Looking for a Sailor

[DesAstor]

Just got my first Sailor 11-2024-320. While I was not impressed by the plasticky feel of the thin wall, the light weight and the loose clip, the MF nib made more than up for it. I'd like to find a Sailor pen that has a bit more heft to it, more like a Waterman Opera (which is my preferred size and feel). Unfortunately, I don't have any experience w/Sailor's at all and thus do not know if all their pens have the same type of thin barrel and construction, or are there models that are heavier duty without costing thousands?  I like to keep it around $500 w/a 21K F to MF nib, 5.25 unposted length, .500 in diameter as those dimensions work for me. I tried to use the Sailor website to narrow the field but it does not seem to allow searches. Other commercial websites selling Sailor's I looked at do not offer all the specs or just call everything "resin".  Anybody got some tips how to do a targeted search?

[Merrick]

I can’t tell from the listing if that is a 1911S or 1911L. If it’s an L then that’s as large as they go unless you go up to a King of Pen. You can get a Luminous Shadow King of Pen for $580 at Yoseka and a few other places. It’s heavier and with thicker resin. If you have a 1911S you can move up to the 1911L which is larger, but not a very heavy pen, and will have the same level of quality to the body construction. 

[arcfide]

Almost all the Sailor pens I know of are going to be on the lighter end. If you can deal with the light weight and just want more heft, then they can be great. 

 

If you really like the feel of the Sailor nib, but want a different body, I think Taccia makes ebonite/urushi pens with Sailor nibs, and I think Cross also offers one of their pen (Peerless?) with a Sailor nib. 

[DesAstor]

46 minutes ago, Merrick said:

I can’t tell from the listing if that is a 1911S or 1911L. If it’s an L then that’s as large as they go unless you go up to a King of Pen. You can get a Luminous Shadow King of Pen for $580 at Yoseka and a few other places. It’s heavier and with thicker resin. If you have a 1911S you can move up to the 1911L which is larger, but not a very heavy pen, and will have the same level of quality to the body construction. 

I found the pen on the Sailor website and it was listed as a 1911L. Seems odd to me that the Sailor's are so light. Cleary a preference but I just can't get a feel for the pen while writing bc it's so darn light. If it wouldn't be for this amazing nib (I heard about how well they write, but just did not expect or appreciate how well it feels), I would simply move on.  Do you know if the Sailor nibs and feed can be put into other pens?

[DesAstor]

13 minutes ago, arcfide said:

Almost all the Sailor pens I know of are going to be on the lighter end. If you can deal with the light weight and just want more heft, then they can be great. 

 

If you really like the feel of the Sailor nib, but want a different body, I think Taccia makes ebonite/urushi pens with Sailor nibs, and I think Cross also offers one of their pen (Peerless?) with a Sailor nib. 

Should have read the posts in order, bc this was actually a question I had asked in case I cannot find a heavy duty Sailor pen. Adding a Sailor nib and feed onto a donor body would be a good option (of course depending on the donor body).  I'll check into that. Much appreciated.

[DesAstor]

1 hour ago, Merrick said:

I can’t tell from the listing if that is a 1911S or 1911L. If it’s an L then that’s as large as they go unless you go up to a King of Pen. You can get a Luminous Shadow King of Pen for $580 at Yoseka and a few other places. It’s heavier and with thicker resin. If you have a 1911S you can move up to the 1911L which is larger, but not a very heavy pen, and will have the same level of quality to the body construction. 

I wonder about the Sailor CYLINT as it appears to be mostly stainless steel w/some resin. It comes in 21K, does seem to have the right weight, length and diameter.  Need to do some more research to see if it is an option. 

[Merrick]

3 minutes ago, DesAstor said:

I found the pen on the Sailor website and it was listed as a 1911L. Seems odd to me that the Sailor's are so light. Cleary a preference but I just can't get a feel for the pen while writing bc it's so darn light. If it wouldn't be for this amazing nib (I heard about how well they write, but just did not expect or appreciate how well it feels), I would simply move on.  Do you know if the Sailor nibs and feed can be put into other pens?

I believe Flexible Nib Factory will sell housing to let you put nibs in Bock or Jowo compatible bodies. Personally I love how light Sailor’s pens are, heavy pens just add drag for me. 
 

One other option you can try is the Pro Gear Realo. It’s a piston filler so heavier than the standard C/C Sailors. The shorter body of the Pro Gear combined with the added weight of the piston resulted in a pen that to me felt noticeably heavier in the hand, although if you prefer heavier pens it might still feel too light. 

