I Was Wrong About This Pen. Now I Have A Problem. | Lamy Safari and Friends

My review of the pen I didn't think I'd even buy, much less like. I was wrong. I've also included a rundown of some well-known wanna-be-Lamy-Safaris to see how they stack up against the real deal.
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[@DeputatKaktus]

In Germany the Safari is very popular in primary schools (together with Pelikan pens). This is probably also the reason it does not come with a converter. No good has ever come from handing and inkwell and a converter to a 9 year old.

[@PeetersC14]

😂 🤣😂

[@edzejandehaan9265]

@@manabellum indian ink in fountainpens? Good thing tbey were so cheap😉

[@deezem5294]

@@edzejandehaan9265 indian ink is not india ink.

[@edzejandehaan9265]

@@deezem5294 Riiight. I have a bottle of Winsor and Newton Indian ink standing right in front of me. The label clearly reads IndiaN, and it is the kind of black waterproof pigment based ink you really don't want to put in a fountain pen.

[@hannahplumleymycarnivaladd6365]

You can purchase them though

[@comfortablynumb6118]

For some reason that pen fits perfectly in my fantasy of sitting in nature with a notebook and a pen and just writing down random thoughts. Such a wholesome moment that I don't imagine with any other pen. I love the clip and it seems to me like an adventurer's pen.

[@xfranczeskax]

People, stop talking the LAMY down because of it's price. It's actually made in Germany. You know, workers wages, protection laws, welfare payments and the like don't come at zero cost. It's hypocritical to compare it with the cheapness of it's Jinhao rip-off. (And you seem to forget that comes at a price too, just one you don't have to pay.)

[@DJDarkGift]

F_ Agreed. I always say that if you want the best out there, buy German, regardless of what it is.

[@haraldschuster3067]

Well, it's 19,90 € including a 19% VAT over here in Germany. So it's affordable. It just get's excessively expensive when it's sold outside of Germany. It does not hit the more expensive Lamy models in the same way but the cheapest of the lot is excessively expensive outside of Germany.

[@DJDarkGift]

I wish I had the opportunity to learn with a fountain pen as a child like they do in Germany. By the time I had left high school I was printing everything I wrote and recently started working on it again to the point where it's the best it's ever been and makes writing with the fountain pen that much more enjoyable. Thanks guys for your great comments.

[@xfranczeskax]

@@haraldschuster3067 You're right about that. I personally would not say the model is so special you'd need to buy it overseas, considering there's equally good locally manifactured pens in many places. But that's a weird side-effect of gloabilazion, I guess.

[@LGTVQHD]

Ummm..... Pilot metro ? With just half the price ? With metal finish ?

[@gustavoalonzo7056]

I have several pens including Mont Blanc, Parker, Rotring and of course Lamy. I used them mainly for sketching and my to go pen is the Lamy Safari (charcoal). I love them.

[@sheikhalsaid]

Yongsheng is the mandarin name of wing sung. It is wing sung. Youpin/You Ping is the name of the factory where yongsheng (wing sung), majohn (moon man), wingS, Jin hao, baoer, lambitou, Kaco and a few others are all made white label then their names stamped on … basically they are all the same manufactured pens with different logos on them. Also: lambitou/Lanbitou is mandarin transliteration for Lamy 2 - they started off only making lamy fakes. Lamb (lam) (n and m are interchangeable) i = y and tou = 2.

[@headofficetlb1404]

It’s the same Chinese characters - Cantonese and mandarins use the same characters but pronounce them differently. Wing Sung is the Cantonese pronunciation - but it’s he same name, same brand, same company and same spelling in Cantonese/Mandarin. Youping is a white label manufacturer of a very wide array of goods not just pens. Pen related: Muji is Japanese, short for mujirushi Ryohin (which will be on your receipts) which means “unbranded, quality goods” thus muji simply means - unbranded as their style is “no waste, no brand”

[@PensForDoodling]

The Lamy Safari has a special place in my heart as my wife bought me my first one (the Lime Green special edition) for a birthday as I wanted to get back into fountain pens. I love the pen, it's wonderful to draw with but like you, I HATE the pocket clip. To be fair though, I hate all pocket clips as I have no use for them. It's nice to watch other people's fountain pen reviews. Yours are great. The Lamy LX Marron is absolutely gorgeous (I reviewed it recently) and should still be available if you shop around. I was surprised to see it's already attracting imitators from Chinese manufacturers.

[@EyeHeartNOLA]

I bought a LAMY Safari from a local stationery store that was going out of business. I love it. I changed the nib to a Lamy calligraphy nib because I use it to sign contracts and I feel that it makes it look more unique.

[@sharonoddlyenough]

I have had my bright red Lamy Safari for just over a month, and I like it. I think it's a decent intro to the fountain pen world. It's my first pen, and I bought it because I want to draw more with ink, I like that it is less wasteful than single use pens, and dip pens are not so convenient. The clip keeps it secure in the spiral binding of my sketch book, so I don't mind it. It was recommended by a popular professional artist. I have no regrets, but I'll be starting a collection, because I want to try others, and it would be nice to have a selection of ink colours ready to use. Edit: because I live in Canada, the Amazon Basics pen will take until March 10th to arrive.

[@williamyuen7139]

Yongsheng - Wing Sung, they are the same two characters in Chinese; one pronounced in mandarin and the other pronounced in cantonese.

