Removing Stickers From 50-Year Old Nos Pens

[FloatingFountain]

If there's one type of nib I have always loved to look at, then it's the Sheaffer inlaid one. I *MUST* have one... and after searching I discovered Peyton Street Pens. (Damn. "I want this... and that one... and that one too..." That site makes you greedy.)

 

They have a lot of NOS Imperials with inlaid nibs, and for many, they state: "The sticker is still on the cap / barrel."

 

I have a bad case of sticker hate. *REALLY BAD.*

 

As I'm not a pen collector but a pen user, I want the sticker off a NOS pen. The one thing I'm concerned about is:

 

Will the rectangle below the sticker be a different color than the rest of the cap or barrel? If so, then it's no use for me to keep looking a these pens, because I don't want stickers, or discoloration after removing them. Using the pen with the sticker still on it is out of the question.

 

Thanks for your time

 

edit: I've been looking at their Ranga pens with Sheaffer nibs as well. They look great, but still... they feel like Franken-Sheaffers. They are Sheaffers, but not really... I don't know yet how I feel about these pens.

Edited April 21, 2014 by FloatingFountain

[alc3261]

I'd ask them for one without the sticker. I understand what you mean, I dislike stickers too. I feel as if they are for non-users?

[FloatingFountain]

I'd ask them for one without the sticker. I understand what you mean, I dislike stickers too. I feel as if they are for non-users?

 

It seems Peyton has batches and batches of NOS Imperials, some perfect, some with a bit of storage wear, but for all of them it is stated that the sticker is still on the pen. It seems to be a very important point to make. I can understand, if you collect pens and want to just store them in a pen case in the same state as they were ones displayed in a store.

 

However, I don't give one zilch about that. If I buy a pen, I *will* use it, be it produced yesterday or a hundred years ago. I'm not going to spend $$$ for a fully functional writing instrument to just have it sit in the storage case. I won't pay extra for the NOS sticker. I don't care about resale value.

 

Thus, I want the stickers off, and I don't want discoloration beneath it after they're gone. If it can't be guaranteed, then I'd rather buy a restored one.

 

(PS: I did e-mail Peyton Street Pens, but I don't expect an answer for several days. I expect them to have a baglog because of Easter.)

Edited April 21, 2014 by FloatingFountain

[dali3464]

After purchasing a mint 1945 Parker Vacumatic with the sticker (well not really the sticker, but the residue underneath) still stuck to it, I have to say I also have a really strong case of sticker hate.

 

There was no discolouration at all, and since the Vacumatics were made out fairly unstable celluloid, I'd say any recent material (acrylics, etc.) ought to do fine.

 

But that residue was really annoying to get off. It seemed that it had toughened up over 69 years to an extremely hard substance. Warm water, voracious scrubbing and many expletives directed towards it didn't seem to make it budge.

 

But I had a read over the repair forums and the ever knowledgeable Ron Zorn suggested to use naphtha (I used Zippo lighter fluid) and light applications and more scrubbing with a microfiber cloth succeeded in dislodging it!

[FloatingFountain]

After purchasing a mint 1945 Parker Vacumatic with the sticker (well not really the sticker, but the residue underneath) still stuck to it, I have to say I also have a really strong case of sticker hate.

 

There was no discolouration at all, and since the Vacumatics were made out fairly unstable celluloid, I'd say any recent material (acrylics, etc.) ought to do fine.

 

But that residue was really annoying to get off. It seemed that it had toughened up over 69 years to an extremely hard substance. Warm water, voracious scrubbing and many expletives directed towards it didn't seem to make it budge.

 

But I had a read over the repair forums and the ever knowledgeable Ron Zorn suggested to use naphtha (I used Zippo lighter fluid) and light applications and more scrubbing with a microfiber cloth succeeded in dislodging it!

 

Thanks

 

I have lighter fluid here, 98% pure alcohol, sticker remover (which might be too aggressive), and also ammonia which can be diluted using distilled water. The two pens I'm interested in come from a batch for which it is specifically stated that the sticker is on the cap; and it seems to be a (stainless?) steel cap.

 

If need be, I'll just use hot water and a lot of patience to remove the sticker and residue. I don't care if it takes 4 hours, as long as there is no discoloration beneath it afterward.

[Techi]

I agree in full, i steer clear of stickered pens for just this reason - and that they tend to reach higher prices on ebay because of the sticker.

However, in your case, if the pens have been only kept in storage and only rarely put on display, then there should be little - if no - colour variation (depending on material).

 

To remove the residue, I have once successfully used a very small amount of simichrome on a slightly abrasive cleaning cloth which seemed to work fine - don't know if it was just luck or the simichrome, but might be worth a try.

 

Techi.

[kpyeoman]

Two issues: 1) impact of removing the sticker and the impact on future "collectability" of the pen, and 2) sticker impact on the aesthetics of the pen.

 

1) I wouldn't be too concerned with removing a sticker from a steel nib Imperial. The lower-end pens are great writers, but aren't overly collectable. They were intended to be user pens, and I think they should be treated as such. Remove away!

