Sailor Inks don't get much exposure

[bphollin]

I've noticed that Sailor brand inks don't get much exposure, either in Inky Thoughts or the review section. What gives? It seems that all the Sailor users rave over it. I can't recall having read a bad comment about any of the line. Is it just a lack of saturation in the American/European markets?

 

And, while I'm at it, what say you of Sailor Red-Brown? I like Waterman Havana Brown, Pelikan Brilliant Brown, Visconti Sepia, and Skrip Red, so I'm thinking Sailor RB will fit right in... Thoughts?

[AltecGreen]

I don't believe Sailor ink has great distribution in the US or Europe. While not expensive, they are also not the cheapest inks available.

 

I think the Sailor inks are very nice. They have qualities similar to the Pilot Iroshizuku inks. I am more fond of the Sailor Limited Edition Kobe inks since they come in a much larger variety of colors. I just posted a review of Kitano Ijinkan Red.

Edited November 2, 2009 by AltecGreen

[dcwaites]

Apart from Kiwaguro Nano Carbon Black, the other Sailor Jentle inks are somewhat restrained (nay, even unexciting) in their colours. So although they are very well behaved, and nicely saturated, they probably don't get the attention they deserve.

 

However, if you are looking for a nice, well-behaved ink that would look good in an office for business purposes, then the Jentle inks are to be recommended.

[AltecGreen]

Apart from Kiwaguro Nano Carbon Black, the other Sailor Jentle inks are somewhat restrained (nay, even unexciting) in their colours. So although they are very well behaved, and nicely saturated, they probably don't get the attention they deserve.

 

However, if you are looking for a nice, well-behaved ink that would look good in an office for business purposes, then the Jentle inks are to be recommended.

 

 

I agree and that's why I find the Sailor Kobe inks go great because they have a much wider color palette than the standard Sailor inks coupled with their well behaved nature.

[Chris Chalmers]

I have the Kiwaguro Nano Carbon Black, the red-brown and blue. I love the black and the red-brown, but find the blue kind of boring - flat I suppose, compared with some of the bright blues I have from Iroshizuku and Diamine and Herbin. As John Mottishaw warns on his site - get Sailor ink on your fingers at your peril - it is very hard to get off whatever you use!!!

[demeter]

I think Sailor inks are the best I've used, and I've used a wide range of inks, both saturated and not. They are exceptionally free flowing, and having used the blue, black & grey, found them to be quite appealing, and not flat at all. They are not saturated, so the colours aren't intensive, but they are lovely enough.

 

Good ones to try, for sure,

Andrew

[Pippin60]

I've noticed that Sailor brand inks don't get much exposure, either in Inky Thoughts or the review section. What gives? It seems that all the Sailor users rave over it. I can't recall having read a bad comment about any of the line. Is it just a lack of saturation in the American/European markets?

 

And, while I'm at it, what say you of Sailor Red-Brown? I like Waterman Havana Brown, Pelikan Brilliant Brown, Visconti Sepia, and Skrip Red, so I'm thinking Sailor RB will fit right in... Thoughts?

 

I have several browns, including Waterman, and I got Sailor red brown when I brought my Edison pen and it is now my favorite brown.

[MicheleB]

The Sailor BBK I have was boring to me. I tried the red brown in several different pens and it just came off too orange for my tastes. They do behave well, but if the color doesn't appeal to me it's a non starter.

[Deirdre]

I've been wanting to try the yellow orange, but I keep forgetting to order it when I've got other purchases lined up.

[AltecGreen]

These colors are much more interesting than the standard Sailor range.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2557/4051374837_95c7121090_b.jpg

[Possum Hill]

My inexpensive Sailor Recruit Pen came with one cartridge; it was a very nice black. It seemed a little blacker or maybe just wetter than Noodler's Black in that pen.

[bphollin]

...As John Mottishaw warns on his site - get Sailor ink on your fingers at your peril - it is very hard to get off whatever you use!!!

 

...I got Sailor red brown when I brought my Edison pen and it is now my favorite brown.

Sweet! I first saw/noticed red-brown in a review of the Brockton and that's what piqued my interest.

 

The Sailor BBK I have was boring to me. I tried the red brown in several different pens and it just came off too orange for my tastes. They do behave well, but if the color doesn't appeal to me it's a non starter.

Fair enough!

 

These colors are much more interesting than the standard Sailor range.