[@exzeroex]

Aluminum body and the smoke colored plastic section is like the Lamy Al Star and the little o-ring being on the barrel is also like the Al Star. And color matching is difficult different batches. I wonder if Turmaline is an off batch of turquoise and pacific

[@friendstype25]

The Lamy Al-Star incorporates the plastic ring into the barrel. You can swap barrels with a Safari if you bring the ring over.

[@JimIBobIJones]

Lamy's nib and feed system is pretty much identical across most of its lines - even their high end lines (except for the 2000 and its hooded nibs) use the same system just with gold instead of steel nibs - so you are getting the same fundamental performance as their more expensive pens at a much more accessible pricepoint. Also the clip is an awesome example of classic Bauhaus, one of the most appealing things about the safari IMHO.

[@HJKelley47]

Genuine Lamy Safari fountain pens are also sold by Amazon, JetPens, Goulet Pens, Vanness Pens and Anderson Pens. Let us not forget Pen Chalet!!!!

[@androth1502]

i love the lamy clip. it's the only fountain pen clip that fits in my pant cargo pocket without breaking. i use mine at the warehouse daily.

[@Indusxstan]

Androth same here! The clip is both beautiful and practical..

[@ChristopheJammet]

it's the swatch of fountain pens, and i mean that in a good way.

[@3dpixel583]

You don't like the clip?! That clip is one of the best clips on fountain pens around! It clips on almost any shirts or pants, thick or thin. There were times when I nitpick on the Safari and it's the clip that persuaded me not to swap out to my other pens.

[@JG3Reviews]

I like it’s functionality, I just don’t care for its oversized appearance. It definitely works well, though.

[@cass2771]

I used a couple of Safari fountain pens for work, and really appreciated how well the clip worked - it was quick to put in my pocket, and was smooth to remove. The clip was a distinctive feature that drew me to stitch with Safaris.

[@cliffordbaker4930]

There’s no shame or dishonor in admitting that one was wrong and proclaiming it. The world would be far better off if more people did so! But seriously, I bought my first Safari a bit hesitant about the clip, also, but I thought it would at least be secure my shirt pocket, and I didn’t want to carry around my expensive pens and risk something happening. Now, I have two Safaris and two Al-Stars-just bought the new Turmaline-and they are among my favorite pens. One is almost always inked. The funny thing is I don’t even think about the clip now. It wasn’t until you mentioned it that I remembered my initial hesitation. Lamy Blue is a decent basic ink, and I really like the Lamy Blue Black. I just bought two oblique nibs for them at the LA Pen Show recently-a medium and a broad. Haven’t tried them yet, though.

[@MartaZobeniak]

I absolutely love the Lamy Turqoise ink, like the Lamy Black and I'm considering getting either the two other standard colors - Blue and Blue-black, or Blue and Benitoite from their Crystal collection. I got the Turmaline ink and it's also quite nice.

[@lililangtry1881]

@@MartaZobeniak hi Marta I do have the Lamy Benitoite and I love it, lovely vintagy faded kinda denim blue but leaning on lavender. Also dries super fast even on TR paper, great for lefties like me!

[@MartaZobeniak]

@@lililangtry1881 Wow! Great to know that. While I'm not a leftie, I have to admit that I have just starter using Tomoe River Paper and I do struggle with drying times. I have to learn to be more patient :)

[@shbondful]

I have a Safari in white; agree it’s aesthetically lacking, but got it in part because of the grip, to help me correct my atrocious grip. As my hands have slipped closer to ye olde carpal tunnel, I’ve...not so much upgraded (as I believe it’s cheaper) as adjusted over to the nexx M, which is super-light, slightly more aesthetically appealing than the Safari, and has the most comfortable grip I’ve found on a fountain, good for long bouts of writing in flow.

[@webpig711]

There were no LAMYs when I went to school, so I grew up with Pelicanos and MontBlanc, my first fountain pen was a MontBlanc Carrera, very 70ies with its yellow and black colours. Plus I got a lot of freebie Geha pens from someone who worked for that company. I'm glad though because as soon as I bought my first Lamy (well in my 30ies) and they started bringing out all those different colours and special editions, I got addicted. Now I own 20plus of those babies. XD A pro tip from one Lamy lover to another: It seems to me that the black nibs have a better ink flow than the silver ones. But since you seem to prefer narrow nibs, that might not be too important for you. I personally love medium to broad nibs and the black ones work much better for me. One last thing: You were wrong with the O-ring issue on the brown rip-off. It's actually normal for the LAMY Al-stars (the metal Safaris) to leave the O-ring on the back part when opened. Only with the plastic ones it stays on the front part.

[@sorryociffer]

I love my Lamy Al-Stars....the aluminum bodied version. I REALLY wish they made a matte or machined stainless one for a more weighty feel. I like the clip. Its big and secure.

[@sweetpea22000]

Me too, would love a matte and machine one, I like a heavier pen

[@webpig711]

There is an Al-star that could qualify as matte, a black one. I think it was a special edition, but I am not sure.

[@Enrico-]

@@webpig711 It's the regular black Al-Star

[@Enrico-]

Pretty sure a machined stainless steel (or brass/copper) Al-Star would weight a lot. Like 50+ grams. Also would be fairly larger.

[@sorryociffer]

Enrico Buscaroli No need for it to be larger but stainless or Ti would be AWESOME.

