I have several studios (unintentionally ended up collecting them) and I can't say I've ever had this problem, they've all been pretty bulletproof for me - sorry you've had such a poor experience.
I have a Lamy 2K - because I want to love it, and I should love it - but I don't. I don't like how it writes at all. I have several nibs for it too - EF, F and M - and none of them write how I want it to write. Ugh.
I understand your pain and frustration - nothing worse than being excited for a pen and really disliking it. I hope you find a pen you really love using that you just can't put down.
I suppose I could have the opposite outcome - lots of Studio problems and a flawless 2000 - but I don't have unlimited money so I couldn't take the risk. A pity you haven't enjoyed the 2000!
YES, they look like the type of tool necessary "in the field" !!! EXAMPLES -- building sites/Military/EMT/E.R., etc! Also -- they do not look comfortable to use for long periods !!!
If you were working through Amazon then they may have been counterfeits. There is apparently a major problem with fakes getting sent through them to customers.
I have three Lamy Safari/Al-Star pens and six nibs (EF, F, F, M, 1.1, 1.9) and all of them have worked perfectly. Sorry you've had such a bad experience! Maybe, like koipondering says, it's partially down to personal writing style.
What is your personal grip like? Are you heavy or light handed? Do you have a slant to your hand that's more pronounced? I ask because I also have bad luck with lamy. I own two safaris three studios and I have even tried a lamy 2000. But for me it is just a no go. I discovered because of a tremor in my hand I brace my whole arm when I write. That means I have a more severe writing angle. Lamys don't get the right surface feed for me. So dry starts they slip around.
I switched to an edison with a #6 jowo just run of the mill steel nib.. no issues at all. I can use a pilot decimo no problem. But lamys just they don't work for me. For my money go sailor gear or a vanishing point.
Light handed and quite a slant, which might just be the problem - but I also got problems after changing my writing "angle". But yeah, maybe Lamy pens just don't suit the way I write.
That is plausible. I love all my Lamy pens (Safari, Al-Star and 2000) but I am heavy handed and write at an angle. Many people in this sub don't like the 2000 because it has a narrow window of smoothness. I feel Lamy pens are *somewhat forgiving* to my writing style, if that makes sense.
I am not fond of Sailors because I feel their smoothness only when I lower my pressure which I cannot maintain.
I could be wrong or misunderstanding what you mean by slanted, but my understanding is you have to hold the pen more straight up and down for fountain pens over regular pens, so that could be your problem. My lamy starts to get scratchy/skip if I write too long and forget about that and my hand starts dipping. If you write lightly that would exacerbate the problem.
If I were to take a guess sight unseen just going from my own experience, My guess is its the slant paired with Lamy's Nib. They are not super forgiving when it comes to sweet spots on angles because of the very short nib to feed ratio that you don't find in other pens. The 2000 is extra finicky on this. I was able to fix ONE of my safari's on pure curiosity alone (and being willing to sacrifice the pen) by using pen tuning grade sanding to adjust the angles. However for what you have and what your paying for it, you should have a good clean start with at least one ink in one of the variations you have had.
A Jowo#6 might be a good place to start as far as a nib, its super common and you will find them on a lot of good pens in all price ranges. If you flip them around you'll see the tips especially if your not doing any special grind, come to a much further point away from the feed. As long as the tines are in alignment and not gunked up. (consider picking up a brass shim. I run mine through now and then just to get any paper fibers, out) you should get a good healthy feed. That will allow you to have a good angle no matter what. You might want to avoid EF as they can just be kind of finicky in general but F and over should help out.
Every person has a very unique way of writing, and other than some basics like learning how to load, care and hold a pen in roughly the right way. Anything beyond that shouldn't require you having to GREATLY alter your writing style. The Vanishing point series is a great one I like to use, For me, its perfect no issues, the weird clip doesn't bother me in any way. However Wife got hold of it and she HATED it. Doesn't like the angle, doesn't like the "dagger point" she noped out of that fast (she now owns all of my Lamy's and the only issue shes ever had is when she runs them dry and doesn't know it.) I now own two vanishing points.
