Lamy AL-Star Broken Feed

[Video11]

Greetings FPNers,

 

The feed on the Ocean Blue Lamy AL-Star that I purchased in January broke this week. One of the slotted sides of the feed where the nib slips on has fallen off, and on the other side is broken and ready to fall off. This means that the nib can no longer be attached to the feed. Difficult to describe so I took a picture.

 

I have already contacted Lamy and they will not warranty the feed but have offered to replace the feed and section for a nominal charge. I've never heard of this sort of problem with Lamy's and was wondering how common this is or if anyone else has had this happen?

 

Comment away.

 

Rick

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/2421320379_344314a40a.jpg

[Spats McGee]

I've had a Lamy Al-Star for ~10 years now and never had that problem. Granted, I only recently joined FPN, so I can't say whether this problem is common, only that I haven't had it.

 

Man, that stinks.

Edited April 17, 2008 by Spats McGee

[Philip1209]

I have several lamy safaris/al-stars and have not encountered this problem. I just thought i'd let you know that Lamy sells replacement sections of their pens (nib, body, cap) on their website, so you can buy just the nib section without going through customer service, if you want.

[succubus]

Greetings FPNers,

 

The feed on the Ocean Blue Lamy AL-Star that I purchased in January broke this week. One of the slotted sides of the feed where the nib slips on has fallen off, and on the other side is broken and ready to fall off. This means that the nib can no longer be attached to the feed. Difficult to describe so I took a picture.

 

I have already contacted Lamy and they will not warranty the feed but have offered to replace the feed and section for a nominal charge. I've never heard of this sort of problem with Lamy's and was wondering how common this is or if anyone else has had this happen?

 

Comment away.

 

Rick

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/2421320379_344314a40a.jpg

 

Ah, you too? I had bought a brand new Lamy Vista last month to try out some Baystate Blue, and after 4 days of light use (in my standard rotation of 7 pens) the nib flipped back like a dead toenail and the feed crumbled, while I was writing!

 

At first I thought it was the Bay State curse, so I inked my Prera with it, and the Prera's actually been working better than it had been. Having discovered it wasn't the ink, I shipped the whole thing to Lamy with a description of what happened. They replaced/repaired it right away - in a matter of days.

 

The new model has been fine, although I only have Herbin Vert Olive ink in it now, going to switch to Legal Blue later today.

[Video11]

... the nib flipped back like a dead toenail and the feed crumbled, while I was writing!

 

That's a great description of what happened. My nib flipped up in the middle of a sentence and I looked at the pen with what I am sure was a confused look. Pushed the nib back down and started writing again, and of course the nib just flipped back up. A closer look then revealed the broken feed.

 

The Lamy rep in Canada has shipped me the replacement section and feed, for $7.00, but says they have never heard of this problem and did not consider it a warranty issue. Interesting to hear that this has happened to at least one other Lamy.

 

Rick.

 

[James P]

I've seen at least 3 of these situations in the past month or two on Lamy pens using this common nib/feed. One involved a Safari and another a Studio. I believe it is a warranty issue and I have informed my Lamy USA rep about it, so the company should be aware of it. I've taken the matter into my own hands, offering complimentary replacements on pens purchased at the Pear Tree Pen Company, because this type of situation should not occur and if it does, the manufacturer or distributor should stand behind it.

 

James

[Video11]

Interesting to hear that there are other Lamy users who have experienced this problem. Also interesting that Lamy does not consider a feed breaking after two or three months a warranty issue.

 

And while Lamy does not consider this a warranty issue, Pear Tree Pens does. This pen was purchased from Pear Tree in January 2008 and after hearing that Lamy would not replace the broken feed James has graciously shipped me a replacement section/feed at no charge. Customer service like this will be rewarded many times over. I may never purchase another Lamy product, but I will purchase again from Pear Tree. Thanks James.

 

Rick.

[savarez]

I have several lamy safaris/al-stars and have not encountered this problem. I just thought i'd let you know that Lamy sells replacement sections of their pens (nib, body, cap) on their website, so you can buy just the nib section without going through customer service, if you want.

