Fountain Pen Review: 2024 Lamy Safari Special Edition Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry

2024 Lamy Safari Special Edition Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry

In the latter part of 2023, people started talking about the special edition Lamy Safaris for 2024. Some hoped for colored clear Safaris, and others wished for more pens in textured matte finish. In early January, photos of the two Lamy Safari pens for 2024 began showing up. There were mixed reactions to the new pens. Some did not believe the pens were real, others thought they were fake, and many did not like the design. Even I thought they looked like Safari frankenpens!

When Lamy formally announced the release of the two new Safaris, the pens became mostly anticipated, and everyone—including me—waited to get their hands on Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry, the 2024 Special Edition Lamy Safari pens.

Lamy Philippines promptly sent the fountain pens as soon as they received their stocks. Upon receiving the 2024 Safaris, I realized that they are beautiful and unique. It would be a huge loss not to include them in my collection. The two new fountain pens introduced this year have some unique features for the first time, such as different grip section colors, matching cap finials and section colors, matching inks, and labeled boxes!

Lamy Safari Pink Cliff in its pink-themed Lamy box.

Lamy Safari Violet Blackberry in the violet-themed Lamy box. Both fountain pens come with a Z28 Lamy ink converter and a T10 ink cartridge.

Lamy released the 2024 Special Edition Safari pair in packaging similar to that of previous years, such as Dark Lilac (2016), Petrol (2017), All Black (2018), Pastel (2019), Candy (2020), Origin (2021), and Strawberry and Cream (2022). The old, bulky plastic pen boxes are no longer used. Lamy now uses laminated cardboard boxes with the year's color theme, or a combination of gray and the pens' colors. The laminated pen box is enclosed in a plain white sleeve. This year, Lamy has added a small detail to the boxes that I really like — the boxes of the 2024 Safari pens are labeled with the pens' color models!

The 2024 Lamy Safari pen boxes are labeled! Neat! This helps a lot in organizing boxes and pens.

The Lamy Safari Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry are available as fountain pens, rollerball pens, and ballpoint pens. The fountain pens have the following measurements and specifications:

• Colors: Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry
• Material: ABS plastic
• Length, capped: 5.5 in | 14.6 cm
• Length, uncapped: 5 in | 13.2 cm
• Length, cap posted: 6.5 in | 16.5 cm
• Full pen weight: 15 g | 0.53 oz
• Cap: Snap-on, postable
• Clip material: Stainless steel
• Nib: Interchangeable nibs in Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, Kanji, or italics (1.1, 1.5, 1.9mm)
• Filling mechanism: Lamy T10 Giant ink cartridge or Lamy Z27 or Z28 ink converter

For the first time, the Special Edition Lamy Safari pens have different colors for the grip sections. Both sections have a textured matte finish.

The Lamy Safari is often considered a beginner or student fountain pen. The 2024 Special Edition includes two pens with different finishes. The Pink Cliff pen has a textured matte finish on the cap, section, and barrel, similar to the pens from 2020 (Violet, Aquamarine, and Mango), 2021 (Terra Red and Savannah Green), and 2022 (Strawberry and Cream). On the other hand, the Violet Blackberry pen has a glossy finish on the cap and barrel and a textured matte finish on the section. These pens are made from sturdy ABS plastic, which is the same material used in Lego blocks, keyboard keycaps, refrigerator walls, and the filament commonly used in 3D printers. The Lamy Safari was first introduced in the 1980 Frankfurt exhibition (read more in Lamy's Company History) and has been in regular production since then. Despite some fountain pen enthusiasts' low regard for this plastic pen, many fans around the world collect the Safari and its aluminum cousin, Lamy AL-star.

Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry come with matching black nibs and spring-loaded, oversized clips. These pens are reliable, sturdy, and durable workhorses. They feature ergonomically shaped sections or grip areas to ensure comfortable writing over long periods. In addition, the Lamy Safari's unique ink window allows you to see how much ink is left in the cartridge or converter.

