8 ms·

For anyone with a budding or casual interest in fountain pens, the Lamy Safari is the way to go. They're plentiful, inexpensive, rugged, and have plenty of nibs

For anyone with a budding or casual interest in fountain pens, the Lamy Safari is the way to go. They're plentiful, inexpensive, rugged, and have plenty of nibs, cartridges, and refillable cartridges to experiment with. Just pick your color and start using it to figure out what you value in a pen. Don't let the grip shape scare you off, you might like it more than you thought, but if not it won't ruin the value as an experimentation platform. Note that unlike a ballpoint you'll need to experiment to find the right combination of nibs, inks, and papers. Also check out the unrelated free Handwriting Repair pdf so you don't feel ashamed and disappointed in yourself every time you use the pen. Plus it'll turn the flat shape of the nib into an advantage. Edit: People seem to like the Pilots. I haven't tried them, but they seem to also be inexpensive and have good nib and ink options.

falcolas 3y ago
I'd go one step further and suggest a Pilot disposable fountain pen. Their nibs are remarkably good, and you're only out around $2 if you dislike them. And if you like them, well then, have fun with your new hobby!
- kps 3y ago
  I second the recommendation to try Pilot first, though I haven't used any of their recent disposables. Pilot nibs are just remarkably consistently good. As a starter I'd suggest the Pilot Metropolitan with a medium nib (as Asian nibs tend to be a little finer than European nibs with the same designation) although my personal favourite ‘cheap’ pen (that is, in the Lamy Safari price range) is the old-style Prera (in the US, from JetPens).
  - haradion 3y ago
    I've got both a Metropolitan and a Prera, and I can second (third?) this recommendation. Fantastic pens.
- nunuvit 3y ago
  True, I actually did that myself when I impulse bought one at an art supply store since it was at the checkout counter. It's a great way to find out if you're interested in experimenting with pens, or if you just want a no-fuss tool and have a passing curiosity in fountain pens. Do this before getting a non-disposable.
- slowmovintarget 3y ago
  I was giving away Pilot Varsity pens (a.k.a. V-pens) to people around the office that were interested. Amazon sells them in boxes of 10, and yes they have a surprisingly good nib for such an inexpensive pen. They also have decent capacity, as the thing is basically a non-refillable ink tank with a novel felt feed (similar to what markers use). The next pen I recommend as a starter is usually the Pilot Metropolitan, or the TWSBI Eco for those who want to dive into bottled ink.
rPlayer6554 3y ago
The lamy safari is fantastic and only about $35. You can find a black one on Amazon for $20.
e40 3y ago
I saw the recommendation for the Lamy Safari in a lot of places. Just want to say I actually hated writing with it. Maybe I got a bad one, but I doubt it.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- dwringer 3y ago
  I've had a few Safaris and they're easily among my favorites, but personally it was common to get misaligned nibs with them, or extreme variation between two different nibs of the same grind (so I don't think the problem of "getting a bad one" is as unlikely as portrayed). The alignment problem occurs with all brands to one degree or another IME, and it's worth learning to make adjustments using a loupe or macro camera for anyone who's interested in the hobby. There's also a widespread problem of counterfeit Lamy Safaris out there, which usually come in subtly different packaging and/or have subtly different markings on the pen body. These are widely considered to be inferior, and fairly common if ordering somewhere like Amazon.
  - etrautmann 3y ago
    This is fascinating to me, as someone naive to the hobby. Can you describe what you're looking for and what adjustments you'd make? Are there two halves of the nib that need to be at the right spacing and alignment for proper ink-wicking or something like that? Does that affect the smoothness of the interaction with the paper too? I routinely work under a high-magnification dissecting scope to build experimental equipment for neuroscience, but I never considered that people would be doing this to optimized their writing instruments.
    - dwringer 3y ago
      Pretty much all of what you wrote is a consideration, but everyone probably has their own preferences (and in some part it's affected by writing angle and penmanship habits). Certain nib styles are better suited to different ways of holding a pen. And there's a lot more to it, since different papers react in different ways to different nibs, and inks are another wide-ranging variable. I think many people get drawn into the hobby for the endless pursuit of matching pens, papers, and inks, or trying to optimize for various characteristics across different combinations of the above. Of course a lot of people don't bother and just find one that works well enough and leave it at that.
dmpk2k 3y ago
A big problem with Safaris is they dry out quickly. There are many great pen varieties nowadays, none of which have this common fountain-pen shortcoming. Safaris are suitable for people who write daily; others should look elsewhere.
- throwaway2203 3y ago
  Do you have a recommendation?
  - dmpk2k 3y ago