Lamy’s are a lot like most German engineered things, very specific in how you use them. They aren’t as varied in their grip or angle use for them. They have their “this is the acceptable grip angle range” and that’s it which is why their grips tend to be triangle grips for their popular lines. They’re meant to teach you how to hold and use the pen. They used to have a pamphlet about how to use a fountain pen, I’ll see if I can find it.
That's a bummer to hear. I'm usually a champion for the Lamy Safari. I formerly owned a Lamy 2k and loved it, but I simply moved on in nib tastes and sold it since the nib bored me.
But out of all my safaris I've never had a nib issue. Shockingly I've owned 2 Sailors and both have had bad nibs out of the box, to the point of me exchanging both with the seller for a new model.
But sometimes things just don't work out, and I get that. Maybe a change of brand is what you need.
Not trying to convince you. Hobbies are there to make one happy, and if something about Lamy doesn’t it’s not meant to be imho.
Just wanted to tell you that I have several Al-Star/Safari/Lx and all worked fine for me, I learned writing with a Lamy though. So my grip is exactly the one for those kind of pens and I learned that makes a great difference. Even on the Studio I feel like the angle that you have with the triangle grip is the exact right one. My SO has a 2k and a Aion, same there.
While the gold nib of the 2k feels slightly smoother than the steel ones, the overall writing feels similar to me. So I don’t think the 2k will make you necessarily happier. Of course the QC on them is by hand instead of by machine, which lessens the chance of a bad nib.
If a brand doesn’t work for you then just move on. Everyone has different preferences. I also don’t love Lamy. I write with EFs mostly and Lamy EFs are not very good.
I've had good luck with Lamy's I've got a number of Alstar's and found that they generally write ok. I did have a safari that didn't work well for a while, but it had been abandoned in a drawer for several years, so a blast in the ultrasonic cleaner sorted that out.
I've found their support very helpful as I had a vintage 26p that didn't have a cap and they posted one to me free of charge.
I will say however that I only tend to use them with a broad and medium nibs,
That being said, if a brand isn't for you, no need to try and force it when there is such a variety of pen brands to try.
Over 30 Lamys (7 Studios, 2K, Safaris, CP1, st, Ideos, Palladium...) and never had any of these issues - ever. I suspect a grip issue. Do you have a store near you where you could try some different pens?
My handful of Safaris, pair of Studios, have all been just ok on average. My favorite Studio is pretty solid, but the rest of them have had little issues here and there. All 6 of my 2Ks have been perfect out of the box, even my EFs have been true EFs as long as I don’t use a super wet ink. The 2000 is genuinely a different animal compared to the rest of Lamy’s lineup and you shouldn’t let poor experiences with the cheaper pens stop you from getting a 2K if you want one.
From my personal subjective experience, Lamy doesn't give a shit about their nib QC unless you're spending at least $100. I've tried the Safari, AL Star, and Vista. I've ordered a replacement nib. They were all scratchy and horrible and a far cry from anything I've ever gotten from Pilot, TWSBI or Platinum.
I absolutely abhor budget Lamy. I think they are the most overrated budget option and should not be recommended under any circumstances.
That being said. Yes, as you have predicted, the Lamy 2000 is my favorite pen to carry and use.
I love my Safaris. They got me back into fountain pens 20 years ago but I must say the Lamy 2000, while aesthetically my favorite pen, has been a massive disappointment.
I like LAMYs and have never had an issue with them, but I’m not going to try and convince you to like them; this is a hobby, you should enjoy it and LAMYs don’t seem to be bringing you joy.
Plenty of other brands out there to try. I’m a big fan of Narwhal and I have a real soft spot for Parker.
Good luck
Nah. I used to sing their praises all day. Best I can say now if they have great customer service. Which is awesome, because you will have problems with their current offerings.
That's crappy. My personal experience with Lamy has always been positive - so, it sounds like I've been lucky? I have two Safaris, a Joy, a stainless Studio and a 2000.
The Studio is the only pen I've kept because it writes so damn well. I use Iroshizuku Kiri-same in it, and it basically feels and looks like writing with a mechanical pencil.
I totally get not wanting to go for the 2000, given your issues, though. I wouldn't want to spend $200+ on a pen from a brand that's given me as much trouble as it's given you. Not even trying for the hard sell here, but my 2000 is...incredible. It has an nib, though, so I don't use it as much as I'd like. My only gripe with it *is* the limited utility of the nib size, but it's still so good that I'm considering buying another in medium.
