Lamy 2000 F Vs Ef Nib

[TrentinWA]

Hi all, I’ve ordered a Lamy 2000 with an EF nib from the folks at Cult Pens. Based on the samples on Goulet’s Nib Nook and some of the comments I’ve seen on this board, it sounds like the 2000 EF nib is pretty comparable to the F nib on the Studio / Aion models. If you’ve used both, would that be an accurate assessment?

 

Thanks, Trent

Edited January 2, 2020 by TrentinWA

[A Smug Dill]

Which LAMY Studio model in particular, though? The standard models with the glossy chrome gripping sections use silver-coloured steel Z50 nibs, if I'm not mistaken; whereas the Studio Lx All Black uses a steel-with-black-PVD Z52 nib, and the Studio Palladium uses a 14K gold Z55 nib. The Z-series of interchangeable nibs do not all write or perform identically between different models of the same nib width grade. I've recently done a comparison of various LAMY EF nibs (including all of the aforementioned nib models/types), and that was my conclusion.

[Intensity]

From what I've read, the F is on average smoother and less temperamental (less of a "sweet spot" issue where you have to orient the nib just right for it to write consistently without skipping) than the EF. The EF is somewhat architect like in case of Lamy 2000 nib, and has an interesting tipping shape. I've personally only used 2 Lamy 2000 EF nibs myself, both from recently produced batches. The first had no sweet spot that I could discern and wrote quite well, though of course wider than Japanese EF or F. It wrote about on par with my Lamy steel EF nibs. The second Lamy 2000 EF had a very difficult-to-use grind where it was extremely sensitive to orientation to avoid skipping. That one is currently with a nibmeister to correct such behavior. It also explained to me why some people say they've never had any "sweet spot" issues with their Lamy 2000s, and others say the issue is there. There's variation in how these nibs are ground from one nib to the next. You might be lucky to get a nib that's forgiving to orientation, and you might not be.

 

In my experience, the line width for Lamy 2000 EF is similar enough to Lamy steel Z50-52 nibs, but Lamy 2000 puts down more ink, being a piston filler and perhaps due to a difference in feed between Safari/Al-Star/Studio models. So you may get wider lines because of extra ink, if you use softer or more absorbent paper.

Edited January 2, 2020 by Intensity

[TrentinWA]

  On 1/2/2020 at 12:49 AM, A Smug Dill said:

Which LAMY Studio model in particular, though? The standard models with the glossy chrome gripping sections use silver-coloured steel Z50 nibs, if I'm not mistaken; whereas the Studio Lx All Black uses a steel-with-black-PVD Z52 nib, and the Studio Palladium uses a 14K gold Z55 nib. The Z-series of interchangeable nibs do not all write or perform identically between different models of the same nib width grade. I've recently done a comparison of various LAMY EF nibs (including all of the aforementioned nib models/types), and that was my conclusion.

Thanks for your reply – your post on the nib comparison was the one that gave me the sense I should go EF. The nib in my Studio is a replacement nib I picked up at Fontoplumo when I was in Delft last year. I'm pretty positive it'd be the Z50, because it's a pure silver-coloured unit. It's definitely not the Palladium model. I think they cost about €8 a pop.

[A Smug Dill]

@TrentinWA

 

Well then, you can let us know how the LAMY 2000 EF nib and Z50 F nib compare, since you're now just awaiting delivery of the former, and you already have the latter that you want to use as a frame of reference.

[TrentinWA]

  On 1/2/2020 at 1:43 AM, A Smug Dill said:

@TrentinWA

 

Well then, you can let us know how the LAMY 2000 EF nib and Z50 F nib compare, since you're now just awaiting delivery of the former, and you already have the latter that you want to use as a frame of reference.

 

I edited out the bit about how I still have time to change the order – I suspect that would be useful information, wouldn't it?

[Noihvo]

 

[MuddyWaters]

The Lamy 2000 nibs tend to vary individually I think, as one poster above noted. Also, I found one person's EF to have an architect style to it whereas my M had a more stubbish flavour. I don't think the 2000 ever gets truly extra fine widths resembling any fine or extra fine from a Japanese maker though.