Lamy Safari's iconic spring-loaded clips. This year's pens have black clips. Lamy has not released a special edition pen with a chrome clip since 2020.

The Safari's triangular section is ergonomically designed to make writing easier — it helps users get a firm and secure grip on the pen. An anti-slipping brake near the end of the section prevents a user’s fingers from slipping onto the nib while writing. Some people find the section's design uncomfortable, but I find it very helpful. 

Lamy Safari fountain pens are fitted with sturdy, long-lasting stainless nibs. These nibs are interchangeable for the Safari and for other Lamy fountain pens, which are very useful. A Safari fountain pen has the same feed and nib as those on the Vista, Al-Star, Joy, Nexx, and Studio.

Lamy Safari fountain pens are filled with ink using a converter or a T10 ink cartridge. The proprietary piston-operated Z28 converters are used to fill Lamy fountain pens with ink from a bottle and included in the box.

The medium nibs on the Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry wrote smoothly out of the box, and they are perfect for my thin-stick handwriting. 

I have been collecting Lamy Safari fountain pens for several years. Most special edition pens have the standard black textured matte cross finials, while the more unique ones have shiny dot-button finials (like the 2009 Pink and Creme Orange editions) or cross finials in the same colors as the pens (Aquamarine (2011), Green (2012), Pastel Collection (2019), and Candy (2020)). Some pens have finials that match the clip colors (Flame (2004), Blue and Red, a.k.a. the Superman Safari (2006), and Red Safari for China (2012)). However, the two pens for 2024 not only have different color sections, but their finials also match their grip sections.

The finials of Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry match the pens' sections.

Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry have matching colors for their sections and finials.

Lamy Pink Cliff has a textured matte blue-gray finish for the barrel and cap, with a matte pink for the section and cap finial. The nib and clip are black.

Lamy Violet Blackberry has a shiny dark purple finish for the barrel and cap and a light purple in matte finish for its section and cap finial. The nib and clip are black.

Pink and purple/violet Lamy Safaris and Al-stars, left to right: Powder Rose (2019), Light Rose (2023), Pink (2009), Vibrant Pink (2018), Black Purple (2009), Lilac (2023), Violet (2020), Dark Lilac (2016), Violet Blackberry (2024), Pink Cliff (2024), and Silver Blue (1997).

In previous years, Lamy has released inks to match their fountain pens. For most years, Lamy releases an ink to match a Safari and another one for the year's Al-star. This year, Lamy did something different by launching two matching ink colors for the Safari fountain pens for the first time. The Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry fountain pens have matching inks with the same names.

Pink Cliff—despite its name, this ink is actually a deep navy blue ink with medium shading. It has no shimmer but exhibits some copper sheen. Pink Cliff is not a heavily saturated ink, and I like how it wrote with the medium nib on my Pink Cliff. 

Pink Cliff ink to match Pink Cliff Safari. This ink is available in a T52 50ml bottle or a 5-pack T10 cartridges.

Pink Cliff is a deep navy blue ink with medium shading and no shimmer, but has some copper sheen.

Violet Blackberry is one of Lamy's two new inks for 2024. It is a deep purple-black ink with some shading. Similar to Pink Cliff, this ink does not contain any shimmer, but it dries with a beautiful gold sheen. It is not highly saturated and has a slightly wet flow, which provides a smooth writing experience with the medium nib in my Violet Blackberry pen.

Violet Blackberry ink and pen. This ink is also available in 50ml bottles and 5-pack T10 cartridges.

Violet Blackberry is a deep purple ink with some shading and a beautiful gold sheen.

Lamy inks through the years. 

Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry with beautiful copper and gold sheen.

