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If You Could Only Own One Sheaffer, Which One Would It Be?

lordofnumpties

By lordofnumpties
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lordofnumpties Near Mint

lordofnumpties

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I'm hoping to add a Sheaffer to my collection. New or vintage. Not impressed with an Australian burgundy Imperial or a friend's Sheaffer 100. It felt like cheap plastic, and compared to other steel nibs, there was too much feedback and no flexibility.

Recommendations?

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corgicoupe Collectors Item

corgicoupe

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Probably a Connaisseur

Baptiste knew how to make a short job long

For love of it. And yet not waste time either.

Robert Frost

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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

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Burgundy Touchdown Imperial in extra fine with 1996 Holly pen cap. This one I like the best.

 

Retired. A lot of time on my hands.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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alexander_k Vintage

alexander_k

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I'd go for a Legacy with a stub nib. Failing that, any Sheaffer pen with a factory stub.

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Estragon Rare

Estragon

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I'd choose my vacuum filling Balance Statesman in marbled silver pearl. Perfect girth and well . . . balance in the hand for me. Holds a bucketful of ink. And has a two-toned Lifetime nib that's a delightfully smooth and consistent writer. I prefer the full-sized to the oversized/Premier for the same reasons I'd opt for a Pelikan 400 over an 800 – just fits my hand better. Were someone to offer to trade me a Snorkel Demo or early Crest with sterling cap, however, I'd be in quite a quandary!

aka popcod (FPGeeks)

 

WANTED: Vintage Pens with White Metal Trim! —> Sheaffer: OS Balance w/ reverse trim (grey/red vein) | Balance (grey/red fleck); Canadian Balance 5-30 (roseglow, green, ebonized pearl); First-Yr Crest (silver cap) | Waterman: Lady Patricia (clean persian) | Wahl-Eversharp: "half" Coronet (rhodium cap); Doric (Cathay); Skyline (SS/Sterling Cap) | Rebadged Parkers: Diamond Medal (grey pinstripe, marble stripe, etc.)

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inkstainedruth Ancient Artifact

inkstainedruth

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I don't have a lot of Sheaffers. I don't consider the Balance Oversize to be mine -- I'm just the caretaker (it was my husband's grandfather's pen, and I'd like to keep it in the family if at all possible).

So I'd have to say probably the Snorkel Statesman with the semi-flex stub nib. Even though it's a black pen; I'm half tempted to swap nibs between it and the Aqua Blue Statesman with the EF nib, because that EF nib is very persnickety about what inks do well in it (so far, it's mostly been modern Skrip Purple that's done the best -- it didn't like vintage Skrip Peacock much at all :angry:).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Ernst Bitterman Donor Pen

Ernst Bitterman

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One of the triumph-pointed TDs, whether fat or Thin Model. Love 'em.

 

fpn_1493157376__sheaffer-0200.jpg

fpn_1493157419__sheaffer-0351y.jpg

 

However...

there was too much feedback and no flexibility.

 

...Sheaffers are AMAZINGLY consistent in their feel on paper; there's not a lot of difference between the modern 100, these chosen objects of mine, and Balances that weren't specifically rigged for flex (because up to the 1950s, you could still specify flex or not). The barrel dimensions and materials can amend the sensations somewhat, but if you're unmoved by the performance of the ones you mention, you may not find any Sheaffer quite to your liking.

Ravensmarch Pens & Books
It's mainly pens, just now....

Oh, good heavens. He's got a blog now, too.

 

fpn_1465330536__hwabutton.jpg

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Ron Z Museum Piece

Ron Z

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Most likely a Sentinel Deluxe or a Valiant plunger filler. These have some of the best nibs that I've encountered. I don't know if it's the tipping material that they were using, or the rigidity of the Triumph nib (so less vibration?) but they are often very smooth.

 

The only nib (singular) that I have handled that it better is the frosted banner 9668 in my Visumaster. Amazing nib.

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Visit Main Street Pens
A full service pen shop providing professional, thoughtful vintage pen repair...

Please use email, not a PM for repair and pen purchase inquiries.

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AL01 Vintage

AL01

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They are a writer's pen. I swear by them. (Although I should be moved by Parker.) Are the Imperials or Triumph nibs better? (I have been slowly looking for a suitable 14k Sheaffer - may just end up being a Targa or a Snorkel/TD.)

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CraigN Rare

CraigN

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Lordofnumpties,

 

My favorite Sheaffer pens are vac-fil Valiants. I have gray, carmine and green, missing only a brown one. It has my favorite filling system and the valiant size fits my hand very well. The Triumph nib is very hard to beat unless one insists on something with a little flex.

 

I also have a Legacy II with a factory stub nib. An excellent pen.

 

Regards,

Craig

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ac12 Donor Pen

ac12

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As of today, my black touchdown desk pen, that I use.

Who knows, tomorrow it may change.

It may change after the San Francisco Pen Show, if I find a Sheaffer that I really like.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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AL01 Vintage

AL01

Posted
Posted

Lordofnumpties,

 

My favorite Sheaffer pens are vac-fil Valiants. I have gray, carmine and green, missing only a brown one. It has my favorite filling system and the valiant size fits my hand very well. The Triumph nib is very hard to beat unless one insists on something with a little flex.

 

I also have a Legacy II with a factory stub nib. An excellent pen.

 

Regards,

Craig

 

Thanks. Some day... I rarely buy pens, so buying a pen is almost a religious moment to me...

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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
Posted

One of the triumph-pointed TDs, whether fat or Thin Model. Love 'em.

 

fpn_1493157376__sheaffer-0200.jpg

fpn_1493157419__sheaffer-0351y.jpg

 

However...

...Sheaffers are AMAZINGLY consistent in their feel on paper; there's not a lot of difference between the modern 100, these chosen objects of mine, and Balances that weren't specifically rigged for flex (because up to the 1950s, you could still specify flex or not). The barrel dimensions and materials can amend the sensations somewhat, but if you're unmoved by the performance of the ones you mention, you may not find any Sheaffer quite to your liking.

 

Love that green color.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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FarmBoy Museum Piece

FarmBoy

Posted
Posted (edited)

I would own a Sterling capped crest or a flat top in white ivory or an OS Roseglow balance with wide milled cap band.

Edited by FarmBoy

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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dogpoet Collectors Item

dogpoet

Posted
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I'm hoping to add a Sheaffer to my collection. New or vintage. Not impressed with an Australian burgundy Imperial or a friend's Sheaffer 100. It felt like cheap plastic, and compared to other steel nibs, there was too much feedback and no flexibility.

 

Recommendations?

 

If I could be sure of getting a working and/or restored one, a PFM, otherwise a Targa with a broad nib.

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