[TrentinWA]

Thanks again for the info, everybody. After hemming and hawing between the EF and F, I went with the F, mainly because the big difference between the two on Goulet’s Nib Nook seemed to be that the F’s line was more richly saturated; the widths looked similar. Having received the pen yesterday from the fine folks at Cult Pens, I have to say I think I made the right choice. The F has a clear, crisp line on good papers and a nice-enough line (no worse than a fine Lamy Safari or a medium Pilot Met) on copy paper. The only paper I’ve tried it on where it wasn’t excellent was a crappy Ampad legal-ruled pad I have lying around my office that will feather with any non-ballpoint ink. Seriously, it’s only a little better than writing on toilet paper. It’s a fine, responsive pen that feels great in hand and doesn’t have an appreciable sweet spot. I’m super happy with it.

[Honeybadgers]

For me, It was love and hate. I hated the F and loved the EF.

 

I hated the F. it was too broad and wet and didn't feel very precise. Sold it.

 

The EF was perfect. nice medium wetness so it was usable on normal paper.

 

Glad you're happy with it! the 2000 is a great pen. I bought a BB as well and am going to have it turned into a cursive italic.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I toured the Lamy factory 6 years ago....upstairs was the gold nib section...they were on breakfast when the newspaper tour came through, out side of two women on distant grinders smoothing up 2000 rollerball or ball points. The machinery looked old fashioned '60's stuff.

 

So there is more hand work, and Tolerance is always a Skinny M can = exactly a Fat F. And 1/1000 or an inch more into tolerance can't be told. And Lamy runs normal modern Euro wide....so an EF will be an EF and not a Japanese F.

If you insist on super narrow nibs, the only choice is Japanese. Great for printers in the nibs are made for a tiny printed script.

 

The 'new' Guellet video shows a smaller more compact steel nib stamping, tipping and cutting machine than I saw......the one I saw was 4m wide, 10m long, near 2 m high, run by one man. The steel nibs were tested for smoothness on a sound drum. Don't know where or how the nib was tested for width.

Even with robot cut nibs some folks complain about tolerance.

 

There is always going to be tolerance............the way to get around it is to decide what Your Standard is....and it will be only Your Standard and send the nib to a nibmeister. ****

Remember you can never change paper or use a different ink.....or the nib will write wider or narrower than Your Very Own Standard.

 

**** ...............you should send all your pens in all at once......in it is said over the years Nibmeisters change their ways.....having learned more.

 

Of course one could face reality, all nibs are 1/2 a width off, especially if you buy pens from other companies who each have their very own standards....(afflicted with tolerance). Parker didn't want folks confusing them with Shaffer, so made fatter nibs....reverse for Shaffer. Back in the One Man, One Pen days, of a man buying a new pen every 7-10 years, a company couldn't afford to have the customer make a horrible mistake and buy another company's pen because he was confused to what nib width he needed. Like Ford and Chevy owners, so it was with Parker and Shaffer.....or any other brand, with it's very own nib width standards.

 

 

If one only has one pen, then none of the above matters.

Edited January 11, 2020 by Bo Bo Olson

[KBeezie]

  On 1/2/2020 at 12:30 PM, MuddyWaters said:

The Lamy 2000 nibs tend to vary individually I think, as one poster above noted. Also, I found one person's EF to have an architect style to it whereas my M had a more stubbish flavour. I don't think the 2000 ever gets truly extra fine widths resembling any fine or extra fine from a Japanese maker though.

The EF in my Lamy 2000 exhibits the same kind of behavior, Cross strokes being closer to a fine+, with the downstroke being an EF.

 

If you like it fine on both strokes seems like one of the big three Japanese brands is the way to go (Sailor, Pilot, Platinum) for their EF or Fine.

Edited January 11, 2020 by KBeezie

[nibtip]

  On 1/11/2020 at 10:22 AM, Bo Bo Olson said:

I toured the Lamy factory 6 years ago....upstairs was the gold nib section...they were on breakfast when the newspaper tour came through, out side of two women on distant grinders smoothing up 2000 rollerball or ball points. The machinery looked old fashioned '60's stuff.

