Lamy 25P

[Pete5000]

Here's my first review ever and I've decided to start with a pen that I've not found so far on FPN - the Lamy 25P

 

First Impressions

 

I spotted this one on ebay and was immeadiately attracted to its clean minimalist design. A few clicks later and it was in the post. The pen was clearly used but I've no real idea how old it is. I'm guessing late 70's/early 80's. The cap says "W.Germany" which I guess means its not a more recent model.

 

 

Appearance & Design (8/10)

 

I think this is great looking pen. The silver and black contrast and compliment each other. The design is very European minimalst. Its business like, professional and understated.

 

 

 

 

Quality & Construction (8/10)

 

There are some interesting materials here. The barrel is brushed aluminium with a plastic core, the cap is plactic with a brushed finish(is this possibly the same material as the Lamy 2000?) and the clip is aluminium. The nib section is black plastic. The cap clicks into place smoothly but firmly and is held on by two sprung metal clips at the bottom of the nib section. This is clearly not a "premium" fountain pen but the quality and finish is good.

 

Weight & Dimensions (6/10)

 

This is a very light pen. I've no scales but it felt very similar in weight to my Parker 45.

 

The capped length is 134mm, uncapped 128mm and posted 140mm. The widest part of the barrel is exactly 10mm in diameter.

 

Nib & Performance (9/10)

 

 

 

Not much to say here. The nib is steel and semi hooded, its a smooth but stiff writer. My pen is a medium, there is a small M marked at the bottom of the nib section and I would say it lays down a pretty average medium line. It writes neither wet nor dry and always starts well. Like most Lamy's this is a competent performance.

 

Filling & Maintenance (5/10)

 

The pen is a cartridge/converter type. I use the short International Standard cartridges which fit okay but not as positive a fit as I would hope. Lamy T10 cartridges don't fit at all. Cheap IS cartridges wobble around a bit as they are narrower in the body. I need to try a few converters in here and see if any fit. I've not tried the longer waterman cartridges either. Will post an update if I get hold of any.

 

Cost & Value (8/10)

 

I paid about £12 for the pen on ebay. Its difficult to judge if this was a good deal as I've never seen another around but I'm quite happy with it.

 

Conclusions (42/60)

 

A neat little pen for everyday use in the office. It's a shame Lamy aren't still making these! If anyone has any more info on the 25P please post below!

[hari317]

Congratulations! I really like this pen. I have its cousin called the Lamy26P which I bought from a nice FPNer.

 

Best

Hari

[fortlane]

Great review. it's nice to see reviews on old Lamys. I read somewhere that the short Pelikan international cartridges work better in these old Lamys.

[hari317]

I read somewhere that the short Pelikan international cartridges work better in these old Lamys.

That is correct. These older Lamys indeed were designed to use the international short cartridge.

[soapytwist]

The search function isn't that great to find pens with short names, so here's the link to my review:

 

LINK

[encremental]

If you need a converter, I have found the Pelikan one to fit particularly well.

 

John

[majorworks]

Thanks for the review. I'm a Lamy fan and love reading about them. I'd never heard of this model.

[GeekyGirl]

Does this pen have a steel nib?

 

What have been your impressions using the pen over time?

 

Thanks!

[Black Spot]

Understatement is a understatement when it comes to this pen, I had one for years before realizing it was not just a nice writing no name but a Lamy.

This pen became one of my carry about pens and was unappreciated so it is a bit beat up now.
But that is one of the traits of a Lamy they can take punishment.

I do not like the look of semi hooded or hooded nibs, It really wrights very well and very smoothly.

If you find one you may as well get it because it is a good pen.

[inkeverywhere]

I have just bought the same model, paid a little more (Aug 2014) but not much. Looking forward to its arrival even more after reading your review.

 

Greg

 

"may our fingers remained ink stained"

[soapytwist]

Pete5000 - your guess for the age of it was pretty accurate!

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/272237-1979-lamy-fachhandels-katalog/

[rockydoggy]

Understatement is a understatement when it comes to this pen, I had one for years before realizing it was not just a nice writing no name but a Lamy.

