Sailor King of Pen Briar Wood Brown

[Linger]

Introduced in 2009, this version of Sailor’s King of Pen is perhaps a lesser known one. The model itself is not, but we usually see the Urushi and/or the Ebonite versions. Upon the introduction, the briar wood came in red and brown, and at a later date a green version was added. The pen is “build to order”, although this did not result in a very long waiting period – I got the pen some two months after ordering it with my dealer in NL, and Sailor’s distribution was only recently moved from the UK to France as a consequence of Brexit. This could have resulted in further delays or other hiccups, but it didn’t.

 

First impression of the package is good and solid. The pen comes in the KoP wooden box with all the papers and a bottle of black ink. Nothing wrong with black ink of course, but I don’t write with it, and Sailor has a vast array of more inspiring colors. Perhaps a matching brown would have been more appropriate. The pen itself is sealed in a plastic pouch.

 

Appearance & Design 9/10

 

The KoP shape is a classic cigar or torpedo. It is not for nothing that Classic Pens used the shape and size of the KoP as main inspiration for its much admired and coveted LB5 series. So we have a very clean, recognizable design. I also own the KoP Ebonite with silver-colored trim. That pen, and all other KoP in Urushi, are the personification of sophisticated simplicity. Understated perfection in the true meaning of the word. The Briar Wood however is more present. It has the same understated design, but adds a color and material combination to give it more appearance.

 

The brown wood contrasts harmoniously with the black resin. And the gold-colored trim completes it. It sets off beautifully against the brown/black. I do not necessarily prefer one over the other, but have a minute preference for silver-colored trim. That would, however, look rather daft on brown/black, so gold-colored it is. My only remark would be on the cap band. Sailor chose for a branded (“sailor the king of pen 1911”) band which extends to the end of the cap. So it is not a band on a cap, the cap ends with the band. This gives it a slightly bulky appearance. It does not distract, but is different from the classic MB Meisterstück design.

 

According to Lambrou, Japanese manufacturers use noble woods much more than those in the west. Briar wood, however, is no “wood”. The material is taken from the root system of a brush, or shrub, called Tree Heather (Erica Arborea) and is widely use to make pipes. The part of the plant we know as briar wood grows just above the root structure. It is a very dense material that can withstand high temperatures exceeding 370C, but is a bit porous too. This unique combination allows the wood to absorb tar and moisture from pipe tobacco, resulting in a cool and dry smoking experience. Due to the beautiful texture the briar wood also lends itself for other purposes where appearance is as important as, or more important than, functionality.

 

Construction & Quality 10/10

 

Sailor is known for its extremely high production standards with minimum tolerances and excellent quality control. The pen is simply perfect. No seams, no gaps, no blemishes. It all fits tightly and nicely. The lacquer on the briar wood is impeccable and gives it a lush shine. There is nothing to take away from a perfect score.

 

Weight & Dimensions 10/10

 

The dimensions of all KoPs are the same:

• closed length: 15,24cm
• Posted length: 16,76cm 
• Barrel length: 10,41cm
• barrel diameter: 1,52cm
• section diameter: 1,27cm

 

The weight of all KoPs, due to the different materials used, are not the same. I was surprised to see the Briar Wood coming in at 39grams versus the Ebonite at 34gr – I was expecting a greater difference and a heavier pen. 

 

The size and weight give the pen a noticeable presence in your hand. It feels right.

 

Nib & Performance 10/10

 

Ahh, the nib. The glorious KoP 21K nib. My favorite of all. I own three now, all in M, and all are perfect. It doesn’t get any better than this. The nib on the Briar Wood is two-tone, bicolor. Just look at the picture. It is stellar. 

 

Writing with the KoP 21K nib is a joy. The nib performs effortlessly, yet it makes its presence known to you. The nib enhances your writing. It improves on the experience. The feedback is barely noticeable, but you know it is there. It gives comfort. Excellence straight out of the box.

