Swapping Nibs Between Different Brands?

[Vikhalla]

Please excuse my ignorance on this but I'm very curious about making some 'Frankenpens' out of loose parts that I'm seeing at one of the local swap meets in the area.

 

Is it possible/how difficult is it to put a nib onto a pen from a different make? I know that this is probably on a case by case basis - so I'll give you a specific one: this week I picked up an Esterbrook LJ with a 2668 firm medium nib and a Waterman pen that was in rough shape but has a very VERY nicely conditioned F 750 18k nib (needs some finesse but it writes well enough when dipped.) Both for $20.

 

How difficult would it be, for someone who has never worked on fountain pens before but wants to and is a tenacious little sh*t who will probably try it anyway *cough* so you might as well tell him how *cough*, to transplant the Waterman to the Esterbrook?

 

 

Thanks!

(The Waterman is the all gold one pictured here. In mine, there is a cartridge stuck in the barrel and the section is misaligned with the threads so the whole thing looks crooked.)

Edited May 27, 2014 by Vikhalla

[KBeezie]

If you can fit the nib into the esterbrook's collar and it's not too long either then it may work, but looking at the picture of the waterman, it might be too large for the collar on the esterbrook's nib unit.

Edited May 27, 2014 by KBeezie

[OcalaFlGuy]

Normally it's not possible unless you want to actually hack something to the right size and shape into the collar and such. I know with the esterbrooks are a nib+feed unit wrapped in a collar that screws into the barrel, and if the waterman is nearly identical in shape and size then you may be able to fit it into that collar.

 

Though there are some nib sizes that are known to be interchangeable especially with modern pens, like #6 can take a pen using one of those (Say Monteverde for example) and easily swap the nib out with a Goulet, Knox K35, Nemosine, Jowo, Jinhao, Edison, TWSBI, Noodler etc #6 nib. Some requiring a little extra work (like a noodler's on a non-noodler's pen may require some feed adjustments, or removing the nib from an Edison or TWSBI unit so that it's just the bare nib).

 

I would say for someone who has never worked on a pen or did any tinkering, would probably have a high chance of damaging the nib itself before finally getting it on to the destination pen, especially if they don't remove it just right or apply too much force in one direction or another, especially on systems that weren't designed to just swap a nib outside of it's pre-built units.

 

Edit: Looking at the waterman, I'm going to assume that nib is too big to fit into an esterbrook J's nib unit.

 

I just want to be sure I understand.

 

You've never transplanted a nib into an Estie yourself?

 

You've never read Any of the REAMS of information already here about doing that?

 

First you say it can't be done, then you say it can, then you say it can with other pens, then you say you can. Which is it?

 

Am I understanding that in 3 paragraphs what you're REALLY saying is you really have No Idea at all about transplanting a nib into an Estie?

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[AndrewC]

As long as the nibs are the same size, nibs can swap easily as long as the section and feed are shaped to take it. Some pens, like Pelikans and Esterbrooks have screw in nib units with a collar at the end that can render swapping outside that configuration not possible. Fitting a nib into the place where the Estie nib fits might blow up the slot where it fits. Getting a cartridge out of a barrel is not all that hard. Gently run a wood screw into the cartridge opening that is only a little wider than the opening and then pull it out. A pair of culinary tweezers or long narrow needle noses work as well. Then try re-threading the section to see if you destroyed the threads. Good price on the pens. If you don't like the Esterbrook nib there are quite a few for sale at the moment on different pen boards fairly cheaply, so maybe just buy a new unit and swap it in. If you like the Waterman nib enough, try to fix the pen or get a pen that will hold the nib.

 

Good luck whatever you do. And if you do swap the Waterman into the Estie, let us know how it works out.

Edited May 28, 2014 by AndrewC

[OcalaFlGuy]

Vikhalla, If the nib will fit in the Estie collar and not be too large for an Estie feed or the original feed too large for the collar, it can be done.

 

All kinds of 14k nibs have been transplanted.

 

There isn't, contrary to some wild guesses, much danger to damaging the nib itself if you have some experience using a knock out block

(which you will need to get the donor nib out of it's section anyway).

 

The bigger danger is destroying the Estie nib collar removing it's nib. Estiebrook DID NOT intend that those nib assemblies come apart. It

can be done but it's pretty fiddly, probably a medium skill level "repair" task.

 

The place for more, Correct info about this is searching the Estie forum.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

 

[OcalaFlGuy]

Don't worry about me.

 

I'm sure there are other members here who read your post and have the same questions I did.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Vikhalla]

Thanks for the info - I will look into how to get through that Esterbrook assembly then. I will be sure to update this thread with any experimentation that I end up doing.

[Ron Z]

Things to consider when swapping nibs between different pens and different brands. Swapping nibs between pens of the same model should be OK.

 

1] size of the nib - i.e. length, shoulder width and of course is a honking big nib or a little one? A nib that is much wider at the shoulders can hit the inside of the inner cap. Similar size? Read on.

2] Thickness of the nib. Measure the thickness right at the tail and farther up using a pair of calipers. Steel nibs are often thicker than a gold nib and a difference of a few thousandths can make it a very tight fit, which leads to a risk of cracking the section (or collar on an Esterbrook) if forced in, or a very loose fit. Sometimes you need to heat the section a bit so that you can set the nib and feed in place. NOS feeds and sections are very tight indeed!

3] The radius of the nib or the feed. If there is a difference in the radius of the nib the nib may not lay flat against the feed when set into the section. If it's lifted up from the feed, sometimes no amount of heating and setting the feed will get it right.

4] Be prepared to have to set the feed against the nib. There can be differences from pen to pen, especially with vintage, and setting the feed may be needed. The set should be tight enough to prevent a piece of paper from being slipped between feed and nib.

 

As Bruce noted, it is possible to break the collar on an Esterbrook nib assembly. If you look at the underside, you'll often see where the collar is pushed in - this locks into a notch in the bottom of the feed. If you can, coax the nib out of the collar by wiggling side to side while gently pulling. Once it's out you can often then warm the collar, rotate the feed and coax the feed out as well.

[OcalaFlGuy]

Ron that is very specific information I haven't read before and I've read most all the Estie nib transplanting posts.

 

Thanks, that was very helpful.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl