Lamy AL-Star Ballpoint in Turmaline Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

It's been quite a long time since I've used any Lamy AL-Star pens that aren't fountain pens. The Turmaline version of the ballpoint AL-Star is a refreshing take on the old classic shape and design. While it feels familiar in the hand, the writing experience is quite different due to the ballpoint refill in place of a nib. But does that mean it's not as good as the nibbed version? Absolutely not.

The Lamy AL-Star ballpoint has been around for quite a while, but I really haven't used them very often. This bright color gave me just the kick I needed to pick it up and take it for a spin. Despite it not having one of my favorite refills on board, it's surprisingly good and competes directly with the Schmidt EasyFlow line. The M61 refill looks similar to a standard Parker refill, but there are several small alterations that make it unique and proprietary to Lamy's pens. This is unfortunate because this pen is such a great extension of the AL-Star design — it deserves to be used, and I don't think it's fair for manufacturers to lock people into proprietary refills.

Still, it's nice that Lamy provide an excellent refill in this case. The ink is dark, free-flowing, and smooth. The medium point I have is a great middle-of-the-road size and works well on all sorts of paper. It's oil based, so you don't have to worry about paper being too thin or being coated with something that the ink won't stick to. It works on just about anything, which makes it a great pen to have on you. It also lasts quite a while, which is good considering the price. One refill is just under $6, and you only have the option of black or blue — and only a medium point. Monteverde sell a few other options in terms of colors and tip sizes, but they're still fairly expensive.

I've always loved the chunky click mechanism on the AL-Star and Safari ballpoints. It's such a fun design that's reminiscent of an accordion or old-fashioned button, and it's so satisfying to press. There's a great amount of resistance, and the tactile feel of the mechanism is just perfect. You definitely know when you've extended or retracted the refill because of an audible click and a tactile knock from the mechanism. It's not loud, but it has a lower tone than the typical click of a pen. I attribute this to the rubber sleeve that surrounds the entire thing, but who knows what it really is. I just know I love clicking it.

Moving around to the clip, it's the iconic Lamy clip that you find on all their AL-Star and Safari pens. It's strong, stylish, and also plays double duty by keeping the pen from rolling away on flat surfaces. The only branding on the pen is on the body opposite to the clip — the outline of the Lamy logo debossed into the pen body. It's actually easy to miss unless the light is right.

Moving down to the grip, something else you'll find on nearly every other AL-Star and Safari: the unique Lamy grip structure. The ballpoint grip is a little different since there isn't a traditional "up" orientation like fountain pen nibs. Instead of the two planes and round belly that makes up the traditional finger placement on the fountain pen version, the ballpoint version is a symmetrical design with three planes so that the grip feels the same no matter how many times you rotate the pen in your hand. It's a comfortable grip for me, and if you've ever used a Lamy AL-Star, Safari, or Vista, you already know how this grip feels in the hand and whether it works for you.

The Lamy AL-Star ballpoint pen is $24, and I think that's a great price for something so well-designed and produced. It makes a great gift and an excellent addition to your desk or carry. It's a shame that there aren't many refill options, so you'll have to settle in that area, but I think the design and materials make up for that shortcoming at this price. Plus, the Turmaline colorway is a knock-out!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Delfonics Legend Hexagonal Twist Ballpoint Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

It's been quite a while since I'm thrown a pocket ballpoint pen into the rotation, and the Delfonics Lengend Hexagonal twist ballpoint pen was just what I needed to change up the pace a bit.

At a mere 3.9 inches, it's easy to pocket or stow away in a bag or sleeve. It also features a smooth twist mechanism for extending/retracting the refill tip, but the small size doesn't really impact usability. It's certainly not a pen I'd take with me to write a midterm essay in class, but it's great for quick notes and signing receipts. At under 4 inches, it's right on the edge of tolerable for my hands. I don't think I have large or small hands — somewhere in between. I don't like writing with the Kaweco Sport uncapped, but this Delfonics pen is more comfortable for my writing style. That being said, it's awesome to have a Kaweco Sport with an option to extend the overall length with the cap. But, the Delfonics is just one piece and there's no cap to lose.

The exterior of the pen reminds me of a really short Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint pen. The hexagonal shape is iconic for the Caran d'Ache, and I think the Delfonics walks the line in terms of copy vs. hat tip with their design. It's obvious that the nose section is a different piece, which is a major deviation from the 849, so that's good. Other than the body shape, that's really where the comparisons end for the Delfonics Legend.

