How Long Did Your Sheaffer Live?

[Amirography]

I always taught that fountain pen is something that you live with and can be passed on to many generations after. Like a good watch. And that was and is one of the most important reasons that I'm into FPs.

 

But I see that fountain pen nerds change pens like t-shirts. It makes me wonder if fountainpens are still made to live for that many years.

 

I like sheaffer very much. And the video from its website mostly point out durability to me. But I wonder if that is the case.

 

So how long did your sheaffer live?

Edited June 24, 2016 by Amirography

[PenHero]

Welcome to the Sheaffer board and interesting question.

 

My answer is that I collect pens for three reasons. First is to learn about them, especially filling systems and nibs, and photograph and write articles about them. Those pens come and go. Second, there are certain pens and models that I particulary like and I have a collection of them. As I find better examples, I will keep the better one and let the old one go. Searching for pens for these two reasons, I often buy groups of pens in lots and dispose of the ones I am not interested in. Lastly, I have some pens that I use every day.

[Chrissy]

I always taught that fountain pen is something that you live with and can be passed on to many generations after. Like a good watch. And that was and is one of the most important reasons that I'm into FPs.

 

But I see that fountain pen nerds change pens like t-shirts. It makes me wonder if fountainpens are still made to live for that many years.

 

I like sheaffer very much. And the video from its website mostly point out durability to me. But I wonder if that is the case.

 

So how long did your sheaffer live(d)?

 

I don't consider myself a 'nerd' because I buy pens then maybe let them go later when I decide I would rather have something else instead.

 

I think that many members on here like to upgrade their collections as they grow older, maybe have more money to spend, start to prefer a different brand, or maybe even just want a change. So they may sell pens they no longer use as much in the interests of getting something that they feel they may use more.

 

As it happens I still have my original Sheaffer Targa Classic Brown Ronce that I must have bought myself at least 30 years ago. At one time I decided to sell off most of my pen collection, as it was then, to improve it. However, I kept this Sheaffer FP and BP set because I really liked it and couldn't part with it then. I don't think I would even sell it now. There are several other pens that I could part with first.

 

(P.S. the bracketed 'd' is not an option...it is always 'live' in that tense )

[jar]

It is very hard to answer your question since we do not know how long modern Sheaffer pens will live, but so far I have not seen any indications it would be different than in the past. I expect that my newer Sheaffer pens should continue to function for at least one century if not more.

[s_t_e_v_e]

They're built to last. That has, at least, been my experience so far. I don't have any vintage Sheaffers, but the modern ones are excellent in terms of build quality. Plus the modern ones are all C/C filled, so maintenance is a breeze and you don't have to worry about sacs etc.

[Joe in Seattle]

I have two Sheaffer Balance from the 1930's - Marine Green & Jade. Both are still in perfect operating order.

[Freddy]

I regularly use Sheaffer pens from the 1920's thru 1930's

in addition to the modern Sheaffer's c. 1940's - 2000. If the

pens are treated properly..no reason why they can't last.

 

Amir. Welcome Aboard! Please enjoy your time here.

You live in a beautiful city, and do you attend school

in your hometown?

 

Fred

[Roger W.]

I expect a good pen to last a very long time. I use Sheaffers from the 20's and I bought Targas in the early 80's that I still use. I get what you mean by the folks that rotate pens. Seems like they get bored of a particular model and move on. I own hundreds of pens but, they are mostly collector pieces and I use a small group of maybe a dozen pens over the past decade or more. I've been using an Imperial IV from the late 60's and I've only owned that a couple of years. I used to use two snorkel statesmen for a number of years and just drifted to other pens. I have a pretty glacial rotation I guess.

 

Roger W.

[Florida Blue]

I've only been using and collecting fountain pens for about 6 or 7 years, and I now have about 70 pens (so I have acquired an average of about 10 pen year). I rarely sell a pen. The vast majority I have kept and I use almost every one. I rotate them so it may take a year or two before I write with one again, but they generally all get used.

 

I still own and use the pens that I bought 7 years ago.

[inkstainedruth]

I don't have a lot of Sheaffers. Most of them are Snorkels, so date from the early 1950s at best. I do, however, have a Sheaffer Balance Oversize, which belonged to my husband's grandfather. I don't know how old that one is, but I'm guessing from the 1930s or 40s. I had to get a replacement cap for it, because the cap was lost long ago -- there's a story my mother-in-law told me but I don't know how true it actually is (*her* mother, according to my husband, tended to, um, "embroider" details to make things more interesting... ).

