Fountain Pen Review: Sailor 1911 Profit Junior, Profit Jr, and Lecoule

Don't you love it when you get fountain pens that surprise you? Using fountain pens to write notes, journal, sketch, and calligraphy is a lovely experience especially when one finds beautiful pens with excellent nibs. Like most fountain pen users, I have nib preferences, and I am also conscious of my pens' length and width. I like broad nibs, and I love big pens. 

When our premier local pen seller Scribe.ph sent three entry-level Sailor fountain pens for review, I was not so sure how the medium fine nibs will perform, or how comfortable it would be to write with medium-sized pens. Imagine my joy—and surprise—when I tried all three pens and they wrote so well! These pens are now in my current daily writers and I am excited to change ink colors as soon as I use up their current contents.

Sailor 1911 Profit Junior (Transparent Red)

The Sailor 1911 Profit Junior fountain pen, also known as Sailor Compass 1911 in North America, has a clear red body with chrome trims (clip and cap ring). The pen's barrel, section, and cap are made from the same clear resin. The shape of this entry-level pen is similar to the 1911 fountain pen series. The clip also follows the 1911's design, and the cap ring is engraved with Sailor Made in Japan. It can be filled with ink using proprietary Sailor cartridges or converters and comes with two black ink cartridges only. The Sailor 1911 Profit Junior is available in different colors: red, pink, purple, blue, yellow, olive, green, brown, and clear. 

This pen is very light, but it doesn't feel fragile or that it would break easily. The screw-on cap posts easily, and I can write with the cap posted. It feels comfortable in hand and the firm medium fine (MF) steel nib made in Japan writes smoothly. I am surprised at how well it wrote out of the box with a consistent ink flow. At PhP995 (~US$20), the 1911 Profit Junior is an excellent entry-level fountain pen to the Sailor brand with the same high quality and excellent writing experience as their high-priced pens. 

• Length, capped: 5.25 in (13.3 cm)
• Length, body only: 4.6 in (11.7 cm)
• Length, posted: 5.75 in (14.6 cm)
• Weight: 13g

Sailor 1911 Profit Junior fountain pen in transparent red

This pen shares a similar shape to the 1911 series, and its barrel, section, and cap are made from the same clear resin. The cap's chrome trims match the steel medium fine nib.

This pen's medium nib is firm but writes smoothly. The steel nib is made in Japan

The clear feed on this pen is cool and fun!

I filled this beautiful clear red fountain pen with a matching red ink—Diamine Poppy Red—one of my favorites, and the MF nib wrote very smoothly. I love how this nib is so perfect for writing my stick fonts!

Sailor Profit Jr (Cyan Blue)

The Sailor 1911 Profit Jr fountain pen in the new pastel series is available in six colors: cyan blue, light gray, coral pink, lilac, aqua green, and chrome orange. These fountain pens have pastel barrels and caps with gray sections and chrome trims (clip and cap ring). The pastel blue color of this pen is charming and a perfect complement to the chrome trims. Similar to the clear Profit Junior series, these pens share Sailor's 1911 pen design. The clip also follows the 1911's, and the cap ring is engraved with Sailor Made in Japan. It fills with ink using proprietary Sailor cartridges or converters and two black ink cartridges are included in the packaging.

This cyan blue fountain pen has the same length and weight as the clear red Profit Junior. It is very light, but it feels solid in the hand. The screw-on cap also posts easily. It feels comfortable in hand and the firm medium fine (MF) steel nib writes smoothly. At PhP1,125 (~US$23), this pen is another excellent and well-balanced entry-level fountain pen to the Sailor brand.

Sailor 1911 Profit Junior Cyan Blue

The pens in this series have a gray section which is different from the barrel and cap color.

I inked this pen using a black Sailor cartridge. The nib wrote smoothly out of the box, and it's a joy to write with for my thin stick letters/fonts!

Sailor Lecoule (Teal Green)

This teal green fountain pen belongs to the Adult's Dark Color series of Sailor Lecoule. Unlike pens from the previous Lecoule series with bright and transparent bodies, the pens in this group have dark and subdued colors. These pens also do not have the Lecoule name printed on their caps, which was done in the previous series. The Lecoule shares the same shape and design as the Sailor Pro Gear Slim including the pen clip.

There are six colors in this series, including teal green, ruby red, pale brown, safari beige, iron blue, and all black. The first three colors have gold trims, while the remaining pens come with nickel-chrome plating. The cap ring is engraved with Sailor Made in Japan. The Lecoule fills with ink using proprietary Sailor cartridges or converters and two black ink cartridges are included in the packaging. 

This teal green fountain pen is a great choice not only for beginners but also for experienced users. It is lightweight, but a durable pen for daily carry. The screw-on cap also posts easily. It feels comfortable in hand and the firm medium fine (MF) steel nib writes smoothly out of the box. At ~US$30, the Lecoule is an excellent Sailor fountain pen to keep.

• Length, capped: 4.8 in (12.3 cm)
• Length, body only: 4.3 in (10.8 cm)
• Length, posted: 5.5 in (13.9 cm)
• Weight: 13g

Sailor Lecoule Teal Green

The Lecoule shares the same shape as the Sailor Pro Gear Slim.

This pen's firm MF nib is smooth and reliable. No hard starts or skipping.

I also inked this Lecoule using a cartridge. Again, the nib wrote smoothly, and it wrote so well in my Traveler's Notebook's inserts with MD paper.

I already have two Sailor Pro Gear fountain pens, and I wasn't really expecting so much when I received these three pens, but I am surprised at these offerings from Sailor. I find writing with the MF nibs comfortable despite my preference for wider and wetter nibs, and these are excellent pens for those who want to try such nibs or to start using fountain pens! These pens may not be the same as other entry-level pens from Lamy or TWSBI with interchangeable nibs, but they are good value fun pens and an excellent introduction to the brand and their high-end selection of pens. If you want to try fountain pens or looking to add Sailor pens into your collection, get these three!

Rants of The Archer thanks Scribe.ph for providing the Sailor fountain pens in this review. Scribe offers Sailor fountain pens in their stores and online through Scribe.ph. Visit their website to learn more about their products, promos, and new brand offerings. Scribe.ph now offers worldwide shipping. For more updates, follow them on social media:

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