This is my first fountain pen review in more than a year. I missed blogging and reviewing, but I couldn't do it for a long time while attending classes. In February, I underwent a scary medical procedure, and the love and care that my family and friends provided helped immensely in my healing and recovery. I am forever thankful to them, and I dedicate this comeback review to them. In my search for text to use in my writing sample, I focused on gratitude and came across this perfectly wonderful story of the two branches of gratitude.

What's good about the 2024 matching Lamy Safari and fountain pen inks? I didn't have to look hard for inks that would match the Safari fountain pens. The two Safaris wrote smoothly, without the nibs needing tuning or modifications. The Safaris are comfortable pens to use because they are made from lightweight material. I have not inked a Safari in a long time, and I'm glad I'm using them again. 

The two branches of gratitude—a beautiful story.

Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry pens are special edition pens for 2024. When stocks run out, Lamy will likely not produce them again. But these pens are still widely available, so you can still get them for your collection!

Rants of the Archer thanks Times Trading and Lamy Philippines for providing the Lamy Safari Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry fountain pens and inks for review purposes. Lamy Safari pens are widely available from reputable pen sellers worldwide. For a global search of Lamy sellers worldwide, follow this link. In the Philippines, Lamy pens, inks, and accessories are available from Times Trading Company, Lamy Philippines, the Lamy Concept Store in Makati, National Bookstore outlets, Scribe, and Everything Calligraphy.

For inquiries, visit the Lamy Philippines website (https://www.lamyphilippines.com/), email them at customerservice@lamyphillipines.com, or visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lamyph.

Fountain Pen Review: 2018 Special Edition Lamy Safari All Black

Lamy has completed its trio of matte-finish Safari pens with All Black in 2018. After launching Dark Lilac (2016) and Petrol (2017), Lamy added its darkest Safari to the limited/special edition pen series. Lamy's 2018 Safari pen is called All Black, and it has a black clip, nib, finial, and section/grip.

I have a fountain pen, but the All Black Safari collection also includes a rollerball and a ballpoint. In 2014/2015, when the neon Safari pens (Neon, Neon Lime, Neon Coral) were launched, Lamy started calling the year's Safari and AL-star pens as 'special edition' instead of 'limited edition.' The Safari and AL-star pens after that period were then called special edition pens. The Special Edition All Black Safari in this review is from Lamy's authorized and exclusive distributor in the Philippines, Times Trading Company.

All Black Safari fountain pen in its special edition box.
A T10 ink cartridge and a new Z28 converter are included in the box.

Lamy released the All Black Safari fountain pen in a packaging similar to that of the Dark Lilac (2016) and Petrol (2017). Instead of the old, bulky plastic pen box, Lamy now uses laminated cardboard boxes with the year's color theme for their special edition pens. The laminated pen box is enclosed in a plain white sleeve.

Last December, fans and fountain pen collectors waited for the 2018 Safari color with wild guesses on which color it would be. The wait seemed endless to some, but when Lamy finally announced that the 2018 Safari will be 'All Black,' mixed comments flooded fountain pen groups all over the world. I, too, was a bit baffled by Lamy's choice of color because there are two black Safari pens already -- Charcoal/Umbra and Shiny/Glossy Black. When I received the pen, I was surprised that the new All Black is unique and totally different from the previous two black pens. But, yes, it's ALL BLACK.

Lamy Safari is a student pen, often called 'starter pen' by fountain pen enthusiasts. The All Black Safari with its matte finish is still made from the sturdy ABS plastic – the same material used in Lego blocks, keyboard keycaps, refrigerator walls, and the filament commonly used in 3D printers. Designed by Wolfgang Fabian, the first Safari was presented during the 1980 Frankfurt exhibition (read more in Lamy's Company History) and has been in Lamy's regular production since then. Despite some fountain pen enthusiasts' low regard for this plastic pen, many fans around the world collect the Safari and its aluminum cousin, Lamy AL-star.

