Recommendations For Best Value Sheaffer?

[drjmb]

Wow! Shaeffer (Sheaffers, Shaeffer's) are generally superior pens. The Snorkels are actually (not virtually) FUN and are way underpriced. I've had three dozen or so and am down to the best dozen as writers. The Targa and its inlaid nib is nothing short of superb and some of the absolute best writing pens ever made steel or gold if one gets the right nib. Avoid the fine point nibs. However, I am most appreciative of the Connaisseur (sic). The Sheaffer's has an 18kt gold nib and the Sheaffer/Levenger a 14kt nib that is like butter on the paper. I still prefer an M or B nib but I can live with the F in this nib because of the mild spring (not flex, exactly) of this wonderful gold nib. I've acquired two of these for less than $90 but did pay $150 for a NOS. Finally, only get vintage pens that were real Sheaffers before l'deluge.

[rff000]

I like the Cadet Tip-Dip. It's really like a Snorkel in disguise, but instead of a protruding needle, there's just a hole in the feed for the ink to go in. Otherwise, it's exactly the same touchdown technology, but much cheaper and less in demand.

 

I only wanted one, but wound up with three by mistake. First, I bought one on an Ebay auction well over 10 years ago. It was supposed to have a "semi-flex medium" SM1 nib, but I got a regular medium by mistake. When I told the seller, he told me to keep the whole medium nib pen and sent me a new semi-flex. Then, a few years later, another Ebay pen was misidentified as a Snorkel and I bid and won the auction, but it turned out to be yet one more Tip-Dip with a matching pencil! It needed a new sac and I decided to just repair it and keep the third Cadet, instead of complaining to the seller. It came with a Fine F1 nib but I was curious about the Gregg shorthand G1 nib, so I bought one and use it, even though I don't know shorthand. It's very fine, in any case, which is what I prefer. I think I'd like to try a fine flex, not the medium semi-flex that I own, but the screw-in nibs are no longer made, so you have to wait for one on a place like Ebay and I've never seen any flexes for sale there, so they must be very rare.

 

Well, now I have three Cadets, one in uninked condition, plus two others. I probably should sell one or two, but I'm keeping them, just in case I need a replacement.

 

I don't know what they cost on Ebay now, but my first purchase was around $12 for NOS and my second one, mislabeled as a Snorkel, cost around $23.

 

By the way, Tip-Dip and Snorkel used the same instruction sheet, so Ebay sellers almost always confuse Snorkels and Tip-Dips. Be careful if you buy either one.

Edited June 2, 2017 by rff000