Sheaffer Valiant Tm Touchdown

[drwright]

Hello All,

 

I just received a pen recently bought from ebay that I am pretty sure is a Sheaffer Valiant TM Touchdown fountain pen in Burnt Umber Brown with a fine-medium nib, and I had a few questions about it.

 

First off, I got it for ~$15: how did I do? The body is in great shape, as is the nib. There was dried ink on the fins and in the sac, but that was cleaned out pretty easily.

 

Secondly, is there any way to tell what size the nib is? There are no markings other than, "Sheaffer's Reg. U.S. Pat. Office, Made in U.S.A., 14K. It seems to be a fine-medium.

 

Lastly, I'm not sure if the sac is completely filling with water, and wanted to know how to disassemble the pen, and perhaps install a new sac and o-rings. Any way to tell if the pen does need a new sac and o-rings? (or is it best to do it anyway, since it's a 50+ year old pen?) Is this a fairly simple process that I could do on my own? How would I go about doing it?

 

Thank you!

 

Cheers,

Danny

 

P.S. pictures to follow sometime when I get a chance to take and upload them.

[Happy Harry]

To me it seems the brown TMs are not that easy to come by, so at the price I'd say a bargain. With regard to nib size, it is what it is !! May well be a fine as opposed to medium, could be the other way around of course...that probably does not help much. The restoration is relatively simple, but does require the use of heat (generally) to allow the barrel to be unscrewed. All I can say is that heat also melts plastic so not the ideal pen to start with, I'm a believer in the old saying "if something can go wrong it will" especially when doing something first time. If you intend to carry the pen it's best to do it up to avoid the possibility of "inky pocket", otherwise I'd just use it as is if it holds ink.

[ashbridg]

Hello All,

 

I just received a pen recently bought from ebay that I am pretty sure is a Sheaffer Valiant TM Touchdown fountain pen in Burnt Umber Brown with a fine-medium nib, and I had a few questions about it.

It's probably a "first-year" Touchdown known as a "fat pen" (or more accurately, a first version Touchdown). I don't think the Valiant Touchdown came in a TM, but I could be wrong. It's important to know because the TM takes a different size sac and O-ring. You need pictures.

 

First off, I got it for ~$15: how did I do?

You're kidding, right?

 

Secondly, is there any way to tell what size the nib is?..It seems to be a fine-medium.

It probably is, most of them were fine or medium fine, excellent writers, too.

 

Lastly, I'm not sure if the sac is completely filling with water, and wanted to know how to disassemble the pen, and perhaps install a new sac and o-rings. Any way to tell if the pen does need a new sac and o-rings? (or is it best to do it anyway, since it's a 50+ year old pen?) Is this a fairly simple process that I could do on my own? How would I go about doing it?

The rubber goes bad over time and you should replace it, but restoration is fairly straightforward. "Pen Repair, Second Edition" by Marshall and Oldfield has the best instructions and photos, in my opinion.

 

Ashby

[Happy Harry]

The TM Touchdown did indeed come in a Valiant version, a rather more common model. While the TM nibs came in a number of varieties (some 16 I think) non was a fine/medium, so it's one or the other.

[Hex]

Hi Danny, and I am glad to see your topic.

I too have just gotten a TM Valiant and am in the process of restoring it. I paid $21.50 for it, so you got a much better deal. Mine has quite a few teeth and pliers marks on the end. Grrrrr.

I ordered an assortment of sacs since I also have some Esterbrooks I want to take a crack at. Supposedly, it takes a #15 sac.

Anyhow, I have been following these instructions:

Touchdown Repair

 

I am at the point where I am looking to see if I have gotten all the pieces of the old O-Ring out.

Looking at the picture, where the old O-Ring is being removed, is there a supposed to be a recession in the barrel wall to hold the O-Ring ?

Mine appears smooth and I was wondering if I need to dig some more to get the old O-Ring out of a recession.

If not, what keeps the O-Ring from sliding back into the barrel ?

 

thanks

[Happy Harry]

The o-ring does sit in a groove, something with a thin point is best to pry the remains out, a "splinter" remover or the like works well, some are rather stubborn.

[Possumtops]

I think I saw that pen go through, the colour caught my eye as unusual. But you can't bid on everything that catches your eye, can you? Good luck with your repair - take your time - gently does it. Be wary of direct heat, I learnt the hard way, and now find a good soaking in warm/hot water loosens most threads. - and yes I reckon you did get a good buy.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Possumtops

[Hex]

I think I saw that pen go through, the colour caught my eye as unusual. But you can't bid on everything that catches your eye, can you? Good luck with your repair - take your time - gently does it. Be wary of direct heat, I learnt the hard way, and now find a good soaking in warm/hot water loosens most threads. - and yes I reckon you did get a good buy.

