Just a word of thanks Doug. I just got this pen and of course the nib sucked. I had a bobby bent nib lying around and stuck it in instead. Now I am a happy camper!
I purchased my first real fountain pen from a stationary store back in 1986. I was 38 at the time. The store was converting over my stationary to children’s toys. I saw a Schaffer Connaisseur fountain pen Black with gold trim, and an 18 k nib marked down to $40. I snatched it up and it’s still in my rotation. As for red inks, I like Diamine Red Dragon. Sorry that Schaefer are now made in China. Another good review. I must admit that your Icon is nice looking pen, glad you were able to swap the nib.
12:46 I see a weirdly placed spring. Is it to prevent the converter to rattle? I haven't bought one yet but from the hints included in your excellent review, the Icon might become my favorite 18.5mm "nib holder". I might even attempt a nib grind. There are BB nibs floating around for that purpose. Slovenia (north of Hungaria) and Slovakia (north of Croatia) are two distinct countries. If I remember well, there is a huge ink factory in Slovakia. They make inks for many brands, including Skrip ink for Sheaffer.
Yeah, the salesperson certainly said Slovenia not Slovakia. My bad. The cartridge definitely says Slovenia and Sheaffer's distribution, packaging and QC are all in Slovenia. That spring is weird. It won't come out. It wouldn't engage with a cartridge and I see no purpose.
Cool pen. Under $60 U.S. right now at Cult Pens, so I'm considering it. I have lots of Sheaffers, mostly vintage oversize Balances and combos. My only "modern" Sheaffers are a couple Intrigues (which exude cool factor), a Valor, a Taranis (which I've never inked), and a beautiful Legacy II (which I love). This one is growing on me, especially since I have a couple of Bobby bent nibs lying around somewhere. Great review, as always!
Man... You are a joy to watch. You killed me with the wealth of information AND the PHRASING parts (Archer) Keep up the good work. I have subscribed. Newbie with attitude!!!
I love the design of this pen, it is really beautiful and one of the coolest I have seen in a while. I think it posts perfectly. I was very excited until I heard about the nib, a real shame. I don't get why they put all that effort into making a cool and interesting pen only to give it a terrible nib. Otherwise I would really consider getting one. I don't think people should have to buy a pen with a bad nib and go through the trouble of replacing it themselves. Thanks for the great review!
You make the best pen reviews on the interwebs at the moment! They are truly in a league of their own. I love my vintage Sheaffers. All of them great writers. This pen does not tickle my interest, even if I'm happy they made a working design. A pen at this price should of course have a good working nib with a suitable grading to it. How any stationary company wanting to stay in business can miss on that is beyond me. I'm sure a dud can slip through the masses, but I've yet to hear about a good nib on a modern, post U.S production, Sheaffer nib.
I have some U.S.-made Sheaffers, including some vintage pens, and they are wonderful. Delights to use. I also have U.S.-made Waterman pens, and they are exquisite. I have Parker 51s, 21s, and 61s, and they are my favorite pens of all. I have the new "Parker 51", and it writes worse than almost any of my fountain pens, including Hero pens that were under $4 when I bought them and plastic cheap student pens. I find the Wing Sung pens "inspired" by the Parker 51 to be excellent, and they are my go-to pens--the vintage ones being too precious to take with me on daily routines. One of my dream pens that I have not yet gotten is a vintage Balance, which is one of the most iconic and influential pens in history. The classic, U.S.-made Sheaffers were remarkably well made and excellently designed. But the current Chinese-made Sheaffer I have, the VFM, is wretched. It simply put Chinese-made Sheaffers out of consideration to me. I am glad to hear that this pen is a serious pen, apart from the nib, but I think that the nib problem keeps Sheaffer out of mind for me. There was a time when a Sheaffer nib was a thing to desire, but, alas....
I have a new Parker 51, medium nib and it has written beautifully smooth out of the box. Love everything about it except the screw on cap. 😀 I also have my dad's Parker 51 from 1949. It writes great too. 😀
Hey Doug, would you mind checking your Bobby nib if the slit in the tines extend# to the breather hole? I was about to follow your lead and replace the nib on my recently purchased Icon, but on inspection, all 4 Bobby bent nibs I received have a breather hole punched above the tine cut and not where the breather hole indent is meeting the tines..just curious. Cheers and keep up the good work.
The Bobby nib and the Icon nib are identical except for the tip. The slit goes up to the stamped circle and there is a punched circle breather hole above that stamped circle, if that makes sense.
Thank you for the idea to change the nib by a Bobby’s bent nib. I used these nibs on my Wing Sung 613 and 618 and Jinhao 51A and the pens are now fantastic writers. Should I try that on my Sheaffer Taranis ?l
I reviewed a Taranis recently but it did not belong to me so I can't check it. But, looking at my video, it looks to have the exact same nib and feed as the Icon, so it should work. th-cam.com/video/xX1hg-etkTw/w-d-xo.html
I own two vintage-y Sheaffer pens that I love. I like the design on this one, but I'll hold off for now. I've been interested in getting my hands on Bobby bent nibs. Too bad he doesn't ship to my corner of the world. I may have to talk to my local brick and mortar pen shop to see, if they can source it somehow. If that happens somehow, I'll give the Icon another look.
