Fountain Pens
LAMY AL-star review
Mechanically this is a Safari. The difference is the material, and the material changes how the pen feels rather than how it writes - which makes this a simpler decision than it looks.
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There is a version of this review that runs to one line: it is a Safari made of aluminum, so read that page and then decide whether you want a metal one.
That is very nearly the truth, and any review that pretends otherwise is inventing differences to fill space. But the decision is not quite that simple, because the things the material does change are the things people buy pens for, and the thing it does not change is the reason most people return a LAMY.
What LAMY publishes
The listing states a steel nib, an aluminum body, and that an ink cartridge is included so the pen writes straight out of the box. The model code is L26M, where the trailing letter is the nib grade - M for Medium - which is how the whole LAMY range is coded and a genuinely useful thing to know when you are picking between listings.
It also states that the pen carries no warranty, which is worth noticing on a metal pen at this price.
No nib width in millimeters is published. LAMY sells by letter grade, and letter grades are not comparable between brands - a LAMY Medium and a Japanese Medium are different widths, which the nib size guide goes into properly.
The pen
Quick picks
Ranked for the beginner buying their first setup. Every pick names who it is wrong for.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  LAMY AL-star The Safari's design in anodized aluminum, with the same swappable nib and the same triangular grip you will either love or return. | A Safari that feels like a grown-up pen | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now. How this is funded |
| 2 |  LAMY Safari A molded triangular grip forces the pen into the right position, which is either the best or the worst thing about it. | Learning a correct grip | $30.95 · View on Amazon #ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded |
| 3 |  LAMY Z28 converter The piston converter that turns any modern LAMY cartridge pen into a bottled-ink pen. | Bottled ink in a Safari, AL-star or Vista | |
| 4 |  LAMY T10 cartridges, black The proprietary cartridge every LAMY fountain pen takes, and the only cartridge they take. | Refilling a Safari, AL-star or Vista | $4.50 · View on Amazon #ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded |
1. A Safari that feels like a grown-up pen
LAMY AL-star
The Safari's design in anodized aluminum, with the same swappable nib and the same triangular grip you will either love or return.
#ad No live price right now. How this is funded
Mechanically this is a Safari. Same nib unit, same grip geometry, same filling system, same clip. What changes is the material, and the material changes how the pen feels rather than how it writes.
If the Safari's triangular grip suits your hand, the AL-star is the version to keep on a desk. If it does not, the aluminum body will not fix that.
Anodized finishes scratch. It is a working pen, not an heirloom.
| Body | Anodized aluminum barrel and capSource: LAMY AL-star, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Nib | The same interchangeable LAMY steel nib unit as the SafariSource: LAMY AL-star, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Nib width in mm | Not published |
| Filling | LAMY T10 cartridge or the Z28 converterSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| In the box | One ink cartridge, so the pen writes without a further purchaseSource: LAMY AL-star, Graphite, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-27) |
| Model code | L26M - the trailing letter is the nib grade, M for MediumSource: LAMY AL-star, Graphite, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-27) |
| Warranty | The listing states no warrantySource: LAMY AL-star, Graphite, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-27) |
What it does well
- Metal body without a large jump in price
- Shares nibs and converters with the Safari
- Larger grip section suits bigger hands slightly better
What it does not
- Identical grip constraint to the Safari
- Anodized finish marks with use
- Costs meaningfully more than the plastic version that writes the same
Skip this if you have not already confirmed that the LAMY grip section works for your hand — buy the cheaper Safari first.
2. Learning a correct grip
LAMY Safari
A molded triangular grip forces the pen into the right position, which is either the best or the worst thing about it.
#ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded
The grip section is the entire argument. It is molded into a triangle, so there is exactly one way to hold the pen, and it happens to be the way that keeps the nib flat against the paper. For someone who has spent twenty years white-knuckling a ballpoint, that is a genuine teaching aid.
It is also the reason some people hate it. If your natural grip is unusual, the Safari will fight you every time you pick it up, and no amount of practice makes a molded plastic triangle move.