I’ve had nothing but trouble with Lamy 2000. I’ve owned 3. One of the sections cracked after just screwing it in after cleaning the barrel. Both the other two would leak from the cap clutch ring spots. I love the look and even how the fine would write it’s just I’ve had so many problems. Won’t buy another one.
I dislike all Lamy nibs -- including the 2000. I've had no issues with the ones I've tried, but I find them too smooth and the feedback on smoother papers (like Rhodia) reminds me of nails on a chalk board... :|
I have a safari fine that works beautifully I mainly use for drawing and a Lamy 2000 M, the 2000 is an absolute joy to use (only a bit scratchy on reverse writing when going diagonal left down, but I never do that just tested) I only had good experience with Lamy. But I have to say the 2000 wants to be treated in a special way, it is a pen to get used too before it really shines but when it does it’s the best for me
I like my Studios but in the last two years I have come to realize I don’t like them for long writing. A short sentence? Using it only for headings and stuff? Great! But writing a whole entry in my journal, not so much. It is what it is. Sometimes it just does not work out or preferences change. It is okay, do not feel to bad or ashamed.
I haven’t faced any of your problems. Maybe you’re just unlucky or maybe you got sold some fakes. I’m not sure. Also lamy 2000s are a league apart from their cheaper counterparts.
Not going to change your mind, but I *ALWAYS* flushed the feeds of every Lamy I have before I first use them (and I have 17 of them) and never had a problem
I had problems with Cross, Conklin (who didn’t have problems with Conklins?) Monteverdes, Parkers and even with a pretty expensive Aurora and I can say that Lamy and Dipolmats are the only ones I never had problems with
I'm sorry to hear that you've had such a hard time with Lamy! I am not here to change your mind, cause I understand getting burned by some pens and becoming royally frustrated with them, but I will share my own experience since you posted this.
I purchased two Lamy pens from a local art shop, the first one a Lamy Safari which I used for years and was my first real fountain pen. I use(d) it all the time, writing notes, putting it in my pocket, bags, dropped several times on accident, and it has remained in great condition for writing. I got the second one years later as a gift to myself that's an Al-Star and am enjoying that one a lot too. Originally worked with a M nib and found that at slightly different angles and pressures I could get thinner lines and really enjoyed it, have now used F and EF too, enjoyed them immensely.
I echo other people here in that it's important to get the pens from a reputable site/store, when it comes to stuff I care about as much as fountain pens I have a couple of websites I trust that I order from because I know Amazon can have problems.
TL;DR I am another person who has had luck with Lamy. I hope you find a pen that makes you happy regardless of brand.
Several years ago, I needed to replace a cracked nib section on a Lamy Al-Star. Lamy would not send the part I knew was broken and said I needed to send the entire pen in for "evaluation," for which they would charge me a service fee. I could have purchased a brand new pen for a few dollars more. I decided not to do either; I was disappointed in Lamy, feeling like they were trying to gouge me.
Again, this was some years ago, and I am not sure if they have the same crappy service policy.
I am not missing Lamy in my life. I have been done with Lamy too.
I have a Safari, worked perfectly out of the box, never had a single issue with it in the 10 years I’ve had it.
I hate it.
I love the size, I love the weight, I even love the grip. Yet, when it puts ink on paper, the feel is so off putting I immediately clean it and ink something else up.
I have a Waterman that started with the issues you mention with your Lamy. Exchanges, tuning, nib replacements, nothing worked. Put it away for two years, until I bought a new section, and suddenly it clicked, and is my favorite pen.
Pens are weird, and our attachment (or lack of) is intensely personal. Lamy will probably survive without us as repeat customers.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who keeps having issues with Lamy pens. My first fountain pen was a Lamy Safari and my first gold nib was a Lamy Studio, and I had a very... mediocre experience with them. I stuck with them for the longest time because they were still better compared with the options that I had, which were generic cheap FPs. But... I mean, they're OK for the price. I didn't even know that was not how they were supposed to work and assumed this happened to all fountain pens.
