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  1. MrMohawk

    Esterbrook Friendly Converters?

    Good evening, FPN Friends! I recently purchased an Esterbrook Estie with a J Scribe hopping off the wishlist and into the cart soon. I have really enjoyed the Estie very much. However, my only complaint is the converter. I want to find something that’s metal/higher quality than the stock converter. Are there any converters you Esterbrook fans would suggest, either by Esterbrook themselves or another brand that will fit (ideally both)? IMG_3277.heic “Cheap” is definitely not the correct term to use to describe my distaste for the converter. “Fragile” might be a better descriptor. I used the Estie to try out 5 new ink samples I received in my Truphae INKREDIBLE Box, so I got to play with that converter a good bit in a short amount of time. I just didn’t love the converter like I did the nib and its stroke output, how the pen felt and looked. Thanks so much for the insight, FPN! -Steve
  2. Hello Estie lovers, My first real "rabbit hole" into fountain pen collecting was the serendipitous purchase of an Esterbrook that had an 8668 palladium-silver nib attached. I have a background as a chemist and have long been in love with palladium; that coupled with the WWII history (another interest of mine) made this a fantastic discovery for me. It writes just beautifully! The first thing I did, being new to the game (and I still am!) was to look for advertising about these nibs and Esterbrooks in general during WWII. I loved finding ads stating that "only a few pens can be made" due to the war effort, and, "If your stationer cannot supply you immediately with Esterbrook Pens we know you will understand why." Just amazing stuff, and a wonderful look into one aspect of WWII American culture viewed through the lens of a fountain pen lover. I wondered if the 8000-series nibs ever showed up in advertising, and I had not been able to find any such ads until recently. I thought the other Esterbrook fans here might enjoy a look at this Argentinian ad I found that shows the 8000 series... I wonder if anyone else knows of 8000 series Esterbrook nibs showing up in ads or being mentioned in period literature? Cheers! Matt
  3. I recently saw for sale some Esterbrook "J" family mechanical pencils. The model names were given as "PJ" for one and "TJ" for another. The plastic appears like the pretty "J" fountain pens. I am aware that they take different lead sizes. My question: do the barrels of these pencils have the same diameter/thickness? Do they match the diameter/thickness of the "J" fountain pen, or of the "SJ"/"LJ" pens, or are they some other size(s)? If there's a reference for Esterbrook J-family dimensions, kindly point me at it. Thanks.
  4. For those FPN members at least somewhat familiar with vintage Esterbrook fountain pens, what is your favorite among the many vintage Esterbrook nibs? One might ask in reply, "Favorite for which purpose?" Let's not get bogged down in technicalities. If you want to discuss your favorite for a particular purpose, feel free to do so. At this point, I use my vintage Esterbrooks for general writing and my signature. My favorite is the # 9788 -- flexible medium. I enjoy the modest springiness of the nib as I write, and to me it has an overall luxurious feel when writing. What say you?
  5. OldTravelingShoe

    20220904_221017.jpg

    From the album: OldTravelingShoe's Random Pics of Fountain Pens

    © (c) 2022 by OldTravelingShoe. All rights reserved.


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  6. OldTravelingShoe

    20220904_221051.jpg

    From the album: OldTravelingShoe's Random Pics of Fountain Pens

    © (c) 2022 by OldTravelingShoe. All rights reserved.


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  7. OldTravelingShoe

    20220904_221140.jpg

    From the album: OldTravelingShoe's Random Pics of Fountain Pens

    © (c) 2022 by OldTravelingShoe. All rights reserved.


