What Is This Pen, And How Does It Fill?

[werdigo49]

I found this Sheaffer pen in a desk drawer a few days ago, and it may be my first fountain pen. I received a gray pen as a gift about 1953 and was so enthralled with it that I copied, in cursive script, an entire story ("Amigo, My Burro") from a Jack and Jill magazine to which my parents had subscribed for me.

 

Placed in a cup of water, a brownish or gray tinge appeared, and working this plunger mechanism brought a little more color out. But I don't see how to fill the pen. Pulling out on the plunger seems to draw liquid into the nib, but pushing it back into place so the little cap can be screwed back on seems to expel the fluid again.

 

Of course I have many other pens, but it would be cool to get the pen that may have been my very first to function again!

 

 

 

[joss]

Hi,

 

The pen looks like a Sheaffer Touchdown Admiral. EDIT: it is a Sheaffer Cadet as pointed out in the next response.

 

The Touchdown mechanism is explained here:

www.richardspens.com/ref/fillers/pneumatic.htm#touchdown

www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Sheaffer/SheafferTouchdownGuide.htm

www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Sheaffer/SheafferTMTouchdown.htm

 

The Touchdown sucks ink into the internal rubber sac on the down-stroke movement of the extended rod (it looks like a plunger but it isn't really, possibly a matter of semantics). If it sucks water/ink on the upstroke movement, the internal rubber sac is perished and needs to be replaced. That is an easy job to do and well worth it if it is your first pen.

 

Info on the repair here:

www.richardspens.com/ref/repair/touchdown.htm

Edited May 11, 2020 by joss

[Parker51]

It is a Sheaffer's Cadet. It origonally cost $3.75. Information from:

http://penhero.com//Sheaffer/SheafferTipDip.htm

[werdigo49]

Thanks very much! This looks like just what I'd hoped for.

PS. Parker51, my second fountain pen was a Parker 51, found on my paper route. I broke it, climbing a tree with it in my pocket, but have since acquired others.

[Parker51]

I never found a pen on my paper route or anything else of value. I was however a very diligent and professional paper boy however and was tipped quite well. It was an important life lesson that has served me through my life.