Lamy 2000 Observations (From a Relative Newbie)

[michaeldoleman]

I've written a little bit about my "path" into fountain pen enthusiasm in other posts, but will recap it here, since it's relevant:

I started-out simply wanting to improve my overall penmanship, so purchased a couple entry-level fountain pens for that specific purpose. As an engineer, and as per my usual direction of interest, I quickly became fascinated with the pens themselves, and started to gain some knowledge about them. From the typical entry-level pens (Pilot Metropolitan, Lamy Safari, Kaweco Sport), I initially loved the Lamy Safari, but then quickly gravitated a bit more toward the much finer line-quality of the Pilot Metro. I purchased a Pilot Custom 74 as my first "fine" pen, and have really enjoyed it. Curiously, though, I started to move away from my love of razor-thin lines, and began to appreciate the Lamy pens once more. I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger on a 2000 (in F), which had initially been my target for my first really nice pen. I now have it, and have written a bit with it...

...and what follows are some observations about it... I'm writing these down to be of help to other beginners who are considering a 2000, and also (hopefully) to get some feedback regarding a couple little issues I've had. I'm going to write my observations as an objective assessment of some of the more *superlative* (both positive and negative) commentary I've read, regarding the pen. I'm doing it this way because it seems like the 2000, in particular, draws very strong responses from lovers and haters. Here goes:

`The design is amazing; the pen is so beautiful!' ... I would generally concur with these sorts of comments, but tone-down the hyperbole a bit. The pen, in my objective-as-possible opinion, does have a certain something about it. I'd seen plenty of pictures of the pen, before buying, but nothing could have prepared me for the giddy experience of unboxing and beholding the beautiful, balanced lines. Someone put some effort into the design, and it shows. The pen manages to stand-out, without making an overt statement. That said, the design is very modern, unadorned in any way, and does depart from the classic fountain pen shapes that time had honored for many decades before the 2000 came along. So in that respect the design could be said to be a bit bold and even contrarian, in a way -- which is always a risk. I think the 2000 more or less succeeds in setting a new standard, but I could also sympathize with someone taking a look at it and deciding it wasn't for them.

And that leads into the converse statements I've occasionally heard, along the lines of: `The design is so hideous! It's modern just for the sake of being modern!' ... I can completely understand the stance of someone who really likes traditional pen designs, including more embellished details. There's something to be said for simply sticking-to a tried-and-true formula, and finding a way to put one's own unique spin on that formula, without completely re-inventing the wheel, so to speak. So, if your thing is traditional pens, then the 2000 is maybe not for you. I can see that, but I also don't agree that the design of the 2000 fails in any significant way. I, myself, am a fairly traditionally-minded person, and my eye loves the design of the pen.

`It feels amazing in the hand' ... I generally concur with the praise over the way the pen feels and handles. I appreciate a somewhat heavier pen, and the 2000 slots nicely in-between a real lightweight, versus the truly hefty pens that I've had occasion to pick-up. It feels just about right, to me, weight-wise. The texture of the body material adds a certain dimension to the experience which I was not expecting. I hadn't even thought about how the matte finish of the Makrolon (which in reality is just a variation of polycarbonate) body would affect the handling of the pen, but it does -- in a positive way. It has a really nice feel to it.

`It's difficult to grip.' ... I've seen commentary and/or reviews in which users claim that the taper of the body makes the pen somewhat challenging to grip properly. My own preferences and experience have not revealed any sort of problems in this area. If anything, I rather like the way the body tapers all the way down to the nib. I feel that this design leaves room for a lot of freedom in hand/finger positioning. Also -- a minor point -- the taper makes it very slightly easier to see what you're actively writing, from all angles.

`The cap nubs get in the way' ... In case you don't know, the press-on cap of the pen is secured in it's closed position by way of a couple very subtle little nubs that protrude ever so slightly from the barrel of the pen, right at the grip area. Some people claim that these are an annoyance. I will be honest and say that this aspect of the pen's design worried me a little bit, and it was one of the two or three reasons I'd initially hesitated to buy one. In practice, it's turned-out to be a virtual non-issue. I'll say that I do notice the nubs, occasionally. They are not bothersome, and they do not get in the way. But they are there, and every once in a while they make their presence known. It's the one, single aspect of the overall design for which I wish they'd come-up with some other solution. It's not a big deal; I was able to get past it within a minute or two.

`The ink window is useless' ... Yeah, it could be a bit bigger. But making it more prominent might ruin the otherwise sleek lines of the pen. Which -- again -- if you think that's a sacrifice of functionality in favor of design concept, then so be it, and I wouldn't fault anyone for having that opinion. But the window is not useless. It's simple enough to hold the pen up to the light to confirm the color of ink and that there is still some left. It's fine, especially compared to those pens which -- you know -- have no ink window at all.

