Sailor Ink Studio 735: A Review

Sailor Ink Studio is a collection of one hundred inks (out of 20,000 created!) that were blended by inkmeisters at Ink Studio events. Each number represents a unique blending code (source: Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery). Sailor 735 is the second ink from the Ink Studio collection that I’ve gotten to try (the first was Sailor 123, review here). I discovered that the higher the number of an Ink Studio ink, the more shading and sheen it offers, and 735 definitely rocks the sheen.

As always, my ink testing begins with Rhodia Dot Pad paper. Although I like this paper for ink testing because it’s a true white and it’s fountain pen friendly, it tends not to show sheen very well. You can see a little bit of sheen in my first swipe, but otherwise it’s not apparent. Sailor 735 is a beautiful deep purple ink with lots of pink undertones. The ink is quite wet and takes over 30 seconds to dry. If you lay it on really thick, you’ll want to give it even more time. It’s not waterproof.

The sheen in this ink comes through nicely on my Col-o-dex card. It’s a gorgeous shiny green. There’s just something wonderful about the combination of purple and green. In fact, I have an entire section of my Animal Crossing island (Villanelle) planted with purple and green mums . . . but, like Isabelle, I digress. Sorry! Both the swirls and the ink splats show off the green sheen as do the swab and writing.

Chromatography demonstrates that Sailor 735 is a complex ink, with blue, lavender, magenta, pink, and purple hues.

Even more glorious sheen is exhibited when you use a ruling pen for big, fat, juicy lines. It’s almost as though the letters are gilded with green-gold leaf!

I used my Franklin-Christoph EF steel flex nib on Midori MD paper and was pleased at how beautifully the ink flowed. Even with such a fine nib sheen is evident.

I am absolutely smitten with Sailor 735. It is a wonderful purple ink, but what makes it extra special is that green sheen. Fortunately, Sailor Ink Studio inks are now much more readily available than they were when I wrote my first review last July. You can purchase a 20ml bottle of Sailor 735 from Dromgooles for $18.00.

(The Pen Addict purchased this ink from Dromgooles at a discount.)

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Sailor Pro Gear Slim Shikiori Japanese Fairy Tale Series Fountain Pen in Dragon Palace: A Love Story

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

Once upon a time I was minding my own business, stuck in quarantine and scrolling Instagram, when my eyes landed on the most beautiful pen in the kingdom. It's not exactly an uncommon story. I'd say this happens a few times a week. But this time was different! Because it was almost Mother's Day, and I was supposed to be thinking about what I'd like for a gift. Within the next few days, the Anderson Pens newsletter said they had them and they were offering curbside pickup. With the means, motive, and opportunity secured--reader, I bought the pen.

I admit, this is not my first Pro Gear Slim. It's my favorite mass-produced pen make and model, and this is my 5th one, so I generally know what to expect from them. Still, each one manages to surprise me with how delightful it is, and this one is the most delightful yet.

Part of the allure is definitely the story behind the inspiration for the series. I'm a sucker for a good story! I've bought pens just for their names before, and I regret nothing. I adore fairy tales, frequently immerse myself in them, and they're a big part of my life every day. It wasn't likely I could resist a line of pens inspired by fairy tales, especially not when they make one in my favorite color.

The Dragon Palace pen is inspired by Ryugu-jo—the palace of the dragon spirit Ryujin, which is said to exist three-days swim under the water off the coast of Cape Nagasakibana. It's the setting for numerous tales and legends, and I've been enjoying reading them as I learn more about the stories that inspired this pen.

The color is somewhere between mint and seafoam, with gold flecks that look like sunlight sparkling on the water. The body and cap are resin, with gold-plated accents. The center band reads "Sailor Japan Founded 1911" and it has the signature anchor logo on the finial. The grip section is made in the same green resin, with a gentle taper. The nib is 14k gold, with Sailor's signature scrollwork and logos. This series only comes in the MF nib, which is a great size, though it would not have been my first choice. It's a very practical size, the goldilocks of nibs--not too fine, but fine enough. Like all Sailor nibs I've used, it writes perfectly. It's a wet writer, but it doesn't gush. It's enough to show the shading and characteristics of the ink while maintaining a crisp line. It's wonderfully smooth, but not too smooth, so there's no baby's bottom or feeling like your writing is about to float out of control. The pens fit Sailor's proprietary cartridges or converters, and come with both.

The Fairy Tale series, like the four seasons series before it, is limited, so if you're as besotted as I was, you won't want to wait to grab one. The MSRP for these pens is $225, though online prices are around $180. That puts them in the same price neighborhood as a lot of steel-nib pens. It's still very expensive, but for the quality and materials, it's a great deal.

I'm sure there are more Pro Gears in my future, but this one came along at just the right time, bringing a bit of beauty and a whole new family of stories just when I needed them. This is the part where we live happily ever after.

(I purchased this pen at Anderson Pens at the regular retail price.)

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Sailor Manyo Kuzu Ink Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

While Sailor recently refreshed their main ink lineup, that doesn't mean they haven't been busy experimenting with other ink colors at the same time. The Sailor Manyo ink series is a collection of eight dye-based inks that represent popular flowers that are frequently mentioned in the Japanese Man'yōshū — an ancient collection of poems.

Kuzu is a subtle dusty purple ink that has some hidden depths that only surface in the right conditions. It's a beautiful color that doesn't immediately offer up all of its secrets, and that's the main reason I've enjoyed using it.

To be honest, I wasn't very impressed with this ink when I first started using it. At first glance, it's just a really bland dark purple that doesn't exhibit any exciting properties. But if you use the right nib and expose the ink to the right light, other colors start to pop up.

Underneath the dusty plum exterior, there are shades of brown, red, and green. And, in the right light, there's even a slight golden sheen! These hidden qualities are really what make this ink interesting. It's just unfortunately that you have to use an incredibly wide and wet nib in order to see them. In most nibs, this ink just looks like a dull brown-purple with a slight tendency to feather.

There's a slight amount of shading, but (again) this only comes out with a fairly wide nib. It changes between black-purple to a medium dark-brown, which is a subtle but elegant change.

Dry time with Kuzu is extremely fast! Most of the time, this ink is dry by 15 seconds, if not quicker. Definitely something to consider if you value quick dry times.

Being a dye-based ink, there isn't any water-resistance to speak of. This definitely isn't an archival-quality ink, so look elsewhere for that.

At 50ml, this is a standard-sized ink bottle that will last for quite a while. And at just under $20, it's also a great deal and very competitive.

I wanted to love this ink, but I'm just not enjoying using it in my day-to-day writing. The dark and dull color isn't interesting, and I'm disappointed that the hidden properties of this ink only come out with ultra-wide nibs and swatching. That isn't how most people use fountain pen inks, so just understand that you won't really see the shading, sheen, and hidden greens, browns, and reds unless you're using a brush.

If you're looking for a dark, understated purple-black ink, Sailor Manyo Kuzu is a fantastic choice!

(Goldspot provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!