Sailor Pro-Gear Slim,spec. Ed., "fire"...a Dream

[tinta]

Received just before Christmas last year, this pen is in a word, (almost) perfect.

I'm tickled pink. I have finally found a factory nib that does not need any modification. Out-of-the-box, my Sailor Pro-Gear Slim "Fire" edition writes like a dream, with all the dry inks that I like to use. (Platinum b/b, Pelikan 4001 b/b, R&K Salix & Scabiosa or old MB Midnight Blue) I ordered this pen with a Sailor 14c. H-B nib, with a plan to have it stubbed, but this nib performs so well that I want to keep it, "as is"

.

The H-B nib draws lines that are narrower than what they should be,... more like what a European "M' nib would write. It's strange though that Sailor Jentle blue/black, another favourite ink, turned the pen into a fire hose.

The cap, barrel & section of this pen is made out of a bright orange/red, semi-transparent, PMMA resin. Instead of the usual two Sailor cap rings, the Fire edition has a heavier single engraved ring at the very edge of rim. I've had two Sailors in the past (Profit Mozaiques) that had this feature. The ring in this position reinforces the cap's opening & its threads.

 

Why "almost" perfect? The section & the upper part of the pen's cap are "too transparent" for my tastes. (I'm not a fan of demonstrators.) The black nib-collar shows through under the section's plastic material, giving this part of the pen a darker "dirty" look. As ink seeps into this area the grip darkens even more. The nib's smooth writing experience, with a touch of feedback, more than makes up for this cosmetic shortcoming. After all, it's the writing that counts.

My poor smart phone image of this pen does not do justice to the rich orange/red luster of the plastic.

[ENewton]

How lovely for you, especially given your disappointment with other factory nibs.

 

I concur with your impression. I never thought I would own a pen with a broad nib, because my handwriting is tiny, but a friend decided to sell his Pro Gear Slim Purple Cosmos Broad, and I bought it because I liked the finish. I haven't yet dared to put Scabiosa in it or any other pen with a gold nib (even though iron gall is theoretically safer to use with gold nibs than with metal ones), but in general, if an ink is too dry for my other pens, I try it in the Sailor Broad.

 

As you say, the nib provides a smooth writing experience with just enough feedback not to be slippery in a light hand. It's a bit too broad for my usual writing but nice for special applications, such as headings and greeting cards.

[tinta]

 

... I haven't yet dared to put Scabiosa in it or any other pen with a gold nib (even though iron gall is theoretically safer to use with gold nibs than with metal ones), but in general, if an ink is too dry for my other pens, I try it in the Sailor Broad....

 

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I have used iron-gall inks from well known pen/ink manufacturers (Platinum, R&K, old MB, Diamine) with absolutely no problems, in every Sailor I've owned (at least 12 pens to date, though now I only have 4 remaining, all of them with 14c nibs).

 

I watch a pen like a hawk when it's filled with IG ink. As long as the ink is consumed fairly quickly & is never allowed to dry out inside the pen, there should be no damage to filling mechanisms, feeds or gold nibs.

That said, I'm reluctant to use a ferrogallic ink in the only piston-filler I have, a 63 year old second-tier Montblanc.

 

With my Sailor C/C pens I have been following FPN member Sandy1's recommendations concerning pen hygiene. She advises a thorough water flush, followed by a vinegar solution flush, followed by water again, then an ammonia solution flush, finally finishing off with another water flush. Tedious to be sure, but this regimen works very well.

It's fortunate that Sailor's converter can be easily taken apart, so that the "back end" of the unit may be thoroughly cleaned.

[Tom Kellie]

Received just before Christmas last year, this pen is in a word, (almost) perfect.

I'm tickled pink. I have finally found a factory nib that does not need any modification. Out-of-the-box, my Sailor Pro-Gear Slim "Fire" edition writes like a dream, with all the dry inks that I like to use.

 

~ tinta:

 

Thank you for the detailed information.

Your pen looks great in the photo.

Tom K.

[ENewton]

I have used iron-gall inks from well known pen/ink manufacturers (Platinum, R&K, old MB, Diamine) with absolutely no problems, in every Sailor I've owned (at least 12 pens to date, though now I only have 4 remaining, all of them with 14c nibs).

 

 

 

Thank you for sharing your favorable experiences. I usually have only two pens inked at a time, so the likelihood of an ink drying out is very small. However, I have never assembled and reassembled a converter.

 

If a pen were dedicated to use with iron gall inks, do you think the ammonia flush would still be important, or would the vinegar solution be adequate?

[TheDutchGuy]

... I have finally found a factory nib that does not need any modification. Out-of-the-box, my Sailor Pro-Gear Slim "Fire" edition writes like a dream...

 

...It's strange though that Sailor Jentle blue/black, another favourite ink, turned the pen into a fire hose...

 

...Why "almost" perfect? The section & the upper part of the pen's cap are "too transparent" for my tastes...

 

 

That’s a nice and accurate summary of this wonderful pen. That’s why Sailor is such a great brand. No fuss, just write. I also agree that a truly uniform colour would make the pen prettier. As for Jentle (also one of my fav inks), well, that’s a fairly wet ink in my opinion. Enjoy your new pen!

