Jump to content

Lamy Al-Star - The Well Dressed Up Version Of The Lamy Safari


Aditkamath26

Recommended Posts

Lamy Al-Star – the well dressed up version of the Lamy Safari

The Lamy Al-Star is my first pen in my pen collection. I have had other fountain pens before but not something so good to start a collection with. I saw it at WHSmith in a mall here in Abu Dhabi and my dad bought it as a birthday gift for me (I am now fourteen. It was my thirteenth birthday gift). Now enough talk, on to the review………

 

Design, build and quality- 9/10

The design is modern which is super classy according to me. Mine is the Ocean Blue color. I also so the Lamy Safari and wasn’t quite interested in the plastic finish (the Dark Lilac version wasn’t released then, which is a superb finish). I also saw the Vista which I didn’t like at all as I hated demonstrators then. Now I love them. The build is also great, there are no flaws. The quality is where I have reduced some marks. The finish can come off if you are not careful. I f I had to do it again, I would get the graphite version or the purple one.

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb457/Adit1026/IMG_9061_zpsxprzozlt.jpg

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb457/Adit1026/IMG_9062_zpsyrmqf6ni.jpg

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb457/Adit1026/IMG_9058_zpsxuplicts.jpg

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb457/Adit1026/IMG_9057_zpsyj77kzik.jpg only branding on the pen

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb457/Adit1026/IMG_9056_zpsgj9jehsp.jpg

 

Comfort-9.5/10

The triangular section was a bit uncomfortable to hold and posting does change the balance. I have got accustomed to it but it might be problematic for others.

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb457/Adit1026/IMG_9051_zps5deoxcx5.jpg

 

Filling system- 9.5/10

The filling system is a c/c type filling system. My Al-Star came with neither cartridge nor converter so I had to buy it as well. The converter works fine.

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb457/Adit1026/IMG_9063_zpsc7gcbala.jpg

 

 

Nib-9.5/10

The stainless-steel medium is a superb nib. Originally it was dry and had feedback. I increased the ink flow and smoothened the nib a bit. And now it is a stellar performer. Originally, I didn’t like the nib a lot but now I love it. I love the little feedback it gives.

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb457/Adit1026/IMG_9060_zpslw0dzho5.jpg

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb457/Adit1026/4921f1bd-0e44-48e0-9308-56eb0959269c_zpsrqnfkpwz.jpg

 

 

 

Price-8/10

I bought my Al-Star for roughly around 45 dollars plus a 5 more for the converter. The packaging for this price isn’t great. It is just a cardboard box which is quite thin. I discarded it when there was a tear in it so no photos.

 

Final score 91/100 (out of hundred only for this one)

I enjoy this pen a lot. There are some flaws but nothing is perfect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 24
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Aditkamath26

    15

  • Sailor Kenshin

    2

  • MuddyWaters

    2

  • IndianElf

    1

My son's girlfriend has an Al-Star, in Black Purple. I hadn't really appreciated these pens until I had this one in hand. The colour and depth of anodising is incredible. And the extra weight makes a pleasant change from my all plastic Safaris.

 

I think your Ocean Blue would go very nicely with Lamy Blue ink. Get a few cartridges if you don't want to spring for a whole bottle.

fpn_1412827311__pg_d_104def64.gif




“Them as can do has to do for them as can’t.


And someone has to speak up for them as has no voices.”


Granny Aching

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really nice and clear review. Thanks for posting. I tried one of these in the store yesterday and just loved the feel of it on the section. The aluminum just has that something extra in the feel that the Safari doesn't have.

 

Too bad about the feedback you were getting. The one I tried in the store was a M and quite smooth. How did you make your pen wetter and smoother?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great first review. Great handwriting as well. The Lamy is a nice entry level fountain pen.

 

I have already done a review before- on the Parker Urban. The Lamy is great for me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great first review. Great handwriting as well. The Lamy is a nice entry level fountain pen.

 

Thanks about the handwriting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My son's girlfriend has an Al-Star, in Black Purple. I hadn't really appreciated these pens until I had this one in hand. The colour and depth of anodising is incredible. And the extra weight makes a pleasant change from my all plastic Safaris.

 

I think your Ocean Blue would go very nicely with Lamy Blue ink. Get a few cartridges if you don't want to spring for a whole bottle.

 

I really want some nice bright blue. Lamy would be good but I live in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates and unfortunately there aren't any pen shops here. For anything, I have to order online which is gonna cost a lot considering shipping from USA or UK. Or I have to go to Dubai (which I don't often). That is why I bought a bottle of Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue ink (I got the 60 ml bottle for 2 dollars) because I found it similar in colour to the Lamy. I would love Diamine Majestic Blue, Private Reserve Electric DC Blue or J Herbin Eclat de Saphir. The iroshizukus or Montblancs or Auroras and all are way outta my budget.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My son's girlfriend has an Al-Star, in Black Purple. I hadn't really appreciated these pens until I had this one in hand. The colour and depth of anodising is incredible. And the extra weight makes a pleasant change from my all plastic Safaris.

 

I think your Ocean Blue would go very nicely with Lamy Blue ink. Get a few cartridges if you don't want to spring for a whole bottle.

The anodising is great. I have held a Safari but found the AL-Star more comfortable

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really nice and clear review. Thanks for posting. I tried one of these in the store yesterday and just loved the feel of it on the section. The aluminum just has that something extra in the feel that the Safari doesn't have.

 

Too bad about the feedback you were getting. The one I tried in the store was a M and quite smooth. How did you make your pen wetter and smoother?

 

SBREBrown has a video on making a pen wetter in seconds, basically you have to keep your nib on some hard surface, preferably your own thumb and then press down a bit. The tines are gonna spread a little and the nib will be wetter. And Jennifer from BestFountainPen has a method of smoothening nibs on the back of a cup. In this, you need a coffee cup and when you keep it upside down, the surface that usually touches the table or whatever will be slightly rough. Draw figure 8s and individual lines(horizontal strokes, vertical strokes, diagonal strokes) on this rough surface until required level of smoothness is achieved. Be careful though, it can be overdone. So keep testing your pen repeatedly during the process.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys how do you take a particular section out of a comment and quote on that?

 

Use the quote function, and you can either erase parts of the quote in your post, or bold relevant ones, like I did above.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Use the quote function, and you can either erase parts of the quote in your post, or bold relevant ones, like I did above.

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great first review. Great handwriting as well. The Lamy is a nice entry level fountain pen.

Absolutely concur! Especially about the handwriting.

 

I'm sending you a private message about Lamy cartridges.

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely concur! Especially about the handwriting.

 

I'm sending you a private message about Lamy cartridges.

 

Thanks. Are you sending me the private messages?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that one of the nicest features is the added weight. My first thought when holding my first safari was "this is way too light".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33474
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26573
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...