Lamy 2000 Blackwood BP - questions

[tanalasta]

I recently purchased a Lamy 2000 Blackwood BP that came with a M16 BP refill in medium.

 

It's a gorgeous pen and having a look at others on display, there is a darker (almost ebony) version that hefted heavier (almost as heavy as the Taxus) than the dark brown version that I settled upon.

 

I find the M16 refill writes reasonably smoothly though perhaps not as nice as the Parker fine refills and the much loved Pilot G2 or Parker gel refills (which are really rollerballs). It's not as nicely weighted or balanced as the Parker Sonnet BP and causes some fatigue with prolonged writing but is still a gorgeous writing instrument.

 

Quick questions:

1. What is the proper pen care and durability of a wooden (Blackwood in this case) pen - do I need to wax it or keep the finish maintained?

2. Any opinions about the Lamy M16 refills and any alternatives?

[kernando]

I imagine that what you see as dark brown versus almost black is just about color variation in the wood, all the same kind of wood.

 

I don't know the scientific names, or anything about the trees, but I think those are African blackwood, also called grenadilla. I hope they're the same thing. The names are thrown around in talking about woods for woodwind instruments like clarients, oboes, piccolos, some flutes, etc.

 

There's a tradition of oiling the bores of instruments. I don't remember which oils (nut oils, olive, vitamin E pill oil) or how often, or whether it's even shown to work. The idea is that it keeps the wood from drying out oil-wise, but also protects it from the water condensation. I can't remember anybody ever talking about the outside, but that's where your hands go and the keys are in the way.

 

It's probably not too critical with a pen. You could do whatever looks good, and I don't know how it's finished already. I assume oil or wax makes it darker and shinier. It may be more important to keep it dry and not leave it in sunlight or high heat.

 

I hope somebody with more wood experience gets more specific for you. I have maple pens that are still light, and I wonder how to keep them so.

 

I probably couldn't see buying one, but a Lamy 2000 in wood with silver clip, white gold nib, and a hood in rhodium plate or white gold would be so great for those of us used to the look of blackwood and silver.

[Silvermink]

I probably couldn't see buying one, but a Lamy 2000 in wood with silver clip, white gold nib, and a hood in rhodium plate or white gold would be so great for those of us used to the look of blackwood and silver.

 

Yeah, I'd love a blackwood version of the 2000 FP. I'm wondering if maybe they didn't do it because the cap style wouldn't quite work with the wood being that thin. As it is, I'm thinking of getting the rollerball or maybe the blackwood BP for my father, since he was admiring my 2000.

[dapv]

I'm no expert, but I think the oil from you hands from regular use will be sufficient for preservation and sheen/luster. I don't imagine there's much you can actually do to the inside, nor do I think you need to. The nice thing about the 2000's wood is its rich dark color. The Caran d'Ache Metwood [rose wood] is very nice also, but over time the lower half becomes darker than the top half from the oils in your hands. No matter, you will have decades of maintenance free writing. Enjoy.

[kernando]

I probably couldn't see buying one, but a Lamy 2000 in wood with silver clip, white gold nib, and a hood in rhodium plate or white gold would be so great for those of us used to the look of blackwood and silver.

 

Yeah, I'd love a blackwood version of the 2000 FP. I'm wondering if maybe they didn't do it because the cap style wouldn't quite work with the wood being that thin. As it is, I'm thinking of getting the rollerball or maybe the blackwood BP for my father, since he was admiring my 2000.

 

Oh yeah, that's the other problem. I remembered the whole dipping silver in acid would be bad part. I can't remember how thin the 2000 plastic is, but I suppose it could work if made a little thicker and tapered down to a metal ring insert for the cap retainer bumps. My wood pen mentioned above is a Pilot Custom, and the thickness of it doesn't look silly. It's the same size as the plastic version.

[dapv]

Lamy being Lamy, I'm surprised they haven't introduced the black wood FP. After all Platinum and Nakaya have briarwood FPs.

[Mrsal]

hmm, im thinking of getting one of these for my brother as he hater fountain pens. i know, it hurt me when he said that!

[latestarter]

Over the years i have carried out a lot of tests with ballpoint refills.My personal opinion is the m16 Lamy is one of the very best,certainly much better than anything Parker has produced.I actually dont think the parkers are very good at all to be honest and have found lots of $2 pens that have been much smoother etc than the parkers regardless of country of manifacture.Each to there own i guess! Enjoy your Lamy

 

Cheers David