SHEAFFER'S INLAID NIB |
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The iconic inlaid nib was first introduced on the Sheaffer PFM model in 1959. A complex unit that was expensive to produce, never the less it's still being made in 2015 for the Sheaffer Legacy Heritage range of fountain pens, a model that was originally inspired by the PFM in 1995 with the introduction of the unique touchdown filling pen the Sheaffer Legacy 1. With a production spanning seven decades the inlaid unit as been produced in some form ever single year since 1959 and many different Sheaffer pens have adorned the inlaid nib unit over the years. The unit below that was made at the Sheaffer Fort Madison plant USA during the early 1960's, went through many production stages before the final inspection saw it leave the pen point department. |
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HOW THE 14K INLAID NIB UNIT WAS MADE AT SHEAFFER'S FORT MADISON PLANT USA. |
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Step 1- The raw materials of 24KT gold,copper and silver are weighed to get the correct quantity's of each to produce 14KT gold. |
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Step 2 - The raw materials are combined and melted into ingots to form 14KT gold. |
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Step 3 - Each ingot is put through a rolling mill to produce a long thin strip of gold. |
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Step 4 - Blanks are machine punched out of the gold strips. |
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Step 5 - The individual gold blanks of 14KT gold are then taper rolled to create the flexibility required for a quality pen point. |
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Step 6 - A series of manufacturing steps are now preformed on presses that shape the nib, pierce the breather hole, imprint the company name etc, tip the nib with an alloy of osmium-ruthenium, bend the tabs back and punch out of the centre section. |
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Step 7 - The blanks are put through an annealing furness to soften the metal, which hardens during the manufacturing process. |
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Step 8 - A punch press raises the flat blanks into the curves of the finished nib. |
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Step 9 - The tipping material and gold nib are slit with an abrasive bonded rubber wheel .006 of an inch in diameter and spinning at 14,000 RPM. |
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Step 10 - A press closes the slit of the nib which sprang open when it was cut. |
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Step 11 - The tip is ground into shape, a process done mainly done by precision machines which shape and smooth them within .003 of an inch. On special points like Stub hand grinding was still preformed. |
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Step 12 - The nib is carefully inspected to make sure the shape, dimensions, smoothness, grinding and slitting are all to specification. |
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Step 13 - The finished Pen Points are sent to the moulding department to be attached to the gripping sections, the units are then returned to the pen point department to be polished by hand. |
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Step 14 - Each completed unit is given a final inspection before it leaves Pen Point. |
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SHEAFFER PFM - FIRST YEAR 1959 |
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Introduced in 1959 in five different finishes, numbered from one (I ) to five (V), using two different inlaid nib units, a palladium silver on the I and II pens and a 14K gold on the III, IV and V pens. Although the PFM model is now sort after by many pen collecter's with it's bold design and snorkel filling system, the PFM struggled to make an impact during the 1960's, with competition from the ballpoint pen hitting the fountain pen sales hard across the board. The PFM was only being produced in two models by 1964 and the range was discontinued totally sometime around 1968. |
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SHEAFFER IMPERIAL - FIRST YEAR 1961 |
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A slimmer version of the PFM , The Imperial became one of the longest produced pens in Sheaffer's history, and was made in one form or another for around 37 years. The first models in this range had 14K gold inlaid nib units and incorporated Sheaffer's touchdown filling system. |
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SHEAFFER COMPACT CARTRIDGE PEN - FIRST YEAR 1961 |
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The compact range was the first pen to use the shorter style arrowhead inlaid nib unit and also the first inlaid nib unit made to fit a ink cartridge. |
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SHEAFFER DOLPHIN - FIRST YEAR 1962 |
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The dolphin nib unit is different to most inlaid units made by Sheaffer, the nib being separate to the diamond point gripping section. |
