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Hello, A quick preface: My fascination with pens began with my mother's law office. I would go to work with her, marvel at her beautiful pens, and mischievously play with all the converters I'd find. Now I realize that all those converters were in drawers because it was more convenient to use cartridges, so she cast them aside along with a rather fine collection of antique bottle fillers. Now she's back to the hobby with me, and trying to use her old pens. She cares nothing for the mechanics, so her once magnificent collection now has ruined sacs, dried and plugged feeds, tarnish, damaged nibs, etc. To me, the most beautiful are the sheaffers- I'd like to restore them as a birthday gift. I need help identifying the following pens, the parts I will need, and perhaps where to get these parts. Any help is greatly appreciated. Here's what I know/need to know (left to right) 1. Touchdown filler, seems in okay working order, want to open it and clean it. 2. Vacuum filler, apparently a later model, wouldn't fill w/ water 3. Lever filler, unable to open it, sac audibly shattered into pieces- how can I open this pen? 4. Lever filler, already removed broken sac-what size should I get? 5. Vacuum filler, seems ok, would like to open and clean 6. Snorkel- mechanics work, but sac is compromised, what size do I need? THANK YOU!

I found this pen at an antique store for $8 and couldn't resist. The cap band has since fallen off, but I managed to resack it and it now works properly. Could anyone identify the pen based on the pictures and this description? It's a very small lever filler, the nib reads "SHEAFFER'S 3 MADE IN USA", the barrel reads "W.A. SHEAFFER CO. FORT MADISON IOWA, U.S.A. PATENTED IN U.S.A.", and the clip reads "SHEAFFER'S. The feed is very flat and has fins that do not go very deep, marked "L" on the bottom. The nib is very fine and has some flexibility. The clip and lever filler appear to have been gold originally, but have been abraded quite heavily. I would like to take the nib out to thoroughly clean the pen, does anyone know how to do this? Is this recommendable? Finally, I would like to clear up the foggy amber section and polish the pen overall- does anyone know what causes this and what would be best for this material?

Greetings from the Bay Area! I have now been living in the Bay Area for three years, relocating from my home town of Seattle. I became an enthusiast of fountain pens (and writing instruments in general) through the study of graphic design. I learned about the tools of the trade; the fountain pen was one of them. Several of my peers had used fountain pens and technical pens for illustrations, and I slowly became interested in them. I procured inexpensive Rotring models to start off and learned how to use them. Later, as I progressed into Graphic Design, I found work at a family owned stationery store, Sab-Tec Stationers- owned by Sabah and Liesel Al-Haddad, that let me grow in my knowledge in fine writing instruments. I started selling art supplies and office products, but began to gravitate towards the Fine Writing Instruments. Soon I became extensively knowledgeable on all the writing instruments and became one of the top sales associates of fine pens in the store. I presented all the pens we had with enthusiasm- Cross, Parker, Waterman, Sheaffer, Namiki, Visconti, Lamy, Rotring, Aurora, and Recife- and many other brands and models. I purchased my own, as well as was rewarded with well-regarded fountain pens. When I left to advance my career and education, my interest in fountain pens did not wane. I had inherited my father's and grandfather's pens, which were tucked away with their belongings. For a brief time, I drew with my father's Parker 51, but after a while, I decided to get my own pens to draw with for my own personal satisfaction. Thus my collecting resume. I bought an assortment of inexpensive and expensive fountain pens through the years, each being used for various projects and writing. Parker, Pilot/Namiki, and Sheaffer pens can usually be found on my person or on my desk, along with the many, many pens that I have accumulated from vendors and suppliers- roller balls, ball-points, mechanical pencils, etc. I joined this network to touch base with the community and glean knowledge about products, opinions, and to fill in the gaps of my knowledge on fountain pen lore. I want to expand my knowledge on ink, paper, handwriting, calligraphy, and techniques. I would like to learn a bit on maintenance and repair as well. I hope to share the bits of knowledge I have on Fine Writing Instruments as well. Thank you all for letting me be part of the forum!

