Which Lamy Converter, Nib or Cartridge Do You Actually Need?

A few weeks ago a fellow walked up to the counter holding a brand-new red Lamy Safari, turned it over in his hand, and asked me the question I hear more than almost any other: "So... which converter do I buy for this thing?" He'd already looked it up, found four part numbers, and given up. I told him the same thing I'll tell you here. For that Safari, you want the Z28. Done. Easy.

The trouble is that Lamy makes a handful of converters, a whole family of swappable nibs, and a proprietary cartridge, and the part numbers (Z28, Z24, Z26, Z27, Z50, T10) read like a hardware catalogue. By the end of this guide you'll know exactly what your Lamy needs, whether you've got a Safari, a Studio, or the famous Lamy 2000. No part-number anxiety required.

Converters: the Z28 is the one most people need

If you have a plastic-body Lamy, you want the Lamy Z28 converter. It's the current piston converter, and it fits the Safari, Al-Star, Vista, Joy, Nexx, and LX. A converter is just a refillable reservoir that screws into the pen where a cartridge would go, so you can fill from a bottle instead. Twist the knob, draw the ink up, wipe the nib, and you're writing.

These are the pens most people are holding when they ask me this question, so the Z28 is the answer about nine times out of ten. It's also the one I keep stacked by the till for exactly that reason. (If you're still deciding between the two most popular ones, my Safari vs Al-Star write-up walks through that, and both take the same Z28 either way.)

If you've got an older converter that says Z24, don't panic and don't replace it. The Z24 is the previous generation of the same converter, with a small grip ring around the body, and it fits the same plastic pens. Z28 is simply the current version. A working Z24 is a working converter.

The metal-body Lamy pens are the trap. The Z26 and Z27 are for pens like the Studio, Aion, Scala, Accent, and Logo, and a Z28 is not the right call for those. If you have a metal Lamy, reach for the Z26/Z27 instead. When I'm not certain which metal pen someone has in front of me, I'd rather check the model than guess, because the fit between the two families isn't interchangeable.

Then there's the pen that takes no converter at all. The Lamy 2000 is a piston filler, which means the filling mechanism is built into the barrel and it draws ink directly from a bottle. No converter, no cartridge. People ask me for "the 2000 converter" all the time, and the honest answer is that it doesn't exist, because the pen doesn't need one.

Which converter fits my Lamy

If your model isn't on this list, check the body material first: plastic points you to the Z28, metal points you to the Z26/Z27. When in doubt, send me a photo and I'll tell you which one.

Cartridges vs bottled ink: T10 or a converter and a bottle

If you want the tidiest, most travel-friendly option, use Lamy T10 cartridges. They're Lamy's proprietary cartridge, hold about 1.15 ml each, and fit every Lamy cartridge/converter fountain pen: Safari, Al-Star, Vista, Joy, and the rest. You push one into the back of the section, give it a moment, and you're writing. No bottle, no mess, nothing to spill in a bag.

Here's the warning I give every new owner: only Lamy cartridges fit Lamy pens. They are proprietary, not the standard international size, so the Parker or Waterman cartridges from the office-supply shop won't seat properly. I've had customers come in frustrated that a "universal" cartridge wouldn't work, and that's why. Stick with T10 and you'll never have that problem.

A converter plus a bottle is the better choice if you care about colour and cost. With a converter you can fill from any bottled fountain pen ink, which opens up hundreds of colours instead of the cartridge range, and it's cheaper per fill. A bottle like the Lamy T52 (50 ml) or the faceted T53 crystal bottle lasts a very long time, and the cost per millilitre drops well below cartridges once you're refilling from a bottle. My own everyday Safari runs on a converter and a bottle for exactly this reason.

The honest middle ground: keep a converter at home for your favourite bottled colour, and keep a couple of T10 cartridges in your bag for travel. That's what I do, and it covers both situations without committing to one.

Nibs: the Z50 system, and how to swap one yourself

Most Lamy fountain pens use the Z50 steel nib unit, an interchangeable nib that you can swap by hand in seconds. The Lamy spare nibs (the Z50) fit the Safari, Al-Star, Vista, Joy, Nexx, LX, and the steel-nib Studio and Aion. This is one of my favourite things about Lamy: you're not stuck with the nib your pen came with.