I do have (and use) a lot of vintage pens. The oldest ones that are working are probably the 1937 Parker Vacumatic Junior Red Shadow Wave (which may have been repaired before I got it) and a Morrison ringtop that may be from the early 1930s. I have a 1926 Parker Duofold Lucky Curve, but that one I haven't gotten repaired yet (it's a bit fragile, and the cap may need work).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[mitto]

I still use a couple Sheaffer triumph 440 and three Parker 45s given to me as gifts by my late uncle in mid to late sixties and arely to mid 70s. And I have a factory stub nibbed imperial that I inherited from my late father. I know that this last pen has been used by my father for more than 40 years. He was an author, a prolific writer and a researcher. And it is an established fact that he wrote more than 10000 pages with this pen. I and my brothers are still keeping the manuscripts of his works in 23 voliums. The pen originally went to my elder brother but realising I love pens more than he does he gave it to me.

Edited June 24, 2016 by mitto

[Amirography]

Welcome to the Sheaffer board and interesting question.

 

My answer is that I collect pens for three reasons. First is to learn about them, especially filling systems and nibs, and photograph and write articles about them. Those pens come and go. Second, there are certain pens and models that I particulary like and I have a collection of them. As I find better examples, I will keep the better one and let the old one go. Searching for pens for these two reasons, I often buy groups of pens in lots and dispose of the ones I am not interested in. Lastly, I have some pens that I use every day.

ُThank you for your kindness.

 

 

I don't consider myself a 'nerd' because I buy pens then maybe let them go later when I decide I would rather have something else instead.

 

I think that many members on here like to upgrade their collections as they grow older, maybe have more money to spend, start to prefer a different brand, or maybe even just want a change. So they may sell pens they no longer use as much in the interests of getting something that they feel they may use more.

 

As it happens I still have my original Sheaffer Targa Classic Brown Ronce that I must have bought myself at least 30 years ago. At one time I decided to sell off most of my pen collection, as it was then, to improve it. However, I kept this Sheaffer FP and BP set because I really liked it and couldn't part with it then. I don't think I would even sell it now. There are several other pens that I could part with first.

 

(P.S. the bracketed 'd' is not an option...it is always 'live' in that tense )

Thank you for the correction. It was killing me!

 

It is very hard to answer your question since we do not know how long modern Sheaffer pens will live, but so far I have not seen any indications it would be different than in the past. I expect that my newer Sheaffer pens should continue to function for at least one century if not more.

Very interesting. I always thought that as humans go further in technology, the life span of things get shorter and shorter. At least newer gadgets have that impression. That's a great news!

 

They're built to last. That has, at least, been my experience so far. I don't have any vintage Sheaffers, but the modern ones are excellent in terms of build quality. Plus the modern ones are all C/C filled, so maintenance is a breeze and you don't have to worry about sacs etc.

Thank you for the details. May you tell me what C/C is?

[mitto]

ُ

 

 

Thank you for the details. May you tell me what C/C is?

 

C/C filled pens are those that use cartridge/converter as filling machinism.

[Amirography]

I have two Sheaffer Balance from the 1930's - Marine Green & Jade. Both are still in perfect operating order.

That is great!

 

I regularly use Sheaffer pens from the 1920's thru 1930's

in addition to the modern Sheaffer's c. 1940's - 2000. If the

pens are treated properly..no reason why they can't last.

 

Amir. Welcome Aboard! Please enjoy your time here.

You live in a beautiful city, and do you attend school

in your hometown?

 

Fred

Hey Fred. Thanks for your heartwarming welcome.

I still need to learn more about how to threat my pens properly. I'm a 23 years old, and as such, have a very limited experience with actual pens, let alone FP!

I'm attending Azad university of mashhad, and I'm studying architecture for now. Though I'm also getting ready for a national test of psychology so I can continue my master's degree studying clinical psychology, may be at one of the universities of Tehran. But I will probably apply for a Phd. program at Oslo university or one of the top universities of nordic countries. Their culture, climate and political system fascinates me. I like to learn more about them.

Sorry for

 

I expect a good pen to last a very long time. I use Sheaffers from the 20's and I bought Targas in the early 80's that I still use. I get what you mean by the folks that rotate pens. Seems like they get bored of a particular model and move on. I own hundreds of pens but, they are mostly collector pieces and I use a small group of maybe a dozen pens over the past decade or more. I've been using an Imperial IV from the late 60's and I've only owned that a couple of years. I used to use two snorkel statesmen for a number of years and just drifted to other pens. I have a pretty glacial rotation I guess.

