Pen Review: Lamy 2000 4 Color Ballpoint (Multipen)

December 7, 2016

So I finally caved and bought it. After sitting in my Amazon cart for most of the year, last week I pulled the trigger and ordered the Lamy 2000 Multi Pen (which Lamy refers to as the 4-Color Ballpoint), and this is another of those purchases where I'm kicking myself for waiting as long as I did. This is hands-down the best multi pen I have ever used.

Fit and Finish

Makrolon + Brushed Stainless Steel = Classic Design

No surprises here. This pen is pure Lamy 2000, from the brushed Makrolon finish to the stainless steel spring-loaded clip and knock. It resembles a slightly girthier Lamy 2000 ballpoint pen, and I've found that the added width makes it more comfortable to hold for longer periods of time. This pen looks stunning in a three-pen holster along with my Lamy 2000 fountain pen and ballpoint. I'm tempted to finish out the set by picking up the rollerball and the .5mm mechanical pencil, especially since I've read that the rollerball can be hacked to take a wide variety of common refills, including Montblanc fineliner and Pilot G2 refills.

Gravity-Driven Color Changing Mechanism

By far the coolest thing about this pen is how you switch between the different colors. At the back of the pen, around the knock, there is a series of colored panels in blue, red, and green. To change colors, you rotate the pen so that the color you wish to use is facing you ("black" is the clip), then press the knock. Once you're finished, press the knock again to retract the refill, rotate to select a new color, and repeat. It's mind-bogglingly simple to use, and it baffles me how Lamy can come up with this idea and execute it in such a way that the mechanism works perfectly nearly every time.

One note: while you can use any color refill in your Lamy 2000 Multi Pen, the color references will always show black, blue, red, and green. There's no way to change the colors on the body of the pen itself, BUT many D1 refills also have a splash of color around the tip for reference purposes. If you venture outside the black-blue-green-red range of colors, it might otherwise be easy to forget what you have in the pen.

Some D1 refills, like this red Uniball Jetstream, have a colored ring around the tip so it's easy to recognize which color you're about to write with.

Refill Options

The big downside to D1 refills is that they are small and therefore don't last very long, especially the gel versions. (Zebra Sharbo X gel refills are excellent, but they can get very expensive very fast if you're using your multi pen for more than quick notes here and there.) To get more mileage out of your refills, I'd recommend sticking to ballpoint or hybrid ballpoint refills. Based on what I've used so far, I'm most impressed with the Uniball Jetstream D1 in .5mm. I have these loaded into the blue and red slots in my Lamy.

Just to give you an idea how small these refills are. Uniball Jetstream and most other Japanese refills are sold individually (I'm currently using the packaging to store the stock Lamy refills that came with the pen), but Monteverde and Schmidt sell… — Just to give you an idea how small these refills are. Uniball Jetstream and most other Japanese refills are sold individually (I'm currently using the packaging to store the stock Lamy refills that came with the pen), but Monteverde and Schmidt sell their refills in packs of four.

In terms of standard ballpoint refills, the stock Lamy refills are fine, but they can be a bit light in certain colors, especially the red and the green. I purchased a couple packs of the Monteverde Softroll D1 refills in blue-black and orange, since I'm generally a fan of Monteverde ballpoints. The blue-black is nice, and I currently have it loaded in the "black" slot, but the orange looks gross (brownish in color and way too light to be usable). I have a pack of the Schmidt D1 refills on the way, so we'll see how they turn out. I'm a huge fan of Schmidt's Easyflow 9000 and the D1 version has received good reviews.

For a complete discussion of the various D1 refill options, I highly recommend that you visit Ana's Epic Refill Guide over at the Well-Appointed Desk. It's comprehensive and will give you a good idea of what's out there. In my experience, JetPens and Amazon typically have the widest selection of D1 refills.

Takeaways/Where to Buy

I consider the Lamy 2000 4 Color Ballpoint to be the gold standard of multi pens. It's well-built, reasonably priced, and takes a readily available refill style that's not proprietary. Given the small size of the refills, they can be expensive to own as your primary writing instrument if you plan on using them for something like journaling or writing extensively in longhand, but I've always appreciated multi pens as annotation and note taking tools.

