Sailor Professional Gear A-mode.

[ramapvk74]

Excellent Review.

I have a reply to all the Sailor skeptics and critics.

I have around 25 pens ranging from the sheaffers to the Sailors.

I did an experiment - I loaded up all the pens and left them without use for 2 weeks.

Montblanc Meisterstuck did not write as if there was no ink.

aurora, visconti, sheaffer, waterman, Omas, parker were scratchy and needed cleaning later on.

Lamy, Namiki and Pelikan were writable but had starting problems.

But the Sailor had no starting problem and no scratches either. It wrote as if it had just been loaded.

And this I found to be the case under normal circumstances too.

The gloss of the pen is so rugged that the shine never fades even if after kept in soiled and moist conditions.

 

Please don't compare Sailor pens with Mont Blanc...The latter is just expensive as a status symbol and that is where its ability as a writing instrument ends....for serious writers there is no pen like the Pelikans and the Sailors and the Lamy 2000.

[DandyPantaloon]

Nice review.

 

Just a comment on your opinions of gold appearing a passé display of wealth:

Perhaps it is in some cases, but with a standard black Sailor the gold goes with so much better than the rhodium -- and it does so with elegance. That's not to say I have any real preference to gold, but black and gold were just born for each other it seems.

However, the rhodium goes perfectly with the white. Lovely pen.

Edited September 8, 2010 by DandyPantaloon

[tawanda]

ramapvk74 - I have to disagree with you regarding MBs. They write very well. I think they are vastly overpriced, the price paid is 80% status and 20% quality. But they do write as well as Pelikans and, IMHO, better than Sailors. (Don't stone me!) I actually have some 1960s MB, aimed at the school market, which are still going strong 50yrs later, and are simply wonderful writers (Nos 12,22,32,332). Pelikans, too, are amazing workhorses. I adore my scruffy old Tortie 400NN with German company logo embossed in the lid, andmy Geha Schullfuller with soft, springy, semi-flex nib. But I guess I'm a sucker for piston fillers, in general.

 

Having spoken to a few of my fellow FPNers, it would seem you either love Sailor nibs or hate 'em; no in between. Personally, I would choose Pilot, Platinum or Nakaya (I love the Briarwood!) before Sailor. BUt as I said befoer, it's all subjective in FPNland.

[nicholasyeo]

Nice review.

 

Just a comment on your opinions of gold appearing a passé display of wealth:

Perhaps it is in some cases, but with a standard black Sailor the gold goes with so much better than the rhodium -- and it does so with elegance. That's not to say I have any real preference to gold, but black and gold were just born for each other it seems.

However, the rhodium goes perfectly with the white. Lovely pen.

 

I have to agree, somehow when it comes to black pens rhodium doesn't look very

beautiful. It gives it that very metal look seen all over low end pen market.

And you're precisely right about this particular white Sailor! GORGEOUS!

You might even be very surprised as to hear that this pen found it's way home

two days after I lost it at this posh beach bistro. It sat on the seat by the

sea, as if enjoying a holiday, then came back, wrote perfectly despite sun

exposure. I really will NEVER sell this away. This pen was made for me, really.

Edited October 15, 2010 by nicholasyeo

[nicholasyeo]

ramapvk74 - I have to disagree with you regarding MBs. They write very well. I think they are vastly overpriced, the price paid is 80% status and 20% quality. But they do write as well as Pelikans and, IMHO, better than Sailors. (Don't stone me!) I actually have some 1960s MB, aimed at the school market, which are still going strong 50yrs later, and are simply wonderful writers (Nos 12,22,32,332). Pelikans, too, are amazing workhorses. I adore my scruffy old Tortie 400NN with German company logo embossed in the lid, andmy Geha Schullfuller with soft, springy, semi-flex nib. But I guess I'm a sucker for piston fillers, in general.

 

Having spoken to a few of my fellow FPNers, it would seem you either love Sailor nibs or hate 'em; no in between. Personally, I would choose Pilot, Platinum or Nakaya (I love the Briarwood!) before Sailor. BUt as I said befoer, it's all subjective in FPNland.

 

80% status and 20% quality? Well, that sounds like the 80/20 principle to me.

But it works perfectly well as Mont Blanc brand equity is quite that way...

Sometimes I disagree with the way they market their products, like that one

supposingly dedicated to Gandhi. The almost obscenely ostentatious nature of

certain luxury goods doesn't seem to be at all in sync with one of his most

important principles - simplicity.

