Cheap Pen, Expensive Pen: Lamy Edition

Рет қаралды 3,447

Күн бұрын

Hey Pen People!
It’s time for another edition of “Cheap Pen, Expensive Pen.” This time, we are looking at the high and low end of Lamy pens. The Safari (with a last-minute pinch-hit from the Lx) versus the Lamy 2000. What are the differences and similarities between these two pens? Is one better than the other? Which one makes the best art? Watch on!
If you’re interested in the Safari, you can find it here:
amzn.to/3T3BWNr
And if I can’t talk you out of the Lx in favor of the Safari, you can find it here:
amzn.to/4bYJ3Px
And finally, this link will connect you to a Lamy 2000:
amzn.to/3P4KXVk
All 3 pens were filled with Lamy Crystal Agate ink:
amzn.to/3P9zDXN
Thanks! If you enjoy my content, give me a like and a subscribe!
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You can also connect to me, download my book about fountain pens, and find me on other social media platforms through my website:
www.stepheninks.com
Contents:
00:00 Intro
00:45 Safari and 2000 compared
09:00 Safari and 2000 test lines
16:28 Pen ratings
25:03 A tragic tale…
28:12 Which pen?
28:51 Drawing sample
31:00 Final Thoughts

Пікірлер: 42

@user-gl5ld9vm7i 4 ай бұрын

Thanks again, Stephen! I'm so sorry that someone stole your charcoal Safari. I still reach for my inexpensive Lamys on my desk.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

I may have a new one someday. I tried using cheap ballpoints at work, and that lasted about a week. I’m just not going to leave them on my desk anymore.

@arcboy2011 4 ай бұрын

The Black nib on the Safari has a PVD coating which I find makes them smoother than the stainless steel nibs.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

I can feel that difference.

@maxssss3547 4 ай бұрын

I bought a Safari as my first fountain pen last week. It's very pleasant writing and drawing with it. I went with a charcoal one too based on the review, felt more classy and subtle than the colored ones. Thanks for the review.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

I don’t know why, but the charcoal one is usually cheaper as well. I might replace my charcoal pen with a colorful one, just to see how it is.

@seancoyote 4 ай бұрын

The battle cat is great!...but to quote my art teacher, now try a more dynamic pose. Get one of those pocket pen cases, many are under 20 bucks, you can keep your 4 best pens on your person, sorta an artist EDC. Or brandish your inner nerd with a chest pocket button up shirt with a pocket protector.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

Is it weird that I kind of like static poses? Maybe it’s my depression (not to make it dark). I do have a pen case that I use. I guess I just need to be more careful in keeping my pens in it.

@seancoyote 4 ай бұрын

@@stepheninksNot weird, you be you. Yeah, keeping things in it's place and not walking away is how you keep nice stuff. I work as a cook, lost a few knives over the years leaving my kit out. Disappointing, but that is just reality.

@Soul_Watcher 4 ай бұрын

LAMY 2000’s are known for their nibs having a sweet spot. If one is prone to tip the nib one way or another off of absolute center it will not write. It will skip, lose ink flow, etc. This could be what you are experiencing. Not that it is, but it could be. On another note the Safari’s are a strange looking work horse for sure. I have two AL-star Safari’s myself. Cheers

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

It’s quite possible. I never felt that it was unpleasantly dry or anything. Just a few hard starts here and there. It’s still a very nice writer most of the time. It’s just that the Safari is also such a nice writer, that I think I would rather go for that. The 2000 still has its place in my collection, but I do admit that I don’t use it as often as my other pens.

@Soul_Watcher 4 ай бұрын

@@stepheninks I agree. I still have the 2000 on my list! It’s a beautifully engineered pen.

@adrianmuino3412 4 ай бұрын

Sorry for your lost, the chracol Safari is my favorite. IMO the 2000 is as beatifull as unconfortable. The grip is awful, the nib stiff and with no feeback, it is difficult to clean it... but is so bauhaus!

