Lamy All Star ~ Ocean Blue

[OldGriz]

It arrived yesterday, is filled and I have been writing with it... here are my initial impressions.

I purchased this pen because I wanted another knock around pen to take to Disney on vacation and all impressions are based on that concept.

 

 

First Impressions 5/5

I bought this pen as my second knock around pen... for when I am out and don't want to take one of my better ones

Based on that reasoning this is a great pen

 

Appearance 3/5

I opted for the All Star because I saw them up close and person at the Michigan Show and really liked the slight extra weight and feeling that they were more durable than the Safari I already had.

When the Ocean Blue came out I knew this was the color I wanted, prior to that I was really leaning toward the green also a super color.

The Ocean Blue is the only All Star that has a very deep anodized finish, almost opaque anodizing. All the others have a more translucent finish...

The pen is absolutely gorgeous... of course time will tell how good the anodizing is and whether it rubs off easy if I don't treat the pen with a modicum of care.

 

Design 5/5

This is a pure and simple a good basic knock around pen.

I doubt you are going to do any serious damage to this pen unless you try real hard.

It has a simple wire clip that will definitely hold the pen in your pocket.

The cap is a simple snap on that mates to a plastic ring on the section...

The body has two flats and two windows so you can see the ink capacity.

The section has two flats that position your fingers... a good idea for new FP users and students.

 

Nib 5/5

Here I was very pleasantly surprised. The nib is bright steel and kind of reminds me of the Pelikan GO nibs.

I ordered a x-fine nib and was a bit worried about the actual width and reported dry scratchy writing.

To put it mildly, this nib is very smooth right out to the box and dead on in width.

It was a bit dryer than I liked, but a touch of flossing took it up to a nice 6.7-7/10 with Noodlers La Couleur Royale that I loaded it with

 

Filling System 3/5

Only because I am not a big fan of C/C fillers...

You have to purchase the converter separately, but no big deal. The converter fills well

 

Cost and Value 5/5

I paid $29.00 for the pen and $4.50 for the converter... where are you going to find a good writing pen for $33.50 today.

I purchased the pen from Pear Tree Pens. James seems to always have the best deal on the All Star and Safari line of Lamy pens

 

Conclusion 26/30

This is my third pen in the Safari line... My daughter decided the first one was for her so I ordered a Vista for myself and now this All Star.

Would I buy another Safari/All Star Lamy.... definitely... but not unless I lose or break the ones I already have and I doubt that is going to happen. They are built to last, despite the price.

[Shelley]

Nice simple review of a nice simple pen, I have a Vista and whilst not the best pen I own it certainly has no problems, and is the best for the price!!

[WhosYerBob]

That's a gorgeous blue!

 

[london]

I'll take three. Wrap em up to go!

 

- Mark

[kaseygirl]

How exciting! I just asked to have an ocean blue all star put on hold for me at Art Brown as I am visiting NYC next week. I am going for the medium nib though.

 

I like the color of Noodler's you chose. I was thinking of going with "blurple". But, if it is a dry writer, maybe I should just go with PR Tanzanite. If it is a dry writer, would you be so kind as to enlighten me on flossing? Is that something a newbie should even attempt ?????

 

Also, I read that you suggested writing on a brown paper bag for a scratchy writer. Is that true.

 

Thanks for any and all help. Can't wait to get my pen.

[tcheuchter]

Nice pen. Have several Safaris. Want the All Star after your review. Thank you.

[OldGriz]

How exciting! I just asked to have an ocean blue all star put on hold for me at Art Brown as I am visiting NYC next week. I am going for the medium nib though.

 

I like the color of Noodler's you chose. I was thinking of going with "blurple". But, if it is a dry writer, maybe I should just go with PR Tanzanite. If it is a dry writer, would you be so kind as to enlighten me on flossing? Is that something a newbie should even attempt ?????

 

Also, I read that you suggested writing on a brown paper bag for a scratchy writer. Is that true.

 

Thanks for any and all help. Can't wait to get my pen.

