9128 nib!

[psfred]

A friend of mine who knows I collect FP gave me a dark copper Estie last week at our beer club meeting with a 9128 nib. A bit rough yet (I'm taking it to work so I can use the dissecting scope to get the nib aligned properly), but with a very light hand it varies from quite fine to maybe a thin medium width.

 

Naturally, I start writing smaller and smaller to get the most effect out of the nib, but this is going to be fun.

 

Anybody else have any experience with these?

 

Peter

[BobR]

As I recollect, mine was scratchy too when I first got it. I smoothed it so it writes nicely, but not a lot of flex. It's not one of my favorite Esterbrook nibs but certainly worth playing with!

[inkysmudges]

Hi guys, I'm actually looking for just such a pen because it's been recommended to me as a good FP for drawing and sketching wherein flexy is good.

 

One thing I'm a little confuzzled about: the Esty listings say the 9128 is an "Extra Flexible Extra Fine".

 

psfred, would you say that is an accurate description? I'm a bit thrown off because BobR said that it didn't have a lot of flex.

[Phthalo]

My 9128 is one of my favourite nibs!

 

They don't have lots of flex - though some 9128's appear to be more flexible than others. I'd like to know why... maybe it comes from use - my own 9128 certainly seemed to improve over time. That doesn't seem very logical though... it is more likely that I just got used to it.

 

My 9128 did need a tiny amount of smoothing, and still does have some tooth - but it produces a very pleasant EF to B line.

[inkysmudges]

I've heard this "improve over time" thing mentioned by folks who know about this stuff so I'd just assumed it was a given. In a way it does kind of make sense I guess, at least for gold nibs.

 

Phthalo, if I may ask, do you have any idea what a respectable price for a 9128 nib might be? I think I've located one at US$25 but I have no idea if that's on the radar or not. I suppose I could check flea-bay but ... well, flea-bay is flea-bay if you know what I mean.

[Phthalo]

Brian is selling the 9128 on FPN at $25 which is more than reasonable. On eBay they go nearer to $50.

 

They are one of the less common nibs, but not 'rare' or anything like that. I just ordered a second one from Brian at the $25 price - half of what I paid for the first one before I knew better.

[Ged]

<sigh> This thread is terrible. Is it wrong that I now covet an Estie with a 9128... and maybe one of those delectable sunburst pattern nibs?

 

I can't speak of too many FP flex nibs, as I have only one but it does what you mention, a very small change in pressure changes the line from a dryish fine to a wet fine, then onto something more like a wet medium. My dip nibs do the same, kind of like that way

[Rabbit]

One thing I'm a little confuzzled about: the Esty listings say the 9128 is an "Extra Flexible Extra Fine".

 

psfred, would you say that is an accurate description? I'm a bit thrown off because BobR said that it didn't have a lot of flex.

In general, you have to look at it only within the Esterbrook line of nibs. When you apply pressure to the 9128, it does flex, unlike the majority of the other Esterbrook nibs, such as 9556. The flex feature of a handful of Esterbrook nibs was an intentional design feature. However, when you start to look at flex nibs on other pens, it becomes apparent that the Esterbrook nibs usually don't flex with as much ease; you might have to apply a bit more pressure and you may not be able to get quite the line thickness you want. Many of the more easy flex nibs on other pens are 14k gold, unless you are using a dip pen which may also be steel, but it's usually very thin and long. The ideal flex recipe is both structural design and the material of the nib. Esterbrook did a pretty good job with what they were choosing to work with!

 

Also, it should be noted that the user experience and technique has a lot to do with the success of the Esterbrook flex nibs.

 

The idea of the nib improving over time is new to me, but I can definitely see that happening; maybe I need to get out my 9128 nibs and use them more.

 

--Stephen

[inkysmudges]

... when you start to look at flex nibs on other pens, it becomes apparent that the Esterbrook nibs usually don't flex with as much ease ....

 

Ok, sounds perfectly reasonable.

 

edit: asked for a bit much, changed my mind.

Edited April 20, 2007 by inkysmudges

[Quicksilver]

I just got my 9128 from Brian as well on Monday. First off, kudos to him for having a good supply, and one that appears 100% NOS. My 9128 came clean as a whistle in an original box. I swapped it in place of a 9550 (I do love my fine lines) in my grey SJ.

 

That said, I do rather like it a lot. More than the 9550, and it writes very wet. I find mine to have fair amount of flex (I'll post a sample comparison after work this evening) that I'd call ExF -> B (but I'm no expert on such things). Equal to my Waterman 52V, however not even close to its smoothness. It is also a tad stiffer than the 52, but that has a gold nib.

 

I'm curious what those of you who have smoothed your 9128's have used. With the slightly increased force needed to flex well, combined with the toothiness, I find myself needing to make sure I keep a firm grip on my paper lest it try to run away with the tip, heh. I was looking at Binder's $8 mylar kit thinking that'd probably be worth the investment.

