I'm a new Estie owner here and just wanted to say hi. In the past 2 weeks I've bought me 2 Esties of eBay...

First was a early tranistional in jet black; came with a good sack and lever, just a plugged feed which a dozen hot water soaks of the nib cured. This also has a quite heavily worn 2556 in it but a bit of sanding with some 1000 and up grit sandpaper cleaned it up nice.

Second, the color I truly wanted a copper SJ (didn't know an SJ, J or anything when I bought it and found the SJ almost to small for me) This came with a crunchy sac and after I removed the nib and neck found it also had a broken lever (spring?) arm inside. This nib is a 1150 and it very clean aside from another plugged feed.

I certainly see myself getting several more for some variety of course If Anything I'm going to need to hunt down another one for parts for the internal spring arm. I also see myself ordering a new sac and some glue.

Well I won't ramble on...

Regards,
Stephen

Welcome to the site! Hope you enjoy learning and collecting esties like the rest of us estie-holics
Take care,

Ellis

The Copper Esterbrooks are lovely, but I agree the SJs are a bit small.

Of course, one of the best things about them is there are also LJ and full-size J pens for one to try as well as the purse pens.

William

Stephen,

http://www.tryphon.it/catalogo.htm

Has the J-Bars you need an sacs and shellac and... well, you get the idea. Your Estie takes a #16 sac.

Those who have not used the Bionic Wrench need to see or use one as a section wrench. It is a real tool!

Ron

Well Ron, if we're gonna mention Tryphon, we gotta mention Wood Bin, who also stock sac's and J-bars to fit the Estie.

No relation - just a satisfied customer...

Wood Bin Ltd.

Regards,

Gerry

Hi Stephen.

eBay and Esterbrooks, oh my!

I agree - And a nice place/man to deal with. I guess we should give the Pensac company a plug too:

http://www.pensacs.com/

All of these folks are good to deal with - IMO.

Ron

Thanks for all the help everyone. I've got a couple of emails in right now to check on shipping to see who I'll order from.

Ohare> eBay and Esterbrooks, oh my!

Yeah you got that right

Does anyone else with a significant other think your weird for liking fountain pens? My wife thinks I'm a bit nuts but is happy that at least this is not an extremely expensive hobby

Best regards,
Stephen

My wife also, is pleased at my current interest in fountain pens --- it's been a bit cheaper than some of the other things I've expressed an interest in in the past (and she's still dreading my saving up for a Mazda Miata or MGB).

William

I've got a couple of pens that need a new J-bar. What size do I need? And do I just line it up with the lever and push it in? I've got the sac replacement thing down, now I need to master this new skill!

It can become an expensive hobby before you know it. Fortunate for me my wife is bitten by the bug as well. I have three Esties and they are all great pens.

Mine knows how much I enjoy my pens so almost encourages it. I think it helps that I try to be careful about spending though. I probably think it's a more unique hobby than anyone I know else thinks

Nancy,

The J-Bar I just pulled from a transitional barrel is 58mm long. There is enough room for the 62mm bar from either Wood Bin or Trypon. And, you have the procedure just about right. Just be sure everything works before you replace the sac.

You don't want to have to pull the bars out if you can avoid it. They do not come out easily. It takes a good tool and a good grip to pull J-bars.

Dennis Lively's Videos and 'Da Book' are good tools to have. It only takes a couple of 'saves' of repairs to pay for them and it also gives one an idea what jobs they might try and ones they will leave to the professionals.

Ron

Thanks for the tips. I've got a couple pens that the J-bar was just rusted and disintegrated and came tumbling out along with the crumbled sac. I figure I might as well try to fix them up. That's a good thing about Esties, if I mess up I won't feel too bad. If they had cost a lot, I wouldn't dare play around with them.

While we're talking about J-bar sizes, I just pulled one out of an SJ and found it to be 49mm long. So one of the 54mm bars from Tryphon should work for those.

Exactly, and if you need to, they can be shortened a little.

Regards,

Gerry