Sheaffer Pens Used In Schools, Circa Mid 1960S.

[AmericanMonk]

@HDoug Is that Robert Oster's School Blue that I see?

[inkstainedruth]

8 hours ago, AmericanMonk said:

Cheapest I've found (UK): https://cultpens.com/products/sheaffer-classic-converter

Cheapest I've found in the US: https://andersonpens.com/sheaffer-fountain-pen-piston-converter/

 

Hmmm.  Wondering if either of these converters would fit in a Sheaffer school pen, or a Skripset.  But thanks for posting the links (especially since both are vendors I've had good experiences with).  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Sailor Kenshin]

16 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Hmmm.  Wondering if either of these converters would fit in a Sheaffer school pen, or a Skripset.  But thanks for posting the links (especially since both are vendors I've had good experiences with).  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I might have the converter.  If I do, I can try it later.

 

PS:  I have confirmed that the converter won't fit in the Sheaffer school pens.

[inkstainedruth]

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of -- that the converter you have won't fit.   But thanks for checking.
I got lucky on the converter for the first one.  But last year I trailed around a pen show most of the weekend trying to find converters for the other two school pens, as well as for a Skripsert a friend gave me (I think it had been his grandfather's) and I think a Lady Skripsert.  And apparently if you can find a converter at all, it's going to be WAY more expensive than the pens themselves. And by that I mean that 1 converter would be pricier than most of those pens COMBINED....  

Of course it's not like I don't have OTHER converters on my shopping list for OPS this weekend....  I borrowed a converter from one of the other Parker Vectors in the stash for the "Flowers" one I got recently, so need another one.  Got a Pelikan P1 Twist as swag at the local Pelikan Hub, plus someone was giving away some pens so I also need a converter for a Sailor Lecoule besides the P1.  And recently I somehow acquired (and don't remember when or where) some Waterman pen that is a "flighter" (but not sure of the actual model) -- and hoping I can find a converter that will fit it that ISN'T a slide converter (makes the Parker slide converters look well-made and FUNCTIONAL in comparison).  And that's in addition to a bunch of pens that I want to get repaired.  The top of this year's list are a couple of recent pens from estate sales: A Parker Deluxe Challenger and a Japanese pen (brand is something called "Elliott" that is an eyedropper with some sort of locking mechanism).  Plus, I discovered last week that I had a tassie for some pen in a back pocket (!) and have tracked it down to the blind cap on my Red Shadow Wave Vac (which is also missing the jewel ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[AmericanMonk]

On 10/31/2023 at 8:49 AM, Sailor Kenshin said:

PS:  I have confirmed that the converter won't fit in the Sheaffer school pens.

Thanks for looking into this. Do you know the converter's model number, if any? And in what way doesn't the converter fit? A bad seal at the connection? or too long to fit in the pen? or...?

[Sailor Kenshin]

8 minutes ago, AmericanMonk said:

Thanks for looking into this. Do you know the converter's model number, if any? And in what way doesn't the converter fit? A bad seal at the connection? or too long to fit in the pen? or...?

 

Much too long for the pen.  It's the piston converter.

 

Cartridges don't fit your pen, correct?

[AmericanMonk]

1 minute ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Much too long for the pen.  It's the piston converter.

 

Cartridges don't fit your pen, correct?

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

My interest in this thread is solely regarding the converters. I don't own any of the Sheaffers listed so far. I have four 80s-era No Nonsense italics that I adore. Cartridges work just fine but I've reused them to the point where I am seeing stress marks. It's just a matter of time before they crack. I could buy more but they have become relatively difficult to find. I think my calligraphy sets were purchased from a local grocery store. Up until recently I could find them at craft/hobby stores. Now it seems the internet is the only option and even then they're increasingly difficult to find. It seems that both Sheaffer's main website and their outlet store have very limited or spotty stock.

 

So I have some converters en route from Cult Pens. I believe the No Nonsense works with the converter but I am considering what to do if I find out that they're not compatible. There's little information (that I know about) regarding compatibility so I am scraping together every bit of information I can find. It's reassuring to hear that the problem is with the length and not the connection. By my rough estimate, the No Nonsense has 1/4-1/2 inch of room beyond the length of a cartridge.

[Sailor Kenshin]

44 minutes ago, AmericanMonk said:

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

My interest in this thread is solely regarding the converters. I don't own any of the Sheaffers listed so far. I have four 80s-era No Nonsense italics that I adore. Cartridges work just fine but I've reused them to the point where I am seeing stress marks. It's just a matter of time before they crack. I could buy more but they have become relatively difficult to find. I think my calligraphy sets were purchased from a local grocery store. Up until recently I could find them at craft/hobby stores. Now it seems the internet is the only option and even then they're increasingly difficult to find. It seems that both Sheaffer's main website and their outlet store have very limited or spotty stock.

