Sheaffer Repair center

[Ron Z]

I was noodling around through some pictures on my computer and ran across this picture. Richard Binder and I were invited to visit the Sheaffer repair center in the old factory before it closed in Feb. 2008. We got to spend time poking into all kinds of things in the repair center, saw the nib center, and parts of the old factory. Most of it was empty and the power off, but what we saw was really cool. A month later it was closed, with a lot of parts sent to the distributor in Philadelphia, which was the service center for about 6 months. We helped them unpack and sort the stuff that was sent.

The whole experience was cool, and quite the eye opener. It was great to have time to talk to the repair people and fill in blanks in our knowledge about how the pens were made and repaired. WE were repairing the Sheaffer plunger fillers, and one person who had worked there for 28 years had never repaired one. I came away with a Persimmon orange Prelude, and one of the Chased Connaisseurs - picked the pen, picked the nib off of the shelves. We were able to meet the engineers, and I was able to call them with any questions I had until the company was sold to Cross.

This is a picture of Richard and I, sitting in the fountain pen repair station....

https://www.mainstreetpens.com/pix/fprepairstation.jpg

[FredRydr]

You haven't changed a bit! Well...maybe a little.

[es9]

That is insanely cool. I am beyond jealous. One of the neatest things (or so I think) about fountain pens -- especially vintage ones -- is the labor and ingenuity that goes into making them and keeping them running. To be sure, I enjoy writing with almost any FP more than even fantastic and well-designed non-FPs (I'm looking at you, Baron Fig Squire). But the sheer creativity and brilliance required to imagine something like the snorkel in the early 50s, and the unreal level of skill and knowledge to keep them running for decades, inspires humility and awe. And to be able to see where it happens and meet the people who posses that knowledge... well, that is something else.

[Chrissy]

I'm so envious too. :)

[Jon Szanto]

I'm sure I'm not the only one grateful that you, and a lot of other people in the pen community, took the time to visit before it all went away. You, Richard, a handful of others, are the vessels that retain so much information and history. Thanks for sharing this story.

[pajaro]

I am grateful to you that you made your knowledge available. I have learned some valuable things from you like to not use red ink in sac pens, among others.

[Dreck]

That's really cool, Ron. What a great opportunity! I'm glad you were able to take advantage of it -- and that we get to benefit from it through what you learned.