FANTASY HYPOTHETICAL: New Owner of SHEAFFER PEN CO. What's your pen lineup?

[donnweinberg]

HYPOTHETICAL:  You, a multi-billionaire and pen fan, have just become, via purchase, the sole owner of the Sheaffer Pen Company and all its property, including patents and archives.  Your goal is to offer the best and most interesting lineup of models you can while, at the same time, making at least a small profit.  You are not limited by history in what your pen lineup can be.  For example, if you wish, you can offer the PFM/Legacy in a new color/pattern with a flexible nib and with a filling system never offered in a PFM/Legacy or even in any Sheaffer.  Tell us what models the new Sheaffer Pen Co. would offer for sale, and describe the relevant details of each model that you'd have the new Sheaffer Pen Co. sell.  Provide any details about whatever appeals to you in this regard, such as marketing strategy, pricing (in whichever currency you choose), and anything else you wish.  Would you stagger the introduction of your models or put them all out at once?  No limits here.  Have at it and have fun.  😍

[ArchiMark]

I'd be happy to bring back the PFM V with all it's snorkel goodness and with a good supply of stub nibs available along with the other usual nib sized.

 

Given the crazy woke world, we seem to be living in, would probably have to change the name from PFM to PFA (Pen For All) or some other dumb name that the marketing dept would come up with.

 

Also, would continue the Legacy series, although I prefer the older Legacy style pens with the pullout Touchdown filler. Definitely, would have various finishes and designs similar to some of the past models, especially, some of the stirling silver models of the past. Although I'd also bring out versions in various color barrels, maybe some with patterned material; like hatched pattern.

 

As for timing, I'd probably stagger the releases to let each one get enough attention.

 

Hard to say about pricing, but would guess they'd likely be in the $4 - 500 range?

 

Best,

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

[Penguincollector]

I would love more slim pens, and inlaid nibs in at least a few models- PFM (gleefully used by this woman), Imperial, Dolphin, Targa. PEACOCK BLUE INK. Sheaffer 2 cartridges and converters. A retro ringtop mini.

[amberleadavis]

  On 6/12/2022 at 3:55 PM, Penguincollector said:

PFM (gleefully used by this woman)

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I'd rebrand PFM to "PEN FOR ME". I'd redo the Legacy with STUB and CI nibs and I would do some ringtops and place them next to the high tech cards / ID tags.

[awa54]

  On 6/16/2022 at 11:15 PM, amberleadavis said:

 

I'd rebrand PFM to "PEN FOR ME". ...

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👍👍

 

so many reasons this is so good!

 

[amberleadavis]

  On 6/28/2022 at 4:14 AM, awa54 said:

 

👍👍

 

so many reasons this is so good!

 

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I also don't think Ringtops should be market solely to women because they are perfect for the ID cards - the modern version of a watch chain.

[inkstainedruth]

I remember reading a post in some thread a few years ago that soldiers in combat (I think in WWI) used ringtop pens (possibly because they were small and lightweight and having them on a lanyard meant that they were less likely to get lost).

Okay, probably NOT a pen like my Peter Pan, with the raised 3D flowers on the cap.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Z man]

  On 6/16/2022 at 11:15 PM, amberleadavis said:

 

I'd rebrand PFM to "PEN FOR ME". I'd redo the Legacy with STUB and CI nibs and I would do some ringtops and place them next to the high tech cards / ID tags.

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With a nod to Depeche Mode, How about "Pen For the Masses"?

 

Z

[awa54]

every pen counts in large amounts!

[Z man]

  On 6/29/2022 at 12:16 AM, awa54 said:

every pen counts in large amounts!

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Very, very good.

 

Z

[LoBh]

  On 6/28/2022 at 8:41 PM, Z man said:

With a nod to Depeche Mode, How about "Pen For the Masses"?

 

Z

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Going by the market price for Legacies or PFMs, they aren't really for the masses.  

 

Anyways, my response to the original thread :

1. PFM or Legacy style inlaid nib made of makrolon or ebonite or brushed resin.

2. A pen with conical/triumph nib style nib.

3. Resurrect the Imperial line with the in-laid nibs.

4. Bring back the school pen for the masses (s-PFM). I love the nibs on those early versions. Beats a Lamy Z50 any day. 

5. Offer italics and oblique nibs as options. 

[IJKWS]

1.Produce le grand inlaid nib line with both metal barrel and plastic barrel（new pfm，legacy）, The new legacy2022 I got is too heavy for me to write.

