Two New Picture Tutorials For Beginners!

[777]

Hello to all Esterbrook fanatics!

 

I've finally put together two tutorials that answer the most commonly asked questions (for me at least) by new Esterbrook owners. They can be found here at my blog! These are picture heavy tutorials so be prepared! I hope they're able to help someone out there.

 

Best Regards,

777

[Pensfan]

Loving the new blog so far 777. Your list of the next 20 entries has some great info that I am looking forward to reading.

 

Keep it up brother!

 

[eye2eye]

nice pics and great tutorials! well done.

 

I have a qustion though, I have a pen with a 9788 which was probably inked in the remote past but not put in much use. Now I just have the greatest trouble taking down the nib. I certainly don't want to destroy the nice nib, but after soaking for 24 hours in water, hairdryer technique, that very nib stays calm and cool, it does not want to move. any suggestion? or any magic spell I could use before the action?

TIA

[777]

nice pics and great tutorials! well done.

 

I have a qustion though, I have a pen with a 9788 which was probably inked in the remote past but not put in much use. Now I just have the greatest trouble taking down the nib. I certainly don't want to destroy the nice nib, but after soaking for 24 hours in water, hairdryer technique, that very nib stays calm and cool, it does not want to move. any suggestion? or any magic spell I could use before the action?

TIA

 

 

 

Ah, I've had this problem before... Just keep on soaking. It will come loose eventually. I've heard of nibs taking a week before they come loose. Hope yours isn't quite that bad though. Give it a couple days and keep trying.

 

Hope this helps

-777

[welch]

nice pics and great tutorials! well done.

 

I have a qustion though, I have a pen with a 9788 which was probably inked in the remote past but not put in much use. Now I just have the greatest trouble taking down the nib. I certainly don't want to destroy the nice nib, but after soaking for 24 hours in water, hairdryer technique, that very nib stays calm and cool, it does not want to move. any suggestion? or any magic spell I could use before the action?

TIA

 

 

 

Ah, I've had this problem before... Just keep on soaking. It will come loose eventually. I've heard of nibs taking a week before they come loose. Hope yours isn't quite that bad though. Give it a couple days and keep trying.

 

Hope this helps

-777

 

Use water before using force! (That is, a good soak will loosen most Estie nibs)

[Autopoint]

Nice tutorials, Tyler. Explained well. I do have a suggestion for improving the tutorial about changing nibs. It at least appears in the initial picture of fingers grasping the renew point nib unit, that you recommend unscrewing the old nib by holding on to the two sides of the steel nib. I've found that method may twist the steel nib right off of or away from the feed (you have no idea how many "broken Esterbrooks" I've bought at flea markets for a song, right after the vendor attempted to twist out the nib). I'd suggest that having one finger on top of the steel nib and one finger against the back of the ink feed, and pressing them together while turning the renew point unit, minimizes the possibility of the nib becoming separated from the feed and plastic collar. I personally use thumb on top of the nib, first finger across the back of the feed, and press the nib and feed tightly together, so that all the turring torque is exerted on the threads of the renew point unit. Of course, if you're trying to sell renew point nib units......

- - - Jim

Edited April 5, 2011 by Autopoint

[777]

Nice tutorials, Tyler. Explained well. I do have a suggestion for improving the tutorial about changing nibs. It at least appears in the initial picture of fingers grasping the renew point nib unit, that you recommend unscrewing the old nib by holding on to the two sides of the steel nib. I've found that method may twist the steel nib right off of or away from the feed (you have no idea how many "broken Esterbrooks" I've bought at flea markets for a song, right after the vendor attempted to twist out the nib). I'd suggest that having one finger on top of the steel nib and one finger against the back of the ink feed, and pressing them together while turning the renew point unit, minimizes the possibility of the nib becoming separated from the feed and plastic collar. I personally use thumb on top of the nib, first finger across the back of the feed, and press the nib and feed tightly together, so that all the turring torque is exerted on the threads of the renew point unit. Of course, if you're trying to sell renew point nib units......

- - - Jim

 

Ah, yes. I actually do grip them just as you said, I just wasn't paying attention when I was taking the pictures... I may have to re-do that step.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Regards,

777

[Drone]

Thanks 777 for the nib change tutorial. Just in time - we were talking about this via Email yesterday (Blue-J & 9555). You may want to mention a couple of things:

 

First, the lever/nib alignment is purely for aesthetic reasons and doesn't affect the function of the pen - important to know, especially if a beginner wants to change a nib just to try it out.

