Which Esterbrook Model Do You Favor?

[FarmBoy]

 

Probably, just have to find something around a #5.

All the nib units are the same and interchange; L, LJ, SJ, transitional, pastel, desk, etc.

 

I've put the same Chinese nibs into a Parker Duofold Jr and Vacumatic that had broken/missing nibs. So it is likely that the reverse will work, and those Parker nibs will fit into an Esterbrook nib assembly.

 

Oh oh, that probably got FB upset at me

I could start selling my pens to Weimer and I'd still be selling to a Gary...but he doesn't buy Parkers so you might be safe.

If I am pushed to answer which Esterbrook is the keeper and I'm limited to production pens, I would say the red one.

[JakobS]

All time favorite is the full size Dollar pens, followed by the Relief 2-L, and SM Deluxe.

 

The ones that I don't own yet, would be the rest of the Relief pens, the Visumaster, and the early deluxe like pen with a military clip.

Edited July 26, 2017 by JakobS

[corgicoupe]

I could start selling my pens to Weimer and I'd still be selling to a Gary...but he doesn't buy Parkers so you might be safe.

 

If I am pushed to answer which Esterbrook is the keeper and I'm limited to production pens, I would say the red one.

I like the red ones too, but the grays are also very nice.

 

Gary sold a VS to me, so he must buy some Parkers...

[gweimer1]

I like the red ones too, but the grays are also very nice.

 

Gary sold a VS to me, so he must buy some Parkers...

 

[gweimer1]

I could start selling my pens to Weimer and I'd still be selling to a Gary...but he doesn't buy Parkers so you might be safe.

If I am pushed to answer which Esterbrook is the keeper and I'm limited to production pens, I would say the red one.

 

Parkers for sale, you say? Ears perking up....

[gweimer1]

All time favorite is the full size Dollar pens, followed by the Relief 2-L, and SM Deluxe.

 

The ones that I don't own yet, would be the rest of the Relief pens, the Visumaster, and the early deluxe like pen with a military clip.

 

Then you need to find a Relief 66 - basically a bigger version of the Dollar B. I also have a Relief 12, which is more like a Conway Stewart 28 (?). I definitely need a Visumaster....one of these days.

[KKay]

I have one Esterbrook LJ, so I can't really compare it to others. A friend got it for me, and put a new sac in it. It writes extremely well and I did not have to touch the nib at all. I took a while to figure out which model of Esterbrook I had. Mine is copper colored, and that is the color I really wanted. I wish I knew what year this pen was made. This one has a medium nib, but I want other nibs for it as well.

[inkstainedruth]

KKay, there are a range of Esterbrook nibs all in some flavor of medium. What does the nib actually say on it? Is there a number, and if so, what? That will give people some idea as to not only what grade (1xxx series, etc.) it is but also details such as if it's a manifold (i.e., extra rigid) for using with carbon copies, an oblique nib, or what. There are also some late nibs (which may be Venus or Osmiroid nibs) which do just say "Medium".

I only have a couple of LJs and they aren't copper . One is black and the other is grey mackerel. I got the the grey one off eBay a few years ago along with another grey mackerel, both of which had 9xxx series nibs for a really good price. Possibly because the auction ended at around 11 AM EST on a Sunday..... . Didn't fare quite so well with the black LJ, but it had a 9284 Signature stub on it (it's also called a music nib in some stuff I've seen, although it's not a true music nib in that it doesn't have three tines).

Black Esties are boring, but at this point I'm looking for specific nibs. I have all the 9xxx nibs at this point except for a couple of relatively uncommon/rare ones that tend to be really expensive.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[KKay]

Ruth, my nib is a 2668. I am not looking for that exact nib again. I have written some numbers down of nibs I would like to find eventually for this pen. I mainly will be wanting nibs from the 9xxx series. I might try to get a Fern Green J pen in the future. My friend has a regular blue J pen, and I like the feel of that one. Whomever wrote with the pen before me, must've had a similar style of writing. It was perfect for the way I write, I was surprised I didn't need to touch it up at all.

Edited July 12, 2018 by KKay

[gweimer1]

Ruth, my nib is a 2668. I am not looking for that exact nib again. I have written some numbers down of nibs I would like to find eventually for this pen. I mainly will be wanting nibs from the 9xxx series. I might try to get a Fern Green J pen in the future. My friend has a regular blue J pen, and I like the feel of that one. Whomever wrote with the pen before me, must've had a similar style of writing. It was perfect for the way I write, I was surprised I didn't need to touch it up at all.

 

I have a good selection of Esterbrook nibs, whenever you're interested. As far as when the pen was made, what does the fill lever look like? If it's the flat-end shovel lever, that would indicate '40s, while the rounded spoon lever should be '50s.

[KKay]

Thank you for that. I do have a list. If I can get 2-3 of them that would be good. My pen has a spoon lever, so it would be the 50's. I cannot find out when they quit making these, and I'd like to narrow it down if I could. I will send you a pm.

[chad.trent]

For writing I prefer the LJ. It just fits my hand the best. My current "go to" pen is a copper LJ with a 9968 nib.

 

I own a couple Visumasters and a foliage green $1.50 pen as well. But I never write with them.

[KKay]

Oh dang, I'm jealous. I would love one of those $1.50 pens, and I love green. In fact the only two that I've seen online I didn't really want was the black, or white one. The rest were lovely. I don't know much about the Visumasters at all. I have read about them a little bit.

[pajaro]

I like an LJ with a 2312 or 9312 italic nib best. A nice medium italic. The real advantage of Esterbrook is the range of nibs that can be found that swap in easily. .

[KKay]

The 9312 was on my list to find. Glad to hear you like it. Yes, I love the fact that you can just switch nibs out. Plus they have such a wide variety of nibs too. That is a huge plus. I love the copper colored pen. It almost looks like hammered metal. I think it is super cool.

[pajaro]

Between the 2312 and the 9312 there is little to choose. The untipped 2312 and the tipped 9312 feel almost alike to write with. The 2312 might or might not be a little less costly. Unless you get quite lucky, you should expect to pay upwards of $30 for either. You can often get lucky with this stuff, especially if you are patient and heads-up.

[KKay]

I will have to be patient then. Thanks for the heads up on this.

[corgicoupe]

Take GWeimer1 up on his offer.

[KKay]

Corgicoupe...I already talked with GWeimer, and I'm getting two nibs from him. He did not have the 9312. Thanks for the recommendation though.

[corgicoupe]

You're welcome. He's good people.