@@InkquiringMinds I did come across a Pilot Stargazer with a DIY nib modification. But we'll see about the shipping from China. I'm not nearly anywhere near that level. I don't even own micromesh and a gapping tool... Not for lack of trying to source it, though.
Well, you sold another pen. Didn't especially want chrome but that is what they were selling. Sent off for some nibs but in the meanwhile......... I have pliers. Gave it a waverly and may not swap when my new nibs get here in about 300 years. Much wetter and writing close to 'M'. Thanks to you I now have another pen with the fantastic gripping section of a PFM or a Legacy. Good thorough review. Thank you.
I currently have this pen on order and after watching your excellent review think I may need to swap nibs as well. DO you have a link for the actual "Bobby Bent" nib you used? Thanks again for your usual great review.
Had to laugh when you said about using red ink for your accounts ! I reciently recieved another Narwhal 365 and filled it with Diamine Monaco Red, my first red ink. I also then counted the number of new pens I got this year and that answered why my Bank Balance is a bit smaller. By the way the Nautilus writes lovely on Clairefontain paper. Great review as always. Thanks again and Merry Christmas Doug.
@@InkquiringMinds Then it is at their peril. Sad that US manufacturers cannot see how to have the quality that Japan and China has (and Germany/Europe)
Hi Doug, I also have the Icon (Yoda?) but with the fine nib. I’ve enjoyed the experience with it. It’s pretty smooth, with a bit of feedback depending on the paper. I’ve only had one ink brand in it so far, Iroshizuku KP. But the line it lays down is .3 mm as well. I really wonder if Sheaffer has released defective medium nibs. You’re the second reviewer that has this issue with a medium nib. Curious to see what happens.
Thanks, Doug! Cool pen, like something out of Sharper Image or James Bond's pocket. Bobby to the rescue, those nibs are great! Love the recurring Cary Grant clip. Holiday cheers! Btw, your nib switch is just as easy as you describe as I now have a Bobby bent nib on my Sheaffer Taranis and a Sheaffer broad nib on a Jinhao 51a. The Bobby nib makes the nicer pen much more versatile for work, home, different paper quality, etc. So, thanks again O wise one of the north!
A variation of "Where the rubber meets the road." for fountain pens nibs might be: "Where the ink meets the paper". I agree, a bad nib ruins any other positives that a pen might have. The trick with the Bobby bent nib will make this pen worth the purchase. Maybe even right after the holidays! :-)
I got an exact same pen from Pen Hero. Surprised that it weighs more than my Legacy Deep Cut Palladium platinum. The medium nib is more like a western fine. Most of the Icons I see come with a fine nib which I wouldn’t touch. It makes the medium nib on my Legacy feel like a broad.
Awesome review, Doug. You always call it like it is- even blaming Canada when necessary. It so happens that I bought a used Sheaffer two weeks ago. I’ve yet to ink it up because I need to order a converter. I’ll take a close look at the nib when I do.
I have not tried to remove the hood on the Icon. I pulled the nib from the front and installed a new one fairly easily, but never tried to get at the feed.
The minute i saw that nib i was sure that you did some egineering magic change it!...it's a wanted pen for me, the minute that it's back in stock....nice and a little cheaper than his older brother Taranis....nice review mr.D 🎩🤘🤘👏👏👏
Nice pen. It looks out of place in my Shaffer collection, but I may get one at somepoint anyway. I can definitely see the Cross influence on the design (Townsend, Peerlesss, etc.) The price at Cult Pens is just £48, which is significantly cheper and local to me. Curious to see if my M would come with the same EF nib, or if yours was just a blip.
Right on. I just got your IG message, George! Thank you! I didn't mind the extra price to support my local brick 'n mortar pen shop; Reid's. Plus, they gave me a 10% discount for being a member of our local Calgary Pen Club.
Not sure how to feel about this. I have a selection of Sheaffer pens, from the 1920s (a ringtop in my pocket right now, with 1930s Carter's washable blue) through several Touchdown fillers and a Snorkel to the immediate predecessor to the Sheaffer student pen, a Fineline. I have had a student pen, which is why I got out of fountain pens for years. Maybe if they get more consistent with the nibs... Seems like it is a Hero one. 😣
@@InkquiringMinds It's starting to feel like a trend of the "heritage" brands originally from the United States. "They'll buy absolute garbage because it's got an iconic brand attached to it." There's my income limiting many modern pens, and when I can get a great writer with even a gold nib for less than most modern steel nibbed pens... Of the at least 6 vintage Sheaffer's I have, only 2 have steel nibs, and all told, I've not paid twice the cost of the Icon, yet. (Came close with a 1946 Parker 51 to an equivalent price. )
Great review. I will have to think about purchasing this pen. As much as it has been years since I purchased a Sheaffer (the Taranis), I was hoping for more in terms of performance. Maybe it was a fluke, meaning the nib. It needs a seriously performing nib to go with a seriously beautiful looking body.