Hey there! I'm new to this site, but I wanted some people's opinion on the Sheaffer Centennial Limited Edition SS Fountain Pen and the Heritage Limited Edition Pen. I've never bought a fountain pen in my life, and I do plan to when I save up enough, but for now I'm just observing and looking around. I tried looking for comments on these and found very limited resources. I just want to understand whether or not these prices seem too high, too low, the opinion of aesthetics, the value of it, or just any commentary you have on it in general. I personally find the Centennial one more aesthetically pleasing although in my opinion the price is relatively high. I would love to hear comments and just information in general! Many Thanks!

Are all gold Sheaffer Imperial Sovereigns vermeil? Gold layer on top of silver? Mine is gold finish with diamond/hatch pattern stamped only "Sheaffer (crown) USA-D.L." on the cap band - and has 14k inlaid nib and converter, with no reference to barrel/cap metal content. Can I safely assume vermeil?

My gold Imperial Sovereign hatch/diamond is only marked "Seaffer (crown) USA-D.L." I've got a dozen or so Sheaffer's, but none with "D.L." designation attached to the USA imprint on the band. Anybody know what it signifies? Not I, obviously.

Hey all, I have a Sheaffer tip-dip touchdown fill pen (cadet i think) that i found at an antique store and the cap threads don't seem to engage. They appear to be intact on both the pen and the cap. I know its not a fancy pen or anything, but I like how it writes (and that the internals are intact) so if anyone has any tips to make the cap stay on I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

the last thing you expect to do on your way to a meeting of your pen club is to find and buy pens, but that's exactly what happened to me yesterday here in manila.... my wife had an early meeting with a client, so we stopped by a nearby mall after her meeting for a snack, and lo and behold, there was an antiques show in the concourse, the second day of an annual event. i cruised the stalls while sipping hot chocolate and munching a doughnut, and didn't find anything too interesting, until i reached the last stall on our way out (of course, it always happens this dramatically).... there was a bunch of pens in their boxes under the glass, and i asked to see them more closely.... http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7344/9753345261_3ed74ff63e_z.jpg these were the ones that interested me most, especially since it looked like they were in mint condition (and indeed they were--the two parkers had personalizations, but otherwise had apparently never been used; the sheaffer still had chalk marks on it, and the pens were absolutely scratch- and ding-free). a sheaffer imperial, a parker 75, and a parker 61, all from the 1960s: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7430/9753544126_936a9e6dee_z.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/9753348371_f1a9e0a4f4_z.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/9753622153_da528c8223_z.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7329/9753549166_d5dc0b13b3_z.jpg total price for the lot: $125--not really a sumgai, but a pleasant start to any penman's day

Good Day! My husband brought me home a fountain pen from a garage sale over the weekend and was wondering how to tell if the insides are working correctly. From a link I found here I saw that it's a Sheaffer Balance of some sort...Blue and only made in 1932. It's in pretty dang good shape for being 81 years old! Love the color! Marked: W.A. Sheaffer Pen Co. Fort Madison, Iowa USA Pat. D-78,795 Nib is marked: Sheaffer's 3-25 Made in USA Cap marked Sheaffer's It's 5-1/2" long capped and 4-5/8" uncapped. I flushed out the old ink and held my breath when I inked it yesterday. So far it's holding ink, but I'm not sure if it's actually holding the ink in a sac or just floating around in there. Would you recommend someone who has NEVER taken apart a pen (me) to figure out how to take one apart and put it back together again...or is there someone I can send it to? It sorta scares me that I'll break it. And...what would be a price on it? So I know if I need to lock it up here at work. THANK YOU!

