Sailor King of Pens Review & Comparison with Pelikan M1000

[@Guairenito]

Nice comprehensive and detailed review my friend. This pen actually cane in a BIG wood box with 2 Sailor black ink cartridges, a converter and a bottle of Sailor black ink. It also came with a warranty card but I don’t know if the warranty would be honored in the USA if needed. I got this pen from penpen-avenue on eBay and the total cost was $637 including taxes and shipping (it retails for $950 in the US), almost all my Japanese pens were bought from them, excellent seller on eBay. For my taste, this is the KING among all my pens, and if you ask me, I would take this one over my Custom Urushi (which I actually love); I love my Pilot pens, it is probably my favorite brand, but o boy this KOP, it changed a lot of things for me regarding the writing experience and perspective related to the whole experience of using fountain pens. I would say at the price I paid it is worthy every single penny, but if I had to pay US retail price, most likely after testing one, I would have saved the money and still buy at least one. This is subjective but people pay over 1k for a Montblanc 149 (awesome pen) and in my opinion and for my liking this KOP writes nicer than the M149 and the material of the pen feels much nicer than of the M149 (again, personal opinion). I don’t mind it being a cartridge/converter pen, I just wish Sailor would have designed a larger converter for this pen, there is plenty of space into this pen for a larger converter. Al your findings with the writing experience reflects exactly how I feel while writing with this pen, very smooth with a lovely feedback, a wet writer that is perfectly tuned without being an out of control gusher. A true king.

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@Guairenito yay!!! Thank you, Manny, for adding on the extra things that came along with your king of pen and for doing this wonderful pen swap experience with me! I agree, that this pen is truly the king among pens! Only my Pelikan rivals it in size and the king of writing experience, which is expected as they are both flagships lol. I would say that when I get my King of Pen for about $500 or under, I too, would agree that it is worth every penny! That price I think is great ;) as my Pelikan hovers around that same price but Montblanc 149 for 1000? Haha no thank you! I will miss the controlled smoothness of your King of Pens! sailor 🙏 please!! Release one in a color way that speaks to me ^_^

[@Guairenito]

@@KenchanKrafts it was such a nice experience my friend. I loved writing with the M1000, although I have to confess that I find it to be a little bit too soft for my current level of penmanship and writing and that is one of the reasons I prefer the KOP. I think I am just not ready yet for the M1000 although it actually is in my wishlist. I need to learn how to write with some level of line variation and then I will be ready for the M1000, I believe it really shines there, writing with some line variation. We should do another pen swap, have a very nice one coming my way right now, I will tell you later 😉🙊

[@fossilimprint2954]

I like your style of review, honest and with lots of details and writing comparisons. Thank you.

[@KenchanKrafts]

Ahhh!! This makes me so happy to hear ^_^ Your appreciation of the work I put into my videos is kindly taken to heart :) Thank you! Please look forward to more!

[@oliviatrelles]

I have a Taccia Empress with a KOP nib and it ranks among my top writers in my collection. I agree they are super pricey. For me the Taccia pens are works of art that happen to write. Over time my view of piston fillers has changed. I’m very picky and require an easily removed nib for cleaning and maintenance. I’ve had too many Italian pistons have issues and cartridge converters have earned their place. It’s easy to buy a new/cheap converter vs having work done a piston. Loved the video and appreciate your thoughts on these pens ☺️

[@Guairenito]

@@oliviatrelles uuuu that Taccia nib, some people say that its 18K KOP nib feels a touch nicer even than the 21K KOP nib. I haven’t tried one yet.

[@oliviatrelles]

@@Guairenito I’ve wondered if the 21k feels different and hope at the upcoming pen show I’ll be able to try one! The Taccia 18k is wonderful to write with, truly one of my best writers.

[@Guairenito]

@@oliviatrelles I would love to own a Taccia with a 18K KOP nib one day. If you are going to a pen show you should definitely try the Sailor KOP nib.