Some people dislike the Safari's triangular grip, saying it is uncomfortable and annoying. This feature, however, is designed to make writing easier — it helps users to get a firm and secure grip on their pen. An anti-slipping brake near the end of the section prevents a user’s fingers from slipping into the nib while writing. I do not find the triangular grip uncomfortable at all. I actually do not notice it when I'm using my Lamy fountain pens.

Lamy's interchangeable nibs are very useful. A Safari fountain pen uses the same feed and nib as those on the Vista, Al-Star, Joy, Nexx, and Studio. Due to the color difference, my nib options for the All Black is limited only to a broad nib from an older Safari. Safari fountain pens bought in the Philippines have medium nibs, but other nib sizes are available: extra-fine, fine, broad, and left-handed. The Safari can also be fitted with italic nibs ranging from 1.1mm to 1.9mm.

The anodized black nib of All Black Safari fountain pen writes smoothly out of the box.
The triangular grip is meant to help beginners, but some people find it uncomfortable.

All Black's finial (cap top) is the same as those installed in Dark Lilac and Petrol Safari fountain pens.

The All Black Safari's parts are barrel, section (grip + feed + nib), converter, and cap. The Z28 converter (a newer version of the Z24) was included in the box, together with a T10 ink cartridge. Safari fountain pens measure 5.5 inches when capped, 5 inches without the cap, and 6.5 inches if the cap is posted. It's a lightweight pen and can be used for extended periods of writing. The cap with the oversized clip is 2.5 inches long, the length from the nib to the converter is 4.6 inches, while the barrel measures about 3 inches.

The proprietary piston operated Z28 converters are used to fill Lamy fountain pens with ink from a bottle, but T10 Giant Ink cartridges are also available.

I had fun disassembling the All Black Safari and Z28 converter. I often do disassembly of my fountain pens to thoroughly clean the section, feed, and nib before inking/reinking.

All Black (top) and Charcoal/Umbra (bottom). Notice the difference in shade? All Black has a deeper, darker shade, while Charcoal/Umbra is lighter, looking almost gray in bright light.

Barrels of the All Black (top) and Charcoal/Umbra (bottom).

Even their nibs are different! The nib on All Black is darker than the one on Charcoal/Umbra.

Lamy introduced the Z28 converter in 2015/2016. I got the Petrol with a Z28 converter but did not write about it. The Z28 is an update to Lamy's Z24 converter. A proprietary converter, Z28 still got two nipples on either side for a secure fit inside the pen. See photos and captions below for more details about the Lamy Z28 converter.

The metal ring on Z28 (bottom) has changed to chrome matte finish, compared to the Z24's black finish. The new converter's tube is clear/transparent, while the previous one is frosted.

The Z28's turning knob is more square and matte finished. Also, the Lamy logo is now debossed on the Z28, while the logo on the Z24 is embossed.

The Z28's bottom is also different than the Z24's flat end.

The new trio of Lamy Safari fountain pens in matte finish: Dark Lilac (2016), Petrol (2017), and All Black (2018).

The medium nib on the All Black Safari writes smoothly out of the box. I inked it with Lamy Black ink. Lamy did not release a new ink this year as they already have a black ink in their collection.

Lamy Safari through the years.
Limited and special edition Safari fountain pens from 2008 Lime (topmost) to the 2018 All Black (bottom).

Similar to Dark Lilac and Petrol, the All Black Safari is a unique Safari. The dark color of this pen is eye-catching and a sure standout in any pen case. It's a different Lamy Safari, and another one to add on to my Lamy Safari collection.

The All Black Safari is a special edition pen, so you better get one now. It's almost sold out, and to date, Lamy will not be making this special edition pen anymore. Go get yourself one now!


Lamy Safari pens are widely available from pen sellers worldwide. For a global search of Lamy retailers, visit: http://www.lamy.com/content/find_a_retailer/index_eng.html.

In the Philippines, the All Black Safari (and other Lamy products) is exclusively distributed by Times Trading Company, and available in leading bookstores and stationery specialty stores nationwide.