If you're a low gripper the pen may squirt out of your hand, and, if you're a high gripper the cap capture ears may feel uncomfortable.
Hand oils will eventually make the makrolon surface shiny.
The cap can crack and the internal piston rod can break (usually a User induced problem because they fail to lubricate the piston seal when the piston fill knob starts to get harder and harder to turn.)
The Section C-ring is easy to misplace or lose.
It's a snap cap so you should always uncap, and close, the pen with the nib pointing up. This may mitigate the possibility of ink splatter inside the cap and getting it on the [Section](https://live.staticflickr.com/7268/7760461398_6f166b3c48_b.jpg), [and](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8431/7748002742_3d57794f5b_n.jpg), [and](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Frpx5p43qj7bz.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=c2839a13781df70c5e466d9dcdb8dca9f4b4e6af8e214a110d502752a1b82320&ipo=images). If you take the time to wipe off the Section, to remove the [nib creep](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/mn7ugj/does_anyone_know_how_to_stop_this_ink_creep_on_a/), take the time to wipe the inside of the cap, too. The [Section](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6148/6015537765_6f50aa2072_z.jpg), or the [barrel](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/p15gy6/lamy_2000_failure_has_anyone_else_experienced_this/), can crack (try not to drop the pen!)
Piston Fillers are higher maintenance items, so, if not properly maintained you could see ink seeping from the [filler knob](https://external-preview.redd.it/qNMsJqxUJPDcO-6QQsQf-2rGvbu9b0lcNn9o4vNTBTQ.jpg?auto=webp&s=7b5e8770213f2c7b56680a1d22f91c90d177c940).
Most Ink Windows are useless. The L2K is no exception.
The nib is very difficult to grind down, so make sure to find the right nibmeister should you decide to have it ground to another size or configuration.
If you're high gripper, the top of the barrel will be lower than the index finger knuckle, which could cause your fingers to become fatigued as you unconsciously try to raise it. It's better to post the pen. The L2k posts excellently. When posted the cap opening will probably be below the web of the hand, for most with average size hands, so there's less chance the cap opening will scuff the web of the hand, and even then, the opening is not sharp. Because of the sweet spot you're not likely to be employing finger writing, where the barrel goes up and down in the hand as you push and pull on the pen. Because it has a sweet spot you may need to lock your fingers and employ wrist and whole arm movement, just as you would do if it were a stub nib. Post it so that the clip is in-line with the nib, so that you don't have to "search" for the correct nib placement on paper.
....................................
The L2K is not a beginner's pen, much like the Pilot Falcon is not necessarily a starter pen. It's a pedigree pen, a race horse, or sports car, if you will. You should have a solid foundation to be able to exploit its benefits to the max. You may therefore need time to find the right hold, find the right inks, find the right papers. Eventually you will acclimate to the pen and thereafter writing with it will be second-nature, you won't have to think about it. Just like any good pen.
It's a quality pen, so treat it accordingly. Don't abuse it. Don't fill it up with "wet" inks, like Diamine Writer's Blood and Pilot Iroshizuku inks, and then complain that it writes too broadly, has too much bleed-through, etc. You may need to find, and use, "dry" inks, like Lamy, Pelikan, TroubleMaker, ColorVerse, and some Diamine, etc. Don't leave it inked for months at a time and then complain that there's ink crud on the nib. **Employ good fountain pen hygiene.** It should give you years, decades, of faithful service.
I know that this is hotly debated, but I have avoided Noodlers inks and Lamy feeds since I had one need to be replaced, and read about the issues online when trying to figure out why it failed. That was seven years ago, things may have changed, but I have kept my Noodlers for other pens. (TWSBi seems to work fine, I have an Eco that’s had BSB in it for years.)
What an amazingly helpful post on what is my favourite and most frequently used fountain pen. You hit the nail(s) on the head(s) about the L2K. Thanks!
1. The grind is like a mini architect nib, but if you like architect nib it’s a plus for you. I don’t, I prefer the grind on Safari and its brethren.
2. The grip is slippery.
I read some of the other responses to this post and felt like I had to chime in.
For some background, I worked as a repair tech at a pen shop for over a year, and have been fiddling with / repairing / customizing pens for much longer than that. I have owned many 2000's over the years, and I have fixed dozens of them for all manner of ailments. The sum of my experience with this pen is that its only *real* drawback is that there's the potential you won't like it.
The materials Lamy uses for this pen are extremely durable. Any issues with leakage are very, very easily remedied with even the smallest bit of silicone grease / oil. If the surface of your pen becomes shiny due to hand oils, just wipe it with a microfiber cloth or rinse it with some water and dish soap.
The brushed finish of the Makrolon will eventually wear down a bit, but it will probably never become completely smooth - I've handled some 2000's from 1966 (first year of production) that had been consistently used for decades, and even though they were smooth to the touch, the grooves in the makrolon were still present.
