Lamy Safari

[loweevan]

I think I have an MK (medium Kugel) somewhere but I am not sure because the sizes are not marked. There might be other standard sizes out there. These are mass-produced, low-cost nibs and you can tell. They are generally pretty smooth but the best from this bunch are the two custom-ground nibs. I honestly cannot tell the difference between the F, K and L nibs. You can see the oblique grind on the OM and OB but it is very difficult to distinguish them from the non-oblique sizes on the written samples. My advice, if you want something outside the normal F/M/B is to go for a custom grind. The Pendimonium nib is wonderful!

/Woody

 

This is EXACTLY the information that I was looking for earlier. Thanks for posting the comparison picture and to Altair for directing me here. I have the 1.5 stub and was curious about how much smaller the 1.1 actually was when writing. Your post has been quite helpful.

[DawnOfChaos]

Thanks for posting (and bumping) this thread. This is wonderful information!

[Robert Alan]

...

I do have one question for you, how did you dis-asemble the cap to get the clip off. My red Safari has a great nib but the clip on the cap was bent in a bit of stupidity a few years back. I have to bend the clip back but I have to take the cap apart.

 

It certainly is not as easy as the older models. If you look inside the cap you can see the end of the top button poking through the inner cap. You need to push the end out of the cap (same direction you go when you insert the pen into the cap). I use a flat-ended rod, standing on a table. Put the cap on top of the rod and pull the cap down making sure to keep your hands away from the top. Try not to shoot the top button into the ceiling or your eye. After you get the button out you can just pull the clip through the holes in the cap.

 

Putting it back in is a bit tougher. You need a tube which has an outer diameter small enough to fit all the way into the inner cap and an inner diameter large enough to clear the snap on the top button. I used a the barrel of a cheap mechanical pencil. Put all the parts back together in the correct order with the button down on the table. Take your tube and push it into the inner cap in the same direction you pushed to pop it out. It doesn't take too much force to snap it back in. Try to cap your pen... if it does not fully seat (the "o-ring" should completely disappear inside the cap) then the button is not snapped in all the way.

 

Keep in mind that these things are not really designed to be disassembled. The top button also seals the inner cap when properly assembled so if you don't get it back in all the way or you tear up the inner cap your pen might dry out when capped.

 

Installment #2 later tonight with a bit of luck.

 

Thanks for all the kind feedback so far.

 

/Woody

 

Hi fellow Safari-fans! If they still stock the matching color, it is safer and easier to purchase a replacement cap from LamyUSA. BTW, they still stock all the parts to make a gray Safari and it's cheaper than spending the $79.95 somebody on eBay is asking for the "rare" gray model. Also stocked are the pencil eraser covers which I think is a poor design. I got a few extra since they easily pop off and get lost.

My first Safari was what I called olive drab (Savannah) and I bought it in BC, Canada. The early ones came in cool "cargo" boxes. I have the complete, early green set. The first nibs were painted and I used my fountain pen so much that chips of black wore off revealing shiny steel underneath--kind of a camo-effect. My green pen came with the squeeze converter. The newer, piston converter won't fit in my older pens. I never saw a Terracotta for sale. I would've gotten one. I have the first black pens. One set is smooth and shiny the other is textured like the current model.

You could do an a large entry just on the packaging changes of the Safaris, too. To me, the Safaris are the Swatches of the pen industry.

Cheers, Robert

 

[encremental]

Thanks for telling us about your early smooth charcoal Safari - I have one too! Woody did wonder if these smoothies are just regular matte pens that have been smoothed with love, but I think not - I had the rollerball which I never liked, so just put it in a drawer, and this has the same texture with no love at all. I'm glad to hear of another sighting!

 

John

[Robert Alan]

Thanks for telling us about your early smooth charcoal Safari - I have one too! Woody did wonder if these smoothies are just regular matte pens that have been smoothed with love, but I think not - I had the rollerball which I never liked, so just put it in a drawer, and this has the same texture with no love at all. I'm glad to hear of another sighting!

 

John

 

John & Lamy fans, I am happy to share! Here's what's new & interesting at the lamyusa site:

 

 

 

 

Create beautiful calligraphy with this limited edition Safari for every day 'pocket-size' use. Available in 1.5mm Nib size.

