Sailor - Hocoro - Dip Pen

Sailor - Hocoro - Dip Pen with Ink Reserver

I’ve been looking for a dip pen to use with swatch cards, but I know myself, and I’ve been worried about breaking glass nibs. As you can imagine, I swatch a lot of inks, and I thought the Sailor Hocoro might just be the answer.

Sailor - Hocoro - Fine, 1.0mm Stub, and “Ink Reserver”

The Sailor Hocoro comes in either a two-nib (US$22-25) or a one-nib package (US$14). There are four nibs available: fine, 1.0mm and 2.0mm stubs, and a bent fine called the fude-moji. They are all available separately, too, but I haven’t seen the 2.0 or fude-moji as frequently outside Asia. The body was originally only available in white or dark grey, but I believe a couple of other colors are offered now, as well.

Sailor - Hocoro - Insert the Nib Unit Backwards for Storage

The design is attractive and feels good in the hand. The round body has a flat side to discourage rolling, and nib units can be inserted backwards for safe storage. It’s a clever, useful design feature.

Sailor - Hocoro - One Nib Package with Fine Nib

I ordered a single-nib package in Korea at a great price. It had a fine nib, and I ordered an individual 1.0mm stub as an extra. What I received was the fine and a separately packaged “ink reserver” feed insert designed for use with the stub nibs.

Sailor - Hocoro - 1.0mm Stub Nib

When I returned from vacation, I tried the fine nib, but found it far too fine for my needs. It really writes more like an EEF. So, I ordered a 1.0 stub from Deskgems (their prices were good, shipping was fast, and I recommend them.) When used with the “ink reserver” feed insert, the 1.0mm stub writes nicely. It gathers a surprising amount of ink in each dip!

Sailor - Hocoro - Dip Pen

The Sailor Hocoro is a nice dip pen. It’s sturdy and durable, too. I love being able to flip the nib unit for storage. I do wish that I’d chosen the fude-moji rather than the fine, however. I’m not sure if I’ll use the Hocoro for swatching, but I do like the convenience of a dip pen. If you’re interested in the Hocoro, give it a try! It’s fun and inexpensive.

Keep scrolling for writing samples.

Sailor - Hocoro - Ink Reserver Instructions

Sailor - Hocoro - Writing Samples