Sheaffer Imperial 1 Touchdown Sac Replacement?

September 8, 2018

Hello guys,

I recently bought a Sheaffer Imperial I touchdown in good condition, bar it needing a new sac.

Ive taken apart the nib section and released the sac - it appears to be a bulb shape no longer than 4cm (not including the neck, it split off) and about 0.9cm wide.

Cant find many threads on this pen as its in the shadow of the later models, but people seem to be recommending a size 15 sac? Im not really sure what to do as it looks completely different and is recommended for the other model.

The Waterman Ink View sac looks somewhat similar and had also been suggested, but I was wondering if anyone here had any experience with this, or knows any other alternative?

Thanks

September 14, 2018

Is this the pen with the conical nib? I resacced one of these with a number 15 latex sac. Fairly easy.

September 17, 2018

I don't recall the sac, since I have only restored snorkels , but I will say that you shouldn't make the mistake I did and forget to size the sac. I thought the special necked sacs that go to the snorkels came pre-sized. I was wrong. Undoing all that paper thin metal to get back at it suuuuuuuuuuucked.

Edited September 17, 2018 by Honeybadgers

September 17, 2018

I think you should always size the sac, because if you don't you will be stuffing the sac into the sac protector. With too much sac in there, how will it fill?

September 17, 2018

These are the "odd ducks" of the Imperial line up. They don't have a sac guard, nor do they use a standard sac, but rather a short, necked sac that is more like a bulb.

You have to remove the metal thread bushing, then remove the sac. You may be able to use a Waterman Inkview sac. I haven't had to repair one, so havn't tried it - but the Inkview sac is the only thing that is close and available today.

There is an 0-ring in the barrel that needs to be replaced. Marshall and Oldfield says that the TD tube is glued onto the blind cap. The adhesive should soften with heat, and the knob should pull off.

September 17, 2018

Is this the pen with the conical nib? I resacced one of these with a number 15 latex sac. Fairly easy.

This has the Stylpoint nib. It does have a ridge between the actual nib and rest of the section in a diamond shape rather than being inlaid or just smooth so its a lot lot easier to take out and repair etc if needs be.

I don't recall the sac, since I have only restored snorkels , but I will say that you shouldn't make the mistake I did and forget to size the sac. I thought the special necked sacs that go to the snorkels came pre-sized. I was wrong. Undoing all that paper thin metal to get back at it suuuuuuuuuuucked.

I think you should always size the sac, because if you don't you will be stuffing the sac into the sac protector. With too much sac in there, how will it fill?

Sizing the sac as in just measuring the nipple on which it will be attached to? A few people say size 15 for the other models but ill measure it myself and put more weight on that, it was more to do with the necked section and how that fits in with the rest of the pen. (I believe this is the only TD to have the necked sack?)

These are the "odd ducks" of the Imperial line up. They don't have a sac guard, nor do they use a standard sac, but rather a short, necked sac that is more like a bulb.

You have to remove the metal thread bushing, then remove the sac. You may be able to use a Waterman Inkview sac. I haven't had to repair one, so havn't tried it - but the Inkview sac is the only thing that is close and available today.

There is an 0-ring in the barrel that needs to be replaced. Marshall and Oldfield says that the TD tube is glued onto the blind cap. The adhesive should soften with heat, and the knob should pull off.

Yes ive been able to take apart as much as the whole nib section and its ready for a new sac, just got to find the right one!

As for the O ring, it seems to suck and hold pressure well. When put against my face it can suction and stay there with quite some force so i might order the O ring on top, but hold out on taking it apart in case it will work as is. Its the first pen ive taken apart this much and so feels a little risky when heating up 40 year old plastic pens without prior experience.

Think ill order one of those then as noone seems to have any better idea. Sold a few pens recently so have some spare change which will hopefully do me well. Bought a targa in the meantime which will be perfectly satisfactory if the TD needs a little more time

September 17, 2018

An awful lot of people forget about this pen, and for good reason. In the decades I've been restoring pens I've handled a number of the C/C versions, I think I've only had one or two of this TD version in my hands.

The size 15 or 15 1/2 is the size sac used on all of the touchdown pens except the "fat Touchdown," and the Imperial I, which uses that short necked sac.

Of the pneumatic filler Sheaffers, only the "fat" TD and the PFM use the a 17 1/2 sac.

September 17, 2018

An awful lot of people forget about this pen, and for good reason. In the decades I've been restoring pens I've handled a number of the C/C versions, I think I've only had one or two of this TD version in my hands.

The size 15 or 15 1/2 is the size sac used on all of the touchdown pens except the "fat Touchdown," and the Imperial I, which uses that short necked sac.

Of the pneumatic filler Sheaffers, only the "fat" TD and the PFM use the a 17 1/2 sac.

Probably a stretch but is there no way i could convert this to just use cartridges instead?

September 17, 2018

Not with the touchdown tube in the pen. There isn't enough room in the barrel for a cartridge or converter.

I checked my Sheaffer parts and repair manual, and Sheaffer didn't give a breakout of the parts in their sections. I don't know if Sheaffer made any changes to the inside of the shell for the TD vs C/C pens either. They did that with the Imperials that have the inlaid nib. You can't swap internal parts from a nib unit with the plastic thread bushing, and a nib unit that has a metal thread bushing. They changed the internal parts on the ones with metal thread bushings to lock the piercing tube plug in place so it won't turn as the bushing is tightened down. They may have done something similar here. I think that the pen is what it is.

To tell you the truth, even if you could convert it, I would fix it and use it as intended. The C/C versions are more common - and cheesy looking. OTOH, this is pretty cool, and though I wouldn't say its rare, it is uncommon.