I really like the pens. In fact, I've always been attracted to the Bauhaus aesthetic. Walter Gropius was a true pioneer, and I think Lamy has followed in his, or the schools', philosophical footsteps. In fact, I always wondered whether they look toward Johannes Itten or his student Joseph Albers when making some of their color choices on the Safaris.

Anyway, the form follows function philosophy really captures me. I think, actually, it's why I'm drawn to fountain pens in general, and Lamys in particular. The fountain pen is a designed structure, thought out and considered for its looks, but it also links to the human body through our writing. Its function is an extention of our bodies and ultimately our ideas. The fact that Lamy's designs don't try to hide this, has always pleased me. I also like that they seem to highlight their designers and link the names to the pens. Other companies may do this as well, but I've always admired Lamy's listing of the product designers with their writing instruments.

Lastly, a couple parting thoughts. I do wish Lamy still made more piston fillers. The 2000 is a great design, but it's high time for another piston filler design in the line up. On another note, I don't own a single Safari or Vista, but I think the reasonable cost and high quality of these entry level fountain pens serves Lamy very well. I just think another piston filler would be a welcome addition. :dance3:

Well, tonight I'm writing (and drawing) with a vintage Lamy 27, and it's high time I get off the computer and get back to the pen. Cheers!

whych
June 14th, 2013, 01:23 PM
Lastly, a couple parting thoughts. I do wish Lamy still made more piston fillers. The 2000 is a great design, but it's high time for another piston filler design in the line up. On another note, I don't own a single Safari or Vista, but I think the reasonable cost and high quality of these entry level fountain pens serves Lamy very well. I just think another piston filler would be a welcome addition.
It's the modern trend to keep costs down perhaps and to make a fortune out of selling branded ink cartridges for the pen.
Very few manufacturers make piston fillers any more and even fewer make anything but cartridge/converter pens.

Moxoftritonytes
July 1st, 2013, 09:07 AM
I have a Lamy CP1 in black and about a dozen Safaris, Al-Stars, NEXX and a Joy. I like the form-follows-function aspect of their design. And the fact that they look different from traditional fountain pens. The nibs are easily interchangeable and tweakable what doubles the fun when playing with these pens.

Adhizen
July 4th, 2013, 06:08 AM
For me the Lamy's are simple and beautiful.... They function very well and the unique designs put them in their own catagory. I own the Dialoues 2&3, 2 of their 4 function multipens, 1 lamy 2000 stainless steel FP and 2 lamy 2000 rollerballs, and 1 lamy 2000 stainless steel rollerball. When I travel I take the Lamys because they are durable and reliable...

I don't like the Safari design tho.... visually it doesn't work for me.

whych
July 4th, 2013, 05:27 PM
I don't like the Safari design tho.... visually it doesn't work for me.
The Safari is meant to be an entry level pen and the grip designed to get new users used to holding a fountain pen.
Their other pens are the ones aimed at the more experienced users.
I don't think anyone could have predicted how an entry level pen like the Safari has managed to gain such a cult status and become collectible. I imagine other manufacturers are pretty envious of this.
Strangely enough, the Safari is apparently more resistant/resilient to rough treatment than the aluminium bodied AlStars. Seemingly the colour goes after a lot of knocking around.

Adhizen
July 4th, 2013, 06:25 PM
I don't like the Safari design tho.... visually it doesn't work for me.
The Safari is meant to be an entry level pen and the grip designed to get new users used to holding a fountain pen.
Their other pens are the ones aimed at the more experienced users.
I don't think anyone could have predicted how an entry level pen like the Safari has managed to gain such a cult status and become collectible. I imagine other manufacturers are pretty envious of this.
Strangely enough, the Safari is apparently more resistant/resilient to rough treatment than the aluminium bodied AlStars. Seemingly the colour goes after a lot of knocking around.

