Choosing An Esterbrook

November 13, 2014

9284 is a broad stub.

Hi,

Thanks for catching my error, which was corrected.

Bye,

S1

Edited November 13, 2014 by Sandy1

November 15, 2014

I am new to Esties, but I'll have to say that having started with a 1XXX series nib, once I had a 9XXX series nib, it seemed like a giant leap in terms of smoothness and feel. Granted, it depends on each individual nib, but you really can't go wrong with a 9XXX nib. The 2XXX nibs are pretty great, too.

November 16, 2014

I'm also looking at an Esterbrook, partially because I like the idea of switching nibs around easily, but also because I really like the looks of the J series. I see how you've mentioned the sizes aren't always true. In general, though, how do they compare to modern nibs? I'm a small writer, and it often seems like even the fine nibs I have aren't all that fine (yes, I'm also planning to explore Japanese pens).

What about the italic, stub, and flexible nibs? Are these worth trying to find? I'm especially curious about how fine their fine stubs and italics are.

Thanks!

November 17, 2014

I'm so glad that I stumbled upon this thread. I'm looking into a new Esterbrook, too! I've not got a lot of experience with this brand. Thanks for all your useful input!! J's are nice looking pens. Clean lines.

November 20, 2014

I'm also looking at an Esterbrook, partially because I like the idea of switching nibs around easily, but also because I really like the looks of the J series. I see how you've mentioned the sizes aren't always true. In general, though, how do they compare to modern nibs? I'm a small writer, and it often seems like even the fine nibs I have aren't all that fine (yes, I'm also planning to explore Japanese pens).

What about the italic, stub, and flexible nibs? Are these worth trying to find? I'm especially curious about how fine their fine stubs and italics are.

Thanks!

I could not properly compare my Esterbrook nibs to any other nib, because of the small sample size of only 2 inked nibs; F and M.

My F nib is a WET nib, and my M nib is a wet nib. Note the difference WET and wet. Both are wet but the F nib is wetter. The M nib is about as wet as a Pelikan nib, based on the color of the Cross/Pelikan blue ink on the paper. The ink line from both nibs are about the same width, in part because the F is a wetter nib, so there is more ink put down, making for a wider line.

A correction to your comment, there is no such thing as a "true size" or industry standard size. Each manufacturer defined their nib sizes independently of the other manufacturer. If one M matches another M, it is coincidence.

To add to the confusion is manufacturing tolerance. A size is defined as X + or - Y. Given this, there is the chance that you could have a WIDE F that is wider than a NARROW M, and I have some examples of this in Esterbrook and Parker nibs.

I have visually compared the tips of several Esterbrook nibs, and while marked the same (ie 9668 medium), the tip sizes are visually different in size, so very likely also in width of the ink line. I have Parker 45 and Cross Century nibs that are also visually different in size but with the same marked nib size.

There are a couple other variables: individual nib ink flow, and ink.

- In my case my F nib is wetter than my M nib, both nibs are wet.

You could also get a dry nib, which would make for a narrower ink line.

- With a WET ink, like Waterman, you will get a wider ink line than I get with my dry Cross/Pelikan ink.

I would say for you to try an XF nib, and see how it works, for you.

If it is too fine, you can simply get a F nib to replace the XF.

The problem with the Esterbrook nibs, is that some of the catalog nibs are difficult to find, and fairly expensive when you do find them. This is true for broad, stub/italic and flex nibs.

November 20, 2014

I'm also looking at an Esterbrook, partially because I like the idea of switching nibs around easily, but also because I really like the looks of the J series. I see how you've mentioned the sizes aren't always true. In general, though, how do they compare to modern nibs? I'm a small writer, and it often seems like even the fine nibs I have aren't all that fine (yes, I'm also planning to explore Japanese pens).

What about the italic, stub, and flexible nibs? Are these worth trying to find? I'm especially curious about how fine their fine stubs and italics are.

Thanks!

Hi,

From my limited experience, I'd say that the Estie nibs' width are fairly close to the current Western nibs, with the the exception of Pelikan, which seem to be rather more generous. To quote from the nibs.com site, "Vintage fine and extra-fine tips are even finer than most points made today."*

In the narrow widths, I've noticed that the Western nibs' width drops considerably between the F and XF grades. Perhaps because the difference is a fixed value, so the percentage difference is great.

If one is looking at a fairly specific narrow nib width, I reckon the current Japanese nibs are the way to go. Some marques offer intermediate widths, such as Fine-Medium, and the current manufacturing and QA/QC methods are more likely to give a consistent relationship between grade and tipping width.

Bye,

S1

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* Our friends at Classic Fountain Pens have graciously provided us with a table of Tipping Sizes for numerous pens. Please note that tipping size does not have a one-to-one relationship to width of the written line, which is due to the paper+ink combo and tine spread which can vary due to nib rigidity / writing pressure. http://www.nibs.com/TippingSizespage.htm

November 24, 2014

Thank you both for your replies. I'm a sorta-newbie to fountain pens, and just getting used to the idea that all these sizes are really just guidelines. (And I thought women's clothing sizes were bad!) I appreciate your reminder that there really isn't such a thing as "true." I'm basically casting about, trying to find my "perfect" pen, though I do intend to have a lot of fun along the way!