I have numerous Sheaffers, both pre and post '97 and really enjoy all of them. It is such a shame that they failed with that nib. I even have a Ranga #4CS that has a NOS Sheaffer Imperial nib unit that is a charmer. I think I will be skipping this one though unless I get some Bobby bent nibs. That is good information to have and I'll have to look into it. Thanks for the very informative review.
Thank you for another great review. Unfortunately, Sheaffer quality controls on nibs seems to be a regular problem (Legacy II and 300's for example). I'm glad though you manage to solve the problem with those nice "mini-fude" Bobby nibs, I use them on a couple of my pens and they are truly amazing nibs. Have a nice week.
Advanced Merry Christmas Sir Doug, Sheaffer is good in terms of pens and design but not sure if this has happened before with anyone or is it just me because I have a Sheaffer Prelude that uses the Cartridge Converter and it cracks. i don't know the usual cause but when it breaks, the plastic inside the converter that connects to the feed, cracks. It's the second time this has happened to me and no leaks are happening yet
I've had one Penbbs converter crack in the same place. The black plastic collar inside the nipple just disintegrates for some reason. I suspect it might be the ink affecting the plastic.
@@InkquiringMinds Thank you for letting me know your thought on that, Sir Doug, Will keep that in mind in the future just in case that ever happens again, thanks sir
Some of the modern, advertised as ‘deluxe’ Parker converters are just the same. They have a black, plastic collar and mouth and these are known to commonly crack quite quickly with use. Infuriating stuff. To be avoided like the plague.
Serendipitous? I was just looking today at this fountain pen in red on Amazon and was thinking if I should pounce on it. Ever since Cross took over Sheaffer my heart was kind of broken, Sheaffer pens are one of my favourites... and Cross was and is one of my least favourites. The shape (with cap on) reminds me a lot of the PFM (without the square end); but the finish (by just looking at the pictures) reminds me of Cross pens a lot. I have a spare gold nib that might work well with it if the original nib is that bad... don't know... torn a little. Also, on Amazon, I've seen these for under $70, including shipping. Wonder if that $120 is a little high? Btw, as red inks goes, have you tried Pelikan Brilliant Red? One of my favourites. Yes, the nib is the most important thing on a fountain pen... just like tires on the car.
I got a 10% discount from Reid's for being a Calgary Pen Club member. But also, this is a brick 'n mortar shop with overhead and employees. Still, no shipping, brokerage or duty charges.
My first FP was a Sheaffer student. It never worked properly (I don't know why I still have it. It's over 40 yo) 2 years ago I was bit by the bug again.
Excellent review. Not a pen on my radar, and the poor quality nib is a deal breaker. But I like the design and how they try to keep and update the classic Sheaffer look. Another pen that is well made and designed except for the nibs are the Conklins. Swap out those scratchy flex nibs with kanwrite and they are a different pen.
Glad to see the Sheaffer design team putting out a half descent pen. I saw a Sheaffer legacy review where Sheaffer shelled out the money to have their nibs manufactured by Sailor, and the nib was still crap. Perhaps the design team is suffering from ptsd and went with the cheapest nib possible, while investing more money into QC on the pen body.
I came across these on Amazon a few months ago and got the red with black trim. Sadly, the delay in shipping timed out and they canceled my order and refunded the money.
I have a few old/vintage as well as modern Sheaffers - 100, Agio, Intensity, Imperial, Targa etc.. All these pens are gorgeous and write well.. In my opinion, PFM isn’t VFM ! At $200+, it’s the most expensive Sheaffer that I know of and I’m told by a collector friend of mine that he prefers not to use it much with the fear of spoiling its Snorkel filling system which is difficult to repair !
The PFM, especially the V, is one of my Top 10, , no..maybe Top 5 favorite pens of all time. The superb snorkel filling system only adds to the enduring allure of this classic iconic Sheaffer pen. I bought my fourth PFM last Christmas. The snorkel filling mechanism is arguably the most complex ever made. And yes, it’s very tricky to repair, just like the vintage Sheaffer Vac-fillers. But a well restored PFM ought to, and actually are known to last for very many years. Of course, they should be taken care of and filled and used properly. I use mine quite often without undue fear or need to overly protect and preserve the pens. It helps that I have four of them. I just think it sort of defeats the purpose of owning these timeless beauties if you won’t fully savor the joys of actually writing with them as often as you wish.
@@InkquiringMinds …The PFM I & II. The Legacy I & II, both touchdown fillers, are the closest next best thing to the PFM. The snorkel just edges out the touchdown as my favorite filling systems ever.
@@sathishrao7926 …As is true with any pen, to be totally honest. I’ve decided to frequently use more of my pens and enjoy them more fully than buying too many more. It is one reason why I am once again gradually trimming my collection down to a smaller size. But I’m not good at selling anything. In the past I’ve given away many pens, and sold only a few. This time, I’m going to part with pens that are a bit costlier to simply give away for free…😀 The Sheaffer PFM is one of the pens that I wouldn’t part with or trade for anything in the world. Same with all my beloved Auroras.
Sir, your review is excellent. But the quality of Sheaffer pens made now elsewhere, come nowhere near the quality when made in Fort Madison, Iowa. Sheaffers had great models like Targa, Balance, Imperial, Crest etc. I am still looking for Sheaffers PFM.
