How to Engrave a Lamy Safari/AlStar

[Maisie]

My nephew wisely chose a Silver Lamy Alstar for his 11th birthday , and I promised to have it engraved with his name. However, my local engraver is uncertain whether the plastic is suitable for engraving. He uses a diamond tip computer controlled engraver, and is worried that I will be disappointed with the results. He said I need to find out whether this pen should engraved by laser or with a diamond tip?

 

I'm really hoping someone can help here - its only a month 'til school starts and I have to get his new pen engraved and back across the Atlantic!

As the pen is relatively inexpensive and easily available I'm not over worried about damage, but I am pressed for time.

 

Many thanks.

 

Maisie

Edited August 1, 2007 by Maisie

[OldGriz]

My nephew wisely chose a Silver Lamy Alstar for his 11th birthday , and I promised to have it engraved with his name. However, my local engraver is uncertain whether the plastic is suitable for engraving. He uses a diamond tip computer controlled engraver, and is worried that I will be disappointed with the results. He said I need to find out whether this pen should engraved by laser or with a diamond tip?

 

I'm really hoping someone can help here - its only a month 'til school starts and I have to get his new pen engraved and back across the Atlantic!

As the pen is relatively inexpensive and easily available I'm not over worried about damage, but I am pressed for time.

 

Many thanks.

 

Maisie

 

I would opt for laser engraving... that is what I use for all the custom acrylics I make and also what Bexley does for their pens..

[blueiris]

Maisie, I can't vouch for how the result looks, but I found this link from a Google search:

 

http://www.corporate.1888store.com/busines...orate-lamy.html

 

Scroll down the page where they show the options for the Al-Star; they say they use laser engraving. I don't know if you can call toll-free from Canada (maybe you can?), but perhaps you could call and ask for more info on what they do.

 

I have the silver Al-Star. I hope your nephew enjoys it!

[blueiris]

...However, my local engraver is uncertain whether the plastic is suitable for engraving....

 

Also, I forgot to add to my earlier reply, according to the Lamy website, the silver Al-Star is "made from lightweight, durable aluminum," not the ABS plastic of the Safari pens, in case that matters to your engraver.

[mike_gw]

@OldGriz - What laser engraver do you use? I'm looking for a small one to put my logo on the pens I make. Thanks

[tamiya]

whoa, holy dead thread revival batman! could've waited a few more weeks for an even Decade

 

To anybody who's reading in the future, a few things have changed... alStar "silver" has been discontinued, the current silvery colour is a darker Graphite grey.

 

The darker anodising colour is easier to engrave mechanically as it'll show contrast when you scrape off the coloured top surface. Engraving a real "silver" only reveals silver aluminium underneath... go dig out your crayolas for a touch of colour.