2.Produce a mass productive inlaid nib line with stainless steel nib，around 20-30USD（100-250RMB）with standard size steel inlaid nib, which would be a better choice than lamy z50

3. Produce a snorkel line  Every year producing different 1913 snorkel pen as a limited edition.

 

[donnweinberg]

I want to comment on the snorkel as a filling mechanism.  No question, it's very cool to watch the snorkel tube go in and out.  However, I question whether using the snorkel, in practice, really avoids dipping the nib into ink when filling.  I have many snorkel-fill Sheaffers, including but not limited to the PFM and the "Snorkel" snorkels, plus one clear demonstrator Tega "Fantasy Snorkel.'  The tube doesn't really go that far out from the nib.  The shape of many ink bottles makes it difficult to fill these pens with only the snorkel tube (not the nib) in the ink, as it can be difficult to visualize the filling process to that level of precision.  Sometimes the downstroke of the Touchdown pump causes the "holding" hand to move in the direction of the ink, thus causing the nib to touch the ink.  As a result, one often ends up with the nib in the ink and with the need to wipe off the nib.  In addition, the sacs of the snorkels don't hold that much ink (there's a separate thread about that in the Sheaffer forum).  Considering how complex the snorkel mechanism is, and how much it adds to the cost of production and the cost of repairs (when needed), just how compelling is the snorkel mechanism?  I'd be interested in your thoughts about these aspects of the snorkel.

[inkstainedruth]

Well, I haven't that happen with mine, because the tube does extend far enough on all of mine.  But of course flushing Snorkels is a different matter altogether, because of course you now have ink in the feed.  This was less of an issue for the era of "one person/one pen" because the pen owners were generally not switching inks around nearly as much as FP people do now.

As for the "low" capacity?  Ehhh, the same could be said for Pilot c/c pens which use a C-40 converter.  But of course how much writing you get out of any pen is going to depend on a number of factors -- the nib width, whether or not it's a wet writer and/or using a wet in, how absorbent the paper is, and so on.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

  On 10/13/2022 at 2:44 PM, donnweinberg said:

I want to comment on the snorkel as a filling mechanism.  No question, it's very cool to watch the snorkel tube go in and out.  However, I question whether using the snorkel, in practice, really avoids dipping the nib into ink when filling.  I have many snorkel-fill Sheaffers, including but not limited to the PFM and the "Snorkel" snorkels, plus one clear demonstrator Tega "Fantasy Snorkel.'  
…

 I'd be interested in your thoughts about these aspects of the snorkel.

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You should try filling from a well bottle of Skrip!   solves that issue. Also, 2ml sample vials are perfect for snorkels

 

 

my lineup:

 

PFM (all 5)

Lady Sheaffer Skripserts (all of them)

Balances w/ open and triumph nibs, regular and oversize

Snorkel line 

Autograph and Signature Caps

Tuckaway Touchdowns 

Skripserts with triumph nibs. I have a black one with chalk marks, no “$5” pen should write that well!

MOST (but not all) of my efforts would be On inlaid and triumph nibs. (Play to your strengths, set yourself apart from others)

 

1950s inks, all of them (especially BB. my fav colour). In the well bottles. 

 

(And now back to the snorkels I’m working on…)

 

 

 

 

 

[awa54]

  On 10/13/2022 at 2:44 PM, donnweinberg said:

I want to comment on the snorkel as a filling mechanism.  No question, it's very cool to watch the snorkel tube go in and out.  However, I question whether using the snorkel, in practice, really avoids dipping the nib into ink when filling.  I have many snorkel-fill Sheaffers, including but not limited to the PFM and the "Snorkel" snorkels, plus one clear demonstrator Tega "Fantasy Snorkel.'  The tube doesn't really go that far out from the nib.  The shape of many ink bottles makes it difficult to fill these pens with only the snorkel tube (not the nib) in the ink, as it can be difficult to visualize the filling process to that level of precision.  Sometimes the downstroke of the Touchdown pump causes the "holding" hand to move in the direction of the ink, thus causing the nib to touch the ink.  As a result, one often ends up with the nib in the ink and with the need to wipe off the nib.  In addition, the sacs of the snorkels don't hold that much ink (there's a separate thread about that in the Sheaffer forum).  Considering how complex the snorkel mechanism is, and how much it adds to the cost of production and the cost of repairs (when needed), just how compelling is the snorkel mechanism?  I'd be interested in your thoughts about these aspects of the snorkel.

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The snorkel is utterly compelling when we start to discuss ways to get the last 20% of the ink out of a bottle.

 

 

....aaand, now that I've been thinking about the original question for a while, I'd say that a boutique line (a la modern Omas/Delta+successors) that re-produced 1930s era open nib celluloid Balance pens in regular, mid and oversized variants, with true to original pattern (firm, crisp and dead smooth) nibs in the two-tone "LIFETIME" livery plus a semi-flex "FEATHERTOUCH" option (all with ebonite feeds), would be my take on a potentially viable Sheaffer's reboot.

