Al-Star Fountain Pen, Graphite (L26F)

I'm a fountain pen virgin. Or, I was until I recently ordered this LAMY Al-Star pen, refill converter, and Sailor Kiwa-Guro Pigmented Black Ink. I've spent the past several years buying packs of uni-ball black pens because the ink's thickness was just right. And I never had to shake them in order to make them work. They're solid pens. But as I thought about the number of pens I went through - and their cost - I thought it might make more sense to go the fountain pen route. So I hit up the old Google and - after perusing a few fountain pen-aficionado sites - finally decided on this pen to begin my fountain pen journey. And all I can say is "Wow! What a difference a fountain pen makes!" This is a solidly built pen that writes beautifully. The nib isn't too big so the line it draws is about the same as that of my uni-ball fine pens. I wouldn't mind eventually venturing out and trying some different nibs but as an every day nib, this one is perfect. Likewise, the aluminum casing gives it a modern finish and leaves it feeling light in the hand. Likewise, the inside of the pen is well made and feels solid. Some people might not like the angled grip but I happen to like the fact that it directs your fingers exactly where to go. It's also so easy to fill/re-fill that anyone can learn how in a few minutes. The only complaint I have is that it doesn't include any instructions. I got on YouTube to make sure I was getting it set up correctly. As you can see from the images there is a little window in the sides that allow you to see how much ink you have left. This is a nice feature though ultimately unnecessary. I'll know I need ink when my pen quits writing. There's not really anything I would change about it. This may be my first fountain pen but it won't be my last.

Day in and out I tend to write a lot, and over time I favor one pen until it dies. Having a nicer writing instrument is really great when you write by hand all the time. After doing a bit of research, I discovered Lamy pens. I am not a pen fanatic. I may spend a little more time than normal picking out a pen at the office supply store, but you will not catch me dropping lots of money on a Monte Blanc, or anything. I wanted a nice fountain pen under $50. Wow, I sure found it. Maybe I should have done more research (but why? it is just a pen). I didn't know Lamy was a German company. This pen screams German made: light, strong, the cap does not wiggle, the nib is smooth. The whole package is well-thought and is a pleasure to hold and use. Writes like a breeze. In fact, as I use it, I cannot help but wonder how it is so cheap. So, go ahead and buy mega packs of icky ballpoint pens and go through them quickly, or buy a Monte Blanc for 100 times the price of the Lamy. This pen hits the optimum between functionality, cost, style, and pleasure of use. These pens would make great gifts. Highly recommended!

The pocket clip is very useful, not like the skinny ones that can only clip some paper. The cap is not as secure as I'd like, but it is significantly more secure than the Safari, which is useless, it almost falls off. Really the only thing I dislike about this is that I had to spend too much to get an italic nib. There's no good reason not to offer it with my choice of nib. I use it with the converter and my choice of ink. I use it for every-day carry (EDC). It's always in my pocket, and I use it daily. I can't think of a better pen for this purpose. There's expensive ones that weigh a lot and probably belong in a pen case. That's just not practical for me. And there's ball point pens that are too ordinary. I might as well just ask someone for an ordinary pen when I need one. If I'm going to bother to have a pen, it should be an exceptional one. A quality ink and an italic nib make the results exceptional, I didn't spend a foolish amount on a solid-gold barrel or something else that doesn't really make my handwriting any better.

Great, affordable fountain pen for everyday use.

I ordered the graphite Lamy Al-Star with blue ink, and Lamy ink cartridges - my first ever fountain pen, and I absolutely love it. Having watched and read various reviews, I understand some do not care for the triangular grip, but I find it really helpful. The Lamy blue ink cartridges provide a great blue color. While it's still relatively new, I find it very comfortable to use, and I never have to worry about whether it might suddenly stop writing like regular ball point pens do. It truly puts the joy back in writing, and I use it for writing Chinese Hanzi, as well as romanized characters.

This Lamy Al-Star in graphite is not the first fountain pens I've owned, but it's certainly my favorite. It's made from high-quality aluminum that's soft to the touch, lightweight and super strong. Without the cap, it's perfectly balanced for writing. The neck has two nice scallops where your fingers go, making it comfortable to write with for an extended period. I bought the fine nib version, which lays down a surprisingly thick, wet line. This may surprise you - some say German nibs are wider than their Japanese counterparts - but it's actually the perfect line weight for me. If you're looking for something that writes more like a gel pen, maybe give the extra fine nib a try. I bought a Lamy Z24 Converter to use with liquid inks, which I highly recommend as a strategy. Take a look at Noodler's excellent inks (the black-as-night Bulletproof Black is a winner) and you'll be writing for pennies per refill. My one quibble with the pen is that the clip's bottom end juts out a bit. If you clip it on a notebook, the curled end prevents it from lying flat. I highly recommend these pens. They look fantastic and are such a pleasure to use.

Der Füller Schreibt Zuverlässig und mit der Feinen Feder ergibt sich ein sehr Schönes Schriftbild.

Como es de esperarse la pluma es de excelente calidad

One of the best everyday fountain pen. Doesn't come with a convertor so add $15 to the cost.

I already have several fountain pens all with different colour inks. I wanted a general pen for every day use. This is excellent. Great grip and construction and most importantly it writes very smoothly even with the fine nib. I highly recommend this pen. Cheers

its good