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@oliviatrelles hi Olivia! I agree, though I’ve never really had an issue with a pen being a cartridge converter. I’ve always enjoyed using them as I can change inks very often and quickly. So I’m very comfortable with all filling systems in my collection. Personally I do find some of my internal piston fillers to be too much to clean since it’s a big barrel lol! As for your Taccia pens, they are indeed such beautiful works of art!! So excited to hear that you have one - would love to have one someday too. I remember writing with one at a show and it’s very lovely! 🥰

[@sajjadhusain4146]

@@oliviatrelles I have a Taccia Miyabi Empress Winter’s Breath and another one which I can’t remember the name right now. The 18k nib is truly wonderful, and in a different way to the KoP’s nib. These Taccia pens are exquisitely made, look and feel majestic and while extremely expensive are totally worth it (to me).

[@LuisBorba]

Great, informative comparison. Thank you for this.

[@KenchanKrafts]

:) Thanks for watching, happy to hear it was helpful! And you're very welcome!

[@JJToyo]

Thank you for this great review. May I ask what this lovely notebook is? The paper looks really good.

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@JJToyo hey there, JJ Toyo! Thanks for watching my review! Yes that is the plain gridded notebook by hobonichi! I bought it last year so it still came with the original tomoe gawa (river) paper. The new Sanzen paper- tomoe river S will most likely be used in future plain hobonichi notebooks. You can find them at Atlas Stationers and use my coupon code “LAO10” for 10% off or more if you wait until fountain pen day :)

[@anitaanglin]

This is so helpful, especially seeing how the King compares to the Pro Gear. Thanks Lao!

[@KenchanKrafts]

You're welcome, Anita! :) Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching my content and reviews ^_^

[@gizmogeek23]

The Don’t Miss the Boat sale is coming in a couple weeks. That’s a great time to find a deal on a KOP, usually an older special edition. I got my Luminous Shadow that way.

[@ichirofakename]

where?

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@gizmogeek23 yeah, that sale does help bring the costs down, 20% from what I remember. Either Atlas or Goldspot would probably be my go to. Or pen boutique if the prices are about the same over in the EU too.

[@gizmogeek23]

@@ichirofakename most sailor authorized dealers should be running the sale the first week of September.

[@Journalesq]

@@gizmogeek23 what is this don’t miss the boat sale?!

[@gizmogeek23]

@@Journalesq Sailor puts their special edition pens from previous years on sale about 20-40%. This is one of the only times Sailor allows their authorized sellers to discount their pens. So last year the Storm Over the Ocean KOP went from 1020 MSRP to 612.

[@Ursulas_Odds_and_Sods]

That's a lovely ink! KOP is way out of my maximum budget, but I'd love to try it out someday. Maybe when I finally visit Japan (whenever that might be), I can buy several Sailors for much cheaper than they're sold in the U.S.

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@Ursulas_Odds_and_Sods Ooo I’d love to go to Japan and try all their exclusive pens there too! But Japan is such a big place to see I’ll need to plan very intricately to see each and every stationery and pen store there lol. They are indeed much cheaper than how it is being sold here.

[@m.e5544]

I have a pro gear KOP but find the medium nib too broad for my taste. It writes perfectly though and is a beautiful pen. Does Sailor still not offer finer nibs on the KOP?

[@KenchanKrafts]

Hey M.E., I agree with you that the medium nib is too broad for me to enjoy on a daily basis, but it writes pretty nicely when I am comfortable and OK with writing a western medium tip. I have not seen it in a MF yet, but I would love to see that! Which KoP do you have?

[@Professor.1905]

Thank you for this lovely review and comparison. Could you please tell me what notebook you are using in this video. I really loved how it is showing the color of the Mayo Yu ink. Thank you in advance

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@Professor.1905 hi there, Ken! Thanks for watching my video - yes I had the exact same feelings about the notebook! It is there Hobonichi blank notebook. It has old tomoe river paper in it :)

[@Professor.1905]

@@KenchanKraftsthank you so much.