[tanalasta]

Perhaps it is in some cases, but with a standard black Sailor the gold goes with so much better than the rhodium -- and it does so with elegance. That's not to say I have any real preference to gold, but black and gold were just born for each other it seems.

However, the rhodium goes perfectly with the white. Lovely pen.

 

I have to agree, somehow when it comes to black pens rhodium doesn't look very

beautiful. It gives it that very metal look seen all over low end pen market.

 

The White Sailor is absolutely gorgeous (as is the rose gold and white one) if you've seen it.

 

However, I'll politely disagree with regards to rhodium or platinum trim which is my personal preference. There is a gentle, understated elegance in a well made, rhodium/platinum trimmed pen with black. I much prefer a rhodium clip out of my shirt pocket (especially when wearing a white shirt). I really wouldn't say any of the pens below are cheap looking and they all write well!

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/Tanalasta/Fountain%20Pens/DSC_1140.jpg

 

I know purists will say don't have a shirt with a pocket and pens are clipped to a inner suit jacket or pen case but that's a topic for another day.

 

I too was once rather against the MB hype and price. Now I have more MB pens than any others. They may be grossly overpriced but can be purchased in excellent, 'as new' condition on the second hand market, especially FPN quite easily. Their hand ground nibs and writing characteristics are amongst the best in the market. Sure, like Louis Vuitton, Tag Heuer and many other boutique sellers a lot of their money goes into brand name marketing and maintaining a premium but where there's a market, there's business!

[nicholasyeo]

Perhaps it is in some cases, but with a standard black Sailor the gold goes with so much better than the rhodium -- and it does so with elegance. That's not to say I have any real preference to gold, but black and gold were just born for each other it seems.

However, the rhodium goes perfectly with the white. Lovely pen.

 

I have to agree, somehow when it comes to black pens rhodium doesn't look very

beautiful. It gives it that very metal look seen all over low end pen market.

 

The White Sailor is absolutely gorgeous (as is the rose gold and white one) if you've seen it.

 

However, I'll politely disagree with regards to rhodium or platinum trim which is my personal preference. There is a gentle, understated elegance in a well made, rhodium/platinum trimmed pen with black. I much prefer a rhodium clip out of my shirt pocket (especially when wearing a white shirt). I really wouldn't say any of the pens below are cheap looking and they all write well!

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/Tanalasta/Fountain%20Pens/DSC_1140.jpg

 

I know purists will say don't have a shirt with a pocket and pens are clipped to a inner suit jacket or pen case but that's a topic for another day.

 

I too was once rather against the MB hype and price. Now I have more MB pens than any others. They may be grossly overpriced but can be purchased in excellent, 'as new' condition on the second hand market, especially FPN quite easily. Their hand ground nibs and writing characteristics are amongst the best in the market. Sure, like Louis Vuitton, Tag Heuer and many other boutique sellers a lot of their money goes into brand name marketing and maintaining a premium but where there's a market, there's business!

 

I love rhodium/platinum trims and would personally never use a fully gold nib. This is a strange habit of mine.

I started out with a Lamy 2000, and as I am a student perhaps it's not too good an idea to be very attention

seeking by using a gold pen. It might just get stolen. I find it amusing and actually enjoy the fact that people

do not know I have such an expensive pen, like the Pro Gear in this review. They might even mistake it for one

of those gotten cheap in brick and mortar stores for 50 bucks... Nevertheless, that saved my pen once, no one

wanted to steal it. And now it appears to me there's some practical reason not to use gold plated pens!!!!

 

And yes, it is indeed true that MB pens can be gotten real cheap on the second hand market. I myself had sold

multiple MB products on FPN and eBay, and realised the huge depreciation when selling the items even in mint

condition. For their products, they do not focus much on the tangible as much as the intangible aspects, of

being a MB owner and the status it brings. Nevertheless that concept might have become a cliche some time ago...

People now seem to be back to basics, and don't mind paying for pens like the 2000 which also comes with a

really smooth piston operated system, and a 14k nib. Though they may not attract attention and show "status"

(I make comparison to the Boheme Noir I sold...) And this allows them to focus on the basic utilitarian need -

the simple fine art of writing.

[nicholasyeo]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9md1hdQbA1qzu9oqo1_r1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=0RYTHV9YYQ4W5Q3HQMG2&Expires=1287384974&Signature=qK4woHSQLpAk67gITe3CZflE3AI%3D

 

Here is my Pro Gear, months on. It's still lovely, survived an ordeal lost at the beach and returned home.

Ever since, it has stayed safe in my leather pouch. And now I want a demonstrator version.