I totally get that about them... they are just not for me.

whych
July 4th, 2013, 06:41 PM
I totally get that about them... they are just not for me.
I agree with that. They are just too big and cumbersome for me. Also, I wonder how well they do with an oblique nib where you need to rotate the pen to get the nib correctly oriented to the page.

tandaina
July 4th, 2013, 07:08 PM
Yup, I try would just streamline that HUGE obnoxious cap I'd be much more interested. As is they are just awkward.

bigmac53
February 17th, 2014, 06:35 AM
I love the price vs quality aspect of them, the way they feel in the hand, the color choices, and especially the ease of swapping nibs. I think Lamys are some of the best pens around for the money.

85AKbN
February 17th, 2014, 07:18 AM
What is it that draws you to Lamy writing instruments?
My first fp was a silver Lamy Al-Star (fine). For whatever reason I had fountain pen on the brain and google led me to an amazon vendor and I got down to reading the reviews. Kind of like going through a fp forum review thread - likes, dislikes, filling, ink, etc. Got the Al-Star and a z24 converter. Some recommended Noodler's ink - so I got a bottle of bulletproof black. Then, I found the fp forums and had a Lamy 2000 fine on order and shipped before the Al-Star evern arrived. What drew me to the 2000 was it's company history - a thread titled Lamy 2000 and the origins of the Lamy Design - "Bauhaus principle of functional design: ‘form follows function'." How the former Parker employee launched his own fountain pen company.

My next Lamy was a Black Al-Star, fine, then another Lamy 2000 fine. Lastly my first Safari in blue (also fine). Turns out I must be lucky as every one of them has written ootb with no drama. Like a timex watch. All have been inked to capacity at least once and run until dry.


I'm interested in the 2K for its look. Is it really really heavy?
It has heft. Here are some weights from various sites (hard to nail down one number for one pen, but they are ballpark and give you an idea to visualize writing with them):

36.39 1.283 oz Parson's Essential fpg review ***
35.0g 1.234 oz Parson's Essential mrpen.co.uk/
34.1g 1.202 oz Pelikan M1000 pelikan.com
32.6g 1.149 oz Pelikan M1000 cultpens
30.0g 1.058 oz Pilot VP
31.0g 1.093 oz Lamy Studio
29.3g 1.033 oz Pelikan M800 pelikan.com
28.2g 0.994 oz Pelikan M800 cultpens
26.1g 0.920 oz Omas 360 Vintage LE cfp
25.5g 0.899 oz Pelikan M800 cfp
25.0g 0.881 oz Lamy 2000
24.6g 0.867 oz Platinum 3776 Century black cfp
22.2g 0.783 oz Nakaya Portable Cigar
22.0g 0.776 oz Lamy Al-Star
20.0g 0.705 oz Platinum Pen 3776
20.0g 0.705 oz Pilot Decimo
17.6g 0.620 oz Pelikan M600 cfp
17.0g 0.599 oz Lamy Safari
15.3g 0.539 oz Pelikan M400NN
14.6g 0.515 oz Pelikan M101N

chatminouche
August 6th, 2014, 09:27 AM
I just bought my first Lamy a few weeks ago, and I have to say I now understand why people have dozens and dozens in their collection!

I wasn't too sure about buying one because I really didn't like the look of the nib... but the moment nib touched paper, I was smitten! What a buttery smooth writer... for the affordable price, no wonder people are crazy about their Lamys! The pen feels very well-made, sturdy, and I actually like the grip section's indents...

I am also a fan of black pens... I have been trying to limit my addiction by narrowing my search field to only purchasing black pens, and since Lamy is so vibrant in their colours, I have been overlooking them... However, I do like demonstrators... so, I bought a Vista, and I really enjoy seeing the ink I'm using through the body...

I have to say that I'm now a convert to the Lamy Club... I will be adding more to my collection in the future... and possibly in different colours!! ;)

VertOlive
August 6th, 2014, 11:18 AM
Well, dangitt. Now I'm coming 'round after giving my first one away. I went for the Neon Coral earlier this year and got the nib I really wanted [a 1.1] and love the pen to pieces. Now I have a Vista on order. And a used Safari on the way in the same color as the one I gave away [plan to swap the nib...].

Why? They are comfortable to write with and I enjoy color. But I refuse to start hunting rare color editions.