 

Filling System & Maintenance 8/10

 

Many people think that a pen on this level should be an eye-dropper, or at least a piston filler. A converter does not belong here, and a converter with such a small capacity is even worse. A Skoda engine in an Porsche 911. Or thoughts along those lines. 

 

Well, I disagree. 

 

I don’t mind inking it up. It gives the opportunity to change ink. And the small-ish capacity, gives enough pages of range. So for me this is not a real distractor, although I prefer the con-70 of Pilot.

 

Cost & Value 8/10

 

All pens with a price in the four digits range are expensive. It is what it is. The recommended retail prices of the Briar Wood is around USD 1800 and EUR 1575 but a deal can usually be made. I personally think that the value of the pen justifies its price. I find the KoP Ebonite to be well-priced, and the KoP Urushi to be over-priced. The Briar Wood sits in the middle and suits me fine. But still, it is an expensive pen. 

 

Conclusion 55/60 = 9,2/10

 

Judging a pen on its merits remains largely a subjective matter. Given the low visibility of this version of Sailor’s King of Pen, one might conclude that it is not a popular pen. Which is weird, as the pen offers so much. The dimensions have the golden ratio, and the design is an icon with eternal value. The natural brown wood with its texture and capricious patterns is a very welcome departure from uniform resins, celluloids and urushis. The nib is one of the very (very) best in the market. The size and weight, albeit in the collection of big/oversized pens, ensures the pen is wieldy and will give endless writing pleasure.

 

All-in-all, a truly unique instrument.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

[ZeroDukE]

Simply beautiful!

[Loke]

Waw!

Thanks for sharing your review.

[lionelc]

thank you for your review - beautiful pen, even more impressive nib, one of your highest overall scores so far?

[Linger]

Thanks lionelc. Your comment made me think. It is one of my best pens, no doubt, but i made the scores stand-alone from the others. What i should do (and will do) is score all my pens and see how i judge them against each other. In my little excel spreadsheet tracking my pen acquisitions, i already have a pivot table with other characterisitcs (brand, price, material, color, shape, etc.) to group my preferences, and can now expand on that with perceived quality scores. Interesting.

[Lynn D]

On 8/25/2021 at 3:15 PM, Linger said:

Introduced in 2009, this version of Sailor’s King of Pen is perhaps a lesser known one. The model itself is not, but we usually see the Urushi and/or the Ebonite versions. Upon the introduction, the briar wood came in red and brown, and at a later date a green version was added. The pen is “build to order”, although this did not result in a very long waiting period – I got the pen some two months after ordering it with my dealer in NL, and Sailor’s distribution was only recently moved from the UK to France as a consequence of Brexit. This could have resulted in further delays or other hiccups, but it didn’t.

 

First impression of the package is good and solid. The pen comes in the KoP wooden box with all the papers and a bottle of black ink. Nothing wrong with black ink of course, but I don’t write with it, and Sailor has a vast array of more inspiring colors. Perhaps a matching brown would have been more appropriate. The pen itself is sealed in a plastic pouch.

 

Appearance & Design 9/10

 

The KoP shape is a classic cigar or torpedo. It is not for nothing that Classic Pens used the shape and size of the KoP as main inspiration for its much admired and coveted LB5 series. So we have a very clean, recognizable design. I also own the KoP Ebonite with silver-colored trim. That pen, and all other KoP in Urushi, are the personification of sophisticated simplicity. Understated perfection in the true meaning of the word. The Briar Wood however is more present. It has the same understated design, but adds a color and material combination to give it more appearance.

 

The brown wood contrasts harmoniously with the black resin. And the gold-colored trim completes it. It sets off beautifully against the brown/black. I do not necessarily prefer one over the other, but have a minute preference for silver-colored trim. That would, however, look rather daft on brown/black, so gold-colored it is. My only remark would be on the cap band. Sailor chose for a branded (“sailor the king of pen 1911”) band which extends to the end of the cap. So it is not a band on a cap, the cap ends with the band. This gives it a slightly bulky appearance. It does not distract, but is different from the classic MB Meisterstück design.

