Is this a "normal" WASP?

It does not appear to be healthy.

regards

david

On the other hand, Kirchheimer emailed back channel:

Normal, and not all that uncommon. Definitely a weird design, though.

--Daniel

Edited by matt, 10 December 2013 - 02:42 AM.

He plays with these more than I do, but it is  a bit bizarre nonetheless.  And of course, "not at all uncommon" just begs for a formal definition

At first peek I'd wondered if a sub-section with nib (shimmed in to hold a small nib in an OS section) had come out, but it appears to be too snug in the barrel to be that.

regards

david

What does the vacuum fil mean it's got a lever?  I'm very confused can someone explain in simple terms.

Hi Widget,

You really need to join PCA to get the PENnant. I addressed just your question a year or so back in my article on the Sheaffer sub-brands p ens done in Screaming Souls in Purgatory plastic.

In  discussion of Sheaffer's 1930's sub-brands, marked by a plethora of sometimes overlapping names, color patterns and styles,  I wrote the following,

USA-sourced Sheaffer sub-brand labels from the 1930's often incorporated the words “WASP” (for W. A. Sheaffer Pen) and/or “Vacuum”. Sheaffer used the word “Vacuum” with some of its inexpensive sub-brands starting in 1934, shortly (Coincidentally?  Sure...) after Parker made a big splash with expensive high-line “vacuum” pens. For Sheaffer, in contrast to Parker, “Vacuum” did not define the filling mechanism. Indeed, Sheaffer sub-brand pens employing the word, “Vacuum”, are known with filling systems including lever, twist-sac and plunger.

Note too, that to degree any self filling pen employs a vacuum to fill, pretty much all filling systems, whatever their name, use said vacuum.  Parker just made it a big deal by putting the word in the name of a well known series.

regards

David

David  I joined the PCA a month ago but there is so much to read.  I've been looking at Waterman's since I bought my little safety pen and David N told me the pattern name.  I try to read a bit each evening but I have a problem reading for prolonged periods since the brain injury.  It causes shooting pains in my eye.

David  I joined the PCA a month ago but there is so much to read.  I've been looking at Waterman's since I bought my little safety pen and David N told me the pattern name.  I try to read a bit each evening but I have a problem reading for prolonged periods since the brain injury.  It causes shooting pains in my eye.

All good. I was being a bit flippant in any case.  The odds of anyone having read everything  out there are not... good

Figured it was a good excuse to cite the Screamer article.

regards

d

I will read it with pleasure.

I would say this pen is having a wrong or cut section...

CC

I have a similiar pen. It is a vacuum Fil but does not say WASP, just Vacuum - Fil. It has a blind cap and a rod plunger much like Vac fill Sheaffers. Mine has a more normal section too.  Nib says Vacuum Fil Writes  two ways Made in USA

Edited by Norm, 12 December 2013 - 07:40 PM.

Here's another with the same threaded section, so as Daniel said, they're not all that uncommon.  Looks like a good way to leave/lose the nib and section inside the cap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161188420460

Dunno, Matt.  2 items might not constitute a significant trend.

I've bought 4 Vac-Band Parker Vacumatics during the last four months.  Recognizing, we we both do, that cachet can occur independent of scarcity, nonetheless few people would claim that Vac-Band Vacumatics are not uncommon.

regards

d