First Post, First Pen

[Rockape]

Hi. This my first post so please be gentle. I have just taken my first faltering steps into the world of vintage fountain pens with the purchase of an old Sheaffer that I bought from Ebay. The seller described it as a Lifetime pen but not sure if this is correct or how old it might be. It looks to be in good visible condition (I understand it belonged to the seller's father for it's entire life) however it is apparent that it won't fill so I assume that the sac is either damaged or absent. I have tentatively tried to remove the nib section to inspect the interior of the pen but it seems pretty stuck fast. I have also had a look at the guidance on this forum for the disassembly of old pens so will explore this further in due course. Can anyone advise what size sac this pen should take? I live in New Zealand where (to the best of my knowledge) there are no pen parts suppliers so I'll need to order from the US and don't want to wait 2 weeks for the wrong size! Many thanks. RA.

[cattar]

That's a Sheaffer Balance white dot from the 1930s. Lovely pen and nib. The pen is celluloid which can be fragile, so use with some care.


Here Richard Binder's how to replace a pen sac
with care for fragility of pens
http://richardspens.com/?page=ref/repair/resac.htm


Sac size depends on the pens length and width. Balance was made in several sizes and photos can be deceptive. So post dimensions in metric or inches.

Edited August 24, 2017 by cattar

[Rockape]

Thanks very much for your response Cattar. The pen (without the cap) is 125mm (approx 5") from the end of the barrel to the tip of the nib. Barrel diameter is 13.75mm (approx 1/2").

[cattar]

That'd be an oversize.

Since there will be other pens in your future
Here's Richard Binder's page on sac sizes.
http://richardspens.com/?page=ref/repair/sacs.htm
The Sheaffer oversize is a 20

 

Take your time. Be gentle with pressure and low and slow if using heat. Use real shellac and plain talc. Enjoy your pen.

 

And welcome to FPN.

Edited August 24, 2017 by cattar

[Rockape]

Thanks very much. Out of interest, can you soak these pens in water or will it damage the celluloid? I wondered whether putting it in some warm water might free it up.

[cattar]

Water can loosen and flush out ink.
But water won't be enough to slightly expand the barrel so it will slip off the section, or to soften shellac if it was used to keep the barrel from slipping. It'll take heat and patience, like a blow dryer from afar on a rotating pen.

Post questions about this in the forum ---- Writing Instruments - Repair Q&A
The folks who do this regularly will guide you.

Consider buying a few no name pens and doing sac replacement on them for practice.

[Chrissy]

Hello and welcome to FPN.

[KaB]

Hi Rockape

 

welcome here and congrats on your first beauty!

[Sasha Royale]

Your father's Sheaffer is beautiful, somewhat valuable. As an heirloom pen, it is irreplaceable.

It is eighty years old. As with most eighty-year-olds, it can be brittle. I strongly recommend having it serviced by an expert. If you can have a "pli-glass" sac (silicone) installed, you will have use of the pen for the rest of your life.

 

Dad was using my Parker 45 to make notes, while watching Apollo 11 on television because his pen was getting a "Pli-glass" sac. That means 1969. I am still using his pen today.

[cattar]

Sasha makes a good point. And having an expert do a resac is not expensive.

 

Also consider getting a inexpensive Pilot Metropolitan or Platinum Plaisir to practice writing without pressure and merely guiding the nib on its pool of ink.

Edited August 24, 2017 by cattar

[Rockape]

Thanks for all the welcomes and very helpful advice. I don't know of any pen repairers in New Zealand (we're a small country at the bottom of the world!) so will probably tackle this myself. I've spent many years restoring vintage musical instruments so I see this (hopefully) as an extension of that skill!

[Rockape]

Just managed to get the nib section off using a large rubber band (a technique I saw on You Tube!) and there's no sac inside. There is however the rock-hard residue of what I assume is the old sac or shellac still stuck to the nib section (see photo). Other than scraping off with one's finger nail, is there a better way to get this off? Thanks.

[mitto]

Just managed to get the nib section off using a large rubber band (a technique I saw on You Tube!) and there's no sac inside. There is however the rock-hard residue of what I assume is the old sac or shellac still stuck to the nib section (see photo). Other than scraping off with one's finger nail, is there a better way to get this off? Thanks.

 

Reading this thread might be helpful.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/148974-removing-the-dried-bladder-from-section-nipple/

[pen lady]

What ever you do use, and it should be something that pries up and flakes off the old rubber and shellac, remember to wear eye protection. You really don't want and 80+ year old flake of rubber in your eye! Did the ossified sack come out cleanly from the barrel? If not, you'll have to get everything out, avoid damaging the pressure bar, before installing the new sac. Good luck.

[siamackz]

I'd put the nib and section in a cup of water for a couple of hours. The remnants of shellac will come off easy, plus the feed and nib will get a nice soaking and cleaning.

[mitto]

Please be careful while removing the hardened old sac lest you demage the pressure bar. You may use a bit more dry heat to melt the shellac from the section nipple or use something to scrath it off. As others have said, be gentle with the pen. Also use heat whil putting the barrel back on the section if you feel it is too tight to fit.

[cattar]

How's the pen?

Sheaffer's have lovely nibs.

[Rockape]

How's the pen?

Sheaffer's have lovely nibs.

Thanks for the check-back Cattar. I ordered a new sac and shellac from the US and still waiting for delivery so not been able to progress it much. The pen is all clean and waiting to be put back together so looking forward to getting it inked up and ready to write!

[goodpens]

Welcome! Great pen! Learning to do your own repairs can take you far down the rabbit hole of all things related to fountain pens. It is definitely fun!!

[Rockape]

Thanks very much. By coincidence, the sacs and shellac arrived today so I'll get onto reassembling the pen ASAP so that I can enjoy using it.