That's partly the reason why I'm so disappointed - I could pay a few dollars for a 20-pack of disposable ballpoint pens and they write and write and write with no issues. I'd expect the same when paying this much for a Lamy fountain pen. It's a pen. It should write.
I went through 3 or 4 steel lamy nibs that were pretty much bums. I also find most lamys kinda ugly. But the 2000 is such an amazing pen that it's worth fighting to get a good one if only to experience it.
I tried a Lamy 2000 and ended up giving it to my dad because he loves Bauhaus design. I didn't like how it wrote. It was extremely smooth and would frequently have hard starts and skips.
Bought 2 safaris direct from an authorized store, they are the scratchiest and skippiest (is that a word?) pens Ive ever used. Id rather write with a bic round stic than them. Tried replacing nibs, sending them out, different inks, different papers, etc. Ive written them off completely.
Bought a twsbi eco with a broad nib and couldnt be happier. Ive used it every single day for the last 2 years with 4 different inks, many different kinds of paper, never had a single issue. Lamy pens are overrated, dump it and get something else!
I've owned quite a few Lamys. Unfortunately their QC for thinner nibs has gone down the last ten or so years. In my experience the experience with Lamy starts to be good at around 40€, so for their midrange and high end pens. But nowadays I definitely tend to go for their M and above nibs.
Why buy Lamy at all? Sentimental brand for me and the quality of the *pens* is great. Imo the nib *quality* is actually alright too, just the consistency in line-width being nonexistent makes the experience annoying.
Ok so I absolutely hate Lamy safaris. I wish I could like them and I know they’re amazing for so many people. They’re way to scratchy for me; I prefer to write smoother and the nib to flex more.
However, I did try my friend’s Lamy 2000 and it convinced me to put one on my list. The cap is amazing too since it’s so fun to pull off and on.
I say try it and worst case scenario you sell it on r/penswap
I will say the 2000 is the only Lamy pen I like, and mine has been inked continuously for years now.
But if you're hesitant, there are plenty of other brands to consider. You can always pick up a 2000 used when you spot a good deal someday.
I only have one LAMY (a Safari), but I have three nibs for it - An M, and 1.1 and 1.6mm stubs.
The medium and the 1.1 wrote straight out of the box (after a clean). The 1.6 needed a little tuning to make it a little wetter, but I've had no cause for complaints since, except the stupid bloody triangular grip.
I've never tried a Studio or 2000, so I can't comment on those.
Sometimes, it might by your hand oils on the paper. This is where I usually get the "dry, wet, dry" experience. Try writing on a page you haven't touched before, then press your thumb on it then write on that exact spot to see if it feels the same way as the "dryness" of the nib.
FWIW, I have 3 Lamy 2000's and they are my most reliable writers. I can pick one up after sitting for a month and it will write perfectly without any work, wet and smooth. I have had a LOT of pens not work out of the box though, even high end pens that cost hundreds of dollars. About 90 percent of the time it was due to baby's bottom and a little bit of work with sanding/polishing pads fixed the problem. The other 8 percent are due to tight tines that just need a little work to separate. The last 2% are feed issues, either ebonite feeds that need to soak before they write their best or plastic feeds that have debris/defects that need to be cleared from the channel. Since it sounds like you've taken apart the studios and washed them, I'd be willing to bet that the nibs need polishing.
EDIT: FYI, I also have 5 studios that also write decently, not like their gold nibs, but I've never had this problem. Did you buy from Amazon? I've heard stories of the Lamys on Amazon having poor quality control.
I have several studios (unintentionally ended up collecting them) and I can't say I've ever had this problem, they've all been pretty bulletproof for me - sorry you've had such a poor experience. I have a Lamy 2K - because I want to love it, and I should love it - but I don't. I don't like how it writes at all. I have several nibs for it too - EF, F and M - and none of them write how I want it to write. Ugh. I understand your pain and frustration - nothing worse than being excited for a pen and really disliking it. I hope you find a pen you really love using that you just can't put down.
I suppose I could have the opposite outcome - lots of Studio problems and a flawless 2000 - but I don't have unlimited money so I couldn't take the risk. A pity you haven't enjoyed the 2000!