[@henrykg]

I have Jinhao 777. Do not like them, but use with red and green ink for titles so used from time to time are ok. For longer writes I still prefer Platinum Preppy - this is a real workhorse.

[@fountainpencollection8337]

Well " Yong Sheng " it's another way of verbalize wing Sung in chinese . Wing Sung was the name that was used by the company in the past for products destined for export and Yong Sheng was the name used for the home market . All chinese fountain pen companies have such different ways of verbalize there names .

[@JG3Reviews]

Thank you! I hoped someone had an answer.

[@michaelwong1908]

Yong Sheng is actually mandarin, and Wing Sung, cantonese.

[@fountainpencollection8337]

@@michaelwong1908 Well you know better the origin of the words but still that was the way the company used those names .

[@animula6908]

I avoided this pen because I thought it’s ugly and it has that triangle grip. After having trouble using my pilot e95s that I longed for due to my eccentric grip, I found one I thought not too hideous and bought one, hoping the grip will help me fix myself for my pretty pen’s sake. When it arrived it wasn’t even as ugly in general as I expected. I got the rose gold one, which doesn’t have a contrasting clip either. But I really like it more than I expected too. Teaches us not to judge a book by its cover, or a pen by its big ole ugly clip and chunky plastic body. Ps, I found out the grip can even work with my normal grip style, and still helps me keep it oriented properly. So there you go. It’s still not as purty as my pilot, though. You can’t make me claim it is.

[@photorooster8865]

I jumped to the LAMY AL Sport . Wish I hadn't. Unfortunately am one of "those" people that hate the tri-faced grip. I do like the concept of interchangeable nibs.

[@superfly2449]

Photorooster I’m a southpaw, and the grip on this pen is especially annoying.

[@Enrico-]

Al-Star -> Lamy AL Sport -> Kaweco

[@jamiehatzis6176]

The Lamy Safari is a gateway fountain pen.... It was my first fountain pen. IT is a great everyday carry. Solid, reliable, and it just made me want to try other pens. I now have a fairly sizable collection. I just spent $120 on a Lamy studio fountain pen. Black and black nib. I forgot the name. However, if I had to pick one pen...TWSBI Vac pens.

[@kathrynstiles3509]

Same here! I started with Safari and now I'm obsessed with my TWSBI Vac700 R Iris extra fine nib with the gorgeous twsbi emerald green ink.

[@jamiehatzis6176]

@@kathrynstiles3509 hahah. I have one of those!

[@softmkr]

I've owned a Lamy crystal M for almost 20 years and It was love at first sight 😍; recently bought a Jinhao crystal blue EF that came with two ink cartridges and a converter, as you said it's a little different even the converter. I did not like the ink that came with the Jinhao, but now that I'm using it with its converter and Lamy crystal ink is far better.

[@RobertWard]

"...years and years ago, back in the nineties..." - I had to chuckle. I bought my best pen, a Parker Sonnet Sterling Cisele in 1976, with a ball point pocket mate, for $75.

[@JG3Reviews]

That cracks me up, too. The 90s feel like last year in a lot of ways, but I've had that pen 25 years.

[@laurelcosten1012]

Cheers! My dad bought me both the Parker sterling Cisele as well as the matching ballpoint in 1970 when I graduated high school. Started me on my way to a really full blown fountain pen collection. Catholic grammar and high school education gets one primed for many fountain pens!!

[@earlmcmanus194]

9:55, learned that the hard way after buying and returning a couple Safaris from Amazon. Well worth paying the full price on Goulet instead of trying to save a few bucks.

[@jamesaritchie1]

You don't pay the full price on Goulet, you pay the full price, plus a hefty premium. And there really are no copies of the Lamy on Amazon that can possibly be confused with the real thing. Returns are also easy.

[@earlmcmanus194]

@@jamesaritchie1 , I've had two awful nibs from Amazon, the last of which was a broad that was dry as a bone. And I'm not alone, many people have had to deal with defective and counterfeit pens through Amazon.

[@earlmcmanus194]

@@jamesaritchie1 , also Amazon returns give you store credit in lieu of refunding your money.

[@HJKelley47]

For years I said I did not like the Pilot Metropolitan. In early 2019 I decided to buy one, just to end the debate. Well a year later I now own 10 of them. Like yourself, I had to say I'm sorry. (LOL) Now I do not own the Lamy Safari, though I do own about 4 of the near-knockoffs in metal. Actually have one currently inked with MontBlanc Black. I did tweak my 599 nib, and it is a nice writing experience.

[@viv_2489]

I was resisting Lamy Safari since very long due to my perception about its looks, grip , other reviews..... but now have ordered in medium and broad nibs...its light, sturdy, easily available with variety nibs are some pros that pushed along with the tag of reliable German brand...

[@superfly2449]

I became a fountain pen junkie a few months ago. First one was a 4 for $7.95deal, as good as you might expect them to be. Most recent one is a Kaweco, tiny, and never fails to draw at the first stroke. No more dip pens for me!

[@edwardstaats4935]

It tskes a big man to say they are sorry, well done. It speaks to your maturity and ability to acquire wisdom

[@nitina8564]

I dont like the clip of the safari/al-star & the vista. Unfortunately i own all three. And to be honest i dont like the pen as much, especially for the price paid for them. I prefer the pilot metropolitan over this anytime. More over for the price of the lamy its always better to pay a little more and get a TWSBI Eco. That's just my opinion. One more thing to add is you have to buy a converter separately which get the cost a little higher.