 

This pen became one of my carry about pens and was unappreciated so it is a bit beat up now.

But that is one of the traits of a Lamy they can take punishment.

 

I do not like the look of semi hooded or hooded nibs, It really wrights very well and very smoothly.

 

If you find one you may as well get it because it is a good pen.

Same situation here. Not sure where I got it, but for a while I thought it was simply a surprisingly nice knockoff of a Lamy.

It's a very smooth, wet writer that's one of my pens that I can leave for a while and it doesn't dry out.

It's been in regular rotation since I stumbled across it.

[igor61]

Congratulations. Hi, I have two 25P's all made of steel, one with an extra fine nib, the other with a fine nib. They are from 1976.

 

Great pens, they work without any problems.

[philm]

Resurrecting this topic. I recently purchased a pen that is identical to the 25P reviewed above. However, on the cap lip is written "LAMY STUDIO GERMANY" instead of the LAMY 25P as above. Does anyone know the relationship of the 25P to this old Studio. Did the 25P become the Studio. Obviously the current Studio is a popular brand of Lamy, but I was wondering if any Lamy experts out there knew of the lineage or timing.

 

Thanks!

 

Phil

[sweilem]

i got the same as this pen but the nib says 18k 750 lamy , is this different than the one in this topic??? it looks exactly the same body wise

[Robert Alan]

Resurrecting this topic. I recently purchased a pen that is identical to the 25P reviewed above. However, on the cap lip is written "LAMY STUDIO GERMANY" instead of the LAMY 25P as above. Does anyone know the relationship of the 25P to this old Studio. Did the 25P become the Studio. Obviously the current Studio is a popular brand of Lamy, but I was wondering if any Lamy experts out there knew of the lineage or timing.

 

Thanks!

 

Phil

The Studio series of Lamy writing instruments is a much more recent design while the 25P is from the last century.

 

Studio steel fountain pen nibs are the same as nibs found on the Lamy Safari, AL-Star, CP1, Logo and several other contemporary Lamy fountain pens, and they are different from the nibs found on the Lamy 25P. Some Studio models are fitted with 14K/585 bi-color nibs. The Studio fountain pens will only accept Lamy proprietary cartridges and Lamy converters. I don't recommend attempting to use other brands of cartridges or converters.

 

The 25P fountain pens were designed to accept international/Montblanc style cartridges and the steel nibs and matching feeds are similar in design to the Lamy 2000, Lamy 27 and Lamy 99 pens, for example. The nib & feed should slide out of the section and the nib can slide off the feed. Like many Lamy fountain pens, the 25P is a modular, Bauhaus-inspired design. I don't believe any were fitted with solid gold nibs, 14K/585 or otherwise. BTW, the "P" models were for cartridges (Patronen in German).

 

Regards, Robert Alan

[jchch1950]

Nice to read this pen review. I bought mine in Germany in 1976.Mine has steel nib and it is a very useful pen that brings back memories of my student years in Europe. I can't remember the price but I'm sure it was not expensive as i was living on a very low budget.

[sweilem]

•  

  Robert Alan

• thanks for the great info!

[shea2812]

Do want to post about mine. A surprise find at a local fleamart. I did not know about the existence of 25P before it then. But that brushed barrel told me that it was something special then so I purchased it. Fountain pens are far and few at the local fleamart and I have make it a habit to buy most of those that turn up. Many get passed on to friends and friends' kids after a good clean and nib tweak where necessary. The Lamy 25P however is a keeper. Comes with broad stub that required no work at all when I first got it. Just gave it a flush and plugged in long Pelikan cart filled with Waterman Florida Blue. It is light, small and very smooth nib for a B stub.

 

[Halba]

Hi Lamy Fans,

 

I have a P25 Lamy fountain pen, too. I got a set as a gift together with a ballpen about 30 years ago. Unfortunately I lost the ballpen. It had the same design but I couldn`t find it anywhere on the internet. Has anyone ever seen a P25 ballpen ?

 

Thanks

Halba

Hamburg, Germany