About two weeks ago, I mentioned to a pen amiga that I had this burning desire to get a yellow fountain pen. I really don’t *need* any fountain pens at this point. I have a nice collection that keeps me busy and gives me a variety of nibs, pen body colors, and styles to play with. But I kept looking at the Sailor 1911 Pirate’s Life pen, which is a nice mustard yellow that has this vintage ’60s-’70s look to it. The pen friend shared that she had a yellow Sailor that wasn’t getting any use and offered it to me, and I said, “If you really don’t want it, I will take it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

So this 1911 isn’t the Pirate’s Life, but it’s definitely sunny and adorable. Some folks like to match inks to their pens, and I knew that if I did pull the trigger on a yellow fountain pen that I would probably keep it inked with blue or black. I need to read my notes easily, and for me, yellow is more of a highlight color. I just wanted a yellow pen to break up the monotony of some of the darker colored pens that I have and to look bright against my office supplies. I like a splash of brightness in my accessories and things, and this yellow is eye catching. It feels warm and sunny, and today is overcast and gloomy in Southern California.

I really am enjoying this pen. I’m actually a little surprised because it feels great in my hand, and I typically favor pens that are a little larger. I don’t have huge hands, but larger tends to feel more comfortable for longer writing sessions.

This yellow Sailor also wrote wonderfully right out of the box. My pen friend only inked it once and then put it away. I was considering the larger 1911 that comes with the 21K nib, but this one is perfectly fine. The only other Sailors that I have owned are the regular Pro Gear size pens, and I gave one away and kept the other. I’m also pleased with the nib. It’s a H-M (hard medium), but being a Japanese pen, it’s more on the fine side. I don’t have too many finer nibs. But this one is pretty smooth. Also, I thought I was one of those people who favored the flat top finials, yet the cigar shape is growing on me. I can see myself using this pen a lot.

One thing that I appreciate about fountain pen friends is their generosity, and I try to pay it forward too. I recently gave a friend a fountain pen for Christmas, and she loved it, even sharing with me that not many people have given her anything that was real gold recently, aside from gifts given to her from her husband (the pen that I gave her has a gold nib). I have given pens before to people who I’m not sure if they get it or will ink it or even appreciate the design, the nib, the feel of ink flowing out of a pen on paper so easily, but it’s nice when you can give a pen to someone who will appreciate all of those things and use it like a tool, whether to do mundane work things or write the next article, lesson plan, book, or television series.