Sheaffer - Any Future?

[kuno]

Well, congrats on your purchse nonetheless! I love Sheaffer inlaid nibs, and I'm sure you have a great purchase on your hands. If I read correctly, you didn't tell us what color & trim your new Valor will be! :clap1:

[Nosferatualso]

Sorry to resurrect this thread. I love my sheaffer calligraphy pen. It keeps writing on cheap work paper with no complaints. I notice the price of these pens has increased recently. Do people know if they are still being made? Am wondering if I should stock up on cartridges

[chromantic]

Actually, I believe that the trademark is still registered, and if I remember correctly, through some strange twists and turns, it's now owned by Newell Rubbermaid (i.e., the same folks who own Parker, Waterman, rOtring, Papermate, and Sharpie)! You're right in that they're not currently producing anything, but I suppose that there's always a glimmer of hope that someone with enough clout at Newell Rubbermaid might get a wild hare and try to bring it back to life! (Wouldn't that be cool?)

 

Interesting comment that the guy made about the Valor being the "swan song" of a brilliant company. If, in fact, it WAS to be known as their swan song, I could definitely imagine worse!

 

There's a bunch of 'new' Esterbrook showing up on ebay, couple examples:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Esterbrook-Nostalgia-Series-Fountain-Pen-M-Nib-Choose-Your-Color-/272518452133?hash=item3f735d93a5:g:S60AAOSwXeJYL2A7

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Esterbrook-Circa-1937-Fountain-Pen-F-M-and-B-Choose-Your-Color-/272514172251?hash=item3f731c455b:g:LXIAAOSw44BYK6u~

 

The most interesting was a green eyedropper demonstrator - it was there yesterday but gone today, someone must have snagged it. And here is that link for the eyedropper:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Esterbrook-Prototype-Limited-Fountain-Pen-Eye-Dropper-Fill-Green-M-/272519920275?hash=item3f7373fa93:g:xpEAAOSwjDZYaq0S

Edited January 13, 2017 by chromantic

[pajaro]

I think it's a wonder if any of these companies have any future, making pens that don't stay moist capped like 1950s and 1960s pens did.

[EricTheRed]

I think it's a wonder if any of these companies have any future, making pens that don't stay moist capped like 1950s and 1960s pens did.

Good news Pajaro! Platinum makes a slip and seal technology on its 3776 pens that keeps the nibs moist when the cap is on. Consequently, they write reliably whenever they are called upon to do so. I have the Burgogne and Chatre Blue models and highly recommend them. I also read that Sailor has begun using this technology on their new models as well...

[sexauerw]

Sorry to resurrect this thread. I love my sheaffer calligraphy pen. It keeps writing on cheap work paper with no complaints. I notice the price of these pens has increased recently. Do people know if they are still being made? Am wondering if I should stock up on cartridges

I wouldn't stock up on cartridges. The plastic walls of an ink cartridge are permeable to water vapor and if you try to keep unopened cartridges for a long period of time, you will find that after several years they will contain only ink dust, all the water will have evaporated right through the cartridge walls. You would be much better off buying two or three converters so that you could switch to bottled ink if and when cartridges become unavailable. I said two or three because converters in constant don't last forever either. They do wear out over time. The more often that you install and remove one on your pen, the more you wear the hole and the converter will eventually develop a loose fit and begin to leak. So just use one converter at first and keep using it until it begins to fail. Then discard it and go to the second, still new, converter. And so forth.

[Sasha Royale]

Sheaffer has produced some extraordinary fountain pens. If you find one that you like, check the reviews here

at FPN. Then, get it and enjoy it.

 

Since I am not an investor, I don't much care whether the company survives, as long as the product I have is good. What makes you think Aurora will last longer than Sheaffer ? Whatever happened to the international "mega-power" corporation called Eastman Kodak ?

 

My three Sheaffers will last me another thirty years. Will the company be operating in forty years ? I'll be dead.

 

" . . . . eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart." No fountain pens in Heaven.

 

Which fountain pen do you like enough to make your own ?