 

So I have some converters en route from Cult Pens. I believe the No Nonsense works with the converter but I am considering what to do if I find out that they're not compatible. There's little information (that I know about) regarding compatibility so I am scraping together every bit of information I can find. It's reassuring to hear that the problem is with the length and not the connection. By my rough estimate, the No Nonsense has 1/4-1/2 inch of room beyond the length of a cartridge.

 

I have a ton of Sheaffer cartridges.  If you are in the CONUS I can send some.  The ink will still be useable, and can be refilled.

[Penguincollector]

There’s cartridges on Amazon, but the best way to buy a converter that fits is to buy an ‘80s era pen on eBay with one for cheap. Sometimes, the squeeze converters are sold alone but for way more.

[AmericanMonk]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

I have a ton of Sheaffer cartridges.  If you are in the CONUS I can send some.  The ink will still be useable, and can be refilled.

That's a kind offer but with some converters en route I am currently hellbent on making them work. Besides, those cartridges might be more valuable than you think. Sheaffer does not appear to be making ink anymore except for their rollerball/ballpoint refills (yes, you can still find some cartridges on the market but it's just a matter of time). Your cartridges are best sold to someone whose pens are confirmed to not be able to use the converters.

[AmericanMonk]

11 hours ago, Penguincollector said:

There’s cartridges on Amazon, but the best way to buy a converter that fits is to buy an ‘80s era pen on eBay with one for cheap. Sometimes, the squeeze converters are sold alone but for way more.

I've personally never seen a ebay listing that includes both pen and converter. For a while there were used piston converters on ebay for $30+. I don't see those much anymore but, yeah... the used squeeze converters are priced the same or more as a No Nonsense. I'm glad that Sheaffer revitalized their piston converter market.

[Sailor Kenshin]

2 hours ago, AmericanMonk said:

That's a kind offer but with some converters en route I am currently hellbent on making them work. Besides, those cartridges might be more valuable than you think. Sheaffer does not appear to be making ink anymore except for their rollerball/ballpoint refills (yes, you can still find some cartridges on the market but it's just a matter of time). Your cartridges are best sold to someone whose pens are confirmed to not be able to use the converters.

 

I wasn't talking about a sale, just sending you a few.

[IknowWrite]

You could just “convert” the No Nonsense pen into an eyedropper…then you won’t need cartridges or converters and your ink will last much longer, as well. 

[AmericanMonk]

6 hours ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

I wasn't talking about a sale, just sending you a few.

You're too kind.

 

Perhaps I'll take you up on your offer some day, assuming they're still yours to give and you are still willing to part with them. But first: I am looking forward to finding out if the converters are compatible with the pens. That's the ideal solution for me.

[AmericanMonk]

33 minutes ago, IknowWrite said:

You could just “convert” the No Nonsense pen into an eyedropper…then you won’t need cartridges or converters and your ink will last much longer, as well. 

True. I've never had luck with eyedroppers. They tend to burp on me. I dislike cartridges, too, and only use them in these Sheaffers because I had few options.

 

I love converters. I'd even use the often-disliked Pilot CON-40 in the No Nonsense if that were an option. I have considered using a hot glue gun to fill the open end of a spare converter and then using a heated needle to poke a new hole in the newly-filled end... or cutting the end off of a used up cartridge and gluing it to a converter... or buying a 3D printer. Both the Pilot and Platinum converters fit in the No Nonsense; they just don't seal to the grip section.

 

I rotate my inks often so I am someone who prefers low'ish capacities. I also like using some sheening inks, which can occasionally get gummy. Having the ability to suck some ink out of the feed unit, "floss" the feed with a strip of paper, and then prime the feed again is much easier with a converter.

 

I truly believe that the converters that are en route are the best option for me. Fingers crossed that they work. But the eyedropper is a fine idea. I hadn't thought of that and it is good to have as many options as possible. Who knows, maybe I'll find that Holy Grail Sheaffer & ink combo and my opinion of eyedroppers will change.

[Sailor Kenshin]

15 hours ago, AmericanMonk said:

You're too kind.

 

Perhaps I'll take you up on your offer some day, assuming they're still yours to give and you are still willing to part with them. But first: I am looking forward to finding out if the converters are compatible with the pens. That's the ideal solution for me.

They're just sitting in a drawer, so let me know.  The piston con ought to work in the NN barrel, but I'm interested to find out, too.

[AmericanMonk]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

They're just sitting in a drawer, so let me know.  The piston con ought to work in the NN barrel, but I'm interested to find out, too.

Converters finally arrived. Haven't juiced it up yet but it fits on—and in—my blue No Nonsense. The packaging says it is suitable with the Icon, Sagaris, Award, Taranis, Pop, Legacy, Prelude, 100, 300, and Intensity.

I've also found out that they are currently 7USD (per unit; I don't know the S&H costs) when purchased direct from Sheaffer: https://sheaffer.com/products/sheaffer-converter-piston