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SHEAFFER LIFETIME CARTRIDGE PEN - FIRST YEAR 1963 |
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The lifetime cartridge pens were introduced in 1963 to commemorate Sheaffer's 50th anniversary, the inlaid unit on this range is unique because it is not only imprinted with company's name , but also with the Lifetime logo. |
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The Imperial range continued to be produced throughout the 1960's and into the 1970's, touchdown and cartridge versions were available, however some models like the solid gold Masterpiece models were only available with the touchdown system. When Textron bought Sheaffer Pen Co in 1966, the inlaid units started being imprinted with Sheaffer instead of Sheaffer's. |
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SHEAFFER TRIUMPH - FIRST YEAR 1973 |
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In 1973 the Imperial range was re-vamped and the lower priced models were called Triumph, while the higher end pens retained the Imperial name. The arrowhead style inlaid nib unit was fitted to the Triumph pens, the nib unit was close in style to the one used on the compact range of the 1960's. The longer diamond inlaid nib was still used for the Imperial pens. Later in production all the range was called Triumph and the arrowhead inlaid nib was fitted on every model. |
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SHEAFFER TARGA CLASSIC - FIRST YEAR 1976 |
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The Targa Classic range became available in 1976, this inlaid unit is fitted with an extra sleeve and retaining ring making the overall length of the unit longer than previously used on the Imperial and PFM ranges. Stainless steel, Gold Plated, 14K gold and 18K gold inlaid units where made for the Targa range. |
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TARGA SLIMLINE - FIRST YEAR 1982 |
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The Targa slimline pens were introduced to the range in 1982, and like the classic version the unit had the extra sleeve and retaining ring, however the sleeve is much narrower on the slimline unit and the retaining ring is flatter. |
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SHEAFFER TRIUMPH IMPERIAL - FIRST YEAR 1994 |
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The Triumph pens were replaced in the Sheaffer Collection in 1994 by a newly styled pen called the Triumph Imperial, which was an exact replica in terms of size and shape to the 1960's Imperial pens. However only Stainless Steel and 23 carat electroplated gold units where produced. |
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SHEAFFER LEGACY 1 - FIRST YEAR 1995 |
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Sheaffer produced a new Flagship Pen in 1995 called the Legacy, the pens design was based on the Pen For Men model of the 1960's. The Legacy 1 inlaid unit had the 3 pin retaining ring , very much like the unit used on the PFM and Imperial range. The first edition Legacy 1 unit had a narrow gold band, this nib unit was soon replaced for one with a wider gold band, the 3 pin retaining ring was still fitted on this later Legacy 1 unit. Both Legacy 1 units were only made in 18K yellow gold. |
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SHEAFFER LEGACY 2 - FIRST YEAR 2000 |
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Sometime during the year 2000 the Legacy 2 range was introduced, a newly styled pen with round ends to the cap and barrel. This model retained the touch down filling system used on the Legacy 1, however a new style unit was fitted to this model and the 3 pin retaining ring was removed. The Legacy 2 inlaid unit was made in 18K Yellow Gold and 18K White Gold. |
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SHEAFFER INTRIGUE - FIRST YEAR 2000 |
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Also in the year 2000 the Intrigue pen come out, this unique looking pen also had a unique inlaid style nib. This unit as a teardrop shape nib which is fitted separate to the diamond point gripping section, like the dolphin unit from the 1960's. |
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SHEAFFER LEGACY HERITAGE - FIRST YEAR 2003 |
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In 2003 the Legacy range was re-vamped again and renamed Heritage, the touchdown filler was dropped in favour of the convertor and cartridge system. The pens styling however remained the same, as did the inlaid unit. |
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SHEAFFER VALOR - FIRST YEAR 2006 |
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In 2006 the introduction of the Valor range coincided with the closer of the Sheaffer's Fort Madison USA production plant.The German company Bock started producing the Valor inlaid nib, however production problems forced Sheaffer to re-open a unit at Fort Madison Plant to make the inlaid units until Bock perfected the art of making them. |
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