Sheaffer NoNonsense FP

[TMann]

I had the pleasure of having the morning off today, and I spent most of that time getting caught up on some paperwork that had been sitting undone for a few days. The pen of choice this morning was my blue Sheaffer NoNonsense. It is currently my favorite "red ink" pen, and as always, it performed flawlessly throughout my work session. My NoNonsense is one of the few pens that I have that can ALWAYS be relied upon to start up right away, no matter how long it has sat in my desk cup. In fact I was so pleased with how it wrote this morning, that I felt compelled to throw up a quick review for you all!

 

The NoNonsense line of school began in 1969 as a nostalgic throwback to the original Sheaffer flat-tops. (Parker had a similar line of inexpensive "Big Red" ball pens at the time that evoked images of their original Big Red Duofolds.) The NoNonsense pens came in a variety of forms: ballpoints, italic fountain pens, and standard fountain pens. They also came in a wide variety of colors and finishes, ranging from muted single-color pens, to wild, multi-colored designs. I remember my mom getting me a white NoNonsense with black musical notes and staffs painted on the sides. I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable using that pen at work, but it sure was a lot of fun back then!

 

My current NoNonsense is a muted shade of indigo blue with silver trim. (It's my favorite color.) I usually use Sheaffer cartridges in this pen and they work just fine. The nib on my pen is a smooth medium; it puts out a fine/medium line that is perfect for lists, annotation and other work-related writing. I have to admit that even with some of the expensive pens that I own, this pen is one of the best ones I have for those long writing session. It is light, but sturdy. The threads on the barrel taper down smoothly into the section, so is it very comfortable to hold. And because it's an inexpensive pen, I don't have to stress about it getting scratched, or bumped around.

 

I wish that Sheaffer would have continued to market this pen as an inexpensive "school pen". It is one of the nicest, most functionally-designed pens ever made, IMHO. With all due respect to the Vectors, Reflexes, Varsities and Pelikanos, I think that this is best "school pen" ever made.

 

(If you're interested in reading more about this model of pen, see Jim Mamoulides's great article over on PenHero.com.)

 

Thanks for reading!

 

TMann

 

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/TRM2005/NoNonsense_2.jpg

 

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/TRM2005/NoNonsense_1.jpg

Edited November 29, 2005 by TMann

[Rique]

Exactly! I´ve got one with a three-nib italic set that has been going strong for over 20 years... Best school pen I´ve ever written with. Nov very good looking (and badly scratched), but totally reliable and functional.

[southpaw]

Thanks for the excellent review. Great reminder to us all that $$$$ doesn't necessarily mean a better or more reliable writer! Wonderful example of the KISS principle at work in a FP.

[Ann Finley]

I agree! These pens are top performers. Here's my collection of them. Like Rique, I've had the one on the far left for over 20 years--since 1981. It was in a goody bag with other products from vendors that I received at the first U.S. calligraphy convention. Several of the others I've had for almost as long, and I've given several away to former students. Just got the purple one a couple of months ago.

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/288/nononsense1sm5vt.jpg

[Tricia]

Ann - Love the purple one! I almost bought one of the transparent ones a couple of weeks ago, then talked myself out of it. I so don't need another fp.

 

I had a gazillion of these back in the 70s - mostly fps, but some fiber tip ones, too. (Don't remember the exact name of that, but it had a tip that was kind of like a Flair.) I've found three of the fps, two mediums (a blue and a brown) and one italic (black). Tried to convert the mediums to EDs, but while they hold ink fine, they won't write. The italic one leaks around the nib joint (don't know the correct term, but it's where the nib fits into the section), but works just fine. Go figure. I'm going to try and work on them because they are great writers.

 

Thanks for the review TMann. It's nice to see reviews of everyday pens since I'm more likely to pick those up on a whim.

[davyr]

nice review tmann. did you actually use the pen for school?

[Ann Finley]

Tricia, funny thing, I had the same experience that you did when you tried to use the pens as eyedropper fillers...Didn't leak but wouldn't write. Otherwise, they always write! Yet, school pens work perfectly well as eyedroppers.

 

Best, Ann

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Maybe they don't work well as eyedroppers...

 

The Nononsense looks nice, I ought to get the purple one. I have their other school pen, the metal flat-topped slip-capped ones and the Reacktor which I have to get John Mottishaw to tip.

