Did Sailor Ever Produce A Pilot Elite Lookalike?

[The Bantam Scribbler]

While doing a little online window shopping for a Pilot Elite today, I found a listing for a beautiful doppelganger pen billed as a "Sailor Mini." It looked almost identical to my coveted aqua-blue Pilot except I perceived that the barrel might even be slightly shorter when the pen is closed. I haven't been able to identify this particular pen on any of the reviews here at FPN and was just wondering if any of you seasoned nibsters out there would be willing to put this mystery to rest for me. What's the name of this Elite-knockoff (if it is, indeed a knockoff)? Are there any differences between the two writing instruments in terms of construction, aesthetics, or writing experience?

[PatientType]

Yes, both Sailor and Platinum produced pocket pens that closely resemble the Pilot Elite. The pocket pens from these other Japanese companies have the characteristic short barrel and long cap of the Elite and many have 14K, 18K, or even 21K gold nibs. A distinguishing feature of the Pilot Pocket Pen, the Elite, is that it is the only Japanese pocket pen that is able to work with a converter, the con-20. Other brands of pocket pen can only be used with cartridges.

I don't know that the other brands had distinctive names. I see them listed as Sailor Pocket pen or Platinum Pocket pen.

Edited August 11, 2010 by PatientType

[Silvermink]

Yes, both Sailor and Platinum produced pocket pens that closely resemble the Pilot Elite. The pocket pens from these other Japanese companies have the characteristic short barrel and long cap of the Elite and many have 14K, 18K, or even 21K gold nibs. A distinguishing feature of the Pilot Pocket Pen, the Elite, is that it is the only Japanese pocket pen that is able to work with a converter, the con-20. Other brands of pocket pen can only be used with cartridges.

 

I actually have a Platinum converter for my Platinum PG-250 pocket pen, but they don't seem to be very common. I got the converter from speerbob when I bought the pen. It's a squeeze converter with a clear sac.

[AltecGreen]

There are literally hundreds of variations of the short-long (pocket) pens from all three big Japanese companies. Pilot started the trend with the elite but other followed suit. You can spend a lifetime collecting every variation of these pens. Most of the pens from Sailor or Platinum did not have a 'name' attached but just the model numbers. There are so many different variations that it is hard to enumerate them all. You can check out some pictures at Ryojusen pens under Sailor to see some pictures.

 

Sailor and Platinum did make converters for these pens. Unlike Pilot, Sailor and Platinum stopped making the converters that fit their pocket pens while Pilot continued to make the CON-20 and CON-W. The Sailor and Platinum converters are rare and highly sought after.