My Biggest Problem With The Lamy 2000 Fountain Pen 

Agreed! No nib standard across companies is one thing, but no consistency within one company is super frustrating. That's exactly why I don't use my Lamy 2000, because my EF writes like a M.

Lamy‘s acceptable variance in mean writing width is so great that “wide” extra fines are comparable to “small” mediums, unfortunately.

I've already heard that there's a quality control problem at Lamy. My Lamy 2000 had a nib. I replaced it with a Fine Nib, and, maybe I got lucky, it's a real Fine Nib.

In my experience, Pelikan has been the worst offender when it comes to nib width variance, but LAMY is a close second. Only the Japanese big three seem able to deliver the width you ordered 100% of the time.

As an extra fine nib lover this is my exact problem with the pen but, I honestly expected this. The best fine and extra fine nib makers are the Japanese. Nobody does fine like them and I find this issue in many different brands. My finest nib that I love is my UEF (Ultra Extra Fine) nib on my Platinum Century.

In a food packing operation I used to work at the machine guards were made of Makrolon as it is a material that does not shatter (like Perspex). All our guards were transparent so I wonder what a clear 2000 (where you could see the internal mechanism) would look like. However, I suspect the textured finish of the 2000 is to disguise any scratching and scarring that might occur.

When you said the pen was EF my jaw droped and I could only think "In which planet?" And I agree with you. The normal M seems thiner than that "EF" It almost look like someone was drunk when labeled that an EF. As someone who only writes with EF nibs, I would be extreamly disapointed if I bought that pen. I would feel cheated.

I was seriously considering this pen until I watched your video on it. You make great videos. The EF being an actual medium is a definite deal breaker for me. I'm not a nib meister either. Really disappointing that Lamy TOTALLY missed the mark. Thank you for making the video!

Listening to your Tale of Woe, I was first tempted to suggest trading the 2000 for another Parker 51. But then I sat down with my own two units, and found to my surprise that both of my fine Lamy nibs do not write the same line width. One is almost an extra fine, and I have labored long and hard in the three months I have owned them to get them to perform consistently, and with minimal sweet spot problems. I had taken my off the ball as to the line of ink. The whole experience has made me love my 51s even more.

I purchased my L2K just this week (9/20/23). After watching so many vids on the nib variances I decided not to get it online. So off I went to the great people at Goldspot Pens where I was fortunate enough to be able to try out the pen. I first tried the fine nib. Nope, not for me-too fine. I then tried the pen I ended up buying-a medium nib. Your EF puts down just about the same line as my M! Incredible how much variance there can be within the same company. Anyway, really enjoying my new pen. It truly is a masterpiece.

Appreciate your honest thoughts! I’ve had 2 Lamy 2k’s now, one XF and one Fine. Funny enough, the XF that I had wrote a lot smoother than my fine, while the fine felt very scratchy. I sent out the fine to be grounded to a nibmeister to a fine stub. It was a lot better than before, with better line variation, but subtle. Made me realize I enjoy the larger medium nib sizes for more variation.

For those who have trouble with the “sweet spot” on the Lamy 2000: Try the Oblique nib in M, B or BB.

I have the same issue with my Lamy 2000 EF, Doodlebud. I have a Montblanc 146 fine that writes big too. Both are on my list of pens to send to a nibmeister to adjust.

What I'd love to see in Lamy 2000 line is color variety offered at the same price, like they do with the Safari and Al star. The second thing that I want is to see some engraving, flourishing done on the steel section in order to compensate the lack of a good looking nib, that's not really need it though, I like the overall aesthetic of the pen.

My three Lamy 2000s write the same and all have a fine nib. What I do find with the LAMY 2000 pens have greater variation in Line width with different inks than any of the other manufacturers I use: TWSBI, Pilot, and Visconti

My L2000 is an EF. I sent it to Pendleton Brown years ago, to make what he calls 'butter-smooth' italic out of it. It is super fine, and has line variation consummate with that size.

