Lamy Accent

January 28, 2007

This is my first review. Although I've learned a lot since joining this forum, it's in writing a review that you learn how much you don't know! I had a photo of the pen open, showing the nib, but I can't figure out how to upload more than 1 photo, so I included a photo of the fountain pen and the ballpoint pen.

First Impressions: I bought this pen after reading about Lamy pens, seeing a picture of it, and really liking the appearance. I wanted a pen with a more casual appearance, without the chrome or gold trim that so many have. It came in a Lamy metallic box, with a converter and a blue ink cartridge. The box is a little on the flimsy side, but still a nice appearance.

Appearance & Finish: The pen is described as brilliant black lacquer, and has an interchangeable grip section—I liked the wood look of the briarwood section which is what you see. I’m not sure what that piece is made of, but it gives the pen a great look and contrasts well with the black lacquer. Although I don’t mind that this briarwood section is not real wood, I think I thought it would be (naïve?). The pen appears well constructed.

Design/Size/Weight: I’m not sure what the pen is made of, but I think acrylic. It has a flat top, and a bottom which is fitted so the cap posts securely on it, and won’t mar the finish. The clip is metallic and works via a spring mechanism, the first one like that I’ve purchased. It has a nice feel, but I hope I won’t start playing with it during the day. The pen is 5 3/4 inches, long and 6 7/16 inches long posted, yes seems kind of long posted. It feels overall like a medium weight pen. It’s light if not posted, and actually feels a little back heavy with the cap posted, but still pleasant to write with.

Nib Design & Performance: I got a 14kt EF nib. I chose this nib after hearing how broad Lamy nibs can write, and apparently the gold nibs may write even broader. This nib is almost like a medium. My Waterman Charleston Fine nib, and Aurora Ipsilon XF nib both write thinner. It has a slight amount of tooth. But this pen, unlike any others I have, seems more paper dependent. On high quality paper, it writes much better. Even using Noodler’s black, it writes like a fine nib on good paper, and medium nib on less quality paper, a greater difference than other pens. It writes a really wet line, which is a little bit of a problem with slow drying ink. It would probably be considered semi-flex. I’m a little disappointed at how broad the nib writes, but overall it’s a pleasant writer.

The Filling System: The pen takes a cartridge or converter. It has a very interesting mechanism, in that as one unscrews the bottom section, the nib rises—in other words, you don’t hold the nib section, it comes apart as you unscrew the bottom section. The converter screws into the nib with threads. This adds to the fun of the pen.

Cost/Value: Although many sites sell the pen for over $100, I got a great price from Pam at Oscar Brauns, $90. It was very difficult finding anyone selling this pen with an EF nib. It’s all over Europe that way, and almost double in cost there, but in the US, most merchants did not carry EF. Pam was able to locate it. I purchased the matching ballpoint pen too.

Overall Opinion/Conclusion: I remain enamored by the pen because of the appearance, and unique converter access mechanism. I was hoping it would be an everyday writer, but not sure I’ll be able to use it that way with it writing so broadly. It writes thinner with Noodler’s black, and I may just use it with that ink. Since it is a little back heavy posted, I’ll have to see over time whether that makes writing with it during the day unpleasant or not.

John

January 30, 2007

I'm thinking of submitting a poll: What does no response to a review mean?

1. The review was lougsy and not worthy of discussion;

2. The pen is totally uninteresting;

3. Other

Just expressing surprise at a lack of discussion about a pen not before reviewed.

:bonk:

John

January 30, 2007

Hi John,

I don't think it means anything! Reviews are more long-term than regular posts. I think your review was very good! I have one of these Lamy Accents in Burlwood, like yours, and I'd have to agree with your evaluation. Mine is with a medium nib, and it is wide and wet. If I were keeping mine, I would probably send it off to be stubbed, but it might be fun to get an XF nib in and try it out. One of the things about these Accent pens is that nib sections are an easy change-out, as well as the accent piece (in case you don't care for Briarwood).

One way to post a second picture is to add a reply with an additional picture in it.

Thanks for reviewing an interesting pen!

Scott.

Edited January 30, 2007 by scogre

January 30, 2007

Thank you for the review.

