Why a fountain pen writes differently
A fountain pen uses ink that flows by capillary action from a reservoir through a nib. The writing pressure required is almost nothing — the ink flows onto the page with the lightest contact, which means your hand does not grip or press in the way it does with a ballpoint. After a day of writing with a fountain pen, your hand is noticeably less tired than it would be after the same amount of writing with a ballpoint. This is the main practical benefit, and it is why fountain pens remain popular among people who write a lot by hand.
The Safari is not precious
Many fountain pens are objects to be careful with. The Lamy Safari is not. The body is ABS plastic — the same material as Lego bricks, which is a genuine compliment: it is tough, it does not crack or fade, and it does not feel fragile. The clip is bent spring steel. The triangular grip section forces your fingers into a correct pen hold, which some people find uncomfortable at first and helpful over time. The whole pen weighs around 17 grams. You can throw it in a bag, uncapped, without worrying about it.
Cartridge and converter ink system
The Safari uses proprietary Lamy cartridges (widely available, around €1 each) or a Z26 converter that lets you fill from any bottled ink. The converter costs about €6 and is the better long-term choice: bottled ink costs a fraction of the price of cartridges per ml, and you can choose from hundreds of colours and brands. The converter screws into the same section where a cartridge would go. Filling is done by submerging the nib in ink and twisting the converter piston — the whole process takes 30 seconds and produces about 0.7ml of ink, enough for several days of writing.
Nib sizes and the Kaweco as an alternative
The Safari comes in EF (extra-fine), F (fine), M (medium), and B (broad). For everyday writing in notebooks, F or M is right for most people. EF is useful for very small handwriting or detailed annotation. The line width is noticeably different between sizes — more than the difference between ball-point pens. The Kaweco Sport AL is the compact alternative: smaller, pocketable, made from aluminium, with a similar price point and the same kind of introductory accessibility.