My L2K in is a good fine line. I'd love a "Lamy 1999 Demonstrator". A slightly textured clear acrylic with all the same metal parts, but maybe a steel nib, just all the black changed for clear and since clear doesn't match well with brushed I think a light texture or maybe a frosted effect might be cool. I'd be all over that.

Man, I totally agree with you about the EF not being very fine. I do like it though. I also have the L2K in a M nib and it’s MUCH thicker.

I absolutely agree; my Lamy 2000 extra fine was more like a pilot medium. The finest extra fine I have experienced has been the pilot E95S. Nevertheless I do like the pen but I prefer for my writing a true extra fine.

The nib is the biggest reason I sold my 2000. Love the design and feel of the pen but it just gushed ink. I would not be comfortable grinding the nib. It is the reason I have not bought another Lamy. I would send out the nib to get it adjusted. If it works maybe I would reconsider buying another. My Pelikan M800 also writes broad. I always thought it was the paper. I may try Rhodia. I had used it on Tomoe River paper and it just was writing like a broad.

I've been tempted by how smooth everyone says the nib is on the 2k, but the look just does absolutely nothing for me. Might save up for a dialog instead or a Sailor 1911.

Just got this pen and I love it. I hesitated on it for a LONG time because I love the F nib but wanted a thinner line and every review said don't bother, they write the same width, only the EF is more feedbacky. Absolutely not my experience at all. It writes EXACTLY the line quality I wanted (slightly thinner than the F) and it's really noticeable if I write two whole pages side by side. It is a touch more feedbacky, but still incredibly smooth (a sweet spot for me). The F was sometimes too glidey for me -- I would press down for the sensation of feedback and increase the line width even more. I still love both the F and EF, just now I know when to use each, and how. LAMY grinds the nibs comparable to each other per product, I think, (so the L2K will have progressive line widths as compared to itself and not other Lamy pens), but other companies do the same. Sailor and Pilot are no exception. I'm very happy with my L2K EF.

I love the little ears/grip locator pins. I have a medium oblique nib on mine. Personally I don’t think fine nibs are worth bothering with,let alone an extra fine. My best journal pen is a special grind Asian broad nib. ✌️

I think the Lamy 2K is a timeless design that should remain the same for the most part. Two things I would like to see are more barrel colors without the exorbitant prices and an ink window that somehow functions better. Aesthetically, the current ink window design is perfect, but I really can't see if I have ink in there unless maybe, maybe, I hold it up to the light. And then only sometimes TBH. Does anyone else have this problem?

I can’t understand why Lamy doesn’t change the orientation of the “nubs” that secure the cap from “East-West” (on the sides of the barrel) to “North-South” (on the top and bottom of the barrel). This would retain the utility of the nubs while eliminating the problem of feeling them when you grip the pen. I suggested this to them years ago, to no avail.

Hey Doodlebud, thank you for another great video! When I first saw the Lamy 2000 I didn't really like the looks of the pen, preferring something more traditional. I watched your video of the complete take down and engineering of the Lamy 2000 and thought it was a remarkable yet over engineered pen. I've watched this current video a few times as well. I have to say you got me to change my mind and I finally bought one at a local pen show. All I can say is that I'm a convert due to you and your videos... What an amazing pen. It is engineered at a level of detail and refinement that few other products can match. Masterful work of art that you recognize once you understand and use it. Well done!

I completely agree with you on this, Lamy has way too much of variation in the nib sizes where the fine at times is finer than the extra fine. I have a Lamy 2000 with a fine and one in medium and they both write exactly the same and no one can differentiate looking at the writing which one is which.

