Lamy Logo - Matte Stainless Steel, Ef

[bokchoy]

First Impressions

 

Normally, I don't care about packaging as long as it protects the item inside. Having read several reviews of Lamy Safaris/Al-Stars, I expected to see a cardboard box. What a surprise it was to receive this sturdy plastic box instead. It has a clever design that splits along the middle and folds back on itself to display the pen. I was (and still am) very impressed with the packaging and presentation, though it's not as environmentally friendly.

 

http://i.imgur.com/7RbimMc.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/d5YlLs1.jpg

 

Appearance & Design (8/10)

 

The silver Lamy Logo comes in two varieties, brushed or matte stainless steel. I have the matte version which has black plastic ends instead of chrome trim.

 

I actually prefer the industrial look of this pen over some classical designs. It has a minimal, form-follows-function design that suggests reliability, functionality and good engineering. The plastic ends detract from the appearance slightly but they also contribute to the no-frills, everyday workhorse look.

 

Construction & Quality (9/10)

 

Although light and partly plastic, this pen is very sturdy. The cap closes with a reassuring click and posts securely. The clip is excellent. I sometimes pinch the top end of the cap to open up the clip, which makes it easier to clip the pen upright in a pocket inside my bag. The ribbed cylindrical grip section is both comfortable and functional. It's stainless steel but I don't find it slippery at all. The barrel unscrews at the seam right above the grip. The threads are all steel and unscrew easily - sometimes too easily. If the barrel's not tightly secured, it may unscrew itself while I'm writing.

 

http://i.imgur.com/E0snpUs.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/icA5P9m.jpg

 

Weight & Dimensions (10/10)

 

This is a very slim and light pen. I have small hands (child-sized, really) and find the unposted length and balance perfect. When posted, the Logo becomes much longer but also too back-heavy for my taste.

 

Nib & Performance (10/10)

 

I have the Lamy EF steel nib. In short, I love it. Perhaps I'm lucky since I've heard Lamy nibs can vary slightly. I think mine also has a miniscule amount of flex. From left to right, here's the Lamy Logo (Lamy Blue ink), a 0.5mm pencil and Bic Round Stic:

 

http://i.imgur.com/zVVh6wI.jpg

 

As you can see, the line width is similar to a 0.5mm pencil on poor paper. It's narrower on less absorbent paper.

 

I have left the pen for several days without use, but it always starts up right away or very quickly. The flow is perfect for my tastes - not too dry and not too wet. More importantly, the EF nib performs well on cheap student paper without excessive feathering or bleed-through. Some people may not like the feel of writing on cheap paper but I don't find it uncomfortable. It's far smoother than a pencil or a ballpoint at any rate.

 

Filling System & Maintenance (8/10)

 

This pen accepts Lamy cartridges or the Z26 converter. Removing the barrel is easy (as mentioned). The converter fits snugly and I am not worried about leaks. The plunger mechanism isn't as smooth as I'd like, but it works well. Cleaning is straightforward as well. Everything seems straightforward and functional.

 

Cost & Value (8/10)

 

This pen was a gift. I checked two websites and it's $35-$40 USD, making it the most expensive pen I own. My other pens are a Pilot Metropolian (M) and a Pilot Plumix (~1.0mm italic) but my Logo is my best writer. If something happened to it, I'd consider buying another.

 

Conclusion (53/60)

 

This pen has exceeded all my expectations. Then again, I was a ballpoint user two months ago.

 

Compared to my Pilot Metropolitan (a very wet writer), my Lamy Logo lasts much longer between refills. This could be the EF vs M nib difference though. I don't have to worry about leaking, skipping, compatible inks, etc. like my Pilot Plumix either. The Logo is an almost ballpoint-like experience because I can forget about the pen itself and concentrate on writing until cleaning/refilling time. To me, this is an extremely valuable trait that more expensive pens may not have.

[proton007]

I like Lamy's SS designs. Streamlined and simple (I have the 'St').

 

Nice handwriting practice! Keep going

[TMLee]

The slimness of the LOGO design series is it's feature.

 

But I struggle with the stainless steel material - very slippery to grip !

 

I use the twin pen version daily.

Can't find the matte black version these days.

Heard they phased that out.

 

I have yet to find a multi-pen design that's so elegant ,discreet.

Solid built , brass innards and all ...

 

:-)

[Silvire]

I've heard of people struggling with this kind of smooth design before.

 

Too slick.

 

They got it beadblasted.

[bbshriver]

Using this pen today! By far the most dependable of my 4 pens, and the easiest to get going again if it does dry out. Not as pretty as my Sterling Parker 75, or as massive as my MonteVerde Invincia, or as classic as my Waterman Phileas. But it just plain works. I've noticed minimal sensitivity to paper types, very little inclination to dry out unless left for a LONG time.

 

Main problem I have as you mention is that the barrel doesn't screw as snugly as I'd like, I find myself checking it every so often.

 

I've had this for about 6 years now FWIW. In fact I am so impressed with it that this is what I got my groomsmen for their appreciation gift.

Edited April 9, 2014 by bbshriver

[bokchoy]

By far the most dependable of my 4 pens, and the easiest to get going again if it does dry out... But it just plain works. I've noticed minimal sensitivity to paper types, very little inclination to dry out unless left for a LONG time.

That's exactly why I like mine! Sometimes I want to mess around and sometimes I just want a pen that works. It's reassuring to know that I have a reliable performer.

Edited April 10, 2014 by bokchoy

[TMLee]

I've heard of people struggling with this kind of smooth design before.

 

Too slick.

 

They got it beadblasted.

That's a great idea !

 

Can you tell me how to go about doing that ?

I have one relegated to the drawer becos it's just too slippery to use.

Don't want to see it go to waste.

 

Actually the matte black version is perfect

 

Rgds

[Steven]

Thanks for the review. I like Lamy's a lot. My only minor criticism is that their x-fine (excluding the Lamy 2000) nibs do not lay down a symmetrical line meaning that a horizontal line will be a different width than a vertically line. Typically the vertical line will be more narrow than the horizontal casing the pen to write more like a fine. This has caused me to have these nibs tuned to correct this.

[The Blue Knight]

Thanks for the review! Well written, I generally find I don't like the grind on Lamy nibs as the they are very particular in how you hold the pen.

[Drone]

I presume this pen accepts the Z50 nibs common on the Safari etc. pens? Looks like it. If-so; as for the nib quality I just replaced a black Medium Z50 nib on a new Lamy charcoal black with a Fine black nib I found the Medium nib to be too wide on common papers.

 

The Medium nib that came with the Charcoal Safari was pretty good, but I did smooth it out a bit. The Medium nib's cut was done properly.

 

The Fine nib was also cut properly (symmetrical cut down the middle), but was a disaster. The tines were not aligned properly resulting in very scratchy/snagging writing when doing lines to the left vs. the right.

 

With the help of a loupe I managed to get the tines back into alignment. But things were still not right.

 

Whomever (if it was in-fact a person and not a machine) checked/smoothed this nib - the process was defective. Actually there were baby-bot0om results from the nib from the factory. It took a bit of work, but I was able to recover the nib, but only with some (unfortunate) loss of tipping material.

 

This should never happen IMO; especially for what Lamy charges for a replacement Z50 nib. So I'm thumbs-up on the findings of others that these Z50 nibs are hit-and-miss when it comes to quality.