I was pleasantly surprised when this pen arrived. My suspicions were confirmed. Very inky nib, no damage whatsoever. Needless to say, this pen had a major cleaning session.
My Sheaffer Imperial would likely fit the description of "user grade". It was clearly used by someone else, perhaps for many years. There are slight wear marks where the cap has been fitted onto the barrel over and over again. There are slight dings in the barrel, more than a few scratches and plenty of scuff marks. That being said, the pen is really in amazing condition. What few cosmetic blemishes there are, they are faint and the plastic has dulled somewhat but still has a little bit of shine to it. Overall, the wear and tear is commensurate with age and use, and I consider this pen to be in very good condition considering the fact that it is approximately 50 years old.
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| just look at those scuff marks! this is one well-loved pen! |
When I write with this pen, I often think about its history. Who the previous owner might have been. How often they used this pen. Where this pen may have gone with its previous owner in his or her travels. Sometimes, I want to tell its previous owner that I'm taking good care of it and that I'm enjoying it very much. Which is quite silly.
Pen Hero gives a generous overview of the history of the Sheaffer Imperial, complete with lovely photos. According to his timeline, Sheaffer began manufacturing the Imperials in 1961. (Interestingly, that is the same year my dad graduated from high school.) Additionally, Sheaffer incorporated the new touchdown filling system with the Imperial instead of the snorkel.
The Sheaffer Imperial IV is very slender in the hand, and lightweight. I have small hands, and I sometimes have difficulty with pens that are too wide in the grip section. Not the case here. I can write in a nice relaxed position for hours, literally, with no hand fatigue.
The diamond shaped 14k inlaid nib is very smooth and a pleasure on the page. The auction listing did not specify a nib size with the pen, but I am guessing it's a medium. Because of the pens age and use, the tines were quite dull and needed a little "sprucing up". I sent it to Tyler Dahl for his nib tuning service and he did not disappoint. When it came back to me, it as as if the nib were brand new. The nib now skates along the page, giving very slight feedback. It is very pleasant. Additionally, the pen puts down a very comfortably wet line that is "just right". My favorite ink to use with my Imperial is Sheaffer Blue-Black. It's a perfect match, thus it receives a steady diet of that.
The touchdown filling system is very easy to use, making the pen quick to both fill and clean. For instructions about how to fill the Imperial, Richard Binder has a great mini-tutorial on his website which I found very helpful. He stresses the importance of pulling the touchdown filler all the way out before dipping the pen into ink, and then inserting the nib into the inkwell, and pushing touchdown filler all the way back into the pen. To find these instructions, go to Richards site, and click on "Reference Pages", then scroll to "Filling Systems: How They Work". I have found that once the pen is filled, my Imperial can write for quite some time.
This is one of the best pens I own in terms of manufacturing quality. It is well made, the touchdown filler is easy to use, the pen holds a good fill of ink, and the nib is extremely pleasant. I like this pen so much that I often consider buying another just to have a back up. Occasionally, Peyton Street Pens will offer New Old Stock Imperials for sale. I check the site often.
I never expected to fall in love with this pen, but I did. It has not only become a go-to journaling pen, but a go-to business pen, and I often think of it as a loyal friend.
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| Writing sample: Sheaffer Imperial IV with Sheaffer Blue-Black on Apica |
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