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Pen Pit Stop : Lamy CP1 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 pen that arrives at the pit stop today is the “Lamy CP1”. The design of this pen dates back to 1974, and was done by Gerd A. Müller. Yes, that’s the same designer that created the iconic Lamy 2000. And this shows… the same minimalistic looks, the same brushed steel on black design. In my book, this is another timeless classic within the Lamy brand. The pen seems to be made of brass with a black lacquer applied (there’s some contradictory info on this online, but the metal threads inside the barrel do look like brass). The black coating has a matte finish, which looks really good on the pen. A very minimalist writer, without any ornamentation – pure industrial Bauhaus design. I purchased this pen back in June 2015, and use it on a regular basis. This CP1 is a very slim pen: about the same diameter as a pencil. As such, this pen will not be for everyone. If you have larger hands, long writing sessions with this pen might not be optimal. I have small hands, so for me that’s not an issue. Branding on the pen is almost absent. Only a small engraved “LAMY” on the side of the clip gives away the name of the company. The section is made from black plastic, with a series of ringed grooves to provide grip, and feels very comfortable. This CP1 fountain pen uses the standard Lamy Z50 nibs, which can easily be changed, which is a big plus in my book. When I carry the pen to the work place I typically use an EF or F nib, while I enjoy the 1.1 italic nib when I use the pen for personal journaling. All thanks to these easily changeable Z50 nibs. The cap can be posted, but in that case you get a really long pen (too long for my taste). When posted, the cap sits perfectly flush with the body. It snaps on with a soft click. Examining the end of the body, you can see the smartly designed cap-grabbing mechanism, with a slightly raised ridge that grabs the cap. Right under the clip, you can see a small breather hole drilled into the cap. Looking at the inside of the cap, this hole sits a bit above the inner cap that provides the air-tight sealing of the nib (that avoids drying out of the nib when the pen is not in use). The purpose of this hole is to regulate air-pressure when capping/uncapping the pen (it’s a click-on cap). There was a really interesting discussion on this tiny pin-(bleep) hole on FPN back in 2021 - definitely worth reading (yes, we fountain pen enthousiasts can get worked up about such details, which gets you some funny looks from anyone who’s not into the hobby ;-). Pen Look & Feel The design of this pen is top-notch! The matte black finish with the brushed metal clip still looks good after 8 years of use. The small diameter section gives the pen a bit of a retro feel that I really appreciate. The CP1 is a cartridge convertor pen that takes Lamy cartridges (non-standard, but you can find them anywhere). The replaceable Z50 nibs are basic, but look good on the pen’s body. And it’s really nice that you can easily get them in a variety of sizes. The pen has a push-cap mechanism, and can be posted – but it becomes really long and unwieldy in that case. The pictures below illustrate the size of the Lamy CP1 in comparison with a standard Safari. The CP1 is a bit smaller length-wise, and absolutely diminutive when looking at it’s diameter. So maybe not a pen for those of you with bigger hands. This can be easily tested: the CP1’s diameter is the same as that of a pencil, so if writing with a pencil feels comfortable, writing with the CP1 will definitely be OK. Pen Characteristics Build Quality : build quality is superb, with almost invisible seams where parts of the pen blend together. I use the pen on a regular basis, and it still seems good as new. The pen really doesn’t show its age. Weight & Dimensions : although it’s a small pen, it still has some heft to it, due to the metal used in its construction. It’s definitely heavier than a Safari. The pen is large enough that it fits most hands unposted (and if not, you can post it). The diameter is pencil-thin though, and that might not work for everyone. Filling System : this is a cartridge convertor, that uses Lamy’s proprietary cartridges. This shouldn’t be a problem, you can find these cartridges everywhere. If you like to use bottled inks, simply syringe-fill empty cartridges. Nib & Performance : exactly the same nib & feed as the one in the Lamy Safari, using standard Z50 nibs (with come in steel, but you can also buy gold ones). A big plus is that you can easily swab nibs to try out a multitude of sizes. Price : I bought this one as part of a pen+pencil combo, and have no clue what I paid at the time. Today the fountain pen costs about 43 EUR (taxes included). For such a good-looking minimalist pen that’s certainly good value for money. Conclusion The Lamy CP1 is another timeless classic adhering to the minimalist Bauhaus design. A well-constructed pen that still looks good as new today, after 8 years of use. I enjoy its elegant looks with the matte black finish and the brushed metal clip. Totally fits my taste! The big question is: would I buy this pen again? To this, my answer is a resounding: YES. This pen is a beauty – the smaller sibling of the Lamy 2000. Definitely a keeper.

I just picked up two LAMY cp1 fountain pens (in titanium oxide finish) for less than AUD $36 apiece, taxed and delivered, on Amazon.com.au. To think that I considered $50 for that pen model such a rare bargain, that I jumped to snap them up at that price so as to ‘penable’ friends (and they were a big hit)! Some of the prices on offer for select LAMY pen models, sold and shipped by Amazon Germany, are just so irresistibly low. Locally, Pulp Addiction's and Milligram's asking prices for the LAMY Joy calligraphy pens set are more than what I bought it for, which is cheaper than just buying those three bare LAMY Italic nibs. (click to enlarge)

I have a Lamy from the 1980s that looks EXACTLY like the CP1, has the logo in the right place etc. - but is just a touch thinner. I always thought it is a CP1 pen, until I ordered the Z26 cartridge, and it doesn't fit, it is too thick (by just a fraction if a millimeter) - then I ordered a Lamy nib for the CP1 (the 1.1 italic) and guess what: it is also a touch too large, it fits the grooves but falls off... So what kind of pen do I have? Did Lamy ever make a CP1 that is just a touch thinner than the CP1??? Or is there a difference between European models and US models?

Hi all, I'm looking for something similar in style, size, and weight to the Lamy CP1. The black is a deal breaker on the cp1 because it will "get lost" and the white is not particularly pleasant to me. I realize this is a bit of a strange question, but thanks!