My First Esterbrook!

[vinniekowalski]

So I just received my first Esterbrook J through eBay

It was actually restored with a new sac and fitted with a new 2668 nib

From my vintage n00b standpoint everything looked pretty good

Tines aligned + lever not stiff + everything's pretty clean

Filled it up with Parker Quink black (it's been good to me even in my "51" despite Richard Binder's misgivings)...

...aaaaaaaaaaand it wasn't so great

 

Slow starter then within 1 page it just stopped

(cue panic + anxiety because it's not working and I'm a vintage n00b)

So I screwed the nib off + flushed it with clean tap water

Flushed out the sac too

Looked more closely at the nib and noted that the nib seemed up off the feed anteriorly

Couldn't get it to sit down with gentle pressure or rolling it on its back

 

So while everything was drying I hopped onto FPN

Read a couple threads about heat setting the nib

Dipped it into some water heated up in a mug by the microwave

Smushed the nib and feed together along the whole length between my thumb + pointer finger and then dipped it into cool water

Did this 2 times

Nib space from feed seemed somewhat reduced

Put it all together again and voila! it writes smooooooove

Wet and beautiful lines

Softer feeling nib despite it being steel

 

Just wanted to say thanks FPN friends

Where would I be without you all?

(Other than richer since I wouldn't have spent money on FPs)

Edited April 10, 2016 by vinniekowalski

[openionated]

Glad you got it sorted out. I got my first Estie about a week ago, also with a 2668 nib. Awesome pen.

[carlos.q]

Glad you could work it out!!!

And the title of this thread is most correct: you got your "first" Esterbrook...

[ScienceChick]

You're now an official resident of Estieville.

[AAAndrew]

[last touch of grease on the slope, and a light tap with a heat-seated nib, and...] Away he goooooooes!

 

So, what's your next one going to be? What color is this one? What color is your next one? Size?

 

Don't need to jump into desk pens, just yet. Give yourself at least a week.

 

Also the 2668 must have been a very popular nib. I just made an inventory of the nibs I've acquired, primarily through whatever came on the pens, and I have more 2668's than anything. I have four working 2668's and one 9668. Funny, because the 668 Oval Point dip pen was not a huge seller

 

The next is the x556 family with two 9556 and two 2556. (I love the 556 dip pens, which was a very popular and versatile model)

[vinniekowalski]

[last touch of grease on the slope, and a light tap with a heat-seated nib, and...] Away he goooooooes!

 

So, what's your next one going to be? What color is this one? What color is your next one? Size?

 

Don't need to jump into desk pens, just yet. Give yourself at least a week.

 

Also the 2668 must have been a very popular nib. I just made an inventory of the nibs I've acquired, primarily through whatever came on the pens, and I have more 2668's than anything. I have four working 2668's and one 9668. Funny, because the 668 Oval Point dip pen was not a huge seller

 

The next is the x556 family with two 9556 and two 2556. (I love the 556 dip pens, which was a very popular and versatile model)

 

Hahaha, AAAndrew! My desk clutter is holding strong currently as an excellent force field against the lure of desk pens. Of course, every pen I buy is going to be "My Last Pen", so check back with me in a bit.

 

My current one is a blue J. I like the size; not sure that I'm excited to go with something smaller. I might just start collecting some different nibs, maybe starting with a Relief Medium Stub.

 

I'm curious about your experience with your 2556 nibs -- have you had any similar problems with slow starting? It still happens to me from time to time. I find that if I hold it upside down, gently putting some pressure on the nib so that it's against the feed for a few seconds, it'll start writing beautifully again until I stop for a while (e.g., more than 1 hour in between writing).

[corgicoupe]

I believe that one of the strong arguments about collecting Esterbrooks is that there are clear and finite groups that are easily defined. If you like the J series, then you can stop with the 6 colors: blue, green, red, gray, copper, and black. Then there are the pastels and the transitionals and tiihe dollar pens. But each is a fairly well-defined category. I have chosen to stop with the 6 colors of J and have ignored the minor variations. This group has satisfied my desire to connect with what I remember from grammar school. I do acknowledge having a desk pen that was left to me by a previous student when I was at university in the 1960s, but I have no intention of adding to this collection. I thoroughly enjoyed acquiring these 6 pens (with a variety of nibs), enjoy using each of them, and have no inclination to acquire more.

Edited April 12, 2016 by corgicoupe

[gweimer1]

And so it begins...

