Lamy CP1
Ever since I was young, I have always been dazzled by fountain pens. I remember myself always looking into the fountain pen cases in Popular bookstores whenever I get a chance. Popular to my parents belief, my obsession with pens and stationaries did not stop after I grew up — t’was not a phase.
Naturally, I had to pick up the Lamy CP1 when I was shopping for a more classy fountain pen I could use at work.
Materials & Aesthetic
The Lamy CP1 is one of the thinnest fountain pens in their collection. Most fountain pens are usually very oval and fat to handle for the premium feel. But not the CP1.
The moment you hold the pen, you’re immediately struck by the significant density of the pen. The heft and solidity is really a surprise as the small diameter and muted design makes it look unassuming. The pen is lacquered in a matte black finish. Though better than black anodized aluminum, it does concern me that the finish is so similar in appearance to plastic. Yes, it feels different to the touch but I wish it could’ve achieved a bit more visual interest.
The most visually flashy element of the pen is the solid stainless steel clip. It’s has a very bold, architectural appearance that works well with the stark, black body. The pen is pretty much completely devoid of branding except for the tiny engraving you see here on the clip. Thumbs up.
Instead of having an uncivilized clip that relies on the material’s flex, Lamy has engineered a spring loaded mechanism. Very German of them.
The body itself is made from brass, and the outer surface is coated with premium lacquer. Some websites do be misleading by mentioning aluminium or even stainless steel. However, from the barrel shot you can clearly see that it is of brass material. I’ve also tested both the body and the cap using magnets and they do not attract.
Features & Usage
The cap is fuss free and simply pulls off from the pen. I’m not a fan of crazy mechanisms on fountain pens as they can dry out easily. The CP1 is simple, creates a tight seal, and I’m happy.
One of my favorite things about the pen is how the cap fits perfectly on the tail-end of the pen without ruining its silhouette. The male part of the pen entering the cap is made of plastic as a lacquered finish could scratch or chip more easily.
Lamy is also kind enough to include two ink cartridges, the first being the T10 in blue. It’s Lamy’s standard cartridge for fountain pens. I personally find it to run a bit thin at times.
The cartridge you really want to be using is the Z36 Converter. If you didn’t know, a converter is an ink cartridge with a suction mechanism and reservoir enabling you to use bottled ink.
Lamy includes a polished steel nib with the CP1. The one I received has the fine nib, which is smooth but a bit thick when it comes to the width for writing. I’ve since changed the nib to an EF (extra fine) one and found that to be a more fuss free workhorse that produces consistently good lines.
Writing with the CP1’s EF nib is really great. The nib travels really well on paper, and the ink loves to flow smoothly. I’ve always felt that Lamys were a bit thirsty but the CP1 seems to be less so than my Safari. The CP1 is also more comfortable than I had imagined and disappears in your hand despite the significant weight. As for the ink, it does feel slightly thin when writing on coarser papers without backing but I found it to be really great on my notebook of choice, the Rhodia A5 Webnotebook.
On the other side, you have two mesh liner pouches—one small, one large—at your disposal. I’ve been keeping an Apple 18W USB-C Power Adapter in the smaller one and using the larger pouch to hold a lock and a pair of Apple AirPods Pro headphones. Of course, you can use these for whatever you’d like—extra cables, a slimmer power bank, a spork for impromptu snack time, the possibilities are endless.
Durability & Testing
I’ve had this pen for two years now already and there have been no scuffs or dents. Before this, I owned the same CP1 model and that lasted me 1 year and a half after the ink delivery system was shot after using a batch of bad ink. In general, these should last you quite a while if you take care of it well.
In the end, what the Lamy CP1 do best is disappear. It fulfils its intended function with ease without making a fuss. I’ve been carrying the CP1 in my Aer Cable Kit 2 for the past few months, and they’ve earned their place as my default writing solution. You may be wondering why you’d want to spend $100+ on a pen when a uni-ball is 2 dollars. Well, that’s a hard question to answer, and there’s clearly no logical reason for spending money on a nice pen. As a designer, I believe that enjoyment of beautiful, well crafted products has real value though. Everyone can get to work just fine in a Kia but there are many willing to pay more for a German or Japanese brand. The Lamy is an Lexus, and the uni-ball a Toyota.
