Dating Sheaffer School/student/cartridge Pens

[stefanv]

A colleague just gave me four pens, two of which are the classic Sheaffer cartridge pens.

 

 

These two pens are identical, except for the barrel colour (black and clear), and the cap length (the cap on the black one is about 1/8" longer than the other, although I have no way to know if the caps have been swapped in the past). Both have "304" (fine?) nibs.

 

Does anyone know the approximate vintage of these pens?

 

When I was in high school in the late 70s and early 80s, I had three of the later models of this pen, with flat-topped cap and barrel instead of the cigar shape of the pens I just received.

[jar]

No real dates but that was the first version sold IIRC simply as the cartridge pen. It could date back as far as the very late 50s. I know I had some around 58-61 or so.

[Tweel]

There's this post with a set of dates.

[jbb]

My guess is 1960s based on the caps.

 

Here's a picture of some of the incarnations of Sheaffer School pens:

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4787000711_939a3b8901_b.jpg

Edited April 6, 2011 by jbb

[msilbernagel]

I received my first one of these when I started second grade - 1953.

[Luiscardo]

My guess is 1960s based on the caps.

 

Here's a picture of some of the incarnations of Sheaffer School pens:

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4787000711_939a3b8901_b.jpg

 

Hi Jbb.

It is possible that the model like the black one (flat top and bottom) has been made it in mid sixties?

I'm trying to figured out what's the age of one of those (exactly like that, even the color).

If you know the years of production, I will appreciate the data.

 

Regards, Luis.

[jbb]

Hi Jbb.

It is possible that the model like the black one (flat top and bottom) has been made it in mid sixties?

I'm trying to figured out what's the age of one of those (exactly like that, even the color).

If you know the years of production, I will appreciate the data.

 

Regards, Luis.

Hi Luis. Welcome to FPN. I'm no expert on Sheaffer School Pens but my gut "feeling" for the black one with the flat top & bottom would be '70s. :ph34r:

[Luiscardo]

Thanks for the welcome Jbb, I'm glad to participate in these forums.

This is my second post, perhaps the next one must be one introducing myself (in the right section, of course).

 

And thanks also for the answer.

 

Well, if this Sheaffer is from seventies, it means that it not belongs to person who I thought.

So I'm going to trace its origin more accurately.

 

Thanks again.

Regards, L.

[jar]

Thanks for the welcome Jbb, I'm glad to participate in these forums.

This is my second post, perhaps the next one must be one introducing myself (in the right section, of course).

 

And thanks also for the answer.

 

Well, if this Sheaffer is from seventies, it means that it not belongs to person who I thought.

So I'm going to trace its origin more accurately.

 

Thanks again.

Regards, L.

 

It could be from later than the 70s, but the flat top and bottom was the last of that version of cartridge pens.

[jbb]

Thanks for the welcome Jbb, I'm glad to participate in these forums.

This is my second post, perhaps the next one must be one introducing myself (in the right section, of course).

 

And thanks also for the answer.

 

Well, if this Sheaffer is from seventies, it means that it not belongs to person who I thought.

So I'm going to trace its origin more accurately.

 

Thanks again.

Regards, L.

I really don't know the date definitevely. Hopefully some FPN Sheaffer expert will chime in soon.

 

Are you using your Sheaffer school pen? They're generally great writers.

[Luiscardo]

It could be from later than the 70s, but the flat top and bottom was the last of that version of cartridge pens.

 

I know that this is the last model, but I think it's from seventies or sixties (if it is possible) not younger than that.

 

I really don't know the date definitevely. Hopefully some FPN Sheaffer expert will chime in soon.

 

Are you using your Sheaffer school pen? They're generally great writers.

 

Well, I'will stand here waiting for the bell

 

So, yes, among a couple of Parkers i've got two Sheaffer's, one is this one and the other is a NoNonsense from late nineties (with F nib).

The first one was repaired by myself stealing the nib (a M tip) from another, now dead, NoNonsense

And I agree, they are great pens for the day-by-day.

[stefanv]

...one is this one and the other is a NoNonsense from late nineties (with F nib).

The first one was repaired by myself stealing the nib (a M tip) from another, now dead, NoNonsense

And I agree, they are great pens for the day-by-day.

 

I'm curious, how did you get the nibs out of these pens?

[jar]

...one is this one and the other is a NoNonsense from late nineties (with F nib).

The first one was repaired by myself stealing the nib (a M tip) from another, now dead, NoNonsense

And I agree, they are great pens for the day-by-day.

 

I'm curious, how did you get the nibs out of these pens?

 

Swap sections is the easy way.

[Luiscardo]

Swap sections is the easy way.

 

This is not possible because section of a NoNonsense is bigger than section of this older cartridge pens.

I'm meassuring now and in NoNonsense you have 10 mm against 8 mm in the other one (external diameter of the screw)

The NoNonsense section is a bit longer also.

 

I'm curious, how did you get the nibs out of these pens?

 

Well, in the the cartridge pen (I don't know the proper model name) feed and nib goes out easily by pulling out with the fingers, perhaps whit a little help of warm water.

In the NoNonsense do this is impossible, plastic section and feed are tightly joined (very), so I had to split the section carefully with a saw, in order to use nib and feed also (that's why now is dead).

Time after I found a shop where there was a complete section replacement for the NoNonsense, I mean nib, feed and section, all togheter. I bought one of this, with F size tip, and screw NoNonsense's barrel and cap (some sort of "renaissance" )

[welch]

My memory is that you were expected not to change the nib on a Sheaffer cartridge pen. I used them in the late '50s, and they were the rounded cap and blind-cap style, clear or translucent barrels. Change a nib? I'm not sure we knew what a nib was!

[Alohamora]

From my own memory, the bullet ended ones would be 1962 or earlier. The conical ended ones were what I had in grade school - once we stepped up from pencil to ink.

Back in grade school I remember having ink on my hands all the time from these pens. I don't remember anyone ever telling me they should be carried nib up, carrying them nib down probably had something to do with my inky hands.

 

Also, I have found that the cartridge pen nibs will interchange with the No-Nonsense and later school pen (like the blue one in jbb's photo). Nib and feed usually pull out together with a bit of effort and dunking in hot water. Any purist pen collector will probably hate me because I'm swapping my nibs all around, putting earlier 304 nibs in later No-Nonsense pens, putting calligraphy nibs in the school pens, etc.

[kurazaybo]

I one of these pens a couple of months ago and I really like it. It is light and feels well made (if a little fragile). It writes smoothly, and I like to carry it everywhere. My only complaint is that the cap does not fit securely enough and sometimes it is accidentally separated from the pen. I enjoy it more than the Lamy Safari.

 

I would love to have one of those transparent or traslucent colors!!!

[penemuel]

Flat top & bottom definitely lasted into the late 80s -- I don't know when they started, though. I think I got my first one around 1979-80. After that I used them all through high school and into college, and for some time after, until I lost my last one & discovered they'd vanished from the grocery store shelves sometime around late 80s/early 90s. I recently found them on eBay and grabbed a few up. I absolutely loved those pens.

[jar]

It would be interesting to see which of the Sheaffer "Student", "School" or "Cartridge" pens folk identify with based on age. For example the clear bodied cigar shape ones are what I consider the classic Sheaffer student pen, but that was what I grew up with,

[mmack66]

I just bought a NOS pen like the middle one in the picture in post #4 and it is from 1963.