Maybe they could put the two clips on too and bottom of the grip area so that when you are holding it the clips don’t get in the way. That would be the simplest looking change. Idk if it is for inside to make that change. Maybe it’s very complicated on the inside. Idk. I don’t have this pen. I would like to see a larger version of this pen maybe even have the hooded nib be a little larger for esthetic purposes. Cheers

I understand the frustration with Lamy. They have the most inconsistent nibs I've seen. I'm an artist/illustrator. When I buy an EF, I want it to be Extra Fine. I don't care how it writes.

I can't help thinking that if more people sent back pens that are plain wrong to the maker, maybe they would make them properly. I expect, and generally get better from Chinese makers on pens that cost a few quid.

What drives me nuts is that I’ve never owned a Lamy pen that wrote well out of the box. I’ve owned at least 6 Lamy’s. I love their design aesthetic, but their nibs are wildly inconsistent.

keep in mind the 2000 is an old design from the 60s. how Lamy's pens handle ink has changed over time, so this pen is unusually watery compared to more modern models. i really do wish they provide a modernized option, though.

3:50 Agree. Only thing I would mention is that Lx uses (by default) I believe their z52, which is not their standard steel nib (which is z50), and this make is probably their finer lineup of nib makes. But, of course, I got your point, and makes absolutely sense. Thanks for this excellent video, as always, besides, Sir!!!!

I've had a Lamy 2000 on my pen wish list for a while now and the only thing that has kept me from getting it is the impression that Lamy is playing a little fast and loose with their nib sizes. I thought it was mainly limited to their Safaris though. Glad I'm subscribed to your channel and that you always say it like it is. Unless I buy this in person in a brick and mortar shop so I can try it myself, I'll steer clear of this one, because I really want an EF that writes like an EF. I'd also want to test it because I tend to hold my pens quite close to the nib and with that section being so thin in the front, I fear it may not be very comfortable to hold. PS: Too bad I don't live in Canada anymore. I'd go stand by the side of the highway near your house to wait for you to chuck it out of your car. 😄

I have a medium nib Lamy 2000 and I agree with everything you say. Wonderful pen in every way, but it's way too thick a line for my writing. It's okay for some paper, but on some other paper it results in feathering and bleed through. A cursive italic would be great! Let's see you do it!

Having used a variety of rollerball pens in various sizes (and now looking at refillable options from ink bottles to try and further reduce waste in my writing hobby), I'm honestly surprised fountain pens don't use the line width mm standard to other pens. There is still a small range in variation for say a 0.5mm, but certainly nothing to this extent. This would drive me nuts too.

I love the plain old Lamy 2000 nib. It's broader than most other nibs;I like that very much. Hate it when it runs out of ink; then,it does have a few hard-starts etc. Ha! Nibgrinder would do a great job; but,you know you want to do the doodlebud cursive Italic. So,get busy doing what you love to do! The MB 149 success is all the motivation you need. No comprende when you start talking about changing this and that on the standard Lamy 2000. Just get a different pen if so much about it bugs you. Nothing you suggested about changing the L2K sounds like an improvement imho. Their nib sizes are what they are. Either you like them or you don't. Same with the section and locking tabs. No need to change what has worked for decades and is still working quite well! I pray Lamy doesn't start making pastel-colored,rainbow L2Ks. Not that there's anything wrong with those colors;just not on a L2K. Please share the response you get from Lamy if you make suggestions about changes to the L2K. Would love to hear that. Brief as it may be. Something like ,"Uh. No." Well,I gotta go;there's a pesky cloud I see that needs to be yelled at ! Love your interesting, informative videos. Look forward to many more!

That is a very fair criticism 🤣, my one peeve with my lamy 2000 is that I think I went medium and wish I went fine...I feel it's too broad, but I've gotten used to it and I do love my lamy 2000... after watching this I might go exf if I buy another lmfao

I love, love my Lamy 2000 with Medium nib. BUT, I do wish I had a finer nib. It'd be really cool to see a video of your putting your signature grind to this one. The tabs are to retain the cap. Just a thought.

