Daily Rounds

[kathleen]

fpman,

Maybe Brian will be able to polish away those plier marks. Someone grew impatient and violated the law in patient care, "first do no harm". These patients require patience. My oldest patient has been a Transitiional. The Dollar pens are just that much older, perhaps brittle I haven't yet been brave enough to operate on one.

The Deluxe is a great pen, I have several and enjoy using them, there is a certain amount of convenience in the snap on and off caps.

 

I have not seen white sacs with clear letters. Could someone have already replaced the sac with a silicone sac and the problem you are having separating section and barrel be due to carelessly excessive use of shellac, rejoining before shelllac dries. I quess Brian will find out.

Hope to see you post pictures when your healed Esterbrooks are home.

 

[pen2paper]

may I make a suggestion? well, making one anyway, but always willing to backpedal if scathingly brilliant ideas prove too bizarre; )

If you find an Estie with original Marked sac in good condition, which you intend to be a user..

carefully remove and Save the sac, and replace with a new sac.. Saves your j bar from rusting due to leaks, Plus you have the original marked sac to flesh out the history of your estie collection..

[kathleen]

may I make a suggestion? well, making one anyway, but always willing to backpedal if scathingly brilliant ideas prove too bizarre; )

If you find an Estie with original Marked sac in good condition, which you intend to be a user..

carefully remove and Save the sac, and replace with a new sac.. Saves your j bar from rusting due to leaks, Plus you have the original marked sac to flesh out the history of your estie collection..

 

Many times the old sacs are so brittle that they crumble to bits, but this time the original old sac with the Esterbrook name was so pliable as to have tricked me into trusting it. When it did form a small hole, I did just as you have suggested. The sac is saved. I will value it, not only as an historic element to my estie collection, but as a useful gauge when determining the length of a replacement sac for a J.

Edited February 8, 2011 by kathleen

[welch]

questions:

1) what are the correct j-bar length references? where should the base land, and how far in does the crook go?

2) what did you use for the spacer and is one necessary? Is it just for measuring the bar insertion?

Tim

 

1. Length: I take out the j-bar of another similar Estie model and make the replacement J-bar according to the measurements of the original. To insert I push until it goes no further.

2. I use the original spacer (the one on the pics is the original). But you can make without spacer. In this case you have to make the J-bar a little bit longer.

 

The length of the J-bar is not a matter of 1/64" . One thing however is crucial: the distance between the section end inserted in the barrel and the end of the J-bar should be at least 1/3" in order not to squeeze the ink sac too much. Copying the original measurements lets you stay safe.

 

 

This is a system drawing, the proportions are not correct!

 

I think the easiest place to buy J-bars, in North America, is at Woodbin in Canada. I'm just getting up the courage to try it.

 

Almost all of my Esties have good J-bars. It's the Wearevers that cause a problem. Simple to re-sac, thopugh not as solid as an Estie, but often so old that the J-bars are worn out.

Edited February 8, 2011 by welch

[welch]

On the original topic:

 

- sent off a pastel to a devoted Estie-er. Too short for my hand.

 

- Received a perfect "nurse's/doctor's" pen with 9668 nib...my favorite as well. Nice SJ length opf 4 3/4 inches, but fatter than an SJ.

 

- Received three of Lisa Anderson's pristine-perfect NOS 98668s, and began to swap out some 2668s.

 

- re-sacced and re-nibbed a copper J. At first try, it seems to leak, which is strange. Not much trouble to replace the new sac, of course.

 

- Just Estie-ized a green Majestic. The nib was awful, and I had a spare Estie section that fit the Majestic barrel. Ah, so much better to have a pen with a screw-out nib!!! NOTE: no Estie was harmed in the revival of the Majestic. Not intentionally. I had used a heat-gun on a nice black J, causing the J barrel to warp, turn white, and give up. Lesson: nothing hotter than hot tap-water to loosen a section!

[fpman]

I just got my Estie 'Deluxe-that's-not-a-Deluxe' back from Brian. It looks very very good. The nib is amazingly clean considering it's original state. I also picked up a Deluxe mechanical pencil from Brian (very nice) and a new 9460 (medium manifold) nib.

