Sheaffer Thin Model Triumph Nib & Feeds

[adyf]

I've acquired a touchdown triumph but the nib has been subjected to pliers and I think beyond redemption.

 

I was wondering if I'm unable to source a replacement conical two tone touchdown nib, would the Sheaffer Snorkel conical two tone nib be the same (look very similar in size) and would it be easy to swap the feed. I've never had to try and disassemble a nib unit before.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ron Z]

The nibs of the TM touchdowns are the same as snorkel.  You have to heat the nib to unscrew it from the mount.  A rubber grip pad helps, or you can use a pair of section pliers to grip the back end of the nib. Watch the feed!  Use a drop of shellac  on the threads to secure it.  Be careful not to cross thread as you put it on - incredibly easy to do.

[adyf]

22 hours ago, Ron Z said:

The nibs of the TM touchdowns are the same as snorkel.  You have to heat the nib to unscrew it from the mount.  A rubber grip pad helps, or you can use a pair of section pliers to grip the back end of the nib. Watch the feed!  Use a drop of shellac  on the threads to secure it.  Be careful not to cross thread as you put it on - incredibly easy to do.

 

Many thanks Ron.

 

This pen has been an absolute pain. The screw in the blind cap is stuck fast, I've tried WD40 and Ballustol left overnight, ultrasonic cleaner and heat to no avail.

 

Anyhow, the plunger tube has now snapped off. It's either a case off acquiring a new plunger tube and trying again with more heat on the blind cap screw. The other option (and it's not great...), now I can change the O ring is to use super glue to glue the plunger shaft back into the blind cap. No good for future repairs however, although I expect a new O ring to last a while.

 

Any thoughts welcome.

[Ron Z]

The good news is that the touchdown tubes are all the same, across the line, once you get past the fat touchdown models. Not snorkels of course, but all of the TD pens used the same sac guard and TD tube. 

 

If this is one of the pens with a metal overlay?  They are a pain because the early ones used fine thread machine screws.  The stud with the threads was soldered into the blind cap, and when the fine threads rust, there is no getting them out.  I've had to go to ridiculous measures to get that stud out, and then turn down a plastic blind cap to fit into the overlay, glue it in place, then can use the regular coarse thread blind cap screw.  But for one of those pens, it's worth it.

 

TIP:  When you do get a fine thread screw out of one of those pens, or a PFM with the gold button on the end of the blind cap, put some silicone grease on the screw threads to keep it from rusting in the future.

[adyf]

3 hours ago, Ron Z said:

TIP:  When you do get a fine thread screw out of one of those pens, or a PFM with the gold button on the end of the blind cap, put some silicone grease on the screw threads to keep it from rusting in the future.

 

I've never thought about doing do this but makes absolute sense.

 

Regarding the blind cap screw, I'm not sure I'll get it without damaging the blind cap.

 

I'm not proficient enough to own or use a lathe at this stage but maybe a retirement project in a few years. Are micro lathes up the job? I think Lawrence Oldfield mentioned to me a few years back that he uses a Myford Super 7, which would be completely wasted on me 🙂.

[Ron Z]

For most of what you need to do, that is sufficient.    I use a 7X16, which is about as much as I could get down the steps to where the shop is.

[adyf]

On 9/10/2024 at 5:22 PM, Ron Z said:

For most of what you need to do, that is sufficient.    I use a 7X16, which is about as much as I could get down the steps to where the shop is.

 

Thanks Ron.