Review: Lamy AL-Star Aluminum Rollerball

As I mentioned right out of the gate in my written review, the Lamy AL-Star Aluminum Rollerball pen has been at or near the top of my shopping list for years.  My hesitancy all this time has been nothing more than how much I thought I would use this pen in relation to the price.  I don't mind spending money for a pen as long as I use it, and I think I will be using this Lamy AL-Star quite a bit.

If you are familiar with the Lamy Safari fountain pen then you will have a pretty good idea of how the AL-Star will feel in your hands.  The only real obvious difference in the two is in the barrel construction - the Safari is a molded plastic while the AL-Star is aluminum.  As with any Lamy pen, the build quality is phenomenal.  Considering the styling and construction I would think this pen would cost at least twice as much as it does, which is a credit to Lamy.

From a writing perspective, the 0.7mm black rollerball refill is as good as any I have used in this category.  The line is exceptionally smooth and doesn't feather, but since the ink is so bold there is a bit of show through on the back side of this Doane Paper.  For my personal every day use I would like to try out an 0.5mm cartridge to see how the line compares.

I picked up this model on ebay for around $15 which is a complete steal.  You can find them all over the internet in the $25-$30 range, and in a wide variety of great looking barrel colors.  This pen is an excellent everyday writer and would make a great impression as a gift as well.

Click here for the XL review.

Ink Links

-- Sharpie Liquid Pencil Review  (Office Supply Geek)

-- The Pen Predicament (another Sharpie Liquid Pencil Review)  (Holy Knit!)

-- Pentel Jolt Mechanical Pencil: 0.5 mm  (The Pen-Guin)

-- Ink Review: Diamine Woodland Green  (Rants of the Archer)

-- Review: Japanese Notebooks from Kinokuniya  (Notebook Stories)

-- Kuretake Brush Writer Blendable Color Pen  (Pocket Blonde)

-- Ink Sample Book  (Rhodia Drive)

-- Working with what's on hand: Red & Blue Double Ended Pencil  (Spiritual Evolution of the Bean)

-- Parker Jotter Update  (My Supply Room)

-- Pen review: Mitsubishi Uni-ball Signo DX  (Strkiethru)

-- Review: Noodler's Ink Aerometric/Eyedropper Filler Fountain Pen  (Note Booker, Esq.)

-- Pentel Slicci Gel Multi-Pen 0.3mm and 0.4mm – Blue-Black, Golden Orange, and Red  (Pens'n'Paper)

-- Zebra Stainless Steel Refillable Highlighter H-301  (Office Supply Geek)

-- Test Doodles and Sharpening tests with the Pentel Black Polymer 999 4B pencil  (Lung Sketching Scrolls)

-- Rickshaw Bagworks Daily Moleskine Folio  (Plannerisms)

-- I have a HUNCH you don't know much about Pens...  (Goldspot Pens)

-- 2010 School Supplies  (My Supply Room)

-- Eberhard Faber Lederetui  (Bleistift)

-- Drowning in the Architect’s Pens  (I Cilantro Cilantro!)

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