Dear all, I've recently remember how much of a engineering marvel the Sheaffer snorkel is. After finding my pen I noticed how the gold plating on the cap, both on the clip and wide cap ring was fading considerably to a brass like finish. Would anyone know how to restore the finish of the gold back to its original luster? Thanks, Badger

I have a couple of Sheaffer Legacy (both I and II) sterling "blanks", no engraving or design of any kind. They have the same "sterling" markings as any of the Legacy FPs with engraving/patterns, such as the Sheaffer Legacy sterling barleycorn models. I acquired these blanks many years ago from an office supply store, the owner of which insisted that they were some sort of "factory mistake" (perhaps they weren't scheduled for retail sale by Sheaffer, but obviously, artisans like Classic Pens started out with blanks to create their CP4, Washington and Richmond, Civil War pens, and Sheaffer has done the same with its various Legacy sterling models. I've never seen any Legacy sterling blanks for sale. I assume that if utilized as a writer, one would need to exercise great caution, and even then, it might be difficult to avoid scratching the smooth sterling surface. Did Sheaffer ever sell Legacy sterling blanks to retail customers? If "yes" what years, which models (Legacy I, II, Heritage), how were they priced, etc. Any information or opinions on the value of these blanks (less, more, or about the same as the standard Sheaffer factory Legacy I or II sterling fountain pens, such as the barleycorn pattern) would be greatly appreciated. This is my first post here and I'd like to point out that for someone like me who is not an expert, I appreciate the fact that those who are knowledgeable/experts are willing to provide answers when they can.