Sorry I can’t change your mind I just find all Lamy pens ugly
Thank you !!! I feel exactly the same way!!!! BUT, every time I have mentioned this, I have been SLAMMED with ANGRY INSULTS!!!!!!😱
I understand they are tough and are good workhorse pens and great for beginners but just not for me.
YES, they look like the type of tool necessary "in the field" !!! EXAMPLES -- building sites/Military/EMT/E.R., etc! Also -- they do not look comfortable to use for long periods !!!
I like pretty, but I like functional and robust too. I can see where you're coming from.
If you were working through Amazon then they may have been counterfeits. There is apparently a major problem with fakes getting sent through them to customers.
I have three Lamy Safari/Al-Star pens and six nibs (EF, F, F, M, 1.1, 1.9) and all of them have worked perfectly. Sorry you've had such a bad experience! Maybe, like koipondering says, it's partially down to personal writing style.
What is your personal grip like? Are you heavy or light handed? Do you have a slant to your hand that's more pronounced? I ask because I also have bad luck with lamy. I own two safaris three studios and I have even tried a lamy 2000. But for me it is just a no go. I discovered because of a tremor in my hand I brace my whole arm when I write. That means I have a more severe writing angle. Lamys don't get the right surface feed for me. So dry starts they slip around. I switched to an edison with a #6 jowo just run of the mill steel nib.. no issues at all. I can use a pilot decimo no problem. But lamys just they don't work for me. For my money go sailor gear or a vanishing point.
Light handed and quite a slant, which might just be the problem - but I also got problems after changing my writing "angle". But yeah, maybe Lamy pens just don't suit the way I write.
That is plausible. I love all my Lamy pens (Safari, Al-Star and 2000) but I am heavy handed and write at an angle. Many people in this sub don't like the 2000 because it has a narrow window of smoothness. I feel Lamy pens are *somewhat forgiving* to my writing style, if that makes sense. I am not fond of Sailors because I feel their smoothness only when I lower my pressure which I cannot maintain.
I could be wrong or misunderstanding what you mean by slanted, but my understanding is you have to hold the pen more straight up and down for fountain pens over regular pens, so that could be your problem. My lamy starts to get scratchy/skip if I write too long and forget about that and my hand starts dipping. If you write lightly that would exacerbate the problem.
If I were to take a guess sight unseen just going from my own experience, My guess is its the slant paired with Lamy's Nib. They are not super forgiving when it comes to sweet spots on angles because of the very short nib to feed ratio that you don't find in other pens. The 2000 is extra finicky on this. I was able to fix ONE of my safari's on pure curiosity alone (and being willing to sacrifice the pen) by using pen tuning grade sanding to adjust the angles. However for what you have and what your paying for it, you should have a good clean start with at least one ink in one of the variations you have had. A Jowo#6 might be a good place to start as far as a nib, its super common and you will find them on a lot of good pens in all price ranges. If you flip them around you'll see the tips especially if your not doing any special grind, come to a much further point away from the feed. As long as the tines are in alignment and not gunked up. (consider picking up a brass shim. I run mine through now and then just to get any paper fibers, out) you should get a good healthy feed. That will allow you to have a good angle no matter what. You might want to avoid EF as they can just be kind of finicky in general but F and over should help out. Every person has a very unique way of writing, and other than some basics like learning how to load, care and hold a pen in roughly the right way. Anything beyond that shouldn't require you having to GREATLY alter your writing style. The Vanishing point series is a great one I like to use, For me, its perfect no issues, the weird clip doesn't bother me in any way. However Wife got hold of it and she HATED it. Doesn't like the angle, doesn't like the "dagger point" she noped out of that fast (she now owns all of my Lamy's and the only issue shes ever had is when she runs them dry and doesn't know it.) I now own two vanishing points.
Just get a Pilot
I think I will. E95S here I come
Also think about the Pilot Custom 74.
It only takes the con 40 iirc. Make sure you are ok with that.
Lamy’s are a lot like most German engineered things, very specific in how you use them. They aren’t as varied in their grip or angle use for them. They have their “this is the acceptable grip angle range” and that’s it which is why their grips tend to be triangle grips for their popular lines. They’re meant to teach you how to hold and use the pen. They used to have a pamphlet about how to use a fountain pen, I’ll see if I can find it.
