Lamy Dialog 3

[wykpenguin]

Just got a Dialog 3 today. :roflmho:

 

First Impressions

Lighter than expected and surprisingly easy to hold. The dual tone 14K nib also offered some unexpected line variation. Bigger than I expected.

 

Photos and in-depth review to come after I thoroughly enjoyed doodling with the pen. Stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

[review post moved to the top] -- MYU

 

Here comes the full review. I also have a Pilot VP which I have used and abuse everyday for more than 2 years so you might find that I drift towards comparing the Lamy with my VP.

 

First Impressions

I have a thing for retractable nibs but the only affordable choice since immemorial was Pilot's VP, until the Dialog3 came along. At first the web shots suggested a police baton. It was a long wait full of delays, but finally I got word that the pen was available. So I went over to the local pen shop to get one for myself. I was lucky that they had one with an EF nib. The pen was much more comfortable in hand than expected and was well balanced and the nib offered some unexpected line variation. Needless to say I bought it.

 

Appearance and Finish

The Dialog 3 comes in one finish, brushed aluminium, with the Lamy logo and the decorative lines engraved onto the body. The clip and cover which covers the nib when retracted is shiny metal. The overall shape still looks like a police baton although the real thing looks better proportioned than in the released photos.

 

I am not a great fan of this kind of finish because, one, it gets dirty quickly and two, it is more slippery compared to the VP powder coat which may cause hand fatigue when you try to grip harder onto the pen, but it does look quite nice. A glossy black powder coated special edition perhaps? Although the pen does not have any curves, it was not as hard to hold as I had thought. It seems thick but it is actually only as thick as the VP.

 

The thin aluminium barrel feels a bit fragile. I would not want to drop this pen. The VP on the other hand is the opposite, the barrel seems thick and sturdy but we all know that in fact the nose cone is very fragile and would kill the pen if it cracks. Then again, I have dropped my VP many many times and it is still going strong. Perhaps no pen deserves to be dropped anyway.

 

Design, Size and Weight

German engineering. The barrel is made from a very thin aluminium tube. Most of the rear section of the barrel is an empty shell which weighs next to nothing. The reason that the pen is so thick is perhaps due to the mechanism in the front part of the barrel. Therefore all the weight is confined to the front giving a very nice balance although some might think it slightly front heavy. The pen itself is only slightly heavier than the VP. A bit on the heavy side considering that most of my other pens are in the celluloid feather weight class. It would be similar in weight to a Waterman Carene I guess. It is also the same length as the VP, i.e. 14cm, retracted. Extended, the nib adds a full 2cm to the Dialog3 (big nib indeed) while the VP stays at 14cm because the push button retracts into the barrel when the nib comes out.

 

Perhaps the most attractive part of the Dialog3 is the way the nib comes out. In VPs the feed pushes open a spring loaded trap door which normally seals the barrel to prevent the nib from drying out. Because the feed contacts the trap door every time the nib is extended ink builds up around the trap door. While it has never been a functional issue for me, it is kind of irritating to find ink every time you take the nib unit out for cleaning and refills. The Dialog3 on the other hand uses the German wisdom of over engineering. The nib is extended with a 180 degree twist of the barrel and the trap door is linked to the mechanism such that it opens as the nib comes out and has no contact with the nib. In fact the nib unit (nib, feed and ink cartridge for those not used to retractables) is screwed onto the mechanism and the nib touches nothing inside the pen. There are no springs to pop/drop out unlike in the VP; the nib unit doesn't launch itself if you accidentally push on it nor does it drop out when you open the barrel in some strange position.

 

Did I mention retracting clip? The clip retracts down half a millimeter such that its underside is flat with the barrel. I have no idea what functional significance this makes. The clip is flat enough to not be a problem when out in the first place and the slight retraction would not help if you think that it gets in the way of your grip.

 

Nib

The standard dual tone Lamy EF nib. The whole 2cm of nib is visible when extended, a real treat compared with the 7mm nib on the VP. (Size matters) The nib is slightly soft and offers some line variation but I wouldn't consider it a semi flex. If you are really looking for line variation there are far better choices. Surprisingly, it is not as flexible as my VP's F nib. (Sometimes size isn't everything) Nib was smooth and wet out of the box.

 

Filling System

Standard cartridge/converter. No surprises here. Although they could fit it with a larger filling system and better utilize the space in the barrel, but that might also result in a heavier pen.