Well, maybe the Savannah.....or some other "rare" green.

Lady Onogaro
August 6th, 2014, 12:39 PM
I just bought my first Lamy a few weeks ago, and I have to say I now understand why people have dozens and dozens in their collection!

I wasn't too sure about buying one because I really didn't like the look of the nib... but the moment nib touched paper, I was smitten! What a buttery smooth writer... for the affordable price, no wonder people are crazy about their Lamys! The pen feels very well-made, sturdy, and I actually like the grip section's indents...

I am also a fan of black pens... I have been trying to limit my addiction by narrowing my search field to only purchasing black pens, and since Lamy is so vibrant in their colours, I have been overlooking them... However, I do like demonstrators... so, I bought a Vista, and I really enjoy seeing the ink I'm using through the body...

I have to say that I'm now a convert to the Lamy Club... I will be adding more to my collection in the future... and possibly in different colours!! ;)

If you like black pens, you could buy the Lamy Safari in Shiny Black. Or you could buy the Charcoal one (I like the texture on that one).

GING GING
August 7th, 2014, 10:29 PM
13201
This is why LAMY

amk
August 8th, 2014, 03:09 AM
Why Lamy?

- All their pens *feel* right. They feel good quality. For instance, the plastic used in the Safari is not soft, rubbery, or light. I particularly like the Lamy Joy; with its strong red/black contrast, its shiny sleek lines, it looks so much more fetching than the Rotring Artpen. (And let me give a shoutout here for the Lamy Taxus 2000 ballpoint - yew wood, wonderfully sleek and soft and caressable. Can I stop stroking it long enough to write with it?)
- The detailing is excellent. That's something that came out strongly in recent discussions about the Hero/Jinhao knockoffs of the Safari.
- The design is always top notch original design. These are not pens that look like anyone else's. The same Bauhaus values that Lamy started with.
- Swappable nibs (except on the 2000). Even better, swappable *gold* nibs! (Lamy Accent and Studio)
- And they work. The only Lamy I have that doesn't delight me is a Vista, and while that nib's perfectly serviceable, it just for some reason isn't actually *fun* to write with. All the others are. Maybe I should do some tweaking.
- Robust, as well. These are not pens you have to worry about or put white gloves on before you use them. Though it is true, using Lamy 2000s for a game of darts is probably not going to get you the best results.

Yes, I love Lamy!

GING GING
August 8th, 2014, 11:46 AM
13201
This is why LAMY

Sorry about the horrible picture quality.

VertOlive
September 5th, 2014, 10:41 PM
Got my Vista. Put a Z26 converter in it so the red color of the Z24 doesn't drive me nuts. It's a happy thing!

AtomicLeo
September 6th, 2014, 09:26 AM
My first fountain pen was a yellow Lamy Safari and it is still one of the best writers in my collection. I like that I can take them to the office, use them at home for journaling and pack them along on trips. None of them has cost more than $60. I love that I can collect different colors every year without spending 100s dollars. I can swap out nibs easily and the sizes range from EF up to a 1.9mm stub. With the exception of one Charcoal Safari, I haven't had any issues writing with any of them right out of the box. I can't say that about any other pen manufacture in my collection.

johnus
September 6th, 2014, 03:50 PM
First: Not writing this to cause a controversy.
I have a Lamy safari and I also have a number of its clones. Most have been under 5$ delivered. At first the colors on the clones are what attracted me the most. And the prices allow me to have all their colors.
I be just started on the Hero Lamy clones. Photo:13918. These now have clips similar to the Lamy. Or could it be the Lamys are made by the same Chinese company????

writingrav
September 7th, 2014, 06:42 AM
I think the Lamy 2000 is the most perfectly designed and dependable pen.I t has an elegance that never fades and is both comfortable and writes perfectly every time. I appreciate the Safaris and have about 10. Strangely I have never liked the al-star and don't have the studio,

top pen
September 7th, 2014, 07:41 AM
I don't want to be party crasher but I have mixed feelings about Lamy as brand which I will expand on.