If you need a replacement [feed or cap ring](https://vanness1938.com/collections/lamy-accessories) they're both available for cheap from several vendors (I just linked the first one that came up on a google search).
You can use literally any ink in a 2000. Even if you leave permanent ink in the pen for 40 years, it can be taken apart completely and cleaned - I had to do this once.
There are some drawbacks to the design, namely the ink window. It isn't very functional. It does serve as a way to check if you're nearly out of ink if you hold it up against a light source, but other than that it's more or less useless.
The nibs in the 2000 are actually much more consistent than other Lamy nibs, at least in my experience. I've tested a lot of these pens, probably more than any other. I've also ground a lot of 2000's in a lot of different ways. The fine nib tends to be finer than other Western fine nibs. Any nib from Bock/Jowo will likely be about the same in terms of line width - but if you compare it to a **modern** Pelikan, Montblanc, Waterman, Parker, etc. chances are it will be a bit finer. Some 2000 nibs have a bit of a sweet spot, which is honestly rather easily remedied with some micromesh and a loupe. All you need to do is study the tipping for a bit until you have an idea of where the flat spot begins and ends, and gently round it from there (checking your progress every so often to make sure you do it right). Lamy 2000 nibs are also relatively inexpensive if you want to change them - and (don't quote me on this) I think Lamy themselves will swap your nib if you're unhappy with the way yours writes. There are also a lot more nib options on the 2000 than on most other pens available, especially in its price range - a full range of obliques can be had from the factory, which I find write smoother than standard nibs and with more flair (though it may take some practice to master).
I've written a lot here, but the gist of it is that the Lamy 2000 is very durable and will continue to serve you for a long time. It is really hard to kill one of these. Almost all of the parts are replaceable, either directly from a vendor or from Lamy customer support. The feed / nib assembly is pretty simple to take apart and clean as long as you're careful not to misplace any parts. The nibs write consistently well and again are replaceable. As a classy, high-end workhorse pen it's hard to beat a Lamy 2000.
I said this to many customers in my time at the pen shop, and I'll say it again now - the Lamy 2000 punches well above its weight in every way. Though there are many great pens available for the price of a Lamy 2000, you will find that even pens whose price is orders of magnitude higher than the Lamy 2000 simply don't compare in feel and performance. I've spent a lot of time working with a lot of pens, and I would take a Lamy 2000 over almost any other pen. For many years I lusted over the Montblanc 146, and when I finally got my hands on one, I was disappointed to find that it didn't write as smoothly or feel as sturdy as my Lamy 2000. I had the same experience with several Pelikan M800's, a few Omas piston-fillers, an Aurora Optima or two, even a Visconti Homo Sapiens. It is a very, very good pen.
Anyways, that's just my opinion. The best I can say is that you'll have to try it to draw your own conclusions. I saw multiple other people suggest buying one used - I disagree with that. My advice is to get one brand-new in whatever nib size you want to try so that you have the option of returning it or exchanging it in the event that you don't like it. Like I said before, though there are many very good reasons that the 2000 is a great pen, its most pertinent drawback is that you may not like it. I've met a lot of people who love it, and perhaps just as many who don't.
I don't know how to end this rant so I'm just gonna say good luck, and be sure to update us with what you end up doing!
Edit - if you're going to buy a replacement 2000 nib, do so from [endlesspens](https://endlesspens.com/products/lamy-2000-nib?variant=31316534919242). They have them for less than half the price of anywhere else on the web.
That's a very fair answer and I agree with all your points, but find the grip too slippery for my hand, thus I don't like it; but 9 out of 10 writers are happy to use one every day.
I have a EF and M they both write wider then other Lamy pens en they write real wet. But I do love them, even though I do I’m still thinking of selling the EF I bought it not knowing the nib size and I like broader nibs. I’ve never had problems finding the sweet spot.
Downside: Nib is hard as a nail. Sweet spot on EF is extremely small. Minor history of issues with leaking where the barrel and section connect. Also, in case you hadn't considered it, swapping inks in a piston filler is more of a chore than with a converter since you need to fill/empty repeatedly instead of just removing the converter and flushing directly.
Upside: Extremely comfortable to write with. Snap cap is great for quick use. Good capacity. Great looking. Basically all the things you already know.
I have several. Line width changes with ink and paper, not much different from other pens in my experience.
The "sweet-spot" has never been an issue for me. No leaks, no spills, plays well, easy enough to clean, durable, and truly a workhorse and EDC.
I have 3 and use them daily. Easy choice. Nothing negative to say if the design is acceptable :)
Lots of really sound advice in this thread already that I won't waste your time rehashing.
