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Pen Review: Sailor 1911 ( Sailor nib thoughts)

Good [time of day], fellow nibblings.

I was quite surprised to not see a single review for Sailor pens contained in the review section and thought I would take a moment to give this wonderful Japanese company some love. I'm starting off pretty standard with the full-size 1911 but will follow up at some point with the Pro Gear Slim and King of Pens, assuming anyone is interested enough to read about them.

My first fountain pen of any merit was a Sailor Pro Gear Slim with a zoom nib so they've got a special place in my inky-red heart so please excuse me while I gush over them.

The Form Factor

$Sailor 1911 Standard.jpg

In my opinion Sailor's standard pens are not beautiful, showboaty, or anything of note. They're functional writers with very little in the way of trying to look pretty. The model I have happens to be a solid black with what I believe to be steel trim. Cap is adorned with a ring at the bottom inscribed with "Sailor Japan Founded 1911" and a small steel ring above. At the top the otherwise understated clip is affixed with a ring at the top. As this is a "gen-1" 1911 I do not have the new and improved clip with anchor detailing.

$Sailor open.jpg

This is not a large pen nor a thing of substantial weight. Its balance, posted or not, has always been attractive to me and works well with my writing style. Of all the pens I own I enjoy posting my Sailors most.

It is a screw on cap with threading above the section, separated by a pretty little steel ring in between which subdivides the nib section from the barrel. Twisting off the lower half reveals the lovely Sailor converters (if you like converters... I don't).

I find these pens to be indestructible. To be fair, I assume they're plastic bodies and I'm completely fine with that since I use mine as writing instruments, not for pleasure. I've committed to putting functionality to the nib varieties I have by Sailor and each now has its individualized purpose in my daily routine.

The Size

$1911 vs Slim.jpg

If you like and own Sailor pens then this comparison might make sense to you. I've opened the 1911 up and placed alongside a Sailor Pro Gear Slim (closed). It's effectively the same pen with an extended and rounded top and bottom so, functionally, they work the same for me. Is it a large pen? Not really, as I just held it up to a Lamy Safari and, when closed, is effectively the exact same length and only millimeters longer than my Homo Sapiens (midi size).

Width-wise it is not a substantial pen either. I am able to comfortably write with it for extended periods of time without cramping which is one of the reasons I was inclined to share this baby.

The Nib

$Nib comparison.jpg

I'm cheating a bit here. The 1911 I own is affixed with a music nib which, IMO, is not standard. Thankfully I own a couple other Sailor pens so I took their hats off to show off a small but beautiful range of Sailor nibs. Left to right we see the EF, M, MS, and Z. Notice the MS is larger than the others as those three are contained in the Pro Gear Slims. So be it.

Sailor, being Japanese, writes very fine which works wonderfully for me. I journal in fat, wet Italian nibs with a lot of character, but I do business in very strict, confined, and predictable strokes.

EF is a true Japanese EF insomuch as I would call it needlepoint by American standards but still a little fat for my needs. I'm looking desperately for a sabi-togi so if anyone has any leads... My EF is the pen I use for my agenda.

Medium nib is equivalent to a western fine. I feel it's still finer than my Visconti fine but with enough character to make writing interesting. I often take notes with the M.

The music nib is the one I like to write letters with. The line variation is welcome and natural, I don't have to learn to write flex, and it has enough character to give interesting ink some character on the page.

The zoom nib, while special to my heart, is my least favourite nib of any pen I've ever purchased. It's a fat writer with a goofy grind that allows serious line variation without flex. I don't use this pen as I can't stand bold writers and find the angle that allows slim lines to be awkward.

Sailor nibs, if my opinion has any weight, are the most consistent purchases I have ever made and I wouldn't trade the writing experience for any other.

Writing Sample (Music Nib)

$Music writing sample.jpg

My handwriting is not nice and the angle at which I held my music nib at was at such an angle that I got a few skips and bad starts. That said, I enjoy writing with it regardless the trouble it gives me. I do not have these issues with my "normal" Sailors.