[A Smug Dill]

3 hours ago, DesAstor said:

I like to keep it around $500 w/a 21K F to MF nib,

 

In that price range, Sailor makes heavier pens — such as the Koshu-inden, Kabazaiku, and Japan Blue and Japan Red models — with brass cores in the pen bodies, but they tend to be fitted with 14K gold nibs. 

 

The Profit 21 Sterling Silver 925 (aka 1911 Sterling Silver 925) fountain pen would be the model fitted with 21K gold nib that comes to mind first. Then there are the models in the Ebonite Sculpture series. Their retail prices aren't in the sub-US$500 range, but I've seen at least the Ebonite Sculpture pens available on Amazon.co.jp for less than that.

 

A Profit Black Luster is significantly heavier on the run-of-the-mill Profit 21, on account of having a (glossy!) metal grip section instead of a resin one, and is sub-US$500.

[A Smug Dill]

1 hour ago, DesAstor said:

I wonder about the Sailor CYLINT as it appears to be mostly stainless steel w/some resin.

 

The CYLINT's body is (mainly) made of brass; look under the 基本仕様 tab.

[Lithium466]

7 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

A Profit Black Luster is significantly heavier on the run-of-the-mill Profit 21, on account of having a (glossy!) metal grip section instead of a resin one, and is sub-US$500.

I was coming to suggest this one too. The section is heavier, and so the balance point is shifted toward the nib compared to a regular 1911L, which is reminiscent (to me) of some drafting mechanical pencils. My favourite Sailor so far.

[EricTheRed]

The Sailor King of Pen seems like it was tailor made for your preferences.  Legendary nib combined with considerable bulk.

[arcfide]

2 hours ago, EricTheRed said:

The Sailor King of Pen seems like it was tailor made for your preferences.  Legendary nib combined with considerable bulk.

 

Most of the resin KOP offerings have the bulk but not the weight. They're surprisingly light for a pen of that size. 

 

Now that I go through Sailor's catalogue again, I notice that there are a number of new metal section or body offerings, and those might be great options if you can put up with shiny grip sections made of metal. 

[EricTheRed]

1 hour ago, arcfide said:

 

Most of the resin KOP offerings have the bulk but not the weight. They're surprisingly light for a pen of that size. 

 

Now that I go through Sailor's catalogue again, I notice that there are a number of new metal section or body offerings, and those might be great options if you can put up with shiny grip sections made of metal. 

I owned an ebonite King of Pen for a number of years.  I eventually sold it for funds to purchase another grail pen.  I loved the nib but personally found the pen slightly too bulky and heavy for my taste.  I personally prefer the slightly smaller and lighter  Sailor Realos, which I own five of in both black and maroon colors.  I suggest the OP try a KOP before dismissing it.  Many fountain collectors adore this pen as it matches their personal tastes.

[arcfide]

1 hour ago, EricTheRed said:

Many fountain collectors adore this pen as it matches their personal tastes.

 

That certainly can't be denied, and it's a terrific pen. Is the KOP available in the MF nib that the author wants? I thought the KOP was only available in M and B as standard options? Is the KOP Ebonite in the price range of the OP? A KOP Ebonite for $500 would make me quite happy. 

[Merrick]

The King of Pen ebonite is not normally found in the $500 range, but you can find resin versions for under $500 on Amazon in the US. As I mentioned above, the Luminous Shadow version can be purchased for $580 from many retailers in the US. 

[mke]

AFAIK, Newton pens can replace the resin of a Sailor pen for other materials. Ask them: https://newtonpens.com/

Or just let them transplant the KoP nib into a pen of your choice.

[lascosas]

If you want the Sailor nib and a heavy pen, then I suggest the Cross Peerless.  These come with Sailor 18k nibs.  Cross stopped making them a few years ago, but there are always several on Ebay, well below $500.  It is a divisive pen mostly because it is heavy, gaudy, and made in China.  It weighs 45 grams capped.  Standard KOP weighs 34.  I love them!

[senzen]

1911 Black Luster has a metal section.

[Surlyprof]

On 6/22/2024 at 8:11 PM, DesAstor said:

I wonder about the Sailor CYLINT as it appears to be mostly stainless steel w/some resin. It comes in 21K, does seem to have the right weight, length and diameter.  Need to do some more research to see if it is an option. 

The Cylint is a skinny pen.  I was really interested in it until I tried one in person.  The section was about as skinny as the 1911S.  Nice weight though (around 40g).  I think the patina one is all brass.  Not sure about the black one.

 

I own one of these Bungubox Realos and really like it.  It has the same section and extra weight (26g?) of the Black Luster but also has a higher capacity piston fill.  The only downgrade from the Black Luster is the 18k nib instead of the 21k.  I find it to be very smooth with the pencil-like feedback Sailors seem known for.