Can You Swap Out Sailor Nibs With Other Sailor Nibs?

[farmkiti]

I have several Sailor fountain pens that I adore. My absolute favorite is my Pro-Gear Slim Mozart Morita Mini in Robin's Egg Blue. That one has a 14K B nib that writes like a dream. I love minis and am always looking for more.

 

I've found some mini Sailors in red, yellow, and black, but they are from the Japanese market (on eBay and Rakutan). They only come in widths up to MF. I don't like a nib that small.

 

Does anyone know if Sailor nibs can be purchased separately? I know they really don't want people doing that, but I was wondering if anyone has a source I haven't heard about. I would love to buy one or two of those minis and replace their super fine nibs with broad nibs. I'd even go for a steel broad nib, because I really don't like writing with the finer point pens.

 

Also, has anyone had experience with taking out and swapping a Sailor nib? I've never tried it. Can it even be done? Is it very difficult to get a Sailor nib out?

 

Thanks!

[Wolverine1]

I dont think you can buy spare Sailor nibs. You might want to contact www.nibs.com, and they might be able to fit the nibs in the sizes you want in your Sailor pens.

[Karmachanic]

Yes! One can swap Sailor nibs. From this Sailor pen to that Sailor pen. Or from a Sailor pen to say, a Conid.

Pilot and Platinum - same. Hmmm.

[A Smug Dill]

Also, has anyone had experience with taking out and swapping a Sailor nib? I've never tried it. Can it even be done? Is it very difficult to get a Sailor nib out?

It's easy enough to pull the friction-fit feed and nib out of a Sailor pen; I've done it with the HiAce Neo, the Lecoule and even my Professional Gear Imperial Black.

 

I'm pretty sure that, as long as the nibs on two Sailor pens are the same size (according to the product details) and both have the '1911' marking, then they are interchangeable irrespective of the actual material composition.

 

http://www.sailor.co.jp/lineup/fountainpen/page/3

Edited January 19, 2019 by A Smug Dill

[Honeybadgers]

Short answer: No, attempting to swap sailor nibs will cause the pen to burst into flames.

 

Long answer: yes, the nibs pull straight out. Just be aware that sailor steel nibs won't interchange with anything but other steel nibs, the "standard/slim" line of pro gear/1911 nibs are all interchangable with each other, but not with the steel or "large" or KOP models. Large and KOP nibs are also unique to their own line, but can be easily swapped within that model line. Sailor "standard/slim" models of the pro gear/1911 come in two flavors of nib, 14k and 21k. They do interchange. I can swap my 14k FM 1911 standard with my 21k zoom 1911 standard.

 

Just pull the nib and feed straight out. Sailor does not sell nibs alone (I really wish this was a practice among japanese makers in more than just the freaking vanishing point - If platinum sold its nibs for $35, half the price of the 3776, I'd probably have 20 of them.)

Edited January 18, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[Driften]

Short answer: No, attempting to swap sailor nibs will cause the pen to burst into flames.

 

Long answer: yes, the nibs pull straight out. Just be aware that sailor steel nibs won't interchange with anything but other steel nibs, the "standard/slim" line of pro gear/1911 nibs are all interchangable with each other, but not with the steel or "large" or KOP models. Large and KOP nibs are also unique to their own line, but can be easily swapped within that model line. Sailor "standard/slim" models of the pro gear/1911 come in two flavors of nib, 14k and 21k. They do interchange. I can swap my 14k FM 1911 standard with my 21k zoom 1911 standard.

 

Just pull the nib and feed straight out. Sailor does not sell nibs alone (I really wish this was a practice among japanese makers in more than just the freaking vanishing point - If platinum sold its nibs for $35, half the price of the 3776, I'd probably have 20 of them.)

 

 

The 1911 Standard will swap with a Pro Gear Slim. The Pro Gear will swap with a 1911 Large. The smaller nib on the 1911 Standard comes in both 14k and 21k. The larger nib on the 1911 Large and Pro Gear is only 21k.

 

It's confusing that the Large 1911=Standard Pro Gear and the Standard 1911 = Pro Gear Slim.

Edited January 19, 2019 by Driften

[cattar]

(The larger pro gear isn't called a standard. it's just a pro gear.)

 

The steel-nibbed sailors are F, MF, except for the fude de mannon.

 

The steel-nibbed procolor sections swap with

the gold-nibbed sections of the1911 standard/midsze and the pro gear slim/sapporo.

