Sailor Sailor's Sailor

[lgsoltek]

Some time ago Sailor released a limited edition ink called Sailor’s Sailor to commemorate the 15th anniversary of their Ink Studio events (where the ink master dresses as a bartender to mix a colour of your choice). They picked blue, the colour of their logo, for this ink. The ink is packaged in a beautiful blue box with brushed-finish. The box also features a bow tie image that reflects the ink master’s look.

 

 

Sailor’s Sailor is a vibrant blue ink. It writes wet and smooth as most Sailor inks. It has quite some shading and a rather subtle red sheen. It’s also somewhat water resistant. It’s not exactly an original colour - Sailor alone has a range of similar blues already, but the packaging makes it much more attractive. While this is a limited edition, a piece of paper inside the box seems to say (according to some clumsy Google translation) that this ink would be released later as a regular ink.

 

All images are scans except close-up shots.

 

Splash

Samples
(Pens: Pelikan M1000 Broad, Pilot Capless Fine)

 

(Maruman looseleaf)

 

 

 

(Tomoe River)

 

 

 

Comparison
(Quite similar to Sailor Souten, but Souten is slightly greener (perhaps) and has more sheen. Bung Box’s First Love is much greener. The Parker Penman Sapphire here might be more concentrated that it should be due to evaporation in the sample vial.)

 

[NumberSix]

Thank you for this review! I have a bottle on order already from Shigure Ink, but they're on vacation this week and won't ship until next week. 

 

In your pic, it looks very close to Souten. But that shading in the Broad nib is insane! I think I am going to like this ink. 

[Dimy]

Thanks for the review.

 

Looks good and I like the shading of the ink personally. Lets see when they hit market though...if actually ever does...till then its sayonara blue for me.

[LizEF]

Thanks for the review!  I swear you could make any ink look beautiful.

[I-am-not-really-here]

Good review.  It was a promising ink for me, looking at the splotch, but dies in the writing samples.  In the comparison sheet, only PPS looks promising.

[Linger]

I thought it resembled Iroshizuku Kon Peki. Is anyone aware of any direct comparisons made between these two?

[namrehsnoom]

Thanks for the review. I stumbled trying to read the title out loud ... try saying that fast 3 times in a row 😉

Seems like a nice sky-blue, but the shading is way too heavy for my taste. Always good to see a review that allows me to eliminate an ink from my list.

[A Smug Dill]

Thanks for the review! Beautifully presented as always.

 

I like the colour and range of the shading, but not the distinct demarcation between the lighter parts and the darker parts along a pen stroke, so I think I'll pass on this one given it isn't exactly cheap to acquire to a bottle of it.

[Tas]

😊

 

[RJS]

Thanks for the review. The shading is unusually heavy. I still like the colour, and nearly purchased it a couple of months back, but decided it was unreasonably expensive (about double the price of Seiboku).

[JulieParadise]

Thank you for this beautiful and extensive review! 

[TheDutchGuy]

Oh wow, that’s a really beautiful ink! Thanks for the review! 

[yazeh]

To quote Tas,

 

[XYZZY]

5 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

Thanks for the review! Beautifully presented as always.

 

I like the colour and range of the shading, but not the distinct demarcation between the lighter parts and the darker parts along a pen stroke, so I think I'll pass on this one given it isn't exactly cheap to acquire to a bottle of it.

 

Great review and presentation! 

 

I have been wanting this ink on general principal.  Maybe it's the little bow tie😉. And I've never been unhappy with the performance of a Sailor ink.  But I have plenty of blue inks.

 

I agree with what ASD said about the shading, at least for the M1000-B writing.  That abrupt change in sharing is great for grabbing attention, but I'm learning that it's tiring to read.  I appreciate shading but want it to be more subtle for body text.  Fortunately you're getting that from the Pilot F nib, and that's much closer to what I would write with than your Pelikan.

[white_lotus]

I considered getting this ink sight unseen when it was available as I thought the packaging etc would be impressive. And the ink would be pretty good too. However, I already have many Sailor blues so I'm sure something is similar, which could simply be Souten. And Sailor's pricing policy on their inks has turned me off.

 

Glad you are enjoying it!

[inkstainedruth]

I had been wondering what this ink would look like.  It was sufficiently expensive that I didn't want to just buy it sight unseen, and when it first was released nobody seemed to have samples for sale.

So thanks for the review.  And, well, maybe not -- because now I think I want it.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[lapis]

• Still looking for a substitute: Horizon Blue? MrPen Radiant Blue?
• You say, "this ink would be released later as a regular ink. " Any way to find out if/when/where/name?