In honor of reaching 200+ posts on FPN, I'm posting a review! So let's get to it. Introducing my reliable Sheaffer! INTRODUCTION: About a year ago, I posted a query on FPN under "Looking for A Smooth Italic Nib" (original thread here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/224810-looking-for-a-smooth-italic-nib/?hl=jadie&do=findComment&comment=2391491). What I really wanted was a good pen recommendation, and many suggestions were thrown my way. As you can see, I ultimately picked the cursive italic Sheaffer offered by Pendemonium, and I've loved it so much I haven't felt the need to get another italic since. (I DID buy another Sheaffer...but I'll save that review for another day.) http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2835/9293706774_049e144474_o.jpgSheafferDelta0 by Jiadepix, on FlickrDoesn't seem like much, does it? Just wait and read some more... APPEARANCE & DESIGN: (7/10) By itself, the Sheaffer Delta Grip (aka SDG) is rather utilitarian. It's a straight, skinny pen with no frills or flowers---heck, with the cap on, you can't even tell the thing has a nib---it could pass for some fancy ballpoint. (Ironically, according to Pendemonium's descriptions, most SDGs were ballpoints, used for advertising purposes.) Mine, like all the others, was sold NOS. Honestly, if it wasn't for the satin gold finish, I might not have given this pen a second glance. Still, over time, I've come to appreciate the SDG for its sheer simplicity. This pen was born to write, and it does that superbly---oh, but I'm getting off topic, so hold that thought. Anyways, it's a shiny metal pen, but it has a quiet dignity about it----some sort of understated, modern elegance (eh, semi-modern? it was made in the 1980s) that doesn't scream "hey, look at me, I'm special!!" but just waits and watches and glows until you need it to do its job. Like a butler. Uh, a really well-dressed butler of a very wealthy family. One thing that bothers me is the grip section---this jarring black thing with a weird pebbly texture that's a cross between plastic and matte. It looks and feels cheap compared to the rest of the pen, though it doesn't detract from the writing experience and does provide a good grip. Another pet peeve would be the clip. It's plastic. I think they did this to cut costs for the pen, but why, Sheaffer, why make your pen body in gorgeous satin gold finish and then stick on a plastic clip?! That's like...wearing sneakers with your wedding dress or something. So not cool. =( CONSTRUCTION & QUALITY: (8/10) The SDG is a solid, secure pen. It has some weight, but not too much, and the gold finish really adds class. Balance is EXCELLENT---you can even make it do handstands on a table with no support. (Er, maybe headstand would be a better term here...clip-stands? upside-down stands?) The cap slides on and off smoothly and noiselessly, with just enough grip to tell you when you've securely closed the pen. I love capping and uncapping my Sheaffer---it's so much fun! No twisting, no turning, just tug and pull. Genius. I've *cough* dropped *cough* this pen a few times out of carelessness, but nothing has happened to it (er, besides some ink splatters inside the cap). It's built to last, and I wouldn't have qualms about dropping it again----but hopefully that'll never have to happen! Recently I've discovered that teeny specks of the finish have come off the end of my barrel. Not sure if I scratched it or if they're actually ink stains...but it makes me think that the paint job isn't so permanent after all. Well, this wasn't meant to be a fancy pen, so it doesn't bother me, but do keep that in mind if you get one. WEIGHT & DIMENSIONS: (10/10) CAPPED: 5 3/16 (~13.5cm)UNCAPPED: 4 5/8 (~12.2cm)POSTED: 5 7/8 (~15/5cm) The solid weight and slim size makes it an ideal match for my small hands. I don't have a scale, but I can tell you that it's lighter than my Visconti Rembrandt and heavier than my MB 146. It's the "just right" bowl of porridge in my soup bowl of fountain pens. I can write with it comfortably posted or unposted; I do prefer the latter as it allows the pen to rest comfortably against my hand. There is a negligible weight difference with the cap which doesn't affect balance in any way. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3709/9293735198_f767234153_o.jpgSheafferDelta4 by Jiadepix, on Flickr NIB & PERFORMANCE: (9/10) My nib is a medium cursive italic (0.7mm) ground by Pendemonium. Writing with it is like waterskiing across a lake with earplugs----deliciously smooth and wet but so, so blessedly quiet. None of that nasty scratchy business, thanks to the rounded edges of a CI nib. The nib works well with the weight of the pen so that I find myself writing all day with minimal effort and no hand strain. Joy! And the line variation isn't bad, either. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/9293713822_084d0a6ffb_o.jpgSheafferDelta3 by Jiadepix, on Flickr I don't know what magic Sheaffer did with the feed, but it takes all kinds of inks without skipping. My dry J. Herbin, my thick Noodler's, my wet and slippery Diamine/Sailor/Iroshizuku samples...yep, just put them in and they come flowing right out. No wonder I use this pen everyday! I do take one point off for some occasional skipping I've experienced when writing too fast...I'm guessing this is unavoidable with italic nibs, but eh, it breaks my rhythm when it happens, y'know? FILLING & MAINTENANCE: (7/10) My pen came with a standard Sheaffer squeeze convertor, which I like more than the boring C/Cs. Still, I like my fillers to reach maximum capacity, so I use a syringe to refill my pen. I don't have personal experience using the squeeze convertor, but I can tell you it's encased in metal and looks similar to a Pilot Con-70. The capacity is a good match for the nib---meaning I can use it for a few days before having to refill. This is all subjective, of course, though I can say now that I'm a voracious writer. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3811/9290924249_0ce9ff6454_o.jpgSheafferDelta2 by Jiadepix, on Flickr COST & VALUE: (9/10) I was lucky. I got this pen with a 20% discount coupon from a fellow FPN member, for around $37. The regular price was $45, I believe. Still, knowing what I know now, I'd still buy one today for $45 if I ever lose this one. This pen writes like a dream and has never left my daily carry arsenal. It's a workhouse pen, to be sure, and worth every penny. If they made ones with urushi finishes and got rid of that ugly clip, I'd pick up a dozen....er, to share with everyone else their loveliness, of course! CONCLUSION: (50/60) Stop reading this and get one for yourself! It's a Triple S Threat: solid, sleek, sophisticated. And affordable. What are you waiting for? http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5471/9293701052_f5a49a7c82_o.jpg SheafferDelta1 by Jiadepix, on Flickr

Trying to decide between two options in the $30-40 range for my first vintage pen. One is an Esterbrook of some variety. My first priority with that would be to get one that's properly restored, which seem to be less common. I know there are tutorials for installing a new sac, but I'm not quite at that point in my fountain pen "career" yet. I know these are super popular here on FPN (which doesn't seem to be helping the eBay prices)! Another option is a Sheaffer 444 NOS "seconds" from Peyton Street Pens. They're going for $30 and I don't think the cosmetic damage will bother me. A vintage pen should have some character, after all. I like the 444 over the similarly-priced 330 and 440 because it's all metal and a bit heavier. Does anyone have experience with both of these pens? Does one have better fit-and-finish? Which is more beginner-friendly? That is, a reliable writer, durable, and not something I'll feel inclined to put in a glass case for fear of damaging it. Alternatively, would you recommend a completely different vintage pen in that price range? Thanks!