[@mavleashutosh]

KoP does come with converter

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@mavleashutosh Awesome, thanks for the confirmation! 😇

[@subhadipmaji4987]

Can you please review montblanc 149 in platinum line in ef nib

[@KenchanKrafts]

I would need someone to send me one first! XD But I will once I do get one! And what do you mean platinum line? Platinum the Japanese brand or is that something from Montblanc?

[@subhadipmaji4987]

@@KenchanKrafts by platinum line I wanted to mean the Montblanc 149 with platinum trims...can you please review ??? please

[@gihanzohdy3284]

I own a Sailor KOP in teal urushi and a Pelikan M1000, both with a broad nib. They are both phenomenal writers. Hardly any feedback by either, as you state the Sailor KOP has more controlled juiciness, but the feeling of writing with it is different from that of the Pelikan. Cannot imagine my life without them.

[@KenchanKrafts]

Hi Gihan, thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts on both pens! Makes me happy to hear you love them both so much! They both indeed have very difference writing experiences and while some may prefer one to the other, the rest of us just love them both equally. I'm happy that you have them both in your collection to use! I'd sure love to see the Teal Urushi KoP someday - I love teals! Hope you're having a great day!

[@constantinosthrasyvoulou2553]

Nice review. Thanks! I own the m1000 in Fine nib. Is the kop nib considered less bouncy, with more feedback and not as soft as the m1000 nib? Basically although I enjoy the m1000 nib i sort of find it to be a little bit uncontrollable on the paper because it glides with no effort or resistance. I am asking because i am considering the kop. Can you advise?

[@KenchanKrafts]

Hi there, Constantinos, thanks for watching my video! Yes, I will say that the KoP has a bit more feedback and is LESS bouncy than the M1000. Feedback and smoothness can be affected by paper, too. But if you're using tomoe river paper, the KoP has a well controlled smoothness. Makes cursive easy but print well-controlled. You'll enjoy it :) The wetness of the Pelikan also lends to why it's so slippery smooth - this king of pen isn't.

[@constantinosthrasyvoulou2553]

@@KenchanKrafts Thanks! Good to know!

[@WastedPaper]

How different do ebonite pens feel in hand?

[@KenchanKrafts]

It's slightly different, but feels less plasticky and more satin to the touch than the regular pmma resin on the non-ebonite sailors. It's still coated in lacquer so it is smooth.

[@Journalesq]

pelikan for life! lol. i am excited to go to a pen show so hopefully i can trial pens like KOP that I may not have access to otherwise.

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@Journalesq haha yes!! Pelikan!! :) definitely give the king of pens a try next time you get to a pen show that has one ^_^

[@StationeryDumpling]

Omg omg omg I’m not ready for this

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@StationeryDumpling Lololl well get ready!

[@puruttyaaa]

I have both. EF Pelikan M1000 M KOP Urushi with Chinkin Dragon art from Namiki. that is rhodium plating on gold to make it white. as silver will lose color. I bought it from Japan. big wooden box with ink and converter is in the pen. KOP is easier to clean cause converter and lower maintenance. still they are too broad for my daily writing, ended up with Platinum 3776 UEF

[@KenchanKrafts]

Hey, that's awesome! :D Both are really wonderful pens. I do agree with you how broad the KoP and even the EF pelikan nibs are for daily writing. It's ridiculous. I have yet to try Platinum's UEF. Sounds like it would be very interesting :) Lovely urushi KoP you have though - Thanks for watching and sharing your pens with us !

[@jjajwjw]

Like someone said it's like comparimg apples to oranges,both offer you a fine , exquisite writing experience KOP broad nib gives a pencil like feedback smooth but yet tactile more like an ice cube on a red hot surface ,while the pelikan is a rolls Royce with a spring loaded suspension in the front ,the fine nib of a Pel is not buttery smooth but bouncy is the best way to put it.

