Sheaffer Bulb Filler?!

[Inkysloth]

Hi all,

I bought a cluster of "old pens" from Ebay as one was a Sheaffer I thought might scrub up well.

A photo will follow when I've charged my phone up.

My confusion is, it has a sac fixed in place, but no other sign of a filling mechanism - no moving blind cap, no snorkel, no nothing. Just an ink sac.

Did Sheaffer make any bulb fillers?! Or is this someone's cartridge pen that they've glued a sac into, to make a bulb filler?

[kirchh]

Picture?

[Inkysloth]

A development!

Having given it a good clean, there is indeed a blind cap, which unscrews and pulls out a plastic piston, moulded from the same plastic as the blind cap.

So it's not the weird Frankenpen I first thought.

And now my phone's had a charge, here's a photo if anyone can help with identity. I'm guessing it's a late, cheapish Touchdown or similar?

Mystery Sheaffer by Robin Inkysloth, on Flickr

[jar]

Early cheapish Touchdown IIRC. Imperial I (I think).

[Happy Harry]

Yes, Imperial I. Basically designed to be non restorable, once the barrel O ring failed that was it. Replacing the o ring involves a bit of effort, easier to just use it as a bulb filler.

[Effin1]

I've repaired 3 of these but had no idea what sac size to use. M & O just state short sac. I e mailed Lawrence but he did not know and suggested I write to Tim Marshall but I didn't receive a reply so the sac I used fit the nipple but meant the pen only held a small amount of ink. I know it should be a short necked sac but no idea of size and where to source. I did wonder why I had bothered it was such a fiddly job and the pen had no redeeming features. Just my opinion but they do feel quite cheap.

[Inkysloth]

Thanks all! I'll give it a test, and if it doesn't work see how much fiddliness I can tolerate before passing it on as a fixer-upper.