Sailor 1911 standard EF 21k barely writing.

[Filipe_F_Oliveira]

Hi Guys. I just got a Sailor 1911 standard EF 21k that barely writes out of the box.

 

I flushed the pen with water before inserting one of the included cartridges that came in the box.

 

It only lays down ink if I put pressure on the down strokes. This is not normal any insights?

 

I really have to put some pressure on it to write. Hope you can see from the picture here.

[peroride]

2 things that might help

1. Try a wetter ink or consistent one like Aurora Black AND/OR try different paper
2. Take a magnifier 1-2x and with the lightest of pressure, write and observe with the magnifying glass

It sounds kind of surprising but I do believe that is standard behavior or at least in my case. I write fast with a super light touch.

 

My 1911L 21K EF had a break in period of super dry months (but no skips and even if you flood the feed) and now it writes pretty consistently. I cannot recall what inks I used but Jentle and Souboku, Waterman's were some. Perhaps the years of flushing and changing inks got the flow better.

 

About magnification proof, option 2:I also have a 1911S 14K EF that was even drier than the 1911L. 

I was about to return it when I checked the output with magnification (with a wetter ink and different paper),  and found that indeed the nib is true to form. It writes even finer than the 1911L and now the "defect" is actually a virtue since 1911S is more compact and the finer line can get more words in smaller paper real estate.

I found that line difference between 21K and 14K kind of odd since Sailor QC is consistent though I have a HM that writes like a fine? Go figure!

The only concern now is that the finer 1911S is becoming more like the 1911L losing the finest advantage as perhaps it breaks in, though i just switch to drier ink like gvfc

 

YMMV

 

If all else fails, return or sell.

 

Mods should probably move this thread to a different forum as it is pen-related

 

Edited May 3, 2021 by peroride
wrong forum

[Filipe_F_Oliveira]

Thanks for the tips @peroride.

The paper I'm using is Tomoe river paper.

 

Actually the writing on the picture above was my fiancé's and she exerted quite some pressure. 

This is how it writes on my hand. It barely writes, only on the down strokes it lays some ink. I didn't get a cartridge converter, could this be from the included ink cartridge. 

[A Smug Dill]

4 hours ago, Filipe_F_Oliveira said:

I flushed the pen with water

 

Try flushing the nib and feed with a dilute solution of Fairy (or Dawn) dishwashing detergent, preferably as a pressurised jet — e.g. using a bulb syringe attached to the threaded end of the gripping section — before flushing clean with water again.

[peroride]

3 hours ago, Filipe_F_Oliveira said:

she exerted quite some pressure

Darn, I know how that feels to mash a nib trying to get it working but not so hard as to spring it 😅 That really is not my experience with these Sailor EFs: having letter skips. 

 

Barring a nib issue: checking that the nib is actually tined aligned and baby bottomless, @A Smug Dill is right on the money with more flushes of different rinses.  One time, after trying everything,  i got so frustrated that a pen (FPR ultra flex) would skip like your picture that I literally took a sponge with soapy dishwater detergent and scrubbed the ebonite feed then rinsed and rinsed out the soapy residue. It worked! Plus I used diluted ink and once there was continual flow, I switched to full strength. 

And like you, I let my wife have a go on testing because different writing style angles may yield different results. Sounds illogical when trying all rotations, but we've had different results with the same pen. Hope it works out! Hang in there, @Filipe_F_Oliveira 

[Filipe_F_Oliveira]

Thanks for the help @peroride and @A Smug Dill. I'll try different angles with it after work. Since it's my first gold nib I only flushed it with plain water. After work I might try flushing it again with some detergent. Once again thanks guys for the insights.

[Filipe_F_Oliveira]

Update!

Flushed the pen again and still barely writing. Tampered with the cartridge and it's starting to write. It may be the ink cartridge. The included cartridges seem a bit flimsy when compared with the pilot ones. I'll probably order the Sailor ink converter to see if it solves the issue. Thanks for the help everyone. 

[CityPop]

Do you have a loupe? Are the tines very tight at the tip? I had to open up the tines on one of my sailors, after which it wrote beautifully.

[Honeybadgers]

Your issues at this point are not going to be solved with ink. That's not a "too dry ink" problem. There's a problem with the feed or your nib's tines are too tight. Since you're new to FP's, I would EXTREMELY discourage any more DIY fixes. Practice on $1-10 pens. Not ones over $100.

 

Contact the seller and get it exchanged for a good one. You were just unlucky in getting one of Sailor's rare QC duds. The EF should be super fine and quite dry but should NOT be skipping and should ALWAYS write when the nib touches the paper, with zero pressure.

[Filipe_F_Oliveira]

Thanks @Honeybadgers I will do that. The pen was too expensive for DIY fixes. I'll do that today. And I agree, all my inexpensive pens write when I put nib to paper with not much pressure and this one shouldn't be any different.

I think the problem is the nib, the feed seems to be saturating just fine.

 

Thank you everyone for your valuable insights.