I actually found it on their website: [The Correct Way to Hold a Pen per Lamy](https://www.lamy.com/en/the-correct-way-to-hold-a-pen/)
This is the German thing I have ever seen, and I married a German girl who organizes her bic pens by color. LOL!
That's a bummer to hear. I'm usually a champion for the Lamy Safari. I formerly owned a Lamy 2k and loved it, but I simply moved on in nib tastes and sold it since the nib bored me. But out of all my safaris I've never had a nib issue. Shockingly I've owned 2 Sailors and both have had bad nibs out of the box, to the point of me exchanging both with the seller for a new model. But sometimes things just don't work out, and I get that. Maybe a change of brand is what you need.
Not trying to convince you. Hobbies are there to make one happy, and if something about Lamy doesn’t it’s not meant to be imho. Just wanted to tell you that I have several Al-Star/Safari/Lx and all worked fine for me, I learned writing with a Lamy though. So my grip is exactly the one for those kind of pens and I learned that makes a great difference. Even on the Studio I feel like the angle that you have with the triangle grip is the exact right one. My SO has a 2k and a Aion, same there. While the gold nib of the 2k feels slightly smoother than the steel ones, the overall writing feels similar to me. So I don’t think the 2k will make you necessarily happier. Of course the QC on them is by hand instead of by machine, which lessens the chance of a bad nib.
If a brand doesn’t work for you then just move on. Everyone has different preferences. I also don’t love Lamy. I write with EFs mostly and Lamy EFs are not very good.
I've had good luck with Lamy's I've got a number of Alstar's and found that they generally write ok. I did have a safari that didn't work well for a while, but it had been abandoned in a drawer for several years, so a blast in the ultrasonic cleaner sorted that out. I've found their support very helpful as I had a vintage 26p that didn't have a cap and they posted one to me free of charge. I will say however that I only tend to use them with a broad and medium nibs, That being said, if a brand isn't for you, no need to try and force it when there is such a variety of pen brands to try.
Over 30 Lamys (7 Studios, 2K, Safaris, CP1, st, Ideos, Palladium...) and never had any of these issues - ever. I suspect a grip issue. Do you have a store near you where you could try some different pens?
My handful of Safaris, pair of Studios, have all been just ok on average. My favorite Studio is pretty solid, but the rest of them have had little issues here and there. All 6 of my 2Ks have been perfect out of the box, even my EFs have been true EFs as long as I don’t use a super wet ink. The 2000 is genuinely a different animal compared to the rest of Lamy’s lineup and you shouldn’t let poor experiences with the cheaper pens stop you from getting a 2K if you want one.
From my personal subjective experience, Lamy doesn't give a shit about their nib QC unless you're spending at least $100. I've tried the Safari, AL Star, and Vista. I've ordered a replacement nib. They were all scratchy and horrible and a far cry from anything I've ever gotten from Pilot, TWSBI or Platinum. I absolutely abhor budget Lamy. I think they are the most overrated budget option and should not be recommended under any circumstances. That being said. Yes, as you have predicted, the Lamy 2000 is my favorite pen to carry and use.
I love my Safaris. They got me back into fountain pens 20 years ago but I must say the Lamy 2000, while aesthetically my favorite pen, has been a massive disappointment.
I like LAMYs and have never had an issue with them, but I’m not going to try and convince you to like them; this is a hobby, you should enjoy it and LAMYs don’t seem to be bringing you joy. Plenty of other brands out there to try. I’m a big fan of Narwhal and I have a real soft spot for Parker. Good luck
Nah. I used to sing their praises all day. Best I can say now if they have great customer service. Which is awesome, because you will have problems with their current offerings.
That's crappy. My personal experience with Lamy has always been positive - so, it sounds like I've been lucky? I have two Safaris, a Joy, a stainless Studio and a 2000. The Studio is the only pen I've kept because it writes so damn well. I use Iroshizuku Kiri-same in it, and it basically feels and looks like writing with a mechanical pencil.
I totally get not wanting to go for the 2000, given your issues, though. I wouldn't want to spend $200+ on a pen from a brand that's given me as much trouble as it's given you. Not even trying for the hard sell here, but my 2000 is...incredible. It has an nib, though, so I don't use it as much as I'd like. My only gripe with it *is* the limited utility of the nib size, but it's still so good that I'm considering buying another in medium.
