Replace Esterbrook Fine Nib

[BrianBlanton]

Hello. I'm new to fountain pens, but obsessed. I found an Esterbrook J with a 9450 Extra Fine nib. I don't plan on using the pen too much, but would like to put a medium nib on the pen. Are nibs of the same series generally interchangeable? If possible, I'd like to replace the 9450 with 9668 Medium (general Writing).

 

Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

 

Cheers,

Brian in NC

[jbb]

Hi Brian. Welcome to FPN. I believe all the Esterbrook nibs are interchangeable. They simply unscrew. BTW, the older model Osmiroid nibs will also fit Esterbrooks.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6816993951_39b13d0f84_o.jpg

Edited January 29, 2013 by jbb

[BrianBlanton]

Great news! Thanks very much. I'll get a few nibs to experiment with.

Many thanks,

Brian

[Brian Anderson]

Yep, you can unscrew the nib counter clockwise, and put in any other renew-point, osmiroid, linton, or venus nib in its place. Lots of options available to you!

 

Best-

Brian

[welch]

BrianB: you've now been hooked. No use trying to wiggle off the line. You have discovered one of the elements of Esterbrook Addiction. An Estie J will take any "renew point" Esterbrook nib: buy four more nibs and it's as if you have five different pens!

 

(The 9668 is my favorite nib, but they are getting scarce. Typical EBay price is about $25.)

[pajaro]

You can buy the nib by itself. You can also examine descriptions of Estie pens and see if a pen has a nib you want. I recently bought a copper J with a nice 9668 for $22 on ebay. Sometimes the seller will not include the nib number, but you might see it in the pictures, as I found a 2284 stub in a J for less money than the cost of the nib. Many of the NOS nibs I have bought have been in need of smoothing. A used nib in a pen is usually smooth. It's like shopping for anything. It is useful to be heads-up and aware.

[OcalaFlGuy]

The 9668 may be the quintessential Medium Estie nib. They ARE that good.

 

Also, if you are a newer pen user and think you may be "ham fisted" consider one of the Manifold Medium 9xxx series Estie nibs. They were made to take more abuse than all the other nibs. (Increased writing pressure to make it thru multiple carbon copies.)

 

IMO, the tipped 9xxx series nibs are also most righteous to have ground into a CI or Stub with Plenty wide enough results for most people.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[Scrawler]

Hi Brian, as everyone has told you they are all interchangeable. You can also put Venus and Osmiroid nibs in them.

[Oldtimer]

Let me piggy back here... What if it will not unscrew? I have one that the sac was replaced and the nib seems glued with cement. Could it be they glued it at the time of repair?Should I warm in hot water and try again?

Edited July 2, 2014 by Oldtimer

[Hardcase]

Let me piggy back here... What if it will not unscrew? I have one that the sac was replaced and the nib seems glued with cement. Could it be they glued it at the time of repair?Should I warm in hot water and try again?

 

Yes, soaking it should do the trick. There may be ink in the threads that has dried and gunked the works up. I wouldn't say that it's impossible, but I can't imagine anybody gluing the nib in.

 

-Drew

[Scrawler]

Let me piggy back here... What if it will not unscrew? I have one that the sac was replaced and the nib seems glued with cement. Could it be they glued it at the time of repair?Should I warm in hot water and try again?

Ink can dry like cement. If a pen is left full of ink and forgotten, the nib assembly will get cemented in by the drying ink. Lots of soaking in cool water. Hot water can deform the pen body. If you have an ultrasonic cleaner, the water bath can soak in and be agitated by it to speed up the redissolving of the ink in the threads.

 

It is very unlikely any knowledgeable person would have glued the nib assembly in. It is usually a good idea (but not essential) to take out and clean the nib assembly before doing the sac.

[Oldtimer]

I think I will leave the present nib(1554), no need to disturb a working pen. I wanted to install an Osmirod so no luck there. Thank you.

Edited July 3, 2014 by Oldtimer

[Scrawler]

I think I will leave the present nib(1554), no need to disturb a working pen. I wanted to install an Osmirod so no luck there. Thank you.

"Working" in the case of Esterbrooks includes the ability to easily change nib units.

[Brian Anderson]

if soaking in cold water or ultrasonic does not work, use a heat gun or other heat source (hair dryer, whatever). Rotate the section over the source until it is warm to the touch, just make sure to test every once and a while so as to not overheat the plastic and ruin the barrel. Some form of concentrator usually helps to pinpoint the heat to where you need it. If the metal part of the nib is too hot to touch, use a cloth or gripper square to grab the nib and give it a twist. Should come out. Usually you will find them shellacked in, but occasionally they are glued in which is worse.