Okay, I've been shopping for a nice pen (~$US200) for my birthday and have been eyeing the Densho for awhile, mostly due to the positive reviews of it posted on the forum. I was all set to pm Winedoc about it until I got my grubby mitts on a Sailor 1911. Sailor doesn't seem to get much mention compared to the other brands, and I was hoping to get some specific differences between these two pens.

So anyway, I was browsing at the local store a few days ago and passed by a Sailor 1911 3 or 4 times before my eyes settled on them. It was just such a non-descript black and gold pen - a very big plus for me, as I'm into non-blingy/boring/conservative looking pens when they're expensive. So I asked to test it, thinking that I'll finally get it off my "maybe list." There I was, doodling circle-eights, not paying much attention until I realized how nice and smooth it was. Coming from a world of <US$50 pens, it was just, wow! The closest thing I have to it nib-wise is a couple of Pilot Knights with medium nibs. This was ten times better, if not more. Basically I had to make myself leave before I lost all self-control and threw down my credit card.

I'm nowhere near Winedoc, and therefore haven't had a chance to try out the DaniTrio, but it seems that everyone who got it liked it. A lot.

What I've gathered so far:
- Sailor nibs are smooth and firm. DaniTrio nibs are smooth and springy. How do they compare?
- Size-wise, if I'm not mistaken, Densho > Pelikan 1000 / MB 149 > Sailor 1911
- Ink capacity and filling mechanism is a non-issue for me, as I don't really write that much (one international converter of ink a week, give or take). The extra capacity of the Densho would be nice, but I've also been known to change ink colours rather frequently.
- Looks. From the pictures of the Densho I've seen here, the Sailor may actually look too flashy next to it...?

All comments welcome!

The Densho is the most non-bling pen imaginable. To the Uninitated the ebonite looks like plastic, and the only trim is the steel clip.

Denshos can be bought with springy semi-flex nibs or regular firm nibs. The flexis are a bouncy joy - I was told to buy an XF rather than the F I had planned on, because they are very, very wet - and this was exactly right. They're easy to use semi-flex rather than vintage wet noodles, so the line variation isn't great - you mostly buy them for the springy feeling.

The Densho can be bought with a flexi stub. It's a bit too wide for everyday use but in the hands of a talent like our own NG-Huy's it can do amazing things:



I love my Densho a LOT - but as I just said on another thread, if every Danitrio in the world disappeared tomorrow, I'd probably get a Sailor. I don't how the D would cope with frequent ink changes: mine is permanently set on PR Chocolat - I'd mail Winedoc and ask him his opinion. I doubt there would be a problem.

Whichever pen you buy, you'll be getting one of the world's most perfect writing machines.

Densho for sure since I like Dani Trio's nibs much much much better than the stiff byt glassy smooth Sailor.

I like the overall feel of a Densho. Also it is better if it is an ED.


It it the bottom one on the screen :

Buy the Sailor 1911 and leave the Denshos to me

Rick

I voted Danitrio, based on what appeared to be your criteria: non-blingy, under $200, smooth nib, large size.

Changing inks in the Danitrio eyedropper is the easiest thing in the world. Even easier than with a converter pen. Biggest issue would be the possibility that you could be throwing away a lot of ink if you are changing ink colors every two or three days (or two or three times A day). But you can reduce the amount of wasted ink if you simply don't fill the ink reservoir all the way up.

If you really can't decide, flip a coin. You'll like the outcome. Either way, you're going to get a good pen. And you know that eventually you'll buy the other one too.

Thanks for the replies, especially for the reminder that the Denshos have the flexy option. I've always wanted to own something flexy.

It'd appear that this is one of those decisions without a bad option. I'm going to go with the Densho for now, mostly because I get my choice of nibs (the local store only stocks mediums it seems). So as soon as Winedoc gets my pm, I should hopefully be on the waiting list for a flexy-fine nibbed Densho! :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1:

And BillTheEditor... it's as if you know me! After getting a Phileas, I just had to collect them all! Or at least those that the local OfficeDepot has (red, blue, green, black). One of the few enjoyable things about being slightly-OCD. I predict a fountain pen population boom starting the very day I finish grad school.

Sailors are smooth nails, and if you like'm, you can get them cheap from japan from reliable sellers as engeika:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZengeikaQQ...1QQfsooZ1QQrdZ0?

