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March 27, 2016 / Ken Crooker / Fountain Pens, Reviews / 13 Comments

Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Review

The Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen in its box

Dippin’ my toes into the higher-end waters to bring you the…

Sailor 1911 Standard (Profit) Fountain Pen

Price: $156.00
Nib: Extra Fine
Filling System: Converter / Cartridges (Sailor Proprietary)

About the Pen:

I’m starting to get obsessed with Sailor — and I’m not sure why. I only have one Sailor pen (this one). It’s the entry-level pen for their high-end line and I’ve only had it for a few weeks. I’m sure part of my obsession stems from the fact that Sailor’s EF nibs are extremely fine, but I don’t know what else could be fueling my obsession. Maybe it’s because…

  • …their reputation for super nibs?
  • …they have some of the most interesting designs of the three big Japanese manufacturers (Pilot and Platinum are the other two)?
  • …their high-end pens have a 21K gold nib (gotta get me one of those!!) instead of the more typical 14K or 18K?
  • …it’s fun to tell my coworkers that I picked up a Japanese Sailor in New York City?
  • …they have two of the sexiest stealth pens on the market (see & see)?

Of course, there’s nothing rational about an obsession, so it’s kind of stupid for me to try to figure out where it’s coming from. I should just accept it, empty out my 401K, and go on a Sailor buying spree. But for now, I’ll just finish this review, stopping every four or five words to admire the nib, enjoy screwing and unscrewing the cap, and rolling around nak—uh…never mind that. Carry on.

The Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen, uncapped, with the section of the pen resting on the cap

Appearance:

Sailor’s 1911 line of pens come in three sizes: the Standard (a.k.a. Profit), the Large, and the King of Pen (which comes with a huge jump in price over the other two sizes). They all have the same traditional, nondescript cigar shape that’s eerily common in Japanese fountain pens. For some reason, Japanese manufacturers often stick with traditional designs and put most of the focus on their nibs. If you didn’t know what to look for, you probably wouldn’t be able to distinguish the 1911 from the Pilot Custom 74 or the Platinum 3776 Century.

A comparison of three comparable Japanese, first-tier, high-end fountain pens, including the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain pen (blue) flanked by the Pilot Custom 74 (orange) and the Platinum 3776 Century (dark red)

The 1911 (which, by the way, is the year Sailor was founded) is a small, lightweight pen made mostly of plastic. As is the case with most cigar-shaped pens, the 1911 is widest in the middle (where the cap meets the barrel) and tapers down to both ends, where thin gold bands separate the body from the simple, black, bullet shapes of the finial and end cap.

The Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen, Capped, in blue

The section is fairly short and tapers from the barrel down to the nib, where it flares out a bit into a wider lip. The section, finial, and end cap are all made from the same black plastic, and are all set off from the pen body by single gold rings.

A Close-up shot of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Section

Close up shot of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Finial and End Cap, which are two bullet-shaped pieces of plastic set off from the barrel and cap by thin gold bands

The cap sports two gold cap bands, one fairly thin and unmarked, the other thicker and engraved with SAILOR JAPAN FOUNDED 1911.

Several views of the inscription on the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Cap Band, which reads SAILOR JAPAN FOUNDED 1911

The gold-colored clip is wider where it attaches at the finial, and quickly tapers to a narrower strip with a rounded-off end. A nice design element of the clip is the raised, steppe-shaped surface down the center of the clip. It adds a bit of fancy without being gaudy.

Close-up shot of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Clip (side view)

And then there’s the nib: 14 karats o’ gleaming gold! It’s larger than a #5 nib, but quite a bit smaller than a #6. It is an impressive nib, if not a little busy. There’s some nice scrollwork around the inside, a couple millimeters from the edge. And there are several items stamped in the center of the nib, starting just below the breather hole:

  • 1911
  • The Sailor anchor logo
  • 14K (etched, not stamped)
  • 585 (signifies the 58.5% gold content found in 14K gold)
  • A teeny-tiny Sailor name logo

This would all probably look a little nicer on a larger nib, or if they removed the redundant 585 to create more white space. But it’s a handsome nib, nonetheless.

Three views of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Nib, the underside showing the feed, the top of the nib, and a side view showing the profile of the nib and feed

Build Quality (5/5):

Other than the nib, the materials used are nothing really special, but they’re machined and assembled impeccably. The fit is perfect, and the finish mostly so.

Close-up image of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen section and cap threads

The only real thing I can find to gripe about (and it’s a small gripe), is the existence of injection molding seams on the section and the parts of the barrel that are hidden by the cap (when the pen is closed). The seams are very small and you can’t feel them when you’re writing, but I think they cheapen the looks just a little bit, especially given the 1911’s price tag. They did a great job polishing the seams out of the barrel, but I’d like to see them at least buff out the section seams, too.