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

Definitely not the ultimate fountain pen it’s advertised as. I feel like every time someone talks about the 2000, there’s this forced sense of reverence. Maybe it’s because of the lack of criticism, but when I got mine, I was surprised how many things about it I didn’t like.

@MagicalWingLT 22 күн бұрын

This is why I would buy the rollarball version of the pen. Or the ballpoint one for the 2000

@stepheninks 21 күн бұрын

If that works for you, awesome. It certainly would look just as sleek. I haven’t really gotten that much out of high end rollerballs myself. I always want to reach for my fountain pens at the end of the day.

@jwdyss 4 ай бұрын

I have several Safaris, 1 all black studio and a few other fountain pens in the 200 dollar range. I would never buy a Lamy 2000, there's just better options for that amount of money out there. (imho). Great video comparison. I'll take the Safari or Studio any day.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

I agree about the 2000. I do think that it’s a very nice pen, but at that price point, there are other pens I would recommend first. The problem is that the Safari is so good for so cheap that it makes the 2000 seem… a little underwhelming.

@fedeclares1229 4 ай бұрын

I don't know if there're much better options really. The 2000 is one of the cheapest gold nibs. Ok I wouldn't buy it for more than 250€ but I got mine for 180€ and I'm super happy. I also have a Safari and an Al Star. I much rather the aluminum version and It's not hard to find at a good price.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

@@fedeclares1229 I suppose it depends on what you’re looking for. I would highly recommend the Sailor Pro Gear Slim or the Platinum 3776 Century for fountain pen art over the 2000. I got both of those pens for under 175 USD, which is around what I’m seeing the 2000 going for. It is certainly highly dependent on the user. This is just what I have experienced. Also, for what it’s worth, I don’t think the 2000 is overpriced for what you get.

@mikevandebunt811 4 ай бұрын

Well, you absolutely nailed the aesthetic for the Battle Cat. (I guess, maybe take a Platinum Preppy to work. I have so many Preppys that I would hardly notice if one wandered off...)

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

I really should buy multiples of pens I like. I guess this channel affects what I purchase sometimes. Hard to justify re-buying a pen when you could look at a new one and share your impressions with everyone.

@Epikification 10 күн бұрын

I'm going to guess that agape is "uh-gah-pay" in this case, not "uh-gape". The way you said it is funnier though.

@stepheninks 10 күн бұрын

It’s named “Agate,” after the metamorphic rock. I must admit I don’t know how to pronounce that either though.

@IvanRomero-ho8wv 3 ай бұрын

Sorry someone took your pen. A Large amount of the cost of the L2K is the nib, it's 14K gold with full rhodium plating vs. the Safari's or LX's stainless steel nib. The nib on the L2K is worth about $155 retail and about $125 street price as of my comment. Maybe I missed you mentioning it but it's worth mentioning, if you had not done so.

@stepheninks 3 ай бұрын

I didn’t know the exact values, and they fluctuate, so those numbers are helpful. I will say that I do think that the Lamy 2000 is worth what it costs. And I do like mine. The line quality, however, is on par with many of Lamy’s less expensive pens, if that is more what you care about.

@IvanRomero-ho8wv 3 ай бұрын

@@stepheninks I have the B nib and it suffers from the sweet spot syndrome and that sweet spot is very narrow. When you do get in the sweet spot, it is a very nice experience. I need to get it reground and while I could probably do it myself, I don't want to mess it up and have to buy a new nib.

@stepheninks 3 ай бұрын

@@IvanRomero-ho8wv I’m with you on that. For any pen that costs more than 30USD, I wouldn’t dare touch it myself. That’s what experts are for. I’ve thought of having a nibsmith work on my 2000, but I’m afraid it would ruin the experience. The EF nib does work really well. As I’ve started drawing with fountain pens, my line weight preferences have gotten a bit wider.

