Dry, toothy Lamy 2000 EF

[davidmigl]

Well, my Lamy 2000 EF came in today after 3 weeks (not in stock when I ordered) and I'd hear a lot about the 2000 being very wide, wet and "smoothsmoothsmooth!!!"

 

I think my copy is the opposite. The nib width is just about the same as a safari EF: I really like that. However, mine is very far from being considered "wet" - I'd give it a 2 or 3 on Richard Binder's "death valley vs. Amazon" scale. I think for this reason it is not very smooth; it writes with a noticeable tooth and audible scratch. I can sometimes fool myself into considering it smooth, but as soon as I pick up my Pelikan M200 F, I can't call the 2000 smooth anymore.

 

Keep in mind that I have probably written less than 20 minutes with this pen, so if any "break-in" period is necessary, I haven't finished it.

 

Oh, one interesting thing: when quickly running the nib across the paper or even just jotting some lines, the pen puts down a lot more ink going right than going left.

 

I have used Noodler's Black and Waterman Blue-Black and gotten the same results.

 

Is your 2000 dry with any particular ink? Did your 2000? require a break in period? How should I go about getting a smooth, wet nib?

Edited March 23, 2007 by davidmigl

[Kelly G]

Did you flush the pen with water or a water/liquid dish soap mix (very light on the soap) and then flush with water? Sometimes there are manufacturing oils in the feed that need washed out. Won't help the smooth but will help the flow.

 

 

[scribbler]

Ye gods, there should be no "break-in" period--if it's toothy or scratchy at all, box that baby up and send it to Lamy! (if not your retailer)

 

The nib should be silken and slide over paper--I have two EFs and a medium, and they're a delight to write with. Sounds like you got a bad nib; a proper Lamy 2000 should give you no trouble with its smoothness.

 

[jkrewalk]

I agree with scribbler - send it back - that nib is not typical of the Lamy and is not right. It should be perfect out of the box with no break in necessary!

 

Also - the fact that it writes significantly different from left to right clearly indicates a defect in the nib tat will not be cured by any amount of "breaking in".

Edited March 23, 2007 by jkrewalk

[john.reiss]

I agree with the two above: my L2K EF writes very smooth. Box it up, send it back, and enjoy the new one when it arrives.

 

Cheers,

John

[Lloyd]

How fine is the extra fine compared to other brands like MB, Pel, Sailor, etc?

[scribbler]

Forgot to add that Noodler's Black makes a finer, crisper line than Aurora Black in the same pen. Also, the line should be the same width going side to side (the nib is a bit flexy and allows for variation on the downstroke, however); did you hear back from your vendor about a possible replacement, or will you be sending it to Lamy?

 

As for the Lamy 2k EF vs Pel F, and Sailor F, LOL! I find that the Lamy 2k EF tends to be very broad, almost medium-like, especially compared to the fineness of a Sailor F nib. Compares with Pelikan M, really, if a shade thinner. I'd do a pen test but I'm nowhere near a scanner at the mo; someone else might chime in with a couple of samples?

 

 

[Bayes]

What happened with this, davidmigl?

 

I just got a fine point and I'm having some trouble with scratchiness too.

[Mike S.]

I have a Lamy 2000 with a fine nib that I have been trying my darndest to learn to love, but it's just not a smooth writer. It writes as though it's got sharp corners -- it catches on loops and skips anytime you're not writing pretty much straight up and down. I've checked the alignment with a loupe and the tines seem to be aligned with each other and the nib is reasonably straight on the feed.

 

I thought it would smooth out once the platinum plating wore off (and maybe it hasn't worn off completely).

 

I went to the Filofax website to see if I could order a spare nib unit for it but the only 2000 replacement parts they list on their website are caps. Can I order a new nib and section from Pam at www.oscarbraunpens.com or somewhere?

[Bayes]

You might want to send it back to Lamy. The pen has a lifetime warranty.

 

Here is their warranty information: Lamy USA Warranty

[Jeff E]

I have a Lamy 2000 with a medium point. In reality, it is closer to a broad and is a relatively wet writer. I'm left handed overwriter and find that I must be careful about how I rotate the pen, because the edges do seem "sharp." When I'm on the sweet spot, the pen is a very smooth writer. I wonder if this is less a nib defect and more a case that the nib is cut to somewhat resemble an italic nib (even though it's not). Just my $0.02.

[davidmigl]

By request:

 

I sent the pen back for an exchange at Swisher pens and asked them to test the replacement. The replacement came in in about a week.

 

It was much wetter and smoother, however, I still am unsure if I got a good copy or not. The line is about the same width as my Pelikan M200. However, the 2000 "feels" a lot thinner than the M200. The 2000 point feels like it is very fine and puts out a line that seems wider than it should. Conversely, the M200 point feels very broad and puts down a line that seems more narrow than it should. Both those two lines are the same width, though.

