What Defines Sheaffer And The Pen It Makes?

[Albus]

What defines sheaffer and the pen it makes?

 

What do you like about sheaffer and sheaffer pens?

 

What makes sheaffer pen unique?

[Garageboy]

They made a great pen and sold them at a fair price, and were cutting edge.

 

From the Balance with it's shape that's soo distinctively 1930s, using the then, revolutionary Radite and offering their pens in a multitude of bright, shiny colors, to the more restrained Vac Fill and TD models, to the pastel colored Snorkels and Mad Men era PFMS, Sheaffer was always reflected the era in their pens.

[RLTodd]

Questions would probably generate more informative responses if changed to the pre- B.I.C. past tense.

[ashbridg]

What makes sheaffer pen unique?

In a word, innovation. Sheaffer patented the first clip-filler pen, which revolutionized the industry. Then came the Vac-Fil, Touchdown, and Snorkel. Sheaffer's nib innovations are numerous: In the 1920s they patented a process for lining the nib slit with platinum. Their conical Triumph nib was hugely successful as was the inlaid nib. Other companies tried to copy these nibs and failed.

 

In the 1950s, Sheaffer’s cartridge pen dominated the student market. Unfortunately, ballpoints brought the Golden Age of the fountain pen to a close. Workmanship and materials used in vintage pens are cost prohibitive now. Sheaffer still makes some good pens today. The Valor and the Legacy both have inlaid nibs and are excellent writers.

.

[zal]

in addition to all the above, sheaffer always captivated the hearts of people. the inlaid nib played a huge role in it both aesthetically and functionally. there were so many models and in them so many variants that perhaps except jim and such other dedicated folks around here, not many of us know them all.

 

the words "fort madison, iowa" was well known and even the trains and the river added to the mystique. fort madison, iowa is the only place that i remember of the origins of a pen maker, without effort.

 

it was a good clean company, people who really cared about their customers, they had the lifetime warranty - though it became a limited warranty later. as far as i know, they honoured the lifetime warranty even decades later. they never went back on their word or looked at the customer like a cow to be milked dry, as some fp makers do now.

 

many people worked there till retirement, all those master craftsmen and artists and technicians. they knew they brought joy into people's hearts and to their loved ones.

 

sheaffer was a culture, an emotion not just a product. unfortunately, by the time i started to earn on my own, fps had become collectibles and the golden age of sheaffer was already over.

 

although i use past tense, i still have much of these feelings for the present sheaffer co. also. you only need to pull off the cap and show the inlaid nib for memories to come flooding back.

 

cheers.

 

krishna.

[davefoe]

Very well put, Krishna. The people at Sheaffer were what made it a great company.

[zal]

Very well put, Krishna. The people at Sheaffer were what made it a great company.

 

thank you, dave. in india, the fp has not become much of a collectible, it has only become rare. people who want to buy fine writing instruments go for a luxury brand ball pen or an rb, only the die hard fp fanatics still use fountain pens, mainly because of the writing comfort and ink variety, though in india ink colours are limited and also nowadays almost all colours are available in bp and rb.

 

lets hope that sheaffer will continue to mesmerize us, somehow i still have warm feelings for that company and its legacy.

 

rgds.

 

krishna.

[DRP]

It is important to note that today's pens which have the inimitable Sheaffer inlaid nib should realize that all of the inlaid nibs were made in Fort Madison before the plant was shut down and the employees terminated. Those nibs were made in sizable quantity then stockpiled.

 

Apparently someone came to the realization that inlaid nibs can't be made by just anybody. Rather, highly skilled artisans were needed to produce the inlaid nibs. It took years or even decades of experience to be able to make an inlaid nib properly -- that is to say won't leak and won't fall apart. These are not just tools but objects of art. They are no longer made because there is no one now working who has the experience and talent needed to do so.

 

Your contemporary pens with an inlaid nib have that link to the real Sheaffer. Enjoy them because when the supply is exhausted, you'll not see them again.

 

Krishna said, "you only need to pull off the cap and show the inlaid nib for memories to come flooding back."

 

I agree completely.

[nxn96]

Sheaffer, much like their great rival Parker, meant quality and innovation in writing instruments. Again, like Parker, Sheaffer was an "upscale" brand, as compared to Esterbrook, Wearever, etc. Part of the reason Sheaffers are so collectable has to do with the quality- you buy a used vintage Sheaffer in pretty decent shape, putting it in working order is relatively easy and inexpensive.

