What Would You Consider To Be Sheaffer Pen Highlights?

[gammada]

 

The pens that I have come to use most these days are the Imperials with the inlaid nibs. They are always ready to write. I am using several in fine and extra fine, cartridge and Touchdown. Desk pens and fountain pens with caps. The older Balance type pens, even in entry level incarnations, are also exceptional. For American pens it is hard to beat Sheaffer at any level of price.

 

After many years of sampling stuff I have come back to the Sheaffers of the 1960s, the Imperials. They made great extra fines.

Thanks to Maiin Street Pens for selling me the burgundy Imperial VII Touchdown filler in extra fine. A long journey to find my favorite pen. I have been topping it with the 1996 Holly Pen cap. Looks good.

 

I've seen many Imperials for sale locally, but most are of the bling style, meaning gold-plated (rarely in good shape), so I've been skipping past them. But I will have a second look. After all, I can either remove the entire plating or if the specimen worths it, restore the plating. Thanks!

[gammada]

Sheaffer nibs are excellent regardless of when they were manufactured. From flat-top 1920s models, to streamlined 30s-40s, to the great inlaid nibs of 40s-60s, all of the nibs are superior. Among more modern models, I think the Connaisseur, Grande Connaisseur, and Levenger-Sheaffer Seas (Connaisseur) are the best cartridge-converter fillers ever made by any manufacturer.

 

Will check on those. But seems that, at least locally, the more modern the pen, the harder is to find! Guess Mexicans stopped using fountain pens way earlier than in the US or maybe they went the MB route, which became popular here in the 90's

[ink-syringe]

 

Just spotted a Balance pen with an asking price of nearly $250, is this the going rate for them?

 

The Balance is a vac-filler?

 

 

 

You have a lot of questions. Many of which probably you could answer yourself with a little research of your own but to tackle this one a little as it is indeed knotty:

 

There were a LOT of different Balance models of different sizes and finishes and there were primarily 2 filing systems. The Lever Fillers and the vacuum fillers (a.k.a Plungers). The prices on these are going to be wildly different depending on the size, the filling system, the finish and whether or not it has been restored already or not and then finally if the nibs is anything special.

 

Vacuum fill pens are difficult to restore properly and therefore sometime available at good prices but the pen has to be restorable (no problems with the rod, no cracked feeds, etc) and you have to figure the price of the restore and shipping into the pen. Look for the turning knob or the plunger rod to tell these.

 

Lever Fillers are easy to restore and therefore often get restored before sale. Also easier to spy as they have the visible lever right there on the barrel.

 

very very very generally there were the standard sizes (often called Statesman Balance) the oversize (The Premier Balance) and a cheaper but still wonderful Admiral Balance... Then there were a host of smaller pens. It is complicated. If I was just dipping my toe in the water I would look for a restored Vac-fil or a lever fill Balance Statesman or something just to get started. Best to buy (at first) from someone reputable like Peytonstreet or Mainstreet pens or a known restorer in case there are problems.

 

As much as I LOVE the balance (and I think an OS Balance is pretty much the best a pen can be) it isn't where I would start my journey as the Balance line is a labyrinth. But if you find a good one ...

[chromantic]

I'll second pajaro's recommendation of the school pens. My preference is for the 90's era ones (with the flat ends); to me, they represent the acme of minimalist design. I just happen to be using one this evening at work, transparent blue with Skrip Turquoise.

 

My other favorites are the early 50's Cadets tip dip Touchdowns. I have a couple Touchdown Admirals with the feathertouch nibs but I haven't had the pleasure of using them yet as they both need restoration, same goes for the one Triumph-nib Tuckaway I've managed to acquire. Looking forward to using them all.

[gammada]

 

As much as I LOVE the balance (and I think an OS Balance is pretty much the best a pen can be) it isn't where I would start my journey as the Balance line is a labyrinth. But if you find a good one ...

 

 

A lot of variants indeed. As you stated earlier, lever fillers are easy to spot, so I'll get my start there. Considering that the exchange rate in this country is way too steep, I would have to center the focus of my purchases on local items -which are currently more than 50% cheaper in dollar terms.

 

Thanks for the introduction to the Balance!

[gammada]

I'll second pajaro's recommendation of the school pens. My preference is for the 90's era ones (with the flat ends); to me, they represent the acme of minimalist design. I just happen to be using one this evening at work, transparent blue with Skrip Turquoise.

 

Will look for them. Thanks!