Safari Calligraphy Fountain Pen - Orange - NEW! L13OE_1_5$30.00

 

This particular nib is usually only available with/for the Joy. As a spare part, it must be purchased from the Joy spare parts list and it's attached to the Joy section/feed.

 

I wanted this to act a bump, too. Since it, hopefully, will attract other Lamy officianados.

Ciao, Robert Alan

 

 

[macthemaths]

Thanks for telling us about your early smooth charcoal Safari - I have one too! Woody did wonder if these smoothies are just regular matte pens that have been smoothed with love, but I think not - I had the rollerball which I never liked, so just put it in a drawer, and this has the same texture with no love at all. I'm glad to hear of another sighting!

 

John

 

I recently bought a "smooth" Savanna. I thought I had been diddled at first - but it seemed like an such an implausible way to defraud someone!

 

 

[tnmike1]

I usually find The Writing Desk in UK has the best and largest selection of Lamy Safari nibs. Now wondering: any US supplier have the 1.5, 1.9 and various obliques as well?? Or should I continue to look "over the pond?"

[skipwilliams]

A Smooth Savannah? Oooooo. Could you post a photo? I've never heard of that one.

 

Skip

 

 

I recently bought a "smooth" Savanna. I thought I had been diddled at first - but it seemed like an such an implausible way to defraud someone!

 

[MYU]

Bumped because until Lamy gets its own subforum, this wonderful history is going to be lost on page 2 then 3... you get the drift.

 

I wish that thread could be pinned in the Pen History forum.

I've linked it in the Pen Review Index, so it can be found when someone is looking at reviews of the Safari.

[macthemaths]

A Smooth Savannah? Oooooo. Could you post a photo? I've never heard of that one.

 

Skip

 

 

I recently bought a "smooth" Savanna. I thought I had been diddled at first - but it seemed like an such an implausible way to defraud someone!

 

Will try and do so over the next couple of days. I would be interested in what people have to say about it.

 

Chris

[adt475]

I usually find The Writing Desk in UK has the best and largest selection of Lamy Safari nibs. Now wondering: any US supplier have the 1.5, 1.9 and various obliques as well?? Or should I continue to look "over the pond?"

 

Give swisher pens a try. They usually have Italics and obliques in stock.

 

[Beechwood]

Very useful information thanks, particularly as one has just come to me as part of a job lot and I know very little about the brand.

 

Mine is the colour of polished aluminium and a smoke grey nib section, the rest of the pens in the lot were all 1980s, would this Lamy have come from that era?

[diplomat]

This particular nib is usually only available with/for the Joy. As a spare part, it must be purchased from the Joy spare parts list and it's attached to the Joy section/feed.

 

In Italy several dealers have a complete selection of Lamy nibs to choose from when you purchase a new Safari/AlStar/Studio... I purchased my LE 2009 with a 1.9 italic!

 

p.s. want to see the smooth Savannah too!!!

[loweevan]

I usually find The Writing Desk in UK has the best and largest selection of Lamy Safari nibs. Now wondering: any US supplier have the 1.5, 1.9 and various obliques as well?? Or should I continue to look "over the pond?"

I've seen them for sale directly through Lamy, from the Writer's Block, at Swisher, Pendemonium, and several other sites. However, I recently bought a Safari nib from Martin at The Writer's Desk because it was cheaper (including shipping, conversion from £ to $, and any international credit card fees) than any price that I saw online or otherwise in the US. Furthermore, the shipping time was not much longer than what I would expect from a US retailer at roughly a week -- AND I ordered it on a weekend before a UK bank holiday! Shipping was only £2 for the nib and a Herbin blotter, but it gets more expensive if you add ink or some other products to your order. All in all, my experience was wonderful and I would recommend TWD if you're looking to buy a Lamy nib at a good price.

 

Very useful information thanks, particularly as one has just come to me as part of a job lot and I know very little about the brand.

 

Mine is the colour of polished aluminium and a smoke grey nib section, the rest of the pens in the lot were all 1980s, would this Lamy have come from that era?

It sounds like what you're describing is a Lamy Al-Star rather than a Safari. Unfortunately, I don't know how to date the Al-Stars nor when they were introduced.

[Robert Alan]

I usually find The Writing Desk in UK has the best and largest selection of Lamy Safari nibs. Now wondering: any US supplier have the 1.5, 1.9 and various obliques as well?? Or should I continue to look "over the pond?"