[Bitzel]

I believe that one of the strong arguments about collecting Esterbrooks is that there are clear and finite groups that are easily defined. If you like the J series, then you can stop with the 6 colors: blue, green, red, gray, copper, and black. Then there are the pastels and the transitionals and he dollar pens. But each is a fairly well-defined category. I have chosen to stop with the 6 colors of J and have ignored the minor variations. This group has satisfied my desire to connect with what I remember from grammar school. I do acknowledge having a desk pen that was left to me by a previous student when I was at university in the 1960s, but I have no intention of adding to this collection. I thoroughly enjoyed acquiring these 6 pens (with a variety of nibs), enjoy using each of them, and have no inclination to acquire more.

 

See, I thought this, too: I thought I'd get the six colors of the J, then go from there. But there are such variations in colors; each pen, almost, has its own tones, and so now I already have a few in green, gray, and black. I guess that for me, while I won't go out of my way for additional specimens, I also won't say no to gorgeous examples.

[Bitzel]

Oh, and welcome to the club!

[corgicoupe]

But it's not like you don't have a complete set until you have acquired eleventy seven pens.

[AAAndrew]

Working on it.

[vinniekowalski]

So an update: the pen would still have some false starts on and off (i.e., write a few strokes then suddenly stop until I gently pressed the tip to the paper upside down to bring the nib in contact to the feed for a bit) even after my fiddling. It was kinda weird that the thing would keep on writing as long as there was less than a 15 min break, but then anything longer than that (capped or uncapped), it would have a 75/25 chance of a false start.

 

Then I received my bottle of Diamine Green-Black yesterday from Goulet Pens (a wondrous place), and now the pen writes even better than ever before with no false starts ever.

 

Maybe that Richard Binder knows a thing or two about fountain pens after all...

[Maine Vintner]

I like the the Diamine inks and have been particularly curious about the green-black. Do you like it? Could I impose on you with a request to post a writing sample?

 

Best,

John

[vinniekowalski]

Here are some pics with and without flash.

[gweimer1]

There must be something wrong with my Esterbrooks. They don't write like that.

 

...very nice!

[pajaro]

Through the looking glass.

 

My pens almost write like that. Left handed over writer, turning the paper to try to make it look straight and level.

[Runnin_Ute]

I believe that one of the strong arguments about collecting Esterbrooks is that there are clear and finite groups that are easily defined. If you like the J series, then you can stop with the 6 colors: blue, green, red, gray, copper, and black. Then there are the pastels and the transitionals and tiihe dollar pens. But each is a fairly well-defined category. I have chosen to stop with the 6 colors of J and have ignored the minor variations. This group has satisfied my desire to connect with what I remember from grammar school. I do acknowledge having a desk pen that was left to me by a previous student when I was at university in the 1960s, but I have no intention of adding to this collection. I thoroughly enjoyed acquiring these 6 pens (with a variety of nibs), enjoy using each of them, and have no inclination to acquire more.

For a long time I only had a single J (green). Then acquired a black Bell Systems LJ....... Then three since the beginning of this year - a red SJ, gray J and black J

 

It truly can be a disease. The only reason I pursued the SJ was it would complete a one of each size grouping. I thought that would be the end of it. WRONG

 

J

Green

Gray

Black

what is next? Copper? Blue? Red?

 

It is likely I will stop there though. I don't like the SJ well enough to pursue anymore of those. (to short for my tastes)

[AAAndrew]

Love them all, but copper should be next. Then Red. Blue LJ's seem to be harder to find. That's actually the only LJ I have but I was looking for another for a friend and just haven't seen one. So, I got her a red LJ.

[Jobesmirage]

I believe that one of the strong arguments about collecting Esterbrooks is that there are clear and finite groups that are easily defined. If you like the J series, then you can stop with the 6 colors: blue, green, red, gray, copper, and black. Then there are the pastels and the transitionals and tiihe dollar pens. But each is a fairly well-defined category. I have chosen to stop with the 6 colors of J and have ignored the minor variations. This group has satisfied my desire to connect with what I remember from grammar school. I do acknowledge having a desk pen that was left to me by a previous student when I was at university in the 1960s, but I have no intention of adding to this collection. I thoroughly enjoyed acquiring these 6 pens (with a variety of nibs), enjoy using each of them, and have no inclination to acquire more.

 

Yes! I think I just finished my collection of these pens in those colors... although on EBAY there was a suspicious BROWN J.... which looks different from the Copper.... cant tell if it s a random color or if its dis-colored... but itll come in the mail soon...