Determining A Sheaffer Nib Type

[InkPartout]

It's been a while since I made a post, but I am thinking of acquiring another fountain pen, specifically a Sheaffer

 

Do Sheaffer mark their nibs with a style mark to enable one to determine whether the nib is fine, medium, broad, italic, or some other ?

If they do, where do I look and what are the marks ?

If they don't, how do I know what type of nib is fitted in a particular pen ?

 

This applies especially to inlaid nibs which are not easy to change.

 

I have had an experience with a Sheaffer Imperial which writes very well, and I reckon must be a medium nib (but IDK) and a Parker sonnet which must be a fine nib and I can't enough ink out, and it produces a very fine line which is difficult to read (but which I admit may be caused by some other problem like poor ink flow to the nib).

 

and so I think I need to be able to tell what nib is fitted before I buy, or in case the seller doesn't know

 

InkPartout

16.March.2019

[BaronWulfraed]

Since the 70s (at least, maybe earlier), Sheaffer pens used a gold-tone silk-screened (or rubber stamped) notation on the /section/ near where the cap is held (that is, just above the clutch ring).

 

Unfortunately, said marking easily wears away. Out of 11 Sheaffers in that time period, I can just make out the marking in good lighting on 7 of them (well, two are obvious -- the late-70s Targa was imprinted into the plastic, and the Fashion II has never been inked so still have visible gold-tone; the rest need to get the light to glance just right to see the haze in the plastic). I own two Intrigues -- only never used (or inked once) and one that has seen use (and has been stepped upon!). The never used model is just visible, the heavy used model can not be seen no matter how I hold it to the light.

[InkPartout]

Thank you for reply, Baron

 

At least now I know where to look (I was examining the nib itself), and thank you for warning me of the difficulties I should expect to find.

 

I would have thought that a company which prides itself on quality does not a less transient way of indicating the style of the nib on its pens.

 

InkPartout

17.March.2019

[InkPartout]

I've looked at my Sheaffer Imperial and as the Baron says, below the clutch ring th is white 'M' s clear as a bell, with virtually no wear.

 

InkPartout

17.March.2019

[BaronWulfraed]

I would have thought that a company which prides itself on quality does not a less transient way of indicating the style of the nib on its pens.

 

Sheaffer probably wasn't thinking of second hand markets, so only needed to have a marking applied which lasted for first sales.

 

Also -- it let them create generic (eg: nibs, and then they could mark the section after grinding the nib, based upon how the grind came out; rather than rejecting a nib if it had been, say, stamped M and somehow ground to an F.