The Lamy 2000 4 Multi Pen can be somewhat difficult to find from traditional pen retailers, because it's a bit of a niche product. [2023 Update: Over the years, I became frustrated with how few retailers were carrying the Lamy 2000 ballpoints and focusing on the non-fountain pen portion of Lamy’s excellent lineup, so I became a retailer! You can now purchase the Lamy 2000 line of pens, including the 4-color ballpoint, directly from T.G.S. in the Curated Shop.]

Further Reading. There are tons of Lamy 2000 Multi Pen reviews out there. To name just a few, check out reviews by Bob at My Pen Needs Ink and Azizah at Gourmet Pens.

Disclaimer: I purchased this pen with my own funds for my own collection. This post does not contain affiliate links.

Baron Fig: The Black Box and Thoughts on Stationery Subscription Services (Spoiler Warning!)

December 3, 2016

You may have heard that Baron Fig recently announced a massive number of new quarterly subscriptions: one for each of their main product lines, including the Confidant hardcover notebook, the Vanguard softcover notebook, the Squire pen, and the Archer pencil. The idea behind stationery subscription services is pretty simple: subscribers will be among the first to receive limited edition versions of the Company's products that are issued on a quarterly basis. Once you subscribe, you don't need to take any further action in order for the latest and greatest to show up at your door.

The Black Box Is a Big Winner, for Me

So far, Baron Fig has announced two limited edition notebooks that subscribers will receive. The first was the Work/Play II, a reboot of last year's acclaimed Work/Play Confidant. More on that below. The second is the Black Box, a run of limited edition Vanguard notebooks that I absolutely love, and that I'm going to talk about first.

The theme of the Black Box is "Mysteries." Each Black Box contains three softcover Vanguard notebooks (the medium-sized, A5-ish "Flagship" size) featuring Baron Fig's excellent dot grid paper and a black cover with different "mystery-themed" illustrations in unique colors. The three mysteries are (by my best guess) The Bermuda Triangle (yellow), Bigfoot/Sasquatch (Green), and UFOs (Red). As a fan of The X-Files, Supernatural, Stranger Things, insert-scifi/horror series here, these are a huge win for me.

I've reviewed Baron Fig notebooks before, so I don't see a need to talk at length about the paper quality, etc. here. In short, Baron Fig paper is very good, and will hold up to most pens, though you may see bleeding and feathering with especially wet or broad fountain pens. I really enjoy writing on Baron Fig paper with pencils, and I think it's among the best pencil-friendly paper available. What I would like to talk a bit about, however, is the flak that Baron Fig has taken during the initial rollout of their subscription services, some of which I think is unfair and fails to take into account the nature of Baron Fig's products and who their end users are.

For some reason I really love those stylized trees.

My Thoughts on Baron Fig's Subscription Strategy

It surprised everyone that a company would take the unprecedented step of announcing a quarterly limited-edition subscription service for ALL FOUR of their major product lines. It's an ambitious move fraught with a lot of risk. Baron Fig is a small shop, and it will take a lot of work for their team to maintain the existing business while attempting to develop fresh ideas for four different limited editions on a quarterly basis. That's 16 special editions a year across all of the product lines. Companies like Field Notes, Write Notepads, and Palomino-Blackwing do four.

One thing I'd love to see Baron Fig do is include some great extras with their subscriptions - like these "Manifesto" stickers they sent me with my Black Box.

Before Baron Fig had even announced any new editions, chatter started on blogs, Twitter, forums and podcasts saying that "there was no way" Baron Fig could come up with "inspired" or "unique" ideas for each one of these limited editions. Predictably, when Baron Fig announced the Work/Play II as the first limited edition Confidant, it was criticized as just "a reissue" of a past L.E. (despite the fact that the past Work/Play was highly acclaimed and sold out in days, leaving many - myself included - disappointed and empty-handed). Even the Black Box has been minimized as "just a new cover on a pre-existing notebook." IMHO, the critiques of the Work/Play II have some validity, but the snipes at the Black Box are unfair. (The first year's worth of Field Notes Colors were essentially standard graph-paper notebooks with different color covers and rulings. It took Field Notes a while to get to where they are now). Additionally, I think both overlook why many people would subscribe to Baron Fig products in the first place.