Great review! I had the opposite happen with a beautiful black w/gold Cross Townsend. The smooth writing gold nib is marked “M”, but it writes like a broad to an extra broad! The workmanship on the pen is wonderful, but the nib classification is WAY off.
Cross, not unlike modern Parker, invariably seems to have nibs that write wider than their designated size point. My Cross Townsend, Classic Century and Bailey pens all have M nibs that write like bona fide broads.
Excellent review… this is a great pen…. On the strength of your content herein, I just placed an other. But I would be sorely disappointed… I ordered the fine… part ways through… now wishing to change my order…. But… ((and you knew there was one)) how would one get this replacement nib (the very one) you are using. Please, please provide the info… Thanks Doug. That is a sharp looking pen… I especially love the added trim features in red.
Lol, you sound like me complaining about Lamy EFs which IMO write like mediums. If this pen’s medium nib writes like an EF, then I’m adding it to my list of pens to get.
What happened to the loom. Can’t find a new. Everybody loves it. I noticed u have one not surprised. If too long to write out answer. Please Answer as an aside in your videos. I watch them all. Thanks for your education
Certainly, this really looks like a Taranis grip section with the size of a Sheaffer Legacy, and the 5 colors are really cool looking. To be honest, I'm not too convinced with the way that tubular nib looks, but I'm being picky. Now, the poor nib quality writing, that's something more alarming. Thank you for the video, Doug.
Thanks for the video I do like the look if the pen can't say I'm impressed with the nib . And for the money not worth it if they can't be bothered to put a decent nib in at that price point then no matter how good it looks its a firm No from me .
I’m still on the fence about the Icon. Despite my general and continuing apathy toward the very meh modern Sheaffer pens, the Icon’s shape and design, somewhat modeled on and reminiscent of the Legacy and PFM, appeal to me straightaway. It looks like a well-made pen worth trying out. And I reckon I perhaps will. The matte black model. Or the silver one. It’s just that the encore of the Taranis’s nib and the unnecessary, ugly, shiny brand stamping over the nib & section are instant kill-joys for me. And Troy’s recent review intimated that the M nib writes dryly and like an F. Your review only confirmed that fact. That isn’t any good to me. At any rate, the Icon ought to be USD 50.00max. If it wrote reliably and nicely, though, (not like the overpriced, underwhelming Taranis) I’d be okay with its current price ($65-71). A broad nib option, at least, would be nicer.
Well I finally bought this pen and I love it!
Just a word of thanks Doug. I just got this pen and of course the nib sucked. I had a bobby bent nib lying around and stuck it in instead. Now I am a happy camper!
It is a great pen with that nib!
I purchased my first real fountain pen from a stationary store back in 1986. I was 38 at the time. The store was converting over my stationary to children’s toys. I saw a Schaffer Connaisseur fountain pen Black with gold trim, and an 18 k nib marked down to $40. I snatched it up and it’s still in my rotation. As for red inks, I like Diamine Red Dragon. Sorry that Schaefer are now made in China. Another good review. I must admit that your Icon is nice looking pen, glad you were able to swap the nib.
Even in 1986, that was a good deal. Thanks, Bill.
12:46 I see a weirdly placed spring. Is it to prevent the converter to rattle?
I haven't bought one yet but from the hints included in your excellent review, the Icon might become my favorite 18.5mm "nib holder". I might even attempt a nib grind. There are BB nibs floating around for that purpose.
Slovenia (north of Hungaria) and Slovakia (north of Croatia) are two distinct countries. If I remember well, there is a huge ink factory in Slovakia. They make inks for many brands, including Skrip ink for Sheaffer.
Yeah, the salesperson certainly said Slovenia not Slovakia. My bad. The cartridge definitely says Slovenia and Sheaffer's distribution, packaging and QC are all in Slovenia. That spring is weird. It won't come out. It wouldn't engage with a cartridge and I see no purpose.
The salesperson is probably right, Doug! Even, Midori makes some of its pens and ink in Slovenia. Its written on the package as "Made in Slovenia".
@@dashsunil Yes, but I said the pen was MADE in China, which is on the box. She is correct that Customer Service is in Slovenia though.
Cool pen. Under $60 U.S. right now at Cult Pens, so I'm considering it. I have lots of Sheaffers, mostly vintage oversize Balances and combos. My only "modern" Sheaffers are a couple Intrigues (which exude cool factor), a Valor, a Taranis (which I've never inked), and a beautiful Legacy II (which I love). This one is growing on me, especially since I have a couple of Bobby bent nibs lying around somewhere. Great review, as always!
Thanks Andrew! Just took a while for the comment to show!
Man... You are a joy to watch. You killed me with the wealth of information AND the PHRASING parts (Archer) Keep up the good work. I have subscribed. Newbie with attitude!!!
Thank you so much, Mario!
Great review. I'm local to Shelton, Sheaffer pens are sold at most local office supply stores around here so will have to pick one up.
Very cool! You should get a discount!
I had not realized this. I am near Shelton, too. I'll have to look around. Thank you both for this information.