[omicron]

I know what you mean about manufacturers not making 'fine' fine enough. How fine is it compared to, say, a Pilot V5 rollerball ?

[nicholasyeo]

I know what you mean about manufacturers not making 'fine' fine enough. How fine is it compared to, say, a Pilot V5 rollerball ?

 

Most definitely fine. In comparison to that, I would have to say, just maybe a less than 1mm difference.

Depends very much on the paper that is used too. I find that my Pro Gear gets dry and goes like a felt-

tip while on Rhodia papers, while acting like a thicker one on Maruman. Nevertheless the two papers

don't cause feathering very much at all, so I love them. And to compare with my Lamy 2000, this is

definitely wayyyyy finer. A true fine one, I dare say.

[Bearcat]

Great review and excellent photography. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

[nicholasyeo]

It's a pleasure to post this up! Glad that it might inform people about a pen that has been

just released to the world (at the time of my review it was the first batch produced).

[nicholasyeo]

Quite a gorgeous pen, this Sailor Pro Gear. Even a year on it continues to thrill me.

[dnb]

Thanks for the review. Can you add in the size, capped, uncapped and posted? That would be helpful.

[nicholasyeo]

Thanks for the review. Can you add in the size, capped, uncapped and posted? That would be helpful.

 

These are the dimensions of the pen.

12.8 cm (when capped)

11.5 cm (when uncapped)

15.0 cm (when posted)

 

I think this makes it a standard sized Pro Gear.

Not too large but neither too small. Just right.

Edited October 30, 2010 by nicholasyeo

[bunnybaby]

OMG! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this review, I'd say, just in time.

 

I've been window shopping (virtually) for my first Sailor pen, and would like to get other than the classic black body. As a first-timer in Sailor world, naturally I'm drawn to 1911 and Sapporo. I like both, but I like Sapporo more. However, the options of body colors in Sapporo range do not appeal to me.

 

I happen to come across the exact same pen at Pen Gallery, but a bit unsure about the white body because I'm a clean freak, even though I really love the combination of white and silver/rhodium. This review, thanks to you, nicholasyeo, convinces me to acquire the same pen.

 

Nicely done, both the review and the photos :-)

[nicholasyeo]

OMG! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this review, I'd say, just in time.

 

I've been window shopping (virtually) for my first Sailor pen, and would like to get other than the classic black body. As a first-timer in Sailor world, naturally I'm drawn to 1911 and Sapporo. I like both, but I like Sapporo more. However, the options of body colors in Sapporo range do not appeal to me.

 

I happen to come across the exact same pen at Pen Gallery, but a bit unsure about the white body because I'm a clean freak, even though I really love the combination of white and silver/rhodium. This review, thanks to you, nicholasyeo, convinces me to acquire the same pen.

 

Nicely done, both the review and the photos :-)

 

Hello BunnyBaby,

 

Thank you for your kind words... The white PG was my first pen, but

I didn't find any problem with the white finish. Inks don't stain the pen,

mainly because resin is plastic and is a very resilient surface.....

I edited it to add - IT'S exactly because you're a clean freak like me

that you can own a white pen! That way, it'll look great always!

 

I really like it, but I find my nib scratchy now because I lent it to others

to write with and they exerted too much pressure on one tine.

I'm in process of looking for a nibmeister. But it was indeed flawless

when I first bought it... Hope you really enjoy the pen!!!

Edited February 24, 2012 by nicholasyeo

[Toolattack]

Nice review and nice pen, congratulations!

[Pen_Noob]

Personally I have absolutely no idea why some love so much the Sailor nibs and pens.

I have a Sailor Professional Gear rhodium trim, the pen doesn't seem to be anything special, at least compared to my other pens, the converter got stuck after a few refills (read 3 refills), the nib writes a little too dry, makes a nasty sound when writing.

I hate it.

Even the scratchy Platinum 3776 I have I like more.

What is funny I bought from ebay a vintage small pen (Sailor 21) which in almost everything is miles better than the Pro Gear, except looks.

Imho they cannot be compared with the likes of Delta Dolcevita, Aurora Optima, Montblanc 146/149, not to say about Waterman Carene or Edson. All in one a purchase I regret.

[haruka337]

There are pleanty of posts on nearly every single brand of fountain pen nib being scratchy, dry, clicky, blah blah blah. These "dud" nibs are usually not representative of the entire brand and we're all well aware that, sometimes, there's a lot of tweaking of nibs involved whether it be Montblanc, Sailor or whatever FP brand you can think of.

 

That aside: SAILOR FOREVER!!! WHOOOOOOOO!!!