(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)
Just for sh*its and giggles, I decided to write this week’s article entirely with this pen, the Lamy Studio, Terracotta with a steel medium nib. Why? Why not? Don’t worry, I will include a typed version for folks who want to skip the cursive as well as to make it easier to search in the future.
So why did I pick this pen? Because I recently posted on IG that I was going to ink up this pen along with a bunch of others and the Bossman said that “I legit want to know what what you think of the Lamy Studio. Review queue!” So how can I refuse a request like that?
I first saw the Lamy Studio in Imperial Blue at a local office supply store not long after I had gotten into pens. I knew that I liked the nib of my Lamy Safari, so I wasn’t worried about the nib. I absolutely fell in love with the sleek and classic design of the pen as a whole, but it was the “propeller” clip that made me go “oooh”. I don’t know what it is about the clip design, but it just stopped me in my tracks! Sometimes it isn’t as smooth to clip in a binder or shirt pocket (I had to test this out since I never put my pens in shirt pockets), but I don’t care, I like how it looks.
I also like that the Studio is a snap cap pen because it makes quick notes a snap (okay, I’ll see myself out, lol). The matte exterior is also a classy look, though there are some models that have a polished, smooth finish like the Piano Black. Most of the Studios are equipped with a steel nib by default, but some models only come with a gold nib (like the Palladium). Side note: if you ever get a chance, try the gold nib that isn’t the Lamy 2000 nib. It is smooth, slightly soft, and writes like butter. The line width is broader than its steel counterpart, so keep that in mind.
The main thing that people are curious about is the grip because it is metal. Is it slick or slippery? I don’t think so but I generally don’t have issues with metal grips. The grip gently tapers towards the nib so some may find their fingers slowly making their way down the grip. I hold my pens pretty close to the nib in general so there isn’t anywhere for my fingers to slide. If the slick metal grip does bother you, you can get one of the models that has a matte black grip which is not slippery at all (the Brushed Stainless Steel and Studio LX All Black come to mind).
I don’t have a scale with me but the interwebs tell me that the pen with the cap weighs 1.2 oz/31 g and without the cap, it is 0.8 oz/22g. Contrast that with the Lamy AL-Star at 0.8 oz/22g with cap and 0.4oz/12g without the cap. The pen can be posted but it feels a bit too backweighted.
At $99 USD MSRP and a street price of just under $80, the Lamy Studio is a nice fit between budget fountain pens like the Safari/AL-Star and next level pens that cost $100+. It comes in a variety of colors as well, which is one of the reasons that the Bossman and Myke have suggested it as a nice graduation/birthday gift that won’t break the bank. And if you really want to make it extra special, upgrading the nib to the 14kt gold one is well worth the jump in writing experience (which I neglected to say earlier, that it feels nothing like the Lamy 2000 gold nib).
Pros:
- Simple, classic style
- Affordable, sub-$100 option
- Easily upgradeable to gold nib or swap with a different tipping size
- I love the clip, though I do know some folks find it unattractive
- Nice snap cap
Cons:
- Metal grip may be slippery for some
- Nothing to stop fingers from sliding towards nib
- Fingerprint magnet (I forgot to mention this until I started taking pictures)
One other thing I forgot to mention (this is one drawback to handwriting an article), the Lamy Studio is also available as a rollerball, which isn’t particularly interesting to note. But, the rollerball and fountain pen sections can be swapped, which might come in handy if you found a rollerball in a color you prefer over current fountain pen options. Note that I haven’t tried this myself but it was presented to me as an option when I was hunting the elusive Violet Purple but could only find it as a rollerball.
Alright, I hope you found this interesting and enjoyed seeing/reading a handwritten article but hope you didn’t enjoy it too much because it’s definitely going to be a while before I do this again!
Pen: Lamy Studio, Terracotta Nib: Steel, Medium Ink: Vinta Heritage Brown Pamana Paper: 68 gsm Tomoe River (old)
(The Lamy Studio was purchased by me three years ago - eek! Has it really been that long!?)
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P.S. Look at the subtle sheen from this ink! I love how it’s mostly brown but with green sheen!