 

And inexpensive, too. Replacement nib units for the Al-Star are only $15.00.

http://lamyusa.com/alstar3.html

 

 

Edit: Awesome customer service as always, from Pear Tree. A good guy.

Edited April 19, 2008 by savarez

[Aimsport]

We love Lamy Safari pens and have plenty in use in this household. When testing Baystate Blue on a pair of Safari mediums, the nibs fell of shortly after the ink was loaded. The plastic seemed permeated with the ink.

 

Anyone else had this experience? We will NOT load it into any more Lamy Safaris.

 

Anyone using Baystate Blue in a Lamy Safari with success?

[Video11]

Interesting. My Al-Star with the broken feed also used Noodler's Baystate Blue. Coincidence?

 

Rick.

[succubus]

Well, with its happening to three of us so far, in the same way, perhaps it's beyond coincidence? This seems like a good poll topic.

 

edit: I was going to ask, when you first posted, if it were Bay State Blue on that tissue in the photo, but I thought that would be too much of a coincidence. :hmm1:

Edited April 24, 2008 by succubus

[Video11]

... This seems like a good poll topic.

 

 

[cmeisenzahl]

Sorry to read that.

 

But I suspect it's a fluke.

[Philip1209]

Dang! I feel right at home now! I've been using Baystate Blue in my Lamy Al-Star for about 48 hours and today, mid-sentence, the metal flipped up. The plastic thing that holds the nib down on the left side broke. That is so weird that it seems correlated to this ink-- I noticed a significantly larger ink flow using the Baystate Blue. Did everybody else? If the ink is the culprit, then it may be more viscous or have higher surface tension and therefore exerted enough pressure on the metal part of the nib to break the flimsy plastic holding it in place.

 

This is so weird! (and annoying!)

 

Heres the thread I started about my broken nib:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...mp;#entry590192

 

[flymark]

Well, with its happening to three of us so far, in the same way, perhaps it's beyond coincidence? This seems like a good poll topic.

 

edit: I was going to ask, when you first posted, if it were Bay State Blue on that tissue in the photo, but I thought that would be too much of a coincidence. :hmm1:

 

 

Make that an even four - or five, as I am now returning my second All-Star which was loaded with Baystate Blue back to Lamy. I too thought this was a coincidince; the first broken feed occured when I was switching nibs. The second, after I had ultrasounded the replacement feed and was replacing the nib. In both cases the pen was loaded with BayState Blue. Despite such a great color I will _not_ be risking its use in anymore pens. Two Lamy's destroyed and $7.50 x 2 is enough to teach me a lesson.

[succubus]

Despite such a great color I will _not_ be risking its use in anymore pens. Two Lamy's destroyed and $7.50 x 2 is enough to teach me a lesson.

 

Well, I have to say the Pilot Prera seems to like it, (although I would use it in a blue one to avoid staining,) if you 'd like another option. Or use it to refill Pilot Varsities. And with the Prera's fine nib, it gives you a finer line than the Lamy did. As soon as I used the Vista with Bay State, I'd wished I'd bought the EF instead of the F.

 

 

If this is becoming a "known issue" shouldn't it be made known? Are there any Lamy AL/Vista/Safari success stories with Bay State Blue?

[Philip1209]

Lamy has agreed to replace my broken nib section for me. Would you all suggest that I do not use Baystate Blue in the soon-to-be-repaired pen? Would I be fine if I purchased a different blue color of Lamy ink at a future time to use in it?

[Aimsport]

Make that an even four - or five, as I am now returning my second All-Star which was loaded with Baystate Blue back to Lamy. I too thought this was a coincidince; the first broken feed occured when I was switching nibs. The second, after I had ultrasounded the replacement feed and was replacing the nib. In both cases the pen was loaded with BayState Blue. Despite such a great color I will _not_ be risking its use in anymore pens. Two Lamy's destroyed and $7.50 x 2 is enough to teach me a lesson.

 

Make that five and six. Two Baystate Blue Lamy Safari nibs bent back like a broken nail. All other Safaris doing wonderfully.

[Philip1209]

What size nibs did everybody have on their broken pens? Mine was a fine point.

[ewdin]

Hmm, I guess it'd be best to keep it out of my Studio and only in my Heros for now.