What is a true Sheaffer "Craftsman" model?

[Maja]

Ok, I am a wee bit confused now...I was reading Jim's excellent article on Sheaffer Tip-Dip Touchdown pens---the Sheaffer "Craftsman" and "Cadet" models here-- and came across the description of the "Craftsman" model. It was characterized by, among other things, a stainless steel cap, nib and clip....

 

For the past year or so, however, I was using the name "Craftsman" to refer to Sheaffer pens which look like the small green-striped pen on Richard Binder's site:

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=collection/col4_txt.htm .

Richard calls it "an actual Craftsman" but it doesn't have the characteristics of the pens on Jim's page.

 

Are they both Craftsman pens, or does the name only truly belong to the model on Jim's page above?

 

I am confused.....

[PenHero]

Ok, I am a wee bit confused now...I was reading Jim's excellent article on Sheaffer Tip-Dip Touchdown pens---the Sheaffer "Craftsman" and "Cadet" models here-- and came across the description of the "Craftsman" model. It was characterized by, among other things, a stainless steel cap, nib and clip....

 

For the past year or so, however, I was using the name "Craftsman" to refer to Sheaffer pens which look like the small green-striped pen on Richard Binder's site:

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=collection/col4_txt.htm .

Richard calls it "an actual Craftsman" but it doesn't have the characteristics of the pens on Jim's page.

 

Are they both Craftsman pens, or does the name only truly belong to the model on Jim's page above?

 

I am confused.....

Dear Maja,

 

Sheaffer used many of their model names repeatedly over many years. Craftsman is but one example.

 

The Craftsman Tip-Dip follows a Touchdown Craftsman model, which follows the Craftsman model of the Triumph era (striped pens of the 1940s), which follows the Craftsman Balance pens (late 1930s-1941). All are different from each other, all are Craftsman models.

 

Sheaffer also did this with the Sentinel (the current ballpoint), Crest, and many other names. They also went the other way and called the same basic pen by several names, as in the case of the Imperial type over 40 years of manufacture.

[John]

Jim of course is right. It gets still more complicated when you take Australian and Canadian variants into consideration. I have seen Canadian tip dips with gold nib and trim and small Australian TDs (not tip dip) also with gold trim but with a plastic cap.

[Cam]

:bonk: :blink:

Aye Karumbah!!

[Maja]

:bonk:    :blink:

Aye Karumbah!!

Yep.....Good ol' Sheaffer nomenclature :bonk: :bonk:

 

Ooop, almost forgot to say "thanks" to Jim...and John, too!

Edited February 19, 2005 by Maja

[einv]

i think it is safe to call any sheaffer with gold lip band a craftsman. non-craftsmans have band above the lip.

[Richard]

I disagree, Viv. The Craftsman was a specific model in the range. Here are three pens with gold ring ("wire") bands:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/craftsman.jpg

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/donut_lt.jpg

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/black_tucky.jpg

 

Exactly one of these pens is a Craftsman. The other two are a Valiant and a Valiant Tuckaway.

 

Jim may correct this statement, but AFAIK the Craftsman is distinguished from its inception in the late 1930s until the appearance of the Touchdown Tip-dip by having a No. 33 open nib. The only Craftsman above is the capped pen, whose nib you can't see.

[Taki]

I have a pen looks just like the one on the top in Richard's picture with open nib # 33, gray striped and vac-fill. Also the wire band and clip are silver colored. Is it a Craftsman? I picked it up at a local antique mall with a matching pencil, and a handwritten tag (presumably added by the seller) says "1959". Is that the approx. year it was produced? Here's the pic (sorry for the poor quality <_< ):

 

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-12/562572/Sheaffer.JPG

 

TIA

Edited February 21, 2005 by Taki

[Maja]

Richard, thank you for your post. I am glad I asked this question!

Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this query.... As I said before, Sheaffer's nomenclature makes me want to do this: :bonk: at times....

 

Oh, nice pen & pencil set, Taki; it looks like a Craftsman to me, but I will await the experts' answers

[KendallJ]

Once again, I seem to have fallen in love with one of Richard's pens. Stop it will ya.

 

Now 2 sheaffers on my list. A Craftsman, AND a Touchdown Triumph.

 

That green Craftsman is a looker. So is the grey one in Maki's post.

[Keith with a capital K]

So, if I am getting this right...

 

A thin banded TD filling 50's Sheaffer with a 33 nib would have listed as a Craftsman model?

[PenHero]

So, if I am getting this right...

 

A thin banded TD filling 50's Sheaffer with a 33 nib would have listed as a Craftsman model?

Dear Keith,

 

Yes, with the introduction of the 1949 catalog, the Craftsman becomes the last thin band pen, as the Admiral gets a 1/4 inch wide cap band. This lasts until the introduction of the Tip-Dip pens a few years later.

[Keith with a capital K]

That is what my thought was but it is good to have all this confirmed.

 

You'll have to consider doing a spread on some of these low end Sheaffers one of these days as I think that even as low end vintage pens, these pens can still run circles around many new modern pens that cost many times more.

 

I would actually pick one of these Craftsmans before I would pick up a pen like a 51 as they are just as comfortable in the hand and better writers with their softer 33 and #5 nibs.

[John]

I agree totally. I love the Shaeffer open nibs, way preferable to P51s or Triumphs in my book. My desk pen is an open nibbed Snork. It's lovely.

[Maja]

About those thin band Sheaffers...

 

Actually, the thin band does not designate the pen type.  It's a little more complicated.

You don't say!

Thank you for your answer, Jim...I am going to store it in my computer's 'Sheaffer history' folder now....

[Taki]

Thank you, everyone. I do like my Craftsman(? I think, but I'm still a little confused ) set. I should use them more. One of the reason that I haven't used it fow a while is that I filled it with gray ink :ph34r: Kind of depressing in the middle of winter. Time to flush it out and fill with a nice blue ink

Edited February 22, 2005 by Taki