The standard sizes are EF (extra fine), F (fine), M (medium), and B (broad). On top of those, Lamy makes 1.1 and 1.5 italic nibs for a bit of line variation, and an LH (left-hand) nib designed for lefties who push the pen rather than pull it. One thing worth knowing before you order: Lamy is a German brand, and German nibs tend to run a touch broader than Japanese nibs of the same letter. So a Lamy M lays down a slightly wetter, wider line than, say, a Pilot M.

Swapping a Z50 yourself is genuinely a ten-second job. Take a small strip of tape or a piece of the plastic packaging the nib came in, press it over the top of the nib for grip, and pull the nib straight off the feed. Then line up the new nib's underside channel with the feed and push it on until it seats. That's it. No tools, no screwing, no shipping your pen anywhere. I'll happily demo it at the counter if you've never done it.

The exception, as always, is the Lamy 2000. It doesn't use a Z50. It has an integrated 14k gold nib that's matched to the pen, so it isn't a pop-off swap like the steel pens. If you need a replacement, you're looking at the Lamy 2000's 14k nib specifically, and fitting it is a more involved job than the steel units. For the gold-nib 2000, I'd rather you bring it in than wrestle with it at home.

What do I actually need? A quick recap

By pen:

• Safari, Al-Star, Vista, Joy, Nexx, LX: Z28 converter or T10 cartridges, and Z50 spare nibs in whatever size you like.
• Studio, Aion, Scala, Accent, Logo (metal-body): Z26/Z27 converter or T10 cartridges; the steel-nib versions take Z50 nibs.
• Lamy 2000: no converter, no cartridge, no Z50 nib. It's a piston filler with an integrated 14k gold nib.

By goal:

• Cheapest, no fuss: a few packs of T10 cartridges.
• More colours, lower cost over time: a converter plus a bottle of ink.
• Change your line width: Z50 spare nibs (start with EF or F if you write small, M or B if you like a bold line).
• A bit of flair: a 1.1 or 1.5 italic Z50 nib.

If you want to see the whole family in one place, the Lamy pens and accessories collection has the converters, cartridges, nibs, and bottles together so you can match parts to your pen.

FAQ

1. Which converter does my Lamy Safari use?

The Lamy Safari uses the Z28 converter. The Z28 also fits the Al-Star, Vista, Joy, Nexx, and LX. If you have an older Z24 converter, it works in the Safari too.

2. Can I change my Lamy nib myself?

Yes. On the Safari, Al-Star, and most steel-nib Lamy pens, the Z50 nib pulls straight off the feed by hand and a new one pushes on, no tools needed. Grip the nib with a bit of tape for traction, pull it off, and seat the replacement.

3. Do Lamy fountain pens use cartridges or a converter?

Most Lamy fountain pens take both. They come ready for the proprietary T10 cartridge, and you can swap in a Z28 (or Z26/Z27 for metal pens) converter to fill from a bottle instead. The Lamy 2000 is the exception: it's a piston filler that uses neither.

4. What's the difference between the Z24 and Z28?

They're the same converter for the same pens, just different generations. The Z24 is the older version with a grip ring; the Z28 is the current one. Both fit the plastic-body pens like the Safari and Al-Star, so a working Z24 doesn't need replacing.

5. Does the Lamy 2000 take a converter?

No. The Lamy 2000 is a piston filler that draws ink directly from a bottle, so it uses no converter and no cartridge. It also has an integrated 14k gold nib rather than a swappable steel unit.

6. What nib size should I choose?

Choose EF or F if you write small, take a lot of notes, or use thinner paper that feathers. Choose M or B for a smoother, bolder line and signatures. Keep in mind Lamy's German nibs run a little broader than Japanese nibs of the same letter, so a Lamy M is on the wetter, wider side.

Come see for yourself

If you're still not sure which part your Lamy needs, that's exactly the kind of thing I love sorting out. Bring the pen by the shop and we'll match it to the right converter, cartridge, or nib together, and I'll show you the ten-second nib swap so you can do it yourself next time. Not local? Send me a photo of your pen and I'll point you to the right part. New owners and seasoned collectors are equally welcome, and there's never a wrong question here.

Happy writing,

Salome