Sheaffer’S | Cigar Box Pen Storage

lifetime valiant military clip striated brown vacuum fill uncapped When the US entered World War II, Sheaffer found itself without a pen that met military regulations. The requirement was that a pen in a shirt pocket could not make the pocket flap bulge upward nor could the tip of the clip be visible below the flap. Sheaffer’s side-mounted clip on the Balance line met neither of these requirements. They quickly and cleverly devised a way to comply: they essentially mounted the clip upside-down on the cap and curved it over the top of the cap and down the other side. Pens and pencils with this style of clip were made from 1942-44.

Even though Sheaffer introduced their brand-new Triumph pens in 1942, the military clip models were a continuation of the previous Balance line. They were made in four colors: Black, Golden Brown, Marine Green, and Carmine. In each color there were a total of ten items: two pencils and eight pens. From lowest to highest price they were as follows, with each named model available in both vac-fill and lever fill versions:

Commandant – slender diameter, narrow cap band, Sheaffer’S imprint on clip, Sheaffer’S 3 nib. Lever fill may have 350 imprint on barrel, and vac-fill, 400.

Defender – large diameter, narrow cap band, no imprint on clip, Sheaffer’S Feather Touch 5 nib. Lever fill may have 500 imprint on barrel, and vac-fill, ???

Vigilant – slender diameter, wide cap band, white dot, no imprint on clip, small Sheaffer’S Lifetime nib. Lever fill may have 875 imprint on barrel, and vac-fill, ???

Valiant – large diameter, wide cap band, white dot, no imprint on clip, large Sheaffer’S Lifetime nib. Lever fill may have 1000 imprint on barrel, and vac-fill, 1000.

There were two pencils in each color, one with the narrow band Sheaffer’S imprint on the clip, and 300 price imprint; and one with the wide band, no imprint on the clip, and 400 price imprint. On the Vigilant and Valiant pens, the white dot is located partway down the cap, just below the tip of the clip.

NOTE: the details in my descriptions above are based on the pens in my collection. Some of my pens do not match these descriptions exactly, perhaps due to wartime parts scarcity or later repairs, such as nib replacement. The numerical imprints listed on the barrel are the MSRP in dollars (400 = $4.00). Sheaffer seems to have been quite inconsistent on adding this price imprint, and where I have ??? listed, none of my pens in that model/type have the imprint.

As of the date of this post, I have a complete set of the Golden Brown and am continuing to search for missing items in the other three colors. I also have one unusual item, a Marine Green pencil with a very wide Jeweler’s band. As I understand it, pens and pencils with a Jeweler’s band were special items only sold by jewelers. I have not yet seen a military clip pen with a Jeweler’s band. Note: David Issacson does have an interesting thread on Military Clip pens that includes a photo of several pens and pencils with Jeweler’s bands. CLICK HERE FOR THAT THREAD.

Another variation is the Skyboy imprint. Sheaffer made some pens and pencils with the standard Balance clip that were imprinted Skyboy on the clip. They also made some with the military clip and Skyboy imprint. So far as I can tell, the Skyboy imprint was simply an advertising gimmick and there is no actual difference between items with that imprint and those without it. I do not have a Skyboy pen or pencil.

The gallery below shows my sets of military clip pens, arranged by color. Click on any picture to open the gallery for larger views of all the pictures.