Is there a US distributor or a distributor willing to ship to the US with reasonable rates? Edited November 3, 2009 by bphollin

[AltecGreen]

[

 

These colors are much more interesting than the standard Sailor range.

Is there a US distributor or a distributor willing to ship to the US with reasonable rates?

 

 

These inks are sold only by Nagasawa Pen Style in Kobe. This series of inks is a special edition for Nagasawa who seem to have a special relationship with Sailor.

 

You can order these directly from Nagasawa using Rakuten's International service. These inks are priced in the same range at the Pilot Iroshizuku. They end up costing about $20.00 ea. if you order five bottles at a time at the current exchange rate. You can get the cost down if you order more. It is pretty easy to order and the service is first rate. It took six days from ordering to receiving the inks.

 

 

Here's the link if you want to see the other colors.

 

http://search.borderless.rakuten.com/borderless/search.action?l=en&pf=&tl=&pt=&f=1&vm=2&sm=0&sid=nagasawa&sp.st=&k=KOBE+ink

Edited November 3, 2009 by AltecGreen

[Hemingway]

Sailor Blue Black is my favorite to use blue.

I don't know why they get no exposure here, they'd certainly deserve it.

 

Peter

Edited November 3, 2009 by Hemingway

[MJ Vesuvius]

I splurged on a bottle of premium Sailor Nano Ultra Black at

the DC Supershow ... on sale for $20 (normally $27!) ... and I am

spoiled! Bert (of Bertram's Inkwell, who sold it to me) said it

was so smooth it was almost "oily," and was he right!

 

With a Namiki Impressions this ink is sublime.

 

Rich black and the smoothest flowing ink I've ever used. But at

that price I'll be using it only for special occasions.

 

BTW I think Bert's sells Sailor Jentle Inks through their site. No affiliation,

I just like 'em...

 

http://www.bertramsinkwell.com/catalog_c114659.html

 

MJ

[vans4444]

Interesting coincidence, I had exactly the same thought today.

 

I was ordering some Herbin ink from The Writing Desk and wanted to buy a second ink to make the most of the postage cost. They sell Sailor ink as well as most of the other makes, so I read the Sailor ink reviews but none seemed to stand out and make me want to buy the ink. However, as I don't have any Sailor ink I thought I might as well try some, so I ordered the blue.

 

Perhaps the problem is lack of a vocal following? Or perhaps they should try renaming their ink colours to something more intriguing. Rather than just blue they could try Tokyo Bay or something along that line?

[deckerbj]

The second ink I purchased (after Aurora blue) was Sailor Jentle Grey. The ink is quite interesting with very nice shading and very well behaved on cheap paper (at least with a fine nib). I fill my silver pearl vac w/ springy Canadian nib only with the Sailor grey and get some very interesting results. My handwriting is quite poor, but the ink really shows off the subtle character of the nib.

 

I also am in awe of the Sailor grey because it can look like lead/graphite pencil writing when dry - if that need ever arises!

[sallywally]

I have the Kiwaguro Nano Carbon Black, the red-brown and blue. I love the black and the red-brown, but find the blue kind of boring - flat I suppose, compared with some of the bright blues I have from Iroshizuku and Diamine and Herbin. As John Mottishaw warns on his site - get Sailor ink on your fingers at your peril - it is very hard to get off whatever you use!!!

That's true of a lot of inks, not just Sailor, though...

[sallywally]

Apart from Kiwaguro Nano Carbon Black, the other Sailor Jentle inks are somewhat restrained (nay, even unexciting) in their colours. So although they are very well behaved, and nicely saturated, they probably don't get the attention they deserve.

 

However, if you are looking for a nice, well-behaved ink that would look good in an office for business purposes, then the Jentle inks are to be recommended.

 

 

I agree and that's why I find the Sailor Kobe inks go great because they have a much wider color palette than the standard Sailor inks coupled with their well behaved nature.

Where can we find these inks?

[AltecGreen]

The Sailor Kobe inks can be ordered from Nagasawa in Japan. Here's the link with all of the inks in the series.

 

http://search.borderless.rakuten.com/borderless/search.action?l=en&pf=&tl=&pt=&f=1&vm=2&sm=0&sid=nagasawa&sp.st=&k=KOBE+ink

 

 

Ordering from Japan can seem intimidating but it's fairly straightforward.