Lamy 2000 Design Changes

[rollerboy]

Yesterday I received a new, recent production Lamy 2000 EF with the new all metal section. These are my first impressions as an owner of a Lamy 2000 F and a Lamy 2000 EF purchased in 2007. I will comment on the piston operation, nib width, and all metal section as these are the areas of change that other posts have identified.

 

Re piston operation:

Said to be smoother on the new model I can't say I can tell the difference. It's smoother than my old F but seems the same as my old EF. I have to wonder if piston smoothness is just luck of the draw.

 

Re nib width:

I have yet to ink the new pen but visually the new EF does look finer than the old EF. A positive move from Lamy if the 2000 nib widths are more in line with buyer expectations for western nibs. Plus it will mean they actually have an EF in the 2000 nib line-up now. Final verdict awaits inking though.

 

Re all metal section:

Don't like the weight it adds to the pen. It's not a subtle distinction in weight between an old 2000 and a new 2000. In my opinion the extra weight detracts from the pen's design making it feel cruder and less refined. The pen's shape and material evoke the forever modern 60s space age. With the new metal section though, instead of the pen feeling light-weight and high-tech it's now feels like it's got a hunk of iron age technology slapped on the front end. A negative move on Lamy's part. If they had a leaking issue to address as has been suggested, then they should have found a better solution than this.

 

Overall:

Assuming the nib does write finer I could say the changes are neutral overall. Piston 0, Nib +1, Section -1 = 0. But ... I always had the option to get the nib reground if I really wanted to. There's nothing I can do about the section. So overall, the Lamy 2K has slipped a little in my estimation. Still a top 5 pen in my opinion, but not as strong as a contender for the number one position as it was.

[hari317]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts rollerboy, I have a workhorse Lamy 2000 that I bought new in 2003 or 4 and based on the rave reviews of the new design change wanted to buy the new variant as well, but will put the plan on hold for now.

 

Best,

Hari

[Glenn-SC]

Re all metal section:

Don't like the weight it adds to the pen. It's not a subtle distinction in weight between an old 2000 and a new 2000. In my opinion the extra weight detracts from the pen's design making it feel cruder and less refined. The pen's shape and material evoke the forever modern 60s space age. With the new metal section though, instead of the pen feeling light-weight and high-tech it's now feels like it's got a hunk of iron age technology slapped on the front end. A negative move on Lamy's part. If they had a leaking issue to address as has been suggested, then they should have found a better solution than this.

What is the difference in weight between the two versions?

Edited May 23, 2010 by Glenn-SC

[dwong]

Just out of curiosity, what are your top 5 contenders?

[dogpoet]

Thanks for the review, rollerboy.

[rollerboy]

What is the difference in weight between the two versions?

 

According to another FPN post it's 4 g heavier. If we accept that figure and the weights below grabbed from a 2009 re-post by "I Am Not a Number" of a 2008 post (and hence presumably pre-design change) then the 2000 is now almost bang-on the weight of a Studio (add 4 g to the 2000 numbers below). I'm surprised. My simple heft one then heft the other test had me thinking the 2000 was still discernibly a little lighter than the Studio.

 

Lamy Safari

Weight Capped = 17.5 g

Weight Uncapped = 10.2 g

 

Lamy Al-Star

Weight Capped = 22.3 g

Weight Uncapped = 12.8 g

 

Lamy Studio

Weight Capped = 27.3 g

Weight Uncapped = 17.8 g

 

Lamy 2000

Weight Capped = 22.3 g

Weight Uncapped = 13.4 g

Edited May 25, 2010 by rollerboy

[elysee]

I wish that Lamy would add a Lamy 2000 fountain pen with the finish and nice weight of the Lamy 2000 Ceramicon ballpoint (the 2006 Limited Edition ballpoint). A matching pencil (with 0.9 mm lead) would be a great addition as well.

[dogpoet]

I'd like to see a fountain pen version of the hardwood ballpoints as well. The darker one is just beautiful.

[Joe in Seattle]

I Love the feel & weight of the metal section. Ymmv

[cbuca]

After much anguish over what my first 'nice' FP should be, I've just bought a 2000 from pengallery (excellent service, btw - ordered 2 days ago, arrived this morning in the UK - no affiliation, etc, etc.).

 

Okay, so a little embarrassed admission: I bought two. I couldn't decide on nib width so I got fine and extra-fine.

 

Anyway, back to topic: they are both the new style of all metal section. I've never had the pleasure of trying one of the previous kind, so I can't comment on the difference between them, but the pens definitely are weighted towards the nib end. I can't tell you whether this bothers me or not. I find the pens perfectly comfortable in my hand, and the only thing that's causing me any trouble is getting used to such wet writers (but that's for another thread).

 

I've used them posted and un-posted. I think I prefer the extra length when posted, but it's easier to use than my Safari or Al-Star un-posted (I have to post those to get the weight I need).

 

I really like the sleek look of the all metal section. I know you don't necessarily see the cut away part with the breather hole very often, but when you do it's a joy to look at.

