Fountain Pen Friday - Lamy Safari green fountain pen review and giveaway *Now closed & the winner announced in the comments*

When I saw one of the days of National Stationery Week was especially for fountain pens I contacted Lamy and asked if they would like to do something together for today.  Lisa emailed me back and offered me two green Lamy Safari fountain pens so I could review one and give the second away to one of you! 

Lamy Safari green fountain pen

When the pens arrived I was struck by how lovely the shade of green was, it really reminded me of the first shoots of colour you see in spring.  

Spring green

I tested the Safari in my notebook and found it to be just as good as my Lamy Al-Star which I have been using for the past two years.  The ink flows out of the nib beautifully, I just wish my handwriting could do it justice!

Ink level window and chrome-plated pocket clip

The pen's body is made from tough ABS plastic and it has a lovely glossy shine to it.  Like the Al-Star the Safari has the same triangular grip area and a window so you can see the ink level inside the pen without having to open it up.

Handwritten review

You can pick up a Safari fountain pen for around £14 which is a fantastic price!  The Safari is also available in a wide range of colours if green is not your thing, I have my heart set on the new dark lilac one and maybe the yellow and pink pens too!  You can never have too many fountain pens right?

Medium nib

So, as I said, Lisa gave me a second pen to give away today, she also threw in an extra box of blue ink cartridges so you will be able to use your Safari fountain pen for ages and ages before you need to buy more ink!

The prize

To enter this giveaway all you have to do is tell me what you write when you are trying out a pen!  I usually go with "hello" and my children's names.  Here are the rules:

• Tell me what you write when testing a pen
• I will number the comments and use random.org to pick a winner.
• This giveaway is open internationally. 
• The giveaway ends at 12pm UK time on the 8th May 2016.
• I will announce the winner on this post on the 9th May 2016.
• This is the only prize (for today) - there is no cash alternative. 
• If the winner doesn't contact me within 72 hours of my announcing the winning entry, I will have to draw a new name.
• If you are under 18 years of age please ask your parent's permission before entering the giveaway.

Good luck!

Fountain Pen Day - Lamy Al-Star review

When I heard it was Fountain Pen Day today I thought it would be a perfect time to review my Lamy Al-Star I purchased from Europens a little while ago.

Now the first thing I have to say is Europens were fantastic.  They happily answered my questions about engraving and the fonts available and were really lovely to deal with.  They offer a free engraving service so I just had to personalise my pen!

My aqua/blue/green colour crush!

The Al-Star is available in a wide range of colours but I went with the limited edition blue green pen.  I also brought an aqua pen case, which is an exclusive to Europens, to protect it.  

Making notes

The Al-Star is very similar in design to the popular Lamy Safari pen but the main difference is the Safari is made from plastic and the Al-Star is made from aluminium.  The Safari price starts at £12.99 and the Al-Star from £18.99 but the metal finish makes it look so much more expensive.

Medium size nib, turquoise ink and my
awful cursive writing!

Another difference between the Safari and the Al-Star is the bottom half (or is it the top half?) of the pen is translucent instead of a solid block of colour.  I think I prefer this look and like the barrel of the pen it is also squared so it is comfortable to hold, easy to grip and it wont roll when you put it down.

Yes my notepaper matches my pen!

The pen comes in a nice presentation box with a single cartridge in blue so you can use it straight away.  I would take a photo of the box but I took the pen out of it and put it into the leather case straight away and now I'm not sure where the box is.  I must have put it "somewhere safe"!

Pros:

• writes very smoothly, it doesn't skip at all
• the ink flows easily and at just the right speed
• looks expensive and stylish
• comes in a good range of colours, there's something for everyone
• lightweight but feels substantial in your hand
• a good starter fountain pen
• has a window so you can see how much ink is left
• affordable 
• wide range of coloured ink available
• stainless steel nib
• you can purchase a converter and use ink from a bottle
• well balanced - both posted and unposted

Cons:

• aluminium might scratch or dent though I've had mine for a few months and it still looks brand new 

Random things I write when trying out a pen 

If you want to join in with the fun today you can find the Fountain Pen Day team on Twitter and Facebook.  Europens are also running a couple of competitions on Twitter and their Facebook page if you want to enter or you can treat yourself or get a head start on some Christmas shopping with 10% off your order using the code:

 FPD10

The code is valid for today only

Have a great Fountain Pen Day!

*Disclaimer - I purchased this pen for myself and I was not paid to write this review.  As always all opinions are honest and my own.  I am not affiliated with Europens and will not receive commission on any orders placed using the links in this post.