My Very First Sailor Pen.

[KBeezie]

A Sailor 1911M cobalt blue with a 14k Zoom nib. Body and section feel very close to a platinum century 3776 but the nib is something else entirely. I wonder if their larger fine or mediums are just as smooth. (and if the nibs are interchangeable with other 1911m nibs)

 

Just got it today but seems nice for primarily western sized medium to broad at the normal writing angle. Currently got it inked with Noodler's Texas blue steel.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/1911M/uncapped.jpg

 

Already had a "inked" list going so added it to the bottom.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/inked/rhodia_aug_25_2014.jpg

[Sharkpie]

Sailor is on my short list for the next pen. How does your new Sailor compare in size to the Platinum Century 3776?

[KBeezie]

Sailor is on my short list for the next pen. How does your new Sailor compare in size to the Platinum Century 3776?

 

The 1911M compared to the Century 3776 is:

• Shorter capped and posted (the body alone up to nib seems about the same)
• thinner
• end points are more pointy
• tiny bit lighter but not by much
• in the hand both feel very similar, probably because grip and body are close

Here's some quick comparison pics I shot.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/1911M/1911M_3776.jpg

[Art]

Great looking pen Karl.

[ink-syringe]

I got my first Sailor recently too (Pro Gear). Still in the honeymoon phase. The nib is something else. wow.

 

What is a Zoom? How do you know if you have one? I have an H-F on the side. I understand that indicates the normal nib.

 

Anyway congrats. I was 'meh' on the looks of the Sailor and held off. Then I wrote with it. Now I don't care what it looks like. ha!

[KBeezie]

I got my first Sailor recently too (Pro Gear). Still in the honeymoon phase. The nib is something else. wow.

 

What is a Zoom? How do you know if you have one? I have an H-F on the side. I understand that indicates the normal nib.

 

Anyway congrats. I was 'meh' on the looks of the Sailor and held off. Then I wrote with it. Now I don't care what it looks like. ha!

 

Says Z right on the side plus it's unique tipping shape.

 

Basically depending on the angle the line width gets thicker or thinner. If you write at a really low angle it's more of a Western B to BB, normal-ish angle is between a Western M to B, almost vertical is closer to a western EF~F and if you flip it over to the back of the nib, it's more like a Japanese EF~F.

 

I guess it sounds sorta like a Fude nib, but much smoother and much easier.

 

SBREBrown did a review of a 1911Large which had a Zoom nib and demonstrated it a little. You can also see I demonstrated it a little in the write sample in the one line of changing sizes.

 

 

Also if I'm not mistaken H-F is Soft Fine, ie: Heisei Fine. The nib was called the same on my Platinum Century 3776 with a Soft Fine when the Rakuten shop had the nib selections listed in Kanji/Kana.

Edited August 26, 2014 by KBeezie

[ink-syringe]

Thanks!

[zchen]

 

 

Also if I'm not mistaken H-F is Soft Fine, ie: Heisei Fine. The nib was called the same on my Platinum Century 3776 with a Soft Fine when the Rakuten shop had the nib selections listed in Kanji/Kana.

 

H-F for Sailor is Hard Fine. They used to have Soft Nibs in the line up marked with S prefix, but have discontinued them.

[KBeezie]

 

H-F for Sailor is Hard Fine. They used to have Soft Nibs in the line up marked with S prefix, but have discontinued them.

 

Ahh good to know, didn't know they had to specify hard if they were already specifying soft at the time. (they got anything in between?)

[MCWB]

The Naginata-Togi nibs get a 'N' prefix too.

[KBeezie]

The Naginata-Togi nibs get a 'N' prefix too.

 

I don't see an "N" On my nib, just a "Z", reading it sideways I think.

 

By the way, found Blue Steel to be a bit too wet and prone to feathering, then I tried Caran d'Ache Hypnotic Turquoise, which was kind of nice but not something I'd enjoy using a lot.

 

The final ink selection currently in the pen now is Noodler's Texas Pecan. Tad drier, not as prone to bleeding/feathering and waterproof.

