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Pen Pit Stop : LAMY Safari Pastel (2019 Special Edition) Welcome to the Pen Pit Stop. Here you will find reviews of pens that already have some mileage on them. More specifically, these reviews are of pens that are in my personal collection, and that have been in use for at least a year. I thought it would be fun to do it this way – no new & shiny pens here, but battered vehicles that have been put to work for at least a year. Let’s find out how they have withstood the ravages of time. The fountain pens that arrive at the pit stop today are a trio: the LAMY Safari Pastel Series (2019 Special Edition). These are matching pastel-tinted pens in blue (Blue Macaron), green (Mint Glaze) and rose (Powder Rose). Lovely soft colours that go together well - I can see why LAMY brought these to market as a set. The fascinating history of LAMY is published on the web at https://www.lamy.com/en/history. As we can read at their site, the LAMY Safari was first unveiled at the Frankfurt Fair in 1980. It is the result of a close cooperation with designer Wolfgang Fabian and the Mannheim Development Group under the direction of Prof. Bernt Spiegel. The ergonomic design and sturdy workmanship of the LAMY Safari are perfectly tailored to the needs of schoolchildren, but also quickly win over many adult fans as well. Once a year, LAMY brings out a Special Edition Safari with its own particular colour scheme. In 2019, they deviated from this pattern, coming out with a trio of pens with the Pastel Special Edition. These have quickly become my new standard set for doing ink reviews. The Safari pen itself needs no introduction – it has been reviewed probably thousands of times. I will therefore limit myself to the specific characteristics I personally appreciate the most: Solid fountain pen for everyday use, with a fairly cheap price tag of around 20 EUR with taxes included. A real workhorse pen. And if you lose/damage it, you can always get a new one. Easily exchangeable nibs. This is a big plus in my book – a wide choice of nib sizes to experiment with. A large and practical ink window that makes it easy to check the amount of ink left in the cartridge/convertor. The most controversial feature is obviously the grip section, which forces your thumb and index finger to a specific position. You will either find this comfortable (like me), or you will hate it to no end (in which case the Safari is not for you). There doesn’t seem to be an in-between. Pen Look & Feel The design of the pens is top-notch! These are very functional-looking writing instruments with an industrial design, that still looks modern 40 years after their introduction to market. It definitely is a timeless classic. The pastel tones of this 2019 SE trio were well chosen, and complement each other nicely. LAMY paid special attention to get even minor details right - e.g. the O-ring between grip section and barrel matches the colour of the pen. You can buy the individual pens if you like, but it’s well worth it to get the complete set. Outfit the pens with a range of nibs, and you have a trio of pens for any writing occasion. The picture above illustrates the size of the LAMY Safari when uncapped, capped and posted. The pen is a decent size uncapped, and becomes really large when posted. For me, I find it a bit too unwieldy when posted, so I typically use the pen uncapped. While writing with the pen, I usually have the cap in my other hand – fiddling with it while the pen does its work on the paper. Pen Characteristics Build Quality : build quality is very good for such an affordable pen. A Safari pen can easily last decades. As a workhorse pen, it will probably get scratched - it’s just a plastic pen after all - but you’ll be able to enjoy it for a long time. By that time, you will probably already have another Safari pen ready to use. I’ve noticed that these pens have a tendency to accumulate. Myself, I started with one Safari pen years ago, and today I have over ten of them lying around. Weight & Dimensions : this is a very lightweight pen made out of plastic. The pen is large enough that it fits any hand. It posts easily for those who prefer this, becoming really long but remaining well balanced. Filling System : this is a cartridge/convertor pen that uses a LAMY specific form factor. I have no experience with the LAMY convertor. I’ve always used cartridges myself, filling them with bottled ink using a syringe. Nib & Performance : the LAMY comes standard with steel nibs, but it’s possible to buy gold nibs if you prefer them. A big plus is that the nibs are easily replaceable, and come in a wide variety of sizes (from EF to 1.9 italic). The steel Z50 nibs are cheap at 7.50 EUR a piece, while the 14-karat Z55 gold nibs are fairly expensive at 100 EUR (taxes included). Be aware that Safari pens are fairly dry writers and are best paired with wetter inks for an enjoyable writing experience. Price : These pastel pens were priced at 19 EUR a piece. For this you get a workhorse pen with a timeless industrial look. In my opinion, I got good value for money. Conclusion The LAMY Safari is a timeless classic that is well constructed and will last you a long time. I love it that LAMY keeps the Safari brand fresh and alive with yearly new releases. And I found this specific 2019 Special Edition Pastel trio a welcome addition to the colour palette. Totally fits my taste! The big question is: would I buy these pens again? To this, my answer is a resounding: YES. I just love the soft pastel colours, and these pens have quickly become the standard writers I use when doing ink reviews.