There's a small pocket clip on the pen that reminds me of the shape that Fisher includes on their Bullet Space Pen. It's a strong clip and works well, but the placement really bothers me. It doesn't get in the way when I'm writing — it's just the aesthetic. It's positioned in the middle of the pen, and that just really bothers me. I understand how it needs to be this way to allow the twist mechanism to work properly, but that doesn't help me like it any better. I'm considered removing it several times, but I'm worried that I'll scratch the exterior of the pen.

Speaking of the exterior, it's a fantastic color of unique material that is both hard and soft at the same time. It has a fairly soft touch, but it's certainly completely solid. I'm assuming it's some kind of adhesive covering over a metal body, and I really like how it feels and the color of the blue they chose. Unfortunately, it appears to chip and scratch incredibly easy. I haven't abused this pen by any means — it's only been in my pocket by itself or in a bag pocket by itself. I'm not sure how the chips happen, but I can assure you it wasn't due to any kind of accident, drop, or scratch from my own use. This doesn't bode well for how the finish will hold up over time with more strenuous use.

Moving on to the innards of this pen, the tiny refill is a mixed bag. It always starts a bit rough and takes a few lines to "wake up," but it's really smooth and dark once it's writing properly. For a ballpoint, this slow start isn't alarming at all, but just something to note if you plan on grabbing this pen to jot down quick notes. It requires a few scratches to get the ink flowing. I really like the line that this refill makes. It's a bold 0.8mm black ink with crisp edges and great flow. The refill can definitely be replaced, but that comes with its own caveat. I haven't been able to find this refill for sale online. I've found a couple of retailers that have a product page, but the product isn't in stock. The refill looks like a standard Parker refill that's been cut really short. At just 2.3 inches or 6 cm, it's definitely unique. I checked all of the refill guides and the product catalogs for a few major refill manufacturers, but didn't have any luck finding it. That being said, I'm not sure this pen has much to offer outside of the life of the included refill.

At $10, the Delfonics Legend Hexagonal Twist pen is certainly affordable at first glance, but the unavailability of the refill does make me pause and consider different pens that have more refill options. The Fisher Space Pen has many, many options to consider, but the Fisher refill is anything but smooth and bold. The Lamy Pico is just a tad larger, but the initial purchase of the pen and the small refills are pricey compared to this one. It's tough — the ink formula in this refill is great, and it would be an easy pen to recommend if the refill were readily available.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Tombow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoint Pen 0.38 mm Review

Micro tip pens (sub-0.5mm) are my favorite category of pens. Yes, ahead of fountain pens, and other most-used products like fineliners and mechanical pencils. So when I saw these 0.38 mm Tombow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoints pop up on JetPens, I ordered a few right away.

Now, within the micro tip category, gel ink pens are my favorite (Uni-ball Signo DX 0.38 mm take a bow.) After that come ballpoints, then way down the line are the few rollerball options on the market. Gel pens have dominated this market for ages, but ballpoints have made headway, led by the Uni-ball Jetstream. The 0.7 mm Jetstream has long been my go to for standard writing, and they have created some exceptional tiny-writers in pens like the Jetstream Edge.

Where Uni leads, others will follow, and Tombow put an excellent option on the market with the Graph Lite. It comes in 0.5 mm and 0.38 mm tip sizes, and in black, blue, and red ballpoint ink colors. There are various barrel color options featuring solid metallic colors, or the traditional Tombow tri-color blue/white/black flag stripes.

I went for the traditional, as the Mono logo is one of my favorites in all of the stationery world, and, as the title states, grabbed the 0.38 mm tip size.

One quick note on ballpoint tip sizes as compared to gel: An 0.38 mm ballpoint tip writes finer than an 0.38 mm gel tip. The general assumption you can make across the board is that ballpoint pens will write one tip size finer than their gel ink counterparts. An 0.7 mm ballpoint writes like an 0.5 mm gel. An 0.5 mm ballpoint writes like an 0.38 mm gel. And so on down the line. Make sure you are buying a size that is good for you because these are some of the finest writing pens on the market.

The Tombow Mono Graph Lite handles that fineness with ease. The lines are sharp, solid, clean, and shockingly smooth. Smooth is relative at this tip size, but I’m not sure I could expect anything better. Blue is far and away my favorite ballpoint ink color, and I think it is the standout of this group. Black is a close second, and red brings up the rear, but not far behind the other two. Red would make for an excellent margin pen, for example.

I’m a big fan of the grip Tombow uses for this pen. It’s like a knurled rubber, which makes for excellent grippiness. That’s appreciated when this pen is designed for fine lines or detailed drawing. It’s also very light, comfortable in the hand, and has a solid knock and clip.

At $3.00 each (either tip size, any barrel color,) that’s right in line with the going rate for a pen like this. I would happily pay that for a handful of the Tombow Mono Graph Lite pens, because really, who buys just one?

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!