[@JacksonKnives]

23:23 Actually, the O-ring on the real Lamy Al-Star (mine, anyhow, from about 6 years ago) stays with the body, like your Yong Wing Shang Sung.

[@speedygonzales9993]

That HUMONGOUS clip is a badge of honor, much like the RANGER tab.

[@JG3Reviews]

Lol

[@speedygonzales9993]

@@JG3Reviews .... or rather badge of 'pride' (instead of honor), I should say ....

[@jarrahfitzgerald2752]

I have some spare Lamy nibs. Would they fit on these cheaper alternatives and, if so, would there be any improvement in writing experience using a genuine Lamy nib on any of these cheaper alternatives?

[@renegmw]

I have a Lamy AL Star in black and I like it very much, although is not love. It is reliable. I like the stealthiness of it, black nib, black clip and some blueness to that black color of the body, its not black black. Other thing I like about this pen is that I don't feel too compelled to take much care of it, I feel its like having a good pencil sharpener, or a mechanical pencil, etc that you can carry a bit carelessly. And, oddly enough, I think if I ever brake or lose this pen I would replace it with a Lamy Vista...odd right? But yes, I don't feel like having more than one Lamy.

[@tiamogonzalez3641]

I subscribed just because of your apology! That's something special!

[@wittwittwer1043]

Lamy has a quite a large array of of steel nibs that are user switchable. They also have two models of 14k gold nibs with a narrow selection of grades: Lamy Imporium 14K gold nibs. Z57 nib: Black surrounds the gold slit. Z55: Silver surrounds gold slit. Two of my Lamys have gold nibs.

[@jorgegarbar]

WOW ! ! ! I like your mug . . . And obviously your channel, greetings from Mexico City ! ! !

[@JohnVianneyPatron]

Its a workhorse for 5 year olds. German kids get these pens when they first start school so they can learn cursive writing. Its a joke for adults. The only positive is that it is a pen you wouldnt mind lending a friend.

[@2ndskinmineral]

the reason why i like lamy....that clip

[@JG3Reviews]

It's growing on me. Ha.

[@TWoodard]

Dude! Small world!!! I’m from KC. Bought all of my pens from The Pen Place in KC! So cool.

[@JG3Reviews]

I wish we had something like that around here. Good place.

[@ShlomoTenembaum]

I got one when I saw it in yellow, and it was on a 50% discount. Should have bought 2. I might still get another one. BTW, my other pen is a Parker doufold.

[@kennethnoh4227]

Glad I found your channel and I appreciate your videos. Not sure if you still have these pens but have you tried using the section from the brown metal Jinhao/Youngsheng in the black metal Jinhao? I would try to swap those and see if you could use that black pen.

[@JG3Reviews]

Thanks! I haven’t, but I’ll check that.

[@stokrotnie]

I love the „God bless you”! God bless you too! 😊👋🏼

[@Kevinjimtheone]

I wanted to like Lamy when I got one in a fine, but it was so scratchy… I try my pens from great to terrible paper and on bad paper it was unusable and on good it was still incredibly scratchy. I'll try a Pelican next because my Hongdian Black Forest is so much better than the Lamy, Kawaco, and other "established" brands so far.

[@davidlutsky6519]

All the Lamy’s that I’ve ever bought (including many Safari’s) came with a Lamy converter, I was under the impression that all authentic Lamy’s came with one, I guess not.

[@eatmelily]

I got my Safari a week or so again, and it did not come with one...I did purchase one, because I like using fountain pen ink..

[@AyushRaj]

The only good pens I have accessible at fair price without bunch of shipping charges and taxes stacked on top are Lamy Pens and Pilot Metropolitan. I got a Fine Nib Metro and stayed away from Safari because it was Plastic but now I might as well get it with a Medium Nib

[@bigfootsburneraccount9160]

Also refilling Lamy cartridges with an Ink syringe is just as efficient and actually holds a fair amount more ink than the lamy converter. The cartridges hold almost just at 1ml, and i think the converter holds around .5 or maybe a bit more, which despite not sounding like much, is a difference of a few pages worth of writing so its worth it.

[@JG3Reviews]

Yes, that's what I do with my Platinum Preppy pens, since the converters are twice the cost of the pens.

[@iakoli]

I don't know why but Lamy Safaris I bought outside of my country don't come with a converter. But in the Philippines, all sellers, whether physical or online sellers, and even the Lamy botique stores, Lamy pens they sell (except their piston pens) come with one free cartridge and one free converter that usually has a matching color to the pen or something in the same color family. I think the distributor in our country is more generous, there's also not much difference in the price compared to international sellers.

[@ChrisSaenz13]

I really love the Lamy Safari, Vista and NEXX pens for everyday writing - especially note-taking! It's so nice to be able to swap out the nib quickly and easily and I find them very reliable and comfortable! The Jinhao 599 I managed to smooth one of those nibs to my satisfaction some time ago, but now that I have a variety of Lamy nibs I don't use it much anymore. It is a beautiful orange demonstrator so I kept it. :) I finally got a Lamy Al-Star but I like the Safari's better in the Dark Lilac and Charcoal finishes. Nice video - I enjoyed the comparisons a lot!

[@KenjiHouston]

My first REAL fountain pen is LAMY. The big clip is kinda cool.