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  8. RedRinger

    Esterbrook Nurse Pens Restoration

    Hello folks! I have been hunting for the past...little while and have assembled a complete set of nurses' pens. I've been really lucky to have nursing colleagues over the years who have regaled me with wonderful lore of nursing history. Among their stories, I learned about these pens. "Back in the day" of hand-written medical charting, nurses' reports of events that occurred during their shift were color-coded. The most common color associations seem to be blue/black with day shift, red with night shift, and green with the overnight shift. I know of other pen companies that have made black- and red-designated pens, but Esterbrook is the only company I know of that has made pens that are clearly for all three colors --anyone with knowledge otherwise, please chime in! Anyhow, a close friend who is a nurse and who collects nursing memorabilia often listens to my pen stories at work, and she became quite excited when I told her about these pens. She told me she would love to own one or more of these, and that sent me into hunter-gatherer mode. Here are the fruits of my pursuits. I managed to find all three colors and a matching pencil. The majority of outside finishing was done with a bit o' Flitz, but I had to lean into the micro-mesh for some really troublesome spots. The furniture (as with so many Esterbrooks) is spotless. The nibs are original to the pens as I received them -- the red and black with 2556, and the green with 9556. The pencil has a used (perhaps by a nurse -- !) eraser, and many leads, and the mechanism works perfectly. Imprints are gorgeous, the red and green jewels seem mildly faded as is often seen, and the threads were so hard to clean, but I did my best. I didn't want them showroom-new, and neither did my friend. It's wonderful to be reminded of the history of their use. Hope you all enjoy the photos! I'm sad to sell these, but -- alas! -- they're promised. The best part, though, is that they're going to a good home where I know they'll be kept safe, talked about, occasionally used, and loved by many nurses for years to come. Photos are essentially before and after -- but with a fun surprise! The green barrel jewel is stunningly translucent, as I had to replace this pen's broken J-bar, and used the occasion to plumb its depths with my borescope. Not sure why I'm still so bad at image posting, and I think some of the images are upside-down, but clicking them shows them properly and allows incredible zooming. Cheers! Matt
  9. Hello! I apologize if this has been discussed (which I am sure it has, many times), but after using the search function I could only find discussions regarding compatibility of the Venus nib units in the Esterbrook J series - not much information regarding comparisons to the Renew-point nib units. For those of you who have written with both product lines, how do they compare in terms of smoothness, wetness, and line width? More specifically, how would you compare those qualities for the Ventus Fine vs the Renew-point X556s, the Ventus Medium vs the Renew-point 1551/X668s, and the Ventus Broad vs the Renew-point X968s? Being a student, I am extremely tight on funds at the moment and it is taking a great deal of self-control to not purchase and experiment with every variant of nib unit I see online PS: My favourite nib unit out of my Esterbrooks thus far is ironically a bent 1551, which I cannot tell for certain whether the previous owner bent it purposefully or accidentally. Nonetheless, it's an absolute blast to write with. Very smooth, wet, and has the perfect line width. My only 1551 is this bent one, so I'm not really sure how these qualities compare to a NOS 1551 .
  10. I was able to score a grail nib, sunburst #8440, off ebay for a decent price, it just came broken in a Safari. Welp, the black nib unit broke apart in the pen, like when you've shattered a lightbulb and it's stuck in the socket, and to add insult to injury it seems like there was grainy India ink remnants. Is there any hope for salvaging my beautiful 8440 nib and somehow getting it back together so I can use it in my vintage Esterbrooks? Or is this sadly a display piece now? secondary, how/do I bother getting the remaining black plastic of the nib unit out of the pen? (not so much a concern, it was just a bonus Safari)
  11. Hello! I was wondering if any of you know or have ever tried to put a JoWo #5 size gold nib in an Esterbrook JR Pocket pen, specifically one from fpnibs.com. Thank you for your help! W. H. Major
  12. AAAndrew

    Albata10

    From the album: Esterbrook Steel Pens

    Esterbrook #11 Albata, c 1910

    © Image copyright AAAndrew unless otherwise noted.


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  13. Just received an Esterbrook cartridge pen (without cartridge ). I'd checked its photos on eBay and it looked as if the nib was missing; just the feed left screwed into the section. Still, the price was good and I have spare nibs so I bagged it. What I received was the pen with a used fibre tip 'nib' which screws into the section just like any other Estie nib. I have an unused tip of this kind in a box which told me it's a Wonderiter [sic - sorry for error in title] flo-tip. I'm soaking the old ink out of the tip at the moment and had an initial writing test with the revived dried stuff, and it had that scratchy feeling of any felt tip. I've done a quick search on FPN but haven't found anything about the flo-tip. I wonder whether anyone has actually used one of these tips properly inked, and what their experiences were. Any thoughts on the history of the thing would also be gratefully received.
  14. vnam43

    Rare? Esterbrook Feeds

    I haven't got a working camera at this moment - so bear with me. Anyway, I have a feed that has no external air (ink?) channel. It is similar is shape to other feeds - has combs, same diameter, and just over 31mm in length. The channel is internal, shaped like a "U" and at the rear there is a slot across the feed just below the channel. The feed face is conical and at the top near the front there are two very thin slits forming a cross. Is it rare or just not as common as the regular feeds. I also have two other feeds in which the front bottom half has been cut across and tapered to the tip. The reduced combs on the sides are supplemented with cut outs alongside the air channel, as in Waterman's spoon feed, probably to help with flow irregularities or as a marketing ploy. At first I thought this feed was unique to the 3XXX series until I came across a 2668 with a similar feed. Both of these feeds have retainer pins. Comments anyone?
  15. Anaxyrus

