Lamy 2000, 18K To 14K

[hari317]

Which year did Lamy switch the nib's gold content from 18k to 14k on the 2000?

 

thanks!

[KBeezie]

I'm curious too, it seems to have been asked a number of times over the last few years, here as well as FPGeek, but no one answered.

[Algester]

the old models have the 18kt gold so I could make a circa approximation of 1999-ish

one can also check out when Lamy stopped making the 18kt nibs even with their standard nibs (IE one found in the Safari) that should be also a fair indicator when they transitioned to the 14kt ones

Edited December 20, 2014 by Algester

[KBeezie]

the old models have the 18kt gold so I could make a circa approximation of 1999-ish

Would that be about the time they changed the intake hole in the front to be all metal instead of having a cut out for the feed to show?

[hari317]

the old models have the 18kt gold so I could make a circa approximation of 1999-ish

one can also check out when Lamy stopped making the 18kt nibs even with their standard nibs (IE one found in the Safari) that should be also a fair indicator when they transitioned to the 14kt ones

 

your 1999 approximation is based on what?

 

safari had 18k nibs? and they transitioned to 14k?

[hari317]

Would that be about the time they changed the intake hole in the front to be all metal instead of having a cut out for the feed to show?

nope. my circa 2005 lamy2k has a 14k nib and has the inset hole in plastic type of front section.

[Namo]

I don't have an estimate about that, but I don't think the second generation still have a 18k gold nib. If anyone can confirm that, it would be a starting point.

[Namo]

From Brandon Hollinsghead's article "Lamy 2000 and The Origins of Lamy Designs":

 

This nib design goes back to the Lamy 27 of the 1950s. In fact, the late Lamy 27s and early Lamy 2000s shared the same nib and feed assembly. Early nibs had a slightly elongated breather hole. Until recently, 2000 nibs did not have a size stamp on the nib (in early 2000s, the size was heat stamped on the Makrolon portion of the section). 18 kt gold nibs on earlier versions of the Lamy 2000 are not uncommon.

 

Maybe I missed the I do, but the article does not seem to date any L2K generation - and I am sure Hari would have noticed it if it were.

[Algester]

 

your 1999 approximation is based on what?

 

safari had 18k nibs? and they transitioned to 14k?

the safari shaped ones you I'm sure you know how they look

 

http://www.estilograficas.org/imagenes/firmas/lamy/Persona/lamy-persona-bodeg2.jpg

 

a Lamy persona had 18Kt nib and there's also the Kugel point so I know Lamy did have 18kt nibs at one point in history... something similar to Japan's karat wars?

ok I'm basing my infos from some of Lamy's pens

Lamy Persona designed in 1990 halted in 2005 original nib was 18kt looking like a triumph nib

Lamy Persona 2? with a matte black resin 14kt nib (a blog post by kmpn posted year 2009)

so now I'm probably starting to think it would be under the impression of 1999-2009

Edited December 21, 2014 by Algester

[hari317]

the safari shaped ones you I'm sure you know how they look

 

http://www.estilograficas.org/imagenes/firmas/lamy/Persona/lamy-persona-bodeg2.jpg

 

a Lamy persona had 18Kt nib and there's also the Kugel point so I know Lamy did have 18kt nibs at one point in history... something similar to Japan's karat wars?

ok I'm basing my infos from some of Lamy's pens

Lamy Persona designed in 1990 halted in 2005 original nib was 18kt looking like a triumph nib

Lamy Persona 2? with a matte black resin 14kt nib (a blog post by kmpn posted year 2009)

so now I'm probably starting to think it would be under the impression of 1999-2009

Personas?, I have a few, nibs are only vaguely similar to the safari shape, they are very different in fact.

 

so the point that you are making is? that Lamy initially made all their gold nibs in 18k and then they switched all of them at one point to 14k? so based on that date we must guess when the Lamy2000's nib carat was switched?

 

but a casual observation of available catalogs tells that this reasoning is flawed.

 

for example, in the 1979 catalog shared by soapytwist, Lamy already has several pens(cp1-50, profil) featuring a 14k nib. so even before the 18k Persona was conceived by Lamy, they were already making 14k nibs as well. The same catalog mentions the Lamy2000 with a 18k nib.

 

so we can conclude that Lamy did make 18k as well as 14k nibs concurrently for different models.

 

the specific question in my OP is "when did Lamy2000 get the 14k nib"?

 

I hope Jan F is able to throw some light on this topic.

[Algester]

the only one who could probably now give a better insight is if someone documented the changes to the pen since its inception...

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/144880-use-caution-when-buying-a-used-lamy-2000/?p=1437252

interesting late 1990s have the 14kt on the lamy 2000?

Edited December 21, 2014 by Algester

[risingsun]

I have an NOS stickered Lamy 2000 with W. Germany on the underside of the clip, which I take to mean that it was produced before reunification in about 1990. It has the original B nib (matches the sticker) which is stamped "585 LAMY". So I would say the change occurred from 18k to 14k on the L2Ks at some point during the 1980s, as the 1979 catalogue indicates the nibs are 18k at that point in time.

Edited December 21, 2014 by risingsun

[hari317]

I have an NOS stickered Lamy 2000 with W. Germany on the underside of the clip, which I take to mean that it was produced before reunification in about 1990. It has the original B nib (matches the sticker) which is stamped "585 LAMY". So I would say the change occurred from 18k to 14k on the L2Ks at some point during the 1980s, as the 1979 catalogue indicates the nibs are 18k at that point in time.

a valuable input that helps narrow it down, thank you.