4 ms·

Safari is cool, but for the same price I've found some Pilots to be much better. And if you are willing to spend a tiny bit more there are tons of good options.

by nextos 6y ago

Safari is cool, but for the same price I've found some Pilots to be much better. And if you are willing to spend a tiny bit more there are tons of good options. I really like Lamy 2000, though.

guest2143 6y ago
Lamy 2000 is so amazingly smooth. I really like having the piston fill, instead of cartridges and adapters. There's more ink, and it's more reliable with less fuss and mess.
- dm319 6y ago
  I find a syringe and drawing-up needle the best. I find the piston fill gets everything covered in ink.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
dan-robertson 6y ago
I used a Lamy of some kind for over a decade. I’m not sure what model it is as they don’t seem to make it anymore but it looked like a brushed steel version of the cp1 but with a thinner clip rather than one like on the 2000. It’s much thinner than most fountain pens and I think that’s often helpful to people used to writing with thinner pens. Sadly it remains with my 2000 in my desk drawer in the office.
coffeefirst 6y ago
Yes. I haven't tried the Safari, but if anyone is curious/looking to see what the hype is about the Pilot Metropolitans are also great and affordable.
- slowmovintarget 6y ago
  I just picked up a Pilot Metropolitan and am liking it. Be aware that a Pilot fine nib is closer to a Western extra-fine. It really is smaller, though the pen is well made for $30. In the same price range you'll find the article's Lamy Safari, and the TWSBI Eco. The Eco, in particular, is an excellent value. It is a good piston-filling fountain pen. The nibs have slight feedback, so it feels like you're using a pencil on most paper. Don't get me started on bottled inks. :) One last bit of advice... Don't buy from Amazon (especially for the more popular pens). There's a huge counterfeiting problem on Amazon. Instead, buy from a specialty retailer. They'll give you better service, you'll get the real thing, and you'll be able to find ink samples. In the U.S. I've bought from Goulet Pens (love them, and their video tutorials [1]), Fountain Pen Revolution (for Indian-made pens), and Pen Chalet. I had an old Waterman fountain pen in my closet. I wanted to figure out how to actually use the converter, because I had stuck to cartridges, but disliked running out. I checked out the videos and am really enjoying the hobby. [1] https://blog.gouletpens.com/fountain-pen-education/fountain-pen-101/ https://blog.gouletpens.com/fountain-pen-education/fountain-...
  - powersnail 6y ago
    Jetpens have pilot metropolitan at $20.
yarrel 6y ago
I don't think I'm every going to get used to holding the 2000. I love the grip of the Safari, and I know people have trouble with the Studio being slippy but I like that as well. That said, I've come to terms with the 2000's nib's narrow sweet spot and I've no arguments with everyone who says how good that nib is. :-)
todd8 6y ago
My Lamy 2000 is one of my favorite pens. The Lamy 2000 was designed over 50 years ago, but it still has a very contemporary, almost space-age look. Mine works very well and is a very comfortable pen to use. The Lamy Wikipedia entry [1] has a picture of the Lamy 2000 fountain pen for those that don't know what I'm talking about. In general though, the three major Japanese pen companies make great pens of high quality and aesthetics and reasonable prices for someone that wants to start collecting pens. These companies are Sailor, Platinum, and Pilot/Namiki. I have perhaps a dozen of these and I like all of them. If you ever get to go to Tokyo, visit one of the large stationary/writing supplies stores. I'm sorry, I can't remember the name of the one I went to but it was perhaps six or seven floors of paper, inks, pens, etc. It was in one of the major shopping districts and easy to get to. It was great! Even if you are going to buy just one pen, check out the entertaining world of YouTube pen reviews. One of my favorite YouTube pen bloggers is sbrebrown, see [2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamy#2000_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamy#2000_2 [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkxy_5SuaZY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkxy_5SuaZY

by nextos 6y ago

Safari is cool, but for the same price I've found some Pilots to be much better. And if you are willing to spend a tiny bit more there are tons of good options. I really like Lamy 2000, though.

guest2143 6y ago

Lamy 2000 is so amazingly smooth. I really like having the piston fill, instead of cartridges and adapters. There's more ink, and it's more reliable with less fuss and mess.

dm319 6y ago
I find a syringe and drawing-up needle the best. I find the piston fill gets everything covered in ink.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

dan-robertson 6y ago

I used a Lamy of some kind for over a decade. I’m not sure what model it is as they don’t seem to make it anymore but it looked like a brushed steel version of the cp1 but with a thinner clip rather than one like on the 2000. It’s much thinner than most fountain pens and I think that’s often helpful to people used to writing with thinner pens. Sadly it remains with my 2000 in my desk drawer in the office.

coffeefirst 6y ago

Yes. I haven't tried the Safari, but if anyone is curious/looking to see what the hype is about the Pilot Metropolitans are also great and affordable.

slowmovintarget 6y ago
I just picked up a Pilot Metropolitan and am liking it. Be aware that a Pilot fine nib is closer to a Western extra-fine. It really is smaller, though the pen is well made for $30. In the same price range you'll find the article's Lamy Safari, and the TWSBI Eco. The Eco, in particular, is an excellent value. It is a good piston-filling fountain pen. The nibs have slight feedback, so it feels like you're using a pencil on most paper. Don't get me started on bottled inks. :) One last bit of advice... Don't buy from Amazon (especially for the more popular pens). There's a huge counterfeiting problem on Amazon. Instead, buy from a specialty retailer. They'll give you better service, you'll get the real thing, and you'll be able to find ink samples. In the U.S. I've bought from Goulet Pens (love them, and their video tutorials [1]), Fountain Pen Revolution (for Indian-made pens), and Pen Chalet. I had an old Waterman fountain pen in my closet. I wanted to figure out how to actually use the converter, because I had stuck to cartridges, but disliked running out. I checked out the videos and am really enjoying the hobby. [1] https://blog.gouletpens.com/fountain-pen-education/fountain-pen-101/ https://blog.gouletpens.com/fountain-pen-education/fountain-...
- powersnail 6y ago
  Jetpens have pilot metropolitan at $20.

yarrel 6y ago

I don't think I'm every going to get used to holding the 2000. I love the grip of the Safari, and I know people have trouble with the Studio being slippy but I like that as well. That said, I've come to terms with the 2000's nib's narrow sweet spot and I've no arguments with everyone who says how good that nib is. :-)

todd8 6y ago

My Lamy 2000 is one of my favorite pens. The Lamy 2000 was designed over 50 years ago, but it still has a very contemporary, almost space-age look. Mine works very well and is a very comfortable pen to use. The Lamy Wikipedia entry [1] has a picture of the Lamy 2000 fountain pen for those that don't know what I'm talking about. In general though, the three major Japanese pen companies make great pens of high quality and aesthetics and reasonable prices for someone that wants to start collecting pens. These companies are Sailor, Platinum, and Pilot/Namiki. I have perhaps a dozen of these and I like all of them. If you ever get to go to Tokyo, visit one of the large stationary/writing supplies stores. I'm sorry, I can't remember the name of the one I went to but it was perhaps six or seven floors of paper, inks, pens, etc. It was in one of the major shopping districts and easy to get to. It was great! Even if you are going to buy just one pen, check out the entertaining world of YouTube pen reviews. One of my favorite YouTube pen bloggers is sbrebrown, see [2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamy#2000_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamy#2000_2 [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkxy_5SuaZY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkxy_5SuaZY