It's easier for a company like Field Notes and Write Notepads to take risks with crazy designs on smaller items like 48-page pocket notebooks. Even if you get an "out there" edition with your Field Notes subscription, like Sweet Tooth or Expedition, you can still find some use for them, whether it be as substitutes for post-it notes (Sweet Tooth) or a garage/car notebook (Expedition). This is harder to do with a larger notebook or a journal. Personally, if I'm subscribing to a service that sends me four large 100+ page notebooks a year, I want a bit more predictability. That's not saying that I'm paying in advance for four reissues - I want to see some creativity - but I also want to be sure that I will receive four Confidants or larger Vanguards that I can reliably use. Baron Fig's following is also smaller than that of Field Notes, and I'd venture to say that a larger percentage of them tend to be professionals who use their notebooks daily for work. I'm not above carrying and using some absolutely insane notebooks, but if I were to subscribe to a service, I'd want some comfort that the notebooks I was going to receive wouldn't stray too far from what I've come to expect from my daily-driver Baron Fig books.

From this perspective, I like what I've seen so far from Baron Fig, and would gladly pay a subscription price to receive products like the Black Box and Work/Play II. With respect to the Work/Play II, it may not have been the best launch strategy to lead with a reissue, but the original Work/Play was such a huge hit and sold out so quickly that I see it as a perfectly legit business decision to kick things off by giving your hardcore fans - those most likely to subscribe - what they've been asking for.

To date, Baron Fig has put a lot of thought into their products. Everything I've reviewed from them has been high quality and - importantly for me - highly practical and usable in my daily life. I'm perfectly willing to give them the benefit of the doubt until they have had, at a minimum, a year or so under their belt with the subscriptions before trying to declare whether it's been a success or not. Enough on this from me. Enjoy your weekending and Holiday decorating!

Disclaimer: Baron Fig sent me the Black Box notebooks featured in this review at no charge. I was not otherwise compensated for this review, and the views expressed here are just like, my opinion, man. If you disagree with me on anything, I'm sure you'll let me know. :)

Notebook Review: MOO Hardcover Notebook

November 30, 2016

While many excellent notebooks pass through my hands on a regular basis, you can only use so many, forcing you to make some hard choices if, like me, you have a never-ending (and ever-growing) stockpile/backlog. That said, I think that the new MOO Notebook is going to make the decision on what I'm using next pretty easy.

The Moo Notebook ships in a slipcase, which will look outstanding on your shelf once you're finished filling your notebook.

MOO is a stationery company perhaps best known for their high-end business cards and other business stationery. They recently released their first notebook, and were kind enough to offer me one for review. How do I like it? Well, I've already purchased two more (along with a swanky leather business card holder).

MOO is known for their packaging, and a lot of thought and attention obviously goes into it.

First things first: this is a classy-looking hardcover notebook, starting with the packaging. The notebook that I received came packed in a black gift box, and included a matching slipcover and pencil. The notebook itself is hardbound in charcoal/gray cloth, with lime green highlights on the inside cover to make things interesting. The notebook also came with an embossed MOO pencil! If you're looking for a gift for a notebook lover this holiday season, look no further - the Moo Notebook will impress. NOTE: (Please see my update at the bottom of this post about retail packaging compared with what I received, which is apparently a promotional bundle.)

A few samples of additional MOO stationery ship with the notebook.

The MOO pencil included with my notebook, labeled "Go Forth and Write." A nice touch!

So what about the paper? It's fairly heavy Munken-Kristall (Swedish) ruled paper that is suitable for most pens. None of the pens that I tested bled through, including fine and medium nib fountain pens, though I suspect that if you took a super wet stub or broad nib to this paper you might have a different experience. For the vast majority of people, however, this paper will do just fine. I personally would prefer a narrower ruling (or even graph or dot grid), but I can - and will - use this paper without an issue.