@@cbooth2004 Staples has schaffer and cross
I love the design of this pen, it is really beautiful and one of the coolest I have seen in a while. I think it posts perfectly. I was very excited until I heard about the nib, a real shame. I don't get why they put all that effort into making a cool and interesting pen only to give it a terrible nib. Otherwise I would really consider getting one.
I don't think people should have to buy a pen with a bad nib and go through the trouble of replacing it themselves.
Thanks for the great review!
You make the best pen reviews on the interwebs at the moment! They are truly in a league of their own. I love my vintage Sheaffers. All of them great writers. This pen does not tickle my interest, even if I'm happy they made a working design. A pen at this price should of course have a good working nib with a suitable grading to it. How any stationary company wanting to stay in business can miss on that is beyond me. I'm sure a dud can slip through the masses, but I've yet to hear about a good nib on a modern, post U.S production, Sheaffer nib.
Thank you so much, Gert! That is lovely of you to say.
I have some U.S.-made Sheaffers, including some vintage pens, and they are wonderful. Delights to use. I also have U.S.-made Waterman pens, and they are exquisite. I have Parker 51s, 21s, and 61s, and they are my favorite pens of all. I have the new "Parker 51", and it writes worse than almost any of my fountain pens, including Hero pens that were under $4 when I bought them and plastic cheap student pens. I find the Wing Sung pens "inspired" by the Parker 51 to be excellent, and they are my go-to pens--the vintage ones being too precious to take with me on daily routines. One of my dream pens that I have not yet gotten is a vintage Balance, which is one of the most iconic and influential pens in history. The classic, U.S.-made Sheaffers were remarkably well made and excellently designed.
But the current Chinese-made Sheaffer I have, the VFM, is wretched. It simply put Chinese-made Sheaffers out of consideration to me. I am glad to hear that this pen is a serious pen, apart from the nib, but I think that the nib problem keeps Sheaffer out of mind for me. There was a time when a Sheaffer nib was a thing to desire, but, alas....
Thanks for this, Chris!
I have a new Parker 51, medium nib and it has written beautifully smooth out of the box. Love everything about it except the screw on cap. 😀 I also have my dad's Parker 51 from 1949. It writes great too. 😀
Hi Doug, what you have here is the "Red Back Spider" pen hahaha :)
Another great video, agreed the Bobby bent nib is a great swap :)
Chels
Cool, thanks, Chels. I'm glad it doesn't bite!
Hey Doug, would you mind checking your Bobby nib if the slit in the tines extend# to the breather hole? I was about to follow your lead and replace the nib on my recently purchased Icon, but on inspection, all 4 Bobby bent nibs I received have a breather hole punched above the tine cut and not where the breather hole indent is meeting the tines..just curious. Cheers and keep up the good work.
The Bobby nib and the Icon nib are identical except for the tip. The slit goes up to the stamped circle and there is a punched circle breather hole above that stamped circle, if that makes sense.
Thank you for the idea to change the nib by a Bobby’s bent nib. I used these nibs on my Wing Sung 613 and 618 and Jinhao 51A and the pens are now fantastic writers. Should I try that on my Sheaffer Taranis ?l
I reviewed a Taranis recently but it did not belong to me so I can't check it. But, looking at my video, it looks to have the exact same nib and feed as the Icon, so it should work. th-cam.com/video/xX1hg-etkTw/w-d-xo.html
I own two vintage-y Sheaffer pens that I love. I like the design on this one, but I'll hold off for now. I've been interested in getting my hands on Bobby bent nibs. Too bad he doesn't ship to my corner of the world. I may have to talk to my local brick and mortar pen shop to see, if they can source it somehow. If that happens somehow, I'll give the Icon another look.
You might have to bend them yourself!
@@InkquiringMinds I did come across a Pilot Stargazer with a DIY nib modification. But we'll see about the shipping from China. I'm not nearly anywhere near that level. I don't even own micromesh and a gapping tool... Not for lack of trying to source it, though.
Well, you sold another pen. Didn't especially want chrome but that is what they were selling. Sent off for some nibs but in the meanwhile......... I have pliers. Gave it a waverly and may not swap when my new nibs get here in about 300 years. Much wetter and writing close to 'M'. Thanks to you I now have another pen with the fantastic gripping section of a PFM or a Legacy. Good thorough review. Thank you.
Thanks, Don! Brute force method eh?
It works.
Cool to see how qucikly you replaced the nib!!!
I learned that from a very short video from Bobby.
I currently have this pen on order and after watching your excellent review think I may need to swap nibs as well. DO you have a link for the actual "Bobby Bent" nib you used? Thanks again for your usual great review.
Sure Brian! tinyurl.com/3nek8pjz
Had to laugh when you said about using red ink for your accounts ! I reciently recieved another Narwhal 365 and filled it with Diamine Monaco Red, my first red ink. I also then counted the number of new pens I got this year and that answered why my Bank Balance is a bit smaller. By the way the Nautilus writes lovely on Clairefontain paper. Great review as always. Thanks again and Merry Christmas Doug.
Merry Christmas, Paddy!
