I must admit, I've been looking forward to reviewing the Lamy 2000 fountain pen for quite some time. Being one of the most reviewed pens in the pen blog world I don't anticipate saying anything extremely new, but to perhaps finally pay some homage to this specimen of design and prestige.

Oddly enough, it took me a very long time to finally acquire a Lamy 2000 and not necessarily because I didn't want one or I couldn't pull the trigger (spent too much on the rOtring obsession...?). The 2000 is often one of the first nice pens that a lot of pen addicts tend to buy, which makes it even more odd that it took me as long as it did.

In reality, at my house there was what seemed to be (my interpretation) an unspoken rule about the Lamy 2000 line and me purchasing them. You see, my wife has traditionally been the one to buy me pens from the 2000 line as gifts for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. She had bought me first the ballpoint and then later the rollerball (both in Makrolon), so it seemed only fair that I stick it out and wait for her to get the fountain pen for me. As a few of these occasions passed without a Lamy 2000, I was starting to wonder if she would ever get me one!... So, as I often do, I brought it up to her and she said "go for it", meaning, buy it if you'd like. Needless to say I was happy, but I always found it very kind that she had bought me these thoughtful gifts in the past.

I purchased this Lamy 2000 from my friends over at Pen Chalet who have recently started carrying a selection of the Lamy line. They have the Safari, Studio, and 2000 fountain pens to name a few. As time goes on their selection will grow, but being newer to the pen retail space I was very excited to see their line expanding as they are great to work with. They do have some specials running right now on their Lamy offerings, but you could also use the promo code CLICKYPOST for an additional 10% off of your order. Give them a look for sure if you're in the market.

Does the 2000 really need that much of an introduction? It is an icon that will withstand the tests of time, or as long as we still use pens. Heaven forbid we someday go without ink, I hope Lamy is still around as a company and makes the 2000 in whatever writing gizmo we have going at the time. Even THEN, it will still stand out as an exquisite writing instrument.

As the flagship of the Lamy collection, the 2000 has held its own for nearly 50 years, something not many pens of its kind can do. There are definitely models out there that are still around for as long or longer, but the 2000 is likely one of the most recognizable due to its unique and modern design. It seems simple enough from a glance, but it is captivating and has a beauty to rival the "classic" styled pens that seem to look so much alike.

In all honesty, I think the Lamy 2000 is extremely well priced. The fit and finish of it is top notch, the design is striking, and the nib is gold (14k). It is a premium product, but the pricepoint is on par with where it should be. These retail at $199 in most places but, with the promo at Pen Chalet, you'd be looking at less than $145 before tax which is a great deal from a reputable retailer.

The barrel is made of Makrolon, a polycarbonate, and is brushed to a matte finish which also provides a slight texture to it. You could almost describe it is like fine grains in wood, but of a plastic material.

The seams in the pen are tight and the piston mechanism at the end is nearly invisible without taking a close look. That is one thing I really enjoy about the pen is the seemingly high attention to detail. In holding and looking at the pen, nothing seems out of place or "off" if that makes sense. There aren't multiple metal rings getting in the way or acting as connectors for the various pieces of the barrel like many other pens do. Not that there is anything wrong with those as they are growing on me as well, but the 2000 really does have a seamless look and appeal to it. Like all the parts (that you can't distinguish) have been put together with precision.

One thing that has been a consideration with the Lamy 2000 is the nib quality. After all of this talk of precision and exactness, reports come in pretty often from other reviewers/readers that the writing experience out the gates with the 2000 can be hit or miss. Thankfully, mine came writing wonderfully and I have yet to have a complaint about it.

The nib (or mine at least) is in between a wet and dry I'd say. Running the nib along the page I can feel it writing, but it is smooth and provides almost a soft feel when putting ink to page. I am currently running Iroshizuku Shin-kai (also acquired during my purchase from Pen Chalet) which is a popular blue/black and I've greatly enjoyed it. I may be a bit more in the Kon-peki camp as I like a more traditional blue, and although the Shin-kai is a very conservative color that may not stand out in a crowd, it is still a lovely choice. The fine nib puts a fairly good sized line to the page probably around the size of a 0.7mm rollerball or gel pen.

The cap is adorned with a large angular and monolithic stainless steel clip that is pretty much the 2000's most recognizable feature. Against the matte black Makrolon, it stands out boldly and is a design element all its own rather than being just a functional piece of the pen trying to be as conservative as possible.

A wonderful design element is that of the grip being made of a brushed stainless steel. The brushed finish provides some slight texture for gripping, whilst the metal provides a nice cool section to grab when initially starting to write. Being metal, it also provides a substantial feel and heft towards the front end of the pen while writing, but not heavy.

The hooded nib is also one of the more iconic features of the pen while uncapped and provides an interesting design element to appreciate while writing on the page as you always get to see it.

I'm grateful to have the Lamy 2000 now in my collection as I know it is one that I will enjoy for as long as possible. Even if something were to happen to this one I know that I would likely replace it straightaway with a new one. In a way, I'd say the 2000 is a pen to be revered a bit for it's place in pen history for that fact alone, but using it is so pleasing that providing it the respect it deserves is easy....

I have a soft spot for felt or plastic tipped pens. Maybe it takes us back to a time as kids where the teacher used to break out the markers in school and let us draw. Nothing like taking a big stick of ink and smearing it in bright, vibrant colors over a page. Let's face it, felt/plastic tipped pens are just markers for crying out loud. How could it not be fun to write with them?

One of the major benefits of this type of pen is improving handwriting. It can take horrible writing and make it look decent, decent writing look good, and good writing look to where you'd think it was written by an architect or professional cartoonist.

The Paper Mate Flair (the traditional one) has long been a favorite due to the expressive writing and cheap cost as well as the fact they are extremely easy to buy. There was about a year long period that I wrote almost exclusively with them. Crazy, right? They are great for taking quick notes, writing something on a Post It, or for grading papers in the educator arena.

The Paper Mate Liquid Flair is the lesser known counter part of the traditional Flair. For a time, it was branded as the Liquid Expresso (kind of a dumb name in my opinion), which was then changed to Liquid Flair. Much more appropriate. Actually, for a time the Liquid Flair seemed all but discontinued and could only be ordered by the dozen from a few retailers that had some stock left.

In a recent visit to Staples I eyed a four pack of Liquid Flairs on the rack which came with black, blue, purple, and red. I quickly donated the purple to a co-worker whom I knew would love it (purple is not so much my color), the blue went into a recent Sherpa acquisition (review forthcoming), so the red seemed only fitting for the review.

The Liquid Flair writes very much like the regular Flair, but with a bigger barrel and a visible reservoir of liquid ink, hence the name. Now, I've never torn open a regular Flair, but I'd imagine it is the standard marker style where there is a porous "stick" inside that feeds the tip, but no liquid sloshing around.

The tips on the Flairs tend to break down over time which hinders the experience, but being cheap they are easily replaceable. Would I put the Flair above comparable pens like the Sharpie Pen, Pigma Micron, or Finito? Not really. You'd probably be best suited with the Micron, but unless you want to order online or find a specialty art store near by, the Flair may be a suitable alternative for an everyday porous pen.