Which Inks Do You Use In Your Al-Star/safari?

[uceroy]

I'm curious whick inks you use in your Lamy AL-stars and safaris.

I currently have mine filled with Noodler's, but don't really like how they write, most feel fairly dry.😥

I have 5 AL-stars, 1x fine, 1x broad, the others have medium sized nibs.

 

I've tweaked around with two of the pens, but it has only improved them a little. I've also diluted one of the inks i side the converter, but I prefer the darker color of the pure ink. 🤔

 

If it's not the ink.. What else could I try?

I did flush them (using the converter, roughly 4-5 times). Or would it help to soak them? I'm fairly new at this, but as it is now I prefer using my Platinum pens since they write wetter. 🤔

Edited November 16, 2018 by uceroy

[tamiya]

New Lamys usually get a good degreasing then they're flossed & adjusted till they write how I like them.

 

Most of them usually filled with inks from Lamy, Iroshizuku or Visconti... plus one used for green Quink.

[Carrau]

I’ve had a Safari inked with Noodler’s Blue-Black continuously for the past three years. It sometimes goes 3 weeks without use, and starts up immediately with no problems. Another Safari I’ve had inked with Pilot Blue-Black for the past 6 months, getting used hard for one day a week. Again, no issues with this ink in the Safari, resting for a week at a time.

[uceroy]

Thank you for the replies ☺ I think I'll flush and soak mine, and try the Noodler's again. One seems to behave a bit better already, so maybe it is some manufacturing residue left over after all.

[1nkulus]

No issues with Noodler's in any of my Lamy pens. Just give them a thorough soak and clean regularly.

[tamiya]

Thank you for the replies ☺ I think I'll flush and soak mine, and try the Noodler's again. One seems to behave a bit better already, so maybe it is some manufacturing residue left over after all.

You say you've flushed, what with - just water?

I degrease with a warm dilute solution of dishdrops and a splash of Windex (ammonia glass cleaner).

 

If I'm doing a bulk lot I might strip them all down to nib/feed/grip then soak them in an ultrasonic machine.

 

If it's just one I might fill converter with the fluid then stand it up in a cup with nib resting on absorbent paper, let it wick out. Or if it's just "another Alstar/Safari" I might grab an already-cleaned nib & feed from the job lot done earlier and use that instead.

[1nkulus]

You say you've flushed, what with - just water?

I degrease with a warm dilute solution of dishdrops and a splash of Windex (ammonia glass cleaner).

 

If I'm doing a bulk lot I might strip them all down to nib/feed/grip then soak them in an ultrasonic machine.

+1

 

Or if it's just "another Alstar/Safari" I might grab an already-cleaned nib & feed from the job lot done earlier and use that instead.

 

[bogiesan]

Sheaffer, Diamine, Mont Blanc, Herbin.

Edited November 17, 2018 by bogiesan

[Glenn-SC]

I use anything except Noodlers in my Lamys.

[BaronWulfraed]

The Al-Star gets fed with mundane/boring Lamy cartridges. The pen lives in a cheap folio that mostly only comes out when I'm doing big-ticket purchasing (or other "business") where I might scrawl notes.

 

As a result -- I often find I have to put a new cartridge into it before use, as the previous one has evaporated. I don't feel it is justified to fill via converter vs carrying a spare cartridge.

 

The high end Lamy's get whatever bottle catches my eye (when they get back into rotation -- I'm at the point where rotating two pens a week will take just over a year to cycle; but normally I go a month or more before having to refill a pen, and I'm too stingy to flush that much ink down the drain)

[uceroy]

You say you've flushed, what with - just water?

I degrease with a warm dilute solution of dishdrops and a splash of Windex (ammonia glass cleaner).

 

If I'm doing a bulk lot I might strip them all down to nib/feed/grip then soak them in an ultrasonic machine.

 

If it's just one I might fill converter with the fluid then stand it up in a cup with nib resting on absorbent paper, let it wick out. Or if it's just "another Alstar/Safari" I might grab an already-cleaned nib & feed from the job lot done earlier and use that instead.

I've used water with a bit of dishwashing liquid.

I think I'll try to dissassemble to properly clean the nib and feed next time I refill or change inks.

For now my AL-stars seem to work OK on more absorbent paper (a cheaper notebook instead of my Rhodia pad).