[@bigfootsburneraccount9160]

The safari "paperclip" clip is a bit strange but it works well. It slips over pockets easily and stays on well. The only problem with it really is just that the snap cap isnt the tightest. Sometimes it can slip out if its in a lower pocket. Other than that its Ok. Very recognizable. I wear mine in my shirt collar and someone thought it was a medical device and Epipen I think they're called? Also yeah I agree with everyone who said Lamy safari should come with a converter. Other cheaper pens include one, so thats just Lamy being stingy

[@sweetpea22000]

I agree, they should come with a converter. I believe they do not because cartridges are more popular with their primary demographic.

[@cferracini]

Lamy is such a wet writer that even putting a clone EF nib (fits perfectly) the writing still looks like an Asian M nib or European F nib. But that same clone EF nib in the clone Lamy writes drier so it writes like a proper Asian F/EF (depends on the ink)

[@stevehuffman7453]

Question: The Jinhao metal pen you showed and love everything about EXCEPT the nib. Will the section from the Jinhao 599A screw in the metal pen's barrel? Will the feed and nib interchange between the two pens? Would tuning and polishing the metal pens nib improve it so it isn't as scratchy/unusable? From a couple of your other videos, I know you have the toos/equipment and skills to tune and polish a nib, if not do a bit of custom grind on it yourself ... or as an absolute last resort, have a nib meister work his magic on it at one of the upcoming pen shows you will be attending. I've never attended a pen show, so I have less than no clue what a nib meister would charge and/or if that is financially a viable option. (maybe he or she has a nib that will fit that they have already worked their magic on available at a reasonable cost?) I'd try to get the 51A nib in that one, if at all possible. With a little "luck" it will be as easy as swapping the sections around. 😀

[@JG3Reviews]

I usually will tune a nib, but in the case of the Jinhao 35 I'd just gotten an order of Lamy style nibs, which are what it's compatible with, so I just swapped nibs and didn't go further. The replacement is a smooth M, which paired well with the Lexington Gray ink.

[@umakarunakaran4626]

I own 4 safaris, but I also have a set of Yiren Safari clones. Mine actually have the Yiren name on the barrel and nib. Although, my Yiren pens are in a sort of shiny multi color, so it's very obviously a clone, but also clearly not a Safari. The ring being attached to the barrel is also a thing that Lamy does, but only on their Al-stars, not their Safaris.

[@greyareaRK1]

The Lamy Safari was my second fountain pen, but I did not like it. It worked fine, if overly wet, but it felt insubstantial and the nib is lifeless. I don't recall if the tri-fold section annoyed me, but it did having to pay extra for a converter. The irony of knock-offs that write as well or better, but can't match the injection-moulded quality. The Jinhao clip looks much nicer IMO.

[@chopin4525]

I honestly detested the Lamy for several reasons: the metal clip looks a horrible giant paper clip, the triangular grip forces your finger in a certain position, it does not come with a converter despite the price, it's made of plastic. These were the reasons why I excluded this pen from my first purchase and went instead with a Faber Castell Loom. I never regretted my choice because after you try a FC nib at that price you won't find any competition that can hold up! However... in the last years I have purchased some Lamy pens as well and I changed my mind. I think the pen is truly representative of German design culture: functionality above everything else and it works every time, no muss, no fuss. After purchasing the Lamy All Black I don't find the clip very annoying if it matches the color of the pen, it looks stylish! The triangular grip is not that bad and I still have freedom in holding the pen in whatever way I like it, the plastic in the matte finish is far less annoying to me and the problem is non-existent in the Al-star and LX. What can I say? In a couple of years I have changed my opinion and today this little pen model I used to berate is one of my EDC in my pen pouch together with a TWSBI Eco and a Pelikan M200.

[@afd4340]

matte sure is an upgrade compared to the other colors also black > grey

[@Enrico-]

@@afd4340 I like the OG versions better but I'd agree on 2018 Matte Black > Charcoal/Umbra. I really don't like the Charcoal Safari.

[@CAVEDATA]

What type of material do you expect to get in your pen for 24 bucks? Ivory? Confused.

[@JG3Reviews]

Well, I've lightened up a bit on the plastic, but...I've got pens of aluminum, anodized matte aluminum, brass, stainless steel, various resins, walnut and other hardwoods, and various other materials for the price of a Safari or less.

[@catmyc]

Winsum and Yongsheng are the same Chinese word pronounced in Cantonese and in Mandarin, respectively...

[@wnJhntn]

I think the clip adds character to the pen. When I see the clip I know its a safari

[@manuelb.p.6932]

The pen „Online Slope“ could also be very interesting for a review...You can use cartridges, converter or as a Eyedropper.

[@JG3Reviews]

I reviewed a Wing Sung 3010 (and like that pen) that is apparently based on the Slope, but I didn't know it at the time, since Online is barely known in the states. Jetpens now carries them.

[@indubitable49]

Second pen I ever bought was the exact same glossy black Lamy Safari. While the nib it came with was good, a replacement Chinese one that came highly recommended is leagues better. Before I went with that one however I swapped 3 Lamy nibs, all of them different in quality and writing experience. The converter was the last straw for me, 3 out of 3 leaked on me and I finally gave up on it after I tried to give someone my number at an event and my hands looked like I had killed a smurf. I want to love it, it just feels great in the hand but for 20 euro I just can't. Happy to hear you had a good experience with it, but I really hope they turn their QC issues around.