 

I'd guess that the profit junior section would also swap. Could grind the fude into a medium italic.

[A Smug Dill]

Sailor does not sell nibs alone (I really wish this was a practice among japanese makers in more than just the freaking vanishing point

Broadly, the Japanese do not see:

• the nib as a consumable component (cf. converters);
• the pen body as just a glorified nib holder; or
• a professionally crafted instrument as something for the user to tinker with

The Pilot Capless pens are actually quite unusual in that they are somehow seen as holders of the easily and completely removable nib assembly. The equivalent, in other models, would at a minimum have to include nib, feed and section as a unit,

 

If platinum sold its nibs for $35, half the price of the 3776, I'd probably have 20 of them.)

but then the colour/material/finish of the section is often tied to that of the pen barrel; Platinum #3776 Century pens with resin bodies are a prime example.

 

It's confusing that the Large 1911=Standard Pro Gear and the Standard 1911 = Pro Gear Slim.

That's why I suggested the interested user/buyer actually consult the product details to look at which size nib a particular model of pen uses.

Edited January 19, 2019 by A Smug Dill

[bxrgrl]

Two questions:

 

1. Is the 1911 King of Pen nib friction-fit, same as the 1911L?

 

I received somewhat conflicting information when I made inquiries of two people who are well known experts.

 

2. If the 1911 King of Pen nib is friction-fit, does it have some sort of adhesive applied at the factory that needs to be warmed a bit to loosen?

 

I watched Stephen BRE Brown's videos on disassembling the 1911 L (friction-fit) and the Pro Gear Realo piston (section screws apart). The Realo apparently has some adhesive, and he said he heated it with a hair dryer to loosen.

 

When I try to pull the KOP nib unit out, I just can't do it, using my left index finger at the base of the nib and left thumb at the feed, gripping the section with my right hand. I wear rubber dishwashing gloves for gripping power.

 

I don't want to swap nibs; I wanted to adjust a misaligned tine, though I think I got it without having to resort to disassembly.

[JonnyTex]

Broadly, the Japanese do not see:

[*]the nib as a consumable component (cf. converters);

[*]the pen body as just a glorified nib holder; or

[*]a professionally crafted instrument as something for the user to tinker with

 

No doubt. They won't even let the user replace the inner cap. I understand, but it's funny.

[minddance]

although the nibs are interchangeable, feeds and sections are different. the 21k nibs are especially sensitive and responsive to these minute differences. when the feed is inserted into another section, the tines may misalign or write drier/wetter or more feedbacky or become scratchy.

 

if a particular feed and nib and section combination works well, I would recommended not changing these things around - especially with the 21k nibs.

[Josey]

On 1/17/2019 at 9:37 AM, A Smug Dill said:

It's easy enough to pull the friction-fit feed and nib out of a Sailor pen; I've done it with the HiAce Neo, the Lecoule and even my Professional Gear Imperial Black.

 

I'm pretty sure that, as long as the nibs on two Sailor pens are the same size (according to the product details) and both have the '1911' marking, then they are interchangeable irrespective of the actual material composition.

 

http://www.sailor.co.jp/lineup/fountainpen/page/3

Just to clarify for myself…so Sailor nibs and feeds can be popped in and out just like the steel Pilot nibs (Prera, Plumix, etc)?

[sam3k]

Apparently you can unscrew the nib units on King of Pens, but there is glue that needs melting first. I've never tried this with any of my King of Pens, but I remember trying to figure out if it was doable before I bought a demonstrator one.

 

There is a video here from 'inquisitivequill', start at 9:08.

 

 

[A Smug Dill]

5 hours ago, Josey said:

Just to clarify for myself…so Sailor nibs and feeds can be popped in and out just like the steel Pilot nibs (Prera, Plumix, etc)?

 

Affirmative.

[inkstainedruth]

That's good to know.  I had bought a couple of North American exclusive 1911S pens (the Loch Ness Monster and Wicked Witch pens) and am now sorry I didn't order them with the nibs opposite to what I did (the LNM has a MF nib, and the WW has a "music" nib).  I like the color of the WW better, but had trouble finding an ink that would work well in the pen because the nib on it was so wet -- and of course while the warranty was still in place, I ALSO had to be very careful about using only Sailor/Sailor made inks because of the special coating on the nibs on those two pens.  I'm more likely to want to use the WW if it had a more useful nib on it (such as the MF nib on the LNM).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth