Lamy 2000 (Makrolon)

The Lamy 2000 is an iconic fountain pen that has been around for decades. Plenty has been written about the Lamy 2000’s performance, style and value for money. There is very little to be added to what has already been written, so this is going to be tough to write about.

I purchased this pen about on a holiday, a few years ago. When I initially purchased this pen, I asked for a fine and was told that I had received a fine. However, when I came back home and inked it up, it looked remarkably wide. I didn’t think it was abnormal, considering German nibs ran wide, but it gushed like a fire hose when I inked it up with my favourite Iroshizuku inks and leaked through all my Rhodia notebooks. We were off to a rocky start.

After learning a bit more about the pen, paper, ink trio and learning how to disassemble the nib unit of the Lamy 2000, I realized that I had a medium and I needed some more Lamy appropriate (drier) inks. After learning this, using the Lamy was a dream – soft (ish), smooth and wet, it was great for drier inks that I’ve struggled with in other pens.

The nubbly bits that hold the cap onto the pen always get a mention in reviews and this one is no different – they are there, they don’t bother me. I use them as a guide to make sure I don’t over-rotate the pen when I write.

The Makrolon (fibre glass) is very slippery and appears to fade a bit with time. Just a word of warning, it can discolour if you soak it into pen soak, so take care to disassemble the nib fully and soak the nib only, when cleaning, not the whole front section of the pen (grip and all). Being able to fully disassemble the pen means that its quite easy to clean and service the piston, which is a big plus. Just don’t lose the nubbly bit when you open it up. A quick comment on the piston – it is sturdy and reliable, no getting stuck or feeling flimsy here. It’s the quality you would expect for a pen at this price point.

This is a great pen for a great price. Even though Lamy prices have increased since I purchased mine  it still remains pretty good value for money, given that it’s a piston filler with a gold nib. I do recommend it, but make sure you buy it from a retailer who has a return policy as these have a reputation of nib inconsistency.

Materials used:

Pebble Stationery co Limited Edition Sakura Sumiko A5 Cahier

Kobe Ink Story Sakae Machi Indigo #36