Everything else about the pen is deliberately easy. The nib pulls off and pushes on by hand, so if you buy a Fine and want a Medium later, that is a five-dollar part rather than a new pen.
| Nib grades offered | Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, plus a dedicated left-hander nibSource: LAMY Safari, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Nib width in mm | Not published |
| Nib | Interchangeable steel nib unit — pulls off and swaps without toolsSource: LAMY Safari, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Filling | LAMY T10 proprietary cartridge, or the LAMY Z28 converterSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Body | ABS plastic with a molded triangular grip sectionSource: LAMY Safari, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
What it does well
- Swappable nib units mean one pen can change its line width
- A dedicated left-handed nib grade exists, which is rare
- Nearly indestructible plastic body
What it does not
- The triangular grip is not optional and does not suit every hand
- LAMY cartridges are proprietary — the Z28 converter is a separate buy
- German Fine is wider than a Japanese Fine, which surprises people
Skip this if you hold a pen unconventionally, or if your handwriting is small enough that a German Fine will fill in your loops.
3. Bottled ink in a Safari, AL-star or Vista
LAMY Z28 converter
The piston converter that turns any modern LAMY cartridge pen into a bottled-ink pen.
Buying a Safari without a converter is the most common first-order mistake in this hobby. The pen ships with one cartridge and no way to use bottled ink.
The Z28 is a twist piston: put the nib in the bottle up to the section, twist, and it draws ink. There is no trick to it.
Check the number. The Z24 looks nearly identical and fits a different set of pens.
| Fits | LAMY ABC, AL-star, joy, Lx, nexx, nexx M, safari and vistaSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Type | Piston converterSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Capacity | Not published |
| Not to be confused with | The Z24, which fits older LAMY modelsSource: LAMY Z24 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
What it does well
- Fits the whole current LAMY range
- Simple twist piston with nothing to break
- Turns a cartridge pen into a bottle pen for a few dollars
What it does not
- Holds less ink than a T10 cartridge in practice
- Easy to confuse with the Z24
- LAMY-only
Skip this if you only ever use cartridges — it is a part you will never fit.
4. Refilling a Safari, AL-star or Vista
LAMY T10 cartridges, black
The proprietary cartridge every LAMY fountain pen takes, and the only cartridge they take.
#ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded
The T10 is a proprietary size. An international standard cartridge will not fit a LAMY, and this is the single most common ordering mistake new Safari owners make.
At 1.25 ml each it holds more than a short international cartridge, which is a small consolation for the lock-in.
If you would rather use bottled ink, the LAMY Z28 converter fits the same barrel.
| Format | 5 cartridges per pack, 1.25 ml eachSource: LAMY T10 cartridges (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Fits | All LAMY fountain pen modelsSource: LAMY T10 cartridges (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Published drying time | Not published |
| Published water resistance | Not published |
What it does well
- Larger capacity than a short international cartridge
- Fits every LAMY fountain pen
- Nothing to measure or spill
What it does not
- Proprietary — no other brand's cartridges fit
- Costs more per milliliter than bottled ink
- Color choice is limited to LAMY's own range
Skip this if you own a Z28 converter and a bottle — cartridges cost several times as much per fill.
What the aluminum actually changes
Three things, and it is worth separating them because only one of them is about writing.
Weight and balance. Metal is heavier than ABS plastic, and the weight sits in the barrel. Some people find that steadier; others find that a heavier pen tires the hand over a long session. There is no correct answer here, only a preference you may not know you have yet.
Temperature and feel. An aluminum barrel is cool to the touch and warms slowly. This sounds like a marketing detail and is in fact the thing most owners mention first, because it is what makes the pen feel like an object rather than a supply.
Durability, in one direction only. Metal will not crack the way a plastic barrel eventually can. It will scratch, and an anodized finish shows wear along the cap edge and around the clip in a way a molded plastic body does not. You are trading one kind of aging for another, not buying out of aging altogether.
The grip, which is the whole decision
LAMY molds a triangular section into the grip of the Safari, the AL-star and the Vista. It positions your fingers for you, in exactly one way.
If your natural hold matches it, the effect is genuinely pleasant and slightly corrective - the pen sits at a consistent angle and the nib meets the paper the same way every time, which is more of the writing experience than people expect.