Something I have not seen mentioned is the Stainless version. It is not the "classic" Makrolon and it is significantly heavier. Two of my workhorse/daily pens are LAMY 2000s, one in Stainless (Medium, usually inked with Kon-Peki) and the other in Makrolon (EF, usually inked in some other Iroshizuku I rotate). Many people do not like the weight of the Stainless, but I use it posted regularly (daily) and I actually like it just as much, if not more, than the Makrolon (which I also adore).
I don't think you can go wrong with the LAMY 2000s, very seriously one of my favorite pens, and I think the Stainless gets panned for its higher price and heft, but I actually do really like the weight, but that is very much personal preference.
If you can try them out, I would really suggest it. They are also fairly wet pens (esp in M), which I really like (esp with a wetter ink like Iroshizukus usually are), but just know this depending on ink, paper, and your personal preferences (I think b/c I was a firefighter when I was younger I have a thing for fire hose pen-ink combos? IDK, but I love it).
The sweet spot is a "thing" but hardly as extreme in my experience as I think some have experienced/described it (writing style varies a lot, so of course, who knows what your experience will be, and I am most certainly not the neatest or most disciplined writer but it has never gotten in the way and I think I've "just adapted" in a way that's actually improved my handwriting a bit to keep it in the sweet spot (and I rarely am writing on a perfectly sized desk where my hands/arms/notebook have the space they need for ideal alignment...it's often on a notebook in my lap, next to my computer/lunch/books, etc, but I never have noticed it getting in the way...).
Both my L2Ks are the closest to "perfect" pens I have ever used at any price, really. I adore both of them and think you will grow to build that kind of affection for yours, too!
Some negatives: as other mentioned, lottery as to the size of the nib. I got an EF that wrote like an M. I felt like the grip was a bit slippery, though not uncomfortable. I didn’t like the architect grind of the nib for daily use, because it already wrote so wide. Mine also had a scratchy feeling when you cap the pen (though apparently it’ll go away with use).
I did not end up keeping the pen, only because of the large nib size. Despite the other points, I think I’d still like a 2K if it actually wrote like an F or EF.
I'm not sure that anyone commented on the clip yet. For me that's what I dislike the most about this pen, especially if I want to carry it clipped in my pocket. The clip has a rectangular shape with corners that I find quite sharp; they scratch my hand when it rubs past the pen when it's in my pocket. It's bad enough that I don't like to carry it in my pocket.
I've heard about the sweet spot on the nib but never experienced it myself. Maybe I happen to hold it just right.
I tried F and EF nib and I found F much smoother and nicer to write with. The line difference was not very dramatic, so I would definitely go for the F nib.
This is a phenomenal pen and I still recommend it. It feels indestructible, has a great nib, has a good ink capacity, is easy to take apart and clean, and it looks and feels both professional and rugged at the same time.
If you do plan on buying it, be careful of a tiny ring between the grip section and the barrel (called clutch ring, I think). It is responsible for keeping the cap closed but is not fitted into the pen, so if you disassemble the pen for cleaning and do not pay it extra attention you might lose it. I was warned summarily by u/ogkoreanjesus and still lost it. Luckily, was able to order a replacement from Lamy.
I like the Lamy 2000.
However, I feel that the recent increase in price is a money grab due to the popularity of the pen, and all these youtube penfluencers jiving about it.
I tried really hard to like it. It writes well and is comfortable but I prefer #6 nibs. Idk. It’s a feel thing. Will be putting mine up for trade or sale soon.
I just bought one from my local pen shop and it’s fantastic! But there’s a huge difference between the F nib and M nib. The former is very thin and the latter is wet and juicy which I like. I’m using it to write French notes rn and it’s perfect in my hand. Love it so much already. Just wish ink window was more obvious
I have 2. It is really nice and writes like 1,5-2 times thicker than steel equivalents. It is light and with the steel section it just get the weight right at the bottom. I cant recommend buying it online. matter of fact any lamy pen purchasing online is soft russian roulette. buy it in a store where you wrote some sentences to confirm it is top notch.
I have one that I love, but I just couldn’t get over working around the sweet spot so I’ve sent it off to a nibmeister to smooth it out and getting flowing a bit wetter. It’s a bit sad when I can say that my Studio writes more smoothly and has a better ink flow than the 2000. Fingers crossed that it comes back better meeting my expectations. ✍️🤞🏻
The L2K would be an excellent choice for a durable workhorse pen that would not be out of place in any professional setting.
Other good choices are a Pelikan M600 or Pilot Custom 823. But the L2K trumps those on affordability. (But my main workhorse is an 823.)
I wonder how many people buy the Lamy 2k on line vs in a proper pen shop? I was in a pen shop and the saleslady said I could try out different nibs. I personally don't want to buy one online with a nib I don't feel excited about, and tgen order another and another. Or maybe you have a problem nib and have to send to a nibmeister.
