Estie Nibs With Kohinoor Rapidograph — In A Pinch

[Kohinoor]

I thought that this may interest an Estie lover who has a collection of Estie nibs, but has a problem obtaining Estie pens in which to install them. What I am suggesting here is provisional, but from memory of years ago the combination worked successfully.

 

UNEARTHING THE PAST

Recently I paid a visit to my native Canada from Japan where I live. I was forced to thin out all my possessions that had been in storage for many years. It was a frenzied and heartbreaking business, and I hope that I got most things right in the selection process. One brilliant discovery: two Kohinoor Rapidograph drafting pens that I had used years ago — intially with drafting nibs for very fine writing on cards used for assembling research for university assignments — decades before the laptop computer. But, gone were the drafting nibs, and in their place there were Easterbrook nibs.

 

From memory, I had installed these nibs in the Kohinoor because I wanted a fountain pen and the Easterbrook sac had failed. I found that the Easterbrook nibs screwed in nicely. And the pump-filling Kohinoor (again by memory) gave good feed to the Estie nibs. In addition, the Kohinoor has a nice feel to the hand for extended periods of writing when once the little J had been perfect for my boyish hand.

 

WHERE THE NIBS CAME FROM

In my school, we graduated from dip pens to fountain pens in grade-five (1957-58). Ball point pens were anathema until grade-seven. Most students bought a pump filling Sheaffer that could project a squirt of ink — an offense that could earn a good thrashing with the cane. I was almost the single exception as I used my mothers pastel yellow, J twin jewelled model (?) It saved a dollar, and Ma no longer used it. Later I had my own light blue pastel J. Neither of these have appeared in any of the photo collections I've seen. Sadly, I have no idea what happened to these pens — lost in time I guess.

 

I had various Re-New nibs along the way, and the ones that survive are a 2442 and a 9314-F oblique stub. The latter is a very nice nib, but I've only recently tested it by dip writing. The real test will come after cleaning and filling.

 

SUGGESTIONS?

I hope to get these two old friends back in service. I'd like to pull the nibs out for a thorough servicing, but I am a bit reluctant. I fear that they may have become seized in there over time, and getting them out may damage them. Any suggestions?

 

If anyone else tries this, I'd like to hear back from you. From the purist's point of view, this interchange may be an unpalatable act of vandalism. But on the other hand, the 9314 is hard to resist using in any way I can until someday — hopefully — I come across a nice Easterbrook body that I can afford.

[FarmBoy]

Esterbrook Pastel pen pictures can be found here.

 

There should be no issues with removing the Renew Points from your pens. You may want to soak them briefly first to loosen any dried ink. There is almost never a need to remove the nib from the assembly for cleaning. Just soak it in dilute household ammonia to loosen the dried ink.

 

Esterbrook pens are easily obtained for under $40 restored and ready to write.

 

Todd

[jhsiao]

Won't some Rapidograph ink dry really hard? And could be insoluble in water?

 

If the soaking doesn't work, you might have to put them in an ultrasonic...

[jimhughes]

Kohinoor:

What a brilliant thought. I used a ton of these in college and professional school. Difficult to keep Rapidio perpendicular to page for good ink flow. Simultaneously used Esties with Osmiroid nibs. Yet I never tried to cross breed them. Only the newer Rapidiographs, with plastic Cartridge, on hand now so I can't try mating with my current loose Estie nibs. Ordered am old style Rapidiograph from ebay tonight. Wow I can hardly wait to try it out. Thank you for the info, Jim

[jimhughes]

I got thinking that the Rapidio nibs new vs old style pens would interchange, ie same thread dia and pitch. So I pulled a Rapidio nib out of the New Rapidio pen and inserted an Estie 1550 nib. Perfecto it fit's hold ink w/o leakage(although Silicon grease would be an easy fix), and writes well in the new style, plastic Cartridge Rapidio. The length of Esti nib vs Rapidio tip is about 1.0mm difference, when inserted in the section.

When it came time to screw on the newer style cap I went awry. The Estie nib is wider than the Rapidio nib and won't fit and allow the cap to be screwed on. The inner cap blocks it. In the older style Rapidio, the cap screws on securely with an Estie nib? No inner cap in old style Rapidio? How did you work around this issue? Jim

[Bo Bo Olson]

I bought an English Osmiroid 65 (75( both will fit) Calligraphy set, that I use in my Eastie, that Old English 65 or 75 will fit Eastie nibs.

There are other old English Osmiroid nibs that fit Easties.

 

The new Chinese Osmiroid do not fit.

[jhsiao]

I got thinking that the Rapidio nibs new vs old style pens would interchange, ie same thread dia and pitch. So I pulled a Rapidio nib out of the New Rapidio pen and inserted an Estie 1550 nib. Perfecto it fit's hold ink w/o leakage(although Silicon grease would be an easy fix), and writes well in the new style, plastic Cartridge Rapidio. The length of Esti nib vs Rapidio tip is about 1.0mm difference, when inserted in the section.

When it came time to screw on the newer style cap I went awry. The Estie nib is wider than the Rapidio nib and won't fit and allow the cap to be screwed on. The inner cap blocks it. In the older style Rapidio, the cap screws on securely with an Estie nib? No inner cap in old style Rapidio? How did you work around this issue? Jim

 

Even if the cap fit, it's not always advisable. The nib could barely touch the inner cap and that would provide a pathway for the ink supply to wick out of the pen into the cap. Or the nib could definitely touch the inner cap and although the screw would cap, the inner cap doesn't seal against the section and ink could leak to the threads.

[Kohinoor]

I'm answering jimhughes 11-12 years late. :))) Sorry, I got busy earning a living. Regretfully, I've not been around here for a long time. Nevertheless, I've been using an assortment of antique fountain and ballpoint pens all during that time. 

On 5/31/2010 at 10:47 AM, jimhughes said:

The Estie nib is wider than the Rapidio nib and won't fit and allow the cap to be screwed on. The inner cap blocks it. In the older style Rapidio, the cap screws on securely with an Estie nib? No inner cap in old style Rapidio? How did you work around this issue? Jim

ANSWER: I've had no problem with the cap screwing over the Esterbrook 9314 Italic Fine nib. There appears to be an inner cap, butit's 4 cm up inside the cap. And even that section of the cap looks wide enough for any Estie nib.

 

My relic is the old piston Rapidograph with a clear window before the integral section — not a component section, but where the body narrows, and where a rectangular opening provides the feed to the nib. I believe this same design was made in rubber, but mine is a later model and is made of plastic. It is not very pretty. Mind you, it does not look abused, just "shop worn" with the plating no longer all there and the plastic dulled with years of constant use. I should buff and polish it.

 

I tested the 9314 nib the other day. I expected too much feedback a disconcerting overall feel. I was surprised, because I had completely forgotten what it was like to write with this nib. It glided over even cheap paper, and it was easy to control. The Rapidograph provided some nice, wet feed, which I favour.

 

I examined the nib tip under a 10x glass. It looks great! It's well-aligned after all these years.

 

I've dismantled the pen and thoroughly cleaned it. I greased up some threads and the piston seal. I'm well pleased. 

 

Note: the reservoir window did not clean up even with a long soaking. This is because 50 years ago I used India ink in this pen, and its bonded to the plastic. I can't find ammonia here in Japan (don't know why). Maybe it might have helped.