Your Favorite Sheaffer Inlaid Nib Model?

[Manalto]

Here's one I didn't see coming, a first-generation Legacy in sterling with a stub nib. The price was good, and although I don't tend to gravitate to the silver and gold pens, couldn't resist getting a Touchdown Legacy. This one is understated, unadorned, and if the casual observer bothered to think about it, could be mistaken for an ordinary chrome pen, despite the warmer color of silver. I dipped it (not ready for the commitment of filling it just yet) and am swooning over this stub. Juicy, springy and dramatic. This and my 1952 Pelikan are teaching me the pleasures of an expressive nib.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Manalto

[jar]

Here's one I didn't see coming, a first-generation Legacy in sterling with a stub nib. The price was good, and although I don't tend to gravitate to the silver and gold pens, couldn't resist getting a Touchdown Legacy. This one is understated, unadorned, and if the casual observer bothered to think about it, could be mistaken for an ordinary chrome pen, despite the warmer color of silver. I dipped it (not ready for the commitment of filling it just yet) and am swooning over this stub. Juicy, springy and dramatic. This and my 1952 Pelikan are teaching me the pleasures of an expressive nib.

 

Like this one?

[Manalto]

Yes, that's it! Is yours a Touchdown too? (the cap blocks my view) What do you think of yours?

[jar]

Yes, that's it! Is yours a Touchdown too? (the cap blocks my view) What do you think of yours?

 

Here's a review I did on that model.

[Pincel]

 

Here's a review I did on that model.

 

I have a question about this pen: This is the original Sheaffer Legacy (squarish barrel end and cap) right? All the sections of the Sheaffer Legacy I in Gary Ellison's site sport three prong clutch rings. How is it your Polished Sterling Silver GT is sporting a stub Legacy 2 nib (no clutch ring). Are Legacy 1 and Legacy 2 nibs interchangeable without modifications? I know the Legacy 2 and the Legacy Heritage nibs are the same and swappable despite the presence of a rubber O-ring in the former. And here's more, Model 9037 Sheaffer Legacy Heritage Sterling Silver GT in http://www.sheaffertarga.com/Legacy/legacy%20%20reference%20list.html appears to be fitted with Legacy I section with the clutch ring, Are all these Legacy nib sections interchangeble across all the three versions (Legacy, Legacy 2, Legacy Heritage)?

[jar]

 

I have a question about this pen: This is the original Sheaffer Legacy (squarish barrel end and cap) right? All the sections of the Sheaffer Legacy I in Gary Ellison's site sport three prong clutch rings. How is it your Polished Sterling Silver GT is sporting a stub Legacy 2 nib (no clutch ring). Are Legacy 1 and Legacy 2 nibs interchangeable without modifications? I know the Legacy 2 and the Legacy Heritage nibs are the same and swappable despite the presence of a rubber O-ring in the former. And here's more, Model 9037 Sheaffer Legacy Heritage Sterling Silver GT in http://www.sheaffertarga.com/Legacy/legacy%20%20reference%20list.html appears to be fitted with Legacy I section with the clutch ring, Are all these Legacy nib sections interchangeble across all the three versions (Legacy, Legacy 2, Legacy Heritage)?

 

The caps can be an issue unless the spacers are correct for the cap. The nib/sections will all fit but some caps have problems.

 

The plain sterling Sheaffer Legacies were part of the bodies that would have been used for the Classic Pens Washington/Richmond series but when that run got cut from 1865 units of each to only 500 of each were sold off.

 

http://www.fototime.com/CF00FFAFAE8A7A0/large.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/7A8488A415B5959/large.jpg

PFM, Legacy, kinda Legacy, Legacy 2s

http://www.fototime.com/AB630FA7B92F10B/xlarge.jpg

[Pincel]

 

The caps can be an issue unless the spacers are correct for the cap. The nib/sections will all fit but some caps have problems.

 

The plain sterling Sheaffer Legacies were part of the bodies that would have been used for the Classic Pens Washington/Richmond series but when that run got cut from 1865 units of each to only 500 of each were sold off.

 

 

Thanks, I'll remember that.

[zenephi001]

 

Last time I checked, stub nibs were still available from Sheaffer - $35.00 USD

Thanks for the info Charles ... I'll check it out ... apologies for delay in acknowledging info but I'm been occupied elsewhere recently and only just seen your post - thanks again. As an addition to the Targa nibs I have just bought a set of Fine / Medium / Broad Italic nibs (not stubs). The medium & broad are great but I'm finding the fine a bit too wet at the moment - time to try out some different inks in it I think - Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black just seems to gush out. Anyway on with the search for a fine standard Targa stub ...

Edited May 14, 2015 by zenephi001

[Manalto]

I'm reviving this thread because I just made an offer on a Targa GT (I'm boring - brushed stainless again. Hey, I like it.) with a bold nib and was accepted. Is $53 (including shipping) fair? I'm excited about getting a bold. A few questions:

Does the bold tend to run wide or more like a medium-bold?

How the *#%@* do you flush the inlaid nibs? I've been cleaning one all morning and still getting strong color.

Do the GT pens change over time or are there multiple styles? I have one that has gold as seen below (plus a thin band at the section) and one with only the clip in gold.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Manalto

[PAKMAN]

I'll throw in another vote for Targa.

[sexauerw]

Manalto,

There were two versions of this pen. The pre-1989 pens were all stainless steel, including the cap ornament, and could be had with either chrome or gold clips and steel or gold nibs. Pens made in 1989 and later have brass bodies with a brushed chrome finish and plated ornaments at both ends which match the clip finish.