    A Tale Of Two Browns

    My first vintage Estie (bought a few months back) was a copper brown LJ. I've since picked up a blue transition, a greeenish-gray J, a red J, and a brown J. Here's a photo of the two brown pens to show the color. The photo shows the difference in hue, but does so a lot more subtly than it looks in person.
  16. Peroride's winning recipe for fountain pen success! What do you get when you combine a well balanced classically styled pen offered in specialty nibs like the Postal, Waverley and FA PLUS the vast affordable range of vintage steel nibs from Esterbrook? A great buy-it-for-life package For this endeavor, you'll need a Pilot Custom Heritage 912 pen in the nib of your choicean Esterbrook MV Nib AdaptorSome Esterbrook nibsRecipe: Prepare your work area and steady the mind for relaxed hand control Unscrew the Pilot nib unit off Screw in the Esterbrook nib into the Esterbrook MV Nib Adaptor Attach the converter that comes with the adaptor kit And now for the tricky part.......steady...steady now.... Screw in the Esterbrook MV Nib Adaptor into Pilot Custom Heritage 912 barrel ​
  17. essayfaire

    Inks And Intrinsic Beauty

    Has anyone else had difficulty deciding whether or not to hold onto an ink because the ink works for a pen but not for personal aesthetic value? I was lucky enough to be given the Estie Icicle pen shown below; I inked it up with a sample Robert Oster that looked close to the pen color. I am pleased with the pairing of ink color to pen color (see attached photo), but not with the ink color itself; I tend to prefer deep rather than smoky colors of my ink. Now I'm at my wits end deciding whether to keep this nice pen inked with a color that suits it, or change it to a color that suits me. I do realize this is a rather superficial problem to have, but it irks me nonetheless. Anyone else similarly torn?
  18. PaperQueen

    I Got Snookered On Ebay, Crud.

    You know the old warning about sending food back in a restaurant because someone might spit in it? Well, I think an eBay seller just spit on my Estie. Ordered my first two Esterbrooks on eBay---a Gray Pearl LJ from someone who focuses more on other types of collectible items (higher perceived risk, lower price), and a Copper J from someone who claims to deal in lots of Esterbrooks (lower perceived risk, higher price...$49.99). From the latter listing: Restored state: Working J bar and fresh bladder in each. These pens are guaranteed to write.Overall condition: These pens are in gently used condition. There will be no major flaws, but there may be micro scratches consistent with the age of the pen. We are fountain pen enthusiasts and our special purpose on Ebay is to provide you with quality writing materials, vintage and new, expensive and economical. The first Copper J arrived with three significant cracks running from the jewel on the cap, downward (it was otherwise in very good condition). I felt this was beyond the advertised "gently used condition...no major flaws...may be micro scratches consistent with the age of the pen." The seller agreed to exchange it for another Copper J. I paid return shipping...she sent the replacement...and...well, read the first line of my post. The new one arrived yesterday. Technically, one could argue the J bar "works," but it's severely rusted, as is the lever. There was so much dried ink caked in the nib, feed, and inside the cap, it's taking endless soaking in Dawn and distilled water (two hours and counting) to clear the mess. As for the "fresh bladder," I'm not sure. Can't get a good look inside, but am concerned by the fact the lever easily flips all the way up, unlike my other two Esties that stop half way, presumably due to resistance from the sac (yes, a third Estie found its way to my stable in the interim). Is all this worth trying to repair, or should I attempt to return this to the seller (in better condition than it was received)? Something tells me, I'm not the first person to have this happen. And this, after the first hour in the bath:
  19. Jim25253