 

Second, using a pair of dry rubber kitchen gloves will provide more grip when turning the section to align the nib with the lever.

 

Regards, David in Jakarta

[777]

Nice tutorials, Tyler. Explained well. I do have a suggestion for improving the tutorial about changing nibs. It at least appears in the initial picture of fingers grasping the renew point nib unit, that you recommend unscrewing the old nib by holding on to the two sides of the steel nib. I've found that method may twist the steel nib right off of or away from the feed (you have no idea how many "broken Esterbrooks" I've bought at flea markets for a song, right after the vendor attempted to twist out the nib). I'd suggest that having one finger on top of the steel nib and one finger against the back of the ink feed, and pressing them together while turning the renew point unit, minimizes the possibility of the nib becoming separated from the feed and plastic collar. I personally use thumb on top of the nib, first finger across the back of the feed, and press the nib and feed tightly together, so that all the turring torque is exerted on the threads of the renew point unit. Of course, if you're trying to sell renew point nib units......

- - - Jim

 

 

Thanks 777 for the nib change tutorial. Just in time - we were talking about this via Email yesterday (Blue-J & 9555). You may want to mention a couple of things:

 

First, the lever/nib alignment is purely for aesthetic reasons and doesn't affect the function of the pen - important to know, especially if a beginner wants to change a nib just to try it out.

 

Second, using a pair of dry rubber kitchen gloves will provide more grip when turning the section to align the nib with the lever.

 

Regards, David in Jakarta

 

Thank you both for your input on this tutorial! If you look at it again you will see that I've added some things to it that go along with what you're saying.

 

Regards,

777

[miker107]

Thanks so much for this tut 777. I'm fairly new to fountain pens and have been trying to win an este on ebay for some time now with no luck yet. But in the mean time I was wondering how to fill one of those and found this post. Very helpful to this newb, so thank you.

[777]

Thanks so much for this tut 777. I'm fairly new to fountain pens and have been trying to win an este on ebay for some time now with no luck yet. But in the mean time I was wondering how to fill one of those and found this post. Very helpful to this newb, so thank you.

 

Awesome! I was really hoping I'd be able to help someone who was new to Esterbrooks! Looks like I finally did!

 

Best Regards,

777

[stuartk]

I personally use thumb on top of the nib, first finger across the back of the feed, and press the nib and feed tightly together, so that all the turring torque is exerted on the threads of the renew point unit. Of course, if you're trying to sell renew point nib units......

 

That's how I used to do it too. Thumb on the top of the nib and the side of my forefinger across the back.

[777]

I personally use thumb on top of the nib, first finger across the back of the feed, and press the nib and feed tightly together, so that all the turring torque is exerted on the threads of the renew point unit. Of course, if you're trying to sell renew point nib units......

 

That's how I used to do it too. Thumb on the top of the nib and the side of my forefinger across the back.

 

Yep, it's a good way to prevent the nib from coming out of alignment.

 

Regards,

777

[jankdc]

Here is the updated link.

 

Here is an update that 777 did in video form. (Sorry I couldn't find it on your blog).

 

Question: Does the pen need to be empty in order to change the nib? Or is it OK that there is ink in it?

 

Thanks!

[ScienceChick]

 

Question: Does the pen need to be empty in order to change the nib? Or is it OK that there is ink in it?

 

Thanks!

It's fine if you don't mind inky fingers.

[FarmBoy]

Here is the updated link.

 

Here is an update that 777 did in video form. (Sorry I couldn't find it on your blog).

 

Question: Does the pen need to be empty in order to change the nib? Or is it OK that there is ink in it?

 

Thanks!

Lets correct something that is wrong at the beginning. The pen IS a dollar pen. The basic colors were dollar pens, the exotic colors were 1.50 pens.

 

I made it a littler further and stopped when we got to the part about twisting the sac.

[Freddy]

{verybigfreakin'smileygrinthingie}

 

Thanks......................

 

Fred

[Gloucesterman]

It's fine if you don't mind inky fingers.

 

+1 on the inky fingers UNLESS...

 

you turn the pen so that the nib is pointing up, swath your fingers (the ones you will use to unscrew the nib) in a paper towel or napkins, and then twist out the nib. Carefully lay it aside on an absorbent towel or napkin or drop it in a small container of water to soak.

 

Have the new/replacement nib ready close by and carefully screw in the new nib. You may, make that, probably will, need to prime the "new" nib by turning the pen - nib pointed down - over something absorbent and slowly/carefully open the lever until you see a drop of ink form on the tip or a drop falls out (onto the towel or napkin).

 

The pen should be ready to write again.