The Outstanding Sheaffer Nononsense Fountain Pen

[XGV]

In terms of sheer performance (not withstanding the ridiculous low price) The Old-Fashioned Sheaffer NoNonsense Made in USA Fountain Pen can be considered one of the most perfect writing&drawing tools ever produced.

It was launched at the beginning of the 70s, but if you're interested and lucky enough, some NOS units could be found on eBay.

Once tried one, you'll find difficult to understand why so many exceedingly expensive and famous other pens are purchased worldwide.

Pure marketing manipulation, I'd say.

(By the way, something similar occurs with The Old-Fashioned Parker Big Red Ballpoint&Roller Pens).

Excellence is not a price issue.

[mmahany]

I completely agree. I had a very queesy feeling in my stomach after I found myself using my Sheaffer No-Nonsense over the rest of my fairly extensive collection.

 

I bought mine for $1 at a garage sale and I had no issues getting it up and running.

 

Mine is a stub nib and is very fun to write with. I actually prefer it over many of my pens that retail for several hundred dollars.

[Silvermink]

I don't deny that they're nice pens, but they're not perfect for everyone. For example, I prefer nibs with some spring to them, especially those that can give some line variation in the process (though I haven't gone all the way to "true" flex), and I'm not going to get that there - though I imagine now that I've said that someone will dig the rare and coveted semi-flex NN out of their collection.

 

People buy more expensive pens for all kinds of reasons.

[Pincel]

... I imagine now that I've said that someone will dig the rare and coveted semi-flex NN out of their collection.

Here's an evidence that there are FLEXIBLE No-nonsense pens:

 

Read the first bullet of this original No Nonsense Vintage blister pack. It says, "Every pen features a flexible 23K gold electroplated nib...". Disclaimer: an evidence is NOT the same as a proof.

[Frank C]

I bought one of these in the seventies and didn't like it at all. I friend of mine had a Parker Cisele that I liked, but could not afford. Fast forward a few years, and I bought a Mont Blanc 149--the first fountain pen that I really liked using. I recently came across that old Sheaffer and looked at it with my loupe. The tines are not aligned properly; no wonder it was so scratchy and it skipped.

[2GreyCats]

If you're fond of NoNonsense, here's a pair of M ones on eBay, 1 red, 1 black: They are not marked as such, as apparently the seller doesn't know that's what they are.

 

http://tinyurl.com/am6gbyr

[dumnr3]

If you're fond of NoNonsense, here's a pair of M ones on eBay, 1 red, 1 black: They are not marked as such, as apparently the seller doesn't know that's what they are.

 

http://tinyurl.com/am6gbyr

 

for the record, it's very possible that seller does know what they are and has included the "vintage flat top" language because such pens (i.e. the original vintage flat tops) command prices 10x that of the dear NNN. For what it's worth, I am very fond of my NoNonsense pens, although not quite sure they deserve the moniker of perfection. they are light cheap plastic pens with very smooth albeit stiff nibs. A good way to pick up a couple with some fun nibs is the calligraphy sets, that can often be had for less than the nos ball point bodies and include the F, M, and B italic nibs. the fine italic is a great daily pen--mine is always inked with something. the regular M nib is also outstanding

[Harlequin]

I've recently (within the last two weeks) decided that I'd like to get deeper into the world of fountain Pens, mainly b/c I had a NoNonsense back when I was in school. I've always been enamored of the idea of writing with a FP, but it didn't really work out very well at that time. It kept leaking on me, I think. That was I'm betting more due to my own ignorance and misuse of it than the pen itself. anyway, I found it the other day and I've been trying to write with it again- I don't have the right size or style nib though. Right now, I've only got an italic B (which was on the pen) and two others- a B4 and an SH-4. I have no idea where I would have ever gotten those (actually, I have an idea WHY, but not where), but I've decided that the broad nib is just too wide for me. I like the effect of the SH nib though ^_~.

 

So the Nononsense I had from the mid 90s that had been sitting in a drawer since then brought me back to FPs this month. I knew there was a reason I always wanted to save it!

Edited December 13, 2012 by Harlequin

[barleycorn]

Like many of my generation, the NoNonsense was the introduction to Fountain pens. It exposed me to a world better than a cheap ball point pen. However when I saved money from the paper route, I indulged in a stainless steel targa. Sheaffer has always produced a quality pen at the low end of the price scale and continues to do so today with the 100.

Recently, I ordered 2 NOS NN pens from Teri as a gift for someone. I swapped the lovely gold medium from the blue marble for the steel fine nib I have used for some 30 years. I was reminded again how well these pens compare with, say, a Lamy Safari today. There are so many of the BPs and Calligraphy sets out there still. Is a Connaisseur worth almost 10 times the price?

I just wrote a letter today using the nib from that original targa pen - in a different body. Do I think the NN is the best Sheaffer ever? I think that a targa is a better pen but for the price? It is a tough call to make...

