To be honest, i'm not terribly impulsive when buying things, so i don't know why i gave in tonight. I picked up this Triumph tonight while fishing on the 'bay, and it seemed like decent deal for $40. I'm a newbie to Sheaffer, so I was wondering what pen this actually is?

I found the neat Sheaffer page for the Triumphs on Penhero's cool website, and I think i've narrowed it down between the thicker touchdown and the thinner touchdown. The seller mentions 1950 as the year, but it doesn't seem as thin as the pictures on the previously mentioned website.

for reference, here is the seller's description:

"Offered is an unrestored Sheaffer “Triumph” No. 1500 Lifetime Fountain Pen. This pen is in black with a chrome and gold-filled cap and clip. The plunger with sac-fill fountain pen measures 5 ¼ inches long when capped. The pen is in good condition with no dings, dents or teeth marks – only showing very light scratching from normal use. The two-tone conical nib is marked “Sheaffer’s,” “Lifetime,” “Reg. U.S. Pat. Off,” “Made in U.S.A.” and “14K”. The barrel is engraved “W.A.Sheaffer Pen Co.,” “Fort Madison, Iowa U.S.A.,” “-Made in U.S.A.-” and “1500”. The cap is marked “Sheaffer’s” and “Made in U.S.A.”. The “Lifetime White Dot” is on the end of the pen at the filler cap. "


Here are the seller's pics of the acutal pen:






can the forum give me some feeback as far as which pen this is, as well as considerations i may want to keep in mind regarding changing the sac,etc.

I guess i should've asked these questions before hand, but I had a vintage pen urge I couldn't resist. thanks all!

Doogy

See the thin rod? No sac, it is a Vac Fill.

If it needs restoration of the filling mechanism, someone here will either refer you to a competent repair person or you can do a search on this site and find the recomended people.

Here is the skinny on the system:

http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Sheaffer...uumFilGuide.htm

ahhh....good to know, thanks for the info and link!

Yup, and the Vac-fil will cost more to fix than a Touchdown, but I should say that it looks like a pen in nice condition, the chrome and GF cap is not frequently found (someone will tell you the exact model name) and even after you've paid for the restoration, you'll have a nice and very practical pen for a reasonable price.

Enjoy it

Michael

The pen is a Sentinel. and it's worth restoring. To have the filler properly restored should cost about $35.00. Be aware that almost all repairers today do not restore the shaft packing on these fillers; they shove a rubber washer up the barrel and hope it works. This procedure is outlined in Da Book, which says that if one doesn't hold you can shove a second one up there to help out. This washer technique works, sort of, for a short while -- you'd be lucky to get a year out of it, and it makes the plunger operate stiffly. Properly restored, the mechanism will last for many years, and it will operate very smoothly. I know of only two repairers who offer a proper restoration service.

Richard,

You wouldn't be willing to mention who those two are?

I have one pen restored by Sherrel Tyree that uses the rubber plug method. It has been about two years now and it still works fine - but it doesn't come up in my rotation that often (too many pens. . .). It is stiffer than my others that had the packing unit properly restored, and I find I need to use a touch of silicon grease every time I try to fill it after it has been stored for a while.

Nathan Tardiff is the old stand-by for Sheaffer Vac Fil restoration, but his ink business has been keeping him busy these days - I don't know if he is regularly doing general repair anymore, or sticking to his fancy harpoon re-tips.

Dillo restores these using the Fountainbel packing unit replacement cartridge.

Dennis Lively offers ED conversions, and I think is now using the Fountainbel cartridge as well.

And of course Francis Goossens (in Belgium), who makes the Fountainbel cartridge, also will restore them.

I believe you offer Vac-fill restoration, but you send it out?

Anyone know the names of others who do "proper" Sheaffer Vac-filler restoration, either with the Fountainbel cartridge or by drilling out and replacing the packing unit? This question comes up a lot and it would be nice to have a more complete list - especially for people who don't use the Fountainbel cartridge (and that is not meant to be a criticism of the Fountainbel cartridge - I think they are great, but it is always good to have alternatives).