[@alnertcastaneda5736]

My Lamy Safari fountain pen writes better than my cross Bailey fountain pen

[@MechFrankaTLieu]

That section / grip is exactly what made or break the pen .. for those who feel good with it, they are great, for others the just do not work out ... the safari is a case of ergonomic study that tells .. well .. what we al know about .. not everybody the same , personally I can tolerate , work with it, but its certainly not what I would like on my pen, there is good reason why pens are just a cylindrical rod since what, thousands of years ago

[@deniz4152]

i dont like safaris. but i think lamy dialog 3 is very interesting.

[@bruceswearingen7718]

That paper clip attached to the top ALWAYS bothered me

[@gregs.2679]

As a lifelong Kansas Citian, I bought all of my Lamy pens from The Pen Place too. Unfortunately, none of mine work very well. They are all very dry writers. I have to twist on the piston-style bottle converter to "prime" the feed with ink to get the darned things to write at all, and even once I've done that, the nibs still dry out quickly because the caps aren't very airtight. I'm not a fan of Communist garbage either, but the nib on the Jinhao that James says isn't interchangeable with a real Lamy nib reminds me a lot of the shape of the excellent nibs on the $2 disposable Pilot Varsity pens. James, if you have a Varsity that has run out of ink, I would be very interested in finding out whether you can get the nib to fit the feed on your fake Lamy by Jinhao. I'd sure like to know what the Lamy factory supposedly test these nubs for, because I've never had one that actually could be made to write on its own without force feeding it with ink, and I've even tried the Lamy cartridges and Lamy bottled ink to make sure that wasn't a factor in how they perform, and it just doesn't make any difference. I'm going to guess that the nibs are somewhat okay but the feeds are junk.

[@SearchingForNostalgia]

"Correction: The Pen Place" shows up 4 times with no context (besides the first one with context) and it got funnier each time 😂

[@JG3Reviews]

Oh no! Ha! In Premiere each of those is a different annotation. Must have been an odd glitch in exporting to an mp4. That's hilarious.

[@MaxRollison]

maybe it was a sponsor? 😂 kiddingg

[@JG3Reviews]

@@MaxRollison I wish. It should have been with all that free accidental coverage! lol

[@enkhyy]

The triangular grips are uncomfortable and too small for me.

[@bradleyaharris1743]

The grip section is a nightmare

[@gtslow7]

Nice Schuyler in the background. 😁

[@jeffk204]

Does anyone know if the non-lamy caps happen to fit well on a lamy? I lost a cap and just need a basic cap to cover it and prevent it from drying out too quickly.

[@JG3Reviews]

Those in the video don't. The Jinhao will go on, but it's loose.

[@jeffk204]

@@JG3Reviews Thanks for the info. And thanks for the informative videos!

[@webpig711]

You can buy a replacement cap separately, may be a problem with special editions, though.

[@333pro333]

I would not mind the Safari if it cost $5, or $10 and came with a converter. But it's just so overpriced. I don't like the bulky design, the ugly clip, proprietary converter or cartridges, most boring nib in terms of look and how it writes, ergonomic grip, open ink window to prevent eyedroppering and inconsistent nib sizes. It's just an overpriced children's pen.

[@jamesjacocks6221]

Essentially there is a great competitive advantage in not paying workers a living wage and that advantage can destroy all of the protections for workers which are part of a modern state. You can see this at any grocery store where jobs are replaced at every point and customers simply could care less. These people are the same ones who ask for protections for their life shamelessly. Not knowing about this is generally called "could care less". The knockoff is much more than that, it is a worm.

[@danieleraso1]

you have not tried that lamy safari with a 1.1 nib...

[@charlesmartin9423]

... and ..??. I was about to buy that one

[@jamesaritchie1]

You weren't wrong, and if you use the Safari long enough, you'll learn how right you were. It's a wonderful pen, if you don't actually own any pens that really are wonderful. Then you won't know the difference. But when the wings on the nib bend after real use, you'll start to get the message. You can bend them back a couple of times, but then you'll need a new nib. Lany made it extremely easy to change the nib on the Safari, but in doing so they traded durability for convenience. Again, if you own no really good pens with really good nibs that will last a decade of really hard use, or a lifetime of normal use, you'll think the Lamy nib is the way a fountain pen nib should be. Not so. Lamy has some excellent pens, and I'm not sure there is a more iconic pen, a better pen for the price, a pen you'll keep coming back to, than the Lamy 2000. In boxing terms, it's a pen that punches far above its weight. But the Lamy Safari truly sucks, if you actually own any one of two hundred pens out there than make it look as horrible as it really is. Even the cheap Jinhao copies are much better pens than the Lamy Safari, if you put a new nib on them. And you won't even need a proprietary converter to use them. You can also use standard international cartridges. Neither of these things is true with the Safari. Like you, I really don't like paying big money for plastic pens. Most of my pens are ,metal, including the most expensive pens I own. But every time I think about how I hate paying big money for a plastic pen, and I really, really do hate it, there's plastic, and then there's plastic. My pen collection changed drastically a couple of weeks ago, but I do still own one pen that cost $1,800, and it is made of plastic. It's not the kind of cheap, crappy plastic you find on pens under a hundred bucks, but it is a kind of plastic. Metal barrels, and especially metal threads, are certainly stronger and more durable than plastic of any kind, and age or UV light doesn't bother metal, but the real reason I prefer metal over plastic is simply because of the art work. The best lacquer and the truly artistic painting, such as you find on a Namiki Maki-e, just can't be done on plastic the way it can on metal. Maybe even more beautiful is a Namiki Chinkin. Only two people and possibly a third now, can do the highest level of engraving found on a Chinkin pen. I do prefer the weight of a metal pen when writing for long hours. It's nonsense to say a metal pen wears your hand out faster than a plastic pen. People who say this have either never tried to write long hours with a metal pen, or they simply don't have the proper technique for holding the pen, or aren't using the big muscle in your arm to do the work, as you should. Most use their fingers and hand to move the pen. This will wear you out, even with the lightest pen. This is why so many get cramps when using a pencil. and you can't get any lighter than a pencil. If you use the big muscles, and let the weight of the pen do the work, using a metal pen for long hours is a pure delight. I used to work from five to twelve hours a day, using a pen the entire time. I don't know what the average days was, but I think about seven hours was the median. Like most, I started with light plastic, despite the more experienced worked saying metal was easier. It didn't take too long to learn they were correct. But it's the artwork that draws me to metal, even more than the beautiful way a quality metal pen writes. Even some of the Jinhao pens are now prettier than almost anything I've seen in plastic. I'll never own more plastic pens than I do right now. I love metal too much. I also love mammoth ivory, jade, exotic wood as much as metal. I so own some cheap plastic Jinhao pens, but these are throwaway pens I use to test new inks. . And I own two Pilot Custom 74 pens with gold nibs. These were a bit over two hundred dollars, so not terribly expensive, and I love the way they write and look. I bought these because I was curious about demonstrator pens, and because I could get them with soft medium nibs, so they do write very well.