 

Another difference is that the first generation pens actually had a black plastic barrel, the visible stainless steel was just a thin overlay. The nib section actually screwed into threads molded into the plastic barrel. For the second generation the plastic barrel was done away with, but the new brass barrel was too thin to be threaded. So they made a coupler that was press-fitted into the barrel and had the threads for the nib section. It also had a thin flange so that when it was pressed into the barrel it could not go in too far. That flange is what you perceive as a thin band between the nib section and the barrel, it's not really just a band.

 

Bold, or Broad, Targa nibs are pretty wide. Too wide for me, but they will definitely show off the color of the ink you're using. As to cleaning, that just takes patience. There's a pretty good sized feed hidden in that nib section where you can't see it or get to it. I use an ear bulb to flush it as best I can, and then I let it soak overnight. The next day I flush again and if necessary I give it another overnight soak. I do not recommend ultrasonic cleaners for inlaid nibs. Just plain old flush and soak.

 

Finally, the price is a very good price.

[sexauerw]

Thanks for the info Charles ... I'll check it out ... apologies for delay in acknowledging info but I'm been occupied elsewhere recently and only just seen your post - thanks again. As an addition to the Targa nibs I have just bought a set of Fine / Medium / Broad Italic nibs (not stubs). The medium & broad are great but I'm finding the fine a bit too wet at the moment - time to try out some different inks in it I think - Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black just seems to gush out. Anyway on with the search for a fine standard Targa stub ...

As far as I know, there is no such thing as a fine standard Targa stub. I've only seen one size stub ever, which I would call a medium stub. It writes a line about 1.0 to 1.1mm wide. It is a gold nib with hard tipping, ruthenium or some such rare metal. The set of three Italic nibs that you just bought is a Targa Calligraphy set and these are untipped steel nibs. Your best bet would be to find a standard broad nib and have a nibmeister grind it to your specifications.

[Manalto]

Your best bet would be to find a standard broad nib and have a nibmeister grind it to your specifications.

You've just given me an option I hadn't thought of. When I get tired of scrawling John Hancock's signature, maybe I can get the nib ground.

 

Bill, thanks for the interesting information above.

[Mr Blifil]

I have a few--a pair of desk pens with TD fill, one that takes cartridges, an Imperial from my college days, broad nib, all good writers, but my favorite by far is a maroon snorkel fill PFM V with an EF nib, a very nice writer, and part of a set with BP and mechanical pencil.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Mr Blifil

[ink-syringe]

Does the bold tend to run wide or more like a medium-bold?

 

 

Genuinely bold. & awesome.

[ink-syringe]

How the *#%@* do you flush the inlaid nibs? I've been cleaning one all morning and still getting strong color.

 

 

 

They actually come completely apart but I don't recommend doing that often I find putting the feed back in can sometimes radically change how the nib performs and can even ruin a nib if you push it back into too far as it will press against the nib itself. But the feed comes out of the section and the doodad that punctures the cartridge also comes out and so does the cap grabby ring. I just do a converter twist clean most of the time. Good enough for gov't work. For long term storage or to fix an issue you can dissasemble.

[ink-syringe]

http://cl.ly/image/3u0A3M1s2n3V/targa_parts.jpg

[ink-syringe]

Bottom one taken apart: note 1. Broken feed. (ugh) There should be a straight feed coming out of that collector rib cage (I am just making terms up now, screw it). 2. Sheaffer's frequently horrible plating (top Targa is supposed to be silver, one cleaning and it is now just brass. Plating was something Sheaffer did not excel at. Some of my vintage snorkels lost their cap band and clip plating just from being in a leather slip case.

 

IF YOU FART NEAR A SHEAFFER THE PLATING MIGHT COME OFF.

 

3. One other major flaw of the Targa is that the inside of the pen and the bottom of the converter isn't always a tight fit and ink will sometimes leach out and corrode the living daylights out of the pen and the converter.

 

IF YOU STORE YOU TARGA AT ALL DO NOT LEAVE IT INKED. Clean it.

 

4. You can't see but it but Targas sometimes leak around the nib. The top one, an AMAZING writer now leaks around the whole diamond of the inlay. Very sad but in my experience (I have owned dozens of Targas) a common problem especially as the golden age of the Targa recedes further in the rear view mirror of time.

 

But if you get a good one, they are a joy.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

As for clean-up of the inlaind nibs that are on c/c pens, I use a back flush technique to get at the ink in the nib+feed assembly:

> Gently slip a length of soft [surgical] tubing over the nib so that it forms a seal on the section - no clamps or rubber hammers required.

> I then fill the tubing with ambient temp water and use an aspirator bulb to gently flush the pen.

> Depending on the ink used, I might set-up a siphon (open end of the tubing in a vessel of water) to give a soft 'rolling soak'.

 

__ Edit to add: I concur with Member ink-syringe that taking the pen to bits should only be done as a repair, not as part of a maintenance/hygiene programme. To date, I have not found that to be necessary - even with pens found in the wild.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited June 16, 2015 by Sandy1

[Manalto]

Hi,

 

As for clean-up of the inlaind nibs that are on c/c pens, I use a back flush technique to get at the ink in the nib+feed assembly:

> Gently slip a length of soft [surgical] tubing over the nib so that it forms a seal on the section - no clamps or rubber hammers required.

> I then fill the tubing with ambient temp water and use an aspirator bulb to gently flush the pen.

> Depending on the ink used, I might set-up a siphon (open end of the tubing in a vessel of water) to give a soft 'rolling soak'.

 

Bye,

S1

 

Thanks, Sandy. Stubborn little buggers, aren't they?