Knocked-Out My First Estie Nib

[wpb]

I knocked out my first Estie nib today and thought I would share the experience

 

I have a #9460 (my first Estie nib) that has a misaligned feed and doesn't write well at all. So I made a very crude knock-out block and immediately discovered that knock-out blocks don't work with Estie nibs. The nib is wider than the sleeve (right term?) that holds the nib and feed. In other words, the nib prevents the sleeve from resting against the edge of the hole in the knock-out block.

 

So I held the nib against the side edge of the wood block and much to my surprise, after several taps, the nib and feed slipped out. After a search on the FPN forums, I discovered that leaving the nib in the section is another method that may work with a knock-out block or modifying the hole in the knock-out block so the edges of the nib will slip through.

 

Anyway I put wet soap on the nib and feed (tip from the Dubiel book) and reinserted them back into the sleeve. Not an easy operation, it's a very tight fit and hard to insert. I had to attempt it twice before the feed and nib were aligned. So far, the nib is writing much better than before.

 

Hope this helps others who want to give it a try...on an inexpensive nib! I suggest leaving the expensive nibs to the experts.

 

Bill

[kathleen]

Thanks, for the post and the explanation. I have never tried this, though I have come across a nib and feed that are not well aligned and may be the reason for less than satisfactory ink flow. If I ever feel adventurous and eager to expand my pen restoration expertise, I shall refer to this post. Could you show a picture of your knock-out block? When you replaced the nib and feed in the collar, or sleeve, did you then create and indent to hold them?

I remember Stephen, FPN member Rabbit, detailed disassembling a nib and reassembly, he warmed a screwdriver and secured the nib and feed with a deep impression.

Edited January 2, 2011 by kathleen

[PaFitch]

Someone mentioned in a thread (maybe more than one) that heating the collar makes it easier to remove the nib & feed. I've also read someone who cracked some collars trying to remove nibs.

[wpb]

Thanks, for the post and the explanation. I have never tried this, though I have come across a nib and feed that are not well aligned and may be the reason for less than satisfactory ink flow. When I get feeling adventurous and eager to expand my pen restoration expertise, I shall refer to this post. Could you show a picture of your knock-out block? When you replaced the nib and feed in the collar, or sleeve, did you then create and indent to hold them?

I remember Stephen, FPN member Rabbit, detailed disassembling a nib and reassembly, he warmed a screwdriver and secured the nib and feed with a deep impression.

 

Kathleen,

 

The knock-out I made was just a 2x4 with a couple of different diameter holes drilled through. Pretty simple.

 

I noticed the indent, but I didn't re-create it when I reinserted the nib and feed. I was a little surprised that the indent didn't prevent the nib and feed from being removed. The nib and feed fit very tightly in the sleeve. It's so tight that I had a tough time getting them in. From what I understand, the indent prevents the nib and feed from slipping, although it's hard to imagine that's possible. Guess I will need to recreate it. Thanks for the tip.

 

Bill

Edited January 2, 2011 by wpb

[wpb]

Someone mentioned in a thread (maybe more than one) that heating the collar makes it easier to remove the nib & feed. I've also read someone who cracked some collars trying to remove nibs.

 

I think that would help...I should have warmed it up first in water. I need to knock-out a few more and I will definitely warm them up next time. And I'm going to try it with the nib/feed screwed into the section. That's going to be a delicate operation because I don't want to strip the section threads, i.e. knock the sleeve right through the section.

 

Bill

[FarmBoy]

There seems to be a lot of lucky highly skilled people in Estie land these days. I've not had many reasons to remove the collar from a Renew Point and I've not had much success at having all the parts survive. (Fortunately I have a large supply of patients.)

 

Using the section as a holder for the nib may be convenient but flawed--you risk cracking the section rendering it useless. From what I've seen, replacement sections seem to be running about 10 each so I'd suggest finding another plan.

 

On most points the collar has an indent to hold it in place with the feed. Usually the collar is brittle and shatters. Use heat to soften the materials and try to wiggle out the nib first then remove the collar.

[kathleen]

There seems to be a lot of lucky highly skilled people in Estie land these days.

 

I do not want to trust luck. I am sure the only way one can increase his/her skill level is to venture to try things and further one's level of proficiency after much practice, and likely some regrettable failures. Every doctor loses some patients, but I don't know that I am willing to lose one. I am extremely cautious in my Estie clinic, "first do no harm". Separating nibs and feeds from their small sleeves sounds even more risky than separating sections from barrels, (I always hope a prayer, patience and the heat of a hairdryer will bring my patience through the barrel/section separation procedure).

Knocking out a nib? I tremble at the thought of it. I'd fear something spliting, cracking, crumbling. I think rather than trying to remove a nib and feed from its sleeve, if the nib does not perform well, I will just do what the pen designer made possible when he planned for interchangeable nibs; I will remove and set aside, in a box marked "Intensive Care", any "sick" nibs. I will treat my pen to a NOS, well-performing nib. Should the day come when I can't just screw out one nib and replace it with another, if I must have a poor performing nib made right, because I have no other, then I will send that nib to someone with a skill level far above mine.

Though I may never attempt such an operation in my Estie clinic, I do find the discussion of these operations very interesting.

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2011 by kathleen

[wpb]

There seems to be a lot of lucky highly skilled people in Estie land these days. I've not had many reasons to remove the collar from a Renew Point and I've not had much success at having all the parts survive. (Fortunately I have a large supply of patients.)

 

Using the section as a holder for the nib may be convenient but flawed--you risk cracking the section rendering it useless. From what I've seen, replacement sections seem to be running about 10 each so I'd suggest finding another plan.

 

On most points the collar has an indent to hold it in place with the feed. Usually the collar is brittle and shatters. Use heat to soften the materials and try to wiggle out the nib first then remove the collar.

 

I think I was definitely lucky. I basically held the sleeve against the block of wood, so I didn't really use the knock-out block as intended. The sleeve seemed pretty sturdy. I agree it's unlikely the section will survive during the knock-out "operation". I may still give it a try.

 

Bill