The Good
What I really like about Lamy is there bauhaus design philosophy Form and function in harmony. These days I find a lot of fountain pens are designed with a show off mentality that I don't particular like as it almost makes the user seem pretentious and to some degree materialistic. My favorite pen designs are more subtle such as the Parker 61, rotring 400, 700 etc.

I also like how Lamy has one of the larger ranges of products which are orientated to a wider range of budgets.

I also like how they have a continuous history and don't try and associate themselves with a defunct company from the hay day.

The Bad
I know others see this cross compatibility (I know the 2000 and Dialog 3 have different nibs but that's only 3) of the nibs as beneficial but I don't particularly as it gives me no reason to consider buying another Lamy once I own one that I like. To me writing experience is more important then design ultimately if a Nexx has the same nib as a scala what's the real point in buying an £80 when it's going to write like a £12 pen.

The QC on steel nibs could improve I've had one bad nib one good nib one OK nib so far. But I've seen on FPN someone bought a safari and there nib hadn't been slit.


Overall I consider a Lamy as a good brand however I'd like to see the QC improve and greater degree of differentiation between there products. I will probably one day look into a 2000.

Ste_S
September 7th, 2014, 11:35 AM
Re The use of the Z50 nib across the Lamy range. I'd argue that the majority of stainless steel nibs are not going to have any noticeable differences between them.

With increased price your going to be paying for differences in barrel/cap materials and finishing, not for any noticeable differences in a stainless steel nib

The Visconti Van Gough costs 10x the cost of a Safari, yet they both have stainless steel nibs

tinysnail
September 7th, 2014, 02:48 PM
My first fountain pen was a Lamy Safari (I am not counting the Varsities I'd had before that as my first fountain pen) and I've bought another Safari and an Al-Star since. They're wonderfully dependable and I feel comfortable using them as my school pens. None of them have ever had any problems with the inks I put in them. I'm happy with them! A Lamy 2000 may be in my future; I love the history and design of the pen.

Lamy has a pretty solid presence around here. They sell Lamy pens in my university's bookstore... I definitely remember the looks of longing I'd give the display before I was comfortable spending more than a few dollars on a pen (ahahaha.. ha.. oh boy). The Safari's design seems to be pretty polarizing, but I like it and it helps them to appear modern and function-oriented, which is important when they're marketing to students!

velo
September 8th, 2014, 11:16 PM
Re The use of the Z50 nib across the Lamy range. I'd argue that the majority of stainless steel nibs are not going to have any noticeable differences between them.

With increased price your going to be paying for differences in barrel/cap materials and finishing, not for any noticeable differences in a stainless steel nib

The Visconti Van Gough costs 10x the cost of a Safari, yet they both have stainless steel nibs

This is something that gives me pause when looking at some of the brands at the $150+ range. From that point on you need to offer me a gold nib.

Faustine
September 9th, 2014, 09:59 AM
I started with Lamy and have been using them for 7 years now. I love them for the same reason many posters have already mentioned: they are lightweight, affordable, durable workhorses that you won't break the bank if you (knock on wood) lose one. I love the nib switchability - I'm almost to the point now that I don't even keep the original nibs with my pens anymore. I have a huge stash of extra Lamy nibs now, and just swap them out as needed to whatever favorite color I'm using at the moment, so I've lost track for most of them what came with what. They always write well for me (with the exception of the problematic quality control on the EF nibs, which can be a toss up) - the F, M, B and italic nibs are wonderful writers (LOVE that italic 1.1!!). I like the triangular grip, and find it easier to use than traditional round barrels.

More importantly, I love color. BRIGHT COLOR. I HATE boring traditional black cigar style pens, no matter how high quality they may be, I'd never look at them twice (I'm well aware I'm in the minority about this). And the Lamy line has had the most colorful releases that I've seen since I started collecting. Pilot Preras of a few years ago came close, but that's about it. Just looking at these on my desk makes me really happy.

http://scontent-a.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xaf1/t51.2885-15/10632453_756705431055340_157818335_n.jpg

FayeV
September 9th, 2014, 01:31 PM
Got my Vista. Put a Z26 converter in it so the red color of the Z24 doesn't drive me nuts. It's a happy thing!

