Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Sheaffer Triumph Nib Adjustment

  1. #1
    Senior Member Jeph's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    South Texas
    Posts
    1,617
    Thanks
    2,027
    Thanked 764 Times in 435 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Sheaffer Triumph Nib Adjustment

    I have a couple of solid beater Sheaffers, one a vac and the other a snorkel, with triumph nibs. Both have the same issue in that the tines are spread too far apart. With just slight pressure on the top of the tip the tines come together perfectly. But, try as I might, I can’t adjust the tines to stay in that position. I am astounded by the stiffness of the triumph nibs. I have used more force that I would use if I were trying to break a barrel in half and still nothing. I spend a great deal of effort supporting the feed and section so that is less likely to happen but I have long passed the level of force that I am comfortable with using.

    Is there some secret to adjusting the tines on triumph nibs to get them back together?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Ernst Bitterman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    142
    Thanks
    25
    Thanked 74 Times in 47 Posts
    Rep Power
    15

    Default Re: Sheaffer Triumph Nib Adjustment

    Go VERY carefully. The tipping comes off those more easily than a lot of other pens. I get some results from massaging the sides of the tines with some flat nylon-jawed pliers (it really tears up the nylon, though). Closing up the gap on a Triumph point isn't something one frequently runs into.
    Given to daily lunatic raving, but also capable of more prolonged pen-centricity.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Ernst Bitterman For This Useful Post:

    Flounder (April 21st, 2014)

  4. #3
    Useless mhosea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Boston, Massachusetts
    Posts
    1,580
    Thanks
    440
    Thanked 1,819 Times in 786 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Sheaffer Triumph Nib Adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by Ernst Bitterman View Post
    Closing up the gap on a Triumph point isn't something one frequently runs into.
    I don't recall if I ever needed to close the gap on a Triumph nib. I guess a dozen or two have crossed my desk. The more common thing is to want to open it up, and occasionally to restore the up-turn. I might have criss-crossed the tines on a Snorkel before. Not sure if it was a risky move or not. As you note, the tipping snaps off easily, at least if you apply lateral pressure. Learned that lesson the hard way, and another vintage nib, a very nice-looking Sheaffer 33 on a first-year Balance, taught me that if there's enough tipping to extend any distance, it's a decent general rule to avoid altogether applying any pressure to tipping during adjustment efforts.

    From my limited experience with Triumph nibs, I am not surprised that pressing the tip against the paper, inverted, doesn't adjust the gap. I'm thinking the upturn bend is braced against you, so the nib wants to bend farther down, closing the gap, but the deformation is too slight to "stick". Perhaps a related lesson here, also from a Balance in my case, is that feed-ward pressure on the top of a nib can sometimes snap an ebonite feed.
    --
    Mike

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •