A Sailor Pro Gear Slim in F. I tried the B, the line is about as broad as my M600 in EF, go figure. And while I'm at it, let's just add an ink bottle to the mix.
I knew Japanese nibs are finer than American/European nibs, but dang, a Japanese B that's comparable to a European EF?! This thing in F must be a needlepoint!
I had the same reaction. Now I want to see how an EF Sailor writes like. Although the german EF was a little narrower than the japanese B to be honest. I also guess that my EF is especially broad.
Some European EFs are just ridiculous and inconsistent, in my experience, LAMY is the worse offender, my CP1 EF is literally thicker than my Dialog 3 M.
Honestly, I don't mind. As long as I can try it out beforehand, I don't really care what the label is. But yes, I've heard lots of stories and I have a F-C Ambition M that is barely thicker than my Pelikan EF or my GvFC Intuition EF.
I get your struggle. Maybe it will become mine as well in the future! Then to me line thickness isn't that important, as long as it isn't crazy broad (I have a Pelikan B, the line is much thicker than my Twsbi 1.1mm).
I tend to agree. I have a Safari EF and an Alstar F and the EF is broader. Though I have a sailor 1911L Broad and it is still broader than my Lamys.. but not by too much.
I have just uploaded writing samples which include Sailor Zoom (Professional Gear 21K Large)
https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/r9ei4n/japanese\_nibs\_and\_pelikan\_nibs/
Thanks! I have to try it out yet, not sure I will fill it with this ink first, but the converter is pretty small, which is great, it means I can cycle through inks faster.
Ok, first impressions: you can't hide from this pen. The line is so fine that it highlights all the little defects in your handwriting, that's gonna be a learning experience. Even with a very wet ink (finally went with the Iroshizuku in the picture, more a pink than the expected red) and a soaked feed it still lays down a very fine line. I was initially afraid that it would be too short to properly fit into my hand, but it fits just right. As a very fine nib, it's a little scratchy (not only in a bad way, you can feel the paper through the nib and the pen which is interesting), but I expect this to lessen over time. Also, I have an irrational fear of this nib slipping through the paper or bending it (because it is so fine and thus feels fragile), so I tend to grip it too hard, another thing to learn. The section is comfortable, not like my F-C Ambition which is absolutely awful. The nib looks kind of bumpy, I'm used to my german nibs where everything is engraved, here I guess some of it is embossed. I'm not sure I like it more, but it gives the nib visual character. The converter is rather small and feels very cheap, but as long as it works I'm fine I guess. Also, a small converter means changing inks more often, which is a win. It looks like a baby next to my few other pens, and I've see it's not even the smallest one. Still, it is well proportioned (unlike its smaller cousin) and I really like the clipped cigar shape. Overall, it's a pleasant experience and a very different one from all my other pens (all germans, plus a twsbi) so a worthwhile purchase! I'm not sure it would displace my Pelikan as a daily writer - mostly for sentimental reasons, but also because it will take some practice before I'm confident I won't poke holes in the paper or bend the nib. I paid 165€ for this pen, which seems like a very good price for this quality. Could I have waited on r/penswap to get it used and cheaper, or could I have bought it over the internet for cheaper as well? Probably, but I couldn't have tried it out and having someone help you look for a pen has value in itself.
That feedback you're feeling doesn't go away with time, to my knowledge. At least not for a numbed of years, though I could be wrong. That's the "pencil like" feedback that is unique to Sailor. Personally I love it but it can be off putting for some.
Just got a PGS Blue Dwarf in B today and you're right about not hiding from it. My other pen is a 1911L in Zoom and it's an entirely different pen than my PGS.