    Three I know about are the TWSBI Eco and Diamond, and Pilot’s disposable Vpen. They’ve already been mentioned elsewhere in this thread. Beyond those, do research. Fountain pens drying out is a major problem that catches newcomers off-guard. When you can buy EnerGels for peanuts, fountain pen manufacturers really need to up their game to stay remotely competitive with other pen types. And many don’t.
    - quantgenius 3y ago
      You do need to cap fountain pens because the inks are water based. If you need to take quick notes and drying out is a problem because the pens are uncapped and capped a lot, get a Lamy 2000, vintage (not new) Parker 51 or a Pilot Vanishing Point. The first two have slip caps and hooded nibs so cap and uncap really quickly and don't dry out due to the hooded nib. The Vanishing Point also has a hooded nib but you click it like a ballpoint pen to expose and hide the nib. Also don't use quick drying inks. If drying out is a problem because you don't write frequently enough, there are two solutions. Solution 1: Buy a Platinum (Preppy for low end, or 3776 higher end). It has a really good cap. Both will take a long time to dry out. Or even better, write more frequently.
  - kps 3y ago
    Old Parker 51. (Emphatically, do not touch any current Parker.)
  - vgeek 3y ago
stefanka 3y ago
I got their „studio“ and it’s pretty decent for its price
sbaiddn 3y ago
The grip is the best part of the pen!
BeetleB 3y ago
I preferred the Pilot Metropolitan, with a Medium Nib (equivalent to Fine in Europe). It was my goto pen for a number of years, despite getting more expensive ones.
taeric 3y ago
I'm partial to the metropolitan pens. But, realistically, any pen is a fine starter nowadays. I am a huge fan of the larger nibs. I tried getting into calligraphy, but haven't managed the eye for it, yet. Tons and tons of fun, though.
Al-Khwarizmi 3y ago
In my view, Lamy Safari is way overrated. Don't get me wrong, it's far from bad, a pretty consistent pen for the price. But the ink dries fast-ish if you don't use it, and especially, the cartridges are proprietary so you're tied to the brand's cartridges and ink colors (there's a piston converter, but converters, meh). A Pilot Metropolitan is approximately the same price and at least in my view, it's better as it uses standard international cartridges. A TWSBI Eco is more expensive, but not by that much, and it's an absolute reliability monster.
- nunuvit 3y ago
  Can you also use cartridges with the TWSBI Eco? A first pen should give you the option. I haven't tried the Pilots, but the standard cartridge could change my recommendation to them.
  - rbonvall 3y ago
    No, the TWSBI Eco can only be filled from a bottle. The TWSBI Swipe supports both cartridges and converters.
    - nunuvit 3y ago
      Thanks for confirming. You really need to try both to find what you like.
  - Al-Khwarizmi 3y ago
    No, the Eco can only be filled with a piston mechanism, and yes, you have a point. While I love piston fillers, it can be off-putting for a complete beginner, so maybe better as second pen than as first :) The Pilot Metropolitan is great as first pen, IMO.
- hammyhavoc 3y ago
  Who downvoted you? It's a valid perspective.
- throwanem 3y ago
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
waynesonfire 3y ago
Agreed, love the Lamy Safari. I got the Al Star to up-scale it a bit. And, then a gold-nib later. But, honestly, like the steel more! I also tried the Pilot Metropolitan, for some reason this awful pen is recommended as an alternative to the Lamy. Doesn't even compare, got rid of it fairly quickly. The ridge along the grip was very uncomfortable for me.
- nunuvit 3y ago
  The Lamy grips are pretty controversial too. It looks like there are a few other pens that use the same nib and feed as the Metro. Do any of them lack that ridge?
Alifatisk 3y ago
> Also check out the unrelated free Handwriting Repair pdf Link?
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
- nordsieck 3y ago
  I assume your parent is referring to this: https://penvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Handwriting-Repair-Guidebook.pdf https://penvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Handwriting-R...
  - nunuvit 3y ago
    Yup, that's a copy of part of it.
- WillAdams 3y ago
  I suspect it would be something by Kate Gladstone: https://handwritingrepair.info https://handwritingrepair.info
  - nunuvit 3y ago
    Nope
jimmyjazz14 3y ago
I have a number of fountain pens but the one I keep coming back to is the Pilot Kakuno, they are super cheap but they just feel so good in hand especially for sketching and drawing.
- slowmovintarget 3y ago
  Pilot somehow pulls off miracles with their steel nibs. The Kakuno has the same nib as the Metropolitan or the Explorer, and they're great. Even better, the Kakuno can (just barely) fit the CON-70 converter for a nice big ink reservoir instead of the wee CON-40. Granted, refilling cartridges with bottled ink and blunt syringes works really well, too.
- quantgenius 3y ago
  Kakunos are awesome. Really good nibs. Awesome value for money.
frereubu 3y ago
The problem I have with the Safari is that I don't write much and they dry out before I use them much. My Kaweco Sport lasts for ages, and I think it's to do with the fit of the screw top compared to the relatively loose clicking mechanism of the Safari cap.
- trilobyte 3y ago
  I use a refillable cartridge on my pens and have dialed in about how much ink I should load at any given point in time based on my writing habits. It might help to play around with that.

