Help with these two Sheaffer white dots I bought at a flea market.

[edteach]

I only paid $35 each so no big loss if I can not repair them. The redish one is a type of pump but although I can take off the back of the pen it will not come out more than about half an inch. Same for the section. It unscrews but will only come out about the same. I was thinking of soaking it in cool soapy water for a day to see if the ink will loosen up. Or am I doing it wrong? What model are these? The Lever fill is in good condition except the threads are worn and you can not really tighten it down or it will just keep going around. You get to the end and there is a small bit of friction and then if you apply a bit more pressure it will skip and keep turning. Also a small bit of material on the screw part of the cap broken off but in hand it takes a bit to see it. Thanks for any help.

[Dougc]

I think the second one is a Balance.

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[FredRydr]

Top: Triumph-nib-era pens from 1942 can be hard to pin down insofar as the model, but I believe this Vac-Fill pen is a Sheaffer Statesman. I wonder if this version was made simultaneous or subsequent to production of Sheaffer's long-band Triumphs. I like the carmine red striated celluloid. Your pen deserves a restoration by a plunger-filler specialist like Ron Zorn or Gerry Berg.

Bottom: Based on the clip and the cap band, this is an example of Sheaffer's earliest production of their Balance pen in 1929-30. Dimensions would determine which model it is.

[Ron Z]

Bottom: Based on the clip and the cap band

Cap band, clip and short section. The long humped ball clip, reaching to the cap band puts it in first year production, and that short section was used early on too. Without a reference point, hard to determine the size and therefore which model of Balance it is. though it looks kind of chunky so could be OS (Over Size).

[edteach]

Bottom: Based on the clip and the cap band

Cap band, clip and short section. The long humped ball clip, reaching to the cap band puts it in first year production, and that short section was used early on too. Without a reference point, hard to determine the size and therefore which model of Balance it is. though it looks kind of chunky so could be OS (Over Size).

Thanks. It is a big pen. I will try to get photos with a tap measure. Its soaking in ammonia and water right now.

[FredRydr]

By the way, do not try to disassemble the red Vac-Fill pen, especially not the section/nib, unless you are willing to sacrifice it as part of a learning experience.

[edteach]

By the way, do not try to disassemble the red Vac-Fill pen, especially not the section/nib, unless you are willing to sacrifice it as part of a learning experience.

Explain please

[edteach]

I just finished the Balance. New sac and polished and cleaned out.

[FredRydr]

…that short section was used early on too. …could be OS (Over Size).

I hadn’t thought of that. What’s the length of an OS section? I’ll have to measure my spares. Are short sections sought-after rarities?

[edteach]

I got the nib section off the Triumph. After soaking it for a day I applied some head from a hair dryer and used some rubber gloves to give me more grip. After working a bit the Nib section screwed out. I am soaking that to clean it up. The section is still in the barrel and I can see the plunger in the pen. How do I get the last bit apart? Thanks.

[FredRydr]

I got the nib section off the Triumph. After soaking it for a day I applied some head from a hair dryer and used some rubber gloves to give me more grip. After working a bit the Nib section screwed out. I am soaking that to clean it up. The section is still in the barrel and I can see the plunger in the pen. How do I get the last bit apart? Thanks.

I'll leave that one for Ron. I learned not to mess with Triumph-style sections and nibs.

[edteach]

I may have figured out a way to fix the threads on the cap. I got the idea when I thought back on a helicoil for autos where threads have stripped out. I relined the cap so its always inside the cap fix and you would have to use a flash light to see it. So far it seems like its going to work. Will need to let it dry and then make sure it stays glued in once I remove the pen. But as Harry Callahan said, " A man has got to know his limitations"

[Ron Z]

Sections often do not come out on the plunger fillers. The nib unscrews from the section. If the section is striped like the barrel, it is fused into the barrel and does not come out. Try to remove it, and you'll destroy the section. Even the black sections often are part of the barrel with the thread ring held captive between the two parts. The sections never come out on the war time Triumph pens with the short black sections.

re. removing the nib unit. You were lucky. Based on 17 years of working on them, your chances of removing a Triumph nib like that without the right tools is 50% - at best. With the right tools it goes up to between 95% and 100% depending on your level of patience.

[edteach]

Sections often do not come out on the plunger fillers. The nib unscrews from the section. If the section is striped like the barrel, it is fused into the barrel and does not come out. Try to remove it, and you'll destroy the section. Even the black sections often are part of the barrel with the thread ring held captive between the two parts. The sections never come out on the war time Triumph pens with the short black sections.

re. removing the nib unit. You were lucky. Based on 17 years of working on them, your chances of removing a Triumph nib like that without the right tools is 50% - at best. With the right tools it goes up to between 95% and 100% depending on your level of patience.

It really was not hard, its just knowing what to do first and how. There was a couple of not to bad videos on line about restoring them. I have the ink tube out of the pen, the section and the nib all out no problem. One of the keys is soaking it in ammonia and water for a day or so. then I kept using a hair dryer not my heat gun so as not to damage the pen. I have a Parker Vacumatic tool for removing the rear and it has a smaller set of threads that may fit this pen. Not sure I will take out the back. I don't really see a need. I still need to figure out if I need a new piston and if not how to get it so it will freely move up and down in the ink tube. Maybe Silicone grease. It seems like I am not getting much ink out of it soaking now. Inbetween doing work on it I put it back in the tray of water and ammonia. The cap clip was black. I polished it up and its a nice gold color now. I am still looking at videos and figuring out the last bit.

[edteach]

Also just found out how this pens rear tip is installed. Its a split nut. I think a watch screw driver will work to remove it. That way I can get the piston out.

[edteach]

so far

[Ron Z]

The packing unit is solvent welded into the barrel. They are not supposed to come out, so don't try. As a matter of fact, it's a problem when they do come out.

Richard Binder and I have a tool made to pull out the packing unit. After a year of experimenting we decided that the best way to repair the packing unit was to drill out the packing material from the inside and then replace with an 0-ring. I use the retaining washer to hold the 0-ring in place. A thousand or more later, I have seen no reason to change my mind. Fr. Terry's rubber plug in the back end will fail. I have pens that I did 17 years ago that are still working. I've never had one returned for warranty repair. It's an issue when a packing unit does come out. Sheaffer's instructions to repair shops was to drill the old one out and replace it, but today we have the better repair.

[edteach]

I have the piston rod out. I did not want to force it but the washer is hard, fossilized a bit from time. I watched a video on how to use a 1/4 inch drill and remove the plastic and then remove the wax wool or felt washers. Glue in a new O ring and then another washer wipe. Does not seem that difficult. the trick is not to be aggressive on the drilling and if possible do it by hand. Now I need to source a washer kit.

[Chrissy]

I can't help but wonder if all of this might end in tears but am keeping my fingers crossed that despite expert advise this doesn't end with a parts pen.

[edteach]

I can't help but wonder if all of this might end in tears but am keeping my fingers crossed that despite expert advise this doesn't end with a parts pen.

I used to be scared to try to fix things also. I now repair watches mostly pocket watches from the late 19th century. I was afraid that if I took them apart springs would fly everywhere and it would be impossible to put back together. Found it it was more fear than hard and it was not as hard as my mind had made it out. Now I have over 85 antique pocket watches that I have torn down and repaired. And they are much harder to work on than any pen I have ever seen. But as Harry Callihan said " a man has got to know his limitations"