The sweet spot issue probably wouldn't be a problem for me because I write with my Great Grandfather's Parker 45 GT from the 1960s, hooded nib, in medium, and replaced barrel once because it fell on a stone floor and cracked. It writes very well but I have to focus a bit on how I hold the pen. The Kaweco AL Sport with M nib also writes beautifully but both pens don't write in reverse for example. Not a problem. I don't own a Lamy 2K but if I did I would probably go into a store where the seller us focused on customer usage. I worked in retail and know from experience how customer needs vary.
If an influencer is just pushing the pen and talking about the negative at the same time I get a bit overwhelmed and think I want to write with it. I also think the engineer didn't have the customer in mind and only his designer curiosity.
If you buy a car, a stick shift, you want it to shift properly and that you don't have to play with the clutch, or maybe it pops out of gear, and you generally don't get that when you buy a good car. It's like grinding gears, finding the sweet spot knowing how to shift. Not stalling in traffic. The user can be held accountable but bad designs should also be acknowledged.
I own 7 LAMYs (6 safari/AL-star/Lx, 1 LAMY 2000 ) - and a LAMY nib set - so 12 nibs in total. I have not seen a lot of inconsistency across the range in terms of line width, although the two Lx nibs are coated and write finer than the rest. My LAMY 2000 writes very close to a true Western and with excellent ink flow from a lovely smooth nib. I like the pen's slip-cap feature (quick note-taking) and I fill the pen with a blunt-tipped syringe. It's no more difficult to clean than any other piston-filler. If you ever have to re-grease the piston or need to do a deep cleaning, you can follow SBRE Brown's Disassembly Line video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7DQSJHSaHE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7DQSJHSaHE)
I love the weight of mine - it's in the original black makralon finish with the matte silver section. Well balanced, and for me a delightful surprise since I'd seen lots of love (hype?) for it and couldn't really see why. I certainly can now.
The Lamy 2000's surprisingly effective cap seal is (just about the only) one feature for me to positively recommend the model. I have easily twenty different Lamy fountain pens here (and most of them are neither Safari nor AL-star), and I quite like Lamy as a brand, but the Lamy 2000 has no place in my top three favourite models.
I love my L2K. Like, a lot. I will agree with others though, the current price is sort of outrageous. I think cult pens still has it for around $150, which is as much as I’d pay for it. Endless pens had 30 some odd percent off a while ago. They do that from time to time is my understanding and that brings it around the $130 mark, so I’d try either of those. The only other negative I have to say about the pen is the sweet spot. It is a thing, but I’ve gotten used to it now and it’s honestly my favorite writer in my collection at the moment.
It is an absolute workhorse pen though. I throw Sailor Souboku in it and it just writes for days. I throw it in my work bag and don’t have to worry about it getting dinged up or anything. The snap cap makes it an easy quick note pen and it write smooth enough for long writing sessions too. It’s got a great weight to it and posts wonderfully. I don’t think there’s a better pen out there in the $150 price range.
Doooooo it!
It's my daily carry pen. I absolutely love it. I'm a mechanic and work in a very dirty environment. I drop it often. It gets sprayed with metal shavings in my pocket. It doesn't care, it still works perfectly.
You can find them often on r/pen_swap for around $120, in excellent condition.
Yeah, remember the German nibs are wider vs Japanese standards. I have two (an OB and an F) and love them both. One (the OB) has a Kirk Speer tuned nib that’s basically perfect.
Negatives:
1. It may be uncomfortable to hold (impossible to tell)
2. Horrible ink windows
3. Does not come with properly fine nibs. My EF is somewhere around a true MF
4. Ugly as hell (to me, though that is preference)
Positives:
1. Very nice ink capacity
2. Very smooth nibs (preference)
3. Very pleasant texture
4. Great tolerances
5. Very very tough without being absurdly heavy
6. The clip's "press to open"
7. Easy to open up and clean
As a workhorse, I would consider it second only to the slightly more expensive Pilot Custom 823.