The pen does not write wet but this particular nib offers the most line variation of any of the Sailor pens I own. Not scratchy, not smooth, I know when I'm writing on paper and enjoy it most on the Rodia grid I've shown above. I prefer the normal grinds on smoother paper like Apica Premium or Tomoe River.

Conclusion

At a reasonable price, a standard 1911 is a fantastic investment to those who are looking for an every day writing instrument. Very little character to the writing itself, nib dependent of course, but for some it's enough to have a beautiful ink flow from a normal pen. I happen to be of that variety on a day-to-day basis.

I really enjoy my Sailor 1911 alongside my other Sailor pens. As I don't have large hands the 1911 shown above is a comfortable and enjoyable pen to use for extended periods. I recommend everyone try writing with Sailor pens at their local shops at some point along their FP adventure. It opens up a world of interesting nibs that no other pen maker offers (mine are pedestrian to what's out there) and always results in a satisfying writing experience.

^^
 
Very thorough review. Thank you for all of the observations.

Is the King of Pens a converter or a piston?
 
Nice review. I also have a 1911 with a music nib, and to be candid, I don't love it. It makes my writing look more comical than usual. I far prefer the 1911 with a medium nib. I will, at some point, pick up a Sailor with a naginata togi nib.
 
Very thorough review. Thank you for all of the observations.

Is the King of Pens a converter or a piston?

The KOP is a converter filling system. Easy as they may be to clean, I personally hate them and it's my only complaint I have with the bulk of my Sailor pens.

Alas, beggars can't be choosers...
 
there was a very limited and now rare and sought after realo version of the KOP that they have not remade since that one limited run. they don't cone up for sale often and now are bringing fairly large money. but most others are the insanely trimmed out converter system


great review thank you for taking the time
 
I will get a Sailor 1911 soon. I haven't decided whether it will be a Realo or standard C/C. But I'm really looking forward to comparing side-by-side with its inspiration, the MB 146 LeGrand. As good as the MB is, I can't wait to see how the Sailor stacks up.

I thought about getting a Zoom nib, but I'll stick with a Broad.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
IMHO, sailor is really missing the boat.

Their naginata togi, and specialty Ngahara nibs, are fantastic ... but use a lot of ink! So ... why connect them all to converters?? A good piston-fill with a large capacity could make these pens a good recommendation for daily use pens, without the big "hope you don't have a lot to write" handicap.

They charge an arm and a leg for their pens, and another arm and leg for their piston-fill.

*sigh*
 
I have a M-nibbed Sailor 1911. It is a non-flashy pen indeed, but a good writer.

A Sailor piston filler for a reasonable price would be great indeed.

Thanks for the review!
 
IMHO, sailor is really missing the boat.

Their naginata togi, and specialty Ngahara nibs, are fantastic ... but use a lot of ink! So ... why connect them all to converters?? A good piston-fill with a large capacity could make these pens a good recommendation for daily use pens, without the big "hope you don't have a lot to write" handicap.

They charge an arm and a leg for their pens, and another arm and leg for their piston-fill.

*sigh*
I agree with you, and that's why I went so long before making the decision that I was going to buy one. I mean, if you're buying from Japan it's not that bad, but still the 1911 Large is the price of a Lamy 2000. In the US, it's almost $100 more. You're better off buying a Pilot Custom 823. The Japanese price for a Realo is around the US price for the regular C/C fill.

And people also complain that the Realo's piston doesn't have a good capacity (reported at 1.0 or 1.1ml). To be honest, that doesn't bother me much because I have a lot of ink to use but I understand if that bothers others.

But back when I was just getting into pens and Swisher Pens was still open, the owner said that out of all the pens he owned and all the pens he'd ever used, the best one was his Sailor 1911. I've wanted one from that point, but I had to get through a lot of phychological blocks in order to buy it.

I suppose that it's like reconciling to yourself that shaving brushes can actually cost $220, and saying "No I'll never pay that!" But over time your resolve weakens and you actually convince yourself that it's not that bad. It could be worse. You could be into far more expensive hobbies...and before you know it, that $220 bundle of animal hair glued into a plastic handle is actually on its way to you.