Close-up shots of the seams found in the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen section and barrel

The converter is a treat! It seems like it has an above-average capacity (I’m not measuring, so don’t ask), and it fits into the section very securely. I believe that you could hurl this pen across the room at an assailant and the converter would probably stay put (I’m not doing that, either, so don’t ask).

A close up shot of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Converter. Inset is a close-up of the very wide opening of the converter, which allows excellent ink flow in the feed channel

Dependability (5/5):

No complaints here. The Sailor 1911 writes every time, all the time. Even if I leave it uncapped for over a minute while I get lost in the splendor of the nib, it writes the second I touch it to paper (it’s almost as if they anticipated this type of behavior and designed the pen to accommodate long periods of awe). I have yet to experience any hard starts or skips. I think a lot of this is due to the converter, which has a wide opening for ink to enter the feed channel. For an EF, it’s a pretty wet writer.

A small writing sample of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen

Comfort (5/5):

No complaints here, either. The 1911 is super light and the section diameter works really well with my hand. I haven’t suffered any cramping or other discomfort, even when writing for extended periods. I believe I could use this pen all day without any trouble.

An image of a hand holding the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen

Close up of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Section showing how it tapers down toward the nib and then flares out into a wider lip

Writing Experience (4.5/5):

I’ve heard an awful lot about how smooth and juicy Sailor nibs are. I can attest to the juicy, but I’m not really seeing the smooth. I’ve checked the tines about 40 times to make sure they’re aligned (they are), but the nib has some pretty strong feedback that borders on scratchy at times (well, it’s not quite to the level of being “scratchy,” but it’s rough enough for me to get nervous when it happens).

Very close-up shot of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Nib

I’m hoping that this can be attributed to it being an extra fine, because it’s an otherwise amazing nib. It’s fine enough to satisfy my small handwriting requirements and wet enough to show off the ink’s properties. The feedback doesn’t affect the writing at all. The nib doesn’t catch on the paper or pick up paper fibers, and the line it puts down is nothing short of exquisite. It’s just very, very toothy and will take me some time to get used to. (Click the image below to enlarge.)

The full writing sample of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen on Rhodia #16 DotPad paper

I did find that if I lowered the angle of the pen to the paper, that the nib seemed a lot smoother. It wasn’t very comfortable to write like that and my handwriting was a mess, but it gives me hope that the tooth is nothing to worry about.

Image showing two different writing angles used with the Sailor 1911 fountain pen: on the left is my normal angle from gripping the pen by the section; on the right I'm holding the pen farther back behind the section, causing a shallower writing angle and a smoother writing experience

Value (4.5/5):

If this pen was less expensive, I could forgive the small details I pointed out. But at $156, I’d expect to see no seams in the plastic and have a slightly smoother nib (I enjoy tooth in a nib, but a little more polish would be nice). I suspect their broader nibs would be smoother, so I’d still recommend the 1911 as an entry-level, high-end pen. Is that an oxymoron? Maybe “entry-level, gold-nibbed pen” would be better. Or “first-tier, high-end pen”. Yeah, I like that one. Let’s go with that.

The Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Disassembled, with the pen's internals laying down horizontally while the barrel and cap stand up behind

The Nutshell: Overall Score: 24/25

The Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Scorecard showing a total score of 24 out of a possible 25 points

[table width=100% colwidth=”50%|50%” colalign=”left|left”] “Best Qualities”,”Worst Qualities”
“Beautifully fine line”,”Nib is very toothy”
“Comfortable & lightweight”,”Injection molding seams on section & parts of barrel”
“Always writes, even after periods of inactivity due to gawking at the nib”,” ”
[/table]

Conclusion

I like what Sailor is up to with their pens, and the 1911 Standard was a great one for me to start with. Nib feedback aside, I’m pretty crazy about this pen. It’s comfortable to write with, and the super-fine-but-still-juicy nib puts down a wonderful line of ink. I definitely intend to try out F and M nibs to see how they compare to the EF.

If you’re interested in exploring first-tier, high-end pens, the Sailor 1911 is a fantastic one to consider.

The Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Uncapped, laying down while the cap stands up behind the barrel

Image of the Sailor 1911 Standard Fountain Pen Capped

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Comments

  1. Woody

    June 13, 2016 at 11:07 am

    Fantastic review!! Just got my first sailor last week and it’s great, just as you described. I especially liked your ‘Nutshell’ graphic. Makes comparisons among pens much easier. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Ken Crooker

      June 13, 2016 at 1:48 pm

      Thank you for reading, Woody! I’m glad you found it useful, and thank you for the kind words!