Same problem here. At first I thought I got the wrong nib, but examined it and sure 'nough, it's an EF. Other than that, love the pen!

You are absolutely right, DB! I’ve experienced the same issue with nib width being all over the place, particularly with western companies. Pelikan has been very frustrating for me because they lack consistency even within the same nib width. I have 8 XF Pelikan pens, one is what I’d consider a true XF and the rest range from F to B! Same issue with Montblanc. My L2K is an XF and it appears to be much finer than what yours looks like. Absolutely drives me insane! I don’t have this problem with eastern or Asian nibs. Thanks for another compelling video.

Mark made my L2K into a blade and it's awesome, albeit mine started as a BB. If you can get a specialty on an EF, I'd go that direction

Thanks for this video!! I love my EF nibs. Almost all my pens are EF. However, when I purchased the Lamy 2K, I was disappointed! I changed to several inks, and the only one that at least made the pen write as an EF was Noodler's Apache Sunset. However, this is not waterproof ink, which is what I use for work. I am still looking for the perfect ink to write as an EF with this pen!

Couldn’t they push the snap cap ring further backward so it doesn’t interfere with where you grip? They should also make it as light as possible and push the cog to the point where most people commonly hold it

The worst thing for me is that this very wet nib doesn't keep the richness of the ink... the line is broad and wet but very light at some parts

I don’t know if I would risk grinding a gold nib with limited experience. The replacement cost in the case of damaging it would make me think twice.

Thank you for the video. I was considering getting this as an alternative to my Pilot Prera, to use as a pocket pen with a passport-sized notebook. Because of this I need a reasonably fine nib, and a Western medium simply won't do! It's too bad because the pen ticks every other boxes - I like the cap, the fact that there's no groove that could dig into my fingers, the reasonably large ink capacity, and the tough material which won't show scratches easily.

If you look at Lamy’s nib guide and their tolerances (+\- .06mm), a EF can be anywhere from .3mm to .42mm. There’s a bit of a gamble when buying. My 2k EF writes probably around a .33 and my steel Lamy M is closer to .6mm. I’ve had two Lamy Steel F nibs write notably different thicknesses. Both functional and smooth - I’ve never had a tine alignment issue or baby’s bottom on any of the 10+ nibs I’ve used. Isn’t the Majohn A1 labeled as an EF? Mine is and definitely writes an F line.

Perfect pen yes it is broader than others but. All are so inconsistent. That is the hardest part about buying a pen choosing the nib size. I have also noticed that to some degree with all pens it also depends on ink, pressure, angle and paper as to the experience and line width. I try to keep inks that are good about feathering in my 2000. Minor complaints. By far my favorite edc so far.

This captures my opinion of the pen perfectly. I have tiny handwriting and neglect this pen because I didn't expect the XF to be a Japanese medium. I also kept purchasing different sizes of Lamy steel nibs and they all write roughly the same size (a little finer than the 2000 "xf'). Related note, the difference between 14k Sailor M and 21K Sailor M is unexpectedly massive.

Hi Mr Doodlebud, I just bought a Lamy 2000 in Fine and I'm a bit worried now. It's on it's way across the pound from the UK to Au. I usually write really small but when I print or scribble I can write bigger. For long journaling sessions my fav nib is my Sailor M-F 14K it's perfect but when I print notes I use a wetter broader pen Chelsea

The 2000 is my grail pen, but I'm afraid of ordering one and not being sure what tip size I want. I have a TWSBI Diamond 580 that has a F nib, and a Pilot Prera with an M nib (just getting back into the hobby). I like the line laid down by finer nibs but I don't like how scratchy they are (I'm aware that a gold nib will feel much better than a steel nib, but still). I'm thinking that since the 2000's nib is known to run pretty broad, I'll stick with a fine for it when I do pull the trigger and buy it.