Well said. The nib is so critical. Hopefully Cross is listening
Ummmm nope. Don't think so. LOL
@@InkquiringMinds Then it is at their peril. Sad that US manufacturers cannot see how to have the quality that Japan and China has (and Germany/Europe)
Hi Doug, I also have the Icon (Yoda?) but with the fine nib. I’ve enjoyed the experience with it. It’s pretty smooth, with a bit of feedback depending on the paper. I’ve only had one ink brand in it so far, Iroshizuku KP. But the line it lays down is .3 mm as well. I really wonder if Sheaffer has released defective medium nibs. You’re the second reviewer that has this issue with a medium nib. Curious to see what happens.
Thanks for the info, William. Defective as in, mislabeled.
Thanks, Doug! Cool pen, like something out of Sharper Image or James Bond's pocket. Bobby to the rescue, those nibs
are great! Love the recurring Cary Grant clip. Holiday cheers! Btw, your nib switch is just as easy as you describe as I now
have a Bobby bent nib on my Sheaffer Taranis and a Sheaffer broad nib on a Jinhao 51a. The Bobby nib makes the nicer
pen much more versatile for work, home, different paper quality, etc. So, thanks again O wise one of the north!
Right on! That's awesome!
A variation of "Where the rubber meets the road." for fountain pens nibs might be: "Where the ink meets the paper". I agree, a bad nib ruins any other positives that a pen might have. The trick with the Bobby bent nib will make this pen worth the purchase. Maybe even right after the holidays! :-)
Absolutely! The ink meets the paper!
I've succumbed. Ordered a red version in medium from Europe. Will swap the nib after watching your new video.
You da man!
@@InkquiringMinds exchange rate is really good and I can get the color I want. It's a hit, and seems to be out of stock in most places.
I received it yesterday, and yes it is nice. And yes, the nib is as unforgiving as my wife when cranky. Bobby nib to the rescue....
@@stefanwood2182 The Bobby nib makes all the difference... to the pen, not your wife.
Never been a Shaeffer fan but this pen really looks great. Quite different from all my other pens. I love the Darth Maul idea too.
Thanks for watching!
I got an exact same pen from Pen Hero. Surprised that it weighs more than my Legacy Deep Cut Palladium platinum. The medium nib is more like a western fine. Most of the Icons I see come with a fine nib which I wouldn’t touch. It makes the medium nib on my Legacy feel like a broad.
Yeah, I expect a Fine would be like a sewing machine needle.
Awesome review, Doug. You always call it like it is- even blaming Canada when necessary. It so happens that I bought a used Sheaffer two weeks ago. I’ve yet to ink it up because I need to order a converter. I’ll take a close look at the nib when I do.
What model and year Sheaffer, Oscar?
@@InkquiringMinds, I believe it’s a Targa 1008 with a medium steel nib (diamond nib). I think I paid $50.
@@oscarmedina1597 They are wonderful pens. The nibs are the most beautiful ever.
Thank you for the review Sir..! I wanted to know weather this pen has a removable feed?
I have not tried to remove the hood on the Icon. I pulled the nib from the front and installed a new one fairly easily, but never tried to get at the feed.
The minute i saw that nib i was sure that you did some egineering magic change it!...it's a wanted pen for me, the minute that it's back in stock....nice and a little cheaper than his older brother Taranis....nice review mr.D 🎩🤘🤘👏👏👏
Cool, thanks, Cosmin!
Nice pen. It looks out of place in my Shaffer collection, but I may get one at somepoint anyway. I can definitely see the Cross influence on the design (Townsend, Peerlesss, etc.) The price at Cult Pens is just £48, which is significantly cheper and local to me. Curious to see if my M would come with the same EF nib, or if yours was just a blip.
Right on. I just got your IG message, George! Thank you! I didn't mind the extra price to support my local brick 'n mortar pen shop; Reid's. Plus, they gave me a 10% discount for being a member of our local Calgary Pen Club.
@@InkquiringMinds Perfectly reasonable justification 👍 👏
Not sure how to feel about this. I have a selection of Sheaffer pens, from the 1920s (a ringtop in my pocket right now, with 1930s Carter's washable blue) through several Touchdown fillers and a Snorkel to the immediate predecessor to the Sheaffer student pen, a Fineline. I have had a student pen, which is why I got out of fountain pens for years.
Maybe if they get more consistent with the nibs... Seems like it is a Hero one. 😣
That's my point. I don't get how they can spend so much time and effort getting the pen right and then toss a horrible nib on it?
@@InkquiringMinds It's starting to feel like a trend of the "heritage" brands originally from the United States. "They'll buy absolute garbage because it's got an iconic brand attached to it."
There's my income limiting many modern pens, and when I can get a great writer with even a gold nib for less than most modern steel nibbed pens...
Of the at least 6 vintage Sheaffer's I have, only 2 have steel nibs, and all told, I've not paid twice the cost of the Icon, yet. (Came close with a 1946 Parker 51 to an equivalent price. )
Great review. I will have to think about purchasing this pen. As much as it has been years since I purchased a Sheaffer (the Taranis), I was hoping for more in terms of performance. Maybe it was a fluke, meaning the nib. It needs a seriously performing nib to go with a seriously beautiful looking body.