      Reply
  2. Vic

    July 1, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    My experiences with Sailors are similar to yours and I’ll try to refrain from gushing too much. I started with a Pro Gear Slim (to save some bucks I guess) and though I loved the nib (M), the pen was too short for extended sessions and maybe the section was too narrow (?). More recently I got the 1911L, which suits me much better. (I don’t post, mainly to preserve the finish.) Though some may say the styling of the pen is boring (black/gold trim), I find it beautifully classic. (I have a weakness for black/gold).

    The nib / feed is what really shines. Like you, I find there’s considerable feedback though notice it less now I think. But the thing writes like a knife — clean, crisp, even — a laser. I have complete confidence in the nib when I put it to paper. No sluggishness or delays, let alone hard-starts. It does exactly what I ask of it. Love it. (/gush)

    Glad I found your site.

    Reply
    • Ken Crooker

      July 1, 2016 at 12:58 pm

      Thanks for reading, Vic! I’ve got my eye on a Pro Gear Imperial Black…now I’d I can just get my wallet to agree!

      Reply
      • Vic

        July 1, 2016 at 1:22 pm

        I had similar concerns about the expense. To soften the blow somewhat, I ordered directly from Japan (Engeika). Though the time for delivery was quite a bit longer than buying from North American dealers, the cost was nearly half as much. And now that I have it and my experience was positive in all other respects, the delay worth it.

        Reply
        • David Allie

          November 2, 2019 at 10:43 am

          What was the website where you bought your Sailor 1911 from?

          Reply
          • Ken Crooker

            December 1, 2019 at 10:07 am

            I actually didn’t get it from a website. I bought this one from Fountain Pen Hospital in NYC.

  3. Jeff

    January 6, 2017 at 1:52 pm

    I have this pen too but in a different colour. I find it to be one of the best writers, and Sailors have the best nibs of all. Very very smooth. Looking at the angle that you hold your pen is the reason why you’re finding it scratchy I’m afraid – Sailors are particular in the angle because of the tipping shape on the nib. I hold the pen more like the more shallow angle in the 2nd photo

    btw I think you should try out a Pilot waverly nib because it’s designed for people who hold their pens at a steep angle. You can find them on the Pilot Custom 912 and the 742.

    Reply
    • Ken Crooker

      January 7, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      Hi Jeff, thanks for reading and for the comments. I’ve looked at the Waverly nib, but I’m afraid it would be too broad for me. I’ve used a Pilot Soft Fine and it was dreamy…worked perfectly for me and the line weight was exactly what I like. I think I’m about to pull the trigger on either a Platinum 3776 (SF) or Pilot Custom 91 or 912 (SF). The next Sailor pen I get is going to have their 21k nib, but that’s going to take some time to save for.

      Reply
  4. Jeff

    January 7, 2017 at 12:53 pm

    The difference between Pilot SF and Platinum SF is that Platinums are much stiffer(Platinums are generally stiffer across the board), have more feedback, and finer. Pilot SFs are very soft. Platinum SF is similar to the normal Pilot F.

    If you’re after a really fine writer at some point in future, there is the Pilot posting(PO) nib which is extra extra extra extra fine but also very smooth, available on the same pens as above. Azizah from GourmetPens does a good review of it (just search for gourmetpens posting nib).

    Reply
    • Ken Crooker

      January 7, 2017 at 1:51 pm

      Yeah, the posting nib is on my radar. I do have VPs in both F and EF, and they’re both extremely fine. I also have a Platinum Balance Maestro in EF that I really enjoy and another 3776 Century in UEF, but I haven’t inked that one up yet…I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to write with that one. 🙂 I’ve heard a lot of great things about Platinum’s SF, and I can get one for $75. The Pilot Custom 91 is also $75, but it’s only available in black (which I find kind of boring).

      Reply
  5. Jeff

    January 7, 2017 at 2:58 pm

    The Platinum UEF needs a very light hand (it’s not pleasant if you apply any force down on it). I had to smooth mine a LOT, but if you like nibs as fine as that then you will find it faultless after smoothing.

    I would think a Platinum SF in Chartres Blue or Bourgogne Red(it would be a crime to get it in black!) would be better all things considered. The whole package is better because the black Pilots are a little boring in looks.

    Reply
  6. GML

    February 9, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    Such a helpful review! Thank you

    Reply

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You may have noticed that I haven't posted anything in a really long time. Sorry about that. Once we started up the St. Louis Pen Show and the St. Louis pen meetups, most of my free "pen time" started going into those activities.

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