You hit the spot. This is why I'm not a fan of Lamy. And I have heard often that the Lamy 2000 is really bad for the nib size. i write only with extra fine nibs because I have a small handwriting plus I'm left-handed. I'm not a fan of the looks to start with (I find it boring) but it's the nib that kills any interest I could have in it.

A fan of the smooth cursive italic! And fully agree that LAMY's sizing is inconsistent (across everything, IMO). Love my LAMY 2K otherwise. I want mine half a size down maybe, but not sure it's worth getting ground or not. I'd get another to have a smooth cursive grind, but want to avoid having duplicate pens, lol.

Thanks. Bought my L2K used and hated the fact that it was a M nib and thought I'd buy an EF. Then I took it apart and found that, SUPRISE, it's an EF!! I love the fact it's such smooth writer but it's just not an EF nib. It's out of my rotation for the time being while I decide what to do with it. Keep up the fine video's.

I think what you're saying is the two options are: 1) turn the pen into a journaling pen on your own with the nib grind skills you know, but not the original intended use 2) turn the pen into the form filling pen from someone else's nib grinding, and then pay to have it be the original design as intended I think this one could go either way, and either one can be content. To be fair, it's how much you want the pen to write. Personally, it would be fun to see how someone else (or you if you're brave) tackles getting a nib down to EF with the interesting Lamy 2k nib grind shape.

You want fine? Try writing with the nib inverted. This will give e you a very fine line and now you have the best of both.

Hmm. How about trying to reduce the flow before thinking about a regrind? How about grinding in to a Japanese Fine or Extra-Fine and then putting a CI on it? I know: it's easy to suggest you do this or that to your nib since it is not my nib that would be going through a modification!

What drives me nuts about the L2K is that I don't have one!

I do not have an L2k (I want one eventually for my first gold nib pen), but I had a similar experience with my Lamy Safaris. I'm still relatively new to nib sizes. I bought a Fine nib one in black, and enjoy writing with it. This was my first German nib, which I know are bigger than Japanese ones. I ordered another Safari with an EF nib and it writes almost exactly like the F I bought. Which is frustrating. I enjoy writing with both but c'mon! Be consistent in your own nib production

Good point, that drives me crazy as well. What is you favorite italic or stub pen and why? Cheers bro!

Love your comments and agree wholeheartedly. Nib writes too thick. I’d love to see you grind the nib. I’ve been toying with nib grinding myself and even have a dissecting microscope that would serve this purpose perfectly. As we both know, German nibs are always thicker than oriental nibs.

I’m thinking that your personal nib grind would be both enjoyable and educational. Your videos are very practical; thanks for making them.

Agree with u 100%! This is why I won’t buy Lamy. Their EF Isn’t fine enough for me

I got my Lamy 2000 in broad, cause I wanted to leave my medium nib comfort zone. It really writes very broad. So it took me some time to sort out how I would want to use this and I ended up using it for less saturated inks that might want to show some shading like grey or a lighter red. But this really is the first pen I might go and get another version of in a fine since I love the pen but it's daily use is limited a bit in this super broad.

Been like this forever with Lamy. Their nibs have been hit or miss since I’ve been buying them (At least 20 years).

I have several Lamy pens with EF nibs, but they are all steel and I do not have a Lamy 2000. I have Safaris, a Goulet Special Edition Vista Black, two CP1 pens (one black, one white!), and a Logo. All are EF nibs, and they are VERY inconsistent, and none of them are as fine as I think an extra-fine nib should be. I have swapped a couple of generic Chinese EF Lamy-style EF nibs (0.38 mm) into a couple of them and been happier, but none of them has been really, really satisfactory for me. If I were in your position, I'd probably send it off to a nibmeister and as long as I was sending it off, I'd probably have it ground to a needle point. Just my personal preference.

