L–R: Sakura Slide Sharp S-1000A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H.
Sakura and Tombow joined forces in 1971 to launch the Create Sharp: their own brand of slide pipe mechanical pencils. This was right around the time when other brands like Pentel and Pilot started doing double-knocks, so perhaps Sakura and Tombow thought Create would help them compete.
Anyway, fast forward to the late 80s, and Tombow had abandoned Create and pipe slide technology for Design, as in the debut of its Zoom series. Sakura soldiered on but renamed the technology to a simpler ‘Slide Sharp’. Thus you will see ‘Sakura Slide Sharp’ on dozens of pencils varying from nondescript 300-yen models to 2,000-yen wood and gold affairs.
What stood out for me are the above: a 1,000-yen series from around the 1990s that boasted of high-tech styling with little accents that reminded me of the most tricked out Hi-Fi minicompo boomboxes of that era. And for me it all started out with just one:
The silvery S-1000E had caught my eye on YJA and I managed to win it for around 3-4000 yen. The cool design of the ridged grip made me think of hi-fi knobs, and the contrast of bright and matte silver accents added to its sleek allure.
I was lucky that the model number was printed on the front of the silver E. And when I got the black version, S-1000F was printed on the body near the clip. So straightaway, I noted that there was a method to the madness: related designs with different colors schemes had adjacent model numbers. Cool! So what was A-D? And was there anything after F?
Next I got hold of these two, again in silver and black, and with similar ridged ‘knob’ grips:
The stand out feature is the bright orange piping on two sides of the body. Very eye catching and these were painted into etched grooves. However, many examples for sale will have some wear on the paint - you will almost never find one in pristine condition.
More frustrating issue? There was NO model number printed on them. How’s that for inconsistency? In fact it wasn’t until a couple years later that I chanced on another auction, this time for a whole box of the black version that I discovered the model number printed on the side of the box:
So the black version was S-1000B. So that must make the silver one S-1000A.
By a process of elimination, these two with what I called a ‘window’ on the nose cone are the S-1000C for the silver, and S-1000D for the black:
These have a gloss finish on the black, but matte hairline for the silver and look the most streamlined of the lot.
The tips are also different from the previous 2 designs:
How I deduced these were C and D and not otherwise is because I also obtained the following pair:
Thankfully the S-1000G and S-1000H come with markings on the front of the silver and back of the black. I have to say: these two are the hardest to find of the whole series, in any kind of condition.
One more family shot and it’s a wrap:
In conclusion, I find these to be some of the most striking and sophisticated designs I have ever collected: a case of aesthetics being a major win over what had become lacklustre technology. Now that Pentel Orenz has re-popularized slide-pipe tech, perhaps Sakura could do their own revival with its craft_lab series instead of limiting their output to only ballpoints.
