Sailor Kop, Pilot Custom 845 Black Or Platinum Izumo Tamenuri

[jskywalker]

I'm planning to get a M nib of ONE of the following : Sailor KOP (resin), Pilot Custom 845 black or Platinum Izumo Tamenuri.

 

In my opinion :-

Body : Platinum Izumo Tamenuri > Pilot Custom 845 > Sailor KOP (resin)

Nib : Sailor KOP (resin) > Pilot Custom 845 > Platinum Izumo Tamenuri

 

It's a 3 way tie...

 

What's you view on these 3 giants ?

Edited March 24, 2018 by jskywalker

[pararis]

Your mistake is getting just one. Buy one of each.

[jskywalker]

Can't afford one of each at this time....

 

If one, which one ?

[25_15_3]

For the KOP, I've owned a few over the years: always a cycle of buying and selling. The nib I never find an issue with - rather the body is what makes me wanting to sell the pen. I wouldn't say that the KOP nibs are that much or if all better than the 1911/Pro gear nibs. I find the balance of the unposted KOP off in some way. The balance of the pen is excellent when posted, but I find it too heavy and long.

[Tseg]

If I look at your math, it suggests your 'settling' if you get the Pilot in either scenario. So count that out. Then I think about the time I went to buy a dishwasher and the salesman tried to sell me on the fact this one unit uses the least water of any... But does it clean dishes well? Getting a good nib should always weight most heavily in a pen. Sailor KOP also has Ebonite and Urushi, so save up and get the ultimate pen.

[EricTheRed]

Here is a vote for the Platinum Izumo Tamenuri. I must say, regardless of what you choose, you have great taste!

[jar]

Fondle fondle fondle.

 

Each of the pens is a very different beast and only your hand can determine which fits you. I have examples of all three and I own far more Izumos than either of the others. My KoP Progears get used more than my KoPs and both the Izumos and KoPs get used more than the 845s.

 

I need to toss a cartridge in an 845 and let it play awhile.

[Drawing61]

You can't lose with any of these. Maybe you should start with the one that most appeals to you aesthetically.

[jskywalker]

I like the Izumo aesthetically. But the nib is something I don't like. If only Izumo can fit with a KOP nib a the same price....

[mongrelnomad]

I'd definitely go with the Platinum. The nib may not be impressive to look at (definitely not when compared to the KOP), but they are wonderful writers and you won't be disappointed where the rubber meets the road. And... it's unapologetically urushi, the only one with urushi on the body and on the section too. That makes it the only one of the three that will feel special. Very special. Very very special.

 

No contest IMO (and for the record, I own all three).

Edited March 25, 2018 by mongrelnomad

[jmccarty3]

I own all three of these as well. The medium President nib that comes on the Izumo is very narrow, like a Western extra-fine. I am much happier with broad nibs in my Izumos. The medium KOP nib is excellent, but I agree with Tseg that you should save up for an ebonite or urushi if you decide on a KOP. I like my 845, but it is rather unusual, being the Tokyo Pen Shop Quill vermilion urushi with a Waverly nib. In a contest with the Izumo and the KOP, I think the black or red Namiki Yukari Royale is a much better choice than the 845.

[mongrelnomad]

I own all three of these as well. The medium President nib that comes on the Izumo is very narrow, like a Western extra-fine. I am much happier with broad nibs in my Izumos. The medium KOP nib is excellent, but I agree with Tseg that you should save up for an ebonite or urushi if you decide on a KOP. I like my 845, but it is rather unusual, being the Tokyo Pen Shop Quill vermilion urushi with a Waverly nib. In a contest with the Izumo and the KOP, I think the black or red Namiki Yukari Royale is a much better choice than the 845.

I concur about the Yukari Royale beating the others with a stick, but it is about triple the price of the pens mentioned. That said, I think the Yukari Royale and the Izumo share a similar spirit (at least compared to the alternatives).

[shuuemura]

Definitely consider the Pilot Custom Urushi if you can. Excellent nib and urushi/ebonite body.

 

I love the balance of the KOP unposted but the filling system is a little disappointing. I've never owned the Izumo because while I like the feel of the body when holding it, I get the feeling that I won't like it if I have to use it for an extended period of time. The Pilot Custom 845 is often overlooked but it has an excellent nib and great sealing against drying out.

[Kodiac136]

Fondle fondle fondle.

 

Each of the pens is a very different beast and only your hand can determine which fits you. I have examples of all three and I own far more Izumos than either of the others. My KoP Progears get used more than my KoPs and both the Izumos and KoPs get used more than the 845s.

 

I need to toss a cartridge in an 845 and let it play awhile.

If possible, this is really your best bet. It is so difficult to know which pen will speak to you without handling all of them. Out of the three of these, I find that the KoP wins out for me, but the converter really is lackluster and you may be disappointed with it.

[MYU]

The Pilot Custom 845 isn't quite as exciting to behold, visually speaking. It has that Montblanc Meisterstuck variant look going on, but that's something which fades away after ownership. I really like the size, weight, nib, and how it uses the CON-70 rather than piston. It's so easy to clean and maintain. Plus, in the grand scheme of things, it's possible to obtain it a good bit cheaper than the KOP or Izumo.

[jchch1950]

Platinum Izumo has a different body shape that makes it special.