falcolas 3y ago

I'd go one step further and suggest a Pilot disposable fountain pen. Their nibs are remarkably good, and you're only out around $2 if you dislike them. And if you like them, well then, have fun with your new hobby!

kps 3y ago
I second the recommendation to try Pilot first, though I haven't used any of their recent disposables. Pilot nibs are just remarkably consistently good. As a starter I'd suggest the Pilot Metropolitan with a medium nib (as Asian nibs tend to be a little finer than European nibs with the same designation) although my personal favourite ‘cheap’ pen (that is, in the Lamy Safari price range) is the old-style Prera (in the US, from JetPens).
- haradion 3y ago
  I've got both a Metropolitan and a Prera, and I can second (third?) this recommendation. Fantastic pens.
nunuvit 3y ago
True, I actually did that myself when I impulse bought one at an art supply store since it was at the checkout counter. It's a great way to find out if you're interested in experimenting with pens, or if you just want a no-fuss tool and have a passing curiosity in fountain pens. Do this before getting a non-disposable.
slowmovintarget 3y ago
I was giving away Pilot Varsity pens (a.k.a. V-pens) to people around the office that were interested. Amazon sells them in boxes of 10, and yes they have a surprisingly good nib for such an inexpensive pen. They also have decent capacity, as the thing is basically a non-refillable ink tank with a novel felt feed (similar to what markers use). The next pen I recommend as a starter is usually the Pilot Metropolitan, or the TWSBI Eco for those who want to dive into bottled ink.

rPlayer6554 3y ago

The lamy safari is fantastic and only about $35. You can find a black one on Amazon for $20.

e40 3y ago

I saw the recommendation for the Lamy Safari in a lot of places. Just want to say I actually hated writing with it. Maybe I got a bad one, but I doubt it.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
dwringer 3y ago
I've had a few Safaris and they're easily among my favorites, but personally it was common to get misaligned nibs with them, or extreme variation between two different nibs of the same grind (so I don't think the problem of "getting a bad one" is as unlikely as portrayed). The alignment problem occurs with all brands to one degree or another IME, and it's worth learning to make adjustments using a loupe or macro camera for anyone who's interested in the hobby. There's also a widespread problem of counterfeit Lamy Safaris out there, which usually come in subtly different packaging and/or have subtly different markings on the pen body. These are widely considered to be inferior, and fairly common if ordering somewhere like Amazon.
- etrautmann 3y ago
  This is fascinating to me, as someone naive to the hobby. Can you describe what you're looking for and what adjustments you'd make? Are there two halves of the nib that need to be at the right spacing and alignment for proper ink-wicking or something like that? Does that affect the smoothness of the interaction with the paper too? I routinely work under a high-magnification dissecting scope to build experimental equipment for neuroscience, but I never considered that people would be doing this to optimized their writing instruments.
  - dwringer 3y ago
    Pretty much all of what you wrote is a consideration, but everyone probably has their own preferences (and in some part it's affected by writing angle and penmanship habits). Certain nib styles are better suited to different ways of holding a pen. And there's a lot more to it, since different papers react in different ways to different nibs, and inks are another wide-ranging variable. I think many people get drawn into the hobby for the endless pursuit of matching pens, papers, and inks, or trying to optimize for various characteristics across different combinations of the above. Of course a lot of people don't bother and just find one that works well enough and leave it at that.

dmpk2k 3y ago

A big problem with Safaris is they dry out quickly. There are many great pen varieties nowadays, none of which have this common fountain-pen shortcoming. Safaris are suitable for people who write daily; others should look elsewhere.