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@jjajwjw That is very true, though It’s still fun and helpful to compare two very different, beautiful and lovely writing kings! It’s not like I said they both offer the exact same writing experience that you must choose one or the other, but I expressed the exact same thoughts as you did about both pens 😊 they’re both equally lovely and one may or may not be more preferable to others based on their specific tastes. If someone has never experienced an apple or an orange before, these kinds of comparisons can help distinguish! Thank you for sharing your experience with both pens!

[@jjajwjw]

@@KenchanKrafts I agree on all points except the final analogy put forth from your side ,that is to know an apple or an orange is to taste it no amount of explanation can help another person distinguish one from the other , similarly I personally feel that these pens need to be written with before coming to a conclusion as I almost quit buying my m1000 after a review which extolled the endless virtues of a KOP over a M 1000, nevertheless the actual experience left me stunned.Thanks for a time ,a bit lengthy , wasn't it?😀

[@DanTheElevator]

King of Pen is my all time favorite pen, period. If I were forced to go down to just one pen, it would be the King of Pen (and a zillion Sailor cartridges to fill it with).

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@DanTheElevator that’s amazing, Dan! Happy to hear you love it that much, it’s always nice when you have your all time in your collection and you know nothing else beats it! Thank you for sharing!

[@impish22]

beautiful grail pen !!

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@impish22 thank you, Marie! It is a beautiful grail pen! Can’t wait for the right color way to show up!

[@sajjadhusain4146]

I love the Sailor KoP mightily. I own three of them (one in ebonite). The large 21k nib is truly one of a kind. Nothing else anywhere compares to the precision and sublime writing experience of the awesome nib. I bought all my KoPs directly from Japan for $550, $600 and $650, respectively. Prices in the U.S. are typically outright extortionist. I’m not overly fond of Pelikan’s nibs. And I wonder why you strangely called the material of the KoP ‘partially plastic’. It is not. The body and cap, save only the section, are entirely made of ebonite. And oh, I’d also choose an Aurora over a Pelikan, every time.

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@sajjadhusain4146 thank you for sharing your experiences, Sajjad. The ebonite material of the body was a mistake on my part for not researching it more. Apologies! What I really was meaning to tackle there was the insane markup prices in the US that’s don’t quite accurately reflect the cost of material and work going into the pen. But cost can be subjective too. In hindsight, I definitely do prefer the less wet Sailor KoP nib that has great precision to the Pelicans wet nib. But I would like to get my Sailor grounded to a preferable nib size for myself when I get one someday. How do you enjoy the nib sizes of your KoPs?

[@sajjadhusain4146]

@@KenchanKrafts Oh, no worries, bud! Not a huge deal. Just thought I’d do the right thing and point out the mistake you made regarding the KoP’s body material. Yea, I had also pointed out that the outlandish price mark-up in the U.S. is inexcusable - and the sticker shock presumably deters so many people from buying, say, a resin (let alone the ebonite) bodied pen with a c-c filling system at such a price. The peerless nib, of course, is the heart and soul of the KoP. I have one M and two Bs. I think a F should definitely be offered, too. And Sailor’s Zoom and Music nibs, would be a sweet bonus. Even the naginata-togi nib would be welcome. Alas, I’m sure that would nearly double the retail price of the pen.. I think the KoP’s M nib is just superb. And the broad nib is like no other nib in the whole world. I’d even go so far as to say that the KoP’s nib alone makes buying at least one of these pens at the steep prices absolutely worth it.

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@sajjadhusain4146 And I wholeheartedly appreciate pointing out those mistakes! ♥I cannot wait to own my first KoP. I already love Sailor pens for all the variety of colors they offer - but that plus this beautiful KoP nib will make it an extremely special pen to have. I would be very happy with Sailor if they brought a MF size into their options for the KoP. Would probably get a lot more folks to purchase one, too.

