Sailor Shikiori Tsukuyo-no-Minamo Fountain Pen, Shimoyo (Frosty Night) 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.)

I was in public when I first saw the new Sailor Shikiori pens hit the JetPens site. Worse than public, I was at work, where I do my best to appear as a perfectly normal human who doesn't make noises like that when they see a picture of a pen. I lost some serious cred that day--but I gained an excellent pen. So, overall, I came out ahead.

The pen build is the same as their Procolor 500 series, and very similar to the 1911 Standard—almost identical, until they are held side-by-side and examined closely. The plastic of the Shikiori feels a bit softer and the edges are a little less crisp than the Standard model. The weight is about the same. The nib on the Shikiori is gold finished steel, rather than the 14k gold of the Standard nib. I had to double check this, because the nib is so smooth and pleasant, I wasn't convinced it wasn't gold. There is a small amount of feedback with the fine nib, but in a good way. The steel nib of the Shikiori is more slender than the Standard. It looks a bit small in the pen, but it still has the beautiful Sailor branding stamped into the metal. It's the same size and shape as the Procolor 500 series, but with the added gold finish.

It's difficult to capture the pearlescent sparkle of the material--the photos don't do this pen justice. This Shimoyo color was named for the frost that appears on ponds on a winter's night. The other colors of this series are the deep blue of the full autumn moon on the lake (Yonaga), the red of a summer night bonfire (Yodaki), and the delicate pink of evening cherry blossoms (Yozakura).

All four colors have matching inks that are just as stunning as the pens themselves. If I wasn't trying to slow the encroaching ink tide in my home, I'd have picked them up like Pokemon, but I resisted and filled mine with Akkerman #8 Diep-Duinwaterblauw. It's a good match, I think, though the ink is more greeny where the pen is a bit more grey.

If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive way to become hopelessly addicted to Sailor pens, this is a great place to start. I say relatively, because at $70, this is more of a next-level pen, rather than entry-level in terms of cost--but the experience you get for that price is an excellent value. This is definitely one of the best under-$100 pens that I own--and it's better than a few I paid over $100 for.

You may have to do a little bit of hunting for these, or keep your eyes peeled for the Jetpens restock. They aren't widely available outside of Japan. I hope Sailor does more of these models in other fun themes and colors. It would help me out a lot if I could indulge in beautiful Sailors without paying for the gold nib every time, especially when the steel nibs are as nice as this one.

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

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Posted on February 8, 2018 by Sarah Read and filed under Sailor, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 294 - Not the Most Funded Anything

Kickstart all the things! Not only is The Pen Addict Live 2018 campaign up and running on Kickstarter, there are several other active and completed project worth discussing this episode. There was lots of business talk too, with both Anderson Pens and Cult Pens having big announcements in the last week.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

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Posted on February 7, 2018 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Podcast.

Diplomat Magnum SoftTouch Fountain Pen Review

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

The sub-$50 range of fountain pens can be a really interesting group. There are solid choices that have been around for quite awhile (ahem, Lamy Safari), and there are also newcomers trying to break into this low price point. Not everyone succeeds when trying to offer a good fountain pen at this price point. With the Diplomat Magnum SoftTouch fountain pen, I think they've created a great pen for the price.

Like the name implies, the exterior material used with this pen has a soft texture that feels great in the hand. It makes the pen feel warm and comfortable, regardless of the surrounding environment. I'm not sure what the actual material is, but it has a slight rubbery feel without being tacky. It also doesn't pick up lint and other particulates very often, and does a decent job of resisting fingerprints as well.

Like the beloved Lamy Safari and AL-Star, the Magnum also features a contoured grip section, which might make or break the pen for you. I happen to enjoy contoured grips, and this one is pretty comfortable. Even though the size of the grip is somewhat small to match the small size of the pen, it's still comfortable and secure when writing. If you tend to write with a grip that doesn't conform to the "standard" three-finger grip, you might not like the contours. If you've used a Lamy Safari, AL-Star, or Vista, you can let that inform your decision with this pen since they are very similar grips.

There are several other nice visual features that compliment this pen, including a large ink window, a minimally decorated nib, a translucent finial that shows off the Diplomat logo, and a strong, branded clip that just doesn't give up. The nib size is a bit small, but it's comparable to the rest of the pen.

In use, the cap can be posted, but it doesn't feel 100% secure. I don't think the cap is in any danger of falling off with normal use, but it doesn't have any sort of reassuring sound or tactile feedback when posting to let you know it's secured. Capping the pen, however, has a satisfying click (both audible and tactile) that leaves no doubt that the cap is secure.

For the price point, the pen feels well made and is a pleasure to use. So, how does it write?

The model I have includes a stainless steel nib with a fine point, but they also offer a medium and broad point. The point matches up with the typical German sizing that you're accustomed to, and it's a great nib in use.

One of the most notable things I've come away with after writing with this pen for a while is how springy the nib is. When using a steel nib, that's not something I expect. In this case, it's a welcome surprise. The nib certainly doesn't qualify as a flex nib, but it has a noticeable spring when writing that makes it more comfortable to use while also providing feedback from the page. Think of it like the suspension on your car. This nib is soft on the page, and I have really enjoyed it. Of course, like all things, this will come down to personal preference. Either way, I think it's impressive when a steel nib feels similar to a gold nib.

Due to the springy nature of the nib, you can achieve some good line variation in normal writing. Nothing dramatic, but similar to a small stub in terms of line width variation.

In use, the pen has been incredibly reliable and consistent. I haven't had any trouble with hard starts, skipping, or ink burps. If the pen goes unused in an upright position for more than a couple weeks, it does need a minute or two on a horizontal service to re-establish ink flow, but that's better than a lot of my pens can do.

The pen takes either standard (or short) international cartridges or a standard international converter. In all, I've been really impressed with this pen given the price. Diplomat is one of those brands that you always see at pen shows. They have interesting and pleasing aesthetics, but their premium prices can put off a lot of buyers who haven't had any experience with the brand. In the case of the Magnum, I think they have a great representation of the brand as a whole that sets a precedent for their more expensive lines.

You can normally find the Magnum at Vanness for around $25.

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

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