New "estie"

[bass1193]

Has anyone else seen this new travesty? At least it can accept a Renew-Point, if you buy the adapter. And the price 🤣

[penzel_washinkton]

As a non-follower of vintage Esterbrook before, I think that is a nice looking pen.

Care to elaborate why it is a "travesty"?

[pajaro]

Has anyone else seen this new travesty? At least it can accept a Renew-Point, if you buy the adapter. And the price

 

 

As a non-follower of vintage Esterbrook before, I think that is a nice looking pen.

Care to elaborate why it is a "travesty"?

 

This is a break with what came before. Not a travesty, but a new direction.

[adatse]

I think it looks pretty too, but that price tag!! For a standard Jowo steel nib to boot. Seems overpriced. I dont have any Esterbrooks, but I recall there being issues with the new ownership of Esterbrook a few years back? Has something changed?

[penzel_washinkton]

I believe that they are under the Kenro Industries now (which are the same guys responsible for Montegrappa and Aurora)

[bass1193]

I call it a travesty because, in my opinion, it is an ugly pen, though admittedly not as ugly as their first foray. This irks me in the same way the Pilot Metropolitan does.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

Personal opinion, which I've mentioned in at least one other forum. It's an attractive enough modern pen, quite possibly decent quality. You can get similar pens, such as a modern Conklin Duragraph, for much less. For the same money, or a bit less if you know where to shop, you have many choices for possibly better pens, at any rate ones with more of a track record. I'm thinking of Pilot pens such as the Elabo, Custom Heritage 91 or 92, Platinum 3776 Century, Lamy 2000, Pelikan M200 series. And many of those other choices have gold nibs. Not that gold nibs are necessarily better, but they're a factor affecting pen prices, and there's no reason to think that the "Estie's" steel Jowo nib is anything special.

 

If you have some Esterbrook nibs you want to try, you can still get a genuine Esterbrook for less than that adapter. Much less, if you can put in a new sac yourself.

 

There is no organic connection between the old Esterbrook brand and these pens. Smart buyers will ignore the fact that Kenro has the legal right to use the trademark, and evaluate the pen on its own merits.

 

All that said, the selection of tags for this thread seems a bit overblown. If they were selling it without the Esterbrook name for around $50, would you really think it was that horrible?

Edited September 15, 2018 by ISW_Kaputnik

[bass1193]

All that said, the selection of tags for this thread seems a bit overblown. If they were selling it without the Esterbrook name for around $50, would you really think it was that horrible?

You're right, I was being a bit melodramatic there.

[gweimer1]

At least this one recognizes the Esterbrook history. The adapter section is the biggest selling point for me, and the nib selection was always the real appeal of Esterbrook. They made fewer pen variations than other makers, but a much broader range of writing experience. I do think it's a bit high, but I'm interested and tempted.

[JakobS]

I agree the price seems a bit off for what it is, I also think the adapter is nothing exceptional as modern Pelikans offer the same ability at the same price of this pen without the adapter, and they are piston fillers....

 

That it could be a quality pen at a lower price is irrelevant because it isn’t offered as such, and that has been the major issue of bringing this brand back to life, offering a pen at an inflated price that then is heavily discounted because it’s seen for what it is.

[gweimer1]

I agree the price seems a bit off for what it is, I also think the adapter is nothing exceptional as modern Pelikans offer the same ability at the same price of this pen without the adapter, and they are piston fillers....

 

That it could be a quality pen at a lower price is irrelevant because it isn’t offered as such, and that has been the major issue of bringing this brand back to life, offering a pen at an inflated price that then is heavily discounted because it’s seen for what it is.

 

True, but Pelikan pens are all interchangeable nibs, including new pens, correct? Do the new pens accept older nibs?

 

I think the point of the adapter here is that nibs that haven't been made in over 50 years can be used in these new pens.

[JakobS]

True, but Pelikan pens are all interchangeable nibs, including new pens, correct? Do the new pens accept older nibs?

 

I think the point of the adapter here is that nibs that haven't been made in over 50 years can be used in these new pens.

You can put renew points in modern Pelikans, they have the same threading.... Edited September 16, 2018 by JakobS

[BaronWulfraed]

You can put renew points in modern Pelikans, they have the same threading....

 

That implies I could put my spare 18K Pelikan nib into the holder from my Dip-Less desk set (though visual comparison -- it might be just a tad short to reach the capillary bed).