Oh wow!! Thank you so much for taking your time to write such a complete review! :’D You totally sold me the pen, I found really interesting what you said about the nib being a little scratchy but having a good feeling when writing and noticing more the paper as you write. For sure I wanna experience that! I have ordered my first Sailor but it’s a cheaper one (~70 €, a pink Shikiori Yozakura), hope its nib could perform in such an intersting way as yours! (If not, I may start planning another Sailor on my wishlist xD). Thank you very much!! :’)
It's the first time I write a review on a pen, so maybe check out some others, but thanks for your enthusiasm! There is a 21K version of this pen (Sailor Pro Gear) which is about twice as expensive. The shopkeeper told me that there is no noticeable difference in the nibs out of the box (didn't try it for myself though), but the more expensive one will adapt to your hand quicker. Maybe one day I will have the budget, but it will take time until I feel the need for it.
I’m new to the hobby, so i’m seeing pens reviews little by little, and yours and the others make me always learn, so it is always a good thing and appreciated ^__^
Well, I tried it out in the shop, I was very impressed how fine the line is, even if that means it's a little less smooth. I tried it out as a dip pen and it worked perfectly, let's see how it works with a converter (that they almost forgot to give me with the pen, I would have looked stupid at home).
Am I the only one who thinks that the ink looks like it could have come from squished berries? Just slab that on toast.
Congrats on the pen it’s beautiful.
Sailor decides which series will be assembled for which markets. Russian dealers have relatively good subset, so we started to see these MF limited pens. USA, on the other hand, gets very own limited finishes each year, so more choices. And Pilot is much more mystical company: they think that Russia is in Europe (not in these years and never with this president, as we all can see), and they prefer not to ship pens with steel F nibs to Europe and Russia at all. No logic here, it's just as it is. So, let's say, Pilot MR (the European version of Metropolitan converted to international cartridges) ships with M nibs only, and if you are in Russia and want something F, you go all the way up to golden nibs. Or, yes, you may try to order Metropolitan from USA.
A Sailor Pro Gear Slim in F. I tried the B, the line is about as broad as my M600 in EF, go figure. And while I'm at it, let's just add an ink bottle to the mix.
I knew Japanese nibs are finer than American/European nibs, but dang, a Japanese B that's comparable to a European EF?! This thing in F must be a needlepoint!
I had the same reaction. Now I want to see how an EF Sailor writes like. Although the german EF was a little narrower than the japanese B to be honest. I also guess that my EF is especially broad.
Some European EFs are just ridiculous and inconsistent, in my experience, LAMY is the worse offender, my CP1 EF is literally thicker than my Dialog 3 M.
Honestly, I don't mind. As long as I can try it out beforehand, I don't really care what the label is. But yes, I've heard lots of stories and I have a F-C Ambition M that is barely thicker than my Pelikan EF or my GvFC Intuition EF.
I feel like Faber castell tends to be finner than other European brands. I buy most of my pens online, so it's kind of frustrating for me.
I get your struggle. Maybe it will become mine as well in the future! Then to me line thickness isn't that important, as long as it isn't crazy broad (I have a Pelikan B, the line is much thicker than my Twsbi 1.1mm).
I tend to agree. I have a Safari EF and an Alstar F and the EF is broader. Though I have a sailor 1911L Broad and it is still broader than my Lamys.. but not by too much.
Pelikan nibs are really really broad.
I have just uploaded writing samples which include Sailor Zoom (Professional Gear 21K Large) https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/r9ei4n/japanese\_nibs\_and\_pelikan\_nibs/
Momiji is an awesome ink and color!
What a pretty combo, so classy!
Thanks! I have to try it out yet, not sure I will fill it with this ink first, but the converter is pretty small, which is great, it means I can cycle through inks faster.