 

Well, lately I have had a lot of "catch my eye" items, so much so that I am going broke. :roflmho:

[drwright]

Thanks for the info, everyone! I love the pen, but was thinking of trying to get a different color (possibly even a different model Sheaffer, though I do like the Valiant). So, I think I might list it for sale or trade in the classifieds. If I decided to sell it, any ideas what would be a good price to list it for? (I've cleaned it up some, and it's in good working order). Here are some pictures:

[79spitfire]

I have one of those! In that color, I paid way too much for mine, but it is a great pen. From the pics I would say it is a TM and worth repairing and using!

[FábioVenhorst]

Great pen, I have one. Mine is black.

[ghooks]

Hi Danny, and I am glad to see your topic.

I too have just gotten a TM Valiant and am in the process of restoring it. I paid $21.50 for it, so you got a much better deal. Mine has quite a few teeth and pliers marks on the end. Grrrrr.

I ordered an assortment of sacs since I also have some Esterbrooks I want to take a crack at. Supposedly, it takes a #15 sac.

Anyhow, I have been following these instructions:

Touchdown Repair

 

I am at the point where I am looking to see if I have gotten all the pieces of the old O-Ring out.

Looking at the picture, where the old O-Ring is being removed, is there a supposed to be a recession in the barrel wall to hold the O-Ring ?

Mine appears smooth and I was wondering if I need to dig some more to get the old O-Ring out of a recession.

If not, what keeps the O-Ring from sliding back into the barrel ?

 

thanks

 

Hi All: It must be Touchdown repair season. I'm working on a Touchdown Craftsman. Wasn't getting much ink. I replaced the sac and still couldn't get a good fill using the pneumatic plunger (manually squeezing and releasing fills sac pretty well). So now I've disassembled and see the o-ring. It looks supple, but now that I've gone this far, I figure I should replace it. The current o-ring looks much farther down the barrel than David Nishimura's picture posted by Hex. Question: (finally :embarrassed_smile:) How far down should the o-ring sit? Is there only one groove it can go in? Thanks

[Happy Harry]

Hi Danny, and I am glad to see your topic.

I too have just gotten a TM Valiant and am in the process of restoring it. I paid $21.50 for it, so you got a much better deal. Mine has quite a few teeth and pliers marks on the end. Grrrrr.

I ordered an assortment of sacs since I also have some Esterbrooks I want to take a crack at. Supposedly, it takes a #15 sac.

Anyhow, I have been following these instructions:

Touchdown Repair

 

I am at the point where I am looking to see if I have gotten all the pieces of the old O-Ring out.

Looking at the picture, where the old O-Ring is being removed, is there a supposed to be a recession in the barrel wall to hold the O-Ring ?

Mine appears smooth and I was wondering if I need to dig some more to get the old O-Ring out of a recession.

If not, what keeps the O-Ring from sliding back into the barrel ?

 

thanks

 

Hi All: It must be Touchdown repair season. I'm working on a Touchdown Craftsman. Wasn't getting much ink. I replaced the sac and still couldn't get a good fill using the pneumatic plunger (manually squeezing and releasing fills sac pretty well). So now I've disassembled and see the o-ring. It looks supple, but now that I've gone this far, I figure I should replace it. The current o-ring looks much farther down the barrel than David Nishimura's picture posted by Hex. Question: (finally :embarrassed_smile:) How far down should the o-ring sit? Is there only one groove it can go in? Thanks

 

Only one groove.

[ghooks]

Hi Danny, and I am glad to see your topic.

I too have just gotten a TM Valiant and am in the process of restoring it. I paid $21.50 for it, so you got a much better deal. Mine has quite a few teeth and pliers marks on the end. Grrrrr.

I ordered an assortment of sacs since I also have some Esterbrooks I want to take a crack at. Supposedly, it takes a #15 sac.

Anyhow, I have been following these instructions:

Touchdown Repair

 

I am at the point where I am looking to see if I have gotten all the pieces of the old O-Ring out.

Looking at the picture, where the old O-Ring is being removed, is there a supposed to be a recession in the barrel wall to hold the O-Ring ?

Mine appears smooth and I was wondering if I need to dig some more to get the old O-Ring out of a recession.

If not, what keeps the O-Ring from sliding back into the barrel ?

 

thanks

 

Hi All: It must be Touchdown repair season. I'm working on a Touchdown Craftsman. Wasn't getting much ink. I replaced the sac and still couldn't get a good fill using the pneumatic plunger (manually squeezing and releasing fills sac pretty well). So now I've disassembled and see the o-ring. It looks supple, but now that I've gone this far, I figure I should replace it. The current o-ring looks much farther down the barrel than David Nishimura's picture posted by Hex. Question: (finally :embarrassed_smile:) How far down should the o-ring sit? Is there only one groove it can go in? Thanks

 

Only one groove.

Thanks much.