I am surprised to read about the "toothiness" of the gold nib. I thought the gold nibs were better than steel. Your comments lowered both my opinion and expectations of the device in question (at least a little bit).

Regards

Hans-Peter

Edited January 30, 2007 by Hans-Peter Ording

January 30, 2007

Thank you for the review.

I am surprised to read about the "toothiness" of the gold nib. I thought the gold nibs were better than steel. Your comments lowered both my opinion and expectations of the device in question (at least a little bit).

Regards
Hans-Peter

All of my fine or EF gold nibs tend have at least slight toothiness, which I gather is a feature of fine nibs. The surprise with this Lamy is that it has similar slight toothiness despite the fact it writes like a medium nib. The toothiness is slight, and I think partly related to it having a smaller sweet spot than most (which I forgot to mention in the review.)

John

January 30, 2007

I am surprised to read about the "toothiness" of the gold nib. I thought the gold nibs were better than steel.

I don´t know whether you are referring just to the Lamy pens, but gold nibs are not necessarily better than steel ones. I´ve got many steel nibs (Pelikan 200, Rotring 600) that write as well as gold nibs that cost 5 times as much.

February 1, 2007

An honest review. My EF also writes like a medium-fine.

BTW - you can always send these pens to LAMY USA for nib exchange.

Re the lack of comments - Lamy pens don't seem to attract interest of collectors. Also this model has been pushed aside by the newer Studio models, which I think you will find write about the same.

But as a "user" of pens, I love them. I really like carrying around my UNIC or a studio.

I just wish Lamy used the standard sizes in cartridges, refills, etc.

February 4, 2007

Nice review, pvdiamon! I missed it the first time around so that's why I didn't respond earlier

I don't have a Lamy Accent but I do have several other Lamy pens (a 2000, two Safaris, a Studio and a Logo) and they all write great. I love Lamys!

As for the "converter access mechanism" in your Accent, it kind of reminds me of the mechanism in my orange ebonite Waterman Liason...Neat, isn't it?

Edited February 4, 2007 by Maja

February 6, 2007

Nice review, pvdiamon! I missed it the first time around so that's why I didn't respond earlier

I don't have a Lamy Accent but I do have several other Lamy pens (a 2000, two Safaris, a Studio and a Logo) and they all write great. I love Lamys!

As for the "converter access mechanism" in your Accent, it kind of reminds me of the mechanism in my orange ebonite Waterman Liason...Neat, isn't it?

Maja, out of curiosity, do any of your Lamy's have an EF nib? Do you think they write rather broad?

John

July 4, 2007

I thought I would provide an update to my experience with the Accent. Although using an EF nib, it wrote so broad that I found myself not using this pen much, despite liking the appearance and feel. So at the Raleigh Pen Show, I had Richard Binder grind the nib. Although I won't do justice to his explanation, he said the Lamy nib is cut in such a way that vertical lines are EF, but horizontal lines are more like an M nib. So he "fixed" that. Now I find myself enjoying the pen more. I would say it now writes like an F nib, similar to the EF in my Aurora Ipsilon, the Fine in my Waterman Charleston. or like the Fine in a Sensa Meridian, with no significant horizontal/vertical differences.

John

July 6, 2007

Good to know. I love my 2 Accent rollerballs and 2 ballpoints, sometime I may break down and track down a fountain pen. Although I think my heart lusts first for a CP-1 fountain; I had a CP-1 rollerball and it vanished on me. Lovely to hold!

P.S. For anyone contemplating purchase of an Accent of any type - ball, roller, or fp - be advised that the briarwood grip is the way to go. The colored ones are too slick and the rubber ones wear down. The briar is easy to hold on to and doesn't wear out. And with Lamy now charging about $10 for each color barrel, you want to get this right the first time. So - if you want something to grip (and who doesn't, really?) - go with the briar.

Edited July 6, 2007 by J English Smith

September 30, 2007

Good to know. I love my 2 Accent rollerballs and 2 ballpoints, sometime I may break down and track down a fountain pen. Although I think my heart lusts first for a CP-1 fountain; I had a CP-1 rollerball and it vanished on me. Lovely to hold!

