I have done some reading about Esterbrooks and it is apparent that they have their following here. I think I am ready to get one in the next few weeks so that I can see first hand what all the excitement is about. I am guessing that it is solid construction, proven utility and the many nibs available that make this such an appealing pen.

What advice could you give to an Esterbrook neophyte? What would you say is the quintessential Esterbrook? I would guess it would be the J. Are there things to look out for or look for? Where would be the best place to find a quality Esterbrook? E-bay can be good, but it is also a roll of the dice. Any advice would be appreciated.

Nothing like opening the proverbial can of worms Oso. Immediate disclaimer, Esterbrooks can be habbit forming.

The appeal of Esterbrook is many. Like you've said, they are durable pens. The plastic is fairly resistant to warping like other third tier or lower pens and discoloration is almost non-existant, unlike higher priced Parkers and Sheaffers. The plastic is generally available in black and five very pretty marbled colors, so there's a color to suit just about anybody's tast. Also, since the plastics are fairly durable, you'll rarely find one with a crack in it. Mind you, it does happen, but I've handles hundreds of them with only a few cracks seen in the last seven or eight years.

Another appealing element (at least to me) is the lack of gold plated trim or nibs. There's nothing I hate more than to see a pretty 1930's pen in a beautiful plastic, but the cheap gold plated trim or nib is worn down and it looks ugly. Not so with esterbrook. About the worst you'll get are bandless dollar pens which used a different mixture of metals for their clips and levers and they often rust. The rest are practically like they left the factory.

The interchangeable nib was not Esterbrook's idea, but they really stuck with it and ran. Since renew-points (or re-new-points as they were earlier called) are interchangeable amongst all models, there's practically an endless supply of them available. Got a bad nib? swap it out! Many are available NOS (New Old Stock) in their original boxes. They great thing is if you find a nib you really like, you can get a bunch of holders (pens) and swap the nib amongst them. Feeling like a Blue pen? swap it out. Want a Copper colored pen to match that copper shirt? No problem. Want to put it in a later cartridge fill or aerometric fill pen? Again, not a problem.

There are really two models I would call "quintessential". The double jewel J pen and the model that proceeded it the flat top model B, or more commonly referred to as the "Dollar" pen. Both series came in full sized (not Oversized as some ebay auctions would like you to believe), slender, and a short (or demi or ladies sized however you want to call it) sized pen.

Ebay can be a (Potty Mouth) shoot, but if you know how to replace a sac you shouldn't have much of a problem. Things to look for aren't unlike any other brand, but the biggest problem you'll probably run into is a bad or scratchy nib. Buy yourself a could NOS nibs and you'll be in business. The only other problem you might run into is a sprung clip. Since the clips aren't washer style like a Parker, they aren't easy to bend back. You'll know if a clip has been rebent incorrectly as there'll be a hump in the middle of the clip.

If you don't know how to replace a sac, there's no better pen to learn on and many here can help you through. You'll find Esterbrook was the "learning" pen for many people when going down the road of pen repair.

If you want to avoid ebay, many folks here at FPN wouild be happy to sell you restored Esterbrook pens. I've been known to have one or two of them for sale myself. Contact me backchannel if interested.

Oh, and of course, Welcome!

Best-
Brian

Hi Oso,

A very kind, generous soul from this forum introduced me to Esterbrooks by sending me a lovely green SJ (the smaller in the J series) and I LOVE it. I've got the 2668 nib on it, a firm medium that's perfect for everyday. It starts everytime I pick it up and is a great way to own a vintage pen without breaking the bank. I was so smitten with it that I bought another SJ in red on Ebay, and it's also a gem. Like Brian, I'm not a fan of the gold accents of other pens and I love the Estie colors. Also, I think lever fillers are cool My next one will be a blue SJ or a grey dollar pen. And when I get brave, I'll look for the 9668 nib and change the 2668 out.

Good luck - they're pretty, great pens!

Hi,

I have a Green SJ too! It is just the right size as the J is too big for my hand no matter how small it may be.

Dillon

Thanks for your well thought out replies and warm welcome. I saw a thread in the Fountain Pen forum

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6178

and whoa what a reaction!

Well I decided to take the plunge and ended up winning a black model B dollar pen on e-bay for $19 and some change. It comes with a 1550 Dura Chrome nib plus an extra 1550 nib in the box. It is great to see the experienced pen repair guys on this board jumping to defend the solid construction and quality of these pens. It makes me feel good about my purchase and I am looking forward to getting my hands on this pen. I will be keeping my eyes open for available J models and nibs.

Thanks again.

Did I say these were good quality pens, no, I meant terrible quality pens. Yeah, that's it. Really, you don't want to purchase any of these. My lifelong goal is to rid the world of all the millions of Esterbrook pens produced (and I'm sure my wife thinks I have a pretty good start on that).

Glad you were able to grab an inexpensive B Oso. They're fun pens they are.

Best-
Brian

The dollar pen came today. It was 'as described,' which is always a relief when doing the ebay thing. I am very happy with it. I now know why people are Esterbrook enthusiasts; I have become one myself.

"Relief" Haha hoho.

Sorry, just couldn't help myself.

Yes, Esterbrook are definitely a Relief sometimes.

Best-
Brian