LAMY Z28 Converter: Fit, Capacity & How to Fill
The LAMY Z28 is a twist-piston converter that lets LAMY's plastic pens, such as the safari, AL-star and vista, fill from a bottle instead of T10 cartridges. LAMY lists it at 72 mm long and about 2 g. It holds roughly 0.8 ml, has two guide lugs that lock into the pen's grip, and is made in Germany.
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Product facts
- Product
- LAMY Z 28 converter, red (item 1324763)
- Brand
- LAMY
- Brand origin
- Germany
- Made in
- Germany*
- Material
- Plastic reservoir and piston with a metal band
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per item
Notes on these facts
- Made by C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg (part of Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.). Made in Germany: LAMY's own Z 28 product listing (Ireland storefront) describes it as "Made in Germany", and LAMY's site says Heidelberg has been its only production site since 1930. LAMY's India product page, which gave Germany as the country of origin, has since been taken down. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- LAMY lists the Z28 at 8 × 8 × 72 mm (2.8 in long) and about 2 g.
- Goulet Pens and Unsharpen put its ink capacity at about 0.8 ml, double the 0.4 ml Unsharpen lists for the Pilot CON-40.
- LAMY's German site lists it for 8 LAMY pens: abc, safari, vista, joy, AL-star, Lx, nexx and nexx M, at €5.90 (about US$6.60).
- Two guide lugs on the front lock into notches in those pens' grips; the black Z27 has no lugs.
- LAMY's own Z 28 listing says "Made in Germany", and LAMY says Heidelberg is its only production site.
What is the LAMY Z28 converter?
It’s a small twist-piston reservoir that replaces a cartridge, so a LAMY fountain pen can fill from a bottle of ink. You turn the red knob to draw the piston back and pull ink up through the pen’s nib and feed.
It’s the converter for LAMY’s plastic and aluminium pens, above all the LAMY safari, a common first fountain pen in the US. It also fits the aluminium LAMY AL-star. LAMY’s German shop lists it at €5.90 (about US$6.60) and its US shop at US$6.00.
LAMY Z28 specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg (Germany) |
| Model | Z 28, red; item 1324763 (Germany), 11324763 (LAMY US); EAN 4014519661313 |
| Type | Twist piston converter |
| Size | 8 × 8 × 72 mm (about 2.8 in long), per LAMY |
| Weight | About 2 g (LAMY) |
| Capacity | About 0.8 ml (Goulet Pens, Unsharpen) |
| Fits | abc, safari, vista, joy, AL-star, Lx, nexx, nexx M (LAMY) |
| Price band | $$ ($5–20 per converter) |
| German list price | €5.90 (about US$6.60) |
| Made in | Germany (LAMY) |
Size, weight, fit and price come from LAMY’s German shop; LAMY doesn’t state a capacity in the sources we found.
Which pens does the Z28 fit, and why?
It fits LAMY’s pens with notched grips: LAMY lists the abc, safari, vista, joy, AL-star, Lx, nexx and nexx M. Two small guide lugs on the Z28’s front slot into those notches, so the converter sits square and doesn’t wobble when you twist the knob.
That also means it won’t seat in pens without the notches. Unsharpen notes that the lugs limit it to safari-style pens, while the lug-free black Z27 is the more universal converter. The LAMY 2000 is a built-in piston filler and takes no converter at all.
How much ink does it hold?
About 0.8 ml, according to Goulet Pens’ Z28 listing and Unsharpen. That is roughly double the 0.4 ml Unsharpen gives for the Pilot CON-40 twist converter used in the Pilot Metropolitan.
Goulet’s LAMY pen pages print a higher converter figure, and LAMY doesn’t publish one, so treat 0.8 ml as an estimate. Either way, it holds less than a piston-filler such as the TWSBI ECO, at about 1.76 ml.
Z28, Z27 or Z24: what’s the difference?
The red Z28 has guide lugs, the black Z27 doesn’t, and the Z24 is the Z28’s old name.
| Z28 | Z27 | Z24 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knob color | Red | Black | Sources differ |
| Guide lugs | Yes | No | Yes |
| Fits | Notched-grip LAMY pens | Most LAMY cartridge pens | Same as Z28 |
| Status | Current | Current | Replaced around 2016–17 |
Goulet says the converters were renamed in a small 2016 redesign that added a metal band and a clearer reservoir; Unsharpen dates the Z24-to-Z28 change to 2017. Goulet also says any pen that takes a Z28 also takes a Z27, though LAMY packs the Z27 with its metal pens.
