Lamy 2000 Fountain Pen, Bold Nib
Lamy 2000 Bold Nib
Test ink is Pilot Iroshizuku, Kon-Peki.
There are many reviews of this pen, as well there should be. A design as timeless as this deserves to be scrutinized. I found my example and purchased with my own money a broad nib example via isellpens.com for a very good price considering what these pens go for.
The appearance of this pen is one of a minimalist nature. The brushed Makrolon® not only makes the pen light but gives it a quality feel. The combination with stainless steel just gives that extra high tech oomph. I admit that it is hard to come to terms with the fact that the design is 47 years old as of this writing. A design this old yet still looks futuristic and high tech is an amazing accomplishment.
I have read some reviews that refer to the barrel material as fiberglass. It is actually a poly-carbonate material reinforced with glass fib… okay fiberglass. 😛 The clip is stainless steel and spring loaded. This makes for very easy clipping to clothing/cases. Being a piston filler, I am very happy with how the seam between the piston knob and the barrel just disappears when the piston is fully retracted. There is an ink window that seems to melt into the barrel when the pen is full of ink.
Just below the ink window are two metal tabs that protrude slightly from the section. This is the basis of the best slip cap mechanism I have used. It slides into the cap effortlessly and clicks solidly in place. The click is very satisfying. Some people do not like the protruding tabs on the section. The way I hold the pen has my thumb right over one of the tabs but it does not bother me.
The platinum plated 14 karat gold nib is semi hooded. I admit I am not fond of semi-hooded or full-hooded nibs. This one changes that for me. My main issue with hooded nibs is that I have a hard time seeing the nib position. This, in turn, results in improper nib to paper contact. This is not an issue with this pen. There is enough of a view of the nib that it does not matter. Very Nice!
When we move to nib performance, things go a little south. I had read that some people had start-up or skipping issues with this pen. My pen is not immune. It seems the pen has a very small sweet spot making holding the pen at the proper angle very crucial to nib performance. One other issue I noted on my pen was poor tine alignment. That was sorted easy enough. The slight skipping issue should be a non-issue soon. You see, my main reason for getting a bold nib is to stub it.
The 2000 is Lamy’s flagship pen and it is always a bit of a let down when their are nib issues. In my case, I am not going to let it be an issue. I did find that the nib is a bit springy. (See the written portion)
Even with the negative, the pen is worth owning. Did I mention that the L2K is on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art? Yeah, I like this pen.
Thank you for reading.
Ivan
The Fountain Pen Sith Lord.
See what other people have to say about the Lamy 2000
And the hand written portion of the review:
