---
title: "Sailor 1911 Large: The 21k Nib, Size and Weight"
canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sailor-1911-large/"
description: "Sailor 1911 Large (Profit 21 in Japan) explained: a large 21k gold nib, 141 mm and 21.6 g, nib widths, cartridges, and the 2026 change to Sailor's Japan lineup."
category: "Pens"
type: "Fountain pen"
published: 2026-10-23
updated: 2026-10-24
author: "Ellis Penhale"
publisher: "Stationery Times"
sources: 10
products:
  - name: "Sailor 1911 Large Fountain Pen (Profit 21, black with gold trim)"
    brand: "Sailor"
    brand_origin: "Japan"
    made_in: "Japan"
    material: "PMMA resin cap, barrel and section; large 21-karat gold nib (per Sailor Japan)"
    price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd., Kure, Hiroshima, Japan; majority-owned by PLUS Corporation since May 2022"
    model: "11-2021 (Profit 21)"
    mpn: "11-2021-420"
    url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260211004059/https://sailor.co.jp/product/11-2021/"
---

# Sailor 1911 Large: The 21k Nib, Size and Weight

> The Sailor 1911 Large is Sailor's full-size cigar-shaped fountain pen with a large 21-karat gold nib, sold in Japan as the Profit 21. Sailor and US retailers list it at 141 mm capped, 13 mm across the barrel and 21.6 g. It fills from Sailor cartridges or a converter and sits in our $$$$ band, over $75.

- URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sailor-1911-large/
- Category: Pens
- Author: Ellis Penhale
- Published: 2026-10-23
- Updated: 2026-10-24

![Capped Sailor 1911 Large fountain pen in black with gold trim drawn to scale at 141 mm, with an inset of the 21k gold nib](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/sailor-1911-large-16x9.png)

*The 1911 Large capped, 141 mm (drawn at 1 mm = 5 px).* Original drawing (SVG): <https://stationerytimes.com/images/sailor-1911-large-cover.svg>. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

## Product facts

| Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sailor 1911 Large Fountain Pen (Profit 21, black with gold trim) | Sailor (by The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd., Kure, Hiroshima, Japan; majority-owned by PLUS Corporation since May 2022) | Japan | Japan | PMMA resin cap, barrel and section; large 21-karat gold nib (per Sailor Japan) | – | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) |

- Made in (Sailor 1911 Large Fountain Pen (Profit 21, black with gold trim)): Japan. Hiroshima Prefecture's company profile places Sailor's fountain pen and 21k nib manufacturing at its site in Kure, Hiroshima. Sailor's product page and Endless Pens' listing don't state a country in the text we read. Source: https://www.pref.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/onlyonenoonezigyou/sailor.html

### Sailor 1911 Large Fountain Pen (Profit 21, black with gold trim) colors

- Body colors (4 standard, 0 special edition): Black/Gold; Maroon/Gold; White/Gold; Black/Silver.
- Per Endless Pens (https://endlesspens.com/products/sailor-1911-large-fountain-pen), checked 2026-10-24. Color and trim options as Endless Pens lists them (11-2021 gold trim, 11-2024 silver trim); Sailor Japan's page for the Profit 21 is no longer live. Tints were sampled from Endless Pens' product photos. Shops stock different colors; check the listing.

## Key takeaways

- Sailor's Japanese spec lists the Profit 21 (11-2021) at φ18 × 141 mm including the clip and 21.6 g, with a large 21-karat gold nib.
- Endless Pens sells the Black/Gold version in 7 nib grades, from extra fine to broad plus Sailor's Zoom and Music nibs.
- It takes Sailor's proprietary cartridges or converter; Goulet Pens measured 1.21 ml in a Sailor cartridge and 0.70 ml in the converter.
- Before Sailor's February 1, 2026 price change, its Japanese list price was ¥35,200 (about US$223) with tax; on October 23, 2026 the Japanese site listed a Profit 18 instead.
- Sailor makes its fountain pens and 21k nibs at its factory in Kure, Hiroshima, per Hiroshima Prefecture.

## What is the Sailor 1911 Large?

**It is Sailor's full-size flagship fountain pen with a large 21-karat gold nib, sold in Japan as the Profit 21.** Sailor names the 1911 line after its founding year abroad, while at home the same cigar-shaped pens are the Profit series, which Sailor says has run since 1981.

The "Large" is the bigger of the two classic sizes. Sailor's Japanese spec for the Profit 21 (11-2021) gave φ18 × 141 mm including the clip and 21.6 g, and Endless Pens lists the same numbers for its 1911 Large Black/Gold.

## Sailor 1911 Large specs

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd., Japan |
| Japanese name | Profit 21 (プロフィット21) |
| Model | 11-2021 (black, gold trim); medium 11-2021-420 |
| Nib | Large 21-karat gold |
| Nib grades (US) | EF, F, MF, M, B, Zoom, Music |
| Filling | Sailor cartridge or converter |
| Body | PMMA resin cap, barrel and section |
| Size | 141 mm (5.6 in) capped, 18 mm with the clip |
| Barrel | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| Weight | 21.6 g |

Sizes and materials are from Sailor Japan's archived page and Endless Pens; the nib list is Endless Pens'. The silver-trim version is 11-2024 and has the same size and weight.

## How big is the 1911 Large compared with other Sailor pens?

**It is exactly as long as the steel-nib Profit Casual L and 17.7 mm longer than the Pro Gear Slim.** The 21k nib and trim add weight: 21.6 g against the Casual L's 19.8 g.

