Esterbrook Flo-Master Marker

[EventHorizon]

As my goal is to have a complete collection of Esterbrooks some day, I couldn't pass this up. I doubt I'll ever use it but I will have to admit, it looks nicer than I thought. The weight and design is appealing and, though I am not a fan of metallic pens, it is nice and shiny

 

Of course these have different colored jewels and per Brians web site also different colored caps

[FarmBoy]

As my goal is to have a complete collection of Esterbrooks some day. . .

 

A lot of us have said the same thing.

 

After years of therapy (buying Esterbrooks) I've concluded there is no such thing as a "complete collection of Esterbrooks". I have however found an illusive variant that will make the set complete if I can find the other 5 colors.

 

Todd

 

 

[krz]

I don't have one now; but there was a time when my "Flo-Master" with the pigmented black marker ink was my most important pen. I went through a year long phase of drawing with the Flo-Master in th early 70's. It is a very expressive medium. I used those little adapters with the hard fine point felts.

 

I always had trouble with the little O-ring, the petroleum based ink would soften it over time and the cap wouldn't seal tight. I thought it was of very high quality though.

[jimg]

Looks kind of cool. I have seen these for sale but did not want to slide down yet another slippery slope of 'sub-collection'

 

Does that one work? If so, any chance of a writing sample please?

[EventHorizon]

Does that one work? If so, any chance of a writing sample please?

 

The tip is very dry and I haven't yet been able to disassemble it. I will more than likely invest some time to clean it and ink it up and once I do, a review will follow. Not sure how to clean the tip though. If anybody has disassembled one of these please let me know.

 

[Gerry]

Oh, I got a couple and have used them...

 

They were the 'environmentalist' answer to the felt tip marker, before the environment was popular... LOL

 

The pen was a refillable marker, and the ink was the same as the permanent marker ink used - well - everywhere. The only problem was that this ink is fairly volatile, and keeping it a long time proved impossible. If you needed to mark a lot in permanent fashion, this was an excellent choice, but the points dried up, and the ink dissappeared if you didn't.

 

I recall the felt tips could be cleaned in a fairly active solvent - perhaps lacquer thinner , acetone or something like toluol. The points are held in the pen by friction, so just pull 'em out, and put 'em in a container of solvent and see what dissolves. There's a valve that dispenses the ink when the point is pressed on, so make sure that valve is clear.

 

They would probably work with Noodlers Firefly or other marker inks, although these are water soluble, not permanent. I recall being able to buy replacement points in a set - Conical, chisel, blunt etc...

 

Reminds self to look the pens up - since I have some Firefly hanging around... LOL

 

 

Regards,

 

Gerry

[maxrhino]

Whilst I found no fountain pens at this mornings car boot

I did come across this.

 

At £2 it was cheap and interesting enough to purchase.

It was only after buying that I noticed Esterbrook on the larger of the two tins.

The other has Cushman & Denison as has the box.

The barrel appears to be polished aluminium?

The cap is painted metal and the clip chrome.

 

If Esterbrook bought the company in 1953 and the box says

"Cushman & Denison & Co. LTD. of London and New York"

does this mean it was manufactured between 1953

and 1960 when the companies merged.

 

 

[maxrhino]

Here is the patent number from the pen 740802