Sailor Fountain Pen Professional Gear Slim Mini Black (EF)

The Sailor Professional Gear Slim Mini is a fountain pen in a compact pocket format – palm-sized, with a nib crafted from 14-carat gold and Sailor's characteristic design: truncated cap, milled anchor logo, classic black in PMMA resin. Anyone who values small fountain pens that showcase genuine craftsmanship will find one of the most consistent representatives of this type from Japanese manufacture since 1911.

Features

• 14K Gold Nib in EF: The nib crafted from 14-carat gold with gold plating gives the stroke a characteristic springiness – noticeably softer than steel, whilst remaining precise and clean on smooth, calendered paper. The EF width produces a fine, controlled stroke that is particularly suited to small handwriting, tight line spacing, and detailed notes.
• Compact Format with Postability: Capped, the fountain pen measures 109 mm – genuine pocket format. When the cap is posted on the barrel whilst writing, the pen extends to 136 mm and sits well-balanced in the hand.
• PMMA Resin Body: The barrel is made from PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), which is lightweight whilst remaining dimensionally stable and pleasantly smooth to grip. The glossy black finish has a cool, crisp surface without the weight of metal.
• Anchor Logo on Cap Top: The milled Sailor anchor logo on the flattened cap top is a typical feature of the Professional Gear line – understated, utilitarian, instantly recognizable.
• Ink Supply via Sailor Cartridges or Mini Converter: The smaller format is not compatible with standard Sailor converters – it accepts only Sailor cartridges (short) or the matching mini converter.

Use & Tips

• On the Move and in Small Notebooks: The Slim Mini is an ideal companion for A6 or Fieldnotes format notebooks – it disappears into any jacket pocket and is ready to use immediately.
• EF on Smooth Paper: The fine nib performs best on ink-resistant, smooth paper with minimal absorbency. On highly absorbent papers, the stroke can appear drier or slightly scratchy – a more free-flowing ink is worth considering here.
• Posting Recommended: Without the cap, the barrel measures only 96 mm – for extended writing, posting the cap is recommended to achieve an ergonomically comfortable length.
• Ink Selection: The EF nib pairs well with free-flowing, not overly dry ink formulations – Japanese ink colours (blue-black, sepia, deep black) enhance the character of the pen. Use pigmented inks only with manufacturer approval, as the mini converter and cartridge size limit flushing capability.
• Cleaning: Due to the small ink reservoir, colour changes are straightforward – a brief rinse under lukewarm water is sufficient for water-soluble inks.

For Fountain Pen Enthusiasts

The Professional Gear Slim Mini belongs to Sailor's "Seki" line – named after the Japanese blade-making city whose craft tradition lives on in nib manufacturing. The 14K gold nib of the Slim Mini is, despite its size, entirely hand-tuned (tipping, grinding, slit adjustment) and is not identical to a scaled standard nib. The EF nibs from Sailor's Japanese production are renowned for precision and consistency – the stroke is finer than many European EF equivalents, making it particularly suited to kanji-influenced writing styles and fine Latin script. The PMMA body is somewhat less scratch-prone than acrylic pens, but is sensitive to solvent-based cleaners.

Technical Specifications