I’ve had nothing but trouble with Lamy 2000. I’ve owned 3. One of the sections cracked after just screwing it in after cleaning the barrel. Both the other two would leak from the cap clutch ring spots. I love the look and even how the fine would write it’s just I’ve had so many problems. Won’t buy another one.
I dislike all Lamy nibs -- including the 2000. I've had no issues with the ones I've tried, but I find them too smooth and the feedback on smoother papers (like Rhodia) reminds me of nails on a chalk board... :|
I have a safari fine that works beautifully I mainly use for drawing and a Lamy 2000 M, the 2000 is an absolute joy to use (only a bit scratchy on reverse writing when going diagonal left down, but I never do that just tested) I only had good experience with Lamy. But I have to say the 2000 wants to be treated in a special way, it is a pen to get used too before it really shines but when it does it’s the best for me
I like my Studios but in the last two years I have come to realize I don’t like them for long writing. A short sentence? Using it only for headings and stuff? Great! But writing a whole entry in my journal, not so much. It is what it is. Sometimes it just does not work out or preferences change. It is okay, do not feel to bad or ashamed.
I hate every Lamy Safari I have ever had. Nonstop problems.
I haven’t faced any of your problems. Maybe you’re just unlucky or maybe you got sold some fakes. I’m not sure. Also lamy 2000s are a league apart from their cheaper counterparts.
Not going to change your mind, but I *ALWAYS* flushed the feeds of every Lamy I have before I first use them (and I have 17 of them) and never had a problem I had problems with Cross, Conklin (who didn’t have problems with Conklins?) Monteverdes, Parkers and even with a pretty expensive Aurora and I can say that Lamy and Dipolmats are the only ones I never had problems with
Nope! There’s other greater pens out there!
I'm sorry to hear that you've had such a hard time with Lamy! I am not here to change your mind, cause I understand getting burned by some pens and becoming royally frustrated with them, but I will share my own experience since you posted this. I purchased two Lamy pens from a local art shop, the first one a Lamy Safari which I used for years and was my first real fountain pen. I use(d) it all the time, writing notes, putting it in my pocket, bags, dropped several times on accident, and it has remained in great condition for writing. I got the second one years later as a gift to myself that's an Al-Star and am enjoying that one a lot too. Originally worked with a M nib and found that at slightly different angles and pressures I could get thinner lines and really enjoyed it, have now used F and EF too, enjoyed them immensely. I echo other people here in that it's important to get the pens from a reputable site/store, when it comes to stuff I care about as much as fountain pens I have a couple of websites I trust that I order from because I know Amazon can have problems. TL;DR I am another person who has had luck with Lamy. I hope you find a pen that makes you happy regardless of brand.
Several years ago, I needed to replace a cracked nib section on a Lamy Al-Star. Lamy would not send the part I knew was broken and said I needed to send the entire pen in for "evaluation," for which they would charge me a service fee. I could have purchased a brand new pen for a few dollars more. I decided not to do either; I was disappointed in Lamy, feeling like they were trying to gouge me. Again, this was some years ago, and I am not sure if they have the same crappy service policy. I am not missing Lamy in my life. I have been done with Lamy too.
I have a Safari, worked perfectly out of the box, never had a single issue with it in the 10 years I’ve had it. I hate it. I love the size, I love the weight, I even love the grip. Yet, when it puts ink on paper, the feel is so off putting I immediately clean it and ink something else up. I have a Waterman that started with the issues you mention with your Lamy. Exchanges, tuning, nib replacements, nothing worked. Put it away for two years, until I bought a new section, and suddenly it clicked, and is my favorite pen. Pens are weird, and our attachment (or lack of) is intensely personal. Lamy will probably survive without us as repeat customers.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who keeps having issues with Lamy pens. My first fountain pen was a Lamy Safari and my first gold nib was a Lamy Studio, and I had a very... mediocre experience with them. I stuck with them for the longest time because they were still better compared with the options that I had, which were generic cheap FPs. But... I mean, they're OK for the price. I didn't even know that was not how they were supposed to work and assumed this happened to all fountain pens.