[amberleadavis]

I'd check to see if you have any bubbles in the converters - and I'd check to see if your nib is seated properly.

[hbdk]

Safaris/Vistas/AL-stars will usually write with any ink that you throw at them, so yes - a good cleaning is recommended.

 

If you take them apart, be careful when you reinsert the feeder; it has to be done very precisely with the upper slit right between the 2 finger rests. Otherwise the feeder might get stuck and break (ask me how I know...).

 

That being said, I use Diamine, Aurora, Iroshizuku, Parker inks in my LAMYs and my Vista has been loaded with Platinum Carbon ink for 2 months now - no problems at all.

[tamiya]

I've used water with a bit of dishwashing liquid.

I think I'll try to dissassemble to properly clean the nib and feed next time I refill or change inks.

For now my AL-stars seem to work OK on more absorbent paper (a cheaper notebook instead of my Rhodia pad).

If memory suffices, the plastic feed is of 2 parts - the main frilly big bit that goes all the way, and a smaller little insert that looks like a matchstick that's stuffed into the big bit. You want to degrease every surface on both parts, especially the twin capillaries which make the ink's highway.

 

Also are you filling by drawing bottled ink thru the feed, or using only cartridges (&/or filling converters before plugging them into section)... drawing ink thru feed does a better job of priming a new pen IMHO.

 

Lamy nibs clip onto feed quite securely, but the airgap at the top of the arch (at hole & slit) between nib & feed can differ between feeds/nibs/placement. Too wide or too narrow writes dry. Sometimes I have to yank off the nib to do some panelbeating to get it writing wetter.

[RMN]

Fountain pen inks....

 

 

D.ick

[Struebs]

Anything but Noodlers Baystate Blue. My white safari hasnt forgiven me yet for the last time.

[uceroy]

Anything but Noodlers Baystate Blue. My white safari hasnt forgiven me yet for the last time.

I actually have a bottle of BSB.. (ordered it and then read about the troubles.. 😂)

Which pen do you use it in?

[Mongoosey]

I had the same problems with my Safari's/Al star.

 

They are dry writers.

 

I really liked them, but had to leave them behind.

 

But if you absolutely feel like you want to stay with them you're going to have to find some good flowing, wet, lubricating inks.

 

I did have some success with Noodler's Heart of Darkness with my Safari. Other Inks that flow as well and add lubrication are Kobe #51 and Pen Saijiki Jakujoya.

 

If you have that many low end pens, maybe saving up and getting a better flowing higher quality pen might be a way to go. For Example, the Lamy 2k is a wet pen compared to the Safari.

[Glenn-SC]

One can speak generally but, like people, all pens are individuals.

My Safaris are not particularly or specifically "dry" writers, some are quite wet.

I don't use specifically "wetter" inks in them to make them write well.

[Mongoosey]

One can speak generally but, like people, all pens are individuals.

My Safaris are not particularly or specifically "dry" writers, some are quite wet.

I don't use specifically "wetter" inks in them to make them write well.

That's fine.

 

Through the trouble shooting of a dry pen:

1. Clean the feed and converter.
2. Adjust nib to ensure tines have slight opening at the tipping. Not too much or it will be a feedbacky regretful mess.
3. Alternate nibs/feeds with the Safari: Lamy safari pens can have a variance in how well the nibs fit the feed giving varied writing experiences. I've experience nibs that fit very loosely and others that fit tightly, but sometimes write poorly despite #1 and #2 steps being fulfilled. I have found them less reliable than other pens, for example: ones that use Jowo nib units.
4. If the pen is in working order, then the ink needs to be addressed.

The OP mentioned the use of Noodler's inks, and they can vary tremendously, not just by individual type, but by batch. Lamy's are not wet pens and they do run on the drier side of wetness more often than other pens I've used, so they are more prone to flow issues with inks that may be temperamental.

 

I generally find Lamy Safari's to be on the drier side. They do have good inkflow that's consistent, but they are drier IME and I've gone through plenty of safari's with similar experiences as the OP.

 

My suggestion: if a sample of a wetter ink (I don't recommend going out and buying a bottle, but it's worth trying a wet ink if the pen has been troubleshooted through) doesn't suffice, don't waste anymore money and get a wetter pen. There are plenty of pens that do generally have a wetter inkflow.