 

So there is more hand work, and Tolerance is always a Skinny M can = exactly a Fat F. And 1/1000 or an inch more into tolerance can't be told. And Lamy runs normal modern Euro wide....so an EF will be an EF and not a Japanese F.

If you insist on super narrow nibs, the only choice is Japanese. Great for printers in the nibs are made for a tiny printed script.

 

The 'new' Guellet video shows a smaller more compact steel nib stamping, tipping and cutting machine than I saw......the one I saw was 4m wide, 10m long, near 2 m high, run by one man. The steel nibs were tested for smoothness on a sound drum. Don't know where or how the nib was tested for width.

Even with robot cut nibs some folks complain about tolerance.

 

There is always going to be tolerance............the way to get around it is to decide what Your Standard is....and it will be only Your Standard and send the nib to a nibmeister. ****

Remember you can never change paper or use a different ink.....or the nib will write wider or narrower than Your Very Own Standard.

 

**** ...............you should send all your pens in all at once......in it is said over the years Nibmeisters change their ways.....having learned more.

 

Of course one could face reality, all nibs are 1/2 a width off, especially if you buy pens from other companies who each have their very own standards....(afflicted with tolerance). Parker didn't want folks confusing them with Shaffer, so made fatter nibs....reverse for Shaffer. Back in the One Man, One Pen days, of a man buying a new pen every 7-10 years, a company couldn't afford to have the customer make a horrible mistake and buy another company's pen because he was confused to what nib width he needed. Like Ford and Chevy owners, so it was with Parker and Shaffer.....or any other brand, with it's very own nib width standards.

 

 

If one only has one pen, then none of the above matters.

 

Your contributions are always very informative. Thank you very much.

[TrentinWA]

I re-inked it this morning with Noodler's Heart of Darkness. One thing I've found is that with the Herbin ink on a Rhodia pad, it was writing much more like a Japanese F or a Lamy Z50 EF than a Japanese M or Lamy Z50 F, whereas on Clairefontaine or copy paper it was writing more like the Lamy F / Japanese M that I was hoping for and expected. Switching inks made a big difference on the Rhodia, and the 2000 now writes more consistently.

 

Not to derail my own topic, but the Herbin ink (Bleu Myosotis) is a slight disappointment--I love the color going on the page, but it dries lighter and seems to fade quickly to a pale violet that's kind of mehhhh. I have a bottle of Monteverde Horizon Blue on order, which I hope fulfills my blue desires.

[Bo Bo Olson]

One Must |Always go to Ink Reviews before buying an ink....and read all the reviews on that ink.

 

Do read any reviews by the Ink Guru; Sandy1....

She uses 4-5 normal pens of different widths on 4 or so good to better papers, and it is often ; that is the same ink, that looks so different on a different paper and or a different width.

 

From what I remember reading many ages ago Herbin ink (Bleu Myosotis) was a fading to the classic French schoolroom pale violetl so I never got any.

 

There are many good Herbin inks. I highly recommend, Lie de The, a light brown shading ink.

Blue Pervenche is a lighter turquoise that I have inked in a pen I'm using right now. I don't know why but when I say it's time for a turquoise ink, I reach for it and not one of 4-5 others I have.

Cafe des Iles is a somewhat brown nice ink.....don't know why I don't use it much outside of I like Lie de The better.

Vert Empire is a murky green, once thought by some as a replacement for the once most hated in the world, MB Racing Green that became so beloved with in a couple months of being discontinued....but wasn't.

There was a time when all things but the MB shoe bottle were hated with out reason, because of snob impression.

As a 'noobie' I believed what I read here. Toss the ink down the sink, and keep the bottle.

There I had the bottle of the most hated ink in the world in my hand.....and had a roadster in metal flake racing green............but didn't understand murky......nor shading..........and had never tried a brown......and after all who used a green ink........real noobie.

Sepia is not quite brown....I like the ink a lot....so still have a few drops of it left.....and a bottle I bought later for 1/3 more. It too had been discontinued. (There are many Sepia inks that are quite different from each other.)

As I said, who in their right mind uses green????..........then I got an hope half bottle of the now discontinued Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Green.............in the next year I bought 14 of the 19 green-greenish inks I have........including murky.

Never got back to collecting purples; only have 7-8.