If you're a low gripper the pen may squirt out of your hand, and, if you're a high gripper the cap capture ears may feel uncomfortable. Hand oils will eventually make the makrolon surface shiny. The cap can crack and the internal piston rod can break (usually a User induced problem because they fail to lubricate the piston seal when the piston fill knob starts to get harder and harder to turn.) The Section C-ring is easy to misplace or lose. It's a snap cap so you should always uncap, and close, the pen with the nib pointing up. This may mitigate the possibility of ink splatter inside the cap and getting it on the [Section](https://live.staticflickr.com/7268/7760461398_6f166b3c48_b.jpg), [and](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8431/7748002742_3d57794f5b_n.jpg), [and](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Frpx5p43qj7bz.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=c2839a13781df70c5e466d9dcdb8dca9f4b4e6af8e214a110d502752a1b82320&ipo=images). If you take the time to wipe off the Section, to remove the [nib creep](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/mn7ugj/does_anyone_know_how_to_stop_this_ink_creep_on_a/), take the time to wipe the inside of the cap, too. The [Section](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6148/6015537765_6f50aa2072_z.jpg), or the [barrel](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/p15gy6/lamy_2000_failure_has_anyone_else_experienced_this/), can crack (try not to drop the pen!) Piston Fillers are higher maintenance items, so, if not properly maintained you could see ink seeping from the [filler knob](https://external-preview.redd.it/qNMsJqxUJPDcO-6QQsQf-2rGvbu9b0lcNn9o4vNTBTQ.jpg?auto=webp&s=7b5e8770213f2c7b56680a1d22f91c90d177c940). Most Ink Windows are useless. The L2K is no exception. The nib is very difficult to grind down, so make sure to find the right nibmeister should you decide to have it ground to another size or configuration. If you're high gripper, the top of the barrel will be lower than the index finger knuckle, which could cause your fingers to become fatigued as you unconsciously try to raise it. It's better to post the pen. The L2k posts excellently. When posted the cap opening will probably be below the web of the hand, for most with average size hands, so there's less chance the cap opening will scuff the web of the hand, and even then, the opening is not sharp. Because of the sweet spot you're not likely to be employing finger writing, where the barrel goes up and down in the hand as you push and pull on the pen. Because it has a sweet spot you may need to lock your fingers and employ wrist and whole arm movement, just as you would do if it were a stub nib. Post it so that the clip is in-line with the nib, so that you don't have to "search" for the correct nib placement on paper. .................................... The L2K is not a beginner's pen, much like the Pilot Falcon is not necessarily a starter pen. It's a pedigree pen, a race horse, or sports car, if you will. You should have a solid foundation to be able to exploit its benefits to the max. You may therefore need time to find the right hold, find the right inks, find the right papers. Eventually you will acclimate to the pen and thereafter writing with it will be second-nature, you won't have to think about it. Just like any good pen. It's a quality pen, so treat it accordingly. Don't abuse it. Don't fill it up with "wet" inks, like Diamine Writer's Blood and Pilot Iroshizuku inks, and then complain that it writes too broadly, has too much bleed-through, etc. You may need to find, and use, "dry" inks, like Lamy, Pelikan, TroubleMaker, ColorVerse, and some Diamine, etc. Don't leave it inked for months at a time and then complain that there's ink crud on the nib. **Employ good fountain pen hygiene.** It should give you years, decades, of faithful service.
Since I’m planning to use it like a workhorse, I think I’ll use my “workhorse ink” which right now is Noodler’s black…
I know that this is hotly debated, but I have avoided Noodlers inks and Lamy feeds since I had one need to be replaced, and read about the issues online when trying to figure out why it failed. That was seven years ago, things may have changed, but I have kept my Noodlers for other pens. (TWSBi seems to work fine, I have an Eco that’s had BSB in it for years.)
What an amazingly helpful post on what is my favourite and most frequently used fountain pen. You hit the nail(s) on the head(s) about the L2K. Thanks!
This.
No OP, but thank you very much for your detailed answer about the Lamy 2000, it's very helpful! Have a lovely day!
1. The grind is like a mini architect nib, but if you like architect nib it’s a plus for you. I don’t, I prefer the grind on Safari and its brethren. 2. The grip is slippery.
Yes you can. But it writes t h i c c
Yes I heard that too, I’m considering an extra fine, is it comparable to a TWSBI ECO fine more or less?
Lamy EF is like Twsbi M-F. It depends on each pen. Lamy line width is not consistent. EF nib also has architect grind.
I don't find that to be true at all, my lamy EF and F both write thinner than a TWSBI M
My L2K fine wrote the same width as my Twsbi Vac700 fine.