I actually don't mind the red Z24 and black Z26 converters ... and I wish they came in more colors to help me "color code" my Vistas.
That way I can just glance at the pen and know which one it is without uncapping to check nib size or ink color.

Right now ...
My Vista with the red converter is the one with the 1.1 nib filled with Apache Sunset.
My Vista with the black converter is the one with the EF nib filled with Purple Heart.

Apache Sunset stands out inside the converter, however most of the time my inks are so dark that both would appear black and I wouldn't be able to tell them apart otherwise.

Waski_the_Squirrel
September 9th, 2014, 04:53 PM
I have two Lamys wandering around. One is a Lamy ABC which is relegated to my desk at school: I use it to correct papers, but basically don't like it. I figure it has my name on it which may protect it, but it's no loss if I lose it.

I also have a Lamy Safari I recently dug up. I've been writing with it to decide if it belongs in the giveaway list. It's okay.

I will grant that Lamy is a bright pen, and I do like that. But, the writing isn't all that special with them. I don't see another Lamy anywhere even on the far horizon. I may purchase a 1.9mm nib for fun, but that's about it. Not bad pens, but not special either.

What I do think is that they have found a niche and do an excellent job filling that niche. They are good pens. I just don't happen to have much interest in that niche.

jacksterp
November 18th, 2014, 02:11 AM
Only have three, but I really like them.

Guess that's all that matters...

Chuasam
December 8th, 2014, 01:20 PM
Bauhaus design
Nothing flashy and ostentatious.
Reasonably priced and just beautiful

Newjelan
December 11th, 2014, 03:03 PM
I have 3 Safaris, 3 Nexx, 1 Al-star, 2 Studios (1 with a Gold nib) and both versions of the 2000. I regularly read of QC problems but I must be lucky. All of mine have worked perfectly out of the box. I've come to realize that Lamy & Pilot are far and away my favorite brands.

jks2014
December 18th, 2014, 07:22 AM
it looks cool ,good reputations & it's really affordable !

rgperedo
January 13th, 2015, 09:18 PM
Originally I was in love with my yellow Safari (one of my first fp's). I have since gotten other pens that I can honestly say are much better and are much more comfortable.

With that being said I still use my yellow Safari, my charcoal Safari and my Vista. I use one to draw. I carry it everywhere and I'm not worried about beating it up, and the other two have a 1.1 and a 1.5 nib. I use them often for practicing calligraphy. I think that is one of the best reason to have these. They're inexpensive and can swap nibs easily.

I would not compare them however to the writing experience of any of my Pelikans or other "nicer" pens.

I personally don't need any more Safari pens. The only reason to get one more would be to put a larger calligraphy nib so I can play around. They're solid pens that you shouldn't mind beating up. You definitely get your money's worth. I have never had a problem with Lamy pens and I love my 2000, it is amazing.

I wouldn't collect any of the Safari pens, but I definitely like the photos and can appreciate people's collections.

tandaina
January 13th, 2015, 10:09 PM
I bought some Lamy because I love German pens. The Safaris do nothing for me, the modern 2000 is nice but not standout. The old Lamy I have (60s era, gold nib OB) is wonderful!

picautomaton
January 14th, 2015, 02:35 AM
The charcoal Safari I consider one of the first 'stealth' pens. Love the engineering and tough plastic.

Lamy 2000 is simply a brilliant pen, am I right in saying it's been around and still in production for half a century!

stevekolt
January 14th, 2015, 08:42 PM
First: Not writing this to cause a controversy.
I have a Lamy safari and I also have a number of its clones. Most have been under 5$ delivered. At first the colors on the clones are what attracted me the most. And the prices allow me to have all their colors.
I be just started on the Hero Lamy clones. Photo:13918. These now have clips similar to the Lamy. Or could it be the Lamys are made by the same Chinese company????

I am admittedly a Lamy fan. I own a number of their pens from the 2000, to Al-Stars and Safaris. I personally would not buy a "Hero" clone, because it is a direct steal of Lamy's intellectual property and design. There is no originality whatsoever. I also would not buy a knock off of some very popular knives, because they are just stolen designs also. Just mho....and not knocking those that do buy them.

