Fountain Pens
LAMY Safari vs Pilot Metropolitan
The two pens most often recommended to beginners disagree about almost everything. Which one is right depends on your hand and your handwriting.
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These are the two pens that come up in every beginner discussion, and they are not variations on a theme. One is German, plastic, grades its nibs wide and tells you how to hold it. The other is Japanese, brass, grades its nibs narrow and leaves your grip alone. Choosing between them is genuinely a choice.
| LAMY Safari | Pilot Metropolitan | |
|---|---|---|
| Body | ABS plastic | Brass, painted |
| Grip | Molded triangular section — one hand position | Plain round section — any hand position |
| Nib grading | German: F is wider than a Japanese F | Japanese: F is close to a Western EF |
| Nib swappable | Yes, by hand, in seconds | No |
| Left-handed nib available | Yes | No |
| Cartridge | LAMY T10, proprietary | Pilot, proprietary |
| Converter | LAMY Z28, sold separately | Pilot CON-40, sold separately |
| In the box | One cartridge | One cartridge and a squeeze converter |
The grip decides it for most people
Everything else on that table is a preference. The grip is a constraint, and it is the only specification here that can make a pen unusable for a particular person.
The Safari's triangular section allows one hand position. If yours matches, the pen is a genuine teaching aid and the swappable nibs make it the more flexible purchase by a distance. If yours does not, no amount of practice will change a piece of molded plastic, and the Metropolitan's plain round section is the safe answer.
The nib width decides it for the rest
A Pilot Fine and a LAMY Fine are not the same width. Japanese grading runs about one step narrower, so a Pilot F lands close to where LAMY would put an EF. If you write small, or on thin paper, the Metropolitan gives you a cleaner line straight out of the box.
The counter-argument is that the Safari's nib comes off by hand, so a width you dislike is a cheap part rather than a wasted pen. That is a real advantage and it is why we rank the Safari highly despite the grip risk.
Quick picks
Ranked for the beginner buying their first setup. Every pick names who it is wrong for.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No image LAMY Safari A molded triangular grip forces the pen into the right position, which is either the best or the worst thing about it. | Learning a correct grip | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now. How this is funded |
| 2 | No image Pilot Metropolitan A brass-bodied pen with a nib far better than the price suggests, and the one most consistently handed to beginners. | The default first pen | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now. How this is funded |
1. Learning a correct grip
LAMY Safari
A molded triangular grip forces the pen into the right position, which is either the best or the worst thing about it.
#ad No live price right now. How this is funded
The grip section is the entire argument. It is molded into a triangle, so there is exactly one way to hold the pen, and it happens to be the way that keeps the nib flat against the paper. For someone who has spent twenty years white-knuckling a ballpoint, that is a genuine teaching aid.
It is also the reason some people hate it. If your natural grip is unusual, the Safari will fight you every time you pick it up, and no amount of practice makes a molded plastic triangle move.
Everything else about the pen is deliberately easy. The nib pulls off and pushes on by hand, so if you buy a Fine and want a Medium later, that is a five-dollar part rather than a new pen.
| Nib grades offered | Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, plus a dedicated left-hander nibSource: LAMY Safari, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Nib width in mm | Not published |
| Nib | Interchangeable steel nib unit — pulls off and swaps without toolsSource: LAMY Safari, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Filling | LAMY T10 proprietary cartridge, or the LAMY Z28 converterSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Body | ABS plastic with a molded triangular grip sectionSource: LAMY Safari, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
What it does well
- Swappable nib units mean one pen can change its line width
- A dedicated left-handed nib grade exists, which is rare
- Nearly indestructible plastic body
What it does not
- The triangular grip is not optional and does not suit every hand
- LAMY cartridges are proprietary — the Z28 converter is a separate buy
- German Fine is wider than a Japanese Fine, which surprises people
Skip this if you hold a pen unconventionally, or if your handwriting is small enough that a German Fine will fill in your loops.
2. The default first pen
Pilot Metropolitan
A brass-bodied pen with a nib far better than the price suggests, and the one most consistently handed to beginners.
#ad No live price right now. How this is funded
The brass body is the reason this pen feels like it costs more than it does. It gives the pen weight in the hand and a cold, solid grip section, which is the single thing most people notice moving up from a plastic school pen.
The nib is a Japanese Fine. That matters more than the letter suggests: Japanese grades run narrower than German ones, so a Pilot Fine lays a line closer to what a European maker would call extra fine. If you write small or on thin paper, that narrowness is doing you a favor.
The catch is filling. The Metropolitan takes Pilot's own cartridges, not the international standard ones every other brand shares, and the converter you need to use bottled ink is a separate purchase.
| Nib grades offered | Fine and Medium (stub also sold separately)Source: Pilot Metropolitan, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Nib width in mm | Not publishedPilot does not state a millimeter width for the Metropolitan nib in this listing. Japanese Fine runs narrower than a German Fine — see the nib size guide. |
| Body | Brass barrel, painted finishSource: Pilot Metropolitan, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Filling | Pilot proprietary cartridge, or a Pilot CON-40 / CON-70 converter (sold separately)Source: Pilot CON-40 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| In the box | Pen with one black ink cartridge and a squeeze converterSource: Pilot Metropolitan, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
What it does well
- Brass body at a plastic-pen price
- Japanese Fine nib puts down a narrow, controlled line
- Extremely widely stocked, so replacements and spares are easy
What it does not
- Proprietary Pilot cartridges, not the international standard
- Converter is sold separately
- The painted finish scuffs if you pocket-carry it with keys
Skip this if you want to use bottled ink on day one without a second purchase, or if you already know you prefer a broad, wet line.
Verdict by buyer
| If you are | Buy | Because |
|---|---|---|
| Converting from a ballpoint and gripping too hard | Safari | The section physically prevents the grip that causes the problem. |
| Writing small, or on office paper | Metropolitan | The Japanese Fine puts down less ink and stays sharper. |
| Unsure which nib width you want | Safari | Nib units swap by hand for a few dollars. |
| Left-handed | Safari | LAMY makes a dedicated left-hander nib grade; Pilot does not. |
| Buying a gift | Metropolitan | No imposed grip, and it looks like a serious object. |
| Wanting the pen to feel substantial | Metropolitan | Brass, against the Safari's plastic. |
What they have in common
Both use a proprietary cartridge, both need a brand-specific converter for bottled ink, and both are well made at their price. Neither will disappoint you on good paper. If you cannot decide, buy either and spend the difference on a notebook — that will change your experience more than the choice between these two.
Questions people actually ask
Is the LAMY Safari or Pilot Metropolitan better for beginners?
The Metropolitan is the safer default because it imposes nothing on your grip and its Japanese Fine nib copes better with ordinary paper. The Safari is the better choice if you want a fixed hand position or the ability to swap nib widths cheaply.
Is a LAMY Fine the same as a Pilot Fine?
No. LAMY grades to German conventions and Pilot to Japanese ones, so a Pilot Fine is roughly a LAMY Extra Fine. The nib size guide sets out the comparison.
Can I use the same ink cartridges in both?
No. Both use proprietary cartridges, and they are different from each other and from the international standard. Each also needs its own converter for bottled ink.
Which is better for left-handed writers?
The Safari, because LAMY makes a dedicated left-handed nib grade and Pilot does not. Pair it with a fast-drying ink — see inks for left-handers.