    My Current Esterbrooks

    I received 2 new to me Esties in todays mail. The pic is my current collection. The grey one needs resacked. Can anyone tell me what size I need to order?
  20. I found this black Esterbrook transitional J pen with a 3 ribbed jewel and a bandless dollar pencil at the flea market today. It was very sunny out, and when I looked down at the top of the pen cap I saw that the jewel is a very deep translucent red. It looks almost black in normal light, but strong light penetrates the jewel and reflects back from the silver of the tassie. It's hard to photograph, but I am attaching a picture taken in sunlight. It reminds me of the deep red bakelite plastic used by Parker on some of its early pens, but could be something else. I have a few other 3 ribbed caps, but all of the jewels are definitely black. I tried to search for any other mention of this without success. Does anyone have information about these jewels?
  21. I posted this in the Esterbrook forum as well, but I think there are different participants between the two. So I have been restoring Esterbrooks with no problems over the last couple of months, then all of a sudden I've had bad luck. First I cracked the barrel of an red icicle SJ. It was about 1/2 out and I heard a crack, and a little rectangular piece fell off. Welding it with Tensors 3502 did not hold. I learned to use some heat to loosen the barrel even after soaking for 24 hours. Then I received a really nice Root Beer colored J that needed a new sac. So I soaked it and applied heat. Everything was coming off fine, but I did not screw the nib back in after soaking. I heard a crack and there is now a crack in the section. I am trying to weld the section back together. I learned never mess with the section with the nib unscrewed. Bottom line is now I have two very pretty pens, that don't work. I'm looking for a spare red barrel for an SJ (The thin one that is 4.75" inches capped, and a spare section for a J (the wide one that is 5" capped). Does anyone have one of these. I would be willing to pay a modest amount. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Jim Bunch
  22. For those who collect Esterbrooks, there are several Esterbrooks with company logos up for auction on eBay right now. Company logos include Douglas Aircraft, AAA, J C Penneys, Hanover Township (dollar pen) and others. Not mine, etc. Just thought the serious Esterbrook collectors might be interested.
  23. Esterbrook made millions of their flagship 048 Falcon steel pen. It was their best-selling pen for over 70 years. They're still common, relatively inexpensive and generally dismissed by those seeking the "grail pens." (they don't fit in an oblique holder, for one, so calligraphers tend to not be interested) They can vary in quality over the years, but even the worst, the most recent made (1940's) are still, in the end, a decent pen. They actually don't get the praise I think they deserve. This one is from the late 20's, but even the later ones are relatively nice. So, here's to the common, the plain, the ordinary Esterbrook 048 Falcon. Long may you be ignored by everyone but me. Andrew
  24. I came upon an interesting discovery the other day in a mixed lot of steel pen nibs. These two innocuous-looking nibs actually raise an interesting, if obscure, question about which came first. At first glance the pen looks a lot like a whole series of pens made by Esterbrook in its early years (they first appear in 1876 catalog and aren't seen again after 1888). (Image courtesy of The Esterbrook Project) The main difference, of course, is that this one is marked "Warrington & Co's" Where it gets interesting is that Warrington & Co. was founded in 1865 by Samuel Warrington, a maker of whalebone, rattan and steel umbrellas and small metallic fittings, in Philadelphia. Warrington patented a pen design and hired John Turner from across the river in Camden, New Jersey to head up the new pen company to make this as well as other designs of metallic pens. John Turner had some good credentials as he was one of the skilled Birmingham pen makers that Richard Esterbrook had brought over to help found Esterbrook in Camden. He was convinced to leave Esterbrook by the promise of running a whole pen company rather than just being an employee. Warrington & Co. was in business from 1865 until 1875 when, after two devastating fires, the partners pulled out and Turner joined with George Harrison of Harrison and Bradford (and formerly of Washington Medallion Pen Company), to buy the equipment from Warrington, and form Turner & Harrison, which flourished until it closed in 1952. We have very little evidence of what pens Esterbrook made prior to 1876, the earliest catalog we have. We do know they were sued for violating Gillott and Washington Medallion's designs, so they were not averse to using others' designs, at least in the early years. Could Turner have brought an Esterbrook design with him to Warrington? Or did Esterbrook start producing a whole line of Colorado Pens (#'s 1, 2, 3, 304...) after Warrington stopped making them? Not sure if we'll ever have the answer, but it makes for a fun little puzzle, and a very cool, very early metal pen.
  25. Hi FPN people! My grandfather had a book shop in Trysil, Norway, that recently closed for business.It was rather sad to see them close as it had been in our family for generations before him. When we cleaned out the shop we found many beautiful fountain fillers. Mostly unused (mint?). Some probably dating back from the 40s and 50s. Parker 51s amongst other. Theres a lot of different brands. Someone Ive never heard of. Its about 50 pens. There are some of the spare parts. Ill share some photos in hope of getting some information on the pens and maybe if theyre even worth selling. As theyre mostly all in great condition they all look good to me. The cadets looks like its from early last century, but I cannot say for sure. Well anyway, I just wanted to say hi and maybe excite some of you guys. Im really hoping for someone to tell me what I have. Ill post more photos in proper forums later on. Oh, and if anyone would tip me on pens I should keep for myself that would be much appreciated. Preferably the ones that make you fall in love with handwriting again as my hands are to much on these keyboards. Regards Mari Time





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