I have a Lamy 2000 medium oblique ( I write with fines most the time ) but I love this grind on my Lamy 2000 :)

this is literally my biggst problem with lamy. i really really love the design, the haptics and everything about my lamy cp1, but it's EF nib is way to wide. ...now... I'm thinking about getting an M nib :D btw: Faber Castells F Nib on my Loom is very thin... but i dont like it's design as i like my cp1... it drives me crazy

I have one that I love, but its nib doesn't have a nib width marked on it🙄 (I removed the nib from the pen after watching a couple of helpful videos by Goulet Pens and Anderson Pens). I bought it second-hand ages ago and I'm sure I wrote details about the transaction down somewhere, but the main thing is that I love the nib width and smoothness😀

If it was me, given it’s such an expensive pen, I would send it off to the nibmeister who fixed your Visconti, possibly write with your favourite EF pen to indicate the nib width you want: good luck, keep us posted:)

1. Do not take apart Lamy 2000 if you know how. The Plastic gear got damaged when you assembled in the right way, not to mention the wrong way. 2. If you must lubricant the piston, just use a long q-tip. 3. Leave the fuzzy pen alone in order to enjoy it fully.

I'm the opposite, for me the fatter the nib, the better, so I got the BB nib and the sweet spot was absolutely horrendous. I had it reground to a stub and now it's a fantastic writer, wet and gloriously smooth.

Informative. Thank you. Unlike you I have trouble with the 'sweet spot. If Lamy decides to rework this pen, I would like to see some sort of inlay on the section much like the Parker 61 or Hero 565 to help me orient this pen.

So an Ef is like a pilot medium, that's something I'm familiar with. I like that, i was pondering between this or the fine

Interesting. I had the opposite problem in that the EF I had ordered was too fine for me. It was comparable to a japanese EF so potentially just what you would have wanted. :/

I’ve owned two Lamy 2ks with nibs and they were both exactly like this. My preferred nib range is a Japanese “fine” for thick lines and a Pilot posting (PO) nib for thin lines, so this really bummed me out! To make use of the L2K I started buying big A4 size Clairefontaine notebooks so my writing would have a little more room to breathe

I first bought a Lamy 2000 Fine and it writes like a Fine. Then I bought a Lamy 2000 Medium and it writes like a Medium! No problem at all. Could it be that a mistake was made made right at the factory? Still, if I were you I'd keep the pen as I really like the lines it lays anyway! 😊

The Majohn A1 seems the closest to an EF compared to the rest. All of these look thick for what they are suppose to be. Over video anyway. Maybe they look different in real life. But I completely see what you’re saying. It is thick. The thickest one of them all in comparison. I can’t wait to see what it looks like after you either send it off or do the work yourself. Cheers.

I should have seen this video before I purchased my Lamy 2000. I just received it yesterday, and I'm also disappointed with the size of the EF nib. It writes like a medium, and it doesn't suit my handwriting. I like EF nibs. I'm probably going to keep it or gift it to a friend if I can't get used to it. So sad.

I have the same situation with my Pilot Vanishing Point that seems to write much wider than the Medium nib in my Pilot Explorer. Similar situation because of the tiny, short gold nib.

I always wanted to see the 2000 and a Bordeaux color with gold trimming

Why didn’t you just send it back? It was probably mis-marked in packaging - manufacturing error and if no one returns the product, it will continue to be manufactured incorrectly.

That's interesting. If I saw that line and I had to guess the nib size I'd guess M, not F, and definitely not EF

Yep. My EF lamy 2000 produces a thicker line than my Platinum 3776 M. Thicker by a full size I'd say. Section is annoying. The only way I could get enjoyment of this pen is if I post it. But even then, the cap clip has to be aligned perfectly or the pen wants to roll on the side.

You inspired me to take action! Dissatisfied with the heavy ink flow from my Waterman Expert II medium nib, I took it to the Japanese water stones to make a cursive italic with a very slight left obliqueness. Progression was 1k (which removed most of the material), 3k, 4k, 9k and then some polishing on a couple of exotic Japanese natural stones that go up to approximately 20k. Final step was fine polishing on horse hide, which I had left over from some straight razor strops that I made. I didn't remove the whole iridium tip, but tailored it to the shape I was looking for. I'm not sure I've done with it yet, but it's already better for my righty grip, which is twisted about 45 degrees counter-clockwise. It provides decent line variation without sacrificing ink flow or the durability of the tip. Thanks for the ideas!