The MOO Notebook features 160 ruled pages of Swedish Munken-Kristall paper. I saw no bleed-through or show-through with any of the various pens and inks that I tested.

A couple design features make the MOO notebook unique from anything else I've seen on the market. The first is the binding. MOO uses a coptic-style binding, with a cover that separates from the spine in order to allow the notebook to lay flat more easily. The second is the inclusion of a seam of blank light green paper in the middle of the notebook that you can use as sketch paper, or even as a divider to break the notebook into different sections.

The MOO Notebook's unique binding and center seam

I worry that recently I've sounded like a bit of a broken record, giving high marks to most of the notebooks I've reviewed. After thinking on it, however, it's because much of what is coming onto the market these days is just that good. I love the fact that the majority of new notebooks that I've had the opportunity to try have been fountain pen-friendly. It finally seems that notebook manufacturers are starting to "get" what stationery enthusiasts are looking for, and realize the extent of the demand out there for nice-looking books with good paper.

Price Point and Where to Buy

You can buy these notebooks directly from MOO online, and you all are lucky! Until December 5, 2016, you can get the MOO notebook for $13.99 (!!??!), which is 30% off the already reasonable retail price of $19.99. I did a double take when I saw that one, then promptly ordered two more. Most of MOO's other goods are on sale as well. It's probably safe to say that you won't find a better quality notebook at the $13.99 price point, provided you like the aesthetics.

Even at the regular price point, given the overall quality of this product, $19.99 is a steal. When I first opened the box and saw the notebook, I would have pegged this as a $30 product, easily. Kudos to MOO for putting this out there at an accessible price. The MOO Hardcover Notebook should do well, and I look forward to seeing whether or not MOO introduces graph or dot-grid versions in the future.

Update

I heard from the folks at MOO, who let me know that the Black Box and Pencil are special promotional packaging for the notebook's launch. Notebooks purchased from the MOO website will include just the hardcover notebook and the slipcover. My apologies for any confusion, but at the MOO Notebook's attractive price point, the packaging issue doesn't change my opinion that this is still an excellent deal and would make a nice holiday gift!

Disclaimer: I received this product from MOO free of charge for review purposes, though I have since purchased additional books using my own funds. I was not otherwise compensated for this review.

Introducing the Pencil Crown, from Elegant Utility

November 29, 2016

Here's something for all you pencil fans out there. Elegant Utility, an Etsy seller based in Long Island, New York, has developed a neat product that adds better balance to uncapped pencils. The product is called the Pencil Crown, and it's a small piece of brass, slightly larger than your typical ferrule + eraser, that slides over the end of the pencil.

The Pencil Crown should fit most untipped pencils fairly easily.

I'm one of those people that ordinarily prefers a pencil with an eraser because I think, in general, they are more comfortable to write with. The weight of the ferrule gives the pencil a more comfortable balance in your hand, and the Pencil Crown makes up for this on a pencil that otherwise lacks an eraser. Technically, you can use the Pencil Crown with any pencil, provided you first remove the ferrule or dipped end, but I think I'll end up using this more for uncapped pencils like the Caran d'Ache Grafik pictured here.

The Pencil Crown gives a nice weight to pencils that I would otherwise find too light.

A huge thank you to Michael at Elegant Utility for sending this Pencil Crown over for review. If this product interests you, please visit the Elegant Utility Etsy store. In addition to the Pencil Crown, Elegant Utility also sells a version of the Pencil Crown with an eraser, the Pencil Pal (best described as their version of the bullet pencil), and the Pencil Companion (a pencil holder/extender), among other unique objects.

Disclaimer: The Pencil Crown was sent to me free of charge by Elegant Utility for review purposes.

Pen Review: Steel and Flint Pen

November 26, 2016

The Steel and Flint Pen has made its way into my top three pen Kickstarter projects (and that’s of all time, not just this year). The design is clean, the pen is compact enough to go everywhere in my pocket, and I've discovered a new daily-writer refill that I’m absolutely crazy about, the Schmidt Easyflow 9000. In short, if you’re a pocket pen aficionado looking for a reliable ballpoint to add to your daily carry, look no further. Go back this pen now.

