Esterbrook Ballpoint Refill

[CarterCross]

I'm trying to find a refill for an Esterbrook ballpoint. Has anyone succussfully identified a modern refill that will work with the J ballpoints?

 

Carter

[OcalaFlGuy]

There aren't any. You aren't the first who has really tried to find one.

 

The only known way to make them usable again is to clean out (a MAJOR PIA) an Estie refill, cleanly snip the end off and slide a micro BP refill into the front of the Estie refill.

 

Not too long ago, Pendemonium had some of the NOS but dried out refills to do this mod to.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[RayMan]

I'm not sure about the J ballpoints, but I could swear that I accidentally found a ballpoint refill that fit the Estie eight-ball ballpoint. I usually keep notes about these types of things. If I can find the eight-ball ballpoint, I'll let you know the make. Perhaps the same make will fit the J.

[OcalaFlGuy]

A desk refill only needs to fit within the confines of the barrel, right? (ie; is always in the extended position)

 

The BP's refill has to have the proper profile to make the cap actuator function.

 

You're comparing Oranges to Tangelos.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[pneil100]

If it is a J ballpoint then it must be a wordathon. Grip rings around the bottom and a push cap mechanism? That is the wordathon. You don't want to snip anything. Snipping is for the later refill in Scribes and the Scribe looks nothing like a J. It should have a white plastic bit in the middle which has 4 prongs. If it does then just drop it into white spirit up to and over the plastic bit in the middle. Let it soak for a day. Then, with pliers pull out the section that includes the ball tip. It is push fit but will be quite stuck. The spirit will have loosened it. Then carefully pull out the plastic middle section. Now you have the thickest section with a platic cap still at the widest end. Poke through from one end and the plastic cap will come out (it too is push fit). Now soak the thick section in the spirit and clean it out. The ink is horrible stuff. Get it all out and the spirit will help thin it out. Now the plastic middle section needs to be drilled out. The back is slightly narrower than the front. Make the back the same size as the front. A hand drill is perfect as the plastic is quite soft. Push the cap back on the end of the thick section and the 4 pronged middle plastic section back in as well. Now it looks the same but without the thin section with the ball tip. Insert a D1 mini refill (try an Ohto needlepoint for a unique ballpoint experience - there are loads of options) and push until you get to the desired length. Load it in your pen and your ready to go. Trial and error will get it protruding to the right length. Then mini is tight but can be manipulated with some good soft-jawed pliers (or even by hand depending on the exact diametre of the refill). I have half a dozen that do daily service. Everything from brown, broad and high-lighters. Hope that helps you. It takes a bit of effort but once you've setup your refill the next change will take you 30 seconds and no mess. I have a dozen refills like this and they will probably do me for the rest of my life.

Edited January 14, 2012 by pneil100

[CarterCross]

If it is a J ballpoint then it must be a wordathon. Grip rings around the bottom and a push cap mechanism? That is the wordathon. You don't want to snip anything. Snipping is for the later refill in Scribes and the Scribe looks nothing like a J. It should have a white plastic bit in the middle which has 4 prongs. If it does then just drop it into white spirit up to and over the plastic bit in the middle. Let it soak for a day. Theb with pliers pull out the this section that includes the ball tip. It is push fit but will be quite stuck. The spirit will have loosened it. Then carefully pull out the plastic middle section. Now you have the thickest section with a platic cap still at the widest end. Poke through from one end and the plastic cap will come out (it too is push fit). Now soak the thick section in the spirit and clean it out. The ink is horrible stuff. Get it all out and the spirit will help thin it out. Now the plastic middle section needs to drill out. The back is slightly narrower than the front. Make the back the same size as the front. A hand drill is perfect as the plastic is quite soft. Push the cap back on the end of the thick section and the 4 pronged middle plastic section back in as well. Now it looks the same but without the thin section with the ball tip. Insert a D1 mini refill (try an Ohto needlepoint for a unique ballpoint experience - there are` loads of options) and push until you get to the desired length. Load it in your pen and your ready to go. Trial and error will get it protruding to the right length. Then mini is tight but can be manipulated with some good soft-jaweed pliers (or even by hand depending on the exact diametre of the refill). I have half a dozen that do daily service. Everything from brown, broad and hilighters. Hope that helps you. It takes a bit of effort but once you've setup your refill the next change will take you 30 seconds and no mess. I have a dozen refills like this aqnd they will probably do me for the rest of my life.

Thanks I'll give it a try. The two I have both have the white plastic sections.

[pneil100]

 

This might help. The first pen is a wordathon (deluxe) See the refill has the plastic 4 pronged middle section. If you've got one of these don't cut it. Just follow the instructions above. There are links to several places on the web that perhaps suggest that there is only one type of Esterbrook ballpoint refill. There are in fact many. This type is the first and fit's your standard J type ballpoint (and your Deluxe as well). Middle pen is a standard black wordathon. Push cap mechanism and grip rings. The middle refill has been adapted and has an Ohto needle-point D1 mini. When the refill is adapted it just push fits with a enough pressure that it doeasn't move when writing. It made it through my last three hour exam without a skip or blot. The pen on the right is the Scribe and that has a different refill. That's the one you cut. But I wouldn't cut it, I'd fine point saw because it is quite fragile and collapses under pressure. This is the refill that is mentioned in other posts about getting Esterbrook ballpoints working. It is marked Super-Tex. Different pen, Different refill.

[tmaugham]

Can anyone suggest a source for dried up J cartridges?

 

Thanks,

Tom

[pneil100]

I bought a Wordathon off Ebay awhile ago and a chap from Italy had produced a 3D drawing of this refill. Which meant it can be 3D printed. Slip in a D1 mini and no need for old Wordathon (J, Deluxe) cartridges and all your Esterbrook ball point are functional again.

[pajaro]

What's a D1 mini? I just found these on ebay.

 

Will the D1 mini work in the desk pen version of the Estie ballpoint?

Edited October 10, 2014 by pajaro

[pneil100]

The Esterbrook deskpen that I'm using didn't neeed a modified refill. They are still available. I don't have it in front of me but I recall it used the Berol Recorder refill which you can still buy. I'll check what I have in it when I (eventually) get back to my desk. Cheers.

Edited October 11, 2014 by pneil100

[Lou Erickson]

I bought a Wordathon off Ebay awhile ago and a chap from Italy had produced a 3D drawing of this refill. Which meant it can be 3D printed. Slip in a D1 mini and no need for old Wordathon (J, Deluxe) cartridges and all your Esterbrook ball point are functional again.

Was he sharing that drawing?

 

I was trying to do the same thing, but the 3d printer I have access to wasn't accurate enough.