My medium is writing lie a broad, so have requested for a replacement of the nib to a fine

In researching these as a first gold nib pen, this exact topic is the one that gives me pause.

If they ever do update this pen, there only one name they should give it - 2001.

A Lamy 2000 in medium nib was my first grail pen several years ago. I had a similar experience as the medium nib was like writing with a crayon. I also had a problem with the sweet spot. I never wrote with it as I just got frustrated after using it. I ended up gifting it to a friend. Now, 2 years later, I'm very tempted to get another Lamy in EF. I've watched a lot of L2K videos but I'm still on the fence. One tip that I found out with mine is that the ink makes a big difference in how it writes.

I got a Lamy 2000 in medium and I loved it so much that after a couple of months I got another one in fine. When I started to write with it I realized my mistake. The first one I got was not a medium at all, it was just in the same width range of all my other mediums and I had ended up with two fines. I had already promised someone a pen for their birthday so that took care of itself. But still. Additionally, I don’t like the weird shape of the extra fine nib. It is not really like an architect. It is more like a tiny rectangle in a way that I don’t really enjoy. I will definitely get it ground to more of an oval/circle when I can.

Crowd pleaser grind!! Would be a lovely Fine Cursive Italic. I like to be able to see what I write and really like shading inks so I can’t complain on a wider than expected nib.

great video !!!! it would be nice if they offered a new variant of this pen, I went to a store and tested this pen, I din't like it because of the thin angle it tappers down and for having to hold the pen in a specific angle to hit the "sweet spot". I got instead the Pilot vanishing point in fine, and vintage vanishing point broad (almost the same line with and the Lamy 2K). Love the vanishing point and how smooth they write, even the fine is smoother than other more expensive pen (cough "Montblanc, Esterbrook) that I have.

re Opus and nib maker: Opus 88 uses both Jowo and Bock on different models, it's confusing and frustrating sometimes, because it is not always well documented and you don't know what othreading you will get if you don't research it. I saw in the earlier shot you had an Omar on the cutting board, and that is a Jowo.

Smooth, yes ... too smooth for me. I like feedback right up to (but not including) scratchy. That plus the uncertain grip and (as you note here) the inability to get a fine enough nib width, caused me to give up and sell it on. Do the nib characteristics count as "engineering and build quality?" In any case, it seems like these are purposeful choices on Lamy's part, and I couldn't deal with them.

Yep. I bought the medium 2k as I like the Safari medium nib. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Now I find myself hardly reaching for this wonderful pen. The medium (for me) writes beautifully, but it lays down such a large and thick line that I can’t use it in my smaller monthly planner boxes and it takes so much longer to dry. It comes out looking more like a double broad, which I normally would then reserve for sheen or shimmer inks, but I dare not as it’s not easy to access the feed like with the Safari or other brands and the piston fill makes it tedious to clean.

The key trouble that I've had with two LK2 is nib creep and leaking near the breather hole.

I had the makrolon about 10 years ago that had an extra fine nib, and it wrote like an extra fine. Later on I picked up the stainless steel version with a medium, but I had it ground to a fine and I love it. Recently I picked up another makloron (sold my first one) with a fine nib and my luck has held up and it writes like a fine. You really should have it ground, othewise it will sit around not being used and that would be a shame.

I own an F nib and 3 EF nibs from Lamy. 2 of them write like M (the F and one of the EF), one of the EF writes like an F, and only 1 writes like an actual EF.

Hi! nice show. Someone commented that some inks are lubricated, so, would you please explain some more? I would love to know which inks will help with the writing