[pajaro]

Good news Pajaro! Platinum makes a slip and seal technology on its 3776 pens that keeps the nibs moist when the cap is on. Consequently, they write reliably whenever they are called upon to do so. I have the Burgogne and Chatre Blue models and highly recommend them. I also read that Sailor has begun using this technology on their new models as well...

 

I believe that Sailor, and Pilot as well, need such technology. Pelikan and Montblanc pens do not dry out so fast, so it is possible to make decent pens, and, if Platinum is doing so, good for them. My latest Sheaffer is a Prelude, and it performs for me just like a Parker Sonnet, of which I have several worthless samples. Sheaffer made such nice nibs, that I hope they pull through, now managed by Cross.

 

These makers of nice goods, when bought out by another company, tend to make items more like the purchasing company's goods than like the pre-acquisition goods. Case in point Charatan smoking pipes purchased by Dunhill. Pre-acquisition Charatans were a generously sized pipe that held a goodly amount of tobacco and had a characteristic shape. After Dunhill bought the company Charatan labeled pipes began to look like Dunhills and the sizes were smaller. Less generous draft. The pipes had a nice look, but the two I have are only offered to guests I don't like.

[max dog]

I don't quite get the "slip and seal" technology being hailed as something new or special. It sounds a little gimmicky. Most of my pens, Cross, Sheaffer, Pelikan, Montblanc etc pens don't have problems drying out at all. I've had some inked pens sitting unused for months, maybe a year, and start writing soon as the nib touches the paper.

[ian1964]

 

The pipes had a nice look, but the two I have are only offered to guests I don't like.

 

Gosh, I had totally forgotten about pipe smoking. I have not seen anyone smoke a pipe for years...actually, or a Cigar for that matter!

[Batman]

They used the Sheaffer 100 rollerball to sign a trade deal between Canada and the EU. I remember another time when the EU clearly used a Sheaffer 300 to sign a deal.

[Batman]

Here's the one with the Sheaffer 300 ballpoint

[Batman]

Here's one with a Sheaffer Sagaris being held by Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko @ 0:55

[frankb3]

 

There's a bunch of 'new' Esterbrook showing up on ebay, couple examples:

 

Interesting. Compare the clip on this "Esterbrook":

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Esterbrook-Nostalgia-Series-Fountain-Pen-M-Nib-Choose-Your-Color/272536108664?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140602152332%26meid%3D739e61da9fec486d86723c8307858b0e%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D272518452133

 

to the clip on this Chinese pen (I think is a Hua Hong, but I'm not certain - I have this one and it's a nice pen - I paid $3.):

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Standard-Size-Famous-Style-Senior-Collection-fountain-pens-Iridium-Point-pen-G04-/252676715256?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=QRGhYA9ZCcSzS9tm1GKqlMi5kkc%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

[BLCL]

I have been using Parker and Sheaffer fountain pens for many, many years. I am talking about the Parker 51, 61, Sheaffer Snorkel, inlaid nib Lifetime, and Craftsman as well as Parker and Sheaffer desk pens. I have about five pocket pens total. I keep three of them inked and rotate. These pens are used daily as I still hold down an occupation. On numerous occasions I have had people comment on my handwriting. To me, it is not that wonderful. The people are very enthusiastic about the pens. Yes, I carry a Jotter in case a friend needs a pen; however, I just do not like ballpoints because my hand tires quickly, but a fountain pen enhances my handwriting for which I welcome the enhancement.

[pajaro]

Having recently acquired a Sheaffer 300 without realizing what it was, I would say they seem to be right on target, making pens, probably in China, that are overly heavy but actually write decently. The tipoff was the nib labeled "M" that writes like an extra fine. I can't say I like this pen, but it does seem that this kind of big pen seems to be popular. If they continue to write without drying up too quickly, they will probably be a success. I am happy to have enough mid-century Sheaffers.

[AL01]

We really cannot relay on much else... I hope that one day on of these former American Giants become prevalent in the writing instruments industry.

 

But then again.... I almost take American manufacturing personally. Used to live near the Parker Pen factory.