Sailor 1911M

[tomgartin]

INTRODUCTION:

I received this pen in a trade with another FPN member, as part of my quest for a pen that could handle my demands as a tall gentleman with a habit of writing extensively. My first pen was a Lamy Safari, followed by a Parker 45 flighter, and these pens are very good but sadly not quite right. Just like Goldilocks in the bears' house, third time is the charm. Since it was hard for me to find reviews on the standard size (I think there are 20x as many reviews of the larger size) I thought it would be good to offer this resource to people who are curious, as I was.

 

APPEARANCE & DESIGN: 8/10

This pen is burgundy and looks much better than I had imagined. I wasn't sure I wanted anything other than black since this is a pen that follows the Mont Blanc styling. However, the burgundy won me over and even if I'd still like to see it in black, the burgundy is not vulgar. The gold accents are perfect, as is the clip, and I like that the section is the same color as the barrel and cap. Since this is a C/C pen, I'm still a little on the fence about the appearance of a blind cap that isn't functional. Minus two points for not being black and for the non-functional blind cap. That's not to say I don't think it's a gorgeous pen though, so it still gets a solid eight points here for being a mature and timeless design.

 

CONSTRUCTION & QUALITY: 10/10

The clip material is arched, which has drawn criticism from some who think it's just to make it look thicker. My objection is that the arched metal greatly improves the strength of the clip without adding weight to the cap. This is great for those who post. The nib/feed screw out of the section and fit securely. There is an O-ring built onto the section where the barrel attaches. The converter itself disassembles for cleaning and maintenance. The cap doesn't let the nib dry out and threads onto the body with only a couple of turns, and also posts securely. I want to show off this pen because it is well crafted and very thoughtful.

 

WEIGHT & DIMENSIONS: 9/10

I know I should be in the habit of posting, but I'm still working on going through this extra step before writing. Since it's the smaller version of the 1911 writing unposted is not very comfortable for a guy with large hands like me, but it's not horrible either. And if I post it, the pen is absolutely perfect for weight and balance. I don't have a ruler handy, but google tells me the dimensions are 135mm capped. That's a little on the small side, but still manageable for a regular guy. Hey, I'm over six feet tall (when I was 10 my sister accused me of having "gigantism") and it's a perfect fit when posted. I take off a point for being just a bit small, but I still award a nine for being able to satisfy my hand.

 

NIB & PERFORMANCE: 9/10

The nib is a hard-fine (H-F is the marking on the side of the nib) and is single-tone, 14k gold. It writes true to size and firmness. I take off a point for a little toothiness, which makes it write a little bit more like my Lamy Safari EF, but it still keeps up with my writing and lays down a wetter line than the Safari. I love the styling engraved on the nib and I get enough line variation to satisfy my writing style. My favorite feature is that it writes a great hairline when inverted and does this very smoothly.

 

FILLING SYSTEM & MAINTENANCE: 10/10

I have a little bit of lust for the eyedroppers and piston fillers, and even the bulb fillers that Edison is turning out, but when it comes to practicality there is truly nothing better for me than a converter. I know the piston will fail eventually and when it does I will spend $8 (or something like that) to get a new converter. While the new converter is being mailed I'll be able to use cartridges which I have on hand, my pen will always be available to me, and I won't have to worry about leaks. It holds enough ink to last me a couple days (perks of using a fine nib) and I can always check my ink level without making a mess, and without having an ugly ink window as a permanent feature of the design (I'm looking at you, Safari). I can't think of a more practical and satisfying filling system for my use. This is where Sailor shines for me.

 

COST & VALUE: 10/10

For a 14k nib that writes well, a thoughtful and comfortable design, and a reliable/practical filling system, the $156 retail price is money well spent. I was fortunate to trade another pen for this one, so the effective cost was about $8 in shipping. Can't argue with that. I'm very grateful to the FPN member who made this trade with me. You know who you are and you are a very good person. If it was lost or stolen I'd buy this pen at retail price because I'm in love with it. One point of contention that was stuck in my mind is the price difference between this and the larger 1911. For another $100 you might get a better nib and a larger body, but the standard nib is still really good and you're getting the exact same filling system/ink capacity. My wallet prefers the 1911 standard to the larger size, and my hand isn't complaining.

 

CONCLUSION : 9.3/10

This is an excellent pen. I don't have enough experience with other pens around the $150 mark to comment on how it competes in the market, but on its own this is a fantastic pen. If you have one of these and don't like it, I will gladly give it a loving home.

 

Happy writing,

Tom

 

Writing sample comparison with Lamy Safari EF

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s171/tomgartin/Sailor%201911/Safari-Sailor_writingsample.jpg

 

More Pictures (click here)

[jslallar]

Thanks for the excellent review.

 

I am 6 foot 4 - talk about big hands but I find this pen comfortable to use, though I feel more at home with a MB 146 or a Pilot Custom 74 which are longer pens.

 

I agree the finish is exquisite, and a delight when I first viewed the pen. I have two - both black and GT one with a zoom nib and the other with a music nib. Both write well, smooth and wet. The music nib was a bit toothy out of the box and the zoom too need a slight smoothening of the side, But after justa touch of DIY adjustments to the writing points they have both become my favourites.

