Lamy Safari Fountain Pen Charcoal Ex-Fine, L17EF

Going to be honest I just saw a youtube video on this pen that got me interested and I got one for the cheap price, it makes writing such a pleasure to do now and not some tedious task! Handles smoothly, fine tip works great for even small pocket notepads. I was concerned about bleeding through thinner papers with it being a fountain pen but only found one or two types that don't work for me. The value for money is amazing, the ink flows so well, and the refills are cheaply priced. If I want to dabble in bottles inks I certainly can in the future. This pen has got my feet wet with fountain pens and has been a pure joy. 💯 would recommend to a friend.

This is my second Lamy Safari Pen. Originally I purchased a Lamy Safari with a medium (M) nib, but due to my small handwriting, I opted for something with a finer point. (For reference I used a Pilot Precise V5 and a Pilot G2 .38 for writing before this pen). Therefore I purchased the Safari with extra fine nib (EF).The ink that comes in the pen is a standard blue color. It’s a fine color, but it was too light for my liking. So I opted to change the cartridge for a Lamy T10 ink in “blue-black”. This (in my opinion) is the perfect combo.I’ve been writing with this pen for several days and I have had no leakage AT ALL! Which I was very happy about.This pen fits really well in my pocket and also gets clipped to my notebooks.I write with the traditional three-fingered pen grip, which matches well with the shaped head of the pen. It is quite comfortable to write with, not to mention light as well.I am by no means a pen aficionado, but from a beginner’s perspective, this pen checks all the marks.Pro Tip:Make sure to use thick, opaque paper with this pen. Fountain pens will bleed through regular paper!I’ve been using the Midori A5 notebook and it has zero bleed through and very minimal ghosting.

Came well packaged, but my EF nib was very scratchy, but to be fair, I only gave it a quick rinse with water before using it, and not a good cleaning like I should have, so ink flow may have been an issue. Due to me experimenting with the EF to fix the scratchy feeling, I inevitably ruin my nib. I have sinced purchased a fine and medium nib, both of which write wonderfully. Fine gives some feedback on cheap paper, but the line with noodler's standard black is very nice (use nib nook at gouletpens to get an idea the line thickness of each), but I will admit, the medium is very smooth, even on cheap paper it is smooth, but it's like thickness is pushing the border on what I like my pen's to be, but I only tested it on cheap paper to just have a bigger/wetter nib to compare the fine nib to. I will probably try the medium nib sometime this week on my good paper to see if it feathers a good amount still, but I'm doubting it will feather much with the right paper.As far as the plastic frame, it has been extremely durable so far and I love it. It doesn't have the super loud/solid clip I would like, but it holds in place fine. The cap's airtight seal isn't as "tight" or loud-clicking-solid as I had hoped, and it did dry up after a week of no use while I was waiting on my additional nibs. I just soaked the feed/nib in some warm water for a half hour and all was fine afterwards (obviously take the converter out first), as well as gave it a good soapy rinse, and it has been a work horse since.I do have one note for new fountain pen users: Please do get a quality fountain pen paper if you are going to go the EF/F. They take longer to dry than cheap paper, but I believe you will enjoy it much more. The EF/F nibs may not give the experience you are hoping for if you use them on cheap notebook paper. A medium nib will smoother, but will likely feather on cheap paper, and again, probably discourage you some. I used a pilot v5 for five years before I got into fountain pens, and I would honestly compared the F nib to the middle ground between a v5 and v7, like a v6 I suppose. The F nib with noodlers standard black actually feathers less, even on cheap paper than a v7 in my opinion with less bleed through. The line wdith with a F nib is on par, if not slightly thinner (with the right touch on cheap paper) than a v7, I would say a M nib is right on par with a pilot v7, with similiar feathering, but I feel there is less bleed.I have since purchased more fountain pens, but if you are looking at the safari, look at the lamy nexx too, same nibs, but thicker body, and improved/thiker grip. I would have ordered that first had I known about it, but I have one on order now coming from the UK (I'm in the USA) because the grip is indeed a little small on a safari, and will feel awkward at first because it made to help train you to grip a fountain pen correctly, but since using it and then occasionally using non-fountain pens, I've noticed my writing quality improve a good amount. I've heard the lamy nexx isn't as availible in the USA anymore, or what not, which is why I bought from the UK, if anyone was wondering.

I've had trouble choosing the right pen for me. Ballpoints are too scratchy, gel is too smooth and fast (plus they guzzle gel like there's no tomorrow), fine point breaks easily, but I found that fountain pens are smooth yet firm in their writing. Plus, the design is so minimalist, and it looks good. It's small enough to fit inside of a small bag pocket, and it's quite nice to use.

Looks, feels, and writes well, definitely my favorite pen as someone who has never used a fountain pen. I do recommend buying a refill converter (Z24) and some extra ink because it runs out quicker than ballpoint pens.