About Two-Tone Nibs

[Nighttown]

Hello,

When the edition of two-tone nib Feathertouch had been announced, Sheaffer in their advertising booklets pointed out that platinum
had been used as a cover. But I haven't found any reference at metall of mask when in 1942 the nib Triumph have been performed.
Maybe I've searched badly?

Please let me know what kind of metall was used as a mask for two-tone nibs Triumph from the the beginning of edition till snorkel epoch.
It will be nice if you give me any references at materials concerning this question.

- Ivan

[brendonsie]

Hi

 

Two tone nibs are usually a gold nib with a palladium or platinum plating. For reference information i generally look at richardspens.com or vintagepens.com. another interesting point in modern pens you will find some that are a steel nib with gold plating.

[Nighttown]

Now appears a possibility to use the services electroplating.
I would like to use this opportunity and restore nibs which plating has erased by time and by unskillful aggressive polishing.
Wouldn't like to lose this chance.

 

I'll appreciate if anybody points me out what exactly metal the nibs have been plated.

Thanks.

 

- Ivan

Edited February 21, 2016 by Nighttown

[Nighttown]

Hi Everyone,

At last I've got information I would like to share with you.
I've make a little analysis of mask alloy by X-ray fluorescence spectrometer on nearly two dozen nibs.
(the tests is made only for the presence of metals, don't take into account the figures).

So, all pens of Balance epoch have mask which has platinum.
http://s009.radikal.ru/i308/1603/c0/0d051f5d2707t.jpg

With Triumph pens is more difficult: earlier pens (suppose before WWII) have platinum mask,
latest ones (post war, including Snorkel) already have palladium mask.
http://s020.radikal.ru/i713/1603/16/ea5995b41275t.jpg

Images clickable
(Images are posted on external host servers. Sometimes host servers are not available. The images will be available some time later.)

- Ivan

[Nighttown]

Hello,

I'm writing here that not to create simular topics.
In Internet in different articles about Sheaffer nibs I often met contradictionary information about content of PdAg nibs with different imprints like that:
"... Statesman has a palladium silver (PdAg) Triumph nib (which are either marked or unmarked, but they're still PdAg. I believe the ones that are marked "Palladium Silver" have a high silver content that those not marked) ..."

 

I'm interested in this topic.
I'm not managed to find any information in Sheaffer's sources.
So I decided to make quantity analysis (percentage of metals in the alloy) of different nibs on spectrometer.

Sorry for a quality of pictures. The conditions of photography haven't allowed to do better.

 

Images clickable
(Images are posted on external host servers. Sometimes host servers are not available. The images will be available some time later.)
http://s06.radikal.ru/i179/1603/3c/52c704a73ee2t.jpg http://s017.radikal.ru/i433/1603/ee/32e9d04c13fft.jpg

 

http://s020.radikal.ru/i718/1603/4d/1cb22651fdd0t.jpg http://s017.radikal.ru/i410/1603/2a/747df143ac97t.jpg

 

The result is that the alloy of both these nibs is THE SAME!

 

-Ivan

Edited June 7, 2016 by Nighttown

[furious]

Very interesting! I've always wondered when platinum stopped and palladium started.

Thanks.

[mac.kozinsky]

Thanks a lot for sharing the measurements Nighttown :-) Almost two dozen nibs looks quite convincing.

Do you think you could specify or show picture of what pens do you consider to be - most probably, as you say - "earlier pens (suppose before WWII)" and the ones probably made after the IIWW? Just to be on the safe side with your reasoning about the WWII being the possible turning point.

 

I'm thinking: after the WWII or maybe when the restrictions and rationing where introduced by the War Production Board? Meaning: palladium was used starting from/during the IIWW (official) wartime for the US?

 

Best Regards,

Maciek

Edited June 15, 2016 by mac.kozinsky

[Nighttown]

Maciek, your post made me carefully read my post once again and I found a great mistake. Thanks.
I didn't mean Triumph pens, I ment pens manufactured before and after WWII.

Bring apologies to all.

 

From pre-war pens there were Balances: 74T Statesman, 73T, 73W Sovereign, 53V, 53WS Milady FT, 73WS, 73V Lady Sheaffer.
I don't have pens of WWII period (pens with military clip and the most earlier Triumph). Thats why I can't say anything about this period
All the rest Triumph pens (Vac and Lever) were manufactured after 1945... And Fat и Thin Touchdowns, Snorkels.

 

To my regred it's not already possible for me to check this information again.

 

Sorry once again for such unpleasant mistake.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Nighttown

[mac.kozinsky]

Thanks for the clarification Nighttown :-) I shall try to find if anyone ever shared such info. Meaning: since when the new metal was introduced. Anyone knows?

 

All the best,

Maciek

Edited June 17, 2016 by mac.kozinsky