Lamy Accent - A Quick Review

(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!.)

It’s been a while since I had inked up a Lamy, and Myke and the Bossman were talking about the Lamy Accent not too long ago and lightbulb! I have one of those! Let’s ink that up!

The Lamy Accent is a slim pen that comes in two finishes - Palladium and Black. Lamy Accent Palladium (sometimes referred to as aluminum) has a slightly matte metal finish and comes with the same steel nib that is used on the Safari/Al-Star/Nexx, most Studios, etc. The Lamy Accent Black (or Brilliant Black), on the other hand, has a high gloss barrel and cap and comes with a 14kt gold nib - this is the one that I will be reviewing today.

I bought the Lamy Accent second hand years ago and fell in love with not only its sleek design but more importantly, the gold nib. As I mentioned in my Lamy Studio review, Lamy’s non-L2K gold nibs feel nothing like their steel counterparts, nor do they feel like the L2K gold nib either. They are slightly softer and wetter writers, which also means you will have a broader line with their gold nib. These nibs can be purchased separately and greatly improves the writing experience of your favorite Lamy pen (except the Lamy 2000, which uses a differently shaped nib).

Writing sample with Kobe #70 Rokko Forest Blue on Clairefontaine Triomphe 90gsm.

Closeup of 14k Gold Medium (top) vs Steel Medium.

But I’m not really here to sing the praises of the Lamy gold nib. No, the Lamy Accent has a secret power that most pens do not. After unscrewing the nib from the section, all you need is a simple pull, swap and snap in a different accent piece (see what I did there?), and voilà, you’ve got yourself a new look! You can have a pen that has the sophisticated elegance of black with silver rings, or something a little warmer with a deep red wooden grip or any one of 7 different grips (sold separately)!

One pen, 3 different looks! L to R: Brilliant Black Rings, Dark Blue Linen (not really linen), Deep Red Wood.

Unscrewing the Accent is a different experience than with most pens. When you hold the grip section and twist the barrel, the section doesn’t separate from the barrel. What actually happens is that the nib assembly & converter come out together! You can then remove the nib/converter, pull out the accent piece and wham, bam, new grip, ma’am!

Unscrewing the pen actually “ejects” the nib/housing/converter out. There are red arrows marked on the top and bottom of the housing but they aren’t needed because it’s obvious which way to put the nib.

On the left is the grip and the right is the barrel. The grip only fits on the barrel in one way, so it’s pretty foolproof. The notches are where the nib housing fits into the pen. You don’t even have to put it in a notch first, just put the nib assembly back into the pen and start screwing the barrel and it will fall into place.

Lamy’s higher end pens (which also include the Dialog 3/CC, Logo, CP1 and Studio) require the use of the LZ26/27 converter which is different from the regular Z28. Aside from the absence of the Z28 “nubbins” that slide into the grip of the Safari, et al. as well as the metal (vs plastic) ring near the piston knob, the LZ 26/27 has a step down near the end of the converter which the Z28 does not.

Lamy’s LZ26/27 (left) has a metal ring, a step down, and no nubbins compared with the Z28 on the right.

One of the benefits of a slim pen is that the pen can fit into more pen loops, especially skinny ones. And the clip on the cap ensures that it won’t fall through. One caveat though, the cap only takes a mere quarter turn to uncap itself, so it is best to use this in pen holders that are more snug, otherwise you may end up with a lovely cap clipped to the pen holder with no pen in sight. This isn’t an issue for the two pen holders that I would be using it with (see below) because both hold onto the pen very securely.

Fits just fine in the PLOTTER pen holder (closed on the left.)

No problem for the Traveler’s Company pen holder either (view from the back of my TN.)

Here are some other pens, including some slim ones, to compare with the Lamy Accent:

Pilot Custom Heritage 92, Pilot/Namiki Grance, Pilot Metropolitan, Kaweco AL Sport, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Accent, Lamy Studio, Lamy 2000, TWSBI Eco-T, Cross Townsend, Platinum Preppy, Sailor Pro Gear Slim, Waldmann Tuscany, Platinum 3776, Pilot Vanishing Point.

Pros:

• Ability to swap grip sections easily!
• Grip is slightly convex, which is very comfortable in hand.
• Ability to swap Safari/Al-Star/Studio/etc.-compatible nibs, including gold
• Only needs a quarter turn to cap/uncap
• Fits in the Traveler’s Company and PLOTTER pen holders!

Neutral

• Can be posted
• Threads at the nib end requires one’s grip to be further back (This would usually be more of a Con for me because I like to hold my pens close to the nib, but it isn’t an issue with this pen)
• If you want to use a converter, you have to use the Lamy LZ26 or LZ27 converter, which is NOT the one that works with Safari, etc.

Cons:

• It is a fairly slim pen
• Slightly backweighted when posting (solution, don’t post, lol)

The Lamy Accent in Palladium retails around $109 while the shiny Black is around $249, though it did take some searching to find US vendors who still sell the Lamy Accent fountain pen. New and used prices vary widely on the secondary market, so shop around. I bought my additional grip sections from Appelboom. If you like the Lamy nibs and want a slimmer option for pen loops or just like the thought of being able to change up the look of your pen, the Lamy Accent is a great way to go.