[@LisaPottinger]

The standard RRP / retailer cost for a KOP is ridiculous for a cartridge converter pen. Better value is getting a Pilot Custom 823/845, Pelikan M800/1000 or a Montblanc 146/149, all of which I have in my collection. The KOP doesn't even have the larger cartridge converter like Jinhao has managed in a £10 Deado 9019! I feel like I should get a KOP to round out my collection but I just can't bring myself to pay the money for it. I'll pass.

[@KenchanKrafts]

I hear you on every point you made! That is why I am saving until the perfect Sailor color combination comes along and it'll be the only KoP I have. Hopefully by then, Sailor will have come up with a larger cartridge converter to fit in their KoP. It's a shame that their flagship is a gusher compared to the rest of their offerings, goes through more ink because of M/B nibs only, and yet they won't make a larger converter. Fortunately for me, I like to change inks often, so the smaller C/C works for me, but it's a hindrance to a lot of other folks. And I would love to get my hands on a 146 or 149 - but a special one. I'll review the basic one if I can borrow it from someone and give my own personal thoughts.

[@jessicaburris629]

I too feel my writing is ugly when I try to press lightly. 😂

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@jessicaburris629 haha!! Thanks for letting me know I’m not alone 😅🥹🥰

[@ToriZealot]

when you are not happy with your pen and keep buying low- und medium prized pens and would be better to immediately buy premium rather in the beginning

[@KenchanKrafts]

Yeah, that seems to be the case for me and I'm sure others would agree. But not everyone likes the premium or prized pens and probably would rather stay with the lower end pens because it meets their needs. And financially it isn't feasbile for everyone to just say "go for the expensive ones right off the bat" as that can either turn into a bad financial slope or maybe they would have good self control to just have one sailor king of pen or one montblanc 149 and be done. Everyone's tastes and journey can be very different :P But I would agree, if you can afford a premium pen and know you'd stick to having only very few pens, start with the prized pens :)

[@ToriZealot]

@@KenchanKrafts when I did not want to spend so much money for a 149, I compensated this by buying dozens of inks and affordable pens. A bit more of discipline could have helped. In the end my "Grail pen" is a Caran D'ache Leman, even have a comprehensive Sailor and Montblanc collection. Keep exploring ...

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@ToriZealot Thank you for bringing up this topic and sharing your thoughts on it. I definitely have thought about this from time to time as I love to only collect higher end pens now (mostly mid tier, but no longer the beginner pens). I'll be adding this piece to my discussion on things I've learned along the way in my FP journey :)

[@Raul1971xxx]

With the Pelikan M-1000, I have a cuestion.. For a good cleaning.. ¿Can you pull out the nib and feeder without damaging the parts?. I say that because it is a 550 €uros pen and the risk is high.

[@KenchanKrafts]

Hey there, Raul! Yes you can screw the nib feed unit from the body super easily. I reviewed my m1000 in another video if you’d like to go watch that. But all Pelikan M series have removable nib units for easy cleaning that do not damage the pen. No risk. Just be sure to hold the feed and the top of the nib rather than holding the sides of the nib when twisting the unit out so you don’t risk misaligning the feed and nib. (The nib unit don’t pull out by friction, its twist like the cap twists to uncap)

[@Raul1971xxx]

@@KenchanKrafts Thanks for the info, comrade.. 👍👍🇪🇸🇪🇸

[@tancreddehauteville764]

It's a bit like asking: do I prefer a Lexus or a Mercedes? Ridiculous.

[@Guairenito]

@@tancreddehauteville764 you better buckle up because more is coming, or you could just unsubscribe, or just simply skip the video.

[@KenchanKrafts]

@@tancreddehauteville764 I suppose it could be like that, but it’s not ridiculous to compare an apple to an orange if one hasn’t experienced one or the other. And people do have preferences. Either one, the other, neither, or both. It’s not that ridiculous.