Lamy 1.1-mm nib sucks for italic handwriting?

[JonathanAquino]

I’m trying to like my Lamy Safari with 1.1-mm nib. I really am. German engineering, right? But I’m not getting good performance, as you can see in the photo below.

 

Does your Lamy 1.1 write like this? I wonder if mine is just faulty.

 

At the top is the Lamy with Lamy blue-black ink in a piston converter. At the bottom is a pen from an inexpensive Panache calligraphy set. And the Panache performs so much better:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3309/3645650273_57c00ea655_b.jpg

 

Things to note about the Lamy:

- uneven color

- uneven line width

- thin strokes are not sharp enough—compare the serifs to the razor-sharp ones on the Panache

 

Is my Lamy defective?

Edited June 21, 2009 by JonathanAquino

[HDoug]

I have a couple of the smaller Lamy italics (.7 and .9?) and they're not very sharp either. I think that's on purpose, though. Sharper italics are more difficult to use (for most people) and they had to strike some kind of compromise between sharp and easy.

 

With a sharp eye, a steady hand, and a grindstone, one can sharpen the nibs.

 

Good luck on your worthy quest. The form of your italic is quite nice!

 

Doug

Edited June 21, 2009 by HDoug

[Achim]

I'd try different ink or paper first - it looks as if they don't get along well, lots of feathering. I just tried here and on my Conqueror paper with blue Lamy cartridge ink it's much crisper than on your photo. But I agree that the 1.1 Lamy doesn't have as much line variation as other nibs (i.e. Manuscript), but the Lamy nibs write much smoother. You might also want to try a 1.5 mm or even the 1.9 mm nib, since those have much more line variation.

Edited June 21, 2009 by Achim

[superbleu]

As stated above try some different inks and papers.

 

Also get yourself some supefine wetdry sandpaper and you can shape the nibs to be a little more crisp. If you screw up the nib, you can get replacement nibs here

[PacificCoastPen]

If you can drop the cash...get a Binder Pel 200 with his preground italic cursive nibs...I have a 0.9 and a 0.7. You probably won't buy another italic nib other than his. My Lamy 1.1 lack the edge of Binder's. You get what you pay for. I tell myself that I have a stub with the Lamy 1.1.

 

I have a cheapie Sheaffer italic pen fine nib that I got years ago that works better than the Lamy 1.1. The newer cheapie Sheaffer art pens aren't machined as well as this older one.

 

Your penmanship is nice.

 

[MYU]

This is more appropriate for "Writing Instruments" as this is not a review. Moving...

[Artie]

It looks like your Lamy has a right foot slant. If you hold it the same way you hold the Panache, it would account for the uneven lines. Ink flow is another problem though. Same ink in both? I don't understand why the Lamy would write with both such a thinned ink look AND tend to bleed if both pens have the same ink.

 

BTW, Binder will take issue with this but the right foot nib is usually considered a left handed nib, but it will need to be held at an angle where the entire nib is in contact with the paper all the time.

Edited June 21, 2009 by Artie

[QuantumPugilist]

I second the ink/paper suggestion. My 1.1mm safari nib looks exactly like the bottom (dark blue) markings, but perhaps even sharper.

 

Could also, perhaps, be technique. I tend to write in rather choppy/slashing like manner, which could be what causes my variations to be rather severe.

[JonathanAquino]

Thanks to all for the tips and thoughts.

 

HDoug—Thanks! I learned the handwriting from Fred Eager’s book “The Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting”.

 

Achim—You’re right—the Lamy does not get along well with this inexpensive notepaper. It’s funny though that the cheap calligraphy pen works well on any paper, whereas the German-engineered Lamy is so fussy.

 

superbleu—Thanks for the pointer to the site with replacement nibs. Will use that if I get into grinding.

 

PacificCoastPen—It’s funny that our cheap calligraphy pens work better than the Lamy!

 

Artie—Interesting observation about the “right-foot slant”—didn’t notice that! I’ll need to research this more.

 

QuantumPugilist—You’re lucky that your 1.1mm safari nib has a sharp line!

Edited June 21, 2009 by JonathanAquino

[FrankB]

I have some italic nibs that are quite crisp, and I agree the Lamy 1.1mm is more of a cursive italic grind. I suppose the cursive italic character makes the nib more user friendly and a little more universal in appeal to the general writing public. Although it is not super crisp, I find the 1.1mm Lamy to be a nice nib that is very satisfactory for writing flowing cursive italic script. Your handwriting looks very nice with both nibs, actually.

 

However, my nib seems to have a more generous flow than yours. I agree you should try another ink and different paper. If that (change) does not work, the nib might need an ink flow adjustment.

[JonathanAquino]

Thanks Frank—I’ll definitely need to give it a try on some different paper!

[JonathanAquino]

Figured out the problem.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3625/3652671029_bdeaeeb6b1_o.jpg

 

The “Notes on Pen Grinding” from the book “The Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting” were useful in my first pen grind!

 

Thanks to HDoug and superbleu for the suggestions about sharpening the nib.

Edited June 23, 2009 by JonathanAquino

[HDoug]

Now that's sharp! Congrats on your first grind -- the result is just great.

 

Doug

[Rufus]

As is the case with most "factory" Italic nibs, your Lamy nib was more of a stub than either a cursive Italic or crisp Italic. In other words, you were comparing an apple with an orange.

[JonathanAquino]

With a line thickness like that, it certainly felt like writing with an orange!

[Blerkz]

Sorry, but a totally unrelated question:-

 

How wide were the lines on the paper you wrote on?

 

Thanks

[piembi]

As is the case with most "factory" Italic nibs, your Lamy nib was more of a stub than either a cursive Italic or crisp Italic. In other words, you were comparing an apple with an orange.

 

I can second the stub. That's why I like the 1.1 Lamy nib. It is suitable for everyday writing. As far as my experience goes the nibs do have a consistent ink flow, too.

[JonathanAquino]

How wide were the lines on the paper you wrote on?

 

It’s your everyday cheap high-school notepaper, 7.5mm (9/32").

 

I can second the stub. That's why I like the 1.1 Lamy nib. It is suitable for everyday writing. As far as my experience goes the nibs do have a consistent ink flow, too.

 

You’re lucky to get good ink flow out of your 1.1 nib! Actually I do notice that the flow improved on mine after sharpening it. Maybe it just needed a kick.

[longriver]

oh

1.1mm nib Safari Just like LAMY Joy

[Rufus]

How wide were the lines on the paper you wrote on?

 

It’s your everyday cheap high-school notepaper, 7.5mm (9/32").

 

I can second the stub. That's why I like the 1.1 Lamy nib. It is suitable for everyday writing. As far as my experience goes the nibs do have a consistent ink flow, too.

 

You’re lucky to get good ink flow out of your 1.1 nib! Actually I do notice that the flow improved on mine after sharpening it. Maybe it just needed a kick.

 

Absolutely no ink flow problems with my 1.1mm Lamy Safari stub; in fact, it's one of the nicest writing stub nibs I own, and I own plenty.