I read some of the other responses to this post and felt like I had to chime in. For some background, I worked as a repair tech at a pen shop for over a year, and have been fiddling with / repairing / customizing pens for much longer than that. I have owned many 2000's over the years, and I have fixed dozens of them for all manner of ailments. The sum of my experience with this pen is that its only *real* drawback is that there's the potential you won't like it. The materials Lamy uses for this pen are extremely durable. Any issues with leakage are very, very easily remedied with even the smallest bit of silicone grease / oil. If the surface of your pen becomes shiny due to hand oils, just wipe it with a microfiber cloth or rinse it with some water and dish soap. The brushed finish of the Makrolon will eventually wear down a bit, but it will probably never become completely smooth - I've handled some 2000's from 1966 (first year of production) that had been consistently used for decades, and even though they were smooth to the touch, the grooves in the makrolon were still present. If you need a replacement [feed or cap ring](https://vanness1938.com/collections/lamy-accessories) they're both available for cheap from several vendors (I just linked the first one that came up on a google search). You can use literally any ink in a 2000. Even if you leave permanent ink in the pen for 40 years, it can be taken apart completely and cleaned - I had to do this once. There are some drawbacks to the design, namely the ink window. It isn't very functional. It does serve as a way to check if you're nearly out of ink if you hold it up against a light source, but other than that it's more or less useless. The nibs in the 2000 are actually much more consistent than other Lamy nibs, at least in my experience. I've tested a lot of these pens, probably more than any other. I've also ground a lot of 2000's in a lot of different ways. The fine nib tends to be finer than other Western fine nibs. Any nib from Bock/Jowo will likely be about the same in terms of line width - but if you compare it to a **modern** Pelikan, Montblanc, Waterman, Parker, etc. chances are it will be a bit finer. Some 2000 nibs have a bit of a sweet spot, which is honestly rather easily remedied with some micromesh and a loupe. All you need to do is study the tipping for a bit until you have an idea of where the flat spot begins and ends, and gently round it from there (checking your progress every so often to make sure you do it right). Lamy 2000 nibs are also relatively inexpensive if you want to change them - and (don't quote me on this) I think Lamy themselves will swap your nib if you're unhappy with the way yours writes. There are also a lot more nib options on the 2000 than on most other pens available, especially in its price range - a full range of obliques can be had from the factory, which I find write smoother than standard nibs and with more flair (though it may take some practice to master). I've written a lot here, but the gist of it is that the Lamy 2000 is very durable and will continue to serve you for a long time. It is really hard to kill one of these. Almost all of the parts are replaceable, either directly from a vendor or from Lamy customer support. The feed / nib assembly is pretty simple to take apart and clean as long as you're careful not to misplace any parts. The nibs write consistently well and again are replaceable. As a classy, high-end workhorse pen it's hard to beat a Lamy 2000. I said this to many customers in my time at the pen shop, and I'll say it again now - the Lamy 2000 punches well above its weight in every way. Though there are many great pens available for the price of a Lamy 2000, you will find that even pens whose price is orders of magnitude higher than the Lamy 2000 simply don't compare in feel and performance. I've spent a lot of time working with a lot of pens, and I would take a Lamy 2000 over almost any other pen. For many years I lusted over the Montblanc 146, and when I finally got my hands on one, I was disappointed to find that it didn't write as smoothly or feel as sturdy as my Lamy 2000. I had the same experience with several Pelikan M800's, a few Omas piston-fillers, an Aurora Optima or two, even a Visconti Homo Sapiens. It is a very, very good pen. Anyways, that's just my opinion. The best I can say is that you'll have to try it to draw your own conclusions. I saw multiple other people suggest buying one used - I disagree with that. My advice is to get one brand-new in whatever nib size you want to try so that you have the option of returning it or exchanging it in the event that you don't like it. Like I said before, though there are many very good reasons that the 2000 is a great pen, its most pertinent drawback is that you may not like it. I've met a lot of people who love it, and perhaps just as many who don't. I don't know how to end this rant so I'm just gonna say good luck, and be sure to update us with what you end up doing! Edit - if you're going to buy a replacement 2000 nib, do so from [endlesspens](https://endlesspens.com/products/lamy-2000-nib?variant=31316534919242). They have them for less than half the price of anywhere else on the web.
That’s a long answer! Thank you for the effort
That's a very fair answer and I agree with all your points, but find the grip too slippery for my hand, thus I don't like it; but 9 out of 10 writers are happy to use one every day.
I have a EF and M they both write wider then other Lamy pens en they write real wet. But I do love them, even though I do I’m still thinking of selling the EF I bought it not knowing the nib size and I like broader nibs. I’ve never had problems finding the sweet spot.
Downside: Nib is hard as a nail. Sweet spot on EF is extremely small. Minor history of issues with leaking where the barrel and section connect. Also, in case you hadn't considered it, swapping inks in a piston filler is more of a chore than with a converter since you need to fill/empty repeatedly instead of just removing the converter and flushing directly. Upside: Extremely comfortable to write with. Snap cap is great for quick use. Good capacity. Great looking. Basically all the things you already know.
I like the pen, but not at it's present retail price. Look for a good deal or get a used one.
What do you think is a fair price for the pen new?
I wouldn't pay more than $150 US.
Curious what your benchmark there is for a gold nib piston filler? (Not to be hostile, I can only think of one pen hitting that price point.)
Actually my favorite piston filler gold nib pen at a fair price is the Cleo Skribent Classic, which Papier Plume sells for 135.
That’s a steel nib pen. Great pen, but not a gold nib.
The steel version is not a piston filler. Papier Plume sells it for 115. The gold nib piston version is 135.
Sorry. My bad. They raised the price to 199. I still love it though.
Hmmm. I see Cult Pens sells it too for 143.
