Sheaffer Statesman Vac-Fill Open Nib Removal

November 6, 2011

Greetings to all, First post here and repair question. I have been collecting pens for a year or so, all vintage and in need of some TLC. I've used this site and others seeking repair knowledge, purchased books by Mr. Dubiel and Msrs. Marshall and Oldfield. I have repaired, with success, several Sheaffer vac-fill pens using the parts and process offered by Mr. Nishimura. These have been triumph nib pens with both barrel as ink reservoir and the later internal cartridge version.

(see pic)

As you can see this beauty has the open nib and internal reservoir/cartridge. My question; how to remove the nib and feed from the cartridge? I have looked at it through a loop and can find no evidence of a separation point anywhere along the section, so I assume the feed and nib are threaded, or not. If anyone here has had experience with this pen type and can offer direction I would be very much obliged. Best regards, jilpoked

November 7, 2011

Greetings to you, too. It’s always good to see a fellow Vacfillian. That’s a fine looking specimen. Is it a 1948 model?

The section on these pens does not come apart. And there are no threads. The nib and feed are friction fit into a collar, which in turn is friction fit into the section. Here’s an exploded view of the nib assembly:

http://ashbridg.com/vacfil/3parts_600.jpg

The nib and feed should come out intact in the collar, as a single unit, like this:

http://ashbridg.com/vacfil/nibfeed_600.jpg

Unfortunately, the nib and feed came out separately in this pen. I put a dowel through the blind-cap end to tap the collar out. In this pic the collar is tapped half way out of the section:

http://ashbridg.com/vacfil/insert_600.jpg

Skillful heating helps the nib assembly to come out intact with the collar. If the collar stays in the section, like it did here, you can’t get the backing washer out of the pen, and that creates a problem.

Those big beefy platinum-masked nibs are my favorite open nibs, wonderful writers in my opinion.

Regards,

AshBridg

Edited November 7, 2011 by ashbridg

November 8, 2011

Greetings to you, too. It’s always good to see a fellow Vacfillian. That’s a fine looking specimen. Is it a 1948 model?

The section on these pens does not come apart. And there are no threads. The nib and feed are friction fit into a collar, which in turn is friction fit into the section. Here’s an exploded view of the nib assembly:
http://ashbridg.com/vacfil/3parts_600.jpg

The nib and feed should come out intact in the collar, as a single unit, like this:
http://ashbridg.com/vacfil/nibfeed_600.jpg

Unfortunately, the nib and feed came out separately in this pen. I put a dowel through the blind-cap end to tap the collar out. In this pic the collar is tapped half way out of the section:
http://ashbridg.com/vacfil/insert_600.jpg

Skillful heating helps the nib assembly to come out intact with the collar. If the collar stays in the section, like it did here, you can’t get the backing washer out of the pen, and that creates a problem.

Those big beefy platinum-masked nibs are my favorite open nibs, wonderful writers in my opinion.

Regards,
AshBridg

Ashbridg, thank you for responding to my question. Your comments and added photos are very helpful and greatly appreciated. I do not know how to date this pen to a specific year, but, the book by Mr. Dubiel represents the Sheaffer internal cartridge vac-fill as being used from 1947 to 1948.

After looking at your photos and looking at my pen, I am not sure that we have the same version. From your photo the feed appears cylindrical with nine fins and mine is tapered, narrower at the tip and widening as it goes into the section, with ten fins showing.(pic)

I took this photo looking into the section.(pic)

When you look into the section of your pen are you able to see the end of the collar that contains the nib and feed? My photos are not super clear but I hope they will help you determine if we're working with the same version.

I too admire these pens, the large broad nibs are very attractive and, as you say, they're great writers.

Thanks again for your help. Best regards, jilpoked (Vacfillian...I like that!)

November 11, 2011

Hi jilpoked,

Your pictures look fine to me. To answer your question, no, I wasn’t able to see the insert collar in my pen until I removed the nib. I still think both of our nib assemblies are the same. Even though yours has a tapered feed, both pens have a combed radial feed and may have been made within a year of each other.

I’m trying to figure out if your pen is a so-called “1948” model for sure. I think it is and that it has a collar insert like mine. But in any case, it either has a collar or it doesn’t, and the collar is either threaded or it isn’t. Why not warm it up and twist the nib assembly gently? It can’t hurt anything. The feed will tell you what it wants to do.

An unfortunate feature of this model pen is the nib and feed (and insert collar, if present) must be removed in order to replace the gaskets on the plunger rod. (As an alternative, you could go in the ink cartridge from the blind-cap end, but that procedure is more invasive, in my opinion.)

I have three “1948” Vac-Fils that all have Triumph nibs. I’ve only seen one with a standard open nib like yours, and it had the same nib assembly as the open nib in my photos. I think your Vac-Fil is built the same way, but with Sheaffer pens, you never know.

AshBridg