Sheaffer Desk pen question

[Hanamizu]

I recently acquired a Sheaffer desk set. Huge thing really. Has two pens that look to me to be Imperials—inlaid nib with a kite-shaped insert—touchdown filling system. Maybe Imperial IVs? Anyway I got both pens up and running and was quite pleased with myself. They both start writing right away when I take them out of the holder. And that is where the problem lies. The holder.

 

One pen slips down into its holder all the way and the other does not. Shinning a light down the holder I can see a shiny metal band. It is maybe 1/4" deep in the socket on the side where the pen 'fits' and something like 7/8" on the side where the pen sits only part way in. Both pens behave the same way, so it is the socket and not the pen.

 

The pens don't appear to be drying out, so I can live with it if I have to. Is there any non-destructive way to somehow bring the deep band up higher? Or should I leave things be?

 

TIA

 

 

[pajaro]

I wonder if your desk set was originally for a pen and pencil, where the pencil might have needed that band.  You could change that trumpet out.  I am not sure where you could get a new trumpet to push into the base.  You never know, though, whether you might run across a desk pencil . . .

 

[Hanamizu]

Pajaro, thank you. I took some calipers and measured the trumpet's diameter and sure enough, the one the pen won't fit in is smaller. There is a plastic sleeve that makes it a bit smaller. So it no doubt was originally intended for a pen and pencil. I'm wondering if I can carefully sand down the plastic to let the pen slip in deeper. That might be easier than trying to find another trumpet that would go with the set.

 

[pajaro]

That might work.  I have seen desk bases and trumpets on ebay over the years.  I know that I have trumpets lying around from desk bases I got at estate sales and didn't want.  If it's a Sheaffer trumpet, it fits in every Sheaffer desk base I have.  I remember throwing some bases away, because they were so heavy.