Lamy 2000 Makrolon Review- Masterpiece since 1966 but it has some flaws you must know

[Chrissy]

You really don't need to flush/clean a pen with every fill. Really. The act of filling the pen flushes the pen if you cycle the filler two or three times. Disassembly and cleaning every nook and cranny is a waste of time, and in some cases damages the pen. Taking the Lamy 2000 apart risks losing the pressure/clutch ring, and since most people over tighten the section when they put it back on, the threads on the barrel can be stressed and crack. Left alone, they are fine.

As noted, the only time that you need to flush a pen is when you are going to change inks or put pens away for a while. A couple caps full of ammonia and a few drops of Dawn dish detergent in a small glass, flushed through the pen will remove the ink, shake the excess out, rinse with water. I've taken pens apart after doing this, and the feed etc are clean.


I have often had pens handed to me for cleaning because the owner used cartridges only, and the pen was clogged. I clean it, and when I hand it back I tell them to use a converter and bottled ink, saying that if they do they won't need to have me clean it again. I check back some time later and ask how the pen is writing, and invariably they tell me that they haven't had a problem since they switched to a converter.

As someone who has repaired pens for 30 years, and used fountain pens for longer than that, I can tell you that constant cleaning, especially trying to get the pen squeaky clean, is a waste of time if you are using bottled ink.

Edit to add - as a pen mechanic and Lamy 2000 owner for a couple of decades, I consider the 2000 to be a very well designed, very well made, and very reliable pen with very good nibs.

Thank you for your excellent insight.
Please can I play the noob on behalf of all noobs for a moment and confirm that when you say "A couple caps full of ammonia and a few drops of Dawn dish detergent in a small glass, flushed through the pen will remove the ink" you do mean diluted ammonia as we normally use?