 

Cost/Value

USD 260 which is double the price of a VP. A bit on the steep side but I'm not regretting yet.

 

Overall

A well designed pen with good balance and a good writer. The police baton style is a love/hate thing. You either think it is alright or you hate it and so is the clip. The clip on this pen will be a problem for you if the clip on the VP is. The pen is a bit slippery and slightly on the heavy side but is still comfortable to hold. I think the VP is slightly superior in this aspect. The retraction mechanism is particularly well designed and you should consider it if ink in the nose cone of a VP irritates you. The nib feels the same as any other Lamy nib and as easily interchangeable as the others. If you like to see nibs, you'll see lots of it on the Dialog3, unlike the VP. An expensive buy but I think the Dialog3 will have its own page in the history of retractable FPs.

Edited January 1, 2010 by MYU

[Doug C]

Just got a Dialog 3 today. :roflmho:

 

First Impressions

Lighter than expected and surprisingly easy to hold. The dual tone 14K nib also offered some unexpected line variation. Bigger than I expected.

 

Photos and in-depth review to come after I thoroughly enjoyed doodling with the pen. Stay tuned.

 

 

I had taken this off of my list since I was convinced that it would be too heavy, and difficult to hold due to the think section.

 

Darn you.....

[I am not a number]

Just got a Dialog 3 today. :roflmho:

Best

 

Review

 

Evah.

[Highbinder]

YOU TEASE.

 

Get reviewing now ffs

[tanburi]

It's actually a review alarm. Code red!

[Philip1209]

Was the nib smooth?

[PenFisher]

Thank you for that review. Your discussion has answered many questions I had about this pen. Well done!

[wykpenguin]

Thanks. I can post more follow-ups if there are more specific things that you want to know.

 

Pictures to follow in a few days.

[Headache Corporation (TM)]

Great review. I can't afford this pen right now but it's going "on the list", especially if it comes in an easier-to-grip finish.

 

Can't wait for the photos!

 

-Dave.

[MadAmos]

I have one on order and can't wait, How is the line width of the Lamy EF compared to the VP Fine? What about flow, dry, neutral or wet? Thanks for any info,

[J-san]

Thanks for the nice review. I do like the retractable nib FPs. My Decimo often remains inked and ready for action. I was a bit on the fence about the Dialog 3 after seeing the price and the design. My girlfriend commented on its shape reminding her of a feminine hygiene product....;p I do like the fact that the nib doesn't contact the ball valve at all coming in or out. I'm assuming one could open it one-handed like any other twist action pen. If only the price was on par with a VP, I'd spring for one. I like Lamy products and this one definitely has piqued my curiosity.

[oberon]

isellpens.com has them for sale at below $200.

Oberon

[wykpenguin]

I have one on order and can't wait, How is the line width of the Lamy EF compared to the VP Fine? What about flow, dry, neutral or wet? Thanks for any info,

 

The line width is similar, as the saying goes, "Europeans are a size larger than Asians." The Lamy is a bit drier than the VP, but I'm using the supplied blue cartridge in the Dialog3 while the VP is filled with polar black and Lamy blue should be a considerably drier ink than Noodler's. I'll swap to Noodler's once I finish the cartridge.

[kmpn]

i was told that "the main body is stainless steel with palladium coating".

[wykpenguin]

i was told that "the main body is stainless steel with palladium coating".

 

You might be right. But it does have a brushed finish and it very light.

[oberon]

Wykpenguin, a request , when you do get around to posting photos of the Lamy D3 , could you post some with pen in hand to show some human dimension ?

Much thanx,

Oberon

[wykpenguin]

Finally got to upload some pictures of the D3. The paper has 8mm lines.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2533/4236078604_328a805550_o_d.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2732/4235302333_4f3d87841e_o_d.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4235302419_c2b26d6797_o_d.jpg

[Pippin60]

Great review and the pen looks much better in the pictures posted here than the ones I have seen else where. I'm also a big fan of retractable pens and have 4 VP's. The nib looks familiar like the gold nibs on the Lamy Studio Palladium. I've been looking to get this with some "Christmas Money"

Edited January 2, 2010 by Pippin60

[wykpenguin]

It's exactly the same nib on the Studio.

[kanajlo]

Two words for the wise: Oscar Braun. Edited August 6, 2010 by kanajlo