(Disclaimer: All pens/products were purchased by me with no compensation for inclusion in this review.)

Sailor 1911L 4am 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!)

Pen shows are a great place to try out the pens you have resisted buying for years, because it's so much easier to resist things online. And by "great" of course I mean dangerous, because it's so much harder to resist things in person. Especially when Brad says, "Hey, you were looking for one of these, right?"

In any case, I left the Chicago Pen Show with a Sailor 1911L 4am, and I'm very glad I did. As a habitual night owl who frequently greets the hour of 4am with pen in hand, that cool, blue glow of pre-dawn is like an old friend. The resin material of this pen matches that tone perfectly, and the gunmetal grey accents look elegant and moody. It's a gorgeous pen, and I coveted it when it was first released. I hesitated, though, because it was a limited edition and pricier than a standard Sailor, and I already have a number of lovely Sailors, and I didn't NEED it, and and and, etc. There was always an excuse. And then Sailor raised their prices, and even though this pen remained at the pre-rise price, I was feeling grumbly about the brand in general. So I kept resisting. Until Brad texted me at the Chicago Pen Show.

Brandon, of Rocky Top Pen Co., had a 4am at his table. It was used, but it also had a MF cursive italic nib grind by John Mottishaw, and he was selling it for $275--$37 under the retail price for a 1911L. While the pen is still available at many retailers in the smaller version for $220, that nib was calling to me. It's practically my favorite grind, and I don't own any other Mottishaw nibs. And that pen was right in front of me, then it was in my hand, then I put it down and walked away, and then I walked right back. Let's just call that the Pen Show Tango.

The pen has a 21k gold nib, and the CI grind on this MF nib is crisp and perfect. It shows just the right amount of character in the lines it creates, while still being both very fine and maintaining good flow. This nib is easily in my top three nibs that I own, maybe even the top one--though I'd need a Platinum showdown to confirm that. In any case, it's almost too good to write with, not because I'm afraid to use it, but because it's difficult to think about what I'm writing when I can't stop swooning over HOW I'm writing. That hasn't stopped me from using it every day since I bought it, though.

Perhaps this is more a review of the nib than the pen, as Sailor hardly needs my voice added to its chorus of praises, or maybe it's a review of the pen show experience, where you can find rare treasures and irresistible deals. But I wouldn't hesitate to recommend all three: The Sailor 4am, which you can still find in most online stores; Mottishaw nib grinds, which have utterly enchanted me; and attending pen shows, where resistance is futile.

This pen has seen two 4am writing sessions already. It will see several more in the coming weeks, as I'm in my heaviest deadline season. I'm very glad to have this aptly themed writing companion along for the ride.

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Nahvalur Nautilus Mariana Trench Limited Edition Fountain Pen Review

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

Several months ago, I was first introduced to the Nahvalur Nautilus and instantly fell in love with the design. I've used that pen regularly since then, and I'm still attracted to the whimsical design, sturdy construction, and pleasant writing experience. But when has that stopped any of us from buying another version of the same amazing pen? Exactly.

The limited edition Mariana Trench colorway of the Nahvalur Nautilus is absolutely fabulous. It features the rock-solid piston filling system, smooth nib, light weight, and comfortable shape as the regular Nautilus, but in a spectacular blue-green ebonite material with blue PVD coating on the metal bits. It's gorgeous, and it's been by my side for weeks now.

I still love my original Nautilus, but the gold trim was never my favorite. It works well on the purple ebonite, but it isn't perfect for my preferences. The Mariana Trench colors fits that spot perfectly. The swirling green and blue is a great characterization of the deep ocean, along with a sense of green rust that the harsh ocean water causes. The blue metal accents are a great touch. They're really shiny and almost flourescent, which just makes the pen that much more visually interesting. Something to note is that the blue coating on the nib is consistent whether you go with the steel or gold nib options.

Writing with the Nautilus is a great experience. The nib is smooth and consistent out of the box, and the piston filling system works well. It holds a large amount of ink, which makes this pen great for extended writing sessions. The fine steel nib on my pen is incredibly smooth, and I didn't have to do anything to it. It's a #6 size, which is a complimentary pairing to the body of the pen. Nahvalur makes their own nibs, so this probably explains how they're able to experiment with different coatings and effects. Whatever it is, I hope they keep it up.

For me, the Nautilus gets really, really close to "the perfect pen." It's lightweight but still a good size for comfortable writing, it writes well and holds a lot of ink, and it's aesthetically enjoyable when not in use. The only downside I can think of with this pen is the fact that you can't post the cap, but I don't want to post it due to the larger size of the body. As long as that doesn't bother you, I can't think of a reason to dissuade you from buying this pen (or another variant) if it fits your budget.

At $160, this pen definitely has a lot of competition, but it certainly holds its own due to the fun design, light and colorful materials, and superb writing experience. If this pen even remotely interests you and you have the budget for it, give it a try! The Mariana Trench colorway shown here is a limited edition and might be hard to track down at this point, but the Nautilus pen is available in many other fantastic colors.

(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

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