 

I agree with the above poster's evaluations of the nib having very sharp edges. If the nib is rotated even slightly, BAM - major scratchiness. Compare that to the M200, which doesn't mind being rotated. The 2000 seems to have a much narrower sweet spot than the M200.

 

My current 2000 seems to have problems on the upstroke. Holding the pen at 90 degrees, it is very scratchy on the upstroke and occasionally splatters. Where I usually hold it at 45 degrees it's a little better, but still pretty annoying. At an extremely low angle, however (~20 degrees), I can't feel the scratch any more.

 

The nib also occasionally has a hard time starting and sometimes skips.

Edited April 16, 2007 by davidmigl

[MYU]

Sorry to hear of your troubles with the Lamy 2000. This isn't the first I've heard of nib troubles as of late. It appears that (like Pelikan) there have been some recent QC problems at Lamy with the 2000. FiloFaxUSA provides warranty service for Lamy pens in the USA. Swisher only swaps pens from stock. You may want to send the pen to FiloFaxUSA, as their chief technician does a great job--he definitely tests pens before they are sent out.

 

Mike, if you contact FiloFaxUSA directly, you can obtain an additional nib section. They don't post that information on the website for some reason.

 

About my 2000 experience: I have an oblique medium nib that writes a little closer to an oblique broad. It's a bit on the wet side, but is smooth. However, there is a noticeable sweet spot--if I stray beyond it, I encounter slight ink flow problems and toothiness.

 

If your new nib replacement is skipping a bit, it is possible that there is residue in the feeder left over from production. Try soaking it in a slight ammonia solution. There have been posts suggesting this for hesitant new pens in the repairs forum.

Edited April 16, 2007 by MYU

[jdooney]

I have a Lamy 2000 EF and it is very wet and not toothy.... it writes like a fine but I do like the Pen!

[inkysmudges]

I have a Lamy 2000 EF and it is very wet and not toothy....

 

Just out of curiosity Mr. Manager, is your 2000 a recent acquisition or have you had it for some time (new stock vs older stock)?

 

I've got a 2000 on the way and I'm starting to worry now that I'm going to end up on the uncomfortable side of these recent QC issues.

 

[skipwilliams]

1. Unscrew the section and push out the nib/feed. Sometimes a good cleaning of the feed with 50/50 ammonia/water will help. You can use a toothbrush too to get everything clean.

 

2. Look at the nib's business end with a 7-10x loupe when it's out. Are the iridium tips exactly aligned with each other? I'll bet not. It may need adjusting, which is easy to do yourself to alter nib flow.

 

Skip

 

 

 

[inkysmudges]

1. Unscrew the section and push out the nib/feed. ... You can use a toothbrush too to get everything clean.

 

I don't mean to be a thicky Skip but do I understand that you are completely disassembling the nib section? As in you'll have a loose nib, a feeder and the housing all separated once you've done the above?

 

This is very interesting to me because I'd heard that the 2000 nib section was _not_ user serviceable. If it is in fact user serviceable then the value of the pen increases considerably for me and the kinds of stuff I get up to.

 

[skipwilliams]

I don't mean to be a thicky Skip but do I understand that you are completely disassembling the nib section? As in you'll have a loose nib, a feeder and the housing all separated once you've done the above?

 

This is very interesting to me because I'd heard that the 2000 nib section was _not_ user serviceable. If it is in fact user serviceable then the value of the pen increases considerably for me and the kinds of stuff I get up to.

 

Yep, you can service them. Unscrew the nib/section unit first. Don't lose the silver washer with the three wings. Then fish out the rubber O-ring from inside the section if it's lodged there. CAREFULLY, push the nib and feed out from the front of the pen; they'll come out the back of the section as separate parts. Clean. Re-assemble.

 

I used to take mine apart all the time, it's a very simple unit.

 

Skip

 

[inkysmudges]

Excellent news, thank you!

[davidmigl]

Happy ending to this saga:

 

I received the 2000 back from Filofax at the end of last month. The nib and gaskets had been replaced and set up by Bill - the Lamy nibmeister. The arrival of the new pen more or less made me forget all the troubles I've had getting a good one! I love the line width - it's more or less equivalent to a .7mm pilot g2 gel pen. While it is by no means the smooth to end all smoothness, it is still very smooth, especially with a few sheets of paper under the one I'm writing on. Lets put it this way: before Lamy 2000, my Pelikan M200 reigned in the smoothness department, but after L2k, I am now able to notice "un"smoothness in the M200. Note that both pens are still very smooth; the difference is not between "scratchy" and "butter on glass," but rather between "smooth" and "smoother." I find the 2000 has completely usurped my M200.

 

Another thing I thoroughly enjoy is the FLEX! This pen is FUN to write with, and though it definitely won't qualify even as semi-flex, it has a decent amount that adds much character to the writing!

 

In short, the 2000 represents the end or at least latter stages of my search for the ideal fountain pen for me.

Edited May 15, 2007 by davidmigl