@clc3897 4 ай бұрын

I hear that Safari is the fountain pen of choice for young schoolchildren back in Europe. Yes, schools in Europe require students to use fountain pens. The fact that it has that design for holding it is purposely done to encourage children to hold their writing instruments in the correct position. As an art teacher I can never get over the multitude of ways in which my students hold their writing instruments. There is one famous KZfaq artist who has a grip that makes me cringe, and in spite of the fact that I enjoy the channel and the art produced, I simply cannot watch the club hand grip of this artist. The am trying really hard to like the 2000, but for me that nib feels like it’s playing hide and seek. I don’t mind a hooded nib, but there is something about that nib that isn’t quite pleasing enough. The other factor is the price. I’ll much rather get a Visconti or a Waterman in that price range.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

I have also heard that about the European school system. I like that idea actually. People who write a lot for their work run a major risk of carpel tunnel syndrome or arthritis on their hands if they don’t grip their pens properly. Besides, as an American, I can vouch for not all required school purchases being simple to justify. If anyone who went to high school in the early 2000s has a good explanation of why everyone needed an 80 USD calculator just for sophomore year math, I would love to hear it.

@clc3897 4 ай бұрын

@@stepheninks hahaha, I am part of the X generation that grew up not having to use those graphing calculators. My son who is in 8th grade just had me get him a $170 graphing calculator. Yeah, you read that right! I didn’t mind getting it since he’s actually way more advanced than his peers, but that is just one of the many things I have to buy. Speaking of hand fatigue, I write and draw/paint hours on end every single day. My hands rarely get tired simply because I have a correct grip. The only thing that hurts is my back, and my shoulder from sitting in the same position for hours on end. Wish I knew a way to avoid that pain.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

@@clc3897 I think fountain pens also help with hand pressure, since the capillary action that dispenses the ink is a lot easier to produce than the friction required for ballpoints. It certainly has made a difference for me!

@clc3897 4 ай бұрын

@@stepheninks that’s why for my writing I only use fountain pens. And when I am saying writing, I mean ten to 20 journal pages a day.

@adrianmuino3412 4 ай бұрын

School student in Argentina also required to use fountain pens, and in the 70's the saint grial for kids was the parker 45.

@dangonzalez3505 4 ай бұрын

Sorry about you losing your pen. Now, do the same precautions about your earphones. These things are very popular with kids.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

My main problem with earphones stems from students with long hair trying to hide them during class so they can (literally) tune me out. Also, those things get so much bacteria on them. I wouldn’t touch another person’s earphones with a 10 foot pole!

@dangonzalez3505 4 ай бұрын

@@stepheninks But that's you, though! Kids don't care about bacteria. I used to work as a TA. I lent one a pen (one of many I purposely kept for lending out). Next thing I knew, he was chewing on it. Heaven knows how many other kids I've lent it to. LOL! And then after class, he gave it back to me. I said he could keep it.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

@@dangonzalez3505 Sometimes the greatest lessons are the ones we teach ourselves…on accident.

@ichirofakename 4 ай бұрын

What a drag, getting a nice pen stolen. I specialize in getting bicycles stolen. The only explanation I have for continuing to buy expensive pens now that I am convinced any decent pen is fine for drawing, is too much disposable income. Or I find value in non-results features despite myself.

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

I’ve had a bike stolen. The value of the thing is really secondary to the feeling of betrayal. Especially when you know for a fact that the thief is someone you know.

@sushanart 4 ай бұрын

I love my Lamy Vista so a Safari wouldn't be so strange for me to buy, but the Vista is cheaper than the Safari and I like the clear acrylic demonstrator look and feel of it. If I could afford it I still wouldn't buy the 2000. The "metal ears" is a no for me and I'd rather get a Lamy Studio or a Jinhao 80 (and switch the nib to a Lamy one). 😇🩵🙏🙌

@stepheninks 4 ай бұрын

Good that you know yourself enough to to know what you like and don’t like. I feel like the 2000 got me on pure curiosity. To be fair, it is a nice pen, but I don’t think it’s for everyone.