[@Turbostiewen]

In german elementary schools, writing with a fountain pen was and still is mandatory. Back in the 80ies, when I went to school, Lamy launched the ergonomic designed Safari for children from 5 to 10 years. Until then, kids had the choice between the Pelikan "Pelikano" and a similar designed Geha fountain pen, which had no tripod-forcing grip. The Safari was the most expensive of the above mentioned pens, so we had three categories of fountain pens in Elementary School: Geha=poor, Pelikan=average and Lamy=rich parents. Many german fountain pen enthusiasts don't like the Safari, because it reminds them at their school time.

[@nerdcm355]

That is quite interesting!

[@silkenpaw]

LOL, I don’t know how old you are, but in Poland in the 1960s, I learned to write with a dip pen and continued to use one until I left the country in 1967. (Comes from living in a “third world” country - we were too poor to buy fountain pens for children). I imagine I would have “graduated” to a fountain pen eventually, but as it was, I didn’t pick one up until my college days :)

[@avaDesdemona]

YES! Except where I lived geha was pretty much not available. And if you had one you had a hard time finding cartridges for it. Lamy had the wood student pen out when I was in about 6th grade (might have been sooner, but I didn't see it before then). That wasn't strictly "rich kids" it was "rich öko kids" :-D

[@thomasdonlin5456]

In 1971 I was in fourth grade in a Catholic school. We used fountain pens. I had a Shaeffer. They were $1.79 at Walgreens.

[@Turbostiewen]

@@avaDesdemona I also remember that the Lamy abc came out several years after the Safari. But when this happened, my elemantary school days were almost over. The wooden barrel indeed made it the "Öko"-choice... :D

[@DragonsinGenesisPodcast]

The Safari is a perfect intro pen. The triangular grip teaches new users to hold the fountain pen in the correct orientation. The ink window provides some utility and excitement. The material is super durable. The cap snaps on firmly. The nibs can be swapped in seconds. The writing is smooth. And the pen lasts forever. It’s a perfect ambassador pen to lend anyone who is interested in fountain pens. And it’s a great daily writer.

[@bkr_418]

I grew up in Germany, where you have to learn how to use a fountain pen in school, ballpoints or others aren’t allowed. I was a Pelikan user for years, and had resigned myself to the fact that they ‘just break’ after a few months, I thought it must have been me, my grip, who knew. I saw a class mate use a Safari one day and liked the design (I’ve always been drawn to Bauhaus and modernism, even at a young age). I asked my mother to get me one, and this pen did not only write better, but it lasted! I still have it. Since then I have been a Lamy guy. I use a studio as my daily driver for work, I love this brand and will ALWAYS recommend it.

[@jesserayshaftoe7433]

The cross on the finial denotes a fountain pen. The ballpoint and rollerball pens have different markins so you can distinguish them without uncapping

[@Enrico-]

I mean you can distinguish them anyway. The rollerball doesn't have the ink window and the ballpoint looks nothing alike the other 2.

[@scottmdavis652]

I have a Lamy Safari pen from the 80s and it still works fine

[@aviXex]

😶

[@hannahplumleymycarnivaladd6365]

Just got the Special Edition version of the 80s one that’s modelled on that one I love it

[@paulmcwilliams1709]

I purchased a Lamy Safari pen with a fine nib but I got a extra fine nib to put on the pen and I have to say that I love the way it writes! The thing I love the most is the fact that Lamy pens are made in Heidelberg Germany and I was born in Heidelberg Germany too! Auf Wedersehen!

[@13noman1]

It's nice to see/hear a mea culpa! Diogenes must be smiling to find an honest man. I'm of mixed opinions on the Safari line. I have a few and an Al-Star (sorry to see how easily the finish rubs off). I always have at least one inked up, love how easy the nib swaps are, I'm fine with the section and even the clip. I mostly think of these as my "summer pens" (easy to slip into the placket of a polo-style shirt). I think the thing I like least about them is the converter. It doesn't leak but it's honestly a little hard to operate (even after greasing up).