 

Dillon

[TMann]

nice review tmann. did you actually use the pen for school?

Glad you all like the review!

 

In answer to DavyR's question, I did indeed use a Sheaffer NoNonsense ballpoint back in grade school and high school. I also had a Sheaffer Calligraphy set with a NoNonsense fountain pen. I don't recall ever using a fountain pen in school.

 

TMann

[Maja]

Ted, thank you for singing the praises of this great fountain pen. Those photos of it do it the justice it deserves; it is a handsome, faithful, dependable writer whose low price does not reflect the high quality of its construction.

 

I will now raise a virtual glass to toast the Sheaffer "No Nonsense" pen ...my very first fountain pen!

Edited November 29, 2005 by Maja

[emrecan]

Hi TMann

 

First thanks for the review and nice pics.Secondly is this the same pen in the Sheaffer Calligraphy Kits?

Thanks

 

Emrecan

[nmb]

Emrecan: I think that the current version of the Sheaffer calligraphy sets has a different pen in them. They look similar to the NoNonsense, but they have slip caps and a rubberized gripping section. I vaguely remember people saying that the quality of the new-style pens is not as good, but I don't remember any specifics.

[TMann]

First of all, if anyone is wanting to buy a new NN fountain pen, there's someone selling them on the Green Board at this link.

 

Secondly, in answer to Emrecan's question, the older Sheaffer Calligraphy kits had this style of NoNonsense pen. The new kits, have a slightly different version with a rubberized section, and a slip cap. The new ones aren't as nice, im my opinion.

 

TMann

Edited November 29, 2005 by TMann

[Velma]

Secondly, in answer to Emrecan's question, the older Sheaffer Calligraphy kits had this style of NoNonsense pen. The new kits, have a slightly different version with a rubberized section, and a slip cap. The new ones aren't as nice, im my opinion.

I agree. i don't like the caps (they escape in my bags, and indignity ensues), and I don't like the rubberized grip section, either. I still have some of my No Nonsense pens from the 80s and 90s (in battered condition -- I am not kind to my pens) and they still write well.

[emrecan]

Hi nmb,TMann and Velma

Thanks a lot for your information.Im not buying the Call. Set and you save m from expensive buy.Sheaffer's here 2x expensive a Call. Set around 30$

 

Emrecan

[randyholhut]

Greatest School Pen Ever? Of course!

 

I used a felt-tip NN in the 1970s, ballpoint NNs in the 1980s and 1990s and when it was time to start getting into fountain pens in the late 1990s, it was among the first I owned.

 

Simple, reliable, durable and cheap. What more can you ask for?

 

I agree the rubberized grip ones are lousy. Go for the originals, and if you have to, you can take out the spring from the BP barrel and use it as a FP barrel -- since they're are lots more of the BPs floating around out there.

 

Sheaffer will never make a pen as good as cheap in the USA than the original NN.

[nmb]

Okay, I'm hooked. The NN was the first fountain pen I ever saw (big fat crack in the cap lip, though) and I've wondered ever since what they're like. Anyone know of a source for the old-style? They come up for sale on the boards pretty rarely in my experience (probably because they're so solid). There's eBay for calligraphy sets and David Mason occasionally has them on the Green Board for $5, but is there anyone with a whopping big stash of these things?

 

It'll have to wait until after Christmas, but I think I'll be getting one to feed my cheap pen fascination. PMs with loaner offers welcome

[antoniosz]

Nice review. Nice pen. I do not understand why people say that they had problems with it. I used a red-semitransparent medium italic as eyedropper for almost more than a year with no problem.

 

Anywya my "best" NNS is this one. Do you see some things unusual ?

 

http://www.streamload.com/azavalia/FPN/limeNNS1.jpg

http://www.streamload.com/azavalia/FPN/limeNNS2.jpg

http://www.streamload.com/azavalia/FPN/limeNNS3.jpg

http://www.streamload.com/azavalia/FPN/limeNNS4.jpg

[Maja]

Anywya my "best" NNS is this one. Do you see some things unusual ?

Oh, you mean the clip, cap and barrel, Antonios?

 

Did you ever figure out if it was a protype or what? I remember you posting the question on Pentrace....

[antoniosz]

Maja, you have been around for too long - so you are not allowed to answer

 

Not a prototype. Just an early example.