Modest Expectations Seriously Violated

[dms525]

The other day I realized I had been seeing frequent positive references to Sailor Jentle inks for a long time and had never tried any. So I looked at the color swatches on a few vendors' web sites and ordered a couple colors. Choosing was not easy, because none of the colors appealed that much. Today, the first bottle was delivered - Oku-yama. I think that, because it was described as "Burgundy," and I'm not fond of inks in the purple spectrum, I didn't expect to like it much.

 

But I like it a lot. It fits very nicely into the reddish-brown niche, which is one of my favorites. It shades really nicely. It goes down at the reddish end but dries at the brownish end of the range. It seems to dry pretty fast. It is totally well-behaved. Interestingly, it looks quite different when laid down by a broad nib from when laid down by a narrower nib. The only thing I don't like is that it gets so very dark where lines overlap.

 

I think I will use this a lot. I am now more eager to get the other Jentle ink I ordered, Yama-dori. It might be delivered tomorrow!

 

 

 

The larger letters were written with a Reform Calligraph pen fitted with a 1.9mm italic nib. The smaller letters were written with a Nakaya Naka-ai (Un-polished Shu) with a 0.7mm Cursive Italic nib ground by Mr. Mottishaw. (BTW, this ink matches the reddish urushi finishes really nicely.)

 

Thanks all you inkophiles for bringing this ink to my attention!

 

David

[dms525]

Amazing! On my computer screen, the text in my OP looks more wine-colored than it did on my desk, illuminated by a "daylight fluorescent lamp. So, I carried the paper around the house and outdoors. The ink color changes substantially, depending on very small differences in illumination, even when it is all "natural."

 

I still like it. In fact, it's "growing on me."

 

David

[A144]

I haven't tried Oku-yama yet because I had just got my first Sailor ink (Grenade) about 2 weeks before they discontinued them... So I immediately ordered a second bottle of it (as well as bottles of Epinard and Sky High). I haven't even finished the first bottle of Grenade, so I've stayed away from ordering its doppelganger from the new line of inks.

 

Yama-dori. Now that's an awesome ink. This is one of my favorites, and if you enjoy inks in the teal spectrum, you'll like this one.

[Horseknitter]

David,

 

I always like to read your writing - whatever the ink or pen ;-)

 

I'm not a fan of reds, well I am but I don't get around to using red much. BUT I do like Sailor Jentle inks and my favorite is Yami-dori. I'm betting on a fantastic review from your when that ink arrives!

 

Would love to have a Nakaya unpolished Shu with a 0.7 mm cursive italic ground by Mr. Mottishaw. And I shall, as soon as I decide whether it will be a Naka-ai or a Piccolo. Any recommendations?

[dms525]

David,

 

I always like to read your writing - whatever the ink or pen ;-)

 

I'm not a fan of reds, well I am but I don't get around to using red much. BUT I do like Sailor Jentle inks and my favorite is Yami-dori. I'm betting on a fantastic review from your when that ink arrives!

 

Would love to have a Nakaya unpolished Shu with a 0.7 mm cursive italic ground by Mr. Mottishaw. And I shall, as soon as I decide whether it will be a Naka-ai or a Piccolo. Any recommendations?

 

Thanks for your nice comments!

 

Recommendations for Nakayas: Get one of each (to start with).

 

I do have one Piccolo in Shu and two Naka-ai's in un-polished shu and aka-tame. Both shapes are great to write with. The Naka-ai just feels great, and I find the shape gorgeous. It really shows the temenuri urushi finishes to their best advantage. There is nothing wrong with the Piccolo, and it is a better fit for a shirt pocket. If your hand is really large, you might find the Piccolo too small.

 

Show yours to us when they arrive!

 

David

Edited March 31, 2015 by dms525

[lgsoltek]

Nice handwriting! (I've always had trouble with the italic 'a'.) And it's one of my favourite inks, with great sheen.

[tinkerteacher]

But I like it a lot. It fits very nicely into the reddish-brown niche, which is one of my favorites. It shades really nicely. It goes down at the reddish end but dries at the brownish end of the range. It seems to dry pretty fast. It is totally well-behaved. Interestingly, it looks quite different when laid down by a broad nib from when laid down by a narrower

Yes, that's one of my favorite things about Sailor Jentle inks. Their colour shift ability depending upon the nib size, wetness, available light, etc.

 

Welcome to the slippery slope. Just wait till you find out how many wonderful Sailor inks there are out there ...