That's another reason to go with the Densho I suppose, the depreciation factor.

Thanks for the link. I'll need to start monitoring Sailor prices on eBay.

Curious, does anyone know which Densho nib is equivalent to a Sailor Medium (or Safari Fine)? Which is lighter in weight?

Could someone please tell the model of the Conway Stewart and the model Denso next to the MB 149. Thanks.

That's a Conway Stewart Churchill. I don't know what model pen is next to the MB 149. My guess is the Densho is the one on the bottom, given that it has no cap ring.

Edit: My densho has a different clip, however: it's silver, rather than golden, and is shaped differently - more streamlined.

James P.

Yes,,, Engeika is reliable. eBayed a Sailor PG in silver trim from him. Superfast shipping. Item is brand new. Prices unbelieavably low.

The PG is exquisitely smooth.

Hi,
Not sure if you were referring to my post.



Top to bottom :
CS Churchill
MB146
Dani Trio Bane-i
Dan Trio Densho.

My god! How big is that bottom Densho?

5-15/16" capped.

Bill,

How do you flush the last bits of ink out of the ED's barrel?

Thanks BillTheEditor. Does Danitrio make anything with a similar flexy nib, but in the 5 1/4" to 5 1/2" range? Or di I just have to suck it up and write with it uncapped?

It's not elegant, but I use the eyedropper to fill the barrel about half full of cold water, put my thumb over the open end, and shake vigorously. Dump, rinse, and repeat until the rinse water is clear. I'm careful to keep the outside of the pen dry, although I don't know that water would damage it, especially if wiped off immediately.

Noodler's inks seem to come right out. Levenger Cobalt Blue gave me a little more trouble, but it still only took four or five "cycles" to get the job done.

I use an ear syringe to flush the section and nib. Again, repeat until clear.

I think the Hanryo is down in the range you want, but winedoc could tell you for sure. You can get a flexy nib on any of the Danitrios in this family sfaik.

I do not post the cap on the Densho. It would be horribly unbalanced, and posting would probably make a wear mark on the barrel that I would find unattractive.

ADDED: According to a post in this thread, the Hanryo is 5-9/16" -- a sixteenth of an inch more than the top of your range. Winedoc will have to tell you if they have any models under 5-1/2".

Thanks Bill, you're helpful and informative as always.

Thanks Bill !

Laurence

Another question:

Has anyone tried either the firm or the flexible fine nib?

No contest. The Densho wins in my book.

I have the flexible fine nib in my Densho. It's not "super-flexible" or a wet noodle, although you can get some nice variation with restrained use of pressure. Under normal use (whatever that is), it is a nice springy nib that produces an interesting line.

I'm looking for the smoothest nib possible and on this topic many people seem to prefer the danitrio. Is it much smoother than the sailor or is it for another reason?

To me the Sailor seems glassier than the Densho because of what you might call the aspect to weight ratio of each. The Sailor is equally balanced throughout the angle of approach, whereas the Densho has a variation in where the sweet spot lies; at its maximum sweetness, it is sweeter than the Sailor.

Dennis, your new avatar is cracking me up.

I really dig it too. I was looking for an animated av & found a site with a bunch of them. 99.999% aren't fit for polite company or a family board but there were a few that were ok. (seriously this site is the most vile thing I've ever found but some of the av's were funny)

I've not used the Sailor and I'm a strong advocate of the Densho, but I doubt the Densho is a significantly smoother pen - Sailor's nibs are legendary, and my Densho XF is excellent, but not quite as smooth as my best vintage XF. (At least at the same ink flow - the D's inkflow can be very varied, and obviously more ink equals more lubrication, equals smoother feeling nib.)

However absolute smoothness isn't everything. in a nib. I think that most people who rave over their Densho have a flexi nib, and the rich springy feeling of writing with one of these is a complete joy.

By comparison, Sailors nibs are said to be very rigid, and the reputed all time XF smoothness champion is the Sheaffer Triumph - the classic rigid nib. My understanding is that getting a nib to be both smooth and flexible is a real challenge, so getting A grade (rather than the vintage Sheaffer A+) smoothness and flex into a nib is a real achievement.

The other reason people love the Densho is, of course, it's big size combined with light weight. The Densho is a pen you can write with all day, while, say the similarly sized, much more expensive Pelikan M1000, has a reputation for being a "signature pen" due to its greater weight.