 

So I'm one happy customer of the new kind of design

Edited May 26, 2010 by cbuca

[cbuca]

In terms of nib width: I bought both fine and extra-fine because I'd heard so much about the 2000 nibs running wider than the other Lamy nibs, and I know I didn't want anything broader than my Safari fine. I'd also heard they were running a little more true to size in the new design - but not knowing whether I'd receive a new one or an old one, I hedged my bets by buying both.

 

The EF is finer than the F, but it's barely noticeable on the page. It's most noticeable when I'm writing, and then I can tell it's an EF. The EF is finer than my Safari F, but only slightly so. It's also very smooth, with a typical amount of feedback you might expect from a finer nib. It's a very, very wet writer, all but eliminating the shading I was getting in my Safari F from Diamine blue-black.

 

The F seems to run true with my Safari F. Perhaps it is the tiniest bit broader, but it's not even close in width to my Al-Star Medium. It's early days, and I've only used them both to write a couple of pages so far this morning, but I think I prefer the F. At first it was a little scratchy. To my untrained (and unmagnified) eye, it appeared that the right tine was laying slightly higher than the left, meaning as I dragged the pen across the page left to right, the left tine was catching slightly on the paper. All I've done is apply a little pressure when making some downward strokes, concentrating the pressure on the left tine, and it appears (fingers crossed) to have slightly realigned the tines. It's now writing with a really satisfying smoothness. I'll keep an eye on it and make sure it stays aligned. And again, this is a wet writer, although strangely possibly not quite as much as the EF. I can see more shading, although not as much as in my Safari F.

 

I should add, I'm using a self-mixed ink in them that's darker than I've been using in my Safari anyway - this may have an effect on the shading.

[cbuca]

As for the smoothness of the piston - having not used the old design, nor any other piston filler, I have nothing to compare it with. It opens very easily for the first turn or so, then becomes slightly tighter, but not in a bad way - it provides a nice amount of 'feedback', for want of a better term. Neither have stuck, nor have they felt awkward to fill or flush. As a complete n00b to this pen, I'd say it works exactly as I'd expect.

[Ernst Bitterman]

I am wallowing in ignorance-- new style, all-metal section? Could someone post a picture of this object? I got one about a year ago, which appears to be the old-style, metal fore/makrolon aft section, and this seems to be what Lamy has on their site. Illuminate, please!

[majorworks]

Here is the old-style section (courtesy of MYU):

 

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/pens/Lamy/2000/Lamy2000_nib1.jpg

 

 

Here is a photo of my own new-style Lamy 2000:

 

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/major_works/L2Knewstyle.jpg

 

Note that where in MYU's image there was Makrolon surrounding the breather hole, that portion is now encased in stainless steel.

 

Note also that MYU's photo is way better than mine, but this is what you get from a camera phone in a hotel room.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited May 26, 2010 by majorworks

[jmw19]

As for the smoothness of the piston - having not used the old design, nor any other piston filler, I have nothing to compare it with. It opens very easily for the first turn or so, then becomes slightly tighter, but not in a bad way - it provides a nice amount of 'feedback', for want of a better term. Neither have stuck, nor have they felt awkward to fill or flush. As a complete n00b to this pen, I'd say it works exactly as I'd expect.

 

If you disassemble the piston mechanism, you'll see a sleeve that fits between the piston screw and the knob, that serves to give half-turn of free movement before the screw engages. I'm not sure why this is there, though it does allow one to demonstrate the piston with a filled pen, without the risk of dripping ink.

That may be the source of the different feel as the knob is turned.

[Joe in Seattle]

after a soapy water rinse and a clear water w/amonia rinse my 2K is a dry writer - nib at EF same as a Sailor F nib. I hope it will wetten up just a touch, but i grow happier with it with each passing day. havent posted much lately because of a cut finger, hard to type ......... believe I'll make this pen and a new ink the subject of a review soon.

[Ernst Bitterman]

...that portion is now encased in stainless steel.

 

Hope this helps.

 

You have transformed ingorance into stupidity, as I find that I had known this previously, but couldn't recall it. I had too much of an image of steel right back to the joint to allow for actual thought.

[majorworks]

...that portion is now encased in stainless steel.

 

Hope this helps.

 

You have transformed ingorance into stupidity, as I find that I had known this previously, but couldn't recall it. I had too much of an image of steel right back to the joint to allow for actual thought.

 

Not to worry. Most days I can't remember what I had for dinner last night.

 

Back to the L2K... I see people insisting that this extra sliver of metal adds perceptible weight to the redesigned version of the pen compared to older models. I've never used any but my own but I have a hard time believing that there's much of a difference.

[Silvermink]

Back to the L2K... I see people insisting that this extra sliver of metal adds perceptible weight to the redesigned version of the pen compared to older models. I've never used any but my own but I have a hard time believing that there's much of a difference.

 

Well, in MYU's review I see that the total weight of the old version was 21.2g. Someone wanna weigh the new one?

[Joe in Seattle]

26 grams empty