Sheaffer Snorkel Maintenance Tips

[Arstook]

Greetings,

 

I became the proud owner of a Sheaffer Statesman Snorkel today. Does anyone have any maintenance tips/things to look out for down the line? Apologies if this subject has been discussed in great detail before!

[adyf]

The only thing I would recommend with a snorkel, is to be selective about the inks that you use.

 

I won’t name brands so as not to fan the flames, but I have had some issues with sacs turning gooey with a couple of brands. That said, I don’t know if you know whether your snorkel is fitted with a silicon or latex sac but I believe the silicon sacs are more resilient.

[pajaro]

I have recently resacked two desk snorkel pens. I found this harder to do than Touchdown pens, and I used silicone sacs, because I don't want to do it again. So, adyf's advice about being choosy about inks is spot on and important, unless you like restoring or paying for restorations. Red and purple inks are said to make sacs turn to goo. I avoid them in sac pens, and use those inks in C/C pens, generally refilling a cartridge. Otherwise I like the open nib Snorkels I have. I wouldn't use red or purple inks in them, though.

[Ron Z]

I have been using the PVC sacs from Woodbin in snorkels for about 6 years now. I do not know what has changed, but I started to see a disproportionate number of premature latex sac failures in snorkels in 2012. I use a #14 sac, which is snug enough. The reason is that a dead and leaking sac leads to rusted parts, especially the spring. The aftermarket springs are not quite the right fit, so if using a PVC sac prevents leaking and therefore leaking, its a good thing.

 

I don't especially care for the silicone sacs. They have a gas permeability issue. You're OK if you store the pen nib up, but not everybody likes to do that, and I can't tell my clients how to store their pens. I don't store my pens nib up.

 

For a longer discussion, read my blog post called No Silver Bullets.

[Arstook]

Thanks adyf and pajaro, I will make sure to use non-controversial inks with the Snorkel. I figure I'll be using Parker and Sheaffers blue ink which don't strike me as being very saturated.

 

Ron Z, not sure if the sac in my pen has been replaced or not. But may I keep your service contact info on file in the event of unauthorized leaks?

[Ron Z]

I'll be around for a while DV.

[hankosaurus]

Hello FPN Forum.

 

Recently I came into possession of a Sheaffer's Snorkel Pen Desk Set. It has a 14K nib, writes well, has enough vacuum to pull ink into the sac. But I think the sac may be leaking, as ink gets between it and the barrel somehow. Anyway, in looking for a repair kit (O-ring and sac), I see nothing specifically recommended for the Sheaffer snorkel desk set. The O-ring appears to be set differently in the barrel than is the case with the capped pens I see in the pictures on the web.

 

I would be very grateful for some guidance on the correct O-ring and its remove and replace procedure before I proceed. The pen is usable as it is, but I think it could be better.

 

Thanks and best regards,

 

Henry

Edited May 28, 2018 by hankosaurus

[3rdlakerobert]

I believe the barrel on a desk pen is the same part as the barrel on a pocket pen and thus the O ring is the same size and is installed the same way.

 

I would think if it's drawing in ink the sac must be intact and the Snorkel tube sealed into its plug, but I suppose it's possible that the leak is so small the filling system will still function somewhat. Is there ink also inside the sac protector? If so, I'd guess there's a sac leak.

[hankosaurus]

Hello Robert.

 

Thank you for the information about the O-ring being the same as on the regular snorkel pens. I will check again about that ink between the outside of the sac and the inside of the barrel. Now I am wondering if I might have drawn some ink into that area by putting the pen too deep into the ink bottle. Maybe only the snorkel tube should be submerged when filling the sac.

 

Henry

[JonSzanto]

Maybe only the snorkel tube should be submerged when filling the sac.

 

That is indeed the case, and the primary feature of the Snorkel pen. in this way, one avoided having to wipe the nib after inking.

[adyf]

Now I am wondering if I might have drawn some ink into that area by putting the pen too deep into the ink bottle. Maybe only the snorkel tube should be submerged when filling the sac.

 

 

Hi Henry, just to be clear, when filling the pen you are pulling out the plunger tube before you immerse the snorkel into the ink. A snorkel fills with downward movement of the plunger tube, it's never a good idea to pull the plunger tube out when the snorkel is immersed in the ink bottle.

 

Apologies if you are aware of the above already.

[inkstainedruth]

Jumping in on the conversation here. I have several Snorkels, and the one with the EF nib is persnickety about inks -- it didn't even like vintage Skrip Peacock! But it did like modern Skrip Purple....

Go figure.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[welch]

 

That is indeed the case, and the primary feature of the Snorkel pen. in this way, one avoided having to wipe the nib after inking.

 

Which is why those of us old enough to have seen the Snorkel TV commercials tended to think of that pen as a blood-sucking mosquito!

[JonSzanto]

Which is why those of us old enough to have seen the Snorkel TV commercials tended to think of that pen as a blood-sucking mosquito!

 

Hehe...

 

[Ron Z]

Sheaffer had two sizes of 0-rings for their pneumatic filler pens. The small is used in all of the thin touchdown pens, touchdown filled Imperials and snorkels. The large 0-ring was used in the PFM and fat Touchdown.

 

All of the snorkels use a 14 1/2 sac, though a 14 works. Thin TD pens use a $17 1/2 (though a 17 works), and the thin TD pens use a 15 1/2 (though again, the 15 works).

 

If you think that the sac is leaking, open the pen, empty it and dry everything very well as soon as possible! The snorkels have a carbon steel spring that rusts very quickly, and once it rusts creates an awful mess. You could end up replacing the internal parts if you don't. I've seen cases where the spring is rusted so badly that it sticks to the barrel wall. You'll spend nearly the value of the pen on replacement parts. Don't use the pen until it is restored.

[Ernst Bitterman]

Just to underline Ron's point:

 

...and these ones aren't really that bad.

[3rdlakerobert]

Yeah, just try to get the rusty spring out of the retaining cup! I've soaked them in rust remover for a day with no success. I wonder if a few cycles in an ultrasonic cleaner with rust remover would do it?

 

I've gotten the rust off the spring and thought I could reuse it by applying some WD 40. Nope, it was back inside a week. Bluing didn't help either. I think they're trash once they rust.

[hankosaurus]

Thank you, Jon, Adyf, Ruth, Welch,Ernst, Robert, and Ron.

 

I really appreciate the guidance and education. I will pursue a "Full Restoration," as I like the pen and don't want to damage it. Ron, I will send you an email after the 23rd of June in this respect.

 

Henry

Edited June 18, 2018 by hankosaurus

[eharriett]

Anyone have experience with the snorkel not retracting all the way and the section jamming on the pen? Last night I did I happened I just unscrewed and reset. Now I can’t unscrew.

[Ernst Bitterman]

Sometimes the spring binds. If the section isn't sealed down, unscrew it a little and see if that frees things up.