Sailor's Milestone Nib Changes and the Casual L

Change Is Here, with the Casual L!

If you love Sailor fountain pens and their famous nibs as much as I do, you've probably noticed that their prices have risen significantly over the past few years, making buying a new Sailor a much bigger decision, or even seem unattainable, depending on your budget. Yes, it's a little disconcerting, but Sailor's price changes aren't motivated by greed.  The reality is that significant global economic shifts are affecting the entire fountain pen industry, including a nearly 150% rise in gold costs over the last three years. The United States' updated import tariffs, and the rising costs of air freight, which Sailor uses to ensure the fastest and safest delivery from Japan, also have a big impact on Sailor's US customers.  Sailor's prices will be increasing again on April 2nd, 2026, and they have also begun to introduce changes to their fine writing lineup that will restructure the classic Sailor pen and nib offerings we have come to know and love.

Changes are hard, but they're not always bad!  Sailor hasn't stopped caring about its distinctive house-made nibs, which deliver a unique writing experience that loyalists are intensely passionate about. To make the pleasure of writing with their exceptional nibs more accessible now and into the future, Sailor has created the Casual L, an alternate version of the classic Sailor nib, in meticulously hand-finished IP gold-plated stainless steel. Their 14 karat and 21 karat gold nibs will still exist, and are being joined by new 18 karat gold options, but the premium gold-plated steel nibs, "designed to deliver a remarkably smooth writing experience, offering the feel of a gold nib fountain pen with exceptional value," are a bold move that opens up the joy of writing with a new Sailor pen to a wider range of fountain pen lovers.

[Pictured:  the Casual L Stable 1911L, heralding Sailor's bold new changes.]

I got to try all five new Casual L nibs for this article--Extra Fine through Broad--and, I have to admit, I was a little worried and wasn't sure what to expect.  Could a stainless steel nib live up to my expectations for an impeccable performance and distinctive Sailor feel, perfectly tuned but with that famous Sailor feedback to guide me as my pen moves over the paper?  Would the "song of the Sailor," as our Sailor rep, Scott Hammer, describes it, still be there, and still be joyful and harmonious?  Sorry for the spoiler, but the answer is a resounding YES.  I love the Casual L nibs!  They are absolutely worthy to join the Sailor nib pantheon.  They perform like true Sailor nibs should, and give me a feeling of hope and excitement rather than the fear and dread that has been beginning to seep into the fountain pen community.

Getting Acquainted With Casual L Pens

The Casual L nibs are being introduced in a new 1911L collection called "Casual L Stable," starting with four sophisticated, understated colors. With their caps on, the Casual L Stable pens look exactly like Sailor's other finest 1911Ls, many of which will retail for $400 more than the Casual L Stable pens.  Comparing two capped pens side by side, there's no hint that the Casual L Stable collection is a more affordable option with a gold-plated stainless steel nib rather than a solid gold one.  They are the same comfortable size as the traditional Sailor 1911L, with the same premium materials and construction, and even feel like an upgrade because they feature a weighted metal grip section made of brass with IP gold plating, giving the Stable collection a little more heft than Sailor's typical full-size torpedo-shaped 1911L pens.  The collection's name is a reference to the enhanced balance and stability that the metal grip sections provide by lowering the pens' center of gravity.

[Pictured:  Which is which?  One of these pens is from the Casual L Stable collection, and one is a gold nib 1911L that costs over $200 more!]

The IP (Ion Plating) gold plating used for Casual L's grip section and nibs is a highly advanced, hypoallergenic, and extremely durable premium plating method used in the modern watch and jewelry industry.  It is an even more advanced form of the PVD coating used by some pen brands to make especially high quality black nibs.  PVD, short for Physical Vapor Deposition, is a technique used for creating extremely hard and very thin coatings of a few thousandths of a millimeter.  The IP process uses a vacuum chamber to vaporise a solid material and bombard it onto a target substrate ion by ion.  This method is used extensively by NASA for high-performance applications. The plating process is protective, anti-corrosive, and makes the nib and grip section stronger.

Although I'm not always a fan of metal grip sections, I find the ones on the Casual L Stable pens very comfortable.  They give the pens a nice solid weight, but aren't overly heavy; nor do I find them slippery.  And, I'm happy to report, they aren't fingerprint magnets, either!  I like the original 1911L, so I don't know if I'd seek out a weighted grip section, but it's definitely nice, and does give the pens a more deluxe look and feel. The Casual L Stable weighs 27 grams, while a standard 1911L weighs 21 grams.  I think the additional weight, and the excellent balance, would really be attractive to some users.  

[Pictured:  Muted Red Casual L Stable 1911L in my medium-sized woman's hand.] 

