Posts filed under Sailor

Sailor x Tinterías - A Deliciously Inky Collaboration

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

The year was 2019, and Jeffrey Coleman, a Spanish professor and pen enthusiast, decided to start a pen blog. Fast forward to June 2020 (which seems like an eternity now but it was just 18 months ago) when Jeffrey thought a podcast would be a better format for his pen musings. He roped in his fraternity brother, Erick Gama, to be the co-host and together, they launched a podcast. Not just any pen podcast, but one in Spanish, called Tinterías, which is a combination of the words “tinta” (ink) and “tonterías” (foolishness or silliness).

As of this writing, there are already more than 75 episodes, which are released weekly on Mondays at 8am Central Time. They often have guests on the show like brand representatives from PIlot and LAMY, distributors, pen makers and nib workers. They also have their own slack (email hola@tinterias.com to be added) and run a Spanish version of Rock Your Handwriting called Luce Tu Escritura. You can find Jeffrey Coleman on Instagram as @drcoleman1102 and Erick Gama @erickgama and also through the podcast account @tinteriaspodcast

The idea for the Deliciosa inks came about when Jeffrey and Erick saw that Sailor North America had begun entering the Mexican market and wanted something akin to the 50 states series that wasn’t US-focused. Sailor asked them to propose something for Mexico and Latin America and the duo came up with a line of inks based on food - Homemade Tortilla and Spicy Chipotle. Of course, I have to add that despite their yummy sounding names, the inks aren’t meant for eating/drinking :-). These two inks were launched in summer/fall of 2021 and come in 50ml square glass bottles like the Manyo series and standard inks.

Homemade Tortilla is a lovely golden brown while Spicy Chipotle is a hotly-debated (see what I did there?) brownish red or a reddish brown color. I think it’s the latter.

*You can see that this ink has great shading potential.*

*Cult Pens Louise, Kobe 21 Taisanji Yellow, Robert Oster African Gold, Diamine Golden Brown (most similar) and KWZ Honey are all similar to Homemade Tortilla.*

*Homemade Tortilla writing sample on Cosmo Air Light 75gsm, 52 gsm Tomoe River, 68 gsm dot-grid Tomoe River.*

*Spicy Chipotle has a subtle green sheen that can be seen with wetter swatches.*

*Blackstone Barrister Brown, Taccia Cha Brown (most similar), Robert Oster Aussie Brown, Diamine Inkvent 2019/Blue Edition Roasted Chestnut, and Monteverde Sweet Life Pumpkin Cake (also pretty close).*

*Spicy Chipotle on CAL 75, TR 52 and TR68. You can see some of the green sheen in the TR 68 swatch.*

Both inks had average flow, neither too wet nor too dry. Homemade Tortilla is more of a shading ink while Spicy Chipotle is more saturated with just a hint of sheen with a wet, broad nib or in big swathes of ink.

The inks are still available for purchase on the Tinterías website. Due to shipping costs, they can only be purchased as a set for $60 (shipping is not included). I bought mine from Jeffrey and Erick at the Chicago Pen Show, where inks could be sold separately with no shipping costs. They already have the next pair of inks ready to go to production now and will be launched later this year. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next two inks!

Posted on January 14, 2022 by Kimberly Lau and filed under Sailor, Ink Reviews.

Sailor Compass 1911 Fountain Pen Review

(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!)

The Sailor Compass 1911 is an entry-level fountain pen modeled after the extremely popular 1911 line that has recently priced itself out of a lot of our budgets. They did the same thing with the Lecoule, which was the same size and shape as the Pro Gear Slim. I've used both, and while neither are as nice as their pricey doppelgängers, they're still good pens. I think it's wise of Sailor to have these more affordable models available.

The Compass is made of transparent plastic in a handful of fun colors, all with chrome trim and a steel medium-fine nib. The pens come with a converter that matches the color of the pen, which is a nice bonus, and two cartridges. The cartridges and converter are proprietary, so it's nice that those are included for folks getting this pen as their first Sailor.

This isn't the first 1911 clone I've tried. I've also used the Nagasawa Pro Color and the steel-nibbed Shikiori models. Both of those were slightly more expensive, between $70-$90. The Compass clocks in at around $40, about the same as the Lecoule. If all this sounds a bit confusing, it's because it is. I can't make sense of Sailor's pricing philosophy, but I can tell you that the Compass is a good place to dive into the brand.

While lightweight, the pen materials do not feel insubstantial or cheap. The nib, while very plain compared to the highly decorated fancy-pants Sailor nibs, writes very well. There's also the added visual interest of the clear plastic feed, which shows the color of the ink moving through. It more than makes up for the plain nib.

The 1911 has always been one of my favorite pens in terms of size and shape. I own one that my husband bought for me as a special gift because they were quite expensive even before the recent price increase. Now they're even out of gift range--so I'm grateful for the existence of models like the Compass, which checks in under $40. I'd definitely recommend this pen for both folks new to the hobby and experienced pen addicts who don't want to overspend. Personally, I like it better than TWSBIs or Pilot Metros for an intro level pen, but that's down to preference.

I hope there will be more fun colors and patterns in the future for the Compass. Some wild themes and color runs could make these just as collectible as other Sailor models, only far more irresistible at this price.

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

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Posted on September 9, 2021 by Sarah Read and filed under Sailor, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Sailor Manyo Haha Ink Review

Sailor Manyo Haha is an ink that whispers on the page. The dual-shading tone is incredibly lovely and a fine example of the ink wizardry that Sailor does so well. The faint tone won't be for everyone and it definitely works better in broader nibs that show off its character. But for all its lightness, it's an extremely expressive color.

The Manyo line celebrates the colors of plants and flowers of Japan. This ink is named for the Haha flower, and it suits the beautiful blooms very well. It's a pale blue-teal that dual shades to purple and green, and the chromatography shows its complexity. It goes from sky blue to violet to soft purple to emerald to a pale yellow. The purple tone is very visible in the ink's shading, even in plain writing, and the green can be seen where it pools. The effect is hypnotizing as you write. I'm kind of obsessed. The color is definitely a cousin of the Sailor Ink Studios 123, which is a pale purple with teal hints--the inverse of this one. I love them both.

This ink flows well and feels nicely lubricated, and also has a very reasonable dry time. There was barely any smudge at 15 seconds and it was totally dry by 20. It has no water resistance at all, and disappeared altogether at the slightest hint of a drop.

It does not have any shimmer or sheen, but either of those effects would interfere with the elegant shading already in play. Even where the other colors don't show, the blue itself shades nicely.

The ink comes in a cube-shaped blown glass bottle, which is much more convenient for filling than the squat Sailor ink pots. It feels substantial and looks great. It's a 50ml bottle also, which is a nice change from the itty bitty Sailor Studio bottles. Best of all, it's only $24 at JetPens, which is a surprisingly great price for a Sailor ink, especially a big bottle of one this snazzy.

I'm clearly a fan, though I know this color might be hard for some to see on the page. I don't think I could read it in low light, myself. But in good lighting it's visible enough to be a practical blue with a lot of fun character. It even makes writing a grocery list fun and interesting.

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

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