The Steel and Flint pen posted, in hand. You can certainly use this pen unposted, but given the design, posted seems to be the natural way to go.

Steel and Flint is the brainchild of Mike Hancox, located in the UK. This pen is his first Kickstarter project, and I have to say I’m impressed with both the idea and the execution. The aspects of this pen that have received the most attention are the knurling on the grip and the magnetic, "soft-close" cap. The knurling provides a textured surface for gripping the pen without being too sharp, while the cap works as advertised (see demonstration below). The cap runs nearly the entire length of the pen and fits tightly whether the pen is capped or posted. The pen also has a nice girth and balance: it's compact enough to remain pocketable, but just large enough to hold comfortably when writing for relatively long periods of time. You won't be writing novels with this pen, but it should meet any reasonable pocket pen expectations.

GIF courtesy of Steel and Flint. Check out the soft-close mechanism with the magnetic action!

The Steel and Flint pen comes in three colors: Satin Silver, Champagne Gold, and Basalt Black. My pen is the Champagne Gold, and I was pleasantly surprised at the color. It’s definitely NOT the option I would have chosen myself, but I absolutely love how it turned out. This is why it’s a good thing to have people surprise you from time to time to push your boundaries! I'll also note that this finish holds up well to pocket carry. I've kept this pen in my pocket all week (with keys) and dropped its on its end multiple times, yet there's not a single scratch or dent on it. Not to say that normal wear and tear doesn't add character, but how this pen has held up to rough treatment certainly speaks to the quality of the product.

From left, a visual comparison of the Steel and Flint pen to the Kaweco Brass Sport, the Baron Fig Squire, the Lamy 2000 ballpoint, and the Franklin-Christoph Pocket 20.

At least one Kickstarter commenter has raised the issue of similarity to CW&T’s Pen Type B. While there is some visual similarity, any fair comparison probably ends there. The Steel and Flint pen is much smaller and lighter, is made from a different material (aluminum vs. brass/steel), features a knurled grip, and uses an entirely different refill and closing mechanism. For now, they also sit at drastically different price points ($70 for Steel and Flint vs. $160 for Pen Type B). Honestly, in terms of look and feel, the Steel and Flint pen reminds me more of a cross between the Baron Fig Squire and the Lamy Pico than anything else.

At the end of the day, what sold this pen for me as a good daily writer is the refill. For some reason, I’ve never had the opportunity to use the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 ballpoint refill, and that’s a shame. After using this pen for a few days, I ordered a pack of six, and have since swapped out all my Retro 51 / Schmidt liquid ink rollerball refills for the EasyFlow. It’s that good, reminiscent of the Uniball Jetstream or Pilot Acroball, with a slightly darker line. Unfortunately, I think a lot of pen manufacturers are afraid to go with the EasyFlow refill as the flagship refill because it's not trendy and people consider it "boring." Steel and Flint made a good choice here, but if you absolutely don't like ballpoints the pen will accept any Parker-style refill.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I've been very pleased with my prototype Steel and Flint pen, and I'm glad to see that the project is now 100% funded as of a couple days ago. Congrats to Mike and his team! You get in on the action until December 16, 2016 by going to the project Kickstarter page. Early birds are sold out, but you can still snag a pen for around $70 (depending on the dollar-to-pound exchange rate). I've heard that post-Kickstarter retail will be around $100, which most people agree seems a touch high for an aluminum pocket pen, but I'll reserve judgment until I see the final product. There are some Kickstarter add-on options that you may want to check out as well, including personalized laser engraving and a leather pen sleeve.

If you're still on the fence about whether this pen might work for you, check out Brad's review over at the Pen Addict, Ian's review over at Pens! Paper! Pencils!, and Mike Dudek's review over at the Clicky Post.

Disclaimer: This pen was sent to me free of charge for review purposes. This post may also contain affiliate links to third-party sites.