I've looked everywhere and I can't seem to find any pictures of a Balance with a nib like this. Part of me thinks this is bent but then again, it almost looks too perfect to be a dropped nib. It writes ok but one of the tines is slightly off from the other so it's a bit finicky. I'd like to possibly sell this pen but I'm not going to list it if it's a bent nib.

Maybe some of the Sheaffer experts can help?

View 1:


View 2:


And a whole shot of the pen, just for kicks. Pretend you don't notice the picture was taken in my bathroom.

Hi,

Definitely looks like a bent nib to me.

Dillon

the dimple in view 2 argues for bent.

I have 3 Sheaffer Balance pens - none has that droop.

Unless the nib is shaped to the curve, it's bent.

How does it write?

That one is bent. There is a wrinkle in the nib from the top view.
I would also like to know, how does it write?

well, we're all bent somehow, aren't we, James?

j/k...I really couldn't resist, given your HRC flag ;-)

The nib is bent. I have a '30 Balance that has a very slight downward angle to it, though that might actually be original (it's slight and I can't really see any indentations or imperfections on top of the nib; and it also writes well).

If the pen writes perfectly well then what you have is cosmetic damage. If the pen has functional problems then it's time to have it straightened properly.

Bends are weird because you can actually have some measure of bend that isn't supposed to be there, but still have the nib functionally perfectly well. In those cases I'm apt to leave it alone because the pen works-- unless you really can't live with the appearance. If you're having problems with the way it works though, you can definitely have that straightened.

I thought it was bent but those pictures show a lot more detail than my eye can make out. If you had it in front of your face, the bend looks so smooth and natural, perhaps some might think it was supposed to be like that (like I did).

Oddly enough, it writes pretty well. Very fine, thin line, no skipping or anything. I noticed it was a little bit finicky about the direction the nib is twisted and attribute that to the fact that the tines aren't perfectly aligned at the end. I suppose I can now attribute that to the bend.

One day I'll find a Sheaffer that works. I swear every one I have has something wrong with it and I don't have enough love for any of them to pay to get them fixed.

Thanks for the help folks.

Definitely bent. A Sheaffer #33 usually comes straight out, hardly any bend at all IIRC.

If you have another Sheaffer nib of that type, you might talk to your local jeweler to straighten it out (I'm considering that with a couple Waterman #2 nibs). Or send to a nibmeister.

" I thought it was bent but those pictures show a lot more detail than my eye can make out. If you had it in front of your face, the bend looks so smooth and natural, perhaps some might think it was supposed to be like that (like I did)."

Is it possible it's been to a nibmeister in the past? That looks almost like the Condor nib that Richard Binder does...

Bent,bent,bent.

If I hadn't seen the word "Balance" in the thread title, I fully expected a photo of a vintage Triumph nib with upturned tines!

The nib looks out-of-shape to me...but I'm no expert....

Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, but, your nib is bent.

Definite mark on the top side, and it should be almost flat coming off the feed.

Cheers,
Sean

I wonder if you think that the nib is bent

I thought the same exact thing.

You're the first to say this and I'm shocked!