[tinta]

 

 

Thank you for sharing your favorable experiences. I usually have only two pens inked at a time, so the likelihood of an ink drying out is very small. However, I have never assembled and reassembled a converter.

 

If a pen were dedicated to use with iron gall inks, do you think the ammonia flush would still be important, or would the vinegar solution be adequate?

As I understand it, the vinegar solution is in Sandy1's regime because it causes a chemical reaction that acts on the iron -gall residue still inside the pen. She, or a chemist among us would be able to better explain how all this works.

In any event, I always use this step when flushing my pens that have been filled with IG inks. The ammonia solution is for dissolving the dye residues that could clog the feed & nib assembly.

To answer your question, ENewton, I'd use the same flushing regimen for a "dedicated" pen. This way you'll have control over what instrument uses iron-gall ink & you can focus your "enhanced" cleaning efforts on that special pen.

 

I've often read complaints about Sailor's converter (used in the humble 1911 Standard/Pro-Gear Slims, all the way up to their "top-of-the-line" King of Pens). Two of my Sailors have seen more than a decade's worth of regular use, yet they still have their original converters.

I have had one converter fail because of a deformed piston plunger. The piston was not able to form a tight enough seal. Since I had a couple of spare converters available, I could easily replace the faulty unit & go on writing.

 

If you take a Sailor converter apart, you'd be surprised how precise the threading & the various small parts actually are.

This is for an inexpensive "consumable" part of a C/C pen.

I use sticky rubber gloves (for improved grip) to twist off the chromed brass sleeve from the back of the converter. Then I can remove the piston assembly to clean behind the piston's head. This is usually where crud builds up & where I wouldn't normally see residue, if the converter is fully assembled.

To screw back the chromed sleeve, I use my rubber gloves again. A few minutes of extra cleaning can make your converter perform much better & last a lot longer. Some conventional, dye-based but saturated inks are the worst offenders in soiling up the back end of my converters. The "take apart" Sailor converter is a blessing.

[tinta]

 

 

That’s a nice and accurate summary of this wonderful pen. That’s why Sailor is such a great brand. No fuss, just write. I also agree that a truly uniform colour would make the pen prettier. As for Jentle (also one of my fav inks), well, that’s a fairly wet ink in my opinion. Enjoy your new pen!

Thank you!

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Sailor fan. The Standard & Pro-Gear Slim/Sapporo series of pens have grips that are the right diameter for my small hand. There is a dizzying amount of choice among these medium sized pens. And, an array of 14c. nib sizes to choose from. If only I had the geld?

BTW: That's a wonderful looking vintage nib in your avatar image. What is the story behind the pen/nib?

[TheDutchGuy]

BTW: That's a wonderful looking vintage nib in your avatar image. What is the story behind the pen/nib?

 

 

See this discussion. Wonderful little pens. I recently acquired a third one, slightly larger.

[tinta]

Thank you. Sadly, I no longer have my Lambrou books. These Boston pens look a little like vintage Esties. Do you know what material the pens are made of?

[TheDutchGuy]

These Boston pens look a little like vintage Esties. Do you know what material the pens are made of?

 

 

They similar in size to my vintage Estie SJ. The material seems to be celluloid.

[TheDutchGuy]

That’s why Sailor is such a great brand. No fuss, just write.

 

 

Case in point: today I could not resist a Pro Gear Slim H-F. Such a fine line, yet smooth, pleasant and tactile. And no fuss: came home, flushed it to remove the ink that was used to try the pen in the store, popped in a fresh cartridge of Kiwaguro and bingo, perfect performance right out of the gate. I now have the 3 Sailor nib sizes that I truly enjoy: a 1911 Standard H-M for KWZ El Dorado (used for headers and such), a ProGearSlim ‘Ocean’ H-MF for Iroshizuku ku-jaku (which perfectly matches the colour of the pen) and finally my new ProGearSlim H-F for Sailor kiwaguro.

 

These pens take the pen out of the equation. The pen is perfect, it’s a given, it’s there, so the only thing that remains is you and what you’re going to do with it.

[tinta]

 

 

Case in point: today I could not resist a Pro Gear Slim H-F. Such a fine line, yet smooth, pleasant and tactile. And no fuss: came home, flushed it to remove the ink that was used to try the pen in the store, popped in a fresh cartridge of Kiwaguro and bingo, perfect performance right out of the gate. I now have the 3 Sailor nib sizes that I truly enjoy: a 1911 Standard H-M for KWZ El Dorado (used for headers and such), a ProGearSlim ‘Ocean’ H-MF for Iroshizuku ku-jaku (which perfectly matches the colour of the pen) and finally my new ProGearSlim H-F for Sailor kiwaguro.

 

These pens take the pen out of the equation. The pen is perfect, it’s a given, it’s there, so the only thing that remains is you and what you’re going to do with it.

Congratulations, enjoy your new H-F Sailor!

What colour scheme is this Pro-Gear Slim?

One day I may get brave & try out a Sailor MF (which I suppose would be like a European F).