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Identifying And Restoring 3 Vintage Sheaffers


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Hi all,

 

I have 3 vintage Sheaffer fountain pens that were recently passed down to me from my late great-grandfather. I know that one of them is for sure a Sheaffer Snorkel, but I'm not sure about the other two.

 

ySU84z9.jpg

 

Images of the Snorkel: https://imgur.com/a/TWdURQp

Images of the brown pen: https://imgur.com/a/BYhi5jT

Images of the green pen: https://imgur.com/a/2myBKsk

 

The two unknown pens I'm fairly confident I can easily restore. They both AFAIK have petrified sacs, though one of them came apart and I was able to get it out. The Snorkel I am less confident about, given its complexity. I'm somewhat sure that the filling mechanism works (I just accidentally sprayed my dress pants with Waterman Intense Black testing the nib and the pump), but getting the seals and especially the sac replaced will be a doozy.

 

Any comments or thoughts as to what those two pens are or how I should proceed in the restoration process?

 

Thanks!!

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I would probably attempt the two Ballances myself but would send the Snorkle to a competent pen repairer. Hopefully they might also have a replacement cap as it appears that yours has a serious crack.

PAKMAN

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For sure take Pakman's advice about sending the Snorkel to a pro for repair. The other 2, being lever fill are, while not easy-peasy to fix, not impossible for a novice. They are both Sheaffer Balance pens, the green one (Marine Green Striated) is probably from 1937 (+/-), the brown one,(Golden Brown striated) is a bit earlier, maybe 1936. Does it have a white dot on the cap above the clip? The nib is a ''Lifetime" which indicates there should be one (Sheaffer's lifetime guarantee) somewhere. That pen was a little higher-end than the green one.

 

Go and find some information about re-sacing lever fill pens first, Richard Binder's site (richardspens.com) will be helpful, and while you're there, check out his "Balance" information in the Glossopedia. He gives measurements of various Balance models, you can identify yours.

 

Good luck, Great Grandpa was obviously a Sheaffer fan.

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@PAKMAN Would you recommend I send my Snorkel to the pen restorer you have in your signature?

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@PAKMAN Would you recommend I send my Snorkel to the pen restorer you have in your signature?

I had Danny Fudge restore my Snorkle; he does reasonably quick and fair work. I'm not sure yours is one of the ones he does or not. Pakman will know for sure. (He limits himself nowadays). Sherrell Tyree repaired my other Sheaffers.

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Not to hijack this thread but I too have a Snorkel that I'd like to get checked / fixed. I've sent two emails to Mr. Fudge with no reply.

 

Pakman, Bibliophage, or anyone... Have you heard from or used Mr. Fudge recently? I've heard he does great work with Snorkel pens but I'm hesitant to send a pen to someone I haven't an arrangement with. Thanks!

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Well, I received mine back in October, after giving them to him at the Dallas pen show. That's the most recent contact I've had.. (okay, an email asking if he worked on Parker 45's, and he did reply, but that was still in October/November).

 

I'd give him a few days. I know that Sherrell Tyree/inkpens tends to be a bit slow at responding to email, but that's because they're busy.

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Talked to Danny this week, we are making plans to go to the Little Rock show. Here is his contact info from his website.

 

(402) 215-2376
danny@thewritepen.net

PAKMAN

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If it turns out expensive, snorkels are within the range of your skills likely, they are kind of fun actually just need the two seals and a sac. It is a pretty color and since a heirloom that may be good to send, but Parker 51 guy had a you tube video to watch this done if wanting to learn.

Just dont try to get into the nib section and is not bad.

Regards, Glen

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