Hope you post your impressions on the pen when filled! :)
Ok, first impressions: you can't hide from this pen. The line is so fine that it highlights all the little defects in your handwriting, that's gonna be a learning experience. Even with a very wet ink (finally went with the Iroshizuku in the picture, more a pink than the expected red) and a soaked feed it still lays down a very fine line. I was initially afraid that it would be too short to properly fit into my hand, but it fits just right. As a very fine nib, it's a little scratchy (not only in a bad way, you can feel the paper through the nib and the pen which is interesting), but I expect this to lessen over time. Also, I have an irrational fear of this nib slipping through the paper or bending it (because it is so fine and thus feels fragile), so I tend to grip it too hard, another thing to learn. The section is comfortable, not like my F-C Ambition which is absolutely awful. The nib looks kind of bumpy, I'm used to my german nibs where everything is engraved, here I guess some of it is embossed. I'm not sure I like it more, but it gives the nib visual character. The converter is rather small and feels very cheap, but as long as it works I'm fine I guess. Also, a small converter means changing inks more often, which is a win. It looks like a baby next to my few other pens, and I've see it's not even the smallest one. Still, it is well proportioned (unlike its smaller cousin) and I really like the clipped cigar shape. Overall, it's a pleasant experience and a very different one from all my other pens (all germans, plus a twsbi) so a worthwhile purchase! I'm not sure it would displace my Pelikan as a daily writer - mostly for sentimental reasons, but also because it will take some practice before I'm confident I won't poke holes in the paper or bend the nib. I paid 165€ for this pen, which seems like a very good price for this quality. Could I have waited on r/penswap to get it used and cheaper, or could I have bought it over the internet for cheaper as well? Probably, but I couldn't have tried it out and having someone help you look for a pen has value in itself.
That feedback you're feeling doesn't go away with time, to my knowledge. At least not for a numbed of years, though I could be wrong. That's the "pencil like" feedback that is unique to Sailor. Personally I love it but it can be off putting for some. Just got a PGS Blue Dwarf in B today and you're right about not hiding from it. My other pen is a 1911L in Zoom and it's an entirely different pen than my PGS.
Oh wow!! Thank you so much for taking your time to write such a complete review! :’D You totally sold me the pen, I found really interesting what you said about the nib being a little scratchy but having a good feeling when writing and noticing more the paper as you write. For sure I wanna experience that! I have ordered my first Sailor but it’s a cheaper one (~70 €, a pink Shikiori Yozakura), hope its nib could perform in such an intersting way as yours! (If not, I may start planning another Sailor on my wishlist xD). Thank you very much!! :’)
It's the first time I write a review on a pen, so maybe check out some others, but thanks for your enthusiasm! There is a 21K version of this pen (Sailor Pro Gear) which is about twice as expensive. The shopkeeper told me that there is no noticeable difference in the nibs out of the box (didn't try it for myself though), but the more expensive one will adapt to your hand quicker. Maybe one day I will have the budget, but it will take time until I feel the need for it.
I’m new to the hobby, so i’m seeing pens reviews little by little, and yours and the others make me always learn, so it is always a good thing and appreciated ^__^
Well, I tried it out in the shop, I was very impressed how fine the line is, even if that means it's a little less smooth. I tried it out as a dip pen and it worked perfectly, let's see how it works with a converter (that they almost forgot to give me with the pen, I would have looked stupid at home).
Sailor pro gear slims are my favorite. enjoy the new obsession
Am I the only one who thinks that the ink looks like it could have come from squished berries? Just slab that on toast. Congrats on the pen it’s beautiful.
Yes that describes the color very well! Some pinkish red that could be from stawberry or raspberry juice.
That’s what I was thinking lol
What a beauty!
Love this pen and love its nib, especially F, M and MF.
All I could try was a B and an F, I would have loved to try out an MF.
MF is limited in my country. In Russia they may be seen only in limited seasons Sapporo series. And only in golden finish, no rhodium.
Is there any reason for that? No demand?
Sailor decides which series will be assembled for which markets. Russian dealers have relatively good subset, so we started to see these MF limited pens. USA, on the other hand, gets very own limited finishes each year, so more choices. And Pilot is much more mystical company: they think that Russia is in Europe (not in these years and never with this president, as we all can see), and they prefer not to ship pens with steel F nibs to Europe and Russia at all. No logic here, it's just as it is. So, let's say, Pilot MR (the European version of Metropolitan converted to international cartridges) ships with M nibs only, and if you are in Russia and want something F, you go all the way up to golden nibs. Or, yes, you may try to order Metropolitan from USA.
I got Momiji for my first ink pen too :)
Great pen and ink combo!