Released in 1959, the Sheaffer PFM, or Pen For Men, was introduced as the brand’s “oversized” model. It was the largest of the brands wildly popular (and very complicated) Snorkel Filling pens. Unfortunately for Sheaffer, the massive success of its other Snorkel fillers did not translate to the PFM, and is often regarded as a commercial failure when compared to other brands Senior and Flagship sized models.

The Pen For Men came in five different trim levels:

• PFM I – Single color injection molded plastic with stainless steel trim. Equipped with Sheaffer’s Palladium Silver Nib (PdAg).
• PFM II – Same as the I model but with a full stainless steel cap.
• PFM III – Single color injection molded plastic with gold filled trim. Equipped with a 14K Gold Nib
• PFM IV – Same as III with but with steel cap. Gold plated plunger endplate.
• PFM V – The luxury model. Same as IV but with a full gold plated cap rather than stainless steel.

The pens are all the same size, and use the same size nib. They also all use Sheaffer’s Snorkel filling system. A unique and complex filling system developed by Sheaffer, and to my knowledge, not used by any other brand. Richard Binder has an excellent article on his website highlighting the inner workings of the Snorkel mechanism. One of the major benefits of this filling system is its ability to fill from even a small droplet of ink!

My pen is the PFM I. It features a red plastic barrel and cap with polished stainless steel trim. The real star of this pen though is the nib. The medium inlaid nib is Sheaffer’s Palladium Silver, with the stamping “PdAg,” indicating its composition. This nib is stiff, but buttery smooth on my preferred Clairefontaine paper. The nib provides a fantastic writing experience and the pen is incredibly comfortable to hold. Measuring about 143mm (5.6″) in length when posted and a grip of about 12mm, I prefer the size of this pen to other Sheaffer’s I have written with, like the Statesman and Imperial IV.

Sheaffer’s inlaid nibs are unique compared to other types of nibs due to the fact the nibs are not installed “into” the pen. Rather, the grip section is injection molded around the nib itself. This allows for the incredibly unique nib shape as well as a permanent bond to the section.

The PFM experienced a relatively short run, with the I, II, and III models only being produced until 1963 and the IV & V models being produced for only five more years after that. As I said earlier, this pen did not do well and I really have trouble seeing why. My only guess would be that it simply was not what consumers were used to. The late 1940’s to mid 1950’s were mainly a time of relatively slender pens. Think the Parker 51, the Parker Vacumatic, the Sheaffer Clipper, etc. Perhaps people weren’t ready for the push back towards a larger pen. I wonder if the PFM would have performed differently if it was released ten to fifteen years later, when bigger pens like the Montblanc 149 were starting to gain popularity.

While the PFM may have been considered a fail when it was new, it certainly isn’t a fail now. The Pen For Men is now a highly sought after pen for collectors such as myself and fetches a hefty premium when compared to some of the brands other, smaller models. It is not uncommon to see a PFM sell for north of three hundred U.S. dollars depending on the trim level.

I have been wanting a PFM for well over a year before I finally found this one with the nib I wanted, in the condition I wanted, and for a price I wanted to pay. Many collectors have differing opinions on what constitutes a “Grail Pen.” To me it has less to do with the monetary value of the pen than it does with the length of the “hunt.” Not that monetary value isn’t an important factor mind you. Regardless, I consider this pen to be a grail acquired, and look forward to writing with it for years to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read. What are your thoughts on the PFM? Feel free to let me know in the comments below! Until the next time!