Hi everyone!

I've just bought my first Esterbrook, a vintage, lever fill, new, never inked, 'F' 9450, silver pearlescent effect beauty! Does this sound vaguely familiar to anyone?

Also, I have some Noodlers Old Manhattan Black. I hear this might not be the best choice. I need a real black black, any other suggestions, or is Noodles ok?

thanks!

Noah

Hi Noah
My grandson's name by the by.
Brian Anderson has a great site for Estie info
www.esterbrook.net
I use Noodler's Polar Black in an Estie with 9128 nib and it seems to work ok for me.

Congrats on your Estie

Steve

Thanks, Steve, I appreciate it. And best of luck with that grandson of yours (far more important than Esties!). FWIW, I've enjoyed my name immensely. It has given me a sense of purpose and something noble to aspire to.

I can't vouch for Noodler's, but I've been using Aurora Black lately and find it to be quite nice. YMMV, of course.

Welcome to the world of Esterbrook!

Best-
Brian

AIUI, the big concern about using Noodler's and other highly-pigmented inks is that they will stain light-coloured parts of a delicate pen.

The section on your pen should be black, and then Re-New Point is fully hidden and their being slightly off-colour doesn't seem to affect the value much and certainly doesn't show or affect the functioning.

The marbled plastic won't be in contact w/ the ink much in normal functioning and I've not seen much which damages the plastic Esterbrook uses --- I use Noodler's FPN Gallileo Manuscript Brown and Navajo Turquoise in two of my Esties w/o any worry on my part.

William

Thanks to all who've answered. I believe mine to be a J Series. Any way to more precisely date it?

If you have a picture it would help. There are a few variations of a model J, LJ, SJ (different clips, levers....) that determine a date range. If not a picture then a good description. Congratulations on the first Esterbrook and welcome.


Edit - The Penpedia web site will also help. A little something a kind FPN member (Quicksilver) started for the Esterbrook geeks.

I just got my first Estie, a double jewel "J" with a copperish plastic body and a NOS firm extra-fine 9555 "Gregg shorthand" nib. It is pretty, the filler mechanism works fine (I don't know whether it's original or a replacement sac), and the nib writes just fine. I've loaded it with Quink Washable Blue for starters, and must admit the thin Parker ink isn't spectacular with such a extra fine line. I'll try to track down a strong black ink, which should be appropriate for a nib like this.