Question On Disassembling My First Estie

[whichwatch]

I was walking through an antique mall and couldn't resist the bargain price on a lovely blue transitional J with a 9668 nib. The dealer, a pen collector, was there, so we had a nice chat. He refurbishes and resacs all his pens, so this one should be good to go.

 

Having bought my first Esterbrook, I started reading this Forum. I have already learned a great deal, but am confused by what appears to be some conflicting information.

 

The engineer in me wants to take this baby apart and see the inner workings. I learned that I have picked the right pen for that!

 

Nib unscrews - check. No problem.

 

Other people are bothered by nib and lever not lining up? Cool - I can adjust that. Clip and lever don't line up? It bothers me, but I can live with it.

 

So all I have to do is remove the section. Hmmm.... doesn't want to unscrew. Oh, it's pressure fit? OK, let's try a gentle tug? Stuck. What? Push with my thumbs? Still stuck, and I'm afraid to push too hard.

 

Oh yes, heat. The great expander for pressure fit things. Yes, hot water is much safer than the flame from a lighter. Great idea! Man, I love this place!

 

But now the conflict. Some have said heat the barrel, others say the section. Assuming the section fits inside the barrel, I would want to heat (and expand) the barrel, no?

 

Can anyone post a picture of a disassembled Esterbrook?

[yourmanpann]

I'm also a newbie with Esterbrooks, so bear that in mind. This is what worked for me.

 

Remove the nib and cap. Fill a small water glass with water from the tap, as hot as it will come out. Put in enough water so that when you put the pen in, nib end down, the cap threads are covered. Wait ten minutes. Pull it apart.

 

Good luck.

[pal38]

Can anyone post a picture of a disassembled Esterbrook?

 

Did you have something like this in mind?

 

 

I have not dismantled the inner cap. On the Model J (fat) there also is a inner tray not used in the LJ.

The jewels are not readily dismantled, They are not threaded in but pressed and/or glued/welded (depending on the state of their 'restauration'). See also the thread 'https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/181044-i-need-some-esterbrook-help/page__p__1822041__hl__%2Breplacing+%2Bclip__fromsearch__1#entry1822041 and others.

Edited January 16, 2011 by pal38

[RayMan]

I've always been reluctant to use heat (based on bitter experience with other hobbies). I just wiggle the section a few times between thumb and forefinger, turn the entire pen a quarter turn, wiggle again, and keep repeating until the section loosens. This has always worked for me.

[Brian Anderson]

You should apply heat to the barrel just below the section where the two pieces connect. On transitionals and Dollar pens, I suggest placing your hand further down the barrel where heat has not been applied and pull directly out. Why? Well, on the earlier pens, more heat is sometimes required to get the tighter fitting sections out. When you try to grab the barrel just below the section when it is still warm, you can actually compress the barrel a bit causing it to deform. Pulling straight out removes the possibility of cracking the barrel as well. Call me paranoid, but I rarely use the rocking technique. I have only cracked one esterbrook barrel, and it was using this technique (OK, I was also driving a car at the time, but that's a different story )

 

Cheers-

Brian

[whichwatch]

Did you have something like this in mind?

 

Thanks very much. I appreciate your finding that for me.

[pal38]

Did you have something like this in mind?

 

Thanks very much. I appreciate your finding that for me.

 

I didn't find it, I made it a few hours ago. With one of my own LJ pens.

 

Edited January 16, 2011 by pal38

[whichwatch]

 

I didn't find it, I made it a few hours ago. With one of my own LJ pens.

 

 

Wow! That's impressive! Extra thanks for going to all that trouble. That's really nice of you!

[whichwatch]

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I'll give it a try after Da Bears beat the Seahawks. :-)

[Rabbit]

I have only cracked one esterbrook barrel, and it was using this technique (OK, I was also driving a car at the time, but that's a different story )

 

Cheers-

Brian

 

Isn't that illegal in the state of Wisconsin? :roflmho:

 

--Stephen

[kathleen]

Can anyone post a picture of a disassembled Esterbrook?

 

Did you have something like this in mind?

 

 

I have not dismantled the inner cap. On the Model J (fat) there also is a inner tray not used in the LJ.

The jewels are not readily dismantled, They are not threaded in but pressed and/or glued/welded (depending on the state of their 'restauration'). See also the thread 'https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/181044-i-need-some-esterbrook-help/page__p__1822041__hl__%2Breplacing+%2Bclip__fromsearch__1#entry1822041 and others.

 

Super nice dissection and educational display! This needs to be published in the "Anatomy of an Esterbrook"

[pal38]

 

Super nice dissection and educational display! This needs to be published in the "Anatomy of an Esterbrook"

 

Thanks for the flowers.

 

:embarrassed_smile:

[wpb]

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I'll give it a try after Da Bears beat the Seahawks. :-)

 

Great game! New Bears fan here...recent relocatation to Bears-land.

 

Bill