I received my Sailor 1911 early last week. I had first ordered from a site in Malaysia, but was told these pens were "overstock" so they had none available. I reordered from Swisher Pens and received the pen within 3 days. The priority mail box was crushed on one end, but the Sailor box and pen were at the other end and unharmed.
I was immediately delighted with the colour - I wanted a Sailor for the reputed excellance of its nib, but also for that amazing yellow. I waited a day to fill it, being a little nervous - having not bought a new pen in years.
The immediate impression was of solid, solid quality. The gold appointments, against the yellow resin seemed subdued, not gaudy like a Mont Blanc (no offense meant!) The pen had a delightful balance and weight - somewhat north of a Sheaffer Balance but lighter than my Duofold. The converter is, well, a converter, but well made. The brass part that holds the grip and nib are thicker than that on any of my pens and well finished. The brass screws have a small rubber "o" ring to keep the ink inside the body should disaster strike.
When I got up my nerve to fill it I relied on a tried and true ink, Waterman, in south sea blue. I do most of my daily writing in a Levenger Stanley Journal - basically an octavo sized leatherbound book with replaceable inserts that are adequate, but not truly wonderful as writing paper.
Buttery smooth is so true. The nib hesitated on a couple words of the first two sentences but then wrote wholly reliably and wonderfully, wonderfully smoothly. I've not experienced any other nib with this degree of light gliding touch. Unlike other pens, I'm happy with it either posted or unposted. The line, with the relatively thin Waterman ink and the relatively absorbent paper is thicker than I had expected. More akin to a Duofold medium and it suits me just fine. I'm sure it will be a bit finer with a different ink or paper, but I bought a case lot of the journal inserts when Levenger changed the size a while back.
I'm looking forward to trying my Ampad Gold, other inks, and maybe even one of those moleskins I've learned about in the past week here.
I'm sure I haven't done the pen justice with my non-technical language, but this pen has so greatly exceeded my expectations. I've always heard that the Sailors and Pelikans were the most consistently loved "writers" pens and now I can't wait for my new Pelikan 400 to be delivered.
This one is definitely not going to end up a hanger queen ................. it's going to be used, a lot. I wonder if I could get back to that abandoned novel now that I'm retired...............?