Sailor - F, M Or B Nib?

[s5s]

I really don't know what to choose. I use a technical pen when I have to write thin lines but I've also noticed that writing with very thin lines (English at least) looks rather ugly. I currently own a Lamy safari F and EF but I don't think we can use those as examples as we all know the problem with inconsistency with Lamy nibs.

 

I was going to go for a B but I mainly write maths and I don't want to end up having to buy sketch books so that I can fit my equation on the same line . Any recommendations?

[ParkerBeta]

I have Sailor Pro Gears with F, M, and B nibs. I would recommend an F or an M nib. The Sailor M nib is something like a Western F nib (and probably a Lamy EF nib, because Lamys tend to be extra-wide). The two Sailor F nibs that I have are the same width, and it is very fine indeed, finer by far than my Montblanc EF, and finer than the Schmidt EF on my TWSBI too. If this is too fine for you, then perhaps the M nib would be better for your purposes.

[Edgar Allan Bo]

My experence with Sailors nibs:

 

Sailor B would be something similar to LAMY M

 

Sailor M = LAMY F

 

Sailor F = finer than LAMY EF

 

And Sailor nibs are smooothsmoothsmooth!!!

[Bigeddie]

My Sailor 1911m (m for midsize) M nib is about the same, maybe a little finer, than my Lamy studio EF, however the 1911 (full size) M is markedly broader than the midsize version, and the the Lamy EF. Not sure if that is the same with the sapporo compared to the full size pro gear.

 

I also have a 1911m Fine nib which is finer than the Lamy EF.

Edited January 4, 2012 by Bigeddie

[Joe in Seattle]

For some models, Sailor also makes M-F, a hybrid. Somewhat narrower than M, broader than F and verrrrry smooth.

[fourseamer]

I have a full size 1911 with M nib, and it's comparable to a Lamy M. It's not what I would call fine at all. Another 1911 with a MF nib I tried was definitely finer than a Lamy F though. Perhaps comparable to a Lamy EF if not finer. Most of my Lamy F nibs fall between the Sailor MF and M nibs.

 

With that confusion in mind, I'd recommend a MF if you prefer the finer end of the scale (closer to a Lamy EF) or try your luck with a M and hope you get a line closer to a Lamy F than a Lamy M.

 

I dunno. My limited experience would scale them thusly:

 

Sailor EF < Sailor F < Sailor MF < Lamy EF < Lamy F < Sailor M < Lamy M

Edited January 4, 2012 by fourseamer

[estie1948]

For what it is worth, I would recommend the Sailor Medium nib. It is broader than I like, but I much prefer the extra fine line or, at the broadest, the fine line. Since you find these to be ugly, then I would recommend the medium nib. And, yes, if it is a Sailor nib, it is going to be smooth. Again, for what it is worth. . .

[Uncle Red]

There's always the Zoom if you can't decide.

[nicnilla]

I have 2 Sailors, the sapporo and the Procolor 500. Both are fine and both are finer than any western f nib I own.

I find them to be smooth for the linewidth. Although they both need to be realigned regularly. The Procolor even more so than the sapporo,

it's nib is a tiny bit softer, a little bit more flexible. If you like I can compare the lines to a pelikan 200 f nib and a stipula f nib and kaweco

f nib. maybe I even find an old lamy in f. But even without that I can tell you, that the sailor is by far the thinnest line. And therefore not as

smooth as the other nibs. One can't expect a near needle nib to be smooth, right *smile – wishful thinking. I am still dreaming of finding the

buttersmooth needlepoint nib that I would not only use for drawing, but would even enjoy writing with

[Hohn]

When I got my 1911 (midsize) with the F nib, I was not prepared for just how fine it writes. It is, imo, a good bit finer than a Lamy EF, though I have not tested with identical inks, just same paper. I suspect the difference may actually be greater than one might think, since the Lamy EF feels a little dry to me with some inks, while the Sailor is surprisingly wet for such a fine line. I suspect the wetness provides a good bit of the smoothness this pen has.

 

I have no experience with other Sailor nibs, just my F-nibbed 1911 midsize. It is the nicest and most pleasurable pen I own (even more than my Pelikan M215 M).

 

H

[JLT]

I'm a mathematician and I have two go-to pens whenever I rough-out models - an XF Sheaffer Triumph 1750 level fill and a Sailor Professional Gear with a H-F (hard fine) nib. The line width is about the same and both are perfectly suited to that task - both are very smooth with very controlled/consistent ink delivery. I would recommend the Sailor fine nib.

Edited January 6, 2012 by JLT