Sailor 1911 Realo

July 15, 2011

Here is a short review of my new Sailor 1911 Realo. Color is burgundy. Trim is gold. Nib is the specialty Naginata Concord Emperor. This is my first Sailor with their integral piston filling mechanism. The action is smooth and the volume of ink contained is large but not prodigious. The ink window is quite functional. As can be seen below, and as everybody knows, the 1911 is a nearly identical to a Montblanc 146, minus the snowy peak. FYI, getting good photos of either of these pens was a huge challenge. The camera sees red differently than I do, and the angled, shiny Concord nib was a source of frustration. Anyway, I got pretty close. These pens are usually presented darker than they are in real life, but they are not as bright red as implied in some of my shots. Color temperature and intensity make a big difference in how these pens appear. Go see one for yourself.

Obviously, these pens are very similar. The Sailor, however, is made from poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or Plexiglas, which feels cheaper but may be stronger than whatever MB uses. In addition, the Sailor's ink window is visible with the cap in place, which is kind of nice in a technical way. The MB does have cleaner lines.

The ink window on the Sailor works so well that some debris can be seen floating inside the barrel. I know that the debris did not come from the bottle of MB Mahatma Gandhi ink so it must have been included as a gift from Sailor.

The pen is lightweight, and when not posted is a little short for me. I can write with it easily, I just prefer a longer pen. The 1911 Realo is not that much bigger than the midsize 1911. Posting the pen does not really do much to help, at least for me since my stupid lefty grip forces the cap off anyway. More importantly, the nib on this particular pen is amazing. I thought that the funny shaped nib, made by Mr. Nagahara himself, would be very cool to own but would not be a good everyday all around writer. Boy was I wrong. Look at the extreme curve and the Emperor bar, which traps some extra ink.

Another glamor shot.

Next is the writing sample. I love the combination of Gandhi ink and this pen for reading papers and editing. Margin notes are a cinch as is highlighting nearly any size text. The ink flow is a thing of wonder. Flow is generous enough to lay down a fast quadruple broad line when using the back of the nib. Even so, used right side up the flow is just perfect, a little wet perhaps, but very consistent and also very resistant to drying out. Studio hot lights can't even dry this nib up! There is no flex at all here, but that is not the point of this nib. While the nib is very smooth it also has feedback, which is super cool.

Yes, yes, my handwriting is terrible and I can't spell. The nib is awesome though, don't blame the nib!

I know that you are wondering if the nib is worth the extra dough. Ummmmmmm......yes. The combination of color, filling mechanism, nib, and the free floaty make this a special pen. Moreover, the durable construction allows me to carry it around everywhere I go. Just hope nobody swipes it thinking it is a MB.

July 16, 2011

That's a nice nib!

July 16, 2011

Nice concise review and a nice pen. Very very cool nib!

Yuki

July 16, 2011

That nib looks great and seems like it writes like a dream. Many thanks for posting the photos comparing this with a 146.

July 16, 2011

Wow! Fantastic photo and review! I've just recently acquired a Black 1911 REALO and was torn between burgundy and black. Your pictures and review has just convinced me to pick up this version next. The comparison picture with the 146R is superb. I think the gold clips and rings goes exceptionally well with the red resin.

Thank you and enjoy in good health.

July 17, 2011

I have a black Realo with a H-B nib, that I really love. It is a very well made pen,and it worked perfectly right out of the box.

July 20, 2011

Good review. I also have a burgundy and yes, it is much darker than the photos which make it look red. However, those are great photos for detail of the pen and I think it is nice than the MB in appearance! Well-made (like all Sailors), well-balanced. And the nib...I have a standard medium and it is smoother than some of my more expensive wider nibs on other pens. It's a Sailor! I waited a long time to get the Realo, being happy with my other Sailors, but the piston feature makes it a winner and it moved to the head of the pack (4 1911's, a PG, and 2 KoP's) except for one KoP. I like a larger pen so I use my Realo with the cap on (the only pen I do this with) and it feels great. Now I'll be selling my 1911's.