How do you fill and clean it?
Push it onto the grip, dip the nib, and twist the knob back. Line the lugs up with the notches before you press it home.
- Twist the knob forward so the piston is at the front.
- Dip the whole nib into the ink, past the breather hole.
- Twist back slowly to fill, then forward a little to push out a few drops and air bubbles.
- Wipe the nib and section.
To clean it, flush water through it the same way until it runs clear, cycling the piston a few times so no ink stays behind it.
Is it worth buying?
Yes, if you want bottled ink in a safari or AL-star. The Z28 costs about the same as a few packs of T10 cartridges, and bottles give you far more colors than LAMY’s cartridge range.
For a document-safe black, a 3 oz bottle of Noodler’s Black holds roughly 110 Z28 fills.
If you only use one ink and want the most ink per fill, cartridges are simpler. Keep a blunt syringe in mind too: many people refill empty T10 cartridges from a bottle.
Where is the LAMY Z28 made?
In Germany, per LAMY. LAMY’s own Z 28 listing calls it “Made in Germany”, and LAMY’s site says Heidelberg has been its only production site since the company was founded in 1930.
LAMY has been owned by Mitsubishi Pencil, the Japanese maker of uni-ball pens, since 2024. We didn’t find a first release date for the Z28 itself.
Frequently asked questions
Which LAMY pens does the Z28 converter fit?
LAMY lists the abc, safari, vista, joy, AL-star, Lx, nexx and nexx M. They all have notches in the grip that take the Z28's two guide lugs.
How much ink does the LAMY Z28 hold?
About 0.8 ml, per Goulet Pens' Z28 listing and Unsharpen. LAMY doesn't publish a capacity, and Goulet's LAMY pen pages give a higher converter figure (1.08 ml), so expect somewhere around 0.8 to 1 ml.
What's the difference between the LAMY Z28 and Z27?
The red Z28 has two guide lugs for the notched grips of LAMY's plastic pens; the black Z27 has no lugs and is the converter LAMY packs with its metal pens. Goulet says any pen that takes a Z28 also takes a Z27.
Is the Z28 the same as the Z24?
Effectively, yes. Goulet says the Z24 was renamed Z28 in a small 2016 redesign that added a metal band and a clearer reservoir; Unsharpen dates the change to 2017. Both fit the same pens.
Does the LAMY safari come with a converter?
Usually not. The safari normally ships with a T10 cartridge, and the Z28 is sold separately for bottled ink.
How do you fill a LAMY Z28 converter?
Push it onto the pen's grip section, lining the lugs up with the notches, dip the nib into the ink, and turn the red knob to draw the piston back. Turn it forward a little to push out a few drops and air, then draw up again.
Where is the LAMY Z28 made?
In Germany: LAMY's own listing calls it "Made in Germany", and LAMY says it produces only in Heidelberg. LAMY has been part of Mitsubishi Pencil since 2024.
Sources
- LAMY (Germany): LAMY Z 28 Konverter (converter: €5.90, fits abc, safari, vista, joy, AL-star, Lx, nexx, nexx M; 8 × 8 × 72 mm, 2 g, article 1324763)
- LAMY (US): Z 28 converter red (item 11324763, EAN 4014519661313, US$6.00)
- LAMY (Ireland): Z 28 converter (compatible pens; 8 × 8 × 72 mm, 2 g; Made in Germany; Heidelberg its only production site)
- Goulet Pens: LAMY Z27 & Z28 converters, what's the difference?
- Goulet Pens: LAMY Z28 cartridge converter (0.8 ml)
- Unsharpen: LAMY Z28 fountain pen converter (0.8 ml; replaced the Z24 in 2017)
- Unsharpen: Which LAMY fountain pen converter do I want?
- Larry Post: LAMY Z28 red converter for safari, nexx, AL-star, joy
- Walmart: LAMY Z28 fountain pen piston converter