Sailor Pro Gear Slim Shiki Ori Megetsu Review: An Autumn Moon Worth Owning

Introduction

The Sailor Pro Gear Slim in the Shiki Ori Megetsu finish, roughly translated as Autumn Moon, holds a special place in this lineup: it was the first Sailor pen here, and one of the first gold-nib pens ever used. That history makes it worth a closer look, because it is also a pen that needed a little work before it earned its current status as a favorite writer.

Unboxing and First Impressions

Packaging is deliberately plain: a white Sailor box sleeve, then a simple white plastic box containing the pen pillow, two black Sailor cartridges, Japanese-language fill instructions, a warranty card, and some material about Sailor’s sustainability efforts. Nothing fancy, but the included cartridges matter more than they look, since Sailor uses proprietary cartridges and converters, so you can start writing immediately while a converter ships separately.

The Shiki Ori Megetsu finish is what sold this pen. Ivory resin with black flat ends and gold trim evokes piano keys, and in sunlight there is a subtle golden sparkle running through the resin. It suits the Autumn Moon namesake well. This is the Pro Gear Slim model, smaller in width than the regular Pro Gear and comparable in size to something like a Pilot Prera. Details include the classic Sailor clip, a cap band reading Japan founded 1911, flat ends, and a twist cap that comes off in one and three-quarter turns.

The Nib: 14k Gold Medium Fine

The Pro Gear Slim carries a 14k gold nib with a gold content of 58.5 percent, engraved with Sailor’s older-style logo, 1911 markings, and attractive scroll work around the edges. The nib is a medium fine, which writes between a Western medium and a Western fine. Sailor’s nibs are widely considered among the best looking in the industry, and this one lives up to that with its classy engraving.

One honest note: out of the box, this particular nib was genuinely scratchy, grabbing the paper and flicking tiny ink specks. The likely cause was misaligned tines, which were gently realigned by hand, followed by very light smoothing with micro mesh while carefully preserving the signature Sailor feedback character. After that adjustment, the nib retains an audible, pencil-like feel, closer to a felt-tip marker than a pencil here, while writing smoothly. It is worth assuming this was a one-off and that most units do not arrive misaligned, but knowing basic tine alignment is useful for any gold nib owner.

Build and Filling

The pen has comfortable stepped sections: a step down to the threads where the cap sits, and another step to the section that narrows to a comfortable lip for your fingers. The threads are smooth, and while Sailor puts plastic threads on a metal section, an O-ring helps prevent over-tightening and accidental unscrewing. Sailor converters and cartridges are proprietary, so you will need a Sailor converter; the threading opening is wider than a standard international and slightly narrower than Pilot’s. It did not ship with a converter, but one is a small extra cost.

Writing Performance

Paired with Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo, a blue-black with a subtle teal undertone that fittingly translates to moonlight, this medium fine nib writes plenty wet for a Japanese nib, produces shading, and the ink can show a subtle sheen. Even in a 14k nib there is a pleasant touch of bounce in the writing, more springiness than some higher-karat Sailor nibs.

The line runs slightly broader than expected, closer to a regular medium, possibly due to the earlier adjustment. Posted, the pen is extremely comfortable. This is one of the few pens where posting actually feels better for longer writing sessions, and despite the smaller form factor shared with pens like the Pelikan M200 or Pilot Prera, it works well in any situation.

Price and Value

Purchased on Amazon for around 90 US dollars, the original Shiki Ori series Pro Gear Slim continues to sell for roughly 90 to 95 dollars there. Buying this way is legitimate, though shipping from Japan may take a little longer. At that price you get a 14k gold nib, quality resin that feels more premium than ordinary plastic, and a genuinely unique finish. Even adding a separately purchased converter, roughly five to seven dollars, the value is hard to beat.

Pro Gear Slim or Regular Pro Gear?

If you are torn between the Slim and the regular Pro Gear and leaning toward the Slim purely on price, the honest advice is to save up for the regular Pro Gear instead. That is exactly what happened here: the Slim came first for budget reasons, was thoroughly adored, and a regular Pro Gear followed anyway. That said, the Slim is not a compromise you will regret. If you have never owned a Sailor and want to try the brand, starting with the Pro Gear Slim is a low-risk way in.

Conclusion

The Sailor Pro Gear Slim Shiki Ori Megetsu is a beautiful, comfortable, character-filled gold nib pen that stands out at its price point. A scratchy nib on one unit required a simple adjustment, but the end result is a favorite writer with Sailor’s signature feedback and a finish that earns its Autumn Moon name. For anyone curious about Sailor or gold nibs, it remains an easy recommendation.