I'm pretty traditional in my tastes, preferring the classic look of a solid-colored torpedo-shaped 1911 over some of the more adventurous color combinations Sailor has featured in its flat-end Professional Gear series, so I immediately loved the Casual L Stable pens' refined look.  With their lower price and practical nibs, this initial collection is intended for everyday use and is designed to look professional and sophisticated, but not boring.  The handsome "muted" color pallet features four understated tones with special resin colors that are achieved "by intentionally avoiding additives to create a calm tone with a subtle translucence and an exquisitely elegant finish."  The slight translucence is most noticeable in the red pen, but it enhances the look of them all.

[Pictured, from left to right:  Sailor Casual L Stable collection in Muted Blue, Muted Green, Muted Red, and Muted Black.]

The Casual L nibs won't be restricted to the core Stable collection, though!  Casual L Stable is simply Casual L's introduction.  You will soon see them appearing on a variety of new collections that Sailor has in the works across both the 1911 series and Pro Gear series, which will release over the coming year and into the future.  Those not featuring the weighted metal grip section will have an even lower price, and I'm confident we will see Sailor's popular and intriguing nature-inspired colors, contrasting end finials, subtle shimmer, opalescence, and translucent elements on the horizon.  It will be exciting to see what creative and lovely pens Sailor will bring to us with a more affordable Casual L nib!

The Casual L is available in Sailor's most popular nib grades, Extra Fine (EF), Fine (F), Medium Fine (MF), Medium (M), and Broad (B), and I was very excited to receive all five straight from Sailor's North American headquarters in California so that I could test them extensively.  The pens came filled with Sailor Souten ink, a beautiful sky blue that shows lovely shading in larger nib sizes.

All the 2026 Nib Changes

Before I dive into my writing tests with the new Casual L nibs, I wanted to briefly summarize all the nib changes Sailor is introducing to its lineup going forward.  There are a lot of changes, and I know people are curious and confused.

Keep in mind that we still have many older models in stock, so there will be a gradual transition between them and the new releases with their updated nibs. A significant number of these existing models are being discontinued to make room for the new products, so if you have a favorite Sailor pen you've been eyeing, now is the time to buy it, before it disappears.  I'd recommend doing so before the prices go up on April 2nd, 2026, if you can.

You can read all about Sailor's older nib offerings in my 2023 article, Getting to Know Sailor Nibs, which is now outdated.  I will be trying all the new nibs in future articles when I am able, but, for now, this chart will help:  

Sailor's Nib Makeover Summary:

Yes, surprisingly, all Professional Gear models will have 21K gold nibs, so that will be a big change.  Accordingly, the prices of gold nib Pro Gear pens will be going up quite a bit, so the introduction of the Casual L is a welcome option to look for in the future!

The 21K gold nib 1911L and 1911 King of Pen models will be discontinued, and become increasingly difficult to find as collectors snag the pens that still remain in circulation.  Instead, all 1911 King of Pens will be 18K gold, and some 1911L models will be offered with 18K gold nibs, while others will have 14K gold nibs, and still others will feature the gold-plated stainless steel Casual L nib.  We already have the first of these three new varieties in stock.  I am pleased that Sailor has returned to its older, more elegant, nib design with the scrolled border, for the new gold nibs!  The Casual L nib is, appropriately, a little more casual looking, with a simple line border.  All the nibs feature Sailor's iconic anchor logo in the center.

[Pictured:  new Sailor 1911Ls with Casual L nib, 14K gold nib, and 18K gold nib. (The two pens to the left are blue, and the 18K gold pen is Shining Black.)]

Sailor says the 14K gold nib is recommended for those who prefer a slightly firmer writing feel, while the 18K gold is good for those who enjoy a soft writing feel, thanks to the flexibility that comes from its large-sized nib.  These nibs are available in Sailor's seven nib options:  Extra Fine, Fine, Medium Fine, Medium, Broad, Zoom, and Music. 

Just like the initial Casual L release, the first pen models to feature these new large size 14K gold and 18K gold nibs are available in four colors:  Black, Blue, Green, and Red.  For the gold nib pens, each color has two versions.  The pens with the 14K gold nibs feature classic solid colored resin, while the 18K gold nib models have "shining" resin enhanced with fine pearl particles that create a subtle light-reflecting micro-shimmer.  This is an intriguing way to differentiate the two!  Both styles are very classy, and the difference between the solid PMMA resin and the shining resin, while fairly subtle, is not hard to see in decent lighting.  The two versions of the colors are also not identical.  For example, the shade of blue used for the 14K gold nib solid blue pen is more vibrant, while the blue used for the 18K gold nib version is a deeper shimmering midnight.  Both are quite attractive, and I like the initial color selections!  While classic, they aren't boring, and the shades chosen are just different enough to feel fresh.  

You can take a look at them here:  Black (14K, 18K), Blue (14K, 18K), Green (14K, 18K), and Red (14K, 18K).  These eight pens will replace Sailor's previous core 21K gold 1911 models in Black with gold trim, Black with silver trim, and Maroon with gold trim. 