 

a basic line with CC filling, steel hardware (including nibs) and modern monochrome plastics could be a sub $250 offering, complimented by a premium line made in cellulose acetate, fitted with 14k nibs and an option for more complicated filler systems like the vac/plunger or touchdown, which would likely need to sell for $350-$1000.

[Parker51]

I would bring back the most recent Sheaffer balance with stable and almost unbreakable materials that had the exact same threading for the nib units and I would put them up for sale and also sell pens without nib units. I would even have a special gold plated engraved caps available to replace caps on modern balances which have cracked so as to help get those pens back into service as well as to help those afraid to use their balances in the community by providing them with a strong cap, and they could then leave the fragile caps home.

[IJKWS]

  On 10/13/2022 at 2:44 PM, donnweinberg said:

我想评论一下浮潜作为一个填充机制。毫无疑问，看着浮潜管进出非常酷。但是， 我怀疑是否使用潜水镜， 在实践中，真正避免了填充时笔尖蘸墨水。  我有很多浮潜填充的Sheaffers ，包括但不限于PFM和“浮潜”浮潜，还有一个清晰的演示者Tega“梦幻浮潜”。管子并没有真正从笔尖走那么远。许多墨水瓶的形状使得很难只使用墨水中的浮潜管（而不是笔尖）来填充这些笔，因为很难将填充过程可视化到这个精度水平。有时触地泵的下冲程会使“握”手朝着墨水的方向移动，从而导致笔尖接触墨水。因此，一个人往往最终与笔尖在墨水和需要擦掉笔尖。此外，浮潜的囊也不能容纳那么多墨水（在谢弗论坛上有一个单独的帖子）.考虑到浮潜机制有多复杂，以及它增加了多少生产成本和维修成本（在需要时） ，浮潜机制到底有多引人注目？我对你对浮潜的这些方面的想法很感兴趣。

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this snorkel system is suited with classic sheaffer bottle

[donnweinberg]

  On 10/20/2022 at 12:52 AM, IJKWS said:

this snorkel system is suited with classic sheaffer bottle

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Hi, IJKWS.  First of all, it is so nice to see my quotation translated into Chinese (Mandarin?), so thank you for that, even if that translation was automatic in your system.  

 

Second, your comment surely must be true.  Perhaps when the snorkel-fill models were sold, Sheaffer assumed (or hoped) that people would fill their snorkels only (or primarily) from the classic Sheaffer bottles, which have a wide brim and a smaller special filling section even closer to the top.  My October 13 comment is primarily related to today's reality, with so many ink brands and bottle configurations.  

 

Several bottles are small and/or thin (e.g., Robert Oster; Noodlers).  Especially when such a bottle is less than half-full, it becomes very difficult to visualize the tip of the snorkel in the ink.  As a result, I end up dipping at least a portion of the nib into the ink (typically, most of the nib).  Of course, this is not the "end of the world," and this should be the worst thing that ever happens to me.  : )

 

As a technical matter, in the current situation, the snorkel may be less of an advantage than it was in the past.  It has not stopped me from buying snorkels or from enjoying them.  I enjoy the mechanism even if I don't achieve the intended benefit of saving the nib from being dipped in the ink.

[IJKWS]

  On 10/20/2022 at 2:32 PM, donnweinberg said:

Hi, IJKWS.  First of all, it is so nice to see my quotation translated into Chinese (Mandarin?), so thank you for that, even if that translation was automatic in your system.  

 

Second, your comment surely must be true.  Perhaps when the snorkel-fill models were sold, Sheaffer assumed (or hoped) that people would fill their snorkels only (or primarily) from the classic Sheaffer bottles, which have a wide brim and a smaller special filling section even closer to the top.  My October 13 comment is primarily related to today's reality, with so many ink brands and bottle configurations.  

 

Several bottles are small and/or thin (e.g., Robert Oster; Noodlers).  Especially when such a bottle is less than half-full, it becomes very difficult to visualize the tip of the snorkel in the ink.  As a result, I end up dipping at least a portion of the nib into the ink (typically, most of the nib).  Of course, this is not the "end of the world," and this should be the worst thing that ever happens to me.  : )

 

As a technical matter, in the current situation, the snorkel may be less of an advantage than it was in the past.  It has not stopped me from buying snorkels or from enjoying them.  I enjoy the mechanism even if I don't achieve the intended benefit of saving the nib from being dipped in the ink.

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Hi donnweinberg,well I know this only because I alaways use Snorkel pen fit with the original 1950s Skrip.And finally find it suits well.

And it will not work so well in other bottles.