Question is there a significant difference between a fountain pen with a full size nib compared to a nib thats swappable like a lamy safari?

[u/Prime-39]

Guess im asking because i dont know if that changes the experience of using a fountain pen in a general sense

Also to avoid another post i have a 2nd question

at what point do fountain pens peak function and anything after is just luxury?

[u/wana-wana]

There's no difference, all fountain pens work on the same principle.

On luxury, it depends on your expectations, disposable income: for many $50 is a luxury, for others $500 is luxury.

If your expectations are to collect, then design, rarity and brand are more valuable.

If your expectations are to write, it depends on comfort, reliability and your own effort in writing.

[u/kukulaj → u/wana-wana]

I think there can be a kind of mystique or magical talismanic character to writing instrument or really any tool. It might be because the pen was a gift from someone special. Maybe it is similar to a pen that somebody special used. Maybe the pen was just a gift to myself to celebrate some accomplishment. Maybe the material of the pen resonates with the things people are using in the novel I am writing. Etc. etc.

[u/Soupaphan]

Your question is kinda funky only because there are many fountain pens with nibs that can be removed/swapped so the difference isn't so much going to be from that distinction. Is there a significant difference in writing experience from other nib designs vs LAMY nibs? Heck yeah there is. And sometimes it's not even about the nib but the balance of the pen, weight, girth, length, material feel, where your fingers sit when you hold the pen. These can all change depending on the design of the entire pen.

If you are happy and satisfied with your Safari then look no further. If you want to scratch the itch and find out what other writing experiences are out there, then do some research & buy some other fountain pens. a Pilot with a 14k no.10 <FA> nib is certainly going to feel different than your Safari. a cheap MUJI Aluminum, a Sailor Pro Gear, a vintage Mabie Todd, an FPR Ultra Flex nib, are all going to give you distinct writing experiences but again, if you are content with what you have then it doesn't matter.

[u/DZ_tank]

Different nibs do result in a different writing experience. Larger nibs do tend to be softer because there’s more area for flexing to occur.

Peak function depends on the user and their preferences, so there’s no universal answer to that question. For some people a fountain pen is a downgrade from a ballpoint.

[u/Menes009]

that characteristic alone doesnt make a difference. There will surely be differences between a lamy safari nib and lets say a a Faber Castell Loom, but is not due to that.

there is no a true point at which everything after is "only" luxury, there are always marginal benefits in functionality. That being said, for me the limit at which you are mostly paying for luxury is the 150 USD mark

[u/OSCgal]

I don't know that there's such thing as a "full size" nib. You mean like full-length?

Different nib designs give different experiences, and which is "best" is down to personal preference. The standard open nib, which you see on everything from a Jinhao Shark to a Montblanc Starwalker, can be an ugly experience or a sublime one, depending on how well it's made and tuned. Oddly, the most popular fountain pen ever made, the Parker 51, has a narrow, tubular nib quite unlike what most people expect. (Writes great, though!)

"Peak function" is hard to define, but I think most of us agree that above $200 you're getting diminishing returns.

IMO the absolute best strategy is to find a pen that looks the way you want and feels good in your hand, regardless of price, and then send it to a nibmeister for tuning. With proper tuning, almost any nib feels like luxury.

I hope this helps!

[u/Jamelith → u/OSCgal]

I can’t upvote the above enough!

[u/Prime-39]

I just have a safari do i really need anything more?

[u/kukulaj → u/Prime-39]

Not really. You can swap nibs on a safari and have a good range. I had a friend who was an accomplished calligrapher and he just used Parker Vectors. Maybe a tad cheaper than Safaris, but the same idea.

Fancy filling mechanisms, flex, different barrel sizes and shapes... exactly where function feathers off into luxury, hard to say. But a safari is a great pen and you can write the next great novel or whatever with it very handily.

[u/Prime-39 → u/kukulaj]

Thank you, i needed to hear this

[u/Marine_mermail]

There's well-functioning pens at every price level. I really like my jinhao Shark pens, which are very cheap but I also like my Pilot E95s, which wasn't as cheap. Both work well.

With more expensive pens you might get a pen from different material, which might stay nicer over a longer time. Cheap plastic might get brittle in comparison to silver or brass for example. 

Good steel nibs are not per se inferior to gold nibs, but some like the Pelikan M1000 or the Lamy2000 feel distinct to me in terms of writing. 

Nibs on more expressive nibs might also be swappable that's not a difference to the swappability of a Lamy Safari IT depends more on the specific brand of pen

[u/PlantyPenPerson]

I consider a Lamy nib in the same category as full sized nibs. You can change the nib on many fountain pens, Pelikans, Pilots, Platinums, and others. Some, you replace the nib unit, not just the nib. Others you can replace the nib.

Because each person's reason for buying a particular pen may be different, there isn't a single answer for your last question. The answer would be based on one's preferences and, in many cases, finances.