Australian-made Sheaffer - which model do I have?

[AmandaW]

I just got this old Sheaffer pen. I am curious about it's age and model name.

 

The seller said it was uninked and I would believe that even though there is a tiny amount of scuffing. It has a tiny hooded fine or extra fine nib, is 14cm long capped, 13cm uncapped and quite slender (but it does take a Sheaffer converter).

 

It says 'Sheaffer' on the clip with a stylised S logo above that. No white dot.

 

[VillersCotterets]

The stylised S indicates it's from the Textron era. Looks like the end of the 1960's cartridge pen. I don't know the model name, or if it had one officially. The following might help...
 

 

[gammada]

I own the same pen and bought it as a “prototype” from Terri at Peyton Street Pens (if am not mistaken). It uses the same feed as that used on Sheaffer’s Glideriter pens of the time paired to a hooded-nib. The pen was maufactured between 1967 and 1968 when Sheaffer was acquired by the Textron conglomerate -hence the S logo and lack of white dot.

 

Mine has a fine nib that writes quite nicely but that sometimes presents some flow problems, specially starting up. But all in all is quite a nice writer once the ink catches flow.

 

As far as I’ve been able to research, there never was a model number or name assigned to this particular pen nor did it appeared listed in the catalogs of the era.

[AmandaW]

Mine has 'Sheaffer Made in Australia' engraved on the barrel. Was this pen made in the US too?

[gammada]

Yes, mine was made in the USA. Mine barrel also has the original chalk marking the reads Sheaffer, an 01 number and Fine.

 

Interesting that they made these in Australia. How long have you had the pen? 

[AmandaW]

Only a few days.  The fibre feed was white so I believe it had never been inked.

[gammada]

Indeed. Once you ink the pen, the fibre never reverts back to white. If you are yet to ink the pen, try putting it nib down after installing the converter/ cartridge before using it. This way you will have less flow issues.

[AmandaW]

The fibre feed doesn't work very well. I've been writing with it since I filled it 6 days ago and found it getting drier and dried - today almost nothing on the page and the converter still half full of ink.

 

I pulled the converter and put it in another pen - no problem.

 

Now I need to clean the fibre-feed section. Soak it in something? Ultrasonic? Then put the converter back in to try again, I guess. Is this why these disappeared from the market so fast?

[terim]

On 4/7/2026 at 1:19 PM, gammada said:

I own the same pen and bought it as a “prototype” from Terri at Peyton Street Pens (if am not mistaken). It uses the same feed as that used on Sheaffer’s Glideriter pens of the time paired to a hooded-nib. The pen was maufactured between 1967 and 1968 when Sheaffer was acquired by the Textron conglomerate -hence the S logo and lack of white dot.

 

Mine has a fine nib that writes quite nicely but that sometimes presents some flow problems, specially starting up. But all in all is quite a nice writer once the ink catches flow.

 

As far as I’ve been able to research, there never was a model number or name assigned to this particular pen nor did it appeared listed in the catalogs of the era.

We've had those in the past but I don't think I ever had the nerve to call it a prototype -- hope I didn't! More likely it's just as obscure combination of parts, they did that a lot out in the international distribution channels.

[gammada]

@AmandaW I’d never had to soak the pen in anything, just inserted the cartridge and put the pen nib down to let it flow before actually using the pen. Have you tried priming the converter? Meaning pushing some more ink into the feed.

 

I remember I squeezed my cartridge from time to time in order to flood the feed. Sorry for the late reply!