The Diplomat Magnum (and a Lamy Safari party crasher) • Great Student Pens 2020

[@hkm424]

I'm so happy that you mentioned the Magnum. I had thrown one in my Goulet cart when I was grabbing some samples. It caught my eye because of the color "Prismatic Purple". It has almost that color shift titanium, where it is different shades of purple & blues, yet is still matte finished. I hadn't heard many reviews at that time but at the price point + bonus converter I had to try it. That was 6mo ago and I reach for it more than any other pen. It is also a medium nib, never a hard start and super smooth. Another personal bonus is the cap/clip. As it clips easily on my leather planner/journal without marring. Being a super busy southern wife, mom to 3, budget shopper, foster dogs, & all while dealing with medical/autoimmune issues. Sometimes it's the smallest things that help you make it through lives stormy days, or a Texas Summer! Thank you. -Heather

[@michaelfranciotti3900]

That prismatic purple caught my eye too. Very pretty. I'm thinking of buying one myself. Price is right for a first time fountain pen.

[@nitina8564]

The student pens video thing was really good. Thanks for making these videos they were quite helpful. And recently your sense of humour in videos is coming out really well!

[@mambokurtz]

I have a Magnum for a couple of years, the rubber finish teared off the body and cap, but writes very well with its bouncy nib. Still when it comes to student pens the Sheaffer No Nonsense I have used in school is at the top of my charts, perfect and durable design with a reliable bulletproof nib.

[@jacobhannan6411]

I love my Safari! It's such a reliable writer, and it never leaks! Just a few problems: First, the nib size is broader than I expected. The fine is broader than my Pilot Metro/Kakuno medium nib. And it was quite scratchy when I got it, but the nib smoothed nicely with micromesh. I'm a big fan!

[@jeffcon123]

Dude ya lamy safari is so good! I’ve got a few lesser brands and Chinese knockoffs but the lamy is my most reliable.

[@AshishMishra-kw2zm]

I love your reviews ...

[@TheNightowl001]

I have a Diplomat Magnum (in Pearlescent White with an EF nib). It has a touch more feedback than I usually really like, but the EF nib is probably the finest of all the "western" EF nibs I own, closely approaching a Japanese fine, and that is something I like a great deal about it. Frankly, I don't care for blue ink, much preferring black, and I accidentally somehow stuck a cartridge of blue ink in this pen when I got it. I don't believe in throwing out ink, but since I don't like using the blue, I find myself not using this pen as much as I do quite a few of my others. One of these days it will run dry, and I'll clean it and put black ink in the cartridge, and I'll probably use it more!

[@philippegosselin7756]

When i started really using fountain pens, i really like the lamy safari. But not anymore. The diplomat magnum is one that i bought a month ago and i was really suprised by it. Its a really good pen

[@MrAndrew1953]

Thanks for the review. I have a few Diplomat pens but hadn’t heard of this one. Must try one out.I hope there’s a red or a black. I always remember my first student pen which is why I like collecting them.

[@ToniHinton]

I'm not a big fan of red pens, but the Magnum in red is gorgeous. My husband has one.

[@READComment1]

Appreciated your student pen series, a good idea! Have you heard of and tried the Faber-Castell School+? Seems right in the budget of a student and you get the classic-looking FC nib. Interested in your thoughts on it

[@StopFear]

If anybody thinks of getting a LAMY safari, please do NOT get nib size medium or larger. Only get fine or extra fine. Their medium is ridiculously thick.

[@amoledzeppelin]

It would be great if you could also review Centropen Student 2156. Extremely cheap, properly refillable with international cartridges (unlike e.g. Pilot V-Pen) and, as the name suggests, tailored for students. Also comes with two blue cartridges included, which is really cool for the price of under $2.

[@JG3Reviews]

I'll see what I can do. It's a difficult pen to get in the US, at least at first glance.

[@amoledzeppelin]

@@JG3Reviews Ah, ok, I understand that. Yes, Centropen is a Czech brand so it's more popular in Central and Eastern Europe than anywhere else. No problem then.

[@catmyc]

I don't know if this is only my experience : I tried quite a few Lamy safari pens and this black Lamy safari always seems to be much finer than others.

[@drstrange8608]

Same here, the black steel nib is finer than my lamy studio fine nib

[@justindian378]

My lamy alstar copper orange writes awesome...your reviews are awsm too..

[@vehubaashi2842]

Awesome dude. Keep it up.

[@nancymilawski1048]

A video of duds would be helpful for which models to avoid from various manufacturers. 😁😁😁😁

[@Ali-in8xi]

Wanted to share my preferences thus far. Rating from most liked to least liked according to style: SMILE Pen (in the metal version; unique and fun look) Lamy Safari (for its simplistic design and sturdy plastic material) Pilot Kakuno (for its nib quality/writing reputation) Kaweco Perkeo (fun colors; sturdy looking) Diplomat Magnum (not crazy about but prefer it to the ones that follow) Platinum Preppy (not out of much if lost, stolen, or damaged) Jinhao Shark (not out of much if lost, stolen, or damaged) Pilot Varsity (not out of much if lost, stolen, or damaged) Pilot Petit (not out of much if lost, stolen, or damaged) Wanted to also share that I appreciate your camera quality and prefer your current background (looks more "you") over the one you've used in past videos. Thanks for the video!

[@JG3Reviews]

Thanks, both for your list and the input. I do all the video with my phone's camera.

[@TimGravesRV]

What is that notebook you're using? I'm planning on buying a Prismatic Purple Diplomat for my wife to go with some Pelikan Violet ink, but need fountain pen friendly notebooks for my full-time student wife. But she wants/needs cheap/easy/spiral bound, not my more expensive hard cover stuff

[@JG3Reviews]

The one in this video was just an Accel spiral from Staples. Its handles pens like this Diplomat and finer well, as long as it's not too we an ink.

[@ToniHinton]

I used Five Star spirals (with the plastic covers) throughout grad school with my fountain pens. The covers keep them from getting crunched in a backpack, and the paper is very FP-friendly. Micro-perf paper so they look neat when you tear out the pages, and a handy file pocket in the front, too. I kept my syllabus for each class there so I never had to hunt for it. I got mine at Staples but, of course, Amazon carries them, for about $6 apiece.

[@JG3Reviews]

I'll second that. I'm using a Five Star for my current class notes. It's holding up well.

[@TimGravesRV]

Awesome, thanks for the response guys! I ordered the Diplomat from Goulet earlier this afternoon, will keep an eye out for those notebooks at my local Staples when I am home this weekend. Being an over the road truck driver, I normally order off Amazon for simplicity sake so it's there when I get home. But I think my wife might appreciate an excuse to get out of the house.

[@justicesaint7817]

Have you tried the new Sailor Compass 1911?

[@JG3Reviews]

I haven't, but I did get a notification from a store I'd been watching that they are now in stock.