Hi everyone! I got lucky on ebay chasing a wahl-eversharp desk pen and I wound up with a lot that contained a sheaffer's phone dialer pen. At first, I thought it was some buggered and broken deskpen/franken pen, but after some research, I discovered it was a phone dialer! From what I have read, it says these were in production around the 1930's. However, the patent dates on mine say Aug.25.08, Dec 10.12-Jun.27-Oct.20 Nov.24.14. Were phone dialers even in production at this time? Were there even telephones in production at this time? This is probably the most obscure pen I've come across, and if this is a whole pen with the correct dates, then it is also the oldest. I can't believe this thing I have has seen the start and finish of both world wars and the great depression. Just amazing. The cap, as you can see, is totally separated from it's lip. I currently have a replacement balance cap for it, but it is also in not-so-great shape. The 'S' on the clip has been completely rubbed of. I'd love to restore this pen so if anyone has a lead on a cap that is in better shape, please let me know! http://thefirstpancake.smugmug.com/photos/i-J3LSVN9/0/M/i-J3LSVN9-M.jpg http://thefirstpancake.smugmug.com/photos/i-jcGvgQ6/0/M/i-jcGvgQ6-M.jpg http://thefirstpancake.smugmug.com/photos/i-Wx2vQMK/0/M/i-Wx2vQMK-M.jpg http://thefirstpancake.smugmug.com/photos/i-g3bD2fm/0/M/i-g3bD2fm-M.jpg

I just received a restored Sheaffer Snorkel from ebay today, it has a new sac, point seal, o-ring, etc. The only problem is that the snorkel has hardened ink residue in (roughly) the first few millimeters. This hampens the amount of ink that is able to be drawn up into the sac to about .5 mL, if even. I have attempted soaking the snorkel in goo-gone for around ten minutes, but that did little to help. What should I try next? --Tadeusz

I was cleaning my Statesman when I noticed that the feed had wandered off centre compared to the nib. I decided to disassemble to realign this and give the pen a thorough cleaning at the same time. The feed is conveniently fitted with a screwdriver slot at the barrel end to help align this to the nib when it is tightened onto the threaded section. There were no signs of locking adhesive at the threads or the barrel, so I am assuming that this is not required and hand tightening and feed friction are sufficient to avoid any problems.

Hello, I'm looking for a replacement nib for my Sheaffer Targa 1003 (full size) gold finish. I imagine these are pretty hard to find but I thought I'd see if anyone at fpn has one, or knows where I might find one. My ideal nib would be NOS medium, but I would be happy with lightly used.

Since I'm going to university after this summer, I thought it would be a nice idea to buy myself a new fountain pen. I've always been extremely fond of my Sheaffer Sentinel which I got from my dad, but I'd just like to have a second pen in the price range from €0 to €60. I've been looking at Sheaffer of course and I like the Agio. But the Diplomat Traveller also drew my attention as a nice looking pen. I don't like thick pens, or complete plastic (read: Lamy) ones. But what's more important to me is the weight (light), feedback (real smooth) and writing (fine). When I was younger I owned a Waterman Kultur which I think was rather scratchy and an even scratchier Schneider. Any advise would be appreciated!

