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?

[Ron Z]

The ammonia that we buy at the grocery store. I suppose that is already diluted to a certain extent. I realize that may not be available in all countries....

[Chrissy]

The ammonia that we buy at the grocery store. I suppose that is already diluted to a certain extent. I realize that may not be available in all countries....

So we're not talking an ammonia to water solutuion of 1 part to 7 or 10 parts here. I wasn't aware that we could use it straight from the bottle without any additional dilution. Dunno what dilution the stuff I can buy here is.

[Ron Z]

I missed the word water in there.

[Motomachi10]

The Lamy 2000 is an excellent pen, not fancy or attention-attracting like other brands in the pen world. I have had one for more than forty years without any problem. If you look at it with a magnifying lens you can see little scars from usage but nothing significant from when it was carried in the pocket without a leather case. Now I have a Lamy 2000 steel that doesn't hide the minor signs of use so well.

[Andrew_Lensky]

The steel one looks stylish, but that's really is all, the makrolon version is much more convenient and comfortable as a writing tool.

[choombak]

I acquired a Lamy 2000 a few months ago, and am pleasantly surprised by it boring yet addictive nature. The "sweet spot" for the nib also bit me, and I sent it to Lamy US, only to get it back "as-is" with a hand-written note (with the same pen) indicating the pen is writing as designed. I guess that is what you get for reading too many reviews... :-)

It has been in my backpack for all the time, is absolutely bomb-proof, and for some reason I cannot fathom attractive to boot. I guess there is a reason why this same boring design is around for several decades now.

[Andrew_Lensky]

Because this is the real Bauhaus. Usual minimalism, but the most effective without aplomb.

[Motomachi10]

Lamy 2000,if no accident, will last 40 or 50 years without any problem. If a pen is working correctly why disassemble it?

[Andrew_Lensky]

will last 40 or 50 years without any problem. If a pen is working correctly why disassemble it?

It depends on how much the owner writes and on what paper. And prevention should still be done, at least for lubricate the piston.
A car that undergoes regular services will work much longer than one that has not been serviced.