Stupid Question About Dip-Less Pens

[JonSzanto]

Do Esterbrook desk pens with feeds (which might just mean the Dip-less models?) use the same nib units as "regular" Esterbrook pens?

 

I happened to answer this when I saw it over on FPG about an hour ago...

[ANM]

Do Esterbrook desk pens with feeds (which might just mean the Dip-less models?) use the same nib units as "regular" Esterbrook pens?

I am not sure exactly what your question is. There are desk pen that have ink sacs and levers and fill just like a pocket pen and use the same nibs. Those same nibs will fit on a dip less pen as well. They originally came with a nib and feed without any channel to the inside of the pen because there was nothing inside, but the regular nibs will fit and work just fine. I hope that answers your question.

[fncll]

Let me put it this way: Esterbrook made a lot of desk pen sets. Mu understanding of the "Dip-Less" lines it that they are distinguished by having a nib and feed. So, my question has/had two parts, one perhaps not explicit enough:

 

1) Are all Esterbrook desk pens with feeds from the "Dip-Less" line or are there other desk pens with feeds that are not?

 

2) For those Esterbrook desk pens that do have feeds, do they have the same interchangeable nib *units* that my J, SJ, etc fountain pens do?

 

I'm not asking about desk pens or other dip pens without feeds...

 

Based on Jon's answer in the other forum, it would seem that most of the time, the answer to #2 is YES.

[fncll]

 

 

I'm pretty sure this was unintentional...I asked the exact same question in the other forum (since the audiences don't overlap entirely) so I suspect Jon was basically meaning to give me a heads-up...and I'd know where it was, since I posted the question. Unintentional, I'm sure.

 

Here's the link to his answer: http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/4135-Desk-Pens-and-Dip-less-Pens-same-nib-units

[ANM]

All nibs made for the dip less models and the ones made for pens with ink sacs have feeds. All are interchangeable on the dip less pen. On the other hand, you can't use a dip less nib in a pocket fountain pen or desk fountain pen because the ink from the sac can't get to the nib, but it will screw in.

 

 

Esterbrook did made dip nibs without feeds but they don't fit either the dip less or fountain pen models.

[Willowandme]

so ANM, what you are saying is that I can't switch out the nib on my dipless and put it in a regular fountain pen? If it's a 9556 or whatever, I thought those were all interchangeable no matter what pen they were put on. I thought that was the whole point of them. I haven't done that yet, but I am waiting for a couple of nibs that I think I would like better than the 9556 that is currently in my dip-less.

 

Thanks.

 

My only problem with dip-less is that I like them so much if I bought more they would just take up more and more space on my desk. )

[ANM]

Sorry for any confusion. A 9556 nib unit is made for a fountain pen but will screw into and work on both a fountain pen and a Dip Less unit. It is the other way around that won't work. A nib made just for Dip Less pens will screw into an Esterbrook fountain pen but it has no way to accept ink from the ink sac so it won't work on a fountain pen unless you keep dipping it in a bottle of ink or ink well.

Edited September 27, 2013 by ANM

[Willowandme]

Gotcha. Thanks.

[johnmc2]

I've developed a fondness for Esterbrook dip-less pens lately and I picked this double set up a few weeks ago. I just need another red "tail".

I'm curious to know the reason for the "spiral" effect when you look down the tail at an angle, anyone know?

[Willowandme]

I am guessing that it might have something to do with the threads as (at least the ones I have) the clear portion screws onto the black part. The plastic (resin?) probably magnifies it. I could be wrong though.

 

Very cool set, too.

Edited September 27, 2013 by Willowandme

[johnmc2]

I am guessing that it might have something to do with the threads as (at least the ones I have) the clear portion screws onto the black part. The plastic (resin?) probably magnifies it. I could be wrong though.

 

Very cool set, too.

 

Thanks, that makes sense. We just need someone to volunteer to cut their threads off to check! I have seen the clear plastic described as Lucite which is the same as Perspex.

Cheers

John

[ANM]

Don't know about the spirals but accountants and bankers put red ink in the one with the red taper for debit entries and black in the other one for income.

[johnmc2]

Don't know about the spirals but accountants and bankers put red ink in the one with the red taper for debit entries and black in the other one for income.

 

Thank you very much for that information, I had just assumed the set was mismatched! You live and learn...

[JonSzanto]

I'm not sure about the threads. I think it is just light refraction on a tapering, transparent, conical shape.

[johnmc2]

Another "stupid question": what is the safest way to clean and polish these bakelite sets?

[johnmc2]

I'm not sure about the threads. I think it is just light refraction on a tapering, transparent, conical shape.

 

Thanks Jon: a total-internal-reflection situation, like fibre optics? Very possibly. I may take it to work and try some experiments with the laser.

[JonSzanto]

Another "stupid question": what is the safest way to clean and polish these bakelite sets?

 

Man, I wish I could remember! The double-well set that I have is the only Bakelite item of anything I own. When I got it, it was already pretty nice, but I wanted to have it as spiffed as possible. I did a bunch of net research, as there are a lot of older things (phones, radios) that get collected and restored and there was a lot of information out there.

 

But for the life of me, I can't remember what I used! It might have been Simichrome, but could have been something even more benign and simple. Google will help you out on this one, I'm certain.

[JonSzanto]

 

Thanks Jon: a total-internal-reflection situation, like fibre optics? Very possibly. I may take it to work and try some experiments with the laser.

 

I'd love to hear about the results! TBH, I have one of the "hocky puck" sets right in front of me, the only one that stays inked up (J. Herbin "Perle Noire", with a 2314-M nib in the pen), and it sits directly in front of the power LED on my monitor. The blue glow of the lamp lights up the entire taper of the pen handle - very cool!

[johnmc2]

Those 2314 nibs are great, aren't they? I have a 2314-B in a red J pen, which I use for grading papers, with J.Herbin "Rouge Hematite".

Anyway thanks for all the ideas, and I'll Google the bakelite polishing thing.

Cheers

John

[JonSzanto]

John, if you're still reading, this YouTube has some good info, and probably highlights what I had forgotten: I've been using the Novus plastic polishes on my pens for a while (they come in 3 grades as a kit), and he shows that here...