I have several. Line width changes with ink and paper, not much different from other pens in my experience. The "sweet-spot" has never been an issue for me. No leaks, no spills, plays well, easy enough to clean, durable, and truly a workhorse and EDC. I have 3 and use them daily. Easy choice. Nothing negative to say if the design is acceptable :)
Lots of really sound advice in this thread already that I won't waste your time rehashing. Something I have not seen mentioned is the Stainless version. It is not the "classic" Makrolon and it is significantly heavier. Two of my workhorse/daily pens are LAMY 2000s, one in Stainless (Medium, usually inked with Kon-Peki) and the other in Makrolon (EF, usually inked in some other Iroshizuku I rotate). Many people do not like the weight of the Stainless, but I use it posted regularly (daily) and I actually like it just as much, if not more, than the Makrolon (which I also adore). I don't think you can go wrong with the LAMY 2000s, very seriously one of my favorite pens, and I think the Stainless gets panned for its higher price and heft, but I actually do really like the weight, but that is very much personal preference. If you can try them out, I would really suggest it. They are also fairly wet pens (esp in M), which I really like (esp with a wetter ink like Iroshizukus usually are), but just know this depending on ink, paper, and your personal preferences (I think b/c I was a firefighter when I was younger I have a thing for fire hose pen-ink combos? IDK, but I love it). The sweet spot is a "thing" but hardly as extreme in my experience as I think some have experienced/described it (writing style varies a lot, so of course, who knows what your experience will be, and I am most certainly not the neatest or most disciplined writer but it has never gotten in the way and I think I've "just adapted" in a way that's actually improved my handwriting a bit to keep it in the sweet spot (and I rarely am writing on a perfectly sized desk where my hands/arms/notebook have the space they need for ideal alignment...it's often on a notebook in my lap, next to my computer/lunch/books, etc, but I never have noticed it getting in the way...). Both my L2Ks are the closest to "perfect" pens I have ever used at any price, really. I adore both of them and think you will grow to build that kind of affection for yours, too!
Some negatives: as other mentioned, lottery as to the size of the nib. I got an EF that wrote like an M. I felt like the grip was a bit slippery, though not uncomfortable. I didn’t like the architect grind of the nib for daily use, because it already wrote so wide. Mine also had a scratchy feeling when you cap the pen (though apparently it’ll go away with use). I did not end up keeping the pen, only because of the large nib size. Despite the other points, I think I’d still like a 2K if it actually wrote like an F or EF.
I'm not sure that anyone commented on the clip yet. For me that's what I dislike the most about this pen, especially if I want to carry it clipped in my pocket. The clip has a rectangular shape with corners that I find quite sharp; they scratch my hand when it rubs past the pen when it's in my pocket. It's bad enough that I don't like to carry it in my pocket. I've heard about the sweet spot on the nib but never experienced it myself. Maybe I happen to hold it just right. I tried F and EF nib and I found F much smoother and nicer to write with. The line difference was not very dramatic, so I would definitely go for the F nib. This is a phenomenal pen and I still recommend it. It feels indestructible, has a great nib, has a good ink capacity, is easy to take apart and clean, and it looks and feels both professional and rugged at the same time.
Love my Lamy 2K . Ony moan is that the ink window is not big enough/clear enough to be usable beyond "Do I have some ink or not?"
If you do plan on buying it, be careful of a tiny ring between the grip section and the barrel (called clutch ring, I think). It is responsible for keeping the cap closed but is not fitted into the pen, so if you disassemble the pen for cleaning and do not pay it extra attention you might lose it. I was warned summarily by u/ogkoreanjesus and still lost it. Luckily, was able to order a replacement from Lamy.
I like the Lamy 2000. However, I feel that the recent increase in price is a money grab due to the popularity of the pen, and all these youtube penfluencers jiving about it.
I tried really hard to like it. It writes well and is comfortable but I prefer #6 nibs. Idk. It’s a feel thing. Will be putting mine up for trade or sale soon.
Goulet pens have a vid about the different nib sizes of this pen. He recommends the fine nib size. It's a great video.
I have an Ef and it’s my workhorse
I just bought one from my local pen shop and it’s fantastic! But there’s a huge difference between the F nib and M nib. The former is very thin and the latter is wet and juicy which I like. I’m using it to write French notes rn and it’s perfect in my hand. Love it so much already. Just wish ink window was more obvious
I have 2. It is really nice and writes like 1,5-2 times thicker than steel equivalents. It is light and with the steel section it just get the weight right at the bottom. I cant recommend buying it online. matter of fact any lamy pen purchasing online is soft russian roulette. buy it in a store where you wrote some sentences to confirm it is top notch.
it is a great pen :-)
I have one that I love, but I just couldn’t get over working around the sweet spot so I’ve sent it off to a nibmeister to smooth it out and getting flowing a bit wetter. It’s a bit sad when I can say that my Studio writes more smoothly and has a better ink flow than the 2000. Fingers crossed that it comes back better meeting my expectations. ✍️🤞🏻
The L2K would be an excellent choice for a durable workhorse pen that would not be out of place in any professional setting. Other good choices are a Pelikan M600 or Pilot Custom 823. But the L2K trumps those on affordability. (But my main workhorse is an 823.)
I wonder how many people buy the Lamy 2k on line vs in a proper pen shop? I was in a pen shop and the saleslady said I could try out different nibs. I personally don't want to buy one online with a nib I don't feel excited about, and tgen order another and another. Or maybe you have a problem nib and have to send to a nibmeister. The sweet spot issue probably wouldn't be a problem for me because I write with my Great Grandfather's Parker 45 GT from the 1960s, hooded nib, in medium, and replaced barrel once because it fell on a stone floor and cracked. It writes very well but I have to focus a bit on how I hold the pen. The Kaweco AL Sport with M nib also writes beautifully but both pens don't write in reverse for example. Not a problem. I don't own a Lamy 2K but if I did I would probably go into a store where the seller us focused on customer usage. I worked in retail and know from experience how customer needs vary. If an influencer is just pushing the pen and talking about the negative at the same time I get a bit overwhelmed and think I want to write with it. I also think the engineer didn't have the customer in mind and only his designer curiosity. If you buy a car, a stick shift, you want it to shift properly and that you don't have to play with the clutch, or maybe it pops out of gear, and you generally don't get that when you buy a good car. It's like grinding gears, finding the sweet spot knowing how to shift. Not stalling in traffic. The user can be held accountable but bad designs should also be acknowledged.
Yes. It is as good as you’ve heard. Go for it.
It's a marvel of engineering, it stays wet too. But I hate it as a writing instrument.
Honestly it writes thick, but it’s great. I can write on regular notebook paper with the EF and have no bleed through
I own 7 LAMYs (6 safari/AL-star/Lx, 1 LAMY 2000) - and a LAMY nib set - so 12 nibs in total. I have not seen a lot of inconsistency across the range in terms of line width, although the two Lx nibs are coated and write finer than the rest. My LAMY 2000 writes very close to a true Western and with excellent ink flow from a lovely smooth nib. I like the pen's slip-cap feature (quick note-taking) and I fill the pen with a blunt-tipped syringe. It's no more difficult to clean than any other piston-filler. If you ever have to re-grease the piston or need to do a deep cleaning, you can follow SBRE Brown's Disassembly Line video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7DQSJHSaHE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7DQSJHSaHE)
I love the weight of mine - it's in the original black makralon finish with the matte silver section. Well balanced, and for me a delightful surprise since I'd seen lots of love (hype?) for it and couldn't really see why. I certainly can now.
Does the ink dry fast on the nib since it’s a snap cap or is it well sealed?
I've never had the ink dry out on me, but I haven't really tested for that either - I've never left it to sit for more than a couple of days.
The Lamy 2000's surprisingly effective cap seal is (just about the only) one feature for me to positively recommend the model. I have easily twenty different Lamy fountain pens here (and most of them are neither Safari nor AL-star), and I quite like Lamy as a brand, but the Lamy 2000 has no place in my top three favourite models.
I love my L2K. Like, a lot. I will agree with others though, the current price is sort of outrageous. I think cult pens still has it for around $150, which is as much as I’d pay for it. Endless pens had 30 some odd percent off a while ago. They do that from time to time is my understanding and that brings it around the $130 mark, so I’d try either of those. The only other negative I have to say about the pen is the sweet spot. It is a thing, but I’ve gotten used to it now and it’s honestly my favorite writer in my collection at the moment. It is an absolute workhorse pen though. I throw Sailor Souboku in it and it just writes for days. I throw it in my work bag and don’t have to worry about it getting dinged up or anything. The snap cap makes it an easy quick note pen and it write smooth enough for long writing sessions too. It’s got a great weight to it and posts wonderfully. I don’t think there’s a better pen out there in the $150 price range.
Doooooo it! It's my daily carry pen. I absolutely love it. I'm a mechanic and work in a very dirty environment. I drop it often. It gets sprayed with metal shavings in my pocket. It doesn't care, it still works perfectly. You can find them often on r/pen_swap for around $120, in excellent condition.
Yeah, remember the German nibs are wider vs Japanese standards. I have two (an OB and an F) and love them both. One (the OB) has a Kirk Speer tuned nib that’s basically perfect.
Negatives: 1. It may be uncomfortable to hold (impossible to tell) 2. Horrible ink windows 3. Does not come with properly fine nibs. My EF is somewhere around a true MF 4. Ugly as hell (to me, though that is preference) Positives: 1. Very nice ink capacity 2. Very smooth nibs (preference) 3. Very pleasant texture 4. Great tolerances 5. Very very tough without being absurdly heavy 6. The clip's "press to open" 7. Easy to open up and clean As a workhorse, I would consider it second only to the slightly more expensive Pilot Custom 823.