Triumph nib Vac-Fils from the 1940s

[FredRydr]

I am being pulled in an entirely new direction: Sheaffer pens with "Triumph" conical nibs and Vac-Fil plunger fillers. Funny, but I've owned a red Triumph Vac-Fil EF that I had restored ten years ago, but I never filled it. Two well-known pen restorers independently sang the praises of Sheaffer plunger-fillers, so I decided to seek them out. I already have a set of 1930s Balance lever-fillers, so I am concentrating on the later conical nib pens, which turn out to be low in demand (i.e., easy on the wallet).

Here are the two pens I now have. The first is a Carmine Red Triumph Vac-Fil EF that I neglected for a decade. I've filled it with Montblanc bordeaux ink to match the celluloid, but the nib is so very fine that I really need to switch to a darker ink. The second is a Gray Pearl Valiant Vac-Fil F that just arrived today, and I filled that with Aurora black ink. I don't know how many more of these I'll collect, but according to the RichardsPens webpages, there weren't many variations produced, so a "complete" collection would be rather small. Perhaps just one of each striated celluloid color will do, with a factory broad or stub conical nib.


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[controlsfreak]

This is Sheaffer, it's more complex than that.

Your Carmine Triumph is a first generation pen. Your gray Valiant II, is a second generation pen. There are two more generations of Triumphs though only one of those has striated celluloid.

First generation models include Triumph, Crest and Tuckaway. The grip is abbreviated and black. The celluloid caps have a very wide band.

Second generation pens lose the very wide cap band and gain a striped celluloid grip. Models begin to proliferate beginning with the second generation - Valiant II, Statesman, Sovereign, etc.

Third generation pens have an injection molded, clear plastic barrel/grip with celluloid cap and binde.

Fourth generation pens move to solid color, injection molded plastic cap & binde.

[Edit: typos]

Stacy Hills
@PaperWantsAPen (Instagram)

[FredRydr]

Not to mention the Crest versions and the Tuckaways and the military clips and etc., etc. and so forth. I'll just add that I have no intention of accumulating a collection that complete. :-)

I was concentrating on what you call the first and second generation pens, and avoided the version with the inner clear barrel that screws into place, though I admit I'm not sure why. One more joint to leak?

I was using Ernst Bitterman's, Jim Mamoulides's and Richard Binder's three websites for guidance. I've yet to disassemble a Vac-Fil.

[Jon Szanto]

Stacy can correct me if I'm wrong, but those 3rd gen interiors are a real pain in the ass to restore, Tucky's being the worst (because of the smaller size). I've got a nice handful of these pens in varying gens/models but I've never wanted to attempt the filling system restore, as there are so many variables. In the past I've sent my Vac-fills to Gerry Berg but I have a couple pens I need to send up the road to Stacy.

Dammit, Fred, now you're going to make me have to find time to shoot some photos and post in the thread! BTW, I wonder how hard it's going to be for you to come up with the factory broad/stub nibs. My impression is that they weren't too frequently in supply back then.

[FredRydr]

...BTW, I wonder how hard it's going to be for you to come up with the factory broad/stub nibs. My impression is that they weren't too frequently in supply back then.
That's my understanding as well. On the other hand, I just saw a photo of one for sale with a broad-looking tip. I didn't buy it because first, I have these two pens to become acquainted with.

[manoeuver]

those conical nibs are so freaking cool.

Have a blast, Fred, hope to see these in person at a show one of these days.

[controlsfreak]

Not to mention the Crest versions and the Tuckaways and the military clips and etc., etc. and so forth. I'll just add that I have no intention of accumulating a collection that complete. :-)

I was concentrating on what you call the first and second generation pens, and avoided the version with the inner clear barrel that screws into place, though I admit I'm not sure why. One more joint to leak?

I was using Ernst Bitterman's, Jim Mamoulides's and Richard Binder's three websites for guidance. I've yet to disassemble a Vac-Fil.The pens with the injection molded inner barrel actually have one less joint to leak. The earlier pens have a grip that is solvent welded into the barrel. I've had to repair a few of these broken joints. The later injection molded pens have a single molded unit that includes the grip and inner barrel.

Jon, I find the injection molded pens marginally easier to restore since I can access the packing unit from the outside. Though the pens with standard (not conical) nibs can be a real pain for nib extraction.

I hope you'll forgive the pedant in me but there are no military clip Triumphs, only Balance. Later Tuckaways got a button clip, but those aren't military clips.

If it's unusual that you want then look for lever filling Triumphs. They aren't exactly rare but they are uncommon.

Stacy Hills
@PaperWantsAPen (Instagram)

[wingwiper]

I am being pulled in an entirely new direction: Sheaffer pens with "Triumph" conical nibs and Vac-Fil plunger fillers. Funny, but I've owned a red Triumph Vac-Fil EF that I had restored ten years ago, but I never filled it. Two well-known pen restorers independently sang the praises of Sheaffer plunger-fillers, so I decided to seek them out. I already have a set of 1930s Balance lever-fillers, so I am concentrating on the later conical nib pens, which turn out to be low in demand (i.e., easy on the wallet).

Here are the two pens I now have. The first is a Carmine Red Triumph Vac-Fil EF that I neglected for a decade. I've filled it with Montblanc bordeaux ink to match the celluloid, but the nib is so very fine that I really need to switch to a darker ink. The second is a Gray Pearl Valiant Vac-Fil F that just arrived today, and I filled that with Aurora black ink. I don't know how many more of these I'll collect, but according to the RichardsPens webpages, there weren't many variations produced, so a "complete" collection would be rather small. Perhaps just one of each striated celluloid color will do, with a factory broad or stub conical nib.


44827
44828
44829

Great pens.......!


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