[Brian Anderson]

The new Esterbrook isn't going to appeal to everyone, and there's no way to make everyone happy. For those that think the price is too high considering it has a JoWo nib, remember Edison and Franklin-Christoph (among others) are basically the same pen then, and at a higher price (and don't have the nice Cushion Cap closure, nicer clip, and possibility of an adapter). For those that say it doesn't look like an esterbrook, well, I ask what would you pay for something that looked like a J, given you can still pick the originals up for $10-20? Also consider if Esterbrook had continued production their current pens would in no way look like the ones from the 1930's and 40's. Nobody is giving Parker grief because they aren't making pens that look like Vacumatics anymore.

 

I've had two of these pens inked up since the San Francisco Pen Show, and it has been writing first time, every time when I pick it up, including one with a 1555 nib in it. They in no way look cheap, are turned acrylic (not injection molded) and are really nice quality. They are not related to the first re-vamp that came out a couple of years ago, and are not made in China.

 

Now, for the disclaimer - I do sell these pens, but I really, really, like them and will probably keep one for myself when they are readily available. I just want to give some information from the view of someone who actually has all of the models and has been using them. A travesity, they are not.

[Brian Anderson]

I think it looks pretty too, but that price tag!! For a standard Jowo steel nib to boot. Seems overpriced. I dont have any Esterbrooks, but I recall there being issues with the new ownership of Esterbrook a few years back? Has something changed?

 

Kenro (US distributors for Aurora and Montegrappa, among others) bought the brand recently. Aside from special edition pens in the Schultz, Popeye series, the old pens are not being made. This is a brand new venture, and not a previously made pen with an esterbrook stamp put on it.

[bass1193]

A travesity, they are not.

Seeing you do a 180° on this tells me all I need to know. I still remember the video that you and Lisa put out reviewing the first iteration, which I didn't realize was a different venture. I'm glad the new-new Esterbrook gets the Anderson seal of approval! If they make a pen that has a more appealing (to me) body shape I'll definitely consider buying one.

[JakobS]

That implies I could put my spare 18K Pelikan nib into the holder from my Dip-Less desk set (though visual comparison -- it might be just a tad short to reach the capillary bed).

Well as for putting Pelikan nibs into Esterbrooks, it’s generally recommended to use M200/M100 series nibs, as other series nibs can be too large, or wide to fit properly, and I am not sure if dip-less pens would work as well, as if they were placed in Dollar, J, Deluxe, or M2 for example.

[alanlight]

You can put renew points in modern Pelikans, they have the same threading....

 

Which modern Pelikans are you referring to? They don't fit in an M200, M400, M600 or M800.

[alanlight]

I think the price is a *bit* on the high-side, but I think charging extra for the vintage nib adapter is a rip-off. For the upper-end price they are charging it should be included as it's really the primary attraction for this pen.

The new Esterbrook isn't going to appeal to everyone, and there's no way to make everyone happy. For those that think the price is too high considering it has a JoWo nib, remember Edison and Franklin-Christoph (among others) are basically the same pen then, and at a higher price (and don't have the nice Cushion Cap closure, nicer clip, and possibility of an adapter). For those that say it doesn't look like an esterbrook, well, I ask what would you pay for something that looked like a J, given you can still pick the originals up for $10-20? Also consider if Esterbrook had continued production their current pens would in no way look like the ones from the 1930's and 40's. Nobody is giving Parker grief because they aren't making pens that look like Vacumatics anymore.

 

I've had two of these pens inked up since the San Francisco Pen Show, and it has been writing first time, every time when I pick it up, including one with a 1555 nib in it. They in no way look cheap, are turned acrylic (not injection molded) and are really nice quality. They are not related to the first re-vamp that came out a couple of years ago, and are not made in China.

 

Now, for the disclaimer - I do sell these pens, but I really, really, like them and will probably keep one for myself when they are readily available. I just want to give some information from the view of someone who actually has all of the models and has been using them. A travesity, they are not.

[JakobS]

Which modern Pelikans are you referring to? They don't fit in an M200, M400, M600 or M800.

Yeah, I mis-remembered, Pelikan nibs can fit into Esterbrooks, but the feed collars on the renew points are too large to fit into Pelikans..

Edited September 16, 2018 by JakobS