Lamy Fountain Pen: A No-Nonsense Companion

I have become somewhat obsessed with fountain pens and analog writing, now that I have some time available for my hobbies post-retirement. I had always enjoyed trying different fountain pens and also being able to generate beautiful handwriting that was aesthetically pleasing when I was young.

But my career started at a time when personal computers were just getting popular in the mid-1980s. Once I had adopted computers—and later mobile phones—for everything, handwriting slowly became something I rarely used. Even signatures were sometimes replaced with passwords.

Yet, there is a lot of joy in writing with a pen. And with a fountain pen, even more so, at least in my case. There is now plenty of data-backed science that confirms several benefits of writing with a pen—especially when you use it for a diary or journal, or when you write early in the hours of the day.

I notice that when I am actively focusing on my handwriting and consciously writing content, my focus is gravitated naturally towards ONE thing. In a way, this is a form of meditation. If I am writing a journal and oblivious to my self-made coffee getting cold, it is a proof of how much I am focused on writing.

There is total silence in my mind, and I am very present. What else could be a better way of starting a day?

With my renewed interest in fountain pens, I have acquired several—some at a very low price, some from my own personal arsenal, some bought at fairly high prices, some that I took the liberty of inheriting from my dad, and one that I actively sourced from loving aunt. Some were even bought for me lovingly by my son.

So I now have a small collection. They range from models made in India, the UK, Germany, and Japan. And yes, can't go without some made in China like evrything else. 

I have gone back to using a German made Lamy Safari now. 

It is their lower-priced mass-market fountain pen, and it is internationally very popular. It has a uniquely shaped grip section that is somewhat triangular by cross-section. The writing is a bit wider than Japanese equivalent of same spec fine point. I prefer fine-point nibs for my style of small writing. But even the fine point of Lamy nibs is a little thick for my taste. It is German engineering at the core, after all.

That said, it is meticulously produced with no visible flaws or imperfections. And it writes flawlessly. Even if I had not used the pen for a while, the ink flows well with no interruption—good start every time.

The nib is generally smooth, with a certain harsh point that doesn’t affect writing. Very good pens have light harshness of some level and position and type that characterizes that pen or brand. This one does too.

The pen is lightweight and transparent, allowing for visual warning of ink levels.

I like the pen for what it is, but I do have a preference for the Japanese ones with more defined character in writing feel and also for their ability to write much finer.

The Lamy is a no-nonsense pen that does exactly what has been asked of it—without any fuss, unlike the Indian or British ones that either write exceedingly well or need a hard start!