I agree with all of your aesthetic criticisms of the Lamy Safari design. But what transcends conventional beauty, in the eyes of the Lamy design team, is that they have combined robust construction, manufacturing efficiency, ergonomic comfort, and design components that function flawlessly. All for zero money. Any solution that satisfies all these incompatible parameters must necessarily be beautiful. In the context of industrial design.
Lamy sells gold replacement nibs that will fit the Safari, Al Star, Studio and Aion, and perhaps others. One can also buy replacement nibs for the 2000 and the Imperium. These are offered by a few online retailers.
What up Putt. I share a lot of the same sentiments about Lamy pens, especially the nib width variation . The black nibs write broader. Even still, 2 black nib fines tend to vary in size. It’s almost best to have a few spare Lamy nibs so find which fits the particular pen best. That being said, I own 3 Al-Stars, 2 Studios, and a 2000, and like them all.
The difference in the line width may be due to the feed. If more ink is delivered to the tip, the line will be wider. Fountain pens are like snowflakes. . .no 2 are exactly the same. This is why retail stores and pen shows are still popular for high end (overpriced) fountain pens because one can try before they buy.
A few thought … are both those nibs black? That’s a real pet-hate for me - silver coloured or gold (if it’s a gold nib) is my narrow-minded rule. As you point out, the F nib on the Studio looks much finer than the F nib on the Safari. Shame if it’s pot-luck! I think I like the form factor of the Studio even more than the 2000 though, which I’m sure puts me in the minority - the 2000, when capped, looks like a cheap 1980s felt tip, and I can’t get past that; MoMA approval or not! Anyway, great review so thanks for sharing! 👍👍
Yes my Safari nib is black because it's the Charcoal color Safari. That's an interesting point though. I would like to compare my F nibs to a regular silver colored Safari steel nib.
I agree with all of your aesthetic criticisms of the Lamy Safari design. But what transcends conventional beauty, in the eyes of the Lamy design team, is that they have combined robust construction, manufacturing efficiency, ergonomic comfort, and design components that function flawlessly. All for zero money. Any solution that satisfies all these incompatible parameters must necessarily be beautiful. In the context of industrial design.
That's a really nice way to put it. There definitely is beauty in the result of the work.
Lamy sells gold replacement nibs that will fit the Safari, Al Star, Studio and Aion, and perhaps others. One can also buy replacement nibs for the 2000 and the Imperium. These are offered by a few online retailers.
What up Putt. I share a lot of the same sentiments about Lamy pens, especially the nib width variation . The black nibs write broader. Even still, 2 black nib fines tend to vary in size. It’s almost best to have a few spare Lamy nibs so find which fits the particular pen best.
That being said, I own 3 Al-Stars, 2 Studios, and a 2000, and like them all.
What sort of tripod/arm are you using for overhead shots?
The difference in the line width may be due to the feed. If more ink is delivered to the tip, the line will be wider. Fountain pens are like snowflakes. . .no 2 are exactly the same. This is why retail stores and pen shows are still popular for high end (overpriced) fountain pens because one can try before they buy.
A few thought … are both those nibs black? That’s a real pet-hate for me - silver coloured or gold (if it’s a gold nib) is my narrow-minded rule. As you point out, the F nib on the Studio looks much finer than the F nib on the Safari. Shame if it’s pot-luck! I think I like the form factor of the Studio even more than the 2000 though, which I’m sure puts me in the minority - the 2000, when capped, looks like a cheap 1980s felt tip, and I can’t get past that; MoMA approval or not! Anyway, great review so thanks for sharing! 👍👍
Yes my Safari nib is black because it's the Charcoal color Safari. That's an interesting point though. I would like to compare my F nibs to a regular silver colored Safari steel nib.
I just can't stand the Safari. Reminds me of my school times. 🙃