LAMY Safari Candy Series Aquamarine Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

Nothing says summer like a bright new series of special editions from Lamy! The Candy Series has been well received, with Violet, Mango, and Aquamarine bringing a bit of much-needed sunshine to the pen world. I'm not really sure why it's called the Candy Series, with colors named after rocks, flowers, and fruit, but it's definitely sweet.

The model I have is the Aquamarine, with an extra-fine steel nib. It has all the standard Safari traits: The u-shaped clip, ink window so you can see your ink level, the love-it-or-hate-it molded grip, and the easy-to-use cartridge/converter fill system. On this edition, the clip has been color-coated to match the body color, which looks fantastic. It also has a matte finish and slightly textured body, similar to the Dark Lilac edition.

The steel nib writes very well. It's firm, but smooth, with just the right amount of feedback. It's not wet or dry, but it puts down just the right amount of ink. The extra fine nib on mine is definitely thicker than my usual preference with EF nibs--a little broader, even, than a TWSBI or Pelikan EF nib--but it writes so nicely that I don't mind at all. I just think of it as more of a medium-fine.

I don't have a lot of Safaris. I've never actually bought one for myself, because they're not my style, aesthetically. But there's no denying their popularity, and their ability to lure in new pen aficionados. While I usually recommend the Pilot Metro or TWSBI for new pen users, the LAMY is what I see most of my friends go for when the time comes to pick out their first pen. There's just something exciting about them, and I think it may often be the great color options. I think these three new colors are sure to attract lots of happy pen users.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Lamy Tipo Turmaline Special Edition Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Lamy Tipo has been around for quite a while and is well known as an affordable and unique rollerball pen that uses Lamy's own M66 refill. Even better, the Tipo also accepts any Pilot G2 size refill, opening up the customization options quite a bit. What's new this year, though, is the custom color for 2020: Turmaline.

The blue-green aluminum body looks fantastic on this limited edition Tipo. It's meant to mimic the semi-precious tourmaline gemstone. This is a little confusing to me since tourmaline is known to occur in many colors, but this blue-green is beautiful nonetheless.

If you've ever used a Tipo before, this pen is no different. To cover the basics, the rollerball pen is encased with an aluminum body and plastic grip section. The grip section is textured with soft rings that make the pen easy to hold. The clip also functions as the nock on this pen, which is a unique and fun design. As a perk of the clip/nock design, it automatically retracts the refill if you open the clip to secure it onto something else, like a pocket or bag. This prevents you from accidentally stowing the pen with the rollerball refill extended, which would probably result in some sort of unwanted ink blobs on your clothes or bag. It's a really nifty system for extending/retracting the refill, but it's also really satisfying to play with.

One thing to keep in mind when using this clip mechanism is that you have to push straight down ("straight down" meaning from the back of the pen down toward the tip, as opposed to pushing the clip perpendicularly toward the body of the pen) on the clip in order for it to extend properly. If you put too much force on the back of the clip in the perpendicular direction, the clip doesn't slot into the little hole that keeps the refill extended. It's not a big deal because you quickly learn after a few tries and it becomes muscle memory after that. I'm more than happy to deal with this little caveat if it means I can't accidentally clip the pen to something while the refill is extended!

Writing with the pen is really comfortable thanks to the grip and the overall light weight of the pen. On top of that, the Lamy M66 refill is incredibly smooth and dark, making the pen a great writing tool. The medium tip is a bit wet for my tastes, but it's exactly what I expect for a rollerball of this size. I have had some issues with the line being a little thin in some cases, but it's not a big problem. I definitely prefer the Schmidt P8126 as my rollerball refill of choice, but that won't fit in this particular pen.

And that's okay, because this pen allows a multitude of different refill options. Basically, anything that follows the Pilot G2 size refill will fit in this pen. That opens you up to literally hundreds of different colors, tip sizes, and brands if you don't prefer the included Lamy rollerball refill.

The Lamy Tipo is a fantastic rollerball pen that also makes a great gift. It's affordable enough to buy as an impulse, but nice enough to carry with you or use at the office for taking notes and making signatures. The limited edition Turmaline version is a gorgeous pen, so if it's something you want to pick up, make sure you do soon before they're gone!

(Brad purchased this pen from Stilo & Stile at full retail.)

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Leonardo Momento Zero Green Blue with 1.1mm Stub Nib: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Leonardo Officina Italiana has quickly become one of my favorite fountain pen brands. Their resins are gorgeous, and the build quality of the pens is top notch. Although I love the Leonardo Furore I reviewed a few months ago (here), my favorite Leonardo model is definitely the Momento Zero with its conical finials at the top of the cap and bottom of the barrel.

Appelboom sent this pen for review, and I must say their presentation is always classy. They wrap the pen in black paper secured with a gold Appelboom sticker.

The pen itself is in a Leonardo clamshell box with a tan interior.

The Momento Zero is the perfect size for most people, measuring 5.6 inches/142mm capped, 5.1 inches/129mm uncapped, and 6.7 inches/169mm posted. It weighs 25 grams capped (empty) and 19 grams uncapped (with ink). Although the barrel is about 15mm at its widest, the grip is tapered down to a comfortable 10 to 11mm.

I chose gold trims for this Green Blue model. The clip is relatively small and has a rollerball on the end as is typical of many Italian fountain pens. Near the base of the cap are three thin gold rings. Another adorns the barrel where it meets the cap, and another encircles the removable knob that reveals the converter piston.

What drew me to this pen was the stunning resin. Ordinarily I would hone in on the blue model immediately (and there is a Blue Sorrento model). But this time I was immediately drawn to the Green Blue resin, partly because it reminds me of my favorite Christmas light combination! The flecked resin is beautiful with dark blues and a mixture of dark and light greens. Some flecks have chatoyance as well.

The pen is a cartridge/converter filler. However, Leonardo’s converter system is unlike the typical flimsy, plastic converters used by some other brands. It is made of high quality plastic and metal, and it screws securely into the grip (rather than just being friction fit).

Although you can unscrew the barrel at the grip to access the converter, it’s also possible (and easier) simply to unscrew the bottom knob to access the converter’s piston portion (much like a captured converter). This attention to detail and function is one of the reasons I like Leonardo pens so much.

I chose a gold-toned steel 1.1mm stub nib, which is my go-to nib on Leonardo pens because their stubs are so smooth.

At first, I was a little concerned about this nib, because it exhibited hard starts and some skipping. But, the problem wasn’t the nib. It was the TWSBI Emerald Green ink, which is rather dry. When I added some Vanness White Lightning Ink Additive to the ink, the problems cleared up.

The stub nib delivers a smooth, wet line that shows off any shading or sheen inherent in the ink. I can write with this pen and nib combination for long periods without any discomfort. The stub gives character to my handwriting.

You can purchase the Leonardo Momento Zero Green Blue from Appelboom for $171.66 (price depends on Euro/USD rates). Appelboom ships quickly and their customer service is outstanding.

(Appelboom provided this Leonardo Momento Zero to Pen Addict at no charge for review purposes.)

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Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!