Chuasam
February 9th, 2015, 06:40 PM
I'm a huge fan of the Bauhaus design. I have several Lamy pens. I don't have a safari because that's not my style but I have a CP1 and a 2000 as well as a few rollerball and ballpoint pens

Laura N
February 9th, 2015, 07:59 PM
I be just started on the Hero Lamy clones. These now have clips similar to the Lamy. Or could it be the Lamys are made by the same Chinese company????

Lamy Safaris are made in the Lamy factory in Germany (http://www.lamy.com/content/the_company/brand/made_in_germany/index_eng.html). The company pays wages and benefits at an EU rate. Also, of course, the company paid for the original design and engineering for the pen.

Someone wrote about a visit to the Lamy factory -- they make everything there, including the nibs. In fact, here is a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epotycs8lyg) that Lamy made about the company, which shows some of the design and manufacturing process.

Dancingfountain
February 11th, 2015, 06:54 PM
I am a newbie FP Geek (but since I have a "pocket necklace" I am well on my way. After lots of reading and research, I got the Lamy Safari (Coral) pen. I have to say, lots of things sold me like the nib replace (I have yet to try) and the converter cartridge (again, on the next order)...but I have to say until I saw the Coral, I wasn't really excited about the regular colors. Since my fifth grade teacher retrained us on correct handwriting grip (and if you want to work on it--I agree with earlier comment that this pen will help having taught students handwriting for years)--I love it! It was also in the moderate range. And like others, I now echo the fact that I want to write (again) all the time. It has been a healing point--since journalling and writing spiritual mediations have been something I had not been doing often enough.

StacyBean
February 11th, 2015, 07:18 PM
I was truly stunned when I encountered a Lamy Al-Star at a local paperie and was able to hold and examine it closely. It felt lovely in my hand and a long standing aversion to the design ( how I hated the clip!) dissolved. I purchased the Ocean Blue Special Edition with a 1.1mm italic nib and have used it daily at work for months with great pleasure.
I then purchased the Lamy2000 with a B nib. I deeply appreciate this pen's design and quality. I am not enamored with the metal grip section, I find it a touch slippery but what a nib!
An unexpected Lamy fan, indeed.

johnus
February 12th, 2015, 10:13 AM
It is nice when you're able to actually see and hold something before you buy it. Enjoy!

Dancingfountain
February 13th, 2015, 10:01 AM
StacyBean--I'm glad I wasn't the only one that didn't like the clip on Lamy design. But the awesome limited color helped. Now I am totally fine with it. I'll have to look at the other models...

Uncle Bud
March 9th, 2015, 02:15 PM
I have a couple of 2000s, a metal one and a normal makrolon one. I also have a complete collection of Al-Stars. I like Lamy coz they are workhorses that simply just work. I agree with others though, I am not keen on the safari/al-star clip.

TSherbs
March 11th, 2015, 08:18 AM
I was truly stunned when I encountered a Lamy Al-Star at a local paperie and was able to hold and examine it closely. It felt lovely in my hand and a long standing aversion to the design ( how I hated the clip!) dissolved. I purchased the Ocean Blue Special Edition with a 1.1mm italic nib and have used it daily at work for months with great pleasure.
I then purchased the Lamy2000 with a B nib. I deeply appreciate this pen's design and quality. I am not enamored with the metal grip section, I find it a touch slippery but what a nib!
An unexpected Lamy fan, indeed.

I LOVE the section on the Makrolon version. Do you have the steel version?

t3design
March 11th, 2015, 09:07 PM
Love the company in general. Love good German engineering with bauhaus heritage. Love the industrial design of the Safari and ALstar (and it probably doesn't hurt that it was originally designed for children.) I'm an engineer by education though I've moved into executive management, and I still like the geek factor of having my Safari (whichever color I select for the day) clipped in my shirt. And I love that all 12 of my Lamy's totaled cost less than the Mont Blanc that didn't write as well and I lost anyway...