Lamy Safari

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Hello

As I've just been reading @Darkbulb threads about pens and having some birthday money burning a hole through my leg, Im thinking of getting a Lamy Safari.
Just a couple of quick questions though. I may use it for uni, which means it will be traveling down south with me for a couple of busy weeks at a time and the rest of the time, depending how I get on with it, at work and home.
If its in my pocket/case/bag am I better going for capsules or will a converter be okay? I like the idea of having different inks but I have memories of being at school years ago and them leaking all over me and my white shirts.
Cheers guys
 
My Lamys have never leaked. I don't think there's a difference between cartridges or converters leakwise; the Lamy proprietary versions seem very securely fixed because screwing the barrel onto the grip section is the suggested way of inserting a cartridge into the pen. This is unlike most pens where you push the cartridge into the grip section then screw on the barrel, so I guess there's a chance that a (non-Lamy) cartridge could become disconnected from the grip and move further down into the barrel. Not very likely but possible I suppose. With Lamy there's no room inside the barrel for the cartridge to move. I hope you understand my explanation.

Starting out with fountain pen I would recommend using cartridges anyway as it's easier and less messy. Lamy cartridges are quite a lot bigger than (short/common) international standard cartridges so you'd have more ink anyway if you're travelling. The Lamy cartridge looks to be bigger than the converter too.

If you want to start off with cartridges, Lamy do quite a range of colours and even if you want to try other brands of ink you could still refill an empty cartridge using a syringe. That'd give you quite a good volume of ink between refills; although you'd really have to be at home to do the syringe-filling business.
 
Parker cartridges are bigger than the normal cartridges as well.
But, I have found that most pens that use the smaller cartridges allow you to store a spare in the barrel so you should always have a full one with you.
 
My Lamys have never leaked. I don't think there's a difference between cartridges or converters leakwise; the Lamy proprietary versions seem very securely fixed because screwing the barrel onto the grip section is the suggested way of inserting a cartridge into the pen. This is unlike most pens where you push the cartridge into the grip section then screw on the barrel, so I guess there's a chance that a (non-Lamy) cartridge could become disconnected from the grip and move further down into the barrel. Not very likely but possible I suppose. With Lamy there's no room inside the barrel for the cartridge to move. I hope you understand my explanation.

Starting out with fountain pen I would recommend using cartridges anyway as it's easier and less messy. Lamy cartridges are quite a lot bigger than (short/common) international standard cartridges so you'd have more ink anyway if you're travelling. The Lamy cartridge looks to be bigger than the converter too.

If you want to start off with cartridges, Lamy do quite a range of colours and even if you want to try other brands of ink you could still refill an empty cartridge using a syringe. That'd give you quite a good volume of ink between refills; although you'd really have to be at home to do the syringe-filling business.

Perfect explanation, I remember having a push kind cartridge, probably a cheapo one.
Right so that helps a bunch then, cartridges it is.
I have not used a fountain pen in years and I am hoping this will improve my style as Currently it looks horrendous.
 
Parker cartridges are bigger than the normal cartridges as well.
But, I have found that most pens that use the smaller cartridges allow you to store a spare in the barrel so you should always have a full one with you.
Good to know thank you!
I think it was a parker which I used at school
 
Hello

As I've just been reading @Darkbulb threads about pens and having some birthday money burning a hole through my leg, Im thinking of getting a Lamy Safari.
Just a couple of quick questions though. I may use it for uni, which means it will be traveling down south with me for a couple of busy weeks at a time and the rest of the time, depending how I get on with it, at work and home.
If its in my pocket/case/bag am I better going for capsules or will a converter be okay? I like the idea of having different inks but I have memories of being at school years ago and them leaking all over me and my white shirts.
Cheers guys

Or...you can do like @Nico1970 and get a 99p Jinhao 599 ;) I believe that includes shipping :D
 
The hero 359, although a bit dearer than the jinhao is better to write with (in my opinion that is)

Hasn't stopped me ordering 3 more jinhaos in different colours though
 
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