Sailor 1911 Togi Emperor

August 1, 2007

Sailor 1911 Togi Emperor Review

First Impressions

I really didn't know what to expect with the Sailor 1911 with the Togi Emperor nib. I have expressed interest but the price of one of these pens was something I was not really willing to spend. That was until I saw one for sale on the Pen Trace Green Board. KMLST Moorthi is a name that should ring a bell with anyone who frequents Pen Trace. He was selling this pen and I was really interested in this pen especially due to the unusual nib, which is called "Togi Emperor". This is a little bit different than the standard Togi nib because it has what they call a "collector" in addition to the Togi nib.

The Togi Emperor nib is actually designed for architects and has what they call a "Sword Tip". I will explain in detail what a Togi Emperor nib is and what it does in the Nib Design and Performance section of this review. This pen was only dipped and never filled, so as far as I am concerned, this is practically a brand new pen when I bought it. Since I already have 2 other 1911 pens in addition to this one, I pretty much knew what to expect from a 1911 as far as weight, shape and appearance.

Appearance/ Finish 5 out of 5

This pen is a standard full size Sailor 1911 fountain pen. The color is a burgundy maroon with gold trim, it looks really fantastic, that's for sure!! The finish is typical for most fountain pens on the market, nice and shiny!!!

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Design/Size/Weight 5 out of 5

This is the older style full size 1911 fountain pen with the trademark anchor at the top of the cap. I happen to like these versions of the 1911 the most; it separates it from other pens that are somewhat similar looking, such as the Platinum Very Presidential. The top of the cap where the anchor is, it is somewhat flat while the pen in general is tapered on both ends. The clip is not spring loaded but uses tension to hold it in place. There is small band that is used to hold the clip in place while the top piece screws in to secure the band and clip so that it makes a perfect fit.

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The cap has a double band, with one of them being pretty thin and the other being thick enough to have "Sailor Japan Founded 1911" inscribed. Thank goodness there is no trim ring to corrode, so I am glad they thought that detail out!!! The length of this pen capped is 5 ½ inches long, while the cap posted, the pen comes in at a tad over 6 inches, roughly 6 1/8 inches. The diameter of this pen is ½ an inch and the weight is 21.5 grams. So this is a nice standard sized pen for me, but others might consider this pen to be large. I find it to be comfortable and a perfect size!!

Nib Design and Performance 5 out of 5

This is where I can explain the Togi Emperor nib in detail. As I said earlier, this is like the standard Togi nib but it has a "Collector" which keeps plenty of ink in reserve so you won't run into ink starvation issues. The Reserve is made out of 21kt gold, as is the rest of the nib. I included plenty of pictures of the nib and the collector so you can understand what I am talking about!!

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What makes the Togi nib rather interesting is that I like to call it a reverse stub nib. As with Stub/Italic/Cursive nibs, the side stroke is thin while the down stroke is very thick. Well, with the Togi Emperor nib, it is reversed!!! The down stroke is thin while the side stroke is wide. So your writing looks rather interesting, to say the least!!! The word "Togi" in Japanese translates to "Spear" and that is what the tip of the nib looks like. In addition to kind of being a reverse stub, the nib also acts somewhat like a "Zoom" nib. Depending on the angle you hold the nib will determine the width of your lines. A low angle will give you very broad lines, while a high angle will give you finer lines.

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So in all, this is a very versatile nib and combines the best of most of the specialty nibs into one well rounded nib. The width of this nib is somewhere between a very heavy medium to a medium broad. It took me a while to figure out how to use this nib but once I did, I really took to it. The nib is super smooth, as with most Sailor nibs, that seems to be their trademark!! With the special "Collector" there is plenty of ink in the reserve which gives you the confidence that you won't run into ink starvation issues. This is especially useful with a nib like this that demands lots of ink.

