Canadian Short Slender Balance?

September 12, 2018

I found this in a local antique store for what might be a very good price. I'm rather new to Sheaffers, having grown up in a mainly Parker family, but am very impressed with the Snorkel and Vac-Fil that a friend gifted me last year. So I grabbed this pen when I saw it. I THINK it is a short slender Balance, but I am quite confused about nomenclature from my recent reading. In addition, this pen is clearly marked as Canadian, and has the fattest nib I have ever seen that isn't a music or italic nib. It needs a new sac so I haven't written with it yet to see the actual line thickness, and I am also confused about the proper sac size (after spending about 3 hours searching the topic).

What is definite is this:

1. It's a Canadian Sheaffer as can be seen from the very good condition impression on the barrel, which says "W. A. Sheaffer Pen Co. | (of Canada, Ltd.) Malton, Ont. | Pat. 1936".

2. It is short, 120mm = 4.75".

3. It is slender, 0.423" at the widest part of the barrel.

4. It has a fairly wide sac nipple: 0.272".

5. it has a white dot and the nib is a Lifetime two-tone.

6. It's green

7. The clip is the flattened ball with Sheaffer inscription.

8 The nib looks very wide.

Questions:

1. Is my general ID correct (short slender Balance)? Is there some other model name that goes with this pen?

2. What is the correct sac size? Pensac seems to suggest a #18 if I'm deciphering the model and chart correctly, and that fits the barrel and nipple, but the x/64 rule would imply a #17.5 for that nipple size. Richard Binder's site says to use a #15 for slender Balances if using the original lever. I have 16s and 18s on hand. What should I really use?

3. Is the proper color name Marine Green striped?

4. I've resacced a few Esterbrooks but and got this Balance apart easily with a variable temperature heat gun I have, but I am no expert on pen repair. I bought this pen to be a user, but other than some corrosion or dirt on the underside of the clip and ambering of the ink window it seem to be in very good condition. Roughly what would be the value of this pen? Is the value high enough that I should have it fully restored by a pro or should I continue to play with it?

5. I know the real test is how wide does the nib write, but I was wondering whether Sheaffer made a BB nib in the 1930s, or would this probably be a B? From certain angles it looks slightly stubby, but I suspect it really isn't.

I appreciate any guidance those more knowledgeable about Sheaffer's can give me.

October 4, 2018

This is a short slender Balance as you guessed. Marine green striated. Around $60-80 restored, a little more if you're lucky. Broad and stubby Sheaffer nibs are rare beasts - I would guess this is a fine but only a writing sample would truly answer that.

Unfortunately I'm no expert on sac sizes and can't help you there.

Enjoy the pen!

October 7, 2018

Thanks. Definitely not a fine. Dipped in Diamine Twilight (which is not going into it), it looks broad and maybe slightly stubby but it awaits filling which is the real test. I put a #16 sac in it to err on the not too big side.