Lamy Nib Sizes

[mengsuan]

Hi guys! I'm planning to get my third fountain pen soon, before I step into the first year of my university. I'm pretty hooked up with the special edition Lamy Safari White. I've read all(or most) of the review that I can find in this forum and I have a problem selecting the nib size. From one review the F nib is soooo fine while another XF nib appears to be quite broad to me. I guess there might be some fluctuations in the nibs produced or my computer's screen is playing a trick on my eye. I need a nib which write about 0.5mm. Which nib size should I be looking for?

[ChristineR]

This might help. The Safari/Studio/Vista nibs are not the same as the 2000 Nibs so you cannot compare. I just measured my Lamy Studio F and it writes a .5 mm line.

 

European brands (Lamy) tend to have broader lines than Asian brands, so that adds to the confusion. Here's a chart which doesn't have Lamy but does give you a general idea of how two people can not agree on what "fine" means.

[scribbler]

M would be my guess.

 

Edited to add pic of various Lamy Safari/Al-Star (this year's limited edition and regular) ink lines. On Ampad Gold Fibre Jr. Legal Pad (#20-026) and a photo--no scanner, sorry.

 

PS

That violet-blue *might* be Aurora Blue, instead.

 

http://bp3.blogger.com/_kT-LcCHLgbo/RpmiQEn4k-I/AAAAAAAAAAM/rCUxpxu5fms/s400/lamy-nib-sizes.jpg

 

If the pic doesn't load, it is also available at: http://handwrit.blogspot.com/2007/07/lamy-...ine-widths.html

Edited July 15, 2007 by scribbler

[ericthered2004]

Just to confuse matters, I'd actually go for the F for a 0.5 mm line (having just measured my own nib). The Lamy's do tend to run on the wide side, in my experience. Remember that much depends on the kind of paper you are using (mine is quite absorbent), but that one of the charms of the Lamy nibs is that you can order new ones inexpensively from Lamy (or Swisher and probably others) if you want to change up or down.

 

Cheers,

Eric

[mengsuan]

Thanks so much for the help. I think I better set off for a fine nib to be safe. XF nib is something rare here and I can't find any of those for sale. And I heard that XF nib can be a little too scratchy.

[scribbler]

The fine nib is a great choice.

 

BTW... I completely forgot to upload a pic with the fine nib. A quick and dirty one is up now, in case you still wanted to see.

 

http://bp2.blogger.com/_kT-LcCHLgbo/Rp-jWUn4lAI/AAAAAAAAAAc/xEC7UbNFXgU/s1600-h/lamySafariFineVPfine3mm.jpg

 

(if pic doesn't show: click to see it here )

[skipwilliams]

Get a FINE, you'll like it in 90% of cases. I also have EF's and they're very nice...but a tad finicky with writing position. M's are OK, but on some crappy paper, they can feather a bit. That being said, Safari's tend to run a little dry and not prone to over-flow, probably due to their winged nib design that wraps around the feed and keep the capillary distance between the nib and feed constant.

 

Great pens....I own at least a dozen.....

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for the help. I think I better set off for a fine nib to be safe. XF nib is something rare here and I can't find any of those for sale. And I heard that XF nib can be a little too scratchy.

 

[jmkeuning]

Regarding the above post and "finicky with writing position" - this is something to consider, esp with the Safari. The Safari does not have a round section, it has angles on each side of the top (which are fairly obvious from most images of the pen).

 

If you grip your pen in any unusual manner, this is something to consider. That said, I have an EF and I move my fingers around quite a bit and very rarely do I find that I am not getting proper flow.

[mengsuan]

I suddenly had a weird thought. If I were to buy special/limited pen like this Lamy White, won't it be difficult to get replacement barrel/cap in the future, if I break my pen?

[Sirvinya]

I bought the same version pen in black with a medium nib and it lays down the thinnest line out of all the fountain pens I own. I had considered buying a fine nib and trying to change it but to be honest, it already seems thin enough.