Thanks for sharing! The nib is stock Chinese and easily replaced.
I have numerous Sheaffers, both pre and post '97 and really enjoy all of them. It is such a shame that they failed with that nib. I even have a Ranga #4CS that has a NOS Sheaffer Imperial nib unit that is a charmer. I think I will be skipping this one though unless I get some Bobby bent nibs. That is good information to have and I'll have to look into it. Thanks for the very informative review.
I've seen those Rangas with the Sheaffer inlaid nibs. Interesting combination.
Thank you for another great review. Unfortunately, Sheaffer quality controls on nibs seems to be a regular problem (Legacy II and 300's for example). I'm glad though you manage to solve the problem with those nice "mini-fude" Bobby nibs, I use them on a couple of my pens and they are truly amazing nibs. Have a nice week.
Thanks for sharing!
Advanced Merry Christmas Sir Doug,
Sheaffer is good in terms of pens and design but not sure if this has happened before with anyone or is it just me because I have a Sheaffer Prelude that uses the Cartridge Converter and it cracks. i don't know the usual cause but when it breaks, the plastic inside the converter that connects to the feed, cracks. It's the second time this has happened to me and no leaks are happening yet
I've had one Penbbs converter crack in the same place. The black plastic collar inside the nipple just disintegrates for some reason. I suspect it might be the ink affecting the plastic.
@@InkquiringMinds Thank you for letting me know your thought on that, Sir Doug, Will keep that in mind in the future just in case that ever happens again, thanks sir
Some of the modern, advertised as ‘deluxe’ Parker converters are just the same. They have a black, plastic collar and mouth and these are known to commonly crack quite quickly with use. Infuriating stuff. To be avoided like the plague.
Hey Doug, can you tell me where to find Bobby Bent Nibs?
C$ 10.17 50％ Off | 4Pcs Fountain Pen Nibs 0.5-0.8mm Bent Nib For St Penpps 618 601 613 Fountain Pen Ink Pen Stationery Office school supplies
a.aliexpress.com/_mtgu460
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks Doug. Really appreciate it.
Serendipitous?
I was just looking today at this fountain pen in red on Amazon and was thinking if I should pounce on it. Ever since Cross took over Sheaffer my heart was kind of broken, Sheaffer pens are one of my favourites... and Cross was and is one of my least favourites.
The shape (with cap on) reminds me a lot of the PFM (without the square end); but the finish (by just looking at the pictures) reminds me of Cross pens a lot. I have a spare gold nib that might work well with it if the original nib is that bad... don't know... torn a little.
Also, on Amazon, I've seen these for under $70, including shipping. Wonder if that $120 is a little high?
Btw, as red inks goes, have you tried Pelikan Brilliant Red? One of my favourites.
Yes, the nib is the most important thing on a fountain pen... just like tires on the car.
I got a 10% discount from Reid's for being a Calgary Pen Club member. But also, this is a brick 'n mortar shop with overhead and employees. Still, no shipping, brokerage or duty charges.
@@InkquiringMinds Makes sense.
My first FP was a Sheaffer student. It never worked properly (I don't know why I still have it. It's over 40 yo) 2 years ago I was bit by the bug again.
It used to be easy to replace a Sheaffer Student when you got a bad one. $1 or $1.50. Getting a vintage one now on eBay will run $30 or more.
I have the Taranis. The nib is so stiff it could be used as a formidable weapon.
Excellent review. Not a pen on my radar, and the poor quality nib is a deal breaker. But I like the design and how they try to keep and update the classic Sheaffer look. Another pen that is well made and designed except for the nibs are the Conklins. Swap out those scratchy flex nibs with kanwrite and they are a different pen.
Fair enough! Thanks, Stefan!
I'll admit, the more I look at this pen the more i like the design . Should it ever be discounted i would get it and do the nib swap you mentioned.
Excellent video. ❤👍💯👏👏👏
Thank you very much!
So the nib can be switched out for fine & finer writing.
Yes, indeed!
Glad to see the Sheaffer design team putting out a half descent pen. I saw a Sheaffer legacy review where Sheaffer shelled out the money to have their nibs manufactured by Sailor, and the nib was still crap. Perhaps the design team is suffering from ptsd and went with the cheapest nib possible, while investing more money into QC on the pen body.
The Legacy probably gets more attention from Sheaffer than this pen.
Where can I buy this? It's out of stock at all the websites :(
tinyurl.com/yckhedan
I came across these on Amazon a few months ago and got the red with black trim. Sadly, the delay in shipping timed out and they canceled my order and refunded the money.
That sucks. But at least you got your money back.
I have a few old/vintage as well as modern Sheaffers - 100, Agio, Intensity, Imperial, Targa etc.. All these pens are gorgeous and write well..
In my opinion, PFM isn’t VFM !
At $200+, it’s the most expensive Sheaffer that I know of and I’m told by a collector friend of mine that he prefers not to use it much with the fear of spoiling its Snorkel filling system which is difficult to repair !
There are PFM that didn't have the snorkel but still had the touchdown filler.
The PFM, especially the V, is one of my Top 10, , no..maybe Top 5 favorite pens of all time. The superb snorkel filling system only adds to the enduring allure of this classic iconic Sheaffer pen.
