Did Sheaffer ever make the Prelude Compact in a fountain pen? If so, where can I find one? I have been unsuccessful in my search for proof that the fountain pen model exists. Thanks.

I have 2 Prelude Compact ballpoint pens which have very pretty barrels. I don't think the Prelude Compact comes in the fountain pen version, but (again) I could be wrong.

On the same note, if the Sheaffer Prelude can have the same pretty barrels as the Prelude Compact, that would be very nice!

purpledog

Unfortunately, Sheaffer only made the Prelude Compact in a ballpoint, unlike the Agio Compact.

Cheers,

Jim Mamoulides
www.PenHero.com

Hi,

A while back, I actually bought a brown marbled Prelude Compact BP, in the Quixotic hope that I could swap sections to create a FP. Can't be done; the barrel would have to be bored out, among other things.

So the BP sits there in the cabinet, bearing mute witness to the fact that a Compact Prelude FP would have been a stunning pen (for that matter, a full-size resin-barrel Prelude FP would have been mighty spiffy as well). The Compact is a little jewel: beautifully made, nicely finished, and sporting lovely patterned resin. (The brown resin looks awfully close to the Amberglow resin of the Balance II model, but I can't swear it's identical.)

I certainly don't regret the purchase; the Compact is an elegant instrument, handy when a BP is called for. But a FP version would have been several orders of magnitude cooler.

Cheers,

Jon

I can't agree more.

purpledog

Thanks. for your responses. I'll quit looking.

Here's a thought project on how to convert a Prelude compact ballpoint to a fountain pen.
It will be a bulb filler.
Refer to the attached sketch.

I don't think you can ever thread a stock Prelude FP nib into the barrel- they are designed to go into thin walled metal barrels- drilling out the plastic would leave too little material and the plastic would break. Again, it's a bulb filler unless a convertor can be found to (premanently) mount to the section. A No. 15 sac fits nicely. Sheaffer cartidges are too big; a Sailor fits diameter wise, but it's too long. International cartidges won't fit. An old Sheaffer slim might but it's again probably too long- hard to find anyway.
Tools needed- hobby lathe and small drill press.
Disadvantage- you render a Shaffer nib section unuseable for any other pen.
Advantage- the barrel won;t be permamanetly harmed and still be converted back to a ballpoint (yuch).

1. Thread the inside of barrel (female threads). Find a tap that threads wilthout having to bore out the barrel. You will need a matching die for the adapter insert.

2. Cut off a Prelude nib section OUTSIDE the gold or chrome trim ring. You want the trim ring to stay on. Cut off carefully the 4 little fins. Leave the tube around the feed extension breather tube intact,

3. Fabricate an adapter from plastic or brass; one end will thread into the barrel (male threads); the other end will fit around the feed extension breather tube, and glue to the nib section.

4. For the sac attachment end, Turn a smaller diameter extension piece about 1/4" long and a diameter about 1/16" less than the adapter. This can be turned integral with the adapter, or a piece of smaller tube inserted and glued into the adapter.

5. Install a silicon sac.

6. Fill with ink and screw nib section, adapter and sac into barrel.