[@lucianasser]

I used fountain pens all my life due to my dad's influence, haha. I have a really hard time writing down with ordinary pens because of the way I write and the way I position my hand on paper. It is hard to find fountain pen enthusiasts and I'm glad the community seems to be growing. I didn't know the channel before but I already subscribed to it. I really like the content and your reviews are great! By the way, I am a big fan of Lamy Safari. I have colorful ones to keep them filled with colorful inks, haha!

[@nickmason279]

I have a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck that I've had since I started college 40 years ago that my parents bought me, I use every day and it's sublime. I also have a Lamy Safari that I use when I'm out of the office on a dig site, not wanting to risk anything happening to my treasured pen. It's the Aluminum Safari finished in Orange and I love it. Pens are a very personal thing but I find the Safari every bit as good to use as the Mont Blanc. I know not everyone will agree and that's as it should be but my rule is buy a pen on how it writes, not how much it costs.

[@JG3Reviews]

Agreed. Preferences are very personal, and value isn't math alone.

[@gesa5187]

Montblanc, one word.

[@sweetpea22000]

Nick Mason well said

[@TheYupibear123]

Wing Sung and Yong Sheng are both the same company 永生, but just are the different transliterations of the pronunciation of the words in the local dialect and standard mandarin respectively.

[@deezem5294]

I belive its Cantonese but correct me if I am wrong.

[@4pedos]

I respect people who have the guts to apologize. It takes a lot of bravery to say "I was wrong"

[@MartaZobeniak]

Greetings from a Lamy fan from Poland - I began with an Al-Star in fact, now I also have the Safari, Vista, Logo, Studio... and the 2000! All of them have their place and purpose, all of them are cherished and used. I didn't even see the need to get or use the clones/homages, even though I did buy a couple of these plastic Jinhaos to penable a kid from my family - and he loved it (BTW, they also come with a hooded nib, if you happen to like that.)

[@pc50547]

The Lamy is a student pen. The symbol on top of the cap changes with the type of pen. I own a Lamy safari stylus, fountain pen, roller ball pen,…all the share the same body. Love them all. My fancy pen is a Lamy 2000. The handgrip is great if you pick up and put down your pen a lot.

[@pc50547]

Lamy quality is worth the cost.

[@pc50547]

The Lamy 2000 is beautiful, the Safari is practical

[@fastcharlie4054]

That clip is really convenient if you want to carry a pen in a pocket. Our son is in middle school and loves his safari. He’s probably one of the only kids at his school who uses a fountain pen and it’s always handy in the front pocket of his pants. The clip is just so easy and functional.

[@SJ72BE]

The safari is much better than the best reviews it ever received My go-to pen!

[@martinjohnson4405]

I picked up my first Lamy Safari in the early 1980s and my Safari and Al-Star pens are workhorses for me. I have purchased far more expensive pens over the years, but have not enjoyed writing with them as much as my Safari pens. My primary use is writing letters and journaling and it is not so expensive that I have any qualms about carrying a Safari to a coffee shop or travel with it. I like the minimalist Bauhaus design out of which the Safari comes. I find the form of the clip functional as it is easy to put in a pocket of a thick shirt or jacket and on the leather piece on the elastic band on my travel journal.

[@gamerboy4566]

I had a good laugh the moment you mentioned 'the great big giant obnoxious clip'. For me it was the clip that attracted me to this pen. The best clip in the world (in my eyes, that is) 🙂

[@TraSea72]

Me too, I love the clip. Great... and much easier to clip inside my purse or bag. Don't have to fumble trying to get my fingers gripped onto a smaller clip.

[@Wolverine3660]

I like the Lamy Safari too, but, recently I have gotten to like the Lamy Al-Star fp better, so, I carry 2 Al-Stars along with my other pens. These Lamy pens are very well made, fully functional pens

[@davidanderson3425]

My feelings are similar to your own about this pen except I haven't yet been 'converted'.

[@Argyll9846]

I've had my Lamy Safari for over 20 years and it's a great pen. It feels just right in my hand and I love drawing with it.

[@ZadenZane]

I've used Lamy Safari fountain pens since the 1990s and though I'm neutral on the design I've always liked the way it writes smoothly from the off. Back in the 20th century that was not usually the case. Pens back then were like shoes, you had to break them in! PS ny one bugbear about this pen (and the Lamy Al Star which looks almost the same) is the cap. It wears out. But a fake Lamy pen cap fits perfectly. I use the lids from Temu plastic pencils. (Doesn't work on AlStar by the way. An AlStar lid is bigger.)

[@wendywander7]

Like you, I didn't care for the design of the Lamy Safari or Al-Star. Then they came out with my favorite color (Dark Lilac), and my sister gave it to me for my birthday. I write a lot, and I'm also a calligrapher; I quickly realized being able to swap nibs while the pen is inked gave this pen a big advantage over every other pen in my collection. The more I wrote with it, the more I loved how great it feels. I purchased the purple Al-Star, and they're in constant use. I had not tried any of the knock-offs, and your review was very interesting to me. Thank you.

[@Ybalrid]

It's a plastic pen... A Montblanc 149 is also a plastic pen 😉 Okay, one is ABS, the other is PMMA. But still, the point stands!