for sale by Gerry Berg Sheaffer TRIUMPH VALIANT plunger-filler (94W) in pearl gray stripe w/ chrome furniture. [Note: for some reason, the pen appears greenish in the photos below. It is, however, really gray!] http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a152/gmberg/Sale%20Pens/IMG_3567.jpg http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a152/gmberg/Sale%20Pens/IMG_3568.jpg http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a152/gmberg/Sale%20Pens/IMG_3571.jpg http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a152/gmberg/Sale%20Pens/IMG_3573.jpg PRICE: $100 plus $5 for Priority Mail in the U.S.) Includes info on plunger design, filling, and care. This is the post-War chunky version that uses the entire barrel for ink. It sports the larger of the two cap bands (19/32") for the model . Cosmetically, this one is just so-so, which is to say that both cap and clip show significant deterioration of the chrome plating, Sheaffer's signature white dot is somewhat dull, and the blind cap, though snug to the barrel is very slightly off center. On the other hand, it has one of the best view windows you can find. It is only slightly amber and extends along the entire length of the barrel. And the Sheaffer inscription shows the "1250" price code very clearly (see first photo above). Another plus on this one is the TRIUMPH nib. It is a smooth EXTRA FINE. I usually find these a bit dry and toothy for my taste, but this one is, as they say, "smooth as butter". Such a fine point uses very little ink, so when you combine it with the huge ink capacity of a properly restored plunger-filler, you got the ideal instrument for a multi-day business trip. NOTE ON PLUNGER-FILLER RESTORATION: For a full account of the latest innovations in repairing plunger-fillers, please refer to my article, "The Re-birth of Sheaffer's One Stroke Plunger-filler", in the Spring 2009 issue of Pennant, a publication of the Pen collectors of America. I have restored this plunger-filler to work as it did when new, so it's as reliable as a lever-filler and will last at least as long. I have re-packed the packing unit with DAVID NISHIMURA'S O-RING made of fluorocarbon rubber, which, according to David, is "extremely durable, resisting wear & weathering far better than standard synthetic rubber seals (estimated life span in industrial settings is up to 20 years, versus 2 to 5 years for butadiene)." And I've cut the washer from RON ZORN'S "magical" material with precision cutters made by the Australian pen craftsman, ANDREW GRAY. So it develops a lot of vacuum. To see what kind of vacuum is created by the restored filling system, just pull the rod out, push the rod back in half way down the barrel, and let go. It will literally pop out to nearly its full length. That means it will suck in a lot of ink. As one fan of Sheaffer plunger-fillers exclaimed, "These pens really suck!".