[professionaldilettante]

Sailor sure knows how to build a pen. Congrats!

[torstar]

Thanks for the excellent review.

 

I am 6 foot 4 - talk about big hands but I find this pen comfortable to use, though I feel more at home with a MB 146 or a Pilot Custom 74 which are longer pens.

 

I agree the finish is exquisite, and a delight when I first viewed the pen. I have two - both black and GT one with a zoom nib and the other with a music nib. Both write well, smooth and wet. The music nib was a bit toothy out of the box and the zoom too need a slight smoothening of the side, But after justa touch of DIY adjustments to the writing points they have both become my favourites.

 

 

So you are really choking up on the nib in order to write and have the pen rest comfortably onto the flesh between your thumb and index finger?

[tinta]

Thank you for an excellent, thorough review.

I juggle seven of these pens (two Burgundy) with various italic nibs, from 0.5 to 1.1mm. Their simple balanced design, size & dependable performance (at a reasonable cost) makes them great choice.

Enjoy your Mid-Size 1911.

Cheers: tinta

Edited May 26, 2012 by tinta

[Pensioner]

Thank you for the excellent review of a pen that is on my want list. I agree with you about the practicality of converters. They aren't all that elegant, but they do the job and are inexpensive to replace. Here's the problem... After I read a favorable review, I seem to want the pen.

 

Pensioner

[NJP]

Great review.

 

I have this pen. A classic looking pen and well put together.

 

Before purchasing the 1911 I never posted pens. This one is too small unposted for me. Since then, I now post all my pens and it has improved my writing experience, especially with the Lamy 2000.

[user01]

Thank you for this review.

Sailor builds great fountain pens. (btw burgundy is a nice color)

The only problem I can imagine is that posting leads to wear on the barrel. But I never heard this.

[tomgartin]

Thank you for this review.

Sailor builds great fountain pens. (btw burgundy is a nice color)

The only problem I can imagine is that posting leads to wear on the barrel. But I never heard this.

 

There is a faint ring on the barrel from posting the cap, but it's not dramatic. It might be less noticeable on black bodied Sailors. In any case, it shouldn't bother the segment of people who would identify themselves as "users" more so than "collectors" (if that makes sense)

[user01]

 

There is a faint ring on the barrel from posting the cap, but it's not dramatic. It might be less noticeable on black bodied Sailors. In any case, it shouldn't bother the segment of people who would identify themselves as "users" more so than "collectors" (if that makes sense)

 

Every fountain pen I use looks used.

Buying a modern fountain pen just to look at it is not for me. Not using a vintage pen that is in exceptional condition is different of course.

 

And: I would have bought the burgundy verion too. A black pen with gold parts in this particular shape is too similar to a Mont Blanc pen. A different color or rhodium trim (or both at the same time) prevents this "copycat moment".

Have fun using your pen!

[goldiesdad]

Thanks for the review Tom ... I have been looking at this pen and it helped me decide to get it ...

 

Thanks for posting ...

[Quackedo]

I just bought my first 1911 mid tonight. I'm (im) patiently waiting for it to arrive. Great review. Tks.

 

Don

[Quackedo]

Cool, I'm a newbie and just sent my first post. I see that they call me "Dipped' (boy did they get that right). A quick question. Which ink did you guys/gals find worked the best with the 1911 Mid?

[tomgartin]

Cool, I'm a newbie and just sent my first post. I see that they call me "Dipped' (boy did they get that right). A quick question. Which ink did you guys/gals find worked the best with the 1911 Mid?

 

Great to have you join us! Once you get a few more posts your member status will change.

 

I've only used Diamine ink in my pen, so I can't tell you how it compares to other inks. I can definitely tell you, however, that it's a trouble-free ink and I've heard nothing but good things. From what I can tell the only ink you may want to avoid is Noodler's BSB (Bay State Blue) because it tends to have adverse effects on certain pens, although it has a cult following because of its saturation and vibrancy.

[Redbarchettayyz]

Cool, I'm a newbie and just sent my first post. I see that they call me "Dipped' (boy did they get that right). A quick question. Which ink did you guys/gals find worked the best with the 1911 Mid?

 

Great to have you join us! Once you get a few more posts your member status will change.

 

I've only used Diamine ink in my pen, so I can't tell you how it compares to other inks. I can definitely tell you, however, that it's a trouble-free ink and I've heard nothing but good things. From what I can tell the only ink you may want to avoid is Noodler's BSB (Bay State Blue) because it tends to have adverse effects on certain pens, although it has a cult following because of its saturation and vibrancy.

 

I'll second this, I have a yellow 1911m with a fine nib that I use as a margin/notation pen, and I find Diamine Vermilion writes fantastically in it.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Redbarchettayyz

[Montblanc owner and lover]

nice review dammageable that not more pictures...but nothing is perfect

[tomgartin]

nice review dammageable that not more pictures...but nothing is perfect

 

Thanks, you can find more pictures by clicking the link below the writing sample.

[Kugelschreiber]

Great review, thank you.

 

I think I'll have to bump this pen up my list. A TWSBI 540 ROC, Sheaffer Imperial and then this Sailor.