Hi! The only way LAMYUSA has them is as a "Joy" replacement part (nib & section together):

 

 

They are $15 plus shipping. SWISHER is probably the best place to check.

 

Good luck!--Robert Alan

[haywoody]

Whoa, lots of action in the Safari thread since I disappeared. I have promised to continue this several times but can't seem to find the time to take pictures and get moving. I apologize but I will get back to this someday. Off the top of my head, I want to add posts on packaging, colors, variants and promotional materials and paraphernalia.

 

By the way, does anybody know the rules about posting scanned pages from Lamy publications (which I assume are copyrighted)? I have some Lamy books and catalogs with cool shots of Safari-related gear. I don't want to get FPN or myself in trouble, but I would love to post them.

 

All this talk of smooth pens is great... I actually had my hands on a smooth Terracotta a few weeks ago. I tried to acquire it but no luck. The person who owns it was a former Lamy rep. He said that the four early colors (Savannah, Terracotta, Charcoal and White) were all made in smooth versions during the early '80's. He also said he had a textured demonstrator (both of mine are smooth). Sigh, I thought I was done aside from collecting the never ending supply of future LE's... this game seems to have no end!

 

Another update on colors. The Safari was launched in 1980 in only Savannah and Terracotta according to the catalogs I have. The Charcoal and White came along a bit later.

 

/Woody

 

p.s. If anybody out there has a smooth Terracotta, Savannah or Charcoal (or a textured demonstrator ) pen they are willing to part with, please PM me. I am happy to trade for other Safaris (including most of the rare old ones and LEs) or to purchase. Pretty please?

Edited May 15, 2009 by haywoody

[haywoody]

Just a tangent about nibs. I recently added another to my collection. Did anybody else opt for the factory broad FLEX on the 2009 LE orange?

 

 

 

... you didn't miss the option; the nib is from a 1984 Lamy Unic. There are many Lamy pens which use the same nib as the Safari. A few of those, including some versions of the Unic and the modern Studio, came with 14kt options. I have seen threads on FPN about people using the 14kt Studio nib on the Safari but I have not seen any with flex.

 

This one flexes quite easily to at least BBB but unfortunately the Safari's feed can't deliver enough ink to keep up with it. I need to see what I can do to modify the feed and get it flowing better. Does anybody have advice on how I can do that?

 

/Woody

[pen2paper]

Glad you're back! was hoping this study thread would continue..

shhhh, and ultimately be the searchable basis for a Lamy forum..

but I digress.. when your time/technology allows, would you also include handwriting examples of the different nibs, specifically the flex that you're inquiring about? please:)

I'm still using my medium daily at work.. I need a finer point nib to write clearly in the defined space on our forms...but have heard about some EF Lamy nibs being too dry.. my medium is Perfect...just too big.

[skipwilliams]

I have EF's in two or three of my Safaris and they all perform very nicely. I highly recommend getting one. I've got one in a Safari Al-Star Ocean now with Luxury Blue which writes fabulously.

 

Skip

 

 

Glad you're back! was hoping this study thread would continue..

shhhh, and ultimately be the searchable basis for a Lamy forum..

but I digress.. when your time/technology allows, would you also include handwriting examples of the different nibs, specifically the flex that you're inquiring about? please:)

I'm still using my medium daily at work.. I need a finer point nib to write clearly in the defined space on our forms...but have heard about some EF Lamy nibs being too dry.. my medium is Perfect...just too big.

 

[menick]

Just a tangent about nibs. I recently added another to my collection. Did anybody else opt for the factory broad FLEX on the 2009 LE orange?

 

 

 

... you didn't miss the option; the nib is from a 1984 Lamy Unic. There are many Lamy pens which use the same nib as the Safari. A few of those, including some versions of the Unic and the modern Studio, came with 14kt options. I have seen threads on FPN about people using the 14kt Studio nib on the Safari but I have not seen any with flex.

 

This one flexes quite easily to at least BBB but unfortunately the Safari's feed can't deliver enough ink to keep up with it. I need to see what I can do to modify the feed and get it flowing better. Does anybody have advice on how I can do that?

 

/Woody

 

I think I have a nib like this!

 

Whoa! never thought it would flex. Will ink that pen and try it out!

 

thanks again for the info!

 

nick