How To Fix An Esterbrook Nib With A Broken Feed

[pajaro]

As an update, when I knocked the 9312 nib out of it's sleeve, the reason for the poor nib contact became apparent. The nib was broken partly at the point where the penpoint emerges from the sleeve. It was so fatigued that the slightest pressure lifted it off of the feed. So, that's all folks. I threw the nib away so I wouldn't be tempted to fool with it. You can waste a lot of time messing with hopeless stuff.

Edited February 17, 2013 by pajaro

[Scrawler]

As an update, when I knocked the 9312 nib out of it's sleeve, the reason for the poor nib contact became apparent. The nib was broken partly at the point where the penpoint emerges from the sleeve. It was so fatigued that the slightest pressure lifted it off of the feed. So, that's all folks. I threw the nib away so I wouldn't be tempted to fool with it. You can waste a lot of time messing with hopeless stuff.

Do you have plans for the feed and collar?

[John54green]

Pajaro I know the feeling, but you did learn to do it, so not all was wasted! Better luck next time, regards, John

[zenrabbit]

I saw this thread and decided to give it a go with a 2048 nib that was in great shape but with a feed that was clogged. I had tried all sorts of cleaners and soakings but I still could not get any ink or water to move through the feed. Put the nib into a spare section and made a knockout block from an old scrap of oak. Tapped out the feed and sure enough the feed had dried ink (or something) that was completely blocking the channel of the feed for about an eighth of an inch. I cleaned that out and also cleaned the underside of the nib and then soaked the the feed in water/ammonia. Dried it all out and then reassembled the unit. It is working fine now and I'll see over the next couple of days if it leaks at all but so far so good. Thanks for the inspiration!

[pajaro]

I saw this thread and decided to give it a go with a 2048 nib that was in great shape but with a feed that was clogged. I had tried all sorts of cleaners and soakings but I still could not get any ink or water to move through the feed. Put the nib into a spare section and made a knockout block from an old scrap of oak. Tapped out the feed and sure enough the feed had dried ink (or something) that was completely blocking the channel of the feed for about an eighth of an inch. I cleaned that out and also cleaned the underside of the nib and then soaked the the feed in water/ammonia. Dried it all out and then reassembled the unit. It is working fine now and I'll see over the next couple of days if it leaks at all but so far so good. Thanks for the inspiration!

I had a similar situation with a 2284 stub that came in a J. Soaked it forever and tried ammonia, all to no avail. I tapped the nib and feed out over the weekend and found the feed appeared to be clogged with what I think was India ink. I tossed that feed and took the feed from a worn out 2668. That worked and now I have another 2284 that's nice. The nibs and feeds tap out easily if you screw the old nib into a spare section and position it over a smaller hole in a knock-out block. Tap, tap, tap on a punch with a small hammer and it's out. The section end where a sac attaches guides the punch perfectly.

[pajaro]

As an update, when I knocked the 9312 nib out of it's sleeve, the reason for the poor nib contact became apparent. The nib was broken partly at the point where the penpoint emerges from the sleeve. It was so fatigued that the slightest pressure lifted it off of the feed. So, that's all folks. I threw the nib away so I wouldn't be tempted to fool with it. You can waste a lot of time messing with hopeless stuff.

Do you have plans for the feed and collar?

I'll have to see what's left over that's any good. I have no more plans to mess with this kind of thing again. It was interesting, though.

[Harlequin]

I had a similar situation with a 2284 stub that came in a J. Soaked it forever and tried ammonia, all to no avail. I tapped the nib and feed out over the weekend and found the feed appeared to be clogged with what I think was India ink. I tossed that feed and took the feed from a worn out 2668. That worked and now I have another 2284 that's nice. The nibs and feeds tap out easily if you screw the old nib into a spare section and position it over a smaller hole in a knock-out block. Tap, tap, tap on a punch with a small hammer and it's out. The section end where a sac attaches guides the punch perfectly.

So if I'm reading this correctly, it would be a great help to have an extra section in which to insert the nib/feed, then knock it out? Of course, a section would have to be removed from another Estie by heating it and pulling off carefully, so that means it should be a pen that is simply not usable or something? I could imagine someone who restores Esties having a section or two lying around, but since I have no plans of doing that unless absolutely forced to (restoring, I mean), does acquiring a section pretty much fall into the situation I mentioned?

Edited February 18, 2013 by Harlequin

[pajaro]

I had a similar situation with a 2284 stub that came in a J. Soaked it forever and tried ammonia, all to no avail. I tapped the nib and feed out over the weekend and found the feed appeared to be clogged with what I think was India ink. I tossed that feed and took the feed from a worn out 2668. That worked and now I have another 2284 that's nice. The nibs and feeds tap out easily if you screw the old nib into a spare section and position it over a smaller hole in a knock-out block. Tap, tap, tap on a punch with a small hammer and it's out. The section end where a sac attaches guides the punch perfectly.

So if I'm reading this correctly, it would be a great help to have an extra section in which to insert the nib/feed, then knock it out? Of course, a section would have to be removed from another Estie by heating it and pulling off carefully, so that means it should be a pen that is simply not usable or something? I could imagine someone who restores Esties having a section or two lying around, but since I have no plans of doing that unless absolutely forced to (restoring, I mean), does acquiring a section pretty much fall into the situation I mentioned?

If you look in the classifieds, and read Rick Krantz's garage sale ad, he had advertized some sections for $5 I think. So, you would have had an alternative other than to cannibalize a good pen. I happened to have a ruined pen and removed the section, scraped off the old sac remnants, and used it as another member suggested. I wouldn't have thought of doing that, and it was great to have somebody else's good idea. If you buy enough stuff on ebay, you get some duds. Best of luck.

[zenrabbit]

I acquired an Esterbrook pen with no cap and a damaged nib in a small group of pens I got from Ebay. I have removed the J-bar to put in another Estie and now the spare section has been useful as well. Pajaro is correct above, if you buy enough pens you will get one that just becomes a parts pen.