Folks,

Saw this going cheap, so I splurged a little. Probably doesn't work and in need of repair, but what the heck!!

BUT, what is it?



Thanks!

Dear Cam,

You have scored the last version of the venerable Sheaffer Cartridge Pen. It was replaced by the Reacktor, a pretty bad pen that was unique in the Sheaffer pantheon for having a nib with no tipping. Instead, the tip is folded over to "simulate" the tipping material used. The joke at Sheaffer was that the pen would last until the included carts ran out.

The final real cartridge pen at least had a real nib unit in it similar to the one used in the NoNonsense.

Worth much? Nope.

Some mild historical interest as the final chapter of a really good line of pens. The bullet shaped Cartridge Pens were actually really good.

Sweet -- thanks very much for the info!!

Those cartridge pens probably yield more bang for the buck than any other pen ever made.

The pens are solid and the nibs are generally very good... I'm actually carrying two of them with me now that have been converted into eyedropper fillers.

These are the kinds of pens that make you wonder why you'd ever have to spend more than $10.00 for a really decent pen.

Guys, does this pen take the same nibs as the No Nonsense calligraphy nibs?

Cam-

The Cartridge pen has a slightly smaller section and nib than the No Nonsense so the two are not interchangeable.

I do not think an italic nib was ever produced for these pens so the only option for getting a Cart pen with an italic nib is to have the nib reshaped and polished.

I turned one of my Cartridge pens into a fine stub and the results were excellent... the tipping material on Sheaffer nibs is of very high quality so takes well to custom work.

Making a true italic would entail removing the tipping and of course, now that this has been broought up, I'll have to go and make one.

Cheers!

Well that was fun...

I now have an early translucent green Cartridge pen with a rather spiffy cursive italic nib here at the spa.

It is of course filled with some vintage emerald green Skrip and I'll have to tuck it in next to the red and violet cart pens I have in the case and see if I can put it through it's paces today.

Thanks for the little bit of inspiration.

Cheers!

Keith

Ha ha!! Splendid stuff!!!

Well this arrived today.

What a stonking wee pen!!! Stuck a new cartridge (Peacock Blue) and it wrote right away. Really nice feel on the page. This will definately be my new pen at work (my School pen is misbehaving, laying down way too much ink for the cheap paper in work).

I'm really pleased with it. I didn't realise it, but the barrel is a nice dark blue (I thought it was black) and the overall condition is excellent. Not at all bad for US$11.55 including the shipping.

One question: can the 'push-bar' convertor (do you know what I mean by that?) fit inside it? Also, can the convertor fit inside the Lady Sheaffer (the black & gold one with the nib that looks like a triumph)?? One of those arrived today too ...

Cam,

These pens will only accept a push bar convertor as the Sheaffer piston convertor is just too long.

If you want to have some fun, coat those section threads in silicone grease, fill the barrel full of your favourite ink, and close it up and then you'll have a really decent eyedropper filling school pen.

You may only need to refill it quarterly after that.

Cheers!

Keith

Well, I'll get to try out this type of filling system soon: look what I got out of bed just now for!

Well, we know who the seller is (it's FPNer Dennis Lively)

That's a lovely Carmine Balance, Cam. If I didn't own one myself I would have bid on it...

Oh, just one thing...Both Keith (in his post above) and the Ebayer Dennis L. mention "silicone grease"....so remember NOT to use silicone sealant!! (we have a whole thread on silicone grease here at this link)

On that too much ink on cheap paper thing...

Sheaffer inks are much lighter than many others and will bleed more on cheap papers... the ink is great but is really formulated to be used on better quality paper. Once you get a few convertors you can switch to a denser ink or start using better paper.

I have such a thing for paper I supply my own writing pads and desk planners lest I be stuck using or having to write on sub par papers.

Yellow legal pads are the work of Satan.

Hi,

By any chance, what convertor will fit in my cute green Reacktor? The pen takes international cartridges.

Dillon

I have a pen that I'm assuminng is a Reacktor - it looks like the Sheaffer school pens I grew up using, but takes small carts.
At the art supply store, I found a converter by.. Pelikan? Manuscript? I honestly don't remember, but it's just a hair longer than a short international cartridge, with a piston that you have to slide out to draw ink in.

It works, though you can't draw it all the way out; with the thing all the way, it's too long. And the section won't go all the way back in. But if, like me, you've lost the little silvery ring that keeps the cap on, the little bit of extra length will allow something in the cap to catch.

If I still had the silver ring (it fell off and went down the drain when I was cleaning the pen over a year ago. I've since learned to work over a saucer, rather than just work in the sink with no protection), I'd get some grease and try to make it into an ED. The threads are more widely spaced than on the older school pens, though, and I don't know how well that would work.

Hi,

The ring goes on top of the barrel. If you know which sink you dropped it in, you can open the drain trap which can catch small metal parts and it will probably be there. The Reacktor has an unmarked nib. The pen is quite short and the cap covers part of the barrel.

Dillon

Heh.
I've moved since losing the little ring, so no luck there.
(I can't exactly go to my old place and ask to mess around with their bathroom sink..)
(Well, I could, but I don't think it'd get me very far.)

Hi,

Even things that get stuck in that little trap a decade ago will stay there. But there is no point messing around with someone's sink. Maybe you could call 1800finepen and ask for a replacement.

Dillon