Lamy Al-star Triangular Grip

[TangleCrafts]

I'll be honest, I have never been drawn to the design of this pen. It looks clunky; I don't like it. But I want a reasonably priced pen with an italic nib, and I do like the new Coffee and Purple colourways, so I have been considering whether to reconsider my aversion to its styling.

 

I currently have a Pelikan Script (1mm nib) and I really like the effect it has on my handwriting BUT it is very uncomfortable (to the point of having to stop writing) after more than a few pages. So I'm seeking an alternative. The AL-star seemed a likely candidate, as despite my, um, 'reservations' about its appearance, the general consensus seems to be that it is a good, reliable writer. Today, though, I have read some reviews commenting on its awkward triangular grip. And given that my reason for looking for a new italic nibbed pen was because of problems with the Pelikan's uncomfortable grip, I'm now wondering if I should reconsider my reconsideration of the AL-star...

 

Any comments on the comfort/usability of the AL-star, or any suggestions for an alternative in similar price range are much appreciated. Thank you!

[Silvermink]

I find it reasonably comfortable, but you might not if you don't have a standard "tripod" grip.

[irbyls]

My boyfriend loves the triangular grip; my AL-Star is the only FP he will even touch. I, on the other hand, have a caveman's fist way of holding a pen, so I don't like it as much. You should try one out first.

[dnb]

The answer will be based on your body mechanics. I have a Lamy Joy with that grip. My finger always ends up on top of the pen on the flat between the facets. Unfortunately, you cannot rotate the nib. So, what I did was to buy a Lamy Studio and swap nibs. Now I don't sweat the uncomfortable positioning.

I did buy an Omas 360 which is completely triangular, but had the nib repositioned for comfort and it is one of my best.

The Lamy nibs are very good writers and become even smoother with use.

[dexaco]

 I have mixed feelings about the triangular grip, as it doesn't really suit my lefty underwriter style. That said, although I don't have an Al-Star, I do have four Safaris with the same grip. I sanded the sharp corners of the grips off. More comfortable that way. But there's another solution if you want to try the Lamy italic nib. Get a nexx or a nexx M. Similar pricing, but on the nexx models, the triangular grip is slightly fatter and rubberised. More comfortable, to me at least, and the nexx takes the same nibs as the Safari, Vista and Al-Star. Down side is they're even uglier!

 

Derick

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have a Joy, and a Parker 75, and it don't take but two minutes to learn how to place your finger on top of the barrel. That automatically drops your thumb back up the pen, and drops the barrel into the web of your thumb.

 

 

You can try that with your Pelikan script; which I don't have.

 

I switch between a pinch and forefinger up with out much thought now....but like I said it took me a long time to learn the forefinger up method, which is a much lighter grip.....a whole two minutes.

I find that having two ways to grip a pen an advantage.

[KeweenawArchive]

I carry a few AL-Star pens, and I thought I would rather dislike it at first, as I tend to hold a pen as though it were slid through a closed fist. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to write with. Much more comfortable than I thought, and I'm not saying that just because I sell a few of them (I couldn't hold the Accent comfortably to save my life). It won't set you back too far to find out, at least.

[Pippin60]

I find it reasonably comfortable, but you might not if you don't have a standard "tripod" grip.

 

Same here, I hold my pens in the grip the sisters taught me to hold them ....fear the ruler......

[Rev. Nathan]

I'm a lefty and I like it. With circular pens (like my Parker "51"), I sort of "fumble" around to get the nib facing the way I want it to, but with the triangular "saddle" of my Safari, I can sort of "snap" right into position. Not a deal breaker for me, but not one thing that effects my pen decision in either way.

[Spector]

has anyone ever tried sanding the sharp edges on the safari?

[TangleCrafts]

Thanks for your input, everyone :-).

 

Hmm, I think given that I was only really sold on the colour of this pen to begin with, I will avoid it, as I don't think I am going to get on with this kind of grip.

 

"Get a nexx or a nexx M. Similar pricing, but on the nexx models, the triangular grip is slightly fatter and rubberised. More comfortable, to me at least, and the nexx takes the same nibs as the Safari, Vista and Al-Star. Down side is they're even uglier!"

 

- Derick, thanks for this suggestion. It's one I had toyed with already, then put aside when I saw the new AL-star colours. The Nexx, as you say, is still not a very inspiring design, but the main thing is that it has the more comfortable grip section, and will allow me to test out the Lamy italic nib. I will probably go for this, although I am slightly sad not to get the more interestingly coloured pen... Oh well! At least it is a good few £s cheaper than the AL-star, which means I can order more inks to play with, simultaneously... :-D

 

Does anyone have any experience of the Parker calligraphy nibs? I have an old Vector calligraphy set minus the actual pen, and heard that the nibs are interchangeable with the Parker Reflex and Profile. I don't like any of the Vector barrels I have seen available, so if anyone has any suggestions on how easy it is to switch the nibs onto a Profile (which I like writing with) or a Reflex (which I don't own but am not averse to trying), I would be very grateful. (I have posted a question about it in the Parker forum but had no responses as yet.)

 

Great to get advice from those with experience; I really appreciate it!

Edited May 24, 2010 by TangleCrafts

[Pen2009]

I like Lamy Al-Star/Safari's triangular grip section. It just fits my writing position perfectly.

[dexaco]

Does anyone have any experience of the Parker calligraphy nibs?  I have an old Vector calligraphy set minus the actual pen, and heard that the nibs are interchangeable with the Parker Reflex and Profile.  I don't like any of the Vector barrels I have seen available, so if anyone has any suggestions on how easy it is to switch the nibs onto a Profile (which I like writing with) or a Reflex (which I don't own but am not averse to trying), I would be very grateful.  (I have posted a question about it in the Parker forum but had no responses as yet.)

 

Great to get advice from those with experience; I really appreciate it!

I have an example of each of these three. 'Nib changes' on all three are by exchanging complete sections, but there are no similarities in fitting that I can see. The actual nibs do seem to be very similar, but to fit - say - a Vector nib to a Profile would appear to require dismantling the sections. Not something I'm planning to do any time soon!

 

Derick

[TangleCrafts]

My Nexx with 1.1i nib arrived this morning. First I inked it up with Private Reserve Ebony Purple - a mistake, I soon discovered! The Ebony Purple was so wet as to appear black, and the nib laid down a line that was medium to broad with no variation in thickness at all. So I flushed out the converter and replaced the ink with Diamine Rustic Brown and the difference was immediate: nice shading in the colour, but - more importantly, given the italic nib context - differentiation in line thickness. I was surprised to find that the Lamy nib writes more finely than my Parker Vector fine calligraphy nib, and can easily imagine using this pen as a daily writer. I'm now tempted to try the 1.5i, as the variation in line width is very subtle in the 1.1. It's just a shame the pen is so...not ugly, but definitely not pretty! I like the design of the Pur so could try that, but think the metal grip section and narrow body will be a not dissimilar experience to the Parker Vector (voice of experience, on this, anyone?).

 

And just to round off my conclusions of the day, I tried out the PR Ebony Purple in one of my driest writers, the Pelikan Future, and they are a far better match for each other. Now I can actually see the dusky purple in the colour!