![Sailor 1911 Large, Profit Casual L and Pro Gear Slim drawn to scale capped: 141, 141 and 123.3 mm; 21.6, 19.8 and 17 g](https://stationerytimes.com/images/sailor-1911-large-vs-sailor-pens.svg)

*Three Sailor pens capped, to scale.*

| | 1911 Large | [Profit Casual L](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sailor-profit-casual-l/) | [Pro Gear Slim](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sailor-pro-gear-slim/) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nib | 21k gold, large | Steel, gold-colored IP | 14k gold (US) |
| Capped length | 141 mm | 141 mm | 123.3 mm |
| Weight | 21.6 g | 19.8 g | 17 g |

Sailor widths run finer than Western ones; our [Japanese vs Western nib sizes](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/japanese-vs-western-nib-sizes/) guide compares them.


## What ink does the 1911 Large use?

**Sailor's own cartridges or a Sailor converter; standard international cartridges don't fit.** Goulet Pens measured 1.21 ml in a Sailor cartridge and 0.70 ml in the converter on a pen of the same size.

The cartridge holds more, so cartridge users refill less often; the converter lets you use any bottled fountain pen ink.

## Did Sailor change the Profit 21 in 2026?

**In Japan, yes: on October 23, 2026, Sailor's site no longer listed the Profit 21 fountain pen and showed a Profit 18 with an 18-karat large nib.** Bic Camera gives December 13, 2025 as the Profit 18's release date, and Sailor's page lists it at ¥66,000 (about US$418).

Sailor also raised many Japanese prices on February 1, 2026, according to Oricon News, which reported increases of up to about double. Before that, Sailor's page listed the Profit 21 at ¥35,200 (about US$223) with tax.

US retailers still carried the 1911 Large when we checked: Endless Pens listed the Black/Gold from extra fine to broad. Whether the US 1911 Large will move to the 18k nib, Sailor hasn't said.

## Is the 1911 Large popular in the US?

**It has a steady following among fountain pen users, though it sells in smaller numbers than mass-market pens.** One Amazon.com listing for the silver-trim 1911 Large had 31 ratings on October 23, 2026, and The Gentleman Stationer's 2026 list names the Sailor 1911 among its honorable mentions.

It sits in our $$$$ band, over $75. On October 23, 2026 Endless Pens listed the Black/Gold at US$304. Our [best luxury pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-luxury-pens/) roundup compares it with the Pelikan Souverän M800 and Montblanc 149.

## Where is the Sailor 1911 Large made?

**In Japan.** Hiroshima Prefecture's company profile says Sailor makes its fountain pens and 21k nibs at its factory in Kure, Hiroshima, where the company has its main works. For the company's story, see our [Sailor history](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/sailor-history/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is the Sailor 1911 Large the same pen as the Profit 21?

Yes. Sailor sells its Profit series as the 1911 outside Japan, and Endless Pens' 1911 Large uses the same 11-2021 model codes, 141 mm length and 21.6 g weight that Sailor Japan gave for the Profit 21.

### What's the difference between the Sailor 1911 Standard and 1911 Large?

The Large is the bigger pen with a large 21-karat gold nib; the Standard is smaller with a 14-karat nib. In Japan, the Standard's maker name is Profit Standard, the Large's is Profit 21.

### What nib sizes does the Sailor 1911 Large come in?

Endless Pens lists extra fine, fine, medium fine, medium, broad, Zoom and Music. Sailor sizes run finer than Western ones, so a Sailor fine writes about like a Western extra fine.

### Can you use standard international cartridges in a Sailor 1911?

No. Sailor pens take Sailor's own cartridges and converter. To use any bottled ink, fill the converter, which Goulet Pens measured at 0.70 ml.

### Is the Sailor 1911 Large discontinued?

Not in the US as far as we can tell: Endless Pens still listed it on October 23, 2026. In Japan, Sailor's site no longer showed the Profit 21 fountain pen that day and listed a Profit 18 with an 18-karat large nib.

### Is the Sailor 1911 Large a good first gold-nib pen?

It is a common choice: The Gentleman Stationer names the Sailor 1911 among its honorable mentions. If the price is too high, the steel-nib Profit Casual L has the same 141 mm size.

## Sources

- [Sailor (Japanese): プロフィット21 万年筆, 11-2021 (φ18 × 141 mm, 21.6 g, large 21-karat nib, PMMA, ¥35,200; Wayback Machine, February 11, 2026)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211004059/https://sailor.co.jp/product/11-2021/)
- [Sailor (Japanese): プロフィット 18 ゴールドトリム 万年筆, 11-2218 (18-karat nib, ¥66,000; read October 23, 2026)](https://sailor.co.jp/product/11-2218/)
- [Sailor (Japanese): Profit series product list (read October 23, 2026)](https://sailor.co.jp/category_product/series/?taxonomy-detail=profit)
- [Bic Camera: セーラー プロフィット18 ゴールドトリム (maker release date December 13, 2025)](https://www.biccamera.com/bc/item/14764461/)
- [Oricon News: セーラー万年筆の一部万年筆が2026年2月1日から価格改定 (January 29, 2026)](https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2433400/full/)
- [Endless Pens: Sailor Fountain Pen - 1911 Large (φ18 × 141 mm, 13 mm barrel, 21.6 g, codes 11-2021-x20; read October 23, 2026)](https://endlesspens.com/products/sailor-1911-large-fountain-pen)
- [Goulet Pens: Sailor 1911 Casual L Demonstrator (Sailor cartridge 1.21 ml, converter 0.70 ml measured)](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/sailor-1911-casual-l-fountain-pen-demonstrator)
- [Hiroshima Prefecture: Sailor Pen company profile (Kure factory, 21k nibs)](https://www.pref.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/onlyonenoonezigyou/sailor.html)
- [Amazon.com: Sailor 1911 Large Black ST 21K Fine, 11-2024-220 (31 ratings on October 23, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056AEIUM)
- [The Gentleman Stationer: Best Pen Recommendations (2026 Edition)](https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/best-pens-2026)