P.S. For anyone contemplating purchase of an Accent of any type - ball, roller, or fp - be advised that the briarwood grip is the way to go. The colored ones are too slick and the rubber ones wear down. The briar is easy to hold on to and doesn't wear out. And with Lamy now charging about $10 for each color barrel, you want to get this right the first time. So - if you want something to grip (and who doesn't, really?) - go with the briar.

Good to know! I was debating between getting mine (a Palladium) with either the rubber or the pear wood. I went with rubber...It's okay, but I now think I might pick up a wood insert sometime soon!

November 12, 2007

Good to know. I love my 2 Accent rollerballs and 2 ballpoints, sometime I may break down and track down a fountain pen. Although I think my heart lusts first for a CP-1 fountain; I had a CP-1 rollerball and it vanished on me. Lovely to hold!

P.S. For anyone contemplating purchase of an Accent of any type - ball, roller, or fp - be advised that the briarwood grip is the way to go. The colored ones are too slick and the rubber ones wear down. The briar is easy to hold on to and doesn't wear out. And with Lamy now charging about $10 for each color barrel, you want to get this right the first time. So - if you want something to grip (and who doesn't, really?) - go with the briar.

Good to know! I was debating between getting mine (a Palladium) with either the rubber or the pear wood. I went with rubber...It's okay, but I now think I might pick up a wood insert sometime soon!

I own a Lamy Accent Brilliant, M nib. It's black with a metallic grip. I like it quite much, apart from being a present from my sister (which adds some emotional value to it, specially thinking of my sister who has never used a fp choosing one in a specialised shop for me!). Its looks are quite modern, barrel diameter is just perfect for my taste, quite thick and perfectly round. It is a bit heavy if you are going to write with it for a lot of time. The cap threads onto the barrel and fits perfectly when posted because of the special design of the end of the barrel, although I usually use pens unposted. The clip has a spring system so it fits nearly everywhere.

The M nib writes very well but, as everybody says, pretty wet to be medium. It's months since I don't use it, but I am thinking of buying an F or EF nib section, as they are fully interchangeable with the barrel so I have 2 fp in one, maybe I'll also get another grip to play with, and a converter,...so it will be again in front line.

In summary, quite a nice pen.

August 8, 2008

I've been wanting one of these for a while, but if I may I'd like to clarify a couple of items:

- does the cap screw on or snap on?

- is the barrel rather thick? in pictures in catalogues the Accent looks like a nice, think pen, which I prefer.

- what has been the experience with the metallic ("Palladium") version and the metal grip sections? I've found this model at pencity.com for less than $55, which appears to be several dollars to nearly fifteen dollars lower than anywhere else.

Thank you ver much!

August 9, 2008

Cap is screw on, barrel is not very thick. Can't answer the last question, no experience there.

August 11, 2008

Good review!

I've owned a palladium accent since 2000 with a fine nib and used the Al and pearwood grip sections before settling on a rubber one. While I like the way it writes I'm unhappy with it's reliability.

I've gone through two replacement nib sections where the nib holder thingy (excuse the technical talk) has cracked internally near where it joins the converter. I'm unsure whether it's due to overtightening (since everything screws together -- converter into nib, nib into barrel, then barrel into cap) or if it's a fundamental design fault. Certainly, a large amount of torque can be exerted onto the nib.

Reiterating, love the look, the way the pen writes and its lightness, but I am not happy with its reliability.

D.

August 20, 2008

Almost 10 years ago I got one of the silver toned still nibbed Accents. It was a used model with some slight wear but I've always liked the flexibility of this long pen.

The nibs are interchangeable with my Vista's so I can switch between M, F or XF. The interchangable grips are great and help with the comfort aspect. I prefer the Pear wood grip, but on hot days I like the feel of the ceramic white and Black (Jersey Cow) ceramic grip. If I'm doing a lot of intense writing, then it's back to the stock Rubber.

I'm sure the Briarwood grip is genuine wood, back when I bought the Pear wood grip, I asked for the price of the Briar wood, it was $32.00 compared to around $12.00 for the pear wood. It must be a harder, rarer hardwood variety.