[zal]

It is important to note that today's pens which have the inimitable Sheaffer inlaid nib should realize that all of the inlaid nibs were made in Fort Madison before the plant was shut down and the employees terminated. Those nibs were made in sizable quantity then stockpiled.

 

Apparently someone came to the realization that inlaid nibs can't be made by just anybody. Rather, highly skilled artisans were needed to produce the inlaid nibs. It took years or even decades of experience to be able to make an inlaid nib properly -- that is to say won't leak and won't fall apart. These are not just tools but objects of art. They are no longer made because there is no one now working who has the experience and talent needed to do so.

 

Your contemporary pens with an inlaid nib have that link to the real Sheaffer. Enjoy them because when the supply is exhausted, you'll not see them again.

 

Krishna said, "you only need to pull off the cap and show the inlaid nib for memories to come flooding back."

 

I agree completely.

 

i have also always understood the that the inlaid nibs on present pens were made in fort madison. but your contention that they are / will no longer be made is simply awful to digest. does this mean that after some years there will be no sheaffers with inlaid nibs?

 

does anybody know the plans of bic with regard to sheaffer? surely they must retain the manufacture of the inlaid nib which is the defining feature of sheaffer.

 

rgds.

 

krishna.

[PatientType]

A good initial post question and excellent thread in response. These kinds of thoughtful & informed exchanges are what make FPN such a great source of learning about the many aspects of fountain pens and their use.

 

As the posts accumulate over the years, they also provide a valuable reference tool. If you want to know about pens that were in use during WWII, what exactly IS an iridium tip, or you've run across a limited edition pen from 2006 and want to know how it might perform, FPN is the place to look first.

 

I confess that I really this place.

[Velma]

When I was growing up, the first fountain pen I ever tried was a Sheaffer No Nonsense calligraphy pen. I had many of them, because they were a known and trusted brand -- with my limited allowance, I knew I get a good pen, with a smooth nib. As an adult, I've branched out into using other pens, but I still have at least ten No Nonsense pens, as well as a number of vintage striated Balances (which are beautiful), a Legacy Heritage... they're reasonably priced, durable, aesthetically pleasing, ergonomically delightful, and they have historical significance.

[Albus]

Thank you all for the insightful thought. Perhaps you may that a more personal view of what quality did you see in sheaffer pens.

 

I think sheaffer pens, prior to bic take over, exhibit innovation and a certain conservatism and steadfastness. Sheaffer lead the by it's lever filler and caught up with Parker's vacumatic with the vacuum filler. Introduced the gold filled cap and metal caps, the triumph nibs and inlaid that captured the market. However, the lever filler was at least used for 3 decade, the triumph nib for a decade and the inlaid nib for 5 decades or more, sheaffer interestingly stuck with what works and produced some interesting variation. Also, most of it's plastics are durable especially their injection moulded plastics second to Parker's acrylic and came in more interesting colours. Sheaffer was pretty steadfast in ; few models but huge variation.

 

But sadly I think the modern pens failed expatations by being somewhat over pretentious; too heavy too big. Lacked the innovative filling system it once invented. Lacked a interesting flagship model and lacked a good medium priced pen. Prelude with gold nib? I hope to see something better from sheaffer.

[georges zaslavsky]

The sheaffer made before the bic era were and are very good quality pens and are really pleasant to write with

[DRP]

Krishna inquired whether Bic's corporate policy will involve having someone other than the artisans in Fort Madison produce inlaid nibs.

 

I don't know what Bic's policy will be, but as a practical matter, it is highly unlikely that any more inlaid nibs will be made.

 

It is a very difficult process, and one which can be achieved by only the most experienced hands available anywhere. I understood it to take years to learn how to fabricate an inlaid nib which doesn't leak or have other problems. They not only have to look good but be functionally superior, as well.

 

The handful of people qualified to produce an inlaid nib are getting older, and as age and infirmaties take their inevitable toll, reduce the number of people able to do the work, or even teach the craft. My estimation is that within a few years, no one will be able to do it.

