Gray Pearl Sheaffer Balance "Admiral" - Vacuum-Fil

This may be the best Balance fountain pen model that Sheaffer made. Sheaffer called it the standard size and later the Admiral. It is fitted with a Feather Touch 5 nib that is, in my opinion, the best production nib Sheaffer ever made. The Feather Touch 5 is not quite semi-flexible. It is stiff enough to use for everyday writing but soft enough to produce nice line variation without thinking about it - with normal writing pressure.

The celluloid is in excellent condition. The barrel has very good clarity. The transparent strips have darkened reddish. The trim plating on the cap clip and band has wear, scuffs and thin spots when examined closely. It isn't heavily pitted and retains nice luster.

The original, celluloid covered carbon steel rod has been replaced with a custom made black oxide coated stainless steel. Together with the modern synthetic seals this pen will write for decades with only an occasional dab of pure silicone grease on the filler rod.

This pen is comparable in size with a Sailor ProFit 1911.

Length
Capped - 136 mm (5.3”)
Uncapped - 114 mm (4.5”)
Posted - 154 mm (6”)
Diameter
Cap - 13.4 mm (0.53”)
Barrel - 11.3 mm (0.44”)

Filler
Vacuum-Fil

Nib
Fine