 

Roger W.

I get what you mean by getting bored. I myself love a lot of varieties as well. But I always think of a pen in a different sense.

 

I've only been using and collecting fountain pens for about 6 or 7 years, and I now have about 70 pens (so I have acquired an average of about 10 pen year). I rarely sell a pen. The vast majority I have kept and I use almost every one. I rotate them so it may take a year or two before I write with one again, but they generally all get used.

 

I still own and use the pens that I bought 7 years ago.

Wow! That is a lot!

 

I don't have a lot of Sheaffers. Most of them are Snorkels, so date from the early 1950s at best. I do, however, have a Sheaffer Balance Oversize, which belonged to my husband's grandfather. I don't know how old that one is, but I'm guessing from the 1930s or 40s. I had to get a replacement cap for it, because the cap was lost long ago -- there's a story my mother-in-law told me but I don't know how true it actually is (*her* mother, according to my husband, tended to, um, "embroider" details to make things more interesting... ).

I do have (and use) a lot of vintage pens. The oldest ones that are working are probably the 1937 Parker Vacumatic Junior Red Shadow Wave (which may have been repaired before I got it) and a Morrison ringtop that may be from the early 1930s. I have a 1926 Parker Duofold Lucky Curve, but that one I haven't gotten repaired yet (it's a bit fragile, and the cap may need work).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

A lot of history! That is fascinating! (My grandfather also "embroider"s. But he was a history teacher, so ethically I see it as a bit challeging for him

 

I still use a couple Sheaffer triumph 440 and three Parker 45s given to me as gifts by my late uncle in mid to late sixties and arely to mid 70s. And I have a factory stub nibbed imperial that I inherited from my late father. I know that this last pen has been used by my father for more than 40 years. He was an author, a prolific writer and a researcher. And it is an established fact that he wrote more than 10000 pages with this pen. I and my brothers are still keeping the manuscripts of his works in 23 voliums. The pen originally went to my elder brother but realising I love pens more than he does he gave it to me.

10000 pages! wow! Does it still work as good as it worked 40 years ago?

[Amirography]

C/C filled pens are those that use cartridge/converter as filling machinism.

I see! Thanks!

[mitto]

I see! Thanks!

 

 

You are welcome. And yes, the pen still does write beautifully but way too broad. I think, that is because of excessive use.

[mitto]

 

Hey Fred. Thanks for your heartwarming welcome.

I still need to learn more about how to threat my pens properly. I'm a 23 years old, and as such, have a very limited experience with actual pens, let alone FP!

I'm attending Azad university of mashhad, and I'm studying architecture for now. Though I'm also getting ready for a national test of psychology so I can continue my master's degree studying clinical psychology, may be at one of the universities of Tehran. But I will probably apply for a Phd. program at Oslo university or one of the top universities of nordic countries. Their culture, climate and political system fascinates me. I like to learn more about them.

Sorry for

 

-------------

 

My daughter and grand children live in Sweden and I often visit them. I do agree that the Nordic people and their culture are interesting as well unique.

Edited June 24, 2016 by mitto

[Freddy]

 

Hey Fred. Thanks for your heartwarming welcome.

I still need to learn more about how to threat my pens properly. I'm a 23 years old, and as such, have a very limited experience with actual pens, let alone FP!

I'm attending Azad university of mashhad, and I'm studying architecture for now. Though I'm also getting ready for a national test of psychology so I can continue my master's degree studying clinical psychology, may be at one of the universities of Tehran. But I will probably apply for a Phd. program at Oslo university or one of the top universities of nordic countries. Their culture, climate and political system fascinates me. I like to learn more about them.

 

Amir, my pleasure and continued success with your academic endeavors.

 

Fred

[pajaro]

The Sheaffers will last a long time. Some will last because they were built to last and to be serviced easily, some because the converter will fail and not be economical to replace and some because after a while you will get tired of having to moisten them for writing every morning.

[northstar]

Although very difficult (almost impossible) to get it in Iran, but if you can buy one from USA, a newly restored snorkel will give you very long service, I only know of two snorkels being sold currently in Tehran, one is not functioning, the shop owner said someone brought it for repair and never came back for it, and at another store there is a masterpiece, but I am sure the guy will rip you 3/4 of your body parts in exchange for the pen.

 

Best regards.