throwaway2203 3y ago
Do you have a recommendation?
- dmpk2k 3y ago
  Three I know about are the TWSBI Eco and Diamond, and Pilot’s disposable Vpen. They’ve already been mentioned elsewhere in this thread. Beyond those, do research. Fountain pens drying out is a major problem that catches newcomers off-guard. When you can buy EnerGels for peanuts, fountain pen manufacturers really need to up their game to stay remotely competitive with other pen types. And many don’t.
  - quantgenius 3y ago
    You do need to cap fountain pens because the inks are water based. If you need to take quick notes and drying out is a problem because the pens are uncapped and capped a lot, get a Lamy 2000, vintage (not new) Parker 51 or a Pilot Vanishing Point. The first two have slip caps and hooded nibs so cap and uncap really quickly and don't dry out due to the hooded nib. The Vanishing Point also has a hooded nib but you click it like a ballpoint pen to expose and hide the nib. Also don't use quick drying inks. If drying out is a problem because you don't write frequently enough, there are two solutions. Solution 1: Buy a Platinum (Preppy for low end, or 3776 higher end). It has a really good cap. Both will take a long time to dry out. Or even better, write more frequently.
- kps 3y ago
  Old Parker 51. (Emphatically, do not touch any current Parker.)
- vgeek 3y ago

stefanka 3y ago

I got their „studio“ and it’s pretty decent for its price

sbaiddn 3y ago

The grip is the best part of the pen!

BeetleB 3y ago

I preferred the Pilot Metropolitan, with a Medium Nib (equivalent to Fine in Europe). It was my goto pen for a number of years, despite getting more expensive ones.

taeric 3y ago

I'm partial to the metropolitan pens. But, realistically, any pen is a fine starter nowadays. I am a huge fan of the larger nibs. I tried getting into calligraphy, but haven't managed the eye for it, yet. Tons and tons of fun, though.

Al-Khwarizmi 3y ago

In my view, Lamy Safari is way overrated. Don't get me wrong, it's far from bad, a pretty consistent pen for the price. But the ink dries fast-ish if you don't use it, and especially, the cartridges are proprietary so you're tied to the brand's cartridges and ink colors (there's a piston converter, but converters, meh). A Pilot Metropolitan is approximately the same price and at least in my view, it's better as it uses standard international cartridges. A TWSBI Eco is more expensive, but not by that much, and it's an absolute reliability monster.

nunuvit 3y ago
Can you also use cartridges with the TWSBI Eco? A first pen should give you the option. I haven't tried the Pilots, but the standard cartridge could change my recommendation to them.
- rbonvall 3y ago
  No, the TWSBI Eco can only be filled from a bottle. The TWSBI Swipe supports both cartridges and converters.
  - nunuvit 3y ago
    Thanks for confirming. You really need to try both to find what you like.
- Al-Khwarizmi 3y ago
  No, the Eco can only be filled with a piston mechanism, and yes, you have a point. While I love piston fillers, it can be off-putting for a complete beginner, so maybe better as second pen than as first :) The Pilot Metropolitan is great as first pen, IMO.
hammyhavoc 3y ago
Who downvoted you? It's a valid perspective.
throwanem 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

waynesonfire 3y ago

Agreed, love the Lamy Safari. I got the Al Star to up-scale it a bit. And, then a gold-nib later. But, honestly, like the steel more! I also tried the Pilot Metropolitan, for some reason this awful pen is recommended as an alternative to the Lamy. Doesn't even compare, got rid of it fairly quickly. The ridge along the grip was very uncomfortable for me.

nunuvit 3y ago
The Lamy grips are pretty controversial too. It looks like there are a few other pens that use the same nib and feed as the Metro. Do any of them lack that ridge?

Alifatisk 3y ago

> Also check out the unrelated free Handwriting Repair pdf Link?

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
nordsieck 3y ago
I assume your parent is referring to this: https://penvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Handwriting-Repair-Guidebook.pdf https://penvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Handwriting-R...
- nunuvit 3y ago
  Yup, that's a copy of part of it.
WillAdams 3y ago
I suspect it would be something by Kate Gladstone: https://handwritingrepair.info https://handwritingrepair.info
- nunuvit 3y ago
  Nope

jimmyjazz14 3y ago

I have a number of fountain pens but the one I keep coming back to is the Pilot Kakuno, they are super cheap but they just feel so good in hand especially for sketching and drawing.

slowmovintarget 3y ago
Pilot somehow pulls off miracles with their steel nibs. The Kakuno has the same nib as the Metropolitan or the Explorer, and they're great. Even better, the Kakuno can (just barely) fit the CON-70 converter for a nice big ink reservoir instead of the wee CON-40. Granted, refilling cartridges with bottled ink and blunt syringes works really well, too.
quantgenius 3y ago
Kakunos are awesome. Really good nibs. Awesome value for money.

frereubu 3y ago

The problem I have with the Safari is that I don't write much and they dry out before I use them much. My Kaweco Sport lasts for ages, and I think it's to do with the fit of the screw top compared to the relatively loose clicking mechanism of the Safari cap.

trilobyte 3y ago
I use a refillable cartridge on my pens and have dialed in about how much ink I should load at any given point in time based on my writing habits. It might help to play around with that.