We just got in a large order of handmade ebonite pens from Ranga in India. These pens were designed to work with Sheaffer inlaid nibs and Sheaffer converters/cartridges. That means they will accept the same nibs found in 1960-70s Sheaffer Imperials such as the 444, 330, and 440 (steel nibs) and the high end Imperials such as the 777, 826 and 834 (long diamond inlaid 14k nibs) and the V-inlay nibs from the 550 and 440XG models. We're offering them with gold colored clips, silver colored clips, or no clip. They are the same length but slightly more slender than the regular Ranga models such as their "Duofold" model 3 and rounded-ends Model 4C. Here are some photos that show the pen in various colors. These pens are available in black (both smooth and matte "bakul" finish), mottled green, mottled brown, ripple green, ripple brown, ripple olive and ripple pink (really more like burgundy). http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/ranga/4cs_imp_pinkrip_1.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/ranga/4cs_imp_olirip_2.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/ranga/4cs_imp_greenrip_1.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/ranga/4cs_imp_greenmot_3.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/ranga/4cs_imp_brnmot_1.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/ranga/4cs_imp_pinkrip_3.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/ranga/4cs_black_clips_1.jpg Our prices are very reasonable for a handmade hard rubber pen with a quality US-made nib and converter. $68 for pens with steel nibs, and $113 for pens with 14k nibs. Shipping to addresses in the US is free, and around $10 for orders outside the US. You'll find the pens on our web site here. We are having very good response to our Ranga pens offered at $80 with German (JoWo) screw-in nib units: Model 4C (rounded ends) Model 3 (aka "Duofold") Customers continue to give us very enthusiastic feedback about our collaborations with Ranga Pens of India. I hope you'll give one of these great pens a try soon. TERI

This is a first post, story, and request for assistance all in one. To begin I would like to say hi to all in this wonderful community. I have followed for a while and just made an account to share this story and ask for help. I have used nothing but fountain pens for writing for almost three years now (ever since I started college), and can't imagine going back to anything else. Though up to this point I have owned only modern pens, including a Waterman's Harmonie, a TWSBI 540, and, my favorite, a full sized Sailor 1911. This is where the story begins. My grandfather has recently passed away, and in the process of cleaning his hoarder like house a multitude of fountain pens were discovered. Most of my family members disregarded them, thinking they were junk and a product of the past, but my dad, knowing that I used fountain pens asked if I would want them. I said absolutely, even if they are broken and junk I am sure I can piece parts together to make a functioning pen I can remember my grandfather by. To my surprise, many of them are in great shape, minus the fact that almost all of them were left with ink in them (I will have a lot of pens to go through and clean in the next couple of weeks, as I only took on one project set for this week as I have finals to be studying for). The functioning lot included a couple Esterbrook J's, two Esterbrook dollar pens, numerous Wearever pens (many of which I passed around to my cousins to have as a keepsake), although one I made sure to hold on to as it has a 14k gold nib, which struck me as odd as I believed most Wearever's were pretty inexpensive, one pen/mechanical pencil set that I believed was labeled Parkette (although I can't quite remember), one Conkiln, which had a filling system I have never seen before and also had a 14K mark on the nib, and a handful of others that I don't even remember. Many of these I will have to do research on and will ask questions about in the future, but there was one set that I immediately fell in love with and brought back with me to campus (the rest I sent home with my dad). It is a Sheaffer Sentinel Deluxe-TM Ensemble. I know so because I was lucky enough to find the pen and mechanical pencil set in the case with the cardboard box on it. I knew that this must have been a set he received as a gift, but I wanted to know why he received such a nice pen set; so I started doing research. After doing some internet searching, I believe it is a Touchdown thin-model (TM is on the box) and think it must be from 1950, as that would have been when he graduated high-school, and the information I have found says they were in production from 1950-52, but I noticed one thing that didn't seem to match. The nib does not have the 14K gold plate on the top half. This is when I ask for help. Can someone tell me when this pen was produced so I can figure out why my grandfather was gifted such a nice pen set? The only other details about the pen that I can think of is the the nib says SHEAFFER'S, and then something so tiny I can't read it, and then, MADE IN U.S.A, and the barrel of the pen says W.A. SHEAFFER PEN CO., FORT MADISON, IOWA, U.S.A., MADE IN U.S.A. Thank you for your time and help, PensMakeMemories

Here are some more of the pens I bought I have already repaired these ones but I would like to know the names and the approximate years they were made the parts bag said snorkle so I think that's the name of them some aren't as complicated as the others internally and don't have the little extendable tube in them or the seal at the front and the second bunch I assume are just called lever fill sheaffers ?