I received a charcoal EF Lamy Al-Star in the mail this morning. This is my third fountain pen. The first was a Pilot Knight, the second a Danitrio Tactical pen in black lacquer. I really like the first two, but I wanted another pen for everyday carry. Enter the Al-Star. It seemed to fit the bill. It is inexpensive, made of metal (my favorite), and comes in fine and extra fine nibs. So I placed an order and patiently waited for it to arrive.

When I received it I was a little underwhelmed. I had seen pictures of the Al-Star before, but I wasn't quite prepared for its plainness. While the Knight is sleek, and the lacquered Tactical pen beautiful, the Al-Star is very industrial in its appearance. For a split second I considered exchanging it. This feeling did not last very long however as I immediately flushed it with some soapy water. I wanted an EDC, and writing quality, not appearance is paramount. I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed blue ink coming from the nib. It appears that this pen was tested at the factory, a welcome indication of quality control. After drying out I filled my new German pen with the only German ink I have, Pelikan Brilliant Black. I grabbed the nearest piece of paper and jotted down a few lines. I am glad that I didn't return the Al-Star as it is an excellent writer.

The Al-Star is now starting to grow on me. It fits my requirements for an EDC perfectly. Despite having a metal body the Al-Star is very light in weight, much lighter than either the Pilot Knight or the Danitrio Tactical pen. This Lamy also has a good-sized ink capacity, precluding the need to constantly refill it. This is a great pen, one that should be considered whenever someone asks for recommendations for starter pens.

Is there a charcoal AlStar ?? I thought they only came in graphite, blue, green and aluminium. Where did you find it? It must certainly be a very interesting pen, in a understated way...

regards,
Rique

Sorry about the confusion. The pen is the graphite color. I couldn't remember what it was called, so I just used the first color that came to mind. My mistake.

Glad you like the pen... for me, the looks are just perfect - modern, clean, industrial - nothing to suggest "oldness" or "outdated," two things commonly associated with FP's. And the graphite is just the perfect shade of grey for me!

I'm actually disappointed if I see blue ink coming out of a new pen :doh:

For me, I usually think that it was dip tested at the shop to other customers, not quality control tested at the factory But I'm referring to a pen bought at a Brick n Mortar shop...I don't know what the case is for online purchases

However, if you're happy with how it writes, it doesn't matter