Keep in mind that changing from 21K gold to 14K and 18K gold isn't anywhere near as scary as it sounds.  For perspective, Pilot's #10 nib, which is around the same physical size as the nib Sailor uses on its 1911L and Professional Gear Standard pens, is featured in 14K gold on the Custom Heritage 912, and in 18K gold on the Urushi lacquer Ishime and Namiki Yukari pens.  All of Pilot's high-end Namiki Collection pens are 18 karat gold.  Most pen brands don't even offer 21 karat gold nibs as an option!  When I compared Sailor's 18K gold and 21K gold nibs side by side, I could feel a difference, but it's very subtle.

The Sailor Bespoke pens (restricted to five designated North American retailers) such as limited editions, Urushi, Ebonite, and special nibs will retain the 21K gold nib.

Writing with the Nibs

The 21K gold nib Professional Gear and 14K gold nib Professional Gear Slim I used are my own pens; the 1911L pens are the newly released models.  Since I was comparing so many different karats, I decided I needed some carrot sticks as a snack!  (Besides, it was past my dinner time and I was getting hungry, but I was eager to try the nibs and didn't want to take a break.) 

My first in-depth writing tests were with the Casual L nibs, and I wanted to try them in a free-form casual way to really get a feel for them.  I used my current favorite paper, Midori MD, so it has a creamy color.

I was very happy with every nib grade!  They all feel the way Sailor nibs should, and I love the consistent gradual transition in line width from Extra Fine, to Fine, to Medium Fine, to Medium, to Broad. Each line width looks distinct and each nib feels distinctly different to write with.

Next, I did a direct comparison between each nib grade.

The Extra Fine nib is extremely precise feeling, the Fine is a true Japanese fine, Medium Fine is an excellent choice if you want your nib to feel smoother but still have a fairly precise line, Medium feels very smooth and is so enjoyable to write with, and the Broad gives you a bolder line to really show off your ink.  None of them were overly wet or overly dry.  They all have just the right amount of feedback to make this Sailor nib fan happy!

If you don't know about Sailor's famous feedback, it's something that gives Sailor nibs a very special and distinctive feel.  Some people adore it, although it's not for everyone.  Feedback describes both the feel and the sound of your nib moving over the paper.  It's similar to the sensation you get when you write with a sharp pencil. Some companies choose to highly polish the tipping material at the end of their nibs for a smooth and glassy feel on the paper, while Sailor manufactures their nibs' tipping with more texture to provide feedback.

As feedback goes, I feel like the Casual L nibs have a tiny bit less than other larger Sailor nibs, and a lot less than the smaller 14K gold Sailor nibs.  Both the smaller 14K gold nib and Casual L nib feel noticeably nicer than the stainless steel nib used on the Compass.

The new large 14K gold nib feels smoother and nicer than the Casual L nib, but the difference is subtle.  I kept forgetting I was using a stainless steel nib when writing with Casual L.  I felt a bigger difference when comparing the small and large 14K gold nibs to each other, and the two large 14K gold and 18K gold nibs to each other than I did when comparing Casual L to the large 14K gold nib. The 18K gold nib is more flexible and feels a little more expressive and nuanced. 

When I compared the 18K gold nib to the older 21K gold nib, I could tell the difference, but it was again, very subtle, and I definitely didn't feel like I was suffering by using an 18K gold nib instead of 21K gold.  I actually thought my 21K gold nib had more feedback (not that feedback is bad), but this is probably something that varies a little from nib to nib.  The 18K gold and 21K gold nibs are very similar, and both feel amazing.  I can't really say one is better than the other.

Here is my orderly comparison of all six nibs:

As you can see, the stainless steel Compass writes a little thinner and drier, but the line width of the other nibs is pretty consistent. To me, the gold nib pens feel a little more expressive to write with, but this is probably something that many writers would not even notice.  As a final experiment, I wrote fast and messy to compare the stainless steel Compass nib to Casual L's IP gold plated stainless steel, then compared the 14K gold and 18K gold large nibs on the other new 1911L pens.

The stiff Compass nib is actually really good for extreme precision, but not too great for messy and expressive writing.  Casual L felt a lot better!  The other two new nibs also felt amazing.  And they all feel like Sailors. Good job, Sailor!

I loved being able to compare all the new nibs, and I hope this article helps ease people's fears and confusion about all the changes at Sailor.  I am now very excited to see where Sailor's new path will take us.  This is a very challenging time for fountain pen companies, but I think Sailor is dealing with the challenges in a sensible and creative way that will, in the long run, keep Sailor's unique and beloved nibs popular and revered for many years into the future.

-Laura P.

I love comments on my blog!  Please leave comments if you like the articles, and, if you have any questions about this article, or any of the other blog articles, you can e-mail support@penboutique.com.  Thank you!