Sailor Storia Bottled Ink

Sailor Storia

At first glance the ink boxes on the new Japanese Sailor Storia ink bottles appear to be primary colors with whimsical circus related characters. The words: Dancer, Lion, Spotlight, Clown and Balloon are just some of these designations. The round cardboard housing with the bright colored labels I found reminiscent of my childhood Play-Doh modeling clay. The bottles are opaquely frosted and gives the effect of something precious inside.

After testing each shade the nano-particle ink leans more towards pastel shades as opposed to bold primary colors. This water-resistant ink lays wonderfully on the paper with a consistent wash effect even when used with a fine nibbed pen. The Lion light brown color is the boldest of the colors lending itself to the possibly of an everyday writing ink that makes a strong statement.

I recommend this new ink, especially to those youngsters ones who are seeking an entry level door into the world of fountain pens. The opportunity to revisit the joy of the childhood circus through these wonderfully named and packaged inks, is attractive to children of all ages.

- Vicki Marshall

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Ink Trivia

You have more choices than you think. Blue writing ink is the most popular color used for pens. To simply say you want to use blue ink does not narrow it down as to your choice. As with many colors, blue ink is available in many shades such as Sapphire, Regency, Blue Velvet, Royal, Midnight, Imperial, Cobalt, Cerulean, Electric, Blue Suede and Mediterranean. Pen Boutique also carries many brands that offer blue including Waterman, Parker, Noodler’s Ink, Pilot-Namiki, Cross, Lamy, Diamine, Faber-Castell, Sheaffer, Montblanc and Sailor.

Question: What color helps you to remember?



























Answer: You are more likely to remember something if you write it down in blue ink.

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Sailor 1911 Fountain Pen Review

Sailor 1911L Fountain Pen

In 1981, Sailor introduced their 1911 series as a celebration of the company’s founding in its namesake year.  The line can be had in a number of different sizes, shapes, colors, and nib configurations.  The 1911L, which stands for Large, is a step up in size from the 1911S (Standard) both in diameter and length.  Other than the nib, clip, and decorative rings, the pen is made entirely of resin.  This imparts a light weight that is easy to handle, even in this larger iteration.  The 21k Gold nibs range from Extra Fine all the way up to Music, and includes Sailor’s Medium Fine for those that find the Medium too broad but the Fine too thin.  The 1911 series traditionally uses either cartridges or a converter, though Sailor has recently created the piston filled Realo line.  Both the cartridges and converter are proprietary Sailor designs, and the cartridges are available in Black, Blue, Blue/Black, Red, or Pigmented Black or Blue/Black.  The pigmented inks are waterproof, but extra care should be taken when using these as the tiny particles that cause this characteristic may create issues if the pen is not used or cleaned regularly.

In general, Sailor’s nibs tend to run a size smaller than a Western counterpart – i.e. the Fine writes like an Extra Fine, the Medium writes like a Fine, etc.  In testing a Fine nib, I found this to be true as the pen laid down a very thin line.  Despite the Extra Fine-like width, the nib was smooth, no doubt aided by the 21k Gold construction.  The pen was comfortable to use both posted as well as with the cap left off – another advantage of the light weight.  The larger size compared to the Standard version allowed for a solid grip without much effort, which is something I have come appreciate when having to write for long periods.  I did notice that the nib had a little flex to it, lending a slight variation to line widths if I was so inclined.  This led to a line that was more akin to a Western Fine.

The 1911L looks good and writes well.  Sailor has done a fantastic job in creating a piece that is large enough to use comfortably yet light enough to not fatigue your hand while doing so.  If you are looking for a thicker pen with a smooth nib and classic good looks, the 1911L should definitely be at the top of your list.

- Joe (Pen Boutique Limited, 5560 Sterrett Place, Columbia, MD 21044)

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