Comment by ofalkaed
1 day ago
I sort of agree but I would say either get a cartridge pen or a refillable pen and leave it at that. Pick an ink and use it until it is gone. Don't get a second pen unless you actually have a need for a second pen.
There are few things in modern life which are lifetime buys and you can use every day of your life, a good pen is one of them, enjoy it instead of feeding into the endless search for something better. 99% of what I have written for the past ~decade has been with one pen, it is an old friend at this point. I picked my ink by it being a reputable brand and sold in bottles big enough that it would last years, and when it was time to order another bottle I had to pull it out to check what it was so I could order another because I had forgotten what it was. I am sure there are better pens and better inks but I have no real issues with what I have and anything else will be lacking in something more important than the supposed benefits offered by those better pens and inks.
The funny thing is, many entry level pens are much more reliable and dependable some of the higher end pens you pay thrice the price.
The secret sauce of Lamy and Faber Castell is, their lower and higher end pens use the same feeds and nibs, so the lower end pens are very dependable, too.
You can leave a simple Lamy Safari (one of my favorites) to your grandchildren, and they'll be happy with it, too.
The only thing is, a good gold nib is a very comfortable thing to use, if it's your cup of tea, but modern steel nibs are very enjoyable to use, too.
On the ink side, if you want to have a single ink to depend on, give Montblanc Royal Blue a go. My dad used to use only that ink, and when I used it for the first time, I told my dad how wonderful to write with that, and he answered "yeah, it is" with a grin.
That isn’t true at all. The nib in my Lamy 2000 is nothing at all like the nib on one of the mass market pens.
Lamy 2000's grind geometry is different, and it's finished in hand though. 2000 is my one of the favorite pens, so I'm deeply familiar with it.
Also, Pilot's and Graf von Faber Castell's gold nibs are great and soft. On the other hand Sailor's 21K gold nibs are relatively nails and feels off it that's not your taste.
My point is, I'd rather carry a Kaweco or a Lamy with a replaceable steel nib as an EDC, because steel nibs' flow is a bit more conservative and they are cheaper if life happens. So they are more suited to EDC and daily use on the go.
However, a good gold nib is a very posh and enjoyable thing, but I prefer to use them at my desk due to their relative softness and high maintenance.
BTW, Lamy's steel nibs polish great in a month or two of daily usage. Pilot and Faber Castell are close followers, but Lamy becomes something sublime as you use it more.
2 replies →