 

According to Lambrou, Japanese manufacturers use noble woods much more than those in the west. Briar wood, however, is no “wood”. The material is taken from the root system of a brush, or shrub, called Tree Heather (Erica Arborea) and is widely use to make pipes. The part of the plant we know as briar wood grows just above the root structure. It is a very dense material that can withstand high temperatures exceeding 370C, but is a bit porous too. This unique combination allows the wood to absorb tar and moisture from pipe tobacco, resulting in a cool and dry smoking experience. Due to the beautiful texture the briar wood also lends itself for other purposes where appearance is as important as, or more important than, functionality.

 

Construction & Quality 10/10

 

Sailor is known for its extremely high production standards with minimum tolerances and excellent quality control. The pen is simply perfect. No seams, no gaps, no blemishes. It all fits tightly and nicely. The lacquer on the briar wood is impeccable and gives it a lush shine. There is nothing to take away from a perfect score.

 

Weight & Dimensions 10/10

 

The dimensions of all KoPs are the same:

• closed length: 15,24cm
• Posted length: 16,76cm 
• Barrel length: 10,41cm
• barrel diameter: 1,52cm
• section diameter: 1,27cm

 

The weight of all KoPs, due to the different materials used, are not the same. I was surprised to see the Briar Wood coming in at 39grams versus the Ebonite at 34gr – I was expecting a greater difference and a heavier pen. 

 

The size and weight give the pen a noticeable presence in your hand. It feels right.

 

Nib & Performance 10/10

 

Ahh, the nib. The glorious KoP 21K nib. My favorite of all. I own three now, all in M, and all are perfect. It doesn’t get any better than this. The nib on the Briar Wood is two-tone, bicolor. Just look at the picture. It is stellar. 

 

Writing with the KoP 21K nib is a joy. The nib performs effortlessly, yet it makes its presence known to you. The nib enhances your writing. It improves on the experience. The feedback is barely noticeable, but you know it is there. It gives comfort. Excellence straight out of the box.

 

Filling System & Maintenance 8/10

 

Many people think that a pen on this level should be an eye-dropper, or at least a piston filler. A converter does not belong here, and a converter with such a small capacity is even worse. A Skoda engine in an Porsche 911. Or thoughts along those lines. 

 

Well, I disagree. 

 

I don’t mind inking it up. It gives the opportunity to change ink. And the small-ish capacity, gives enough pages of range. So for me this is not a real distractor, although I prefer the con-70 of Pilot.

 

Cost & Value 8/10

 

All pens with a price in the four digits range are expensive. It is what it is. The recommended retail prices of the Briar Wood is around USD 1800 and EUR 1575 but a deal can usually be made. I personally think that the value of the pen justifies its price. I find the KoP Ebonite to be well-priced, and the KoP Urushi to be over-priced. The Briar Wood sits in the middle and suits me fine. But still, it is an expensive pen. 

 

Conclusion 55/60 = 9,2/10

 

Judging a pen on its merits remains largely a subjective matter. Given the low visibility of this version of Sailor’s King of Pen, one might conclude that it is not a popular pen. Which is weird, as the pen offers so much. The dimensions have the golden ratio, and the design is an icon with eternal value. The natural brown wood with its texture and capricious patterns is a very welcome departure from uniform resins, celluloids and urushis. The nib is one of the very (very) best in the market. The size and weight, albeit in the collection of big/oversized pens, ensures the pen is wieldy and will give endless writing pleasure.

 

All-in-all, a truly unique instrument.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, this looks awesome! Thank you for sharing. I've never wanted to possess a such an expensive pen purely for extra aesthetics before, but I now have 2 KOP (a B, in possession, and a M ebonite model awaiting delivery) and they are my favourite writers. So I'd settle for such an exquisite nib in such gorgeous material as my dream pen now, if I ever come into more spare money.