Lamy: CP50 Vs CP1 Black

[hari317]

I recently acquired a Lamy CP50 from this board. This model is said to be the precursor of the presently offered CP1 model. I have been a fan of the CP1 for its slim utilitarian ergonomics and engineering.

 

I was surprised to find some minute differences bewteen the variants and thought it fit to document them here. This post is more like a comparison feature rather than an absolute review.

 

The CP50 is slightly slimmer and shorter than the CP1, this rules out using the presently available Lamy converters, they are too wide for the barrel.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/LAMY50/review/IMG_4276.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/LAMY50/review/IMG_4277.jpg

 

The nib design is different. The present Lamy nibs and feeders will not fit.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/LAMY50/review/IMG_4278.jpg

 

The older nib is tougher to extract from the feeder, however, it will slide out with patience.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/LAMY50/review/IMG_4279.jpg

 

The CP50 has a slightly shorter section as compared to the CP1: Note the breather hole less nib on the CP50. The nib is a beast to tune. The CP50 nib came to me heavily sprung, separated from the feed, the feeder being plastic, heat setting it was ruled out. I had to gently form the nib to the feed with the nib removed for doing this, conforming it would shut the slit tight (which in the first place caused the previous owner to bear on the nib thus springing it, I guess), finally was able to coax the nib to the golden compromise between slit gap and the nib to feed gap. The CP50 nib has a nice softness.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/LAMY50/review/IMG_4284.jpg

 

The CP50 has no LAMY engraving on the clip:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/LAMY50/review/IMG_4280.jpg

 

Differently shaped retainer mechanism when the cap is posted, the older one does a much better job:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/LAMY50/review/IMG_4281.jpg

 

Beautiful Engraving on the cap of the CP50:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/LAMY50/review/IMG_4282.jpg

 

Rounded cap to barrel interface on the CP50:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/LAMY50/review/IMG_4283.jpg

 

Despite the issues with the pen, I am glad I could get the CP50 to work very well again, I can see that the CP1 lacks the level of fit and finish of the CP50. The only downside of the CP50 might be that one will have to find the older type press bar converters for it or use only carts with it. Also the nibs are hard to find.

 

Cheers!

Hari

[christof]

Hi Hari

 

Just to complete your description:

 

There were also made Lamy 50 with rhodium platet 14 ct. gold nibs. These are "585" stamped.

 

Best

Christof

Edited May 26, 2010 by christof

[hari317]

Hi Hari

 

Just to complete your description:

 

There were also made Lamy 50 with rhodium platet 14 ct. gold nibs. These are "585" stamped.

 

Best

Christof

 

Thanks Christof, I am actually looking for a replacement gold nib or section with gold nib for this pen. BTW, I suppose lamy used a thinner sheet of steel for the nib on the Lamy 50 so it is not the typical nail that present Lamy steel nibs are, it has a pleasant give.

 

Regards,

Hari

[christof]

Yep, Lamy did manufacture semi flexible gold and steel nibs until the 1980's.

See also my review about the Lamy Profil series. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=126523

 

Best

Christof

[dkjoky]

Hi Hari

 

Just to complete your description:

 

There were also made Lamy 50 with rhodium platet 14 ct. gold nibs. These are "585" stamped.

 

Best

Christof

 

Hello,

 

I inherited a LAMY 50 with a golden nib from my father and I really enjoy using it.

 

 

I have a CP1 as well, but I like the LAMY 50 much more

 

Best

Denis

Edited January 1, 2012 by dkjoky

[The Royal Pen]

Interesting that it has no breather hole.

 

Does this make it more flexier then?

[hari317]

Interesting that it has no breather hole.

 

Does this make it more flexier then?

 

Hi, there is no correlation between the presence/absence of a breather hole on a nib and its flexibility.

[Dib]

Hi

cp1 is the name of both pens,

50 the Lamy article number

[hari317]

Hi

cp1 is the name of both pens,

50 the Lamy article number

 

Sorry, that is wrong. 56 is the article number for the modern CP1 Black. Lamy 50 is the older model which now no longer produced.

[Dib]

-50 : steel mat

-51 : white gold plated

-52 : silver plated / titan

-53 : sterling silver

-54 : I don't know

-55 : without clip (ballpens 255 A / J / T)

-56 : black

-57 : white

-58 : black mat

-59 : steel mat

 

(sorry for my poor english: ist "mat" right for "not shiny"?)

 

Not all variations exists: e.g. there are no 55, 155, 455, 555, but only the 255 ballpens.

Unfortunately I never saw a 51.

Edited January 25, 2012 by Dib

[hari317]

-50 : steel mat

-51 : white gold plated

-52 : silver plated / titan

-53 : sterling silver

-54 : I don't know

-55 : without clip (ballpens 255 A / J / T)

-56 : black

-57 : white

-58 : black mat

-59 : steel mat

 

(sorry for my poor english: ist "mat" right for "not shiny"?)

 

Not all variations exists: e.g. there are no 55, 155, 455, 555, but only the 255 ballpens.

Unfortunately I never saw a 51.

Excellent information, Thanks Dib. BTW, what is the diffrence between the 50 and 59 finishes?

 

ETA: in the present production, model designation 53 refers to the CP1 with the Platinum plated finish.

 

Regards,

Hari

Edited January 25, 2012 by hari317

[Dib]

The number 50/59 was apparently changed in 1983. Until now, I don't know why.

[gds]

Very interesting. I have a 50 with the plated gold nib. I think it was described as a CP1 when I purchased it, but it has the slimmer body (and squeeze converter) that you describe. As a slight variation, mine has the clip engraved differently - "Lamy" on the side, and "W. Germany" under the clip, and the cap is free of engravings.

Edited January 25, 2012 by gds

[Dib]

there are also red and green pens, but I don't know the numbers.

[Dib]

Hi again

in front the older version of the cp1 56, the label says: 56, 3874, OM, FH, and the feeder with nib.

56 is the model number, 3874 the article numer (the actual cp1 56 with B nib has the number 3873), OM is the nib size and FH means Füllhalter (fountain pen)

The rear pen is the actual 56.

 

[pencrazed]

hari317, I heard from my friend that the cap of the cp1 won't stay put when it is posted. Is this a typical problem for the cp1 or is it just bad treatment received from him?

[hari317]

The barrel end is designed to post the cap. I have seen on some CP1s at the shop, the cap posting is loose, not very tight. It is a defect.

 

Best

Hari

[jameswatts]

I purchased a CP1 recently. The first time I used it, I posted the cap. When I went to recap the pen, the end of the pen had snapped off and was stuck inside the cap. REALLY disappointing and upsetting, because I liked the pen a great deal. The pen's seller was extremely gracious about taking the pen back, saying that they knew of this problem with some CP1 pens -- not all -- but that there was little that could be done to catch this problem beforehand.

[mukeshb]

Any idea if one can get the cp50 now and if yes where?

 

I have a lamy cp1 black for almost a year now. It writes beautifully, but after writing a couple of a4 pages, it runs out of ink. Once I remove the barrel, screw in and then out the converter it starts again.

 

I had referred this problem to the shop, where I was advised to flush it. I have tried flushing, cleaning number of times but the problem still exists. Wondering if this is problem of converter (air trapping) or feed clog. I tried removing the feed but was not coming out. Please advice.

 

Pen : lamy cp1 black with medium nib and z26 converter

Ink : sheaffer blue

 

Also any idea how the cp1 feed can be removed or is it integral