So I got this Esterbrook Dollar pen recently. And the piece that the sac and the nib connect to (sorry, I haven't absorbed the proper terminology yet) won't come out. And I really need it to, since the pen needs a replacement sac.

Any recommendations for the removal of this godforsaken piece?

All help is greatly appreciated.

The part is called the section and it should just be a slip fit on an esterbrook. But...sometimes they were shellacked in place. So some mild heating may be in order to loosen the bond. Shellac melts around 140 but I'd try even less heat than that first. The other thing I'd try straight off is a good cleaning. Try soaking the pen in warm water up to the threads then try a tooth brush and some mild soap since you will want to get the ink out of there at some point.

Then hit the Esterbrook forum. A dollar pen should take a #18 sac about 2" long. Make sure you give it a good dousing in talc as well.

Todd

Be careful with the water, some of the sections are hard rubber and the water will discolor them. Perhaps put the pen in a bag, and then in the water.

Thanks a lot for the advice. Will attempt and get back to the forum!

If you don't have section pliers I would recommend getting a pair. This is regardless of the section being stuck or not.

I had the same problem with three Esterbrooks this past week, two copper and one red striated. Soaking for several hours in a cup of room temperature water with a drop of detergent in it allowed for easy removal of the section. Be sure to use ample talc after the shellac dries.
Grearest feeling in the world is being able to write with a vintage pen you have restored.

I think the body of the Dollar pens are ebonite, too. If this is the case, DO NOT SOAK IT FOR A LONG TIME! To determine if it's ebonite, rub your thumb on the body enough to generate a mild warmth. Then, smell the pen. If it smells like burnt rubber, it's ebonite.

I think the body of the Dollar pens are ebonite, too. If this is the case, DO NOT SOAK IT FOR A LONG TIME! To determine if it's ebonite, rub your thumb on the body enough to generate a mild warmth. Then, smell the pen. If it smells like burnt rubber, it's ebonite.

Every time I come back here I learn another trick. Excellent!

Whenever I need to remove the section from an Esterbrook, I first grasp the body of the pen in one hand. With the thumb and index finger of the other hand I wiggle the section gently three or four times, while pushing the section outward. I then turn the entire pen 1/4 turn, wiggle the section again, turn the pen 1/4 turn again, and keep repeating until the section begins to perceptibly move (which usually occurs after about four turns of the pen). I also make sure that there is a nib in the section, so the I don't crack the section. This has worked for me with every Esterbrook I own.

The quality of the plastic on Esterbrooks is amazing, in my opinion - one can be a LOT rougher with them than other pens, I find.

That and the fact that the hardware is stainless steel can can take some serious polish without removal of a thin plating. I find that these Esties come back very nice as long as they have not been used as a chew toy. I enjoy refurbing these pens just because of that. With a little skill, the pens can be torn down the the very basics and jewels, clips and innards swapped with little effort once you know how to do it.

However, take your time with that stuck section! You CAN break the threads on the body if you force it and you will kick yourself in the rear end when you realize you just ruined the pen for the most part.

I had trouble getting the section off of an Esterbrook yesterday, then I used a trick I had heard from my cousin. Wrap a rubber band around the section as many times as you can, then grip the section. Twist counterclockwise and the section should just pop out.

Soaking can reduce friction between the section and the barrel, but if the fit is tight and if there is any reverse taper to the joint, that lack of friction may just serve to make it easier to crack the barrel mouth. Ditto for using section pliers.

That is why one should always heat the joint before pulling the section. It doesn't take much warming to drastically reduce the barrel mouth's brittleness, not to mention slightly expanding the material. Dry heat is best. Hot water can mess things up, and will leave everything all slippery.

While this is true of the J, LJ, SJ, etc. (icicles), I believe the Dollar pens are hard rubber (ebonite). So, if it smells like burning tires when rubbed, don't soak it for long periods.