At one point not too long ago, I told myself that I'd never pay over ~$150 for a C/C fill pen, ESPECIALLY if it's got a steel nib. Well, Sailor's nib is 21k gold...not 14k or 18k. And if you look at it, even as a C/C filler it's cheaper than an Edison pen with an 18k nib. "But Edison pens are special!" some people say. Are they? Are they really? Maybe because of personal material choice, but it's still just plastic.

The Lamy 2000 is truly a special pen because you get a platinum coated 14k nib and a piston fill mechanism for ~$160. That's unmatched in the pen world as far as I know (well, except for the Pilot Custom Heritage 92, which is $120 Japan price). And it also makes other pens look expensive. Pelikan? Bah... Nice writers, but overpriced for what you get. I say that and I still am getting the Cafe Creme special edition when it comes out in March...and that has a steel nib to boot!

So I guess it comes down to perceived worth. I'd like to know what people in Japan think of Sailor's pricing. I know they're highly thought-of there among the "Big 3" Japanese companies but Western pens are more popular and perceived as higher quality by most people. And it's really weird that the King of Pen is just a C/C filler. For the price, you'd expect more than a tricked-out converter housing.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
At one point not too long ago, I told myself that I'd never pay over ~$150 for a C/C fill pen, ESPECIALLY if it's got a steel nib. Well, Sailor's nib is 21k gold...not 14k or 18k. And if you look at it, even as a C/C filler it's cheaper than an Edison pen with an 18k nib. "But Edison pens are special!" some people say. Are they? Are they really? Maybe because of personal material choice, but it's still just plastic.

The Lamy 2000 is truly a special pen because you get a platinum coated 14k nib and a piston fill mechanism for ~$160. That's unmatched in the pen world as far as I know (well, except for the Pilot Custom Heritage 92, which is $120 Japan price). And it also makes other pens look expensive. Pelikan? Bah... Nice writers, but overpriced for what you get. I say that and I still am getting the Cafe Creme special edition when it comes out in March...and that has a steel nib to boot!

So I guess it comes down to perceived worth. I'd like to know what people in Japan think of Sailor's pricing. I know they're highly thought-of there among the "Big 3" Japanese companies but Western pens are more popular and perceived as higher quality by most people. And it's really weird that the King of Pen is just a C/C filler. For the price, you'd expect more than a tricked-out converter housing.

Comparing Edison to Sailor ... hmm ... I'd tell people that Edison has a special pen body and an average-decent stock nib, while the Sailor has an average-decent body (at standard price) and a special nib. Not that the Edison nib is bad, or the Sailor body is bad, but that's not where you get your 'sizzle' ... all the moreso when you pony up a bit of extra dough for a naginata/nagahara nib for a Sailor or a special filling mechanism for the Edison body.

Can I get a Sailor naginata nib, with a Pilot Custom Heritage 92 piston, and a Nakaya body? Drool!!

I heard somewhere that ... on your "perceived worth in Japan" question ... that in Japan expensive fountain pens are often given as gifts rather than used as "daily drivers" ... so there's a good chance the pen will sit unused in the recipient's desk drawer, or maybe inked and used for the occasional special occasion, so spending extra on a filling mechanism would, in the Japanese practice, be missing the point of the pen. Dunno if that's actually the case, but anyhow ...
 
I have a 1911 Regular with a Yukio Nagahara Crisp Italic grind. If there is one pen as sweet as some of my crisp "51" s.. it is this one... well maybe not as sweet as the flighter.... but damn close
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
I have a 1911 Regular with a Yukio Nagahara Crisp Italic grind. If there is one pen as sweet as some of my crisp "51" s.. it is this one... well maybe not as sweet as the flighter.... but damn close

It's great to see the son following in his father's footsteps so well.
 
does any of sailors nibs have s bit if spring to them, I've only dealt with a few and they were stiff, but smooth
 
Thanks for a great review! I have a Sailor Reglus with a fine nib. There is no spring at all, but it is a pleasure to write with. I love Japanese fine nibs.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
I had this pen with a F (or maybe MF) naginata togi nib. The nib has too much feedback for my liking, but I am not a lover of fine nibs. Fortunately my son is, so I gave it to him.
 
The music nib is very flexible, its a great base for a cursive italic or stub regrind.

 
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