Sailor Kirikane Fountain Pen - Asaba
A piece of art history brought into the present.
The intricate design of the newest Bespoke Pen by Sailor, the Kirikane Fountain Pen, is breathtaking.
The Kirikane technique involves cutting thin gold leaf into hair-thin strips and making patterns (lines, diamond, or triangle shapes) with them. Two pieces of gold leaf are heated over an ash banked fire and bonded together. An additional bonding is then made to strengthen the leaf and to add thickness. The bonded gold leaf is then cut with a bamboo knife on a deer skin covered table and then affixed with a special seaweed glue (funori).
Kirikane was originally developed as a technique for Buddhist art decoration in statues and paintings, and it is now used in Japan, mainly in Kyoto to decorate special art and craft materials.
Interested collectors can now own a piece of this historically unique art form with a Sailor Kirikane fountain pen, each with a symbolic and meaningful design. Each pen was handmade over months of work by artisan Kasen Otsuka.
The Asaba, or hemp leaf, is a hexagonal geometric pattern that has been used to decorate Buddhist statues since the Heian period. The fast-growing hemp leaf can reach 4 meters in 4 months and signifies the healthy growth of children. This pattern is also used to ward off evil.
Each Sailor Kirikane fountain pen has a large 21K gold nib (1911L size) and complemented by gold-plated accents. It accepts Sailor proprietary ink cartridges or a Sailor converter, both of which are included.
The gift package is made of Japanese chestnut, a material that has been used as a building material in Japan since ancient times because of its hardness, moisture resistance, and durability. The Kirikane fountain pen is carefully protected in a solid box made of strong chestnut wood.
The Sailor Kirikane fountain pen collection is available in limited quantities exclusively through authorized Sailor Bespoke retailers.
Click here to shop all compatible Sailor ink cartridges.
Please also note we are unable to accept a return of this pen for any reason once it has been used with ink. Please thoroughly inspect and dry test the pen before use.
- Condition
- New
- Brand
- Sailor
- Type
- Fountain Pens
- Color
- Black
- Demonstrator
Whether or not the barrel of the pen is translucent, allowing you to see the ink and filling mechanism inside.
- No
- Body Material
- Urushi lacquer, Wood
- Cap Rotations
For pens with a screw-cap closure, how many rotations it takes to uncap/recap the pen.
- 2
- Cap Type
How the cap is opened/closed from the barrel of the pen. Some common options include Snap-Cap, Screw-Cap, Magnetic Cap, or Capless (no cap).
- Screw-cap
- Compatible inks & refills
Which ink this pen will accept. Choices include bottled ink and various styles of pre-filled ink cartridges.
- Bottled ink, Proprietary Sailor ink cartridges
- Filling Mechanism
How the pen fills with ink. Click here to watch our video tutorial on common filling mechanisms.
- Cartridge, Converter
- Grip Material
- Resin
- Nib Size
- Fine, Medium Fine, Medium
- Nib Color
- Gold
- Nib Material
- 21k Gold
- Retractable
Whether or not the nib/tip can retract into the body of the pen (usually for click or twist-open style pens).
- No
- Diameter - Cap (without clip)
- 17mm (0.67in)
- Diameter - Grip (mm)
Measured from the place most people choose to rest their fingers, which varies with each pen.
- 10.5mm
- Length - Cap
- 65.2mm (2.57in)
- Length - Nib
The measured length of the visible portion of the nib when it is installed in the pen, from grip to tip.
- 21mm (0.83in)
- Length - Overall (Closed)
- 164.1mm (6.46in)
- Weight - Cap
- 15.0g (0.53oz)
- Weight - Overall (g)
- 42.0g
- Max Ink Capacity - Cartridge
The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a cartridge.
- 1.18ml
- Max Ink Capacity - Converter
The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a converter.
- 0.67ml