 

Now, my kingdom for a J body! My 9550 is lonely now.

[antoniosz]

Have a look at this thread.

[psfred]

Well, after looking at that, I guess I gotta take another look at mine!

 

I get nothing like that flex at all. Right now, it's flooding so much that I get only very minor variations, although I'm not using much pressure.

 

Sigh.

 

Peter

[Phthalo]

I received my 9128 nib from Brian yesterday, and this version is much more flexible than my other 9128.

 

My original 9128 is smaller, and 9128 is written across the nib, my new 9128 has the number written down the nib, is larger, and the feed is quite different. (I don't know if the design has anything to do with flexibility.) The new 9128 writes a line more like a wet EF - Extra Broad! (Just like Antonios' sample!)

 

Very lovely nibs!

 

 

 

 

[Rabbit]

I received my 9128 nib from Brian yesterday, and this version is much more flexible than my other 9128.

 

My original 9128 is smaller, and 9128 is written across the nib, my new 9128 has the number written down the nib, is larger, and the feed is quite different. (I don't know if the design has anything to do with flexibility.) The new 9128 writes a line more like a wet EF - Extra Broad! (Just like Antonios' sample!)

 

Very lovely nibs!

I think we need a photo! (of the nib, and the samples too, of course!)

 

--Stephen

Edited April 25, 2007 by Rabbit

[psfred]

Yeah, mine writes like a fat fine to a medium, and pressure only give more flow. I'll adjust some more tomorrow to reduce the flow so that it's at least a fairly dry fine with light pressure.

 

Peter

[Phthalo]

Here is a photo of my two 9128's and a writing sample!

 

The nib on the right was my first 9128, the nib on the left is the 9128 I just received from Brian. I said my original 9128 was smaller, but it's really only about 1.5mm shorter and 1.5mm narrower than the other 9128. The feeds are different, but I didn't take a picture of that...

 

http://www.ciar-roisin.net/photos/nibs/Estie9128-01.jpg

 

I can't write pretty with a flexible nib, so you get nothing but a few scribbles! Said scribbles display the nib characteristics very well though, IMO.

 

http://www.ciar-roisin.net/photos/nibs/Flexies-01.jpg

• "Esterbrook 9128 (A)" is my original 9128, the one on the right in the above photo. Soft-ish. It reaches maximum flex fast. I prefer it because it is very, very fine, and firm enough for everyday use. I consider it XXF-B.
• "Esterbrook 9128 (" is my new 9128. Soft - Very soft. It's a bit too wet and soft for everyday use, and I consider this one F-BB. With no pressure, the hairline is nice, but nothing like my other 9128. When writing, this one feels quite like my Waterman #2.
• "Waterman #2" this is from one of my Lady Patricia's. Very soft. Very wet too... only gets used on certain papers. I consider it F-BB+. This one can write a little fatter than shown.
• "1950's Pilot" this is from a simple Pilot lever-filler, and is my most flexible nib. Very soft. Quite wet, but more manageable than the Waterman. I consider it XF-BBB+, and it can flex out a bit fatter than shown as well. A remarkable nib.
• "1940's Sailor" this is from a wartime Sailor ebonite eyedropper, a 'Shiro' nib. Soft. A bit wet, but could be used everyday. I consider this XF-BBB.

Enjoy!

[inkysmudges]

Wow! Excellent post Phthalo! One for the bookmark list.

 

Thank you for taking the time to do this and share it with us.

[Rabbit]

Very nice, Laura!

 

I have 9128 nibs that look like each of the ones you have, but I haven't experimented much with them. The one I have experimented with the most produced results like your first writing sample. I need to test the rest of mine more extensively and see if I have any that behave like your second example. The biggest problem I had is that after a broad stroke, it would flood thus making it impossible to get back to a "hairline" stroke--the entire word would end up looking broad. Using different paper might help that a little bit though, and I may need to try to adjust the flow of the nib in general. I also found that with I used the needed pressure to get flex, the sharp tines would dig into the paper and grab it; perhaps some smoothing may be needed to reduce that, and again, the type of paper will also be a factor.

 

Thanks for the photos!

 

--Stephen

Edited April 25, 2007 by Rabbit

[Quicksilver]

I noticed in your image for the 9128(a) nib in the sample writing the nib cut out through one of the final strokes. Have you noticed this problem very much? I have started noticing that my 9128 is doing the same thing on longer flex strokes. Anyone know of a flow adjustment that can be done to help with the problem?

[Phthalo]

My first 9128 is much less flexible than my second 9128, and when it cuts out like that, I just assume it has reached maximum flex - so I don't know if adjusting the flow will help. This may be an incorrect assumption though...

 

My nib behaves perfectly otherwise... I prefer very fine hairlines, so I wouldn't want that nib to be too wet. I would love to decrease the flow on my second 9128 though!