Edited March 31, 2015 by tinkerteacher

[Joe in Seattle]

Yama Dori is one of my favorites. I have a couple bottles in reserve just in case. My Nakaya loves it.

[SeeksAdvice]

Oku-Yama is an absolute *expletive* to clean out of pens :/ I run it periodically in my M800 Tortoise. Looks great, but I pretty much curse myself when it comes time to clean it.

Like Yama-Dori, but it's not water resistant... at all... Sometimes that's bad.

[dms525]

Nice handwriting! (I've always had trouble with the italic 'a'.) And it's one of my favourite inks, with great sheen.

 

Thanks!

 

If you master the italic "a," you have the basic shape for b, d, g, p, and q. Try looking at the shape of the counter (the white space inside the letter). Get it in you mind, and "draw" the letter around it.

 

David

[dms525]

Yes, that's one of my favorite things about Sailor Jentle inks. Their colour shift ability depending upon the nib size, wetness, available light, etc.

 

Welcome to the slippery slope. Just wait till you find out how many wonderful Sailor inks there are out there ...

 

I somehow got that feeling. Thanks for the "welcome."

 

David

[dms525]

Oku-Yama is an absolute *expletive* to clean out of pens :/ I run it periodically in my M800 Tortoise. Looks great, but I pretty much curse myself when it comes time to clean it.

Like Yama-Dori, but it's not water resistant... at all... Sometimes that's bad.

 

Yikes! It sounds like an ink to restrict to extra-easy-to-clean converter fillers.

 

David

[Algester]

Yes, that's one of my favorite things about Sailor Jentle inks. Their colour shift ability depending upon the nib size, wetness, available light, etc.

 

Welcome to the slippery slope. Just wait till you find out how many wonderful Sailor inks there are out there ...

DON'T you dare...

[Intellidepth]

Lovely ink and review. It looks great with the pen and writing style you chose.

[dms525]

DON'T you dare...

 

I dared to click on the link in your signature. TinkerTeacher's "slippery slope" ends up in your quicksand!

David

[alarickc]

 

I dared to click on the link in your signature. TinkerTeacher's "slippery slope" ends up in your quicksand!

David

Be very wary about this; I was not and am now more than a grand down that particular rabbit hole. On the other hand I have a plethora of awesome, unique inks now. Plus, it just feels right to run Japanese inks through a Nakaya.

[dms525]

Be very wary about this; I was not and am now more than a grand down that particular rabbit hole. On the other hand I have a plethora of awesome, unique inks now. Plus, it just feels right to run Japanese inks through a Nakaya.

 

I will be wary .... I will be wary .... I will be wary ....

 

David

[inkstainedruth]

I have a sample of Oku-yama but haven't tried it yet. I have tried Shigure, though, and it is also something of a PITA to flush, because it is sooooo saturated. I had it in a Noodler's FPC, and kept refilling the pen with distilled water and still getting lots of legible color coming out. So I'm thinking that Shigure is (while a kinda pretty color) is not going to be a "keeper" ink for me. Especially since I had been hoping -- from some of the scans I'd seen in reviews -- that it was going to be a better behaved version of Noodler's Kung Te Cheng. But it isn't comparable in color at all, and while it flows better it's still really saturated and I think there was some nib creep (not what I was expecting from a Sailor ink at *all*...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[dms525]

I have a sample of Oku-yama but haven't tried it yet. I have tried Shigure, though, and it is also something of a PITA to flush, because it is sooooo saturated. I had it in a Noodler's FPC, and kept refilling the pen with distilled water and still getting lots of legible color coming out. So I'm thinking that Shigure is (while a kinda pretty color) is not going to be a "keeper" ink for me. Especially since I had been hoping -- from some of the scans I'd seen in reviews -- that it was going to be a better behaved version of Noodler's Kung Te Cheng. But it isn't comparable in color at all, and while it flows better it's still really saturated and I think there was some nib creep (not what I was expecting from a Sailor ink at *all*...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

SeeksAdvice (see above) reports that Oku-yama is also hard to clean out. I will surely report when I come to changing inks in the two pens currently loaded with Oku-yama. Maybe I shouldn't wait until I write them dry.

 

Is this a situation where a pen flushing solution would help a lot?

 

David

[tinkerteacher]

 

I will be wary .... I will be wary .... I will be wary ....

 

David

 

Whatever you do, DON'T open that thread on Sailor Pen&Message Cigar ink.

 

That way you won't be tempted by probably the most unique and calligraphy ready ink I've ever seen.