My current favourite pen is a Sailor 1911 Large. Everything about the design and function of the pen exudes quality. It is that intangible thing that makes us willing to spend so much on what some would say a $.25 ball point do. Someday, I will find that PFM with a broad nib with my name on it. Until then, I will enjoy breaking in that new medium gold nib housed in a stainless steel shell.

[Harlequin]

When I found my NoNonsense a couple of weeks ago, I only had broad italic nibs. So I got another NNS off of ebay and switched for its medium nib. I've been writing with that since. But I'm coming to suspect it is still a tad bit large for me. But I've never seen a fine (non italic) nib for a NNS, are they even available? I have two NoNonsenses now, I'd love to be able to try one with a medium nib and one with a fine, if such a thing is indeed exists and I can find it, lol. Ditto getting my hands on smaller italic nibs, but those are not nearly as hard to find. Another nib I would LOVE to find is a smaller shadow nib; I have the SH-4 and it's a broad nib (if not an extra broad, I don't know what the 4 represents).

[Harlequin]

Apparently, such an animal as the NNS regular fine nib does exist. I just found one (first time!) on Ebay, but for more than I would like to pay, by about 3x. Maybe I can luck out and find a pen with the nib on it again, I don't mind adding to my growing NNS collection, lol.

[Scribblesoften]

Apparently, such an animal as the NNS regular fine nib does exist. I just found one (first time!) on Ebay, but for more than I would like to pay, by about 3x. Maybe I can luck out and find a pen with the nib on it again, I don't mind adding to my growing NNS collection, lol.

 

I think that isellpens.com still has some NoNonsense pens for sale in their Sheaffer NOS section. They were reasonably priced when I bought a few a couple of years ago, you might check them out. No affiliation etc...

[pencils+pens]

No Nonsense pens are available with fine nibs. I have several of them, all old style.

 

I just checked and ISellPens has three colors of old style NNs available in fine and medium.

[Harlequin]

I'll check them out, but I could have sworn they just had the whole pens,not simply the nibs.

 

 

[Sailor Kenshin]

It's the entire pen, but at that price why not? I got a green and a pink (which is more raspberry but whatever, lol).

 

I do believe there is an EF nib that fit the NN section.

[barleycorn]

When I found my NoNonsense a couple of weeks ago, I only had broad italic nibs. So I got another NNS off of ebay and switched for its medium nib. I've been writing with that since. But I'm coming to suspect it is still a tad bit large for me. But I've never seen a fine (non italic) nib for a NNS, are they even available? I have two NoNonsenses now, I'd love to be able to try one with a medium nib and one with a fine, if such a thing is indeed exists and I can find it, lol. Ditto getting my hands on smaller italic nibs, but those are not nearly as hard to find. Another nib I would LOVE to find is a smaller shadow nib; I have the SH-4 and it's a broad nib (if not an extra broad, I don't know what the 4 represents).

The difference between the price of the nib and pen is too small to sell just the nib. You might try Teri at Peyton St; they sell the whole pen NOS for $12. She often has some bits for sale that are not listed. I did see a listing last week for a package of 3 NN nibs looked like a fine(non italic), med italic and shadow for $10. I have a lot of calligraphy pens and nibs arriving from ebay soon. There will be extra nibs including a fine italic which I would be happy to send to you.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/271089758488?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

[Harlequin]

If I were to get another NNS, I think I would go through ISellPens, just b/c of the price. That may be what happens, mainly b/c I am interested in trying to convert one of (at least one) my NNSes to a eye dropper. I'm tried looking at nibs from the Connoisseur and Balance IIs, since someone told me elsewhere here at FPN that the nibs are all interchangeable, but wow- definitely a different price point for those, lol. I make take you up on that offer for the fine italic nib, if it's a nib that fits the older NNS style (no rubber grip). I'm not giving up though! The NNS was my first FP and it has a special place in my heart, I definitely plan to keep mine in rotation as much as I can. If I end up having extras, I can always spread the love and pay it forward, right?

 

 

 

 

 

[2GreyCats]

Finding ones that *aren't* italic is becoming harder. I'd say that the non-italic F nib is now the rarest NN ever.

 

[Harlequin]

Finding ones that *aren't* italic is becoming harder. I'd say that the non-italic F nib is now the rarest NN ever.

 

 

Tell me about it! I've been trying to find that one myself- the italics are all you find b/c of the many many many "calligraphy sets" that the NNS was in.

[JonSzanto]

Ummm.... Teri Morris at Peyton Street Pens has NOS No-Nonsense pens in stock. $12 for the basic model, $25 for the vintage model, and both of them can be purchased with fine nibs. From everything I see, these are NOT italic nibs. Heck, the vintage ones are even gold plated.

 

That was easy.

 

ETA: Ack, I see someone else mention Teri's stuff. Why are people whining about finding the nibs? Unless you are, for some reason, trying to buy *just* a nib unit for even less than that (man, you can rarely find an Esterbrook nib unit for under $10, and they are everywhere), I don't see why you (general "you") pick up a pen for a few bucks to go with the nib it houses?

Edited January 1, 2013 by JonSzanto