John

Richard,

thanks for the very informative info! I found the Sentinel page on your website, very interesting! You mentioned that these pens have the stainless steel top with gold bands like mine shows. The seller mentions he thinks it is chrome plated. Are all of the Sentinel caps indeed stainless steel, he is just mistaken in his ad? Just curious.

thanks again for your time!


Doug

good points, John. I too would like to hear who does these the right way. Mine may need it, and it is good to be informed ahead of time. thanks

In looking at some articles, am i correct in assuming that this is the thicker Sentinel model that pre-dates the 'TM' ones of the early 50s? Am i also correct that this particular pen was probably produced in the late 40's? thanks all!


Doug

I have sent my vac fillers to Sherrell Tyree, she has done a wonderful job on the 4 she has done for me... she does have a backlog just like everyone else, but these were pens I was not in a hurry to get back. Sherrell is considered one of the premier Sheaffer restorers.

I am not sure if Ron Zorn does them, but if he does that would be another source that I would trust with any pen I own.

Hi Doug,
Congratulations with your new pen !
You are right , your pen is the thicker Sentinel model that pre-dates the 'TM' ones of the early 50's, & yes this pen was made in the late fourties.
You surely bought one of the most beautifull vac-fill's in my opinion, I also have a few in my collection & they are within my favourites.
I can make your pen fully functional by installing one of my "fountainbel " plunger rod sealing cartridges for $ 38.00, registered shipment costs back to you included.
The repair also includes a complete internal cleansing of the pen, installation of a new piston seal, nib smoothening & an external manual polishing.
My work is guaranteed for one year.
Note there are no alternations made to the barrel : the cartridge just pops-in in the existing packing seal seat. No glue nor shellac to be appleid, a build-in static O ring seals the cartridge in the barrel. Two O rings are sealing on the plunger rod - having a silicone grease reserve in between them - for years of trouble & maintenance free useage.
Contrary to alternative repairs , replacing the the O ring seals or piston seal *- done from the blindcap side ! - takes only 5 minutes, no special tools required.(*whenever neccesary!)
Pen is shipped back within one week after arrival.

Francis

There's also Pen-Time in England with his "vac-back", which was debated here a few months back. An approach vaguely similar to Francis', although his use of brass worried some of the grognards here.

Francis installed his system in one of my pens and it works wonderfully.

I've also spoken with Ron Meloche, who has a studio and pen repair business in Lakeside, California (near San Diego). He says he restores the original mechanism (new washers, etc. as described by (David Nishimura.)

Ron's address:

Gallery 9926
9926 Maine Ave
Lakeside, California 92040.

Telephone 619-316-6577.

Duh, I'm getting confused by some posts.

I thought that the TM™ referred to the Touchdowns and Snorkels, and it was only the Touchdown that had a fat first year model. The pen in OP is a Vac-fil, and I thought that they were never made in a Thin Model.

Am I wrong (again)?

Best

Michael

Michael,
As far as I know you are fully right, the "TM" name was officially only used starting with the "Touchdown's"
Note however that Sheaffer previously made some plunger (vac)fillers having an identical barrel diameter as the (8-10 years) later fabricated TM Touchdowns.
However these were not officially named as being a"TM".
Being aware of this fact some people could be tempted to use this ( non official) nomination.
Hope this clarifies your confusion.

Francis

Thanks, Francis. I know Sheaffer made their pens in a variety of diameters, though I didn't know the details about Vac-fils. I got a bit puzzled, since the thread started with the seller's misidentification of the Beat in Question as a Touchdown.

Best wishes (especially to a reviver of Vac-fils)

Michael

The TM (Thin Model) pens were introduced in 1950 as thinner versions of the Touchdown pens. They are the same diameter as the Snorkel, which arrived in 1952, but shorter.

The original Touchdown pen was introduced in 1949 and is the same diameter and size as the late Vacuum-Fil Triumph pens.

Cheers,

Jim Mamoulides
www.PenHero.com