 

Note the last two lines compared to the original 2 lines above them.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/inked/aug_27_augmented.jpg

[Davis19942003]

I have also bought a Sailor 1911M with 14k fine nib for my birthday present. I love the style of the pen. Now I am looking for Sailor's Seiboku blue-black ink, the Pilot blue I am now using is a bit unsaturated when used in the 1911M.



EDIT: My first Sailor pen was the Clear Candy. I put the J.Herbin Bleu Pervenche in it and it shows the nice turquoise colour.

Edited September 6, 2014 by Davis19942003

[KBeezie]

I have also bought a Sailor 1911M with 14k fine nib for my birthday present. I love the style of the pen. Now I am looking for Sailor's Seiboku blue-black ink, the Pilot blue I am now using is a bit unsaturated when used in the 1911M.

 

 

 

EDIT: My first Sailor pen was the Clear Candy. I put the J.Herbin Bleu Pervenche in it and it shows the nice turquoise colour.

 

How you liking the fine nib? Still haven't gotten used to the zoom nib on mine so thought bout switching it to a diff nib, except they don't sell the nibs ala carte (it's a simple friction fit).

[Davis19942003]

Mine write pretty smoothly, like my Clear Candy, but it's a bit dry that makes the Pilot blue a bit unsaturated.

 

 

 

Edit: I've just bought the pen for a few days so I can't really comment in detail. Sorry.

Edited September 6, 2014 by Davis19942003

[KBeezie]

Mine write pretty smoothly, like my Clear Candy, but it's a bit dry that makes the Pilot blue a bit unsaturated.

 

sailor 1911m.jpg

 

Pilot blue has always been really dry for me, dries up in the nib pretty fast too I never really cared for it. Now Pilot black on the other hand, that was wet and pretty free flowing.

 

PS: Does your pilot blue have that bit of 'funky' smell too it too?

Edited September 6, 2014 by KBeezie

[Davis19942003]

 

Pilot blue has always been really dry for me, dries up in the nib pretty fast too I never really cared for it. Now Pilot black on the other hand, that was wet and pretty free flowing.

 

PS: Does your pilot blue have that bit of 'funky' smell too it too?

Yes, it smells like the poster colour I used when I was little. I still use the ink because it is sort of water resistance. (I want to use the pen for my school work)

[KBeezie]

Yes, it smells like the poster colour I used when I was little. I still use the ink because it is sort of water resistance. (I want to use the pen for my school work)

 

Since you're in Hong Kong, some other waterproof/resistant options might be: (course assuming you don't mind bottle filling, but I imagine pilot blue cartridges are pretty common)

- Sailor Jentle Blue (Sailor Kiwa Huha Blue has higher resistance)

- Platinum Blue-Black

- Platinum Carbon Black

 

Shame that most of the Iroshizuku ink line don't seem to have much water resistance but they've usually been great flow for me. Kon-Peki and Tsuki-yo could work, but mostly for salvage purposes as it'll still be readable just much more faded than the original. Personally I like Noodler's Black Eel and Noodler's Liberty's Elysium for my waterproof preferences but I can't imagine that being easy to get in Asia.

 

 

[Davis19942003]

 

Since you're in Hong Kong, some other waterproof/resistant options might be: (course assuming you don't mind bottle filling, but I imagine pilot blue cartridges are pretty common)

- Sailor Jentle Blue (Sailor Kiwa Huha Blue has higher resistance)

- Platinum Blue-Black

- Platinum Carbon Black

 

Shame that most of the Iroshizuku ink line don't seem to have much water resistance but they've usually been great flow for me. Kon-Peki and Tsuki-yo could work, but mostly for salvage purposes as it'll still be readable just much more faded than the original. Personally I like Noodler's Black Eel and Noodler's Liberty's Elysium for my waterproof preferences but I can't imagine that being easy to get in Asia.

 

 

 

Thank you for the kind suggestions. I love to fill cartridges with syringe. I have a bottle of Noodler's Anti-feather (you are right, they are not common and the shipping fee is high, I usually buy things that cannot be found in HongKong online) , It has nice water resistance property. I have thought of the Platinum pigment ink, but I lazy to flush the pen regularly. The pigment ink is less expensive than the Sailor's Sei-boku blue black and Kiwa-Kuro black. I really dare not to use pigment ink in my Sailor 1911m (my first pen exceed $100usd)