A treasure rediscovered (Sheaffer Targa fountain pen)

[flyfishercacher]

I just found my Sheaffer Targa fountain pen (circa 1980) and would like to put it back in service. That sentence does not begin to express my joy at this discovery. Is there a converter that will work with it? And what cartridges will work with it?

[Farmboy]

Any Sheaffer cartridge and nearly all Sheaffer converters will work.

[Jon Szanto]

Farmboy is correct, with only the slight caveat "as long as it isn't a Slim Targa model". If that were the case, it would be hard to find anything that would fit. Assuming the more likely possibility that is it standard width, you should be able to find cartridges available, as they have been manufactured up until quite recently. Most stock of the twist piston converters have run low or sold out around the word, as the "Sheaffer" company stopped making them during one of the transfers of the company. A dedicated search on eBay can often turn up NOS, and you should also check with Teri at Peyton Street Pens to see if she has any. The cartridges can be refilled with a blunt needle syringe, and has the bonus of holding more ink than a converter. Have fun!

[RobJohnson]

If it is a Slim Targa, I have a memory that Waterman Mini cartridges will fit.

If it is a regular Targa then the cartridges are around, as Jon says, I bought some within the past few months from Amazon.

They can be refilled but not endlessly, mine seeped, as opposed to leaked, after many refillings.

I had forgotten that there is a wrong way to fit a Sheaffer cartridge, the last time that I fitted a new Sheaffer fatline cartridge in a pen was during my schooldays.

[Chrissy]

I have some standard Sheaffer cartridges - those that look like they are the same all of the way up and at both ends. I always thought that either end could be placed inside onto the cartridge piercer.

Twist action converters are difficult to find, especially in the UK, but they can sometimes be found. I think I have a couple of spares. If you find a No-Nonsense pen with a converter on ebay you might get one at a decent price.

[RobJohnson]

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The thicker end of the cartridge, in this case blue, goes into the barrel and the section is then screwed down onto the cartridge.

[Stands on Feet]

Like Chrissie's, my Sheaffer cartridges are the same at each end. They date from the early 1990's.

[RobJohnson]

Like Chrissie's, my Sheaffer cartridges are the same at each end. They date from the early 1990's.

Yes, I think the first Sheaffer cartridges had a one way only system, this was back in the 60s. From memory they colour coded the end to go into the barrel, possibly yellow but I could easily be wrong.

Sheaffer must have dropped this system because I also bought any-end-up Sheaffer cartridges twenty years later and refilled over the years. When it began to seep ink, I am assuming due to wear and tear, I bought a new packet, having forgotten the original system I put the wrong end in the pen to find that ink did not flow. Swapped the cartridge around and all good.


Eta To see if my memory was playing tricks I went on Google images to see if I could find a pic of the original cartridge, whilst I was there I saw Peytonstreetpens selling empty slimline cartridges for $10 which might be of help to someone.

[Ron Z]

Some standard converters will fit, but it depends on the pen. For the slim Targa/Fashion pens, the Monteverde or the Kaweco mini converters work. Sheaffer was providing the mini converters back before the service center at the factory closed in 208. The Kaweco converters, made to go in the Kaweco Sport, are better made. They of course, can be used in a standard Targa etc.

[flyfishercacher]

This just got a lot bigger. I didn't realize there was a 'slim' version. I think that may be mine. At my age, when you rummage through the attic, you find your own stuff. I have the whole set and I am the original owner - gifted to me in 1980, used by me for about 20 years, in the attic for 20 more.

[Jon Szanto]

Well done, that's a nice little family!

[INeedAFinancialAdvisor]

Very nice! Congrats on your rediscovery!

[Chrissy]

The thicker end of the cartridge, in this case blue, goes into the barrel and the section is then screwed down onto the cartridge.

My cartridges are not like that. Those are the later version. Mine have no colour anywhere and both ends are identical. They are original Sheaffer Skrip cartridges that used to come in yellow boxes. Because both ends are exactly the same it doesn't matter which end goes onto the cartridge piercer. These cartridges are Classic sized and will not fit slim Sheaffer pens.

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[Jon Szanto]

Yep, they did a manufacturing change, sometime in the last 20 years maybe? For many decades since they came into play, the Sheaffer carts looked as in Chrissy's photo. I think you really could use either end. However, the newer models have either a black or blue plastic bit on one end, and that end must go in the butt end of the barrel. They are still the same size, though.

[RobJohnson]

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Yep, they did a manufacturing change, sometime in the last 20 years maybe? For many decades since they came into play, the Sheaffer carts looked as in Chrissy's photo. I think you really could use either end. However, the newer models have either a black or blue plastic bit on one end, and that end must go in the butt end of the barrel. They are still the same size, though.

The first Sheaffer cartridges had one end that had to be dropped into the barrel, please see the Sheaffer ad, the yellow end went into the barrel and the section screwed down. The cartridges were introduced in 1955 and they were still in use in the 1960s, possibly intended for the School Pen to avoid mess when switching cartridges, not sure.

The Cult Pens website has a YouTube link of old Sheaffer TV ads including an advertisement for the new cartridge pen showing the one-way loading system, this is at about 11 minutes.


The squared off ended cartridges came along later possibly when the factory became automated in terms of cartridge production in the early 1960s. they have gone back to having one specific end to go into the barrel.

As has already been said, these cartridges do not fit the OPs Slimline pen.

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[amk]

Wow, nice rediscovery.

I hated Targas for ages not realising that I had the slim model - way too slim for me. I now have a 3 euro slightly battered flea market find, and this weekend came across the Regency Stripe which I've been jonesing after for a while. Nice pens, and always lovely nibs on them.

[Jon Szanto]

...and this weekend came across the Regency Stripe which I've been jonesing after for a while.

I would say that one is the favorite of my mini-collection, but I have to tip my heart to a sterling sliver model my wife gave me. Still, there is no other pen that has a finish like the Regency, a very classy model. Congrats!