 

I also sent off a nice Blue Esterbrook SJ to a friend and fellow FPN-er. I hope she likes it. Now I need to get some supplies and fix the 6 assorted Esterbrooks sitting in my pen cup, patiently waiting for new sacs, a shellacing, and a nice dusting of talc. These are all (except one) pens that I was able to take the section off myself (without destroying the pen)so I'll try doing the work myself.

[777]

Here is my latest and greatest batch of restored Esterbrooks! Most of these were in just in need of some basic sac replacement and scratch removal/polishing.

 

Out of them all, I'm not sure which one I like the most... The reds and blues are just stunning... I think the Blue trans. with the box is probably the top pickin' for me.

 

Also, I thought I'd put up a shot of the "hospital beds" (i.e. - my pen tray).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[welch]

Blue Jay (full-sized J) is my favorite color. Green is nice, and black is handsome, but blue just sparkles.

[fpman]

I just got back my two green dollar pens from Brian/Esterbrook.net. Both needed new sacs and new J-bars. Both look terrific (Brian did some nice cleaning and polishing). The mechanics all seem to work nicely though one lever seems to have more play or be 'looser' than the other. But that's a small quibble and overall I'm terrifically happy - Brian even got 95% of the plier marks out of one of the sections. I confess I pulled the flat feed nibs out of the pens before I sent them, afraid that this one time the Post Office would crush or damage the nibs, and replaced them with some garden variety 1551 ones, so as soon as I post this I'm going to swap them back before I ink the pens up.

 

I've also been using my Esterbrook 'Deluxe-that-isn't-a-Deluxe' that I got back from Brian a week or so ago. I had Brian include a NOS 9460 medium Manifold nib, since I didn't have that particular nib, and it has taken me some time to get used to it. I had to check with Brian because it had no iridium tipping (which he confirmed was the way they were made) and, at least for me, I had to learn to hold it differently than a 9668 for it to write well. I still haven't decided if I like the nib or not. The pen itself is great, though smaller than I thought it was (now that I'm actively using it). Bigger than a SJ, smaller than a regular Deluxe, but still totally cool and worth every penny.

 

I highly recommend Brian for re-saccing any pen you either don't trust yourself to do correctly (I couldn't remove the sections of the dollar pens myself) or don't want to do yourself. His turnaround time was fantastic, prices were very reasonable, and I was able to pick up some supplies (nibs, talc, sacs) at the same time. Plus he did a great job.

 

I only wish he'd had more information on my mystery 'Not-a-Deluxe' fp.

[Gobblecup]

Here is my latest and greatest batch of restored Esterbrooks! Most of these were in just in need of some basic sac replacement and scratch removal/polishing.

 

Out of them all, I'm not sure which one I like the most... The reds and blues are just stunning... I think the Blue trans. with the box is probably the top pickin' for me.

 

Also, I thought I'd put up a shot of the "hospital beds" (i.e. - my pen tray).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh my, you aren't kidding, that Blue Transitional is terrific!

 

I guess I like glow more than sparkle!

[tmenyc]

I was a hospital administrator for 23 years, and never saw a ward like that! The blue is a stunner.

 

best,

Tim

[welch]

The last time I was hospitalized, I wish I had shared a room with am Esterbrook Blue Jay as nice as that!

 

*

 

In: New (to me) variety of Skunk -- "PONTIAC MOTOR DIV." Good sac, tip-less 9668 nib. Might want a shine, but that's all.

 

Out: (ambulatory surgery): Pontiac Skunk with new Lisa & Brian perfect 9668 nib.

[fpman]

Just finished off my 2nd, third and fourth SJ's. Or attempted to.

 

#2 is a nice bronze SJ but when I reseated the J-bar it didn't reseat correctly and I can't for the life of me get it correct. It took a lot of work to get the J-bar out the first time (I don't really have the correct tools to do it, so I had to improvise) and it's not budging now. I think I need to break down and get some crocodile pliers (aka crocodile hemostats among other names) - recommended here at FPN as the tool to get out J-bars.

 

#3 is another nice bronze SJ, no apparent problems putting the J-bar back in, but when I put in the sac something happened and either the J-bar broke or is on the wrong side of the sac (from looking in via the lever opening); the sac (brand new) isn't sucking up anything. Plus I went a bit overboard with the shellac and the section isn't budging.

 

#4 is the lone success. A beautiful blue SJ in great condition. No problems with the sac or J-bar and it appears to be sucking in ink without a problem.