If your natural hold does not match it, the pen is unusable and no amount of getting used to it will help. This is the single most common reason a LAMY gets returned, it has nothing to do with quality, and it cannot be discovered from a photograph. Spending more on the metal version does not improve your odds.
So the order of operations is: find out whether the grip works for you on the cheapest body LAMY sells, and only then decide whether you want that pen in aluminum.
AL-star against Safari, plainly
| AL-star | Safari | |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Anodized aluminum | Molded ABS plastic |
| Nib unit | LAMY steel, interchangeable | LAMY steel, interchangeable - the same part |
| Grip section | Molded triangular | Molded triangular - identical constraint |
| Filling | LAMY T10 cartridge or Z28 converter | LAMY T10 cartridge or Z28 converter |
| Ages by | Scratching and finish wear | Scuffing, and eventually cracking |
| Price | Meaningfully higher | The cheaper of the two |
Every row that affects the line on the page is identical. That is not a criticism of the AL-star - it is the reason to buy one with clear eyes. You are buying a material, and materials are a legitimate thing to want.
The full head-to-head, including how the two feel over a long writing session, is on Safari vs AL-star.
The nib system is the real long-term argument
LAMY's steel nibs pull off the section by hand and push back on in a few seconds, with no tools. Every pen in this family takes the same unit.
That has two consequences worth planning around. The first is that a nib you dislike is a cheap problem rather than a wasted pen - buy a different grade and swap it. The second is that a 1.1 mm stub nib turns this pen into a calligraphy pen for a fraction of what a dedicated one costs, and turns it back again in seconds.
For left-handed writers there is a dedicated LAMY nib grade, which the left-handers roundup covers alongside the ink side of that problem.
Filling it, and the cartridge trap
LAMY's T10 cartridge is proprietary. It is not the international standard size, so the large cheap multi-brand packs that fit most European pens do not fit this one - a detail the cartridge compatibility guide exists to keep people from learning the expensive way.
The Z28 converter is the escape route, and on a pen at this price it is close to mandatory. It costs little, it opens up every bottled ink on the site, and without it you are locked to one brand's cartridges for the life of the pen. Budget for it at the same time rather than later.
The verdict
The AL-star is a very good pen that is difficult to recommend on its own terms, because the pen it is a version of is also very good and costs less.
Buy it if you have already established that the LAMY grip suits you, you write enough for the pen to be a fixture rather than an experiment, and you want an object rather than a tool. Those are real reasons and the AL-star serves them well.
Do not buy it as a first fountain pen. Not because it is bad, but because the money is better spent finding out whether this shape of grip works for your hand at all - and if it does not, you would rather have found out on the cheaper one.
Questions people actually ask
What is the difference between the LAMY AL-star and the LAMY Safari?
The body material. The AL-star is anodized aluminum, the Safari is molded plastic. The nib unit, feed, grip section, clip and filling system are the same parts, so the two write identically. The AL-star is heavier, cooler to the touch and more expensive, and its anodized finish scratches with use.
Is the LAMY AL-star worth the extra over the Safari?
Only for feel and durability, never for writing - they use the same nib. If you already know the LAMY grip suits your hand and you want a metal pen you will keep, it is worth it. If you have not held a LAMY before, buy the Safari first, because the triangular grip is the part that decides whether either pen works for you.
What nib size is the LAMY AL-star?
It depends on the model code. The trailing letter gives the grade - L26M is Medium, for instance. LAMY does not publish a width in millimeters, and letter grades are not comparable between brands, so a LAMY Medium is wider than a Japanese Medium.
Can you change the nib on a LAMY AL-star?
Yes, and easily. The steel nib unit pulls off the section by hand and pushes back on, with no tools. Every pen in the Safari, AL-star and Vista range takes the same unit, so a stub or a left-handed grade is a cheap swap rather than a new pen.
Does the LAMY AL-star come with a converter?
No. The listing states that an ink cartridge is included so the pen writes immediately, but the Z28 converter is a separate purchase. Budget for it - LAMY's T10 cartridge is proprietary, so without the converter you are locked to one brand's ink.
Does the LAMY AL-star have a warranty?
The listing we read states no warranty. That is worth knowing on a metal pen at this price, though the pens in this range have very few moving parts to fail.