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The Filling System 4 out of 5

As with 99% of all Sailor pens, this one uses a cartridge/converter filling system. I knew this before I expressed interest in purchasing this pen. Sailor converters are some of the most reliable converters on the market due to the fairly large opening where the converter fits into the section. Yes, I am not a huge fan of converters/cartridges but I am coming to terms with my dissatisfaction with this filling system. Sometimes converters/cartridges are necessary and the performance can be on par with other filling systems. The main drawback with cartridge/converters is the lack of ink capacity but that is the only complaint with this pen

Cost 4 out of 5

This pen is a bit more than your standard full size Sailor 1911 with a standard nib. Basically what you are paying for is the specialty nib. The nib its self runs right around $300.00 and that does not include the pen body. So this is not cheap, that's for sure. The Sailor 1911 with the Togi Emperor Nib will set you back roughly $560.00. Since I bought this pen from Moorthi, who only dipped it to use it, I paid around $300.00 for it. Considering that it is a steal, which is in comparison to buying it brand spanking new.

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Some will say that it is outrageous price for a full size 1911, the nib is what makes it not only expensive but quite special. So price wise, I got a really good deal and I am satisfied with the purchase.

Conclusion

Yes, indeed this is a full size 1911 supercharged with a Togi Emperor nib. The writing experience with this particular nib is utterly unique and fun. Not everyone will like this nib nor does every one like Zoom nibs or even Music nibs. This is a unique pen with a specialized mission. Mainly it is for architects but it seems more hobbyists are using this nib to give a personalized flair to their handwriting. I do not normally use this pen on a daily basis; I rotate this pen as I do with other pens in my collection.

Is it worth the money? That all depends on what you want out of this pen!! I am extremely happy with mine due to the smooth writing nib and unique look of my writing. Do I recommend this pen with this particular nib? Again, it all depends on what you want to get out of it. If you just write normally and don't care for added flair, then I would say "Don't waste your money". If you are in the market for a fountain pen with a unique nib that will provide an experience that no other pen will provide, then I say "Go for it", you won't be disappointed!!!

August 1, 2007

TNS, another great review!

After your description, I would presume the nib would be valuable for writing Hebrew or Arabic, as both scripts require broad horizontal lines and narrow vertical lines.

You describe width variation depending on the angle you old the pen touching the paper. Is that true in both directions (horizontal and vertical) or just one?

Andy

August 1, 2007

Yet another great review! You left out one thing: a writing sample! You simply must include a sample showing what this nib can do. TIA, southpaw

August 1, 2007

Yes! I'd like to see writing samples as well. Especially for a pen such as this. Such a beautiful pen. I have a 1911 heading my way, not as nice as yours but I can't wait to try it out. Man, that's a beautiful color. Thanks for another great review.

Brad

August 2, 2007

I assume it would be good for both Arabic and Hebrew writing but then again, I dont write either one so I cant really comment on that.

As far as I know, the width of the lines increases with a very low angle of writing. If I remember correctly, even at low angles, the lines will be thicker but still remain proportional as if you are writng at a standard angle. Unfortunately, I dont have my 1911 Togi Emperor with me today, but I will try to get a sample and post it here. Like I said, it is kind of like a Zoom but way more functional for daily writing IMO. I have a Zoom nib on my 1911 Demonstrator and it is super broad but you can write with it upside down and it will write like a fine/medium. Different angles will give you different widths like the Togi Emperor nib. They are very interesting nibs and the ink collector on this pen ensures proper flow especially when writing at low angles and you need a constant uninterrupted supply of ink.

TNS

TNS, another great review!

After your description, I would presume the nib would be valuable for writing Hebrew or Arabic, as both scripts require broad horizontal lines and narrow vertical lines.

You describe width variation depending on the angle you old the pen touching the paper. Is that true in both directions (horizontal and vertical) or just one?

Andy

March 29, 2008

I just bought a Naginata Togi Emperor and while it is super broad, I don't get the line variation that you describe as Architect Nib. I have a reground Togi on a Saior Moonlit Forest and that writes distinctly like an Architect Nib. Any suggestions on how to write with the Emperor? I just got it, but find it a little hard to control.

Thanks