As we all know from my first post, I've been in love with fountain pens since the 1980s. Somehow, though, the entire Lamy line had eluded me. Crazy, right?
Earlier this year, my deep love for fountain pens, ink, and paper was reignited. I blame Goulet Pens and their zillion ink samples. (Thank you, Brian and Rachel!)
I also started peeking in at Fountain Pen Network from time to time. Lamy this, Safari that. So prevalent were the posts about the Lamy Safari and its astounding incredible wonderfulness - how was I to resist?
Now, Jeff swears I bought this for him. I remember no such conversation. He even says it was delivered to him wrapped - with a bow! He so crazy. (Later, he admitted that he knows that all pens in the house belong to me - he's just allowed to borrow them from time to time.)
This pen is the charcoal color. I chose a black medium nib. I have it on good authority that the black steel nibs write the same as the traditional steel nibs.
The pen is hard plastic. The grippy section is triangular. Some people have issue with the shape - I think it depends on how you hold the instrument and your writing style. For me, it's fine. Not ultra-comfy, but it's definitely not uncomfortable. (Did you know I'm left-handed?)
I love the ink-a-boo (I just made that up) window. Let's you see how much ink you have left - and, if you're forgetful, what color is in your pen.
The Lamy Safari can take (proprietary) cartridges or use the (proprietary) converter for unlimited inking options. (Be brave, go converter.)
I found it to be one of the easiest pens to clean. Bonus points for that.
But we all know the big question. How did it write?
Like. OMG. That's how it wrote.
I love this pen. The Lamy Safari is one smooth operator. (Maybe too smooth if you like a little traction.) And I think it makes my handwriting look nice without even trying. (Click images to make them bigger.)
Obviously, some of this is the ink and paper combination (Pilot Iroshizuku Syo-ro and Clairefontaine Triomphe), but look at that shading! Can you even stand it? In-freakin-sane.
I made these lemon pots de creme using the lemons from the tree in our backyard.
So. Yeah. I'm loving the Lamy Safari. Costs around $30. Mine came with a cartridge I won't use. The converter was around five bucks.
In fact, I loved it so much that I now have several of them - stay tuned! (Yikes!)
Wonderful review of *my* first fountain pen! Now I just have to find where you're hiding it. Oh.. I know.. If you ever want to see your Cross Spire again, you'll return my LAMY!
ReplyDeleteI'll hold your Legos hostage!
ReplyDeleteTry the Vista model. The Vista is a Safari with a clear body (a "Demonstrator" pen). Get the converter with the red knob to go with it. Finally, put a Lamy 1.1mm stub nib on it. You can get all the pieces necessary at Goulet Pens (not affiliated).
ReplyDeleteRegards, David
Thanks for stopping in, David. I don't have a Vista yet - I love me a big broad nib, though! Will have to give the Vista a go. I love Goulet - their shop has so many fun things - and they just seem like really great people, don't they?
ReplyDeleteI thought the shiny black design is nicer than the matt black version.
ReplyDeleteHey, Lamy, thank you for leaving a comment - I love the shiny black, too. Actually, I've never met a Sarfari I don't like!
ReplyDeleteThe ink flow of this pen is normally quite wet, which is my point of view in contrast to not so few others!
ReplyDeleteBut it's just a fact: It wouldn't write "normal fluent" or "wet" in many more user-experiences, if it was meant to work any other way by the manufacturer.
Lamy is important for his good ink-flow-fountain-pens as long as one can think, and this has its right.
Sometimes it depends on simply that one thing, whether you'ved cleaned it or not before using it, and sometimes it seems a matter of, in that price range, lower quality control of course.
by Alfred, a german blogger