Hi,

I bought these two Sheaffers recently. Both are without the White dot. The red one is definitely a snorkel made in Australia, but I don't know what model. Both pens have the same two-tone nib that says "Sheaffers 14k".

I cannot unscrew/pull out the section from the snorkel. I tried soaking (plain and warm water), twisting and using the hair dryer but it hasn't budged. The snorkel tube comes out and goes back smoothly though, and takes ink in. However it doesnt release any ink even upon unscrewing. And it writes like a dream

The brown/amber pen is a lever fill and the sac is in good shape. It takes water in and out. The only disappointment I could see is a 2mm crack on the left of the nib (see picture).
The following words are impressed on the barrel:
W A Sheaffer Pen Co
(of Canada LTD) Toronto Ontario Pat.
Dec 10 12- Jan 27 –Oct 20 Nov 24 14

Does this mean it's 1912 or 1914 or 1927? If I write with this pen, do I risk total nib breakage?

Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

Those are just patent dates on the lever filler, Sheaffer never dated pens.

The lever filler is a Balance, don't know which model, though. The nib should be perfectly fine to use.

The Snorkel is an Admiral, and you seem to have found it in a rare-ish colour (Fiesta red, is it?). Even if it seems to take in ink, unless it's shooting out, it'll need to be restored. Great pens, though.

Looks like Burgundy to me....

I suspect the snork is a Saratoga-- that's a two-tone point on it?

Thanks very much, DerMann, Grimakis and Ernst! I'm afraid I don't have much of an idea about the exact colour - it's half-red, half-maroon.

Yes, the nib is two-toned on both pens. Is it the Admiral or the Saratoga? Also, could you please tell me how I can get the section removed? There's a small gap on the top of the section below the nib - between the plain black part and the grooves. I tried soaking this as well and applying some heat, but it didnt budge there either.

Saratoga or Admiral, the section shouldn't be too hard to get loose unless there's something really gone wrong inside (ink as adhesive) or someone got too serious about sealing the joint against air-leaks and glued things together. Try an overnight soak with the pen nose-down in water deep enough to just cover the two chrome rings at the joint; leave the filling tube all the way in or out for this so if the fore-seal is gone the water can get inside as well. The parts should unscrew after that if it's an ink issue.

If they don't, heat at the point of human-finger tolerance may work to loosen things (but no hotter, or the plastic may go bendy on you). Also, a rubber band put around the section may enhance your grip sufficiently to manage the undoing without putting undue stress on the fabric of the pen.

(edit-- two-tone should definitely be a Saratoga, if I'm remembering PenHero.com correctly)