Fountain pens · owner-verdict comparison

Lamy Safari vs TWSBI Diamond 580: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the TWSBI Diamond 580: 77% of 394 owners recommend it, vs 69% of 386 for the Lamy Safari.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Lamy Safari

69%of 386 owners recommend
69% recommend · 10% neutral · 21% don't
Owners praise
  • Excellent value, quality writer for the price
  • Smooth, reliable nib that rarely skips
  • Durable, near-indestructible workhorse that lasts decades
Owners complain about
  • Nib quality is inconsistent, dry or scratchy
  • Triangular grip section uncomfortable for many
Full owner report →

TWSBI Diamond 580

77%of 394 owners recommend
77% recommend · 13% neutral · 10% don't
Owners praise
  • Writes great right out of the box
  • Holds tons of ink, easy piston filling
  • Durable and crack-free even with heavy use
Owners complain about
  • Nib dries out and skips during long writing
  • Barrel and threads crack or break
  • Plastic connector chips from the metal wrench
Full owner report →

What Lamy Safari owners say

“Nothing has changed which speaks for its quality.”
— @SaraX2024 on YouTube
“I think the thing is built like a tank.”
— @AndreasPinkert on YouTube
“they would always bust ink everywhere in my pockets or worse your school bag”
— @philipwillingham5950 on YouTube

What TWSBI Diamond 580 owners say

“TWSBI is the only pen I own that you can set aside for months, pick up and use without issues. They are airtight beyond imagination.”
— @Erin-Thor on YouTube
“I love them both.”
— @ShariArts on YouTube
“I vastly prefer my ECO to the 580. I ended up selling the latter, it just didn't feel or write as well, but the ECO just feels right and doesn't lose anything if you ask me!”
— @markdryden8240 on YouTube