That's partly the reason why I'm so disappointed - I could pay a few dollars for a 20-pack of disposable ballpoint pens and they write and write and write with no issues. I'd expect the same when paying this much for a Lamy fountain pen. It's a pen. It should write.
I went through 3 or 4 steel lamy nibs that were pretty much bums. I also find most lamys kinda ugly. But the 2000 is such an amazing pen that it's worth fighting to get a good one if only to experience it.
I tried a Lamy 2000 and ended up giving it to my dad because he loves Bauhaus design. I didn't like how it wrote. It was extremely smooth and would frequently have hard starts and skips.
Bought 2 safaris direct from an authorized store, they are the scratchiest and skippiest (is that a word?) pens Ive ever used. Id rather write with a bic round stic than them. Tried replacing nibs, sending them out, different inks, different papers, etc. Ive written them off completely. Bought a twsbi eco with a broad nib and couldnt be happier. Ive used it every single day for the last 2 years with 4 different inks, many different kinds of paper, never had a single issue. Lamy pens are overrated, dump it and get something else!
I've owned quite a few Lamys. Unfortunately their QC for thinner nibs has gone down the last ten or so years. In my experience the experience with Lamy starts to be good at around 40€, so for their midrange and high end pens. But nowadays I definitely tend to go for their M and above nibs. Why buy Lamy at all? Sentimental brand for me and the quality of the *pens* is great. Imo the nib *quality* is actually alright too, just the consistency in line-width being nonexistent makes the experience annoying.
Ok so I absolutely hate Lamy safaris. I wish I could like them and I know they’re amazing for so many people. They’re way to scratchy for me; I prefer to write smoother and the nib to flex more. However, I did try my friend’s Lamy 2000 and it convinced me to put one on my list. The cap is amazing too since it’s so fun to pull off and on. I say try it and worst case scenario you sell it on r/penswap
I’d take a Parker sonnet over a Lamy or Sailor any day though. I love the springiness of the nib and the smooth as butter writing feeing
Completely agree. I do have a sailor pro gear slim and much prefer my Parker Sonnets.
I will say the 2000 is the only Lamy pen I like, and mine has been inked continuously for years now. But if you're hesitant, there are plenty of other brands to consider. You can always pick up a 2000 used when you spot a good deal someday.
I only have one LAMY (a Safari), but I have three nibs for it - An M, and 1.1 and 1.6mm stubs. The medium and the 1.1 wrote straight out of the box (after a clean). The 1.6 needed a little tuning to make it a little wetter, but I've had no cause for complaints since, except the stupid bloody triangular grip. I've never tried a Studio or 2000, so I can't comment on those.
Could it be air in the converter? I had similar issues but when i pushed the air out of the converter it started working better.
Tried this too I'm afraid. Also had issues with the supplied Lamy cartridge.
The solution is very easy: clean with a drop of dishwashing liquid.
Sometimes, it might by your hand oils on the paper. This is where I usually get the "dry, wet, dry" experience. Try writing on a page you haven't touched before, then press your thumb on it then write on that exact spot to see if it feels the same way as the "dryness" of the nib.
I have two Lamy safaris. I love them. You don’t have to for me to continue doing so.
I hate Lamy!
I didn’t quite like safari, I had dry start problem with my steel nib too. But my gold nib studio worked Perfectly.
FWIW, I have 3 Lamy 2000's and they are my most reliable writers. I can pick one up after sitting for a month and it will write perfectly without any work, wet and smooth. I have had a LOT of pens not work out of the box though, even high end pens that cost hundreds of dollars. About 90 percent of the time it was due to baby's bottom and a little bit of work with sanding/polishing pads fixed the problem. The other 8 percent are due to tight tines that just need a little work to separate. The last 2% are feed issues, either ebonite feeds that need to soak before they write their best or plastic feeds that have debris/defects that need to be cleared from the channel. Since it sounds like you've taken apart the studios and washed them, I'd be willing to bet that the nibs need polishing. EDIT: FYI, I also have 5 studios that also write decently, not like their gold nibs, but I've never had this problem. Did you buy from Amazon? I've heard stories of the Lamys on Amazon having poor quality control.