`It writes like a dream!' ... Well, okay, yes. Let there be absolutely no doubt that it's a truly fine writer. Compared to all the other pens in my (admittedly very modest) collection, it is hands-down the smoothest by far. The nib does seem to glide effortlessly along a sheet of Rhodia, while still providing just enough reassuring friction & feedback to remind you of what you're doing. The line quality is solidly consistent (following a bit of frustration -- explained just below) and relatively easy to control. There is just about exactly enough give to the nib to suit my own personal tastes. Some people label the nib as too soft, but I have not found that to be even remotely the case. I find it to be about perfect for normal writing. That said, I think that some reviews and commentary get overly carried-away with praise. I fully expect that at some point I'll own another pen that writes as well, or better. I get the impression that there is almost something of a Lamy 2000 cult, wherein the members are convinced of the magical writing capabilities of the pen -- that it's somehow imbued with qualities that make it unassailable as the finest writing instrument available. I certainly do not subscribe to this belief, myself, and would advise anyone hoping for it to be so to manage their expectations accordingly.

`The pen writes so wet!' ... These sorts of observations are not wrong, but I think that they commonly overstate the matter. The nib is very generous with ink flow, yes. If you are used to a more conservative nib, it'll take some getting used-to. My own writing style is small, slow, and deliberate, and even with those factors, I've found the ink flow to be totally manageable. That said: there's a part of me that wishes I'd opted for the extra-fine nib, but that's another story. I would say that the ink flow of the 2000 is perhaps just a little bit higher than average -- not a gusher, as some would have you believe.

`A Lamy fine is more like a medium or even broad in any other pen brand' ... It's certainly true that Lamy nibs tend toward being wider for their given designation. What I'm beginning to think, however, is that the truth of the matter is somewhere in the middle, rather than Lamy being the specific outlier. I.e., I think it's truer to say that (for example) Pilot nibs run toward the narrower end of the spectrum by a little bit, and a true F is somewhere between what Lamy vs. Pilot says it is. If you're used-to, and prefer a particular width, size down accordingly. As I stated above, I almost wish I'd gone for the EF. But the F is great, too, and I'm not at all unhappy with it.

`Quality control on the nib is inconsistent' ... Based on my one and only experience, I would have to lend some credence to these sorts of observations, while at the same time toning them down somewhat. My pen did not write well straight out of the box. I loaded it up, initially, with Robert Oster Signature ink, and was rather dismayed at the line quality -- the pen was bleeding ink all over the place. I couldn't get it to put down a decent line at all. Given that my much cheaper Lamy pens, however, perform wonderfully, I thought `that can't be right.' A quick examination of the nib revealed a distinct tine misalignment. Which, even as a total novice, I was able to easily correct within a minute or two. Even with that correction, however, the Oster ink proved to be a little bit overly thin. I switched that out for Waterman Serenity Blue, and suddenly all was right in the world. The pen started producing very lovely lines and, a page or so later, just got better and better. It is, now, my favorite pen to write with -- it clearly produces the best lines. And this makes me wonder what other issues the nib might have, and perhaps it would write even better if tuned by an expert. And this is, admittedly, a bit frustrating. A nearly $200 pen -- in my opinion -- should be tuned and ready to go. Or, at least, an issue such as a major tine misalignment should be caught at the factory. I'm the sort of person who is curious and handy enough to overlook it and actually be happy for the opportunity to apply a little DIY elbow grease to the problem. But if you are not that sort of person, and need your pen to be perfect right out of the box, this might be a major concern -- something to seriously think about.

My bottom-line: the Lamy 2000 is truly a fantastic pen. I would recommend it to almost anyone, with very few caveats. I think that for what it is, however, it's perhaps just very slightly overpriced. If it were, say, $125 as opposed to the common retail price of around $170, I'd call it a bargain. I feel that one is paying a premium simply for the reputation and stature of the pen as a design icon. In that regard, I might compare the pricing to Apple products. If you love them, then you're willing to pay a bit more for what might be considered "intangible" reasons. Some people might consider those reasons to be ludicrous, while others couldn't be happier to own a product which, to them, possesses qualities that can't be found elsewhere. I think that I, personally, have at least a couple toes, if not a whole foot, in that camp (I'm a Mac user -- guilty as charged). If the design of the pen speaks to you, then definitely get one. The "unboxing experience" alone was, for me, almost worth the price of admission :-) Truly, the initial satisfaction of viewing and holding the pen is joyful.

The pen will certainly remain in my collection, and as of now it has assumed the position as my first choice when I sit down to write.

--- Adding 3/22/2019:

Another item I wanted to add is that, in my experience, the 2000 demands that excess ink be carefully cleaned from the nib, after filling. It also helps to write for a few turns, right after filling, in order for the pen to hit its stride and start producing a really good, consistent line quality. This is something of an annoyance, and not something I've noticed in other pens, to quite the same, pronounced degree. Again, it's something which isn't really all that big of a deal, but it's one more small issue that you have to learn to cope with. I'm the sort of person who actually likes those little quirky differences between pens, so to me it's not an issue. But, again, if you are hoping for a pen that is essentially free from the need to pay special attention, then this is one more area of concern to chalk-up against the 2000.