I bought my fourth PFM last Christmas.
The snorkel filling mechanism is arguably the most complex ever made. And yes, it’s very tricky to repair, just like the vintage Sheaffer Vac-fillers.
But a well restored PFM ought to, and actually are known to last for very many years. Of course, they should be taken care of and filled and used properly. I use mine quite often without undue fear or need to overly protect and preserve the pens. It helps that I have four of them. I just think it sort of defeats the purpose of owning these timeless beauties if you won’t fully savor the joys of actually writing with them as often as you wish.
@@InkquiringMinds …The PFM I & II. The Legacy I & II, both touchdown fillers, are the closest next best thing to the PFM. The snorkel just edges out the touchdown as my favorite filling systems ever.
@@sajjadhusain4146 Thanks.. One has to ‘buy and use it to appreciate it’ I guess !
@@sathishrao7926 …As is true with any pen, to be totally honest. I’ve decided to frequently use more of my pens and enjoy them more fully than buying too many more. It is one reason why I am once again gradually trimming my collection down to a smaller size. But I’m not good at selling anything. In the past I’ve given away many pens, and sold only a few. This time, I’m going to part with pens that are a bit costlier to simply give away for free…😀
The Sheaffer PFM is one of the pens that I wouldn’t part with or trade for anything in the world. Same with all my beloved Auroras.
Sir, your review is excellent. But the quality of Sheaffer pens made now elsewhere, come nowhere near the quality when made in Fort Madison, Iowa. Sheaffers had great models like Targa, Balance, Imperial, Crest etc. I am still looking for Sheaffers PFM.
Great review! I had the opposite happen with a beautiful black w/gold Cross Townsend. The smooth writing gold nib is marked “M”, but it writes like a broad to an extra broad! The workmanship on the pen is wonderful, but the nib classification is WAY off.
At least if it is too broad you can get it ground down to your liking.
Cross, not unlike modern Parker, invariably seems to have nibs that write wider than their designated size point. My Cross Townsend, Classic Century and Bailey pens all have M nibs that write like bona fide broads.
Excellent review… this is a great pen…. On the strength of your content herein, I just placed an other. But I would be sorely disappointed… I ordered the fine… part ways through… now wishing to change my order…. But… ((and you knew there was one)) how would one get this replacement nib (the very one) you are using. Please, please provide the info… Thanks Doug. That is a sharp looking pen… I especially love the added trim features in red.
Thanks for sharing! Here is Bobby's Aliexpress store: tinyurl.com/2p93yt2p
Thanks for the review. Geesh... that exact nib set is now $14.41 in 2024
Wow!
Lol, you sound like me complaining about Lamy EFs which IMO write like mediums. If this pen’s medium nib writes like an EF, then I’m adding it to my list of pens to get.
What happened to the loom. Can’t find a new. Everybody loves it. I noticed u have one not surprised. If too long to write out answer. Please Answer as an aside in your videos. I watch them all. Thanks for your education
I sold the Loom in my first pen sale.
Certainly, this really looks like a Taranis grip section with the size of a Sheaffer Legacy, and the 5 colors are really cool looking. To be honest, I'm not too convinced with the way that tubular nib looks, but I'm being picky. Now, the poor nib quality writing, that's something more alarming.
Thank you for the video, Doug.
Agreed! Thanks, Jorge!
Thank you for the history 😃
You bet!
Okay… okay… excellent… I just, also, placed my order for those nibs… I am excited….
Hope you enjoy it!
Something told me you might swap to a Bobby nib right away. lol
Hehe! THAT predictable hey James? LOL
What a beautiful pen. It's a shame, and somewhat baffling, about the nib. Thank dog for Bobby.
Yeah, he has some cool add-ons and tools. That Wing Sung 699 piston wrench seems to work on everything.
Forget Platinum, even Nakaya do not include a converter though their pens go for thousand dollars. 😵
Crazy.
Thanks for the video
I do like the look if the pen can't say I'm impressed with the nib . And for the money not worth it if they can't be bothered to put a decent nib in at that price point then no matter how good it looks its a firm No from me .
Not to put too fine a point on it, but that's a great point about the point, Steven! :)
Please oh mighty pen makers, bless our labours with fine-writin' nibs. Amen.
I’m still on the fence about the Icon. Despite my general and continuing apathy toward the very meh modern Sheaffer pens, the Icon’s shape and design, somewhat modeled on and reminiscent of the Legacy and PFM, appeal to me straightaway. It looks like a well-made pen worth trying out. And I reckon I perhaps will. The matte black model. Or the silver one.
It’s just that the encore of the Taranis’s nib and the unnecessary, ugly, shiny brand stamping over the nib & section are instant kill-joys for me. And Troy’s recent review intimated that the M nib writes dryly and like an F. Your review only confirmed that fact. That isn’t any good to me. At any rate, the Icon ought to be USD 50.00max. If it wrote reliably and nicely, though, (not like the overpriced, underwhelming Taranis) I’d be okay with its current price ($65-71). A broad nib option, at least, would be nicer.
$50US is a much more reasonable price.