 

This is not to suggest that no one could recover the craft. However, someone would have to re-learn the process and then produce nibs such as these one at a time so the cost would be extremely high. For a practical pen at a practical price, I'm thinking that we have seen the last inlaid nibs made.

[Sam119911]

It would be a real shame to see the loss of the inliad nib. Out of all nibs, in my opinion it is the most distinctive and unique and, indeed, a hallmark of Sheaffer design.

Currently, all Sheaffer offer are open nibs and inlaid nibs. Sheaffer being left with just open nibs is a sad thought. If only they could teach the craft again, and even start producting Triumph nibs again? Probably not, but I can still dream!

[JLT]

Historically, I would say that innovation was Sheaffer's hallmark. Innovation in design, style and engineering. I do love those Triumph nibs - I have a lever fill 1750 with a M Triumph and a lever fill 1000 with an EF Triumph on my desk right now.

 

Now, I'm not sure. Sheaffer has waxed nostalgic with the LE Balance and Legacy pens. I have no experience with their more recent introductions so I'll defer further comment. The 'youngest' Sheaffer I have is a twenty five year-old Targa.

[dannyboy]

in addition to all the above, sheaffer always captivated the hearts of people. the inlaid nib played a huge role in it both aesthetically and functionally. there were so many models and in them so many variants that perhaps except jim and such other dedicated folks around here, not many of us know them all.

 

the words "fort madison, iowa" was well known and even the trains and the river added to the mystique. fort madison, iowa is the only place that i remember of the origins of a pen maker, without effort.

 

it was a good clean company, people who really cared about their customers, they had the lifetime warranty - though it became a limited warranty later. as far as i know, they honoured the lifetime warranty even decades later. they never went back on their word or looked at the customer like a cow to be milked dry, as some fp makers do now.

 

many people worked there till retirement, all those master craftsmen and artists and technicians. they knew they brought joy into people's hearts and to their loved ones.

 

sheaffer was a culture, an emotion not just a product. unfortunately, by the time i started to earn on my own, fps had become collectibles and the golden age of sheaffer was already over.

 

although i use past tense, i still have much of these feelings for the present sheaffer co. also. you only need to pull off the cap and show the inlaid nib for memories to come flooding back.

 

cheers.

 

krishna.

 

This is so well expressed and thoughtfully considered a response! Thank you for saying what many of us wish we could've said. I used Sheaffer pens in college in the 1950s and 60s and for the last twenty-five years have collected and used Sheaffer Balance lever-fill pens. And a great part of the attraction of the Targa pen for me was always that inlaid nib, aesthetically pleasing and oh so functional in its amazing performance! What brilliance it took to produce such a product!

[zal]

Krishna inquired whether Bic's corporate policy will involve having someone other than the artisans in Fort Madison produce inlaid nibs.

 

I don't know what Bic's policy will be, but as a practical matter, it is highly unlikely that any more inlaid nibs will be made.

 

It is a very difficult process, and one which can be achieved by only the most experienced hands available anywhere. I understood it to take years to learn how to fabricate an inlaid nib which doesn't leak or have other problems. They not only have to look good but be functionally superior, as well.

 

The handful of people qualified to produce an inlaid nib are getting older, and as age and infirmaties take their inevitable toll, reduce the number of people able to do the work, or even teach the craft. My estimation is that within a few years, no one will be able to do it.

 

This is not to suggest that no one could recover the craft. However, someone would have to re-learn the process and then produce nibs such as these one at a time so the cost would be extremely high. For a practical pen at a practical price, I'm thinking that we have seen the last inlaid nibs made.

 

 

thank you. with the demise of the inliad nib, whatever attraction sheaffer has at present will also disappear. somehow, inlaid nibs have come to define sheaffer, though there are a lot of sheaffer pens without it now, to the common man sheaffer still means the inlaid nib.

 

thanks also to other friends here for their kind words.

 

rgds.

 

krishna.

Edited October 1, 2011 by akrishna59

[welch]

For me:

 

- the cartridge pen I used in 4th and 5th grade, and disliked

 

- the grown-up Snorkels: innovative filling system, startling wrap-around nib.

 

- later: all-around solid design, no glitz, just quality. The turned-up nib, which I did not understand until I wrote with an in-laid nib. Aha!! Even the later, smaller, economy-model 330s have that just-right feel in your hand. PfM and Imperial are two of my favorite pens.