 

2) I bought a Sheaffer 444 from Peyton Street that was stickered. I removed it (it peeled away gently) and there was no residue or a discolouration on the metal of the barrel. Remove away!

[Ernst Bitterman]

To get sticker residue off, I'd go with a little cooking oil (canola, corn, peanut, or olive) on a paper towel. Slowly work it over the afflicted area, and the goop comes away. Follow with a towel dipped in soapy water to get rid of the residual oil, which might be bad for the pen (but less so than alcohol), then another in clean water to get rid of the soap.

[ac12]

I usually use Goo Gone to remove stickers goop.

I've also used WD-40, but that was for plastic boxes, not something like a pen.

 

re simichrome. My guess is the solvent in the simichrome disolved the goop.

[Techi]

 

re simichrome. My guess is the solvent in the simichrome disolved the goop.

 

Ah yes could be, I did leave it on for a while whilst washing my hands, so that may have done it - worked pretty fast anyhow

[FloatingFountain]

Peyton Street Pens has already answered, and told me that the Sheaffer stickers are easy to remove and normally don't even leave residue. They offered to remove any stickers of a pen I decided to order as long as I'd reminded them after ordering.

 

Great

 

Now to see if I want a Fine or X-Fine nib, and if I want a 440 (with metal cap) or 330 (plastic cap). After PSP answers my questions about those issues I'll decide what to order

[Ron Z]

Use naphtha to remove the stickers. It's the safest material to use, and works very well. In close to 25 years of collecting, it's never damaged a pen. I regularly use it at the repair bench.

[Randal6393]

I take offense at your description of the Ranga-Sheaffer combo as a Franken pen. The problem I have with my 330 is the cheap-looking, flimsy plastic cap and barrel. I have a Ranga ebonite pen with the Eversharp nib. A very classy, classic pen that works well. As soon as I can afford it, I plan to get an ebonite upgrade to my Sheaffer 330.

 

As for the sticker, yes, a + 1 for using Goo Gone. Although olive oil, naptha, etc. should also do well.

 

Enjoy,

[FloatingFountain]

I'm sorry you feel offended; that was not my intention. It's just my personal opinion. I just feel that the Sheaffer nib in a Ranga (or other body) creates a pen that is neither Sheaffer nor Ranga. I like to be able to designate a pen by brand and model.

[Sridhar]

+1 on Ranga Ebonite being a classy value add to the Sheafffer nib.

[Ron Z]

Be careful with Goo Gone. It's not compatable with all materials.

[terim]

I'm sorry you feel offended; that was not my intention. It's just my personal opinion. I just feel that the Sheaffer nib in a Ranga (or other body) creates a pen that is neither Sheaffer nor Ranga. I like to be able to designate a pen by brand and model.

It's okay, we don't feel offended. We regard the ebonite Ranga exterior as a nib holder! It's also a bit like recycling .... If you had 300 awesome Sheaffer nibs, it would take 20 years for them to find homes with pens in need of new nibs. Of all our Ranga pens, the "Imperial" is my favorite with which to write.

 

Teri

[FloatingFountain]

It's okay, we don't feel offended. We regard the ebonite Ranga exterior as a nib holder! It's also a bit like recycling .... If you had 300 awesome Sheaffer nibs, it would take 20 years for them to find homes with pens in need of new nibs. Of all our Ranga pens, the "Imperial" is my favorite with which to write.

 

Teri

 

I actually thought that obtaining hundreds of NOS Sheaffer nibs was the case for having this pen designed. Why else would you do it, for 30-50 year old nibs?

 

I actually like the look of the Ranga Acrylic ones. Very modern and distinct. Maybe you could have Ranga design a nib/feed assembly that takes standard #6 nibs (Knox or JoWo), engraved with "Ranga", and offer that as a default, giving the Ranga pen its own identity. Then the Sheaffer nibs can be offered as an upgrade

Edited April 23, 2014 by FloatingFountain

[OcalaFlGuy]

To get sticker residue off, I'd go with a little cooking oil (canola, corn, peanut, or olive) on a paper towel. Slowly work it over the afflicted area, and the goop comes away. Follow with a towel dipped in soapy water to get rid of the residual oil, which might be bad for the pen (but less so than alcohol), then another in clean water to get rid of the soap.

 

I have the old Ronson Naphtha, that's what I'd use.

 

However, I lived for about 35 years, starting around '69 in Melbourne, Fl on the east coast. Our first house was about a mile from the beach where of course, we visited often. It was common back then to get oily tar on your feet at the beach. It was said, from oil that had floated up from torpedoed Allied shipping during WWII. Which makes sense as it all apparently DID finally leak out, as you no longer get the tar on your feet there now.

 

We always had a roll of paper towels and a squirt bottle of cooking oil in the car to get the tar off our feet with before getting in the car to head home.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Chrissy]

We can buy a product called 'Sticky stuff remover' from a company called Betterware, that removes sticky residue and it's made from citrus oil which must be a bit more user friendly for the pen than Zippo lighter fluid.

 

I have many chemicals that I could use to remove stickers or their residue as I restore ceramics. I usually start with the citrus oil product before going further down the chemical path.

 

I'm not sure if you can find 'Sticky stuff remover' in the US.