[Tseg]

So any decision here? My KoP Pro Gear ( was so delayed out of Japan I thought I was about to get a refund, hitting the end of the very long delivery date range today. As a result, this past weekend I sprung for the Namiki Yukari Royale vermillion urushi (M) because of an Easter special being run by the vendor - 2-3 month wait on delivery. Sure enough, 3 am this morning I got my text that my KoP has arrived in the NYC processing center and I should have by the weekend. Meanwhile, a few weeks back got the Pelikan M1000 (M) - that nib is super wide and juicy... I'm hoping my KOP ( line is a bit more thin and restrained. With the Pelikan I have to write super large, which is fun to do from time to time, but tiring on my hand and uses lots of paper. The benefit is I can really get ink appreciation with that pen. But the Sailor KoP Broad nib is really supposed to be something else. I'm hoping between my 3 oversized pens I end up with a (M) Namiki that acts like a Western Fine, a ( KoP that acts like a Western Medium and a (M) M1000 that acts like a Western Broad+... then I'm done with oversized pens. I'm glad I've gotten past my yearning for the Namiki Emperor.

[jskywalker]

Hi Tseg,

 

Comparing your Sailor KoP, Namiki Royale & Pelikan M1000, which nib perform the best and why ?

[Tseg]

Hi Tseg,

 

Comparing your Sailor KoP, Namiki Royale & Pelikan M1000, which nib perform the best and why ?

 

I don't have the Namiki Urushi No. 20 yet (by 4th of July)... but the Sailor KoP is my strong preference over the Pelikan M1000. It may be because I'm still 'ham-fisted' but the Sailor Broad is nice and wet but it is a very controlled bounce, maybe even slightly less than my Pilot Custom 823. If I write with a very light touch I can get the Broad nib line down to a Western fine in size, but apply pressure and I can steadily increase line width... It is a Western Medium in size for me under normal writing conditions. The Pelikan (M) is very soft and I find myself needing to write with sweeping strokes in a fluid manner else the letters all start to blob up with ink. Even though the Sailor is very wet, smaller written letters do not blob up with ink like with the Pelikan. For me, writing with the KoP is more relaxing and natural, I really have to concentrate to write well (in my crappy penmanship) with the M1000. It can be exhausting for longer writing sessions... or I let me guard down and there is a clear change in my writing quality before I know it. Finally, the Sailor makes the slightest pencil sound when writing, the Pelikan tends to want to sound and feel like a magic marker and gets louder as I forget to keep up with the light writing.

Edited April 14, 2018 by Tseg

[stan]

Am leaving Japan today where I had the opportunity to visit several shops. Photos of stuff will be forthcoming. This post is not about the trip but, about the pen purchased. Each time we visit I try to obtain a souvenir.

 

My hotel is in Shinjuku so, Kingdom Note was four blocks away and Keio Department Store next to, and on top of, the station. Also, toured the downtown shops where several bottles of ink not readily available in America were found.

 

Kingdom note had all three of the pens suggested in this thread for sale. I was not looking to purchase any of them in particular. They all happened to be available. I tried the Izumo and 845. The Izumo was part of a thirty pen edition made for Kingdom Note out some exotic wood not used on other models. It is 5mm longer than a standard Izumo and same weight.

 

I have reasonably big hands, am left-handed and use strong upper strokes, and hold pens high on the section. If the threading is too sharp or high, it is not comfortable. Nib size is not always important as both Medium and Fine points seem to work for me. This Izumo has a Medium nib that is muck like a Fine. There is a slight flexiness. I have several pens with Music and super-flexible nibs but, those are not practical for everyday use.

 

The 845 barrel/section is bigger in diameter than the Izumo and this was uncomfortable. I could not see or feel myself using the pen for an extended time. Frankly, I could not see myself using the pen for more than two minutes. Nib was nothing special. Nice size but, too many are attracted to pens by the size of nib. This should not be a deciding factor.

 

There were two Sailor KOPs at Keio and both appeared to be a special or limited edition, differentiated from standard models by decorative banding on the barrel. Neither is in the current catalogue. Of course, the nibs were smooth. Prices on both were very good. My hands tended to want to hold the pen closer to the nib than normal. I have a good size Sailor Profit that is used regularly so, after using this and over one hundred other Sailor pens, have a good idea of what works best for me. Was it the shape of the section or diameter of the pen? Not sure. Decided to pass.

 

I purchased the Izumo for several reasons. Generally, the order of importance.

1. Felt good.

2. Wrote good.

3. Large pen.

4. Limited edition.

5. Best price.

6. Attention by knowledgeable salesperson.

 

More information. Context???

 

I have an Izumo at home that has not been used. It was purchased at such an incredibly good price I thought resale might be best. I am familiar with the model. The one purchased felt better psychologically and physically.

 

I have other large pens. A good size Danitrio with a huge super flexible nib, for example. It is bulky and heavy compared to the Izumo. It is rarely used.

 

I have a Nayaka with nib tuned by Mr. Yoshino. The Izumo nib was reminiscent of this nib.

 

Discussion of purchasing a pen for the urushi or filling system has always seemed odd to me. Design or decoration is more important. Coupled with usability makes a good pen.

 

Will post pictures of the Izumo this week on return.