 

General question for all the do-it-yourselfers: Do you put some shellac on first, then put on the sac, then shellac again or do you just put on the sac and then the shellac?

[Truppi327]

General question for all the do-it-yourselfers: Do you put some shellac on first, then put on the sac, then shellac again or do you just put on the sac and then the shellac?

 

I'm by no means an expert but I shellac the section nipple, then put the sac on, then a tiny bead of sac around the sac/section seam. I think the secondary shellac application might be unnecessary but it doesn't hurt. However, I'm pretty sure for a good secure seal you want the shellac on there before sliding on the sac.

Edited February 22, 2011 by Truppi327

[fpman]

Thanks - seems like common sense but my wife says I've never had an abundance of it.

[OcalaFlGuy]

A couple months ago I measured a J-bar from the end of the loop to the tip at, IIRC, 49mm.

 

I think the j-bar was from a full sized Transitional. I am not aware of different sized j-bars for different pens (though I

wouldn't bet money against the purse pens j-bars being shorter).

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[OcalaFlGuy]

Here is one I am half kinda working on for a stage rigger (VERY good) friend of mine from Ann Arbor.

 

$25 from The Bay. A nothing nib in it that's going to be replaced anyway. VERY down and dirty hand held

pics here, I barely even wiped the pen off first.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

[kathleen]

Bruce,

That Trans looks fit on the outside, what treatments will she undergo besides the nib replacement? I'm sure Dr. Bruce will perform the sacectomy, and new sac, standard recommended practice. I've learned from an inky mess not to trust the old sacs, even if they first present as pliable and can pass a water test. How is her J bar? Good I hope. Using Dremel tools and accomplishing J bar replacements are not my favorite procedure. I did like making a j bar from my daughter's hair clip and the pen that received it (a green SJ) fills wondrously well. Will you please measure the J bar from this Trans for me? Measure it standing up, and I would like to know the width of the curve at it's widest. I would love to observe your polishing treatments. I wish you would conduct a seminar. Oh, to learn from a great one, and that you are!

 

By the way, you treat your friends very well; I find myself envying the recipient of this pen. He will really have a beautiful writing instrument when this pen is discharged from your clinic.

[Truppi327]

Bruce - make sure you make the clip nice and tight, especially if that rigger is gonna carry that pen up some truss... :roflmho:

 

I can't wait to give a report about a few finds from the bay this weekend. I only needed a little prodding from someone and I became an uncontrolled Estie hunting monster the last few days.

 

Copper Trans....

 

Grey $ w/box...

 

444 Dip-less...

 

Ft. Wayne skunk... (Is that an acceptable term?)

 

Oh man, it was a a thing to behold.

 

(I was the only bidder on two of those! Where was youz guyz?)

[OcalaFlGuy]

Bruce,

That Trans looks fit on the outside, what treatments will she undergo besides the nib replacement? I'm sure Dr. Bruce will perform the sacectomy, and new sac, standard recommended practice. I've learned from an inky mess not to trust the old sacs, even if they first present as pliable and can pass a water test. How is her J bar? Good I hope. Using Dremel tools and accomplishing J bar replacements are not my favorite procedure. I did like making a j bar from my daughter's hair clip and the pen that received it (a green SJ) fills wondrously well. Will you please measure the J bar from this Trans for me? Measure it standing up, and I would like to know the width of the curve at it's widest. I would love to observe your polishing treatments. I wish you would conduct a seminar. Oh, to learn from a great one, and that you are!

 

By the way, you treat your friends very well; I find myself envying the recipient of this pen. He will really have a beautiful writing instrument when this pen is discharged from your clinic.

 

Sorry Kathleen, I've had a motivational deficiency and really haven't done much on the Trans.

 

The 3 rib jewel was not lined up with the clip like it should be so I did at least get that lined back up and tight again.

 

I'll report back when I do more on it.

 

I doubt it is going to need much on the inside other than a resac and the sac feels ossified the way the lever is (not) reacting.

 

I've written my UberNuke polish regimen up, I thought I'd sent you a copy of it. It's pretty detailed and really isn't

"seminar worthy". Most anyone I think could follow the instructions. Barring a really determined fool, it's all but fool proof.

 

I'll be glad to remeasure it's j-bar but I am pretty sure about the 49mm length.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL