Broken Esterbrook Body

[SleepingCat]

I was given my first nice pen, an Esterbrook, recently. I discovered the body jewel(I think that is what it is called) is broken. I would like to replace it, but can't seem to find where to get a replacement jewel or body in general. Ideas/suggestions?

[Algester]

jewels huh normally I would check payton street pens and see if they have donor jewels but I doubt...

[ironwampa]

Do you still have the other fragment of the jewel? In the absence of a replacement the correct adhesive might solve your problem.

[gweimer1]

One of the hardest parts to replace in all Pendom....the elusive Esterbrook cap jewel. Your only real option, as noted, is to find another barrel as a donor. There is a whole world of buying broken pens just for their parts. Nobody makes replacement jewels that know of. At least, not yet.

[OcalaFlGuy]

OP, Gary is right about the Cap jewels.

 

However, your busted one is a Barrel jewel.

 

You in your pic have managed to hide most all the Estiebrook sizing clues so I can't really tell if yours is a J, LJ or SJ.

 

IF it's the thinner LJ or SJ you are in A Bit of a better position, the barrel jewels on both those sizes are the same size

and those two sizes are somewhat less desired than the full J size.

 

It is Somewhat easier to find a J family barrel jewel than a cap jewel.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[SleepingCat]

Do you still have the other fragment of the jewel?

When I received it, it may have already been like that, so no. Thanks, anyway.

[SleepingCat]

OP, Gary is right about the Cap jewels.

 

However, your busted one is a Barrel jewel.

 

You in your pic have managed to hide most all the Estiebrook sizing clues so I can't really tell if yours is a J, LJ or SJ.

 

IF it's the thinner LJ or SJ you are in A Bit of a better position, the barrel jewels on both those sizes are the same size

and those two sizes are somewhat less desired than the full J size.

 

It is Somewhat easier to find a J family barrel jewel than a cap jewel.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

All it says on the pen is "Esterbrook"

[terim]

Looks like a J to me, but that's a guess. Measure the whole pen and let me know, I may have a spare barrel. But if it were me, I'd live with the broken jewel, if only because I know how hard/impossible they are to replace.

 

Teri

[gweimer1]

I'm sure this is opening a can of worms, but what if replacement jewels were readily available?

[OcalaFlGuy]

As best I can tell, the only way for that to happen is for someone Between a simple User and a Pro to need them bad enough AND desire to help the community out to make it happen.

 

Making an Estie jewel isn't rocket surgery, it's not as detailed as a Parker jewel and Kullock makes and sells those.

 

There are certainly at least 2 people in Estieville that I KNOW have the contacts and abilities to make it happen.

 

IMO The Main reason there aren't Already replacement jewels is that the line between what they'll actually cost to produce and what people think they'll sell for, is too thin to attract the Pros attention who can make it happen.

 

It also matters some that Esties Can (still) be found inexpensively enough to warrant buying them Just to part out. If the going rate rose enough to Not make it a positive cash situation to part one out, Then you might see more action on replacement jewels happening.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

 

 

 

 

[Sasha Royale]

Certainly, you have seen, on Ebay, " XYZ Pen for repair or parts ".

That's were the spare jewels have gone.

1. Maybe you can get one of those cheap.

2. Find something you like to attach to the barrel, in place of the plastic jewel.

I would use an American Legion lapel pin.

3. If you carry your fountain pen in the pocket, the barrel jewel is out of sight

90% of the time. Learn to ignore it. This could be one of the pens, on which
I would post the cap. After all, you have a lovely, red Estie.

 

How does it write ?

[SleepingCat]

Looks like a J to me, but that's a guess. Measure the whole pen and let me know.

Teri

It's 5 inches. I don't know how I would be able to "live with it" because it leaks with the gap left by the cracked jewel

Certainly, you have seen, on Ebay, " XYZ Pen for repair or parts ".

2. Find something you like to attach to the barrel, in place of the plastic jewel.

I would use an American Legion lapel pin.

3. This could be one of the pens, on which

I would post the cap. After all, you have a lovely, red Estie.

 

How does it write ?

 

Would you simply poke the jewel out and stick the pin in? I'm not sure how it writes, considering I don't have anything else to accommodate the nib. The nib is a 9550, though, if that tells you anything. Edited April 22, 2015 by Siershiliu

[gweimer1]

There's also the trick of removing any jewel from the donor pen intact, before it goes on to your pen. Esterbrook made one of the most durable pens on the market. They were made to stay together and be used.

[Ron Z]

Many, many years ago I used to make Esterbrook buttons using a slow speed drill clamped in a vise as the "lathe", wood carving tools, file, sand paper and a buffing wheel to shape and then polish the acrylic. Turn to major diameter, make the stem, cut off enough for the button, turn it round and chuck the stem in the drill and shape the steps. You can measure or eyeball it. They weren't hard to do and turned out very well.

 

To remove the button in the end pull the section, pressure bar and sac stabilizer. Then use a piece of piano wire or a bicycle spoke with the end in a knockout block to punch the button out. The fit of the stem should be fairly snug but not tight. If you are measuring, make it a couple of thousandths bigger than the hole it has to go into.

[SleepingCat]

I've just realized several things. First off, I should never post on here from my phone because I tend to accidentally delete what I mean to post, then shorten it because I cannot remember what I had originally typed. I had forgotten to mention that ink was leaking out of the pen from the gap caused by the broken jewel.

Secondly: My problem with the pen has turned out to have been several things: When I first tried to use it, I discovered some dried ink in it, so I put some water inside. Immediately, ink was dripping out from the cracked body jewel. I have never used a non-converter/cartridge pen. Turns out, the sac is broken and the pressure bar is broken and rusted. When I attempted to open it before, some dried ink had fallen out when I turned the pen upside down. The next time: The pressure bar fell out. I had no idea what had happened. I thought I had broken it.

Thirdly: After researching, I now realize that the pen should not have been leaking ink in the first place, even if the jewel was broken.

Fourthly: I should completely fix it now.

Fifthly: The section will not separate from the barrel.

Thank you for all of your responses. I will possibly attempt to fix the pen, but may not be able to and might have to sell it.

[SleepingCat]

By the way, here is what fell out. Dried ink and the rusted pressure bar which had broken(the two pieces on the left.

Edited April 22, 2015 by Siershiliu

[Mr. JW]

You can buy a new J-bar and sac and resac the pen yourself. It's easy an easy enough repair. Check out andersonpens.net, Brian and Lisa have all the materials you need.

[SleepingCat]

For those still interested, I just now fixed the pen, more than a month later. In the process, I spilled half of my newly bought shellac on the floor. Other than that, it went smoothly, and I now have a fully functioning esterbrook pen. Thank you for all of your comments and suggestions.

[Ron Z]

 

 

I spilled half of my newly bought shellac on the floor.

 

Welcome to the club. I won't say what show, but I shellaced a table cloth to the table at a pen show several years ago. Brand new bottle too. I ended up squirting alcohol all over things to thin it out so that I could clean it up, but I'm sure it wasn't completely effective.

[Oslowe]

Welcome to the club. I won't say what show, but I shellaced a table cloth to the table at a pen show several years ago.

That's of course why furniture refinishers love this aspect of an easily corrected finish like shellac. Not so good on the bar-top though.

 

-Oslowe