LAMY 2000 Nibs Explained

Since it's introduction in 1966, the LAMY 2000 remains an iconic fountain pen. It remains an incredibly popular gold nib pen to this day. The LAMY 2000 nib is a unique nib with some special details that are hard to see. It's not like most other fountain pens and we're going to explain why!

Overview:

Pen design:

Let's start with a quick look at the LAMY 2000. It's a piston-filling pen where the ink is held inside the body of the pen. The nib and feed are inside the grip of the pen, but what's different is that the grip of the pen is completely seamless to the body. Other pens usually have a step of some kind where you can see where the two join. The piston on the back is also flush against the barrel. Since this pen is a piston filler, you don't really need to remove the grip section from the pen. Additionally, the cap is a snap cap, and the pen has a sleek design that LAMY is known for.

Nib design:

The LAMY 2000 has a hooded nib, and it can't be pulled out of the grip like other LAMY pens. To remove the nib, unscrew the grip section and pull the nib and feed together out of the BACK of the grip. We have a good video on Removing the LAMY 2000 Nib if you want to see it done.

Once you remove the nib, you can see the LAMY inscription. The nib is gold, shorter than other nibs, and stiff. It's not a bouncy nib and it's easy to understand why when you see the outside of the nib. However, it is a smooth writing nib and is considered to be pretty wet.

LAMY nib and grip section on white

Nib specifics:

All nibs have a number of aspects in their design that impact ink flow, stiffness, and/or flexibility. There are 3 things that have a big impact on the feel of the nib. The tipping material is one, how that tip is ground is the second, and how it's shaped is the third. This is where the LAMY 2000 gets its unique look and feel because these are all specific to this nib.

The 14k gold LAMY 2000 nibs are solid gold. The silver coloration comes from a rhodium coating. However, the gold is too soft to hold up to the friction of writing, so they use a harder ball of a different precious metal welded to the end of the nib. It's then ground and polished to their specifications. This is where things get interesting. Gold nibs require hand work at the point of nib grinding and polishing. It's extremely detailed work and is subject to finesse and variation based on the individual nibmeister doing the work.

Differences:

The LAMY 2000 is different from other gold nibs; instead of a round ball of precious metal at the tip, they grind the nib into a bit more of a "blade" shape. This shape is particularly apparent in the extra-fine and fine nibs. The blade-like nib writes great when held properly, but can be affected if you rotate your hand while writing. If you do this, you'll feel more feedback, and you can encounter skipping or starting issues. Combine that with the smooth cylindrical grip vs. the sculpted grip on other LAMY models, and it can take a little getting used to. While finding the right grip might take some practice, once you find your fit, it's a great pen to write with!