Nibs and Levers

[Imzadi]

Not being lined up hasn't bothered me so far, yet.

[wvbeetlebug]

Do you think the boy in the last picture is frustrated because the lever isn't lined up with the nib?

 

I would love for the lever to line up with the nib, but it's quite difficult to do so since the nibs screw in. Maybe that's something I'll work on this weekend.

[AKMA]

I would love for the lever to line up with the nib, but it's quite difficult to do so since the nibs screw in.

Can't you just rotate the section?

[louie24]

I was just thinking abou this issue.

 

So, I recently got my first two Esterbrooks - a gray SJ from Adam via the forum, and a root beer brown SJ from Pendemonium.

 

I love both pens, but just by accident/random chance, I have so far spent more time writing with the brown pen. It's a 9461 nib, which I originally bought with the intention of using on checks and multi-part forms, but am so impressed with the nib and ink flow that I've been using it consistently for days. Absolutely no pressure required, it delivers a consistent line with the most feather light touch . . . are all Esterbrooks this smooth?? If so I may become a full convert.

 

Anyway, the one (very minor) issue I have with the pen is that the lever is lined up perfectly with the underside of the nib, so that sometimes the top of it rubs against the second joint of my index finger when writing. I was wondering if it would be difficult to change the position just slightly . . . I take apart my modern pens all the time for cleaning and filling, but I admit I'm kind of scared of this one . . . partly because I have no idea what to expect on the inside, partly because I have this idea that it's delicate because it's older. Am I being really silly? How hard would it really be to change the lever position slightly?

 

thanks!!! for your input and for reading my ramble . . .

 

 

[OcalaFlGuy]

I was just thinking abou this issue.

 

So, I recently got my first two Esterbrooks - a gray SJ from Adam via the forum, and a root beer brown SJ from Pendemonium.

 

I love both pens, but just by accident/random chance, I have so far spent more time writing with the brown pen. It's a 9461 nib, which I originally bought with the intention of using on checks and multi-part forms, but am so impressed with the nib and ink flow that I've been using it consistently for days. Absolutely no pressure required, it delivers a consistent line with the most feather light touch . . . are all Esterbrooks this smooth?? If so I may become a full convert.

 

Anyway, the one (very minor) issue I have with the pen is that the lever is lined up perfectly with the underside of the nib, so that sometimes the top of it rubs against the second joint of my index finger when writing. I was wondering if it would be difficult to change the position just slightly . . . I take apart my modern pens all the time for cleaning and filling, but I admit I'm kind of scared of this one . . . partly because I have no idea what to expect on the inside, partly because I have this idea that it's delicate because it's older. Am I being really silly? How hard would it really be to change the lever position slightly?

 

thanks!!! for your input and for reading my ramble . . .

 

First, the quick answer, yes, it's my (somewhat limited) experience that most of the 9XXX series nibs are the nicer

of Estie nibs. I haven't had an issue with a 9XXX nib yet.

 

Secondly, you aren't being silly and I don't blame you for asking the question. The good news is you shouldn't

have anything to worry about. (Also you won't be changing the lever position per se, you'll be changing the

nib position )

 

Both you pens have been restored. I know Adam cleans his up well, and I understand Pendemonium does too.

Both pens should have had their sections off recently when they were resacced so you should probably be able

to slide the section off the barrel easily by hand as it is now. Of course, I'd drain and flush the pen with water first.

A light wiggle/pull should do it. If they don't seperate easily, warm the barrel portion up with a hairdryer a bit

and they should then. I've also wrapped the section with a cut strip of bubblewrap (to keep it cooler) and put

the pen about 6-8" from a 60 watt lightbulb for 5-10 minutes to warm it up also. (I don't have a hairdryer...)

 

If it were me, I'd pull the section all the way out. Theoretically, you shouldn't have to, just turn it some and

reinsert, but I've also twisted a sac once doing it that way. (Plus that way you can also check to be sure

the sacs were talced like they should have been ) Be sure your nib is screwed in all the way or

you may change your orientation if you tighten it up later. It's not a bad idea to warm the barrel up again

a bit before you reinsert the sac/section. It should go back in just fine with no issues. I think one has to be

pretty AR to insist on the nib/lever lining up but that's just me, heck, for it to stay that way, you'd have to

pull the section every time you changed nibs. (Which of course, goes to say that your new reset orientation

will probably only stay reset as long as you have the same nib in...)

 

Also, I don't know if Pendemonium purposely set the orientation this way, but I've read that the lever on

the bottom, 180 deg opposite the nib top is the "british" way of doing it.

 

Have fun,

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

Edited January 12, 2009 by OcalaFlGuy

[Bo Bo Olson]

Thank you, I'd never noticed, but due to the info, I tightened down the nib a touch more and the lever went from 02:00 to 03:00, and I think this pen is still on the original sac so the factory set it at 03:00. German was not a place where one would expect a lever pen back in the 50's to have been resac'ed.

As a kid all pens i ever remember were all set with the lever at 03:00.

[johnboz]

I line the nib and lever up. As long as I'm keeping the pen, I don't worry about alignment when I change nibs. If I'm selling it, I'll usually pull out the section and re-align everything if I change nibs for the buyer.

[OcalaFlGuy]

As Johnboz alluded to in his post, AFTER aligning the nib and lever, you switch nibs, the alignment is likely to

"go away". So unless you plan on keeping just one certain nib in the pen for an extended period of time OR intend

on selling the pen (and I'm not sure how much it Really Matters there in the grand scheme of things...) I wouldn't

worry about the orientation myself or you'll be pulling the section every time you switch nibs and to me anyway,

that's just silly.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[FarmBoy]

As Johnboz alluded to in his post, AFTER aligning the nib and lever, you switch nibs, the alignment is likely to

"go away". So unless you plan on keeping just one certain nib in the pen for an extended period of time OR intend

on selling the pen (and I'm not sure how much it Really Matters there in the grand scheme of things...) I wouldn't

worry about the orientation myself or you'll be pulling the section every time you switch nibs and to me anyway,

that's just silly.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

What you don't know about the nib thread stop screw?

 

 

[DarkAudit]

I have multiple Esties and multiple nibs. The only time they line up is when the nib that came with that pen is installed. If I switch, they don't line up. Even when I start from a different point, they wind up in the same non-aligned spot.

[antoniosz]

You can always make them line up - but this depends on the specific renew point. If you change it - it may no longer line up.

[OcalaFlGuy]

Sorry, but IMO the question and thusly the poll itself is flawed.

 

While I DO think that most who have a pen apart or are finishing a restoration OR *maybe* just preparing

a pen for sell WILL align things up, I DON'T think those same people will pull the section EACH time they change

nibs if things no longer line up just to get them lined back up.

 

For the poll to be most representative, that option should be included (and the poll question perhaps reworded...)

and it isn't.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL