Compass 1911 Fountain Pen, Red Topaz

Sailor Compass 1911 is an outstanding option in the crowded field of sub-$30 fountain pens, offering a distinguished look, durable construction, and the proven performance of Sailor nibs. Available exclusively in Sailor's MF (medium fine) nib size, the Compass 1911 produces a skipless, saturated 0.5 mm line that's perfect for most writing.

In our studio test, we loved the precision and tactile experience of Compass 1911's stainless steel nib. There's more feedback with this nib than others of a similar width—it reminded our testers of the feeling of writing with a pencil. That analogy holds true for the nib's subtlety and control, which are every bit the equal of a sharp pencil point. Even with a feather-light touch, the nib makes consistent, continuous marks.

Compass 1911 fountain pens feature a tapered, translucent body, so you can get a glimpse of the ink cartridges or converter inside. Two black cartridges are included with the pen; refill with Sailor cartridges or add a Sailor Ink Converter, sold separately, to use your favorite brand of bottled ink.

Equipped with a screw cap to keep ink from drying up and a strong metal pocket clip. The cap can be posted to the back of the pen while writing.

Made in Japan.

WHY BUY IT HERE?

When you choose St. Louis Art Supply for any fountain pen over $25, one of our expert technicians hand-checks and adjusts the nib, using high-powered magnification to ensure that the tines are perfectly aligned and there are no manufacturing defects. If necessary, we also use a superfine abrasive to remove any stray metal that can impact the smoothness of your nib. Finally, we clean the pen with our house pen cleaner and make sure that no fibers are stuck in the nib.

This intensive quality-control process offers you peace of mind that other retailers can't match. If you've ever bought a fountain pen from Amazon, you may have noticed that some reviews say it is smooth and others say it is scratchy. The reason is that they do not look at the pen before shipping it out. As a specialized shop with highly trained staff, we go the extra mile to provide a polished experience for every customer.

Look for our green "Tested OK" stamp on your packing slip. It's our way of letting you know that a real person checked your new pen and made sure it's perfect.