 

Flossing is basically taking a thin piece of brass stock (I use the Tryphon flossing kit about 1/4 down page) and running it through the slit on the nib... do not do this aggressively, you just want to slightly open the tines to allow more ink flow.. IF you decide to start flossing, I highly recommend getting the kit and reading all you can on FPN about it... and start on not so great nibs first...

As for your ink choice... since I find the Lamy nib a bit dry, you are better off with Richard's Burple than the PR Tanzanite. The Tanzanite is a highly saturated ink and will write drier than the Burple.

 

As for the brown paper, that will work for slightly scratchy nibs, again slow and not aggressive. Brown paper bag is an abrasive.

[kaseygirl]

Thanks Griz!

 

I am going to hope the nib is to my liking. If not, it will give me one more reason to visit the Philadelphia pen show in January. Best to leave these things to those in the know, I think. there will be someone there who tweaks pens, I assume.

[ojars]

Good review! I got a Lamy Al-Star for the same reasons, i.e., a great knock-about fountain pen. A ball placed in the convertor improves usability quite nicely.

[mgeorge]

A ball placed in the convertor improves usability quite nicely.

I'm not a seasoned expert with FP's, I'm just a user. So I ask:

Where does one get the ball and how does one get it into the converter? Or would it be a ball that is smaller than the converter mouth?

[Rique]

Why have you given it 3/5 in appearance, if you say it's "gorgeous" ??

[OldGriz]

Why have you given it 3/5 in appearance, if you say it's "gorgeous" ??

 

That was a mistake on my part.. it should have been 5/5

I used the template from one of my other reviews and missed changing that...

Sorry

[acolythe]

Good review! I got a Lamy Al-Star for the same reasons, i.e., a great knock-about fountain pen. A ball placed in the convertor improves usability quite nicely.

CAn you tell me how toput a ball in a convertor, What sort of ball do you use? I lost one fomr a TAccia when I was flushing the converter without the nib assembly attached. It does seem to interfer with the pen.

Barry

[ojars]

As to the ball, several folks have done this and reported the results on FPN. A ball or in some cases a spring serves to break through the surface tension holding the ink at the wrong end of the convertor, thereby allowing the ink to drop to the business end.

 

In my case I removed the steel ball from a depleted Platinum cartridge. It did not fit through the opning in the Lamy Z-25 converter, which meant I had to disassemble the Z-25 to place the steel ball inside.

 

I do encounter a problem from time to time expelling ink from the mounted convertor. It is as if the steel ball closes up the opening in the section. This does not happen with the Namiki Falcon. I would like to find a stainless steel spring to put into the Lamy Z-25 convertor, which would not block ink flow out of the Z-25. Ink flow into the Z-25 is not a problem.

 

Click more search options. Then search by keywords "steel ball" and filter by member "ojars" and click show results as posts under result type to find my other posts on this sub-topic.

Edited November 29, 2007 by ojars

[wimg]

Hi Tom,

 

Do you know from what year this model is? I can only find the Silver Blue on the Lamy site, when it comes to blue ones...

 

TIA, warm regards, Wim

[OldGriz]

Hi Tom,

 

Do you know from what year this model is? I can only find the Silver Blue on the Lamy site, when it comes to blue ones...

 

TIA, warm regards, Wim

 

Wim,

This pen is fairly new in the line. I got mine from Pear Tree Pens...

If I am not mistaken, there was a report about them coming out in the Writing Intruments area.... I think from someone on your side of the pond...

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...y+All+Star+Blue

[wimg]

Wim,

This pen is fairly new in the line. I got mine from Pear Tree Pens...

If I am not mistaken, there was a report about them coming out in the Writing Intruments area.... I think from someone on your side of the pond...

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...y+All+Star+Blue

Ah, thanks, Tom!

 

It looks like it will only be available next year over here. Based on your review I visited one of my fav pen joints, but they hadn't even heard about it - not that that is strange, mind you, I normally know well before they do what new pens come out . They get their news from reps rather than from the internet .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[caliken]

Just a small point of information....

 

The long size Parker Quink refills fit this pen perfectly.

[BoxerDad]

I have some Parker Washable Blue carts will they fit also?

 

If not I can fill the LAMY converter from the carts.