Sailor Calligraphy Fountain Pen Fude de Mannen 40° white

The Sailor Fude de Mannen 40° is a calligraphy fountain pen with a characteristically angled 40-degree gold-plated stainless steel nib – featherlight in action and designed exclusively for variable line widths. The name combines the Japanese words Fude (brush) and Mannen (fountain pen): a writing instrument that unites the expressive power of a brush with the controlled ink flow of a fountain pen. The lightweight ABS plastic body in pearl white keeps the balance pleasantly slender. It fills via Sailor short cartridges or a converter.

Features

• Angled Fude nib (40°), gold-plated stainless steel: The curve of the nib is the decisive mechanism. Held upright (traditional writing posture) little ink flows – the line remains fine, roughly M-width. Held flat, almost parallel to the paper, the ink flow opens noticeably and produces broad, saturated brush strokes up to B-width. The transition between both extremes is infinitely variable.
• 40° for flat writing posture: The 40° variant is designed for writers who naturally hold the pen flat. Those who write more upright will find the right angle in the 55° version.
• Roll stopper on the cap: A small plastic projection at the cap end prevents the fountain pen from rolling off the desk – a practical detail that stands out in daily use.
• Postable cap: The cap can be posted on the rear end and extends the fountain pen to approximately 152 mm – for those who write with an extended grip.
• Cartridge/converter system: Compatible with Sailor standard cartridges (2 black cartridges included) and the separately available Sailor converter for bottled inks.

Use & Tips

• Kanji, kana and Asian scripts: The Fude nib was originally developed for the demands of Asian writing, where a single stroke varies from fine to broad. The 40° angle directly captures this dynamic.
• Western calligraphy and hand lettering: For brush lettering styles that would otherwise require a brush pen, the Fude nib provides significantly more control and more consistent ink flow – especially on smooth, ink-resistant paper.
• Sketching and drawing: Held upside down (nib facing up) the nib draws a very fine line; held normally a medium line; held flat a broad line. This makes the fountain pen an expressive drawing tool for line work and illustration.
• Ink recommendation: Coloured, free-flowing fountain pen inks show the line width variation particularly beautifully. Document-proof pigment inks (for example, waterproof inks from the LUIBAN range) are suitable if the lines are to be watercoloured afterwards – keep ink flow in mind, as viscous inks occasionally flow more sluggishly with curved nibs.
• Paper recommendation: Smooth, calendered paper allows line width variations to stand out clearly and prevents fibre roughening on the nib underside. On rougher paper the nib contact can scratch slightly when held flat.

For Calligraphy Enthusiasts

The Fude nib technique differs fundamentally from a stub nib or flex nib: not nib pressure, but the angle at which the nib tip strikes the paper controls line width. At 40° nib tilt, the angled tip begins to write with its broader underside when held flat, and when held upright only the narrow tip touches the paper. The result is an organic line variation that comes closer to brush dynamics than classical calligraphy nibs – without needing to meter nib pressure. Sailor has been manufacturing this fountain pen for decades in Hiroshima, Japan, and the nib geometry is calibrated for cartridge ink flow: no refilling under pressure, no soaking required. Those who want to experiment: reverse writing with the nib held upside down produces a hairline that no other nib format in this price bracket can reproduce so consistently.

Technical Specifications