Lamy Safari Fountain Pen - Broad Nib - Red Body & Chrome Clip

Great fountain pen. Highly recommend.

I decided to buy the Lamy Safari after hearing so much good about it on the Fountain Pen Network. Unfortunately, my pen is anything but the smooth writing experience I hoped for after all the positive comments.

The Safari is built pretty well as far as I can tell. The body seems sturdy, the finish hasn't gotten streaked up or dulled despite spending the last few weeks in my bag, and the clip does its job and isn't flimsy. I also don't really mind the triangular grip section. It doesn't really help me hold the pen, but it doesn't get in the way, either. The only gripe I have with the body is that the section is quite deep, so it's difficult to get a bulb syringe down in there to flush the pen between fillings.

The nib, on the other hand, is another story entirely. This is simply the worst-writing pen I own, period. The nib feels extremely scratchy and sounds like something between a felt-tipped marker and raking fingernails down a chalkboard as I write. It also refuses to lay down ink in certain directions. For example, it's impossible to draw a complete circle, and it stalls out on most downstrokes.

I'm willing to accept that I may have gotten a lemon, but that leaves the possibility that whoever else orders this pen could, too. I suppose I'll eventually try ordering another nib or sending it back to Lamy for an adjustment, but that means this Safari will have cost me nearly $40. To me, that's far more than this pen is worth, even if a new nib ends up being smoother.

I always wondered about the shape of this pen–in photos, it looks awkward. Hold it in your hand, though, and you'll discover the extremely well-thought-out, svelte design that made me reconsider many pens I have loved for years (and I'm stubborn!). My only complaint is that it becomes top-heavy when the cap is posted, but it's a minor gripe considering the excellent writing quality and a price that mortals can afford. Subtle details will come to light the more you use it, and I'm considering getting a ballpoint too. Stop wondering–you should own one of these!

I absolutely adore this pen. Holding it becomes so natural its like writing with air. Never splotches, never skips. Sleek look and the lightweight design makes it a perfect match for my rhodia webbie. awesome awesome awesome!

This pen is wonderful, from the high-quality plastic to the super smooth nib, this thing has blown me away completely. This is a must buy for anyone looking to switch to a fountain pen, but doesn't have very much money. Also shipping from Jetpens was very fast and there were no issues at all. This was a great first purchase and probably many more will ensue...