Jump to content

Esterbrook 9450 Extra-Fine Nib Tines


aandrews

Recommended Posts

I'm comtemplating buying an Esterbrook 9450 extra-fine nib on Ebay, but the listing photo has me puzzled. It's a good pic (see below) of the nib, seemingly showing the slit to not be centered between the two tines, leaving one tine (on the left) extremely skinny. Is that normal?? The nib is described as new (old stock).

 

PS Reading over my post, instead of extremely skinny I should say that it seems to terminate to an extremely sharp point, which strikes me as not conducive to smooth writing. One would wonder (well, I would!) if it wouldn't tear the paper.

post-104928-0-99299000-1421293901_thumb.jpg

Edited by aandrews
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 14
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Sandy1

    5

  • Biber

    4

  • aandrews

    3

  • tmenyc

    2

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Hi,

 

Your observation and conclusion seem correct: it is not normal, nor is it desirable.

 

I suggest searching for another 9450.

 

My 9450 is affectionately known as 'The Steel Driver'.

 

Down-stroke line width is 'A':

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Visconti%20Purple/ac5993a7.jpg

Visconti Purple on 24lb laser copy/print

 

Bye,

S1

Edited by Sandy1

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You do realize that the box indicates 9450 EXTRA FIRM, not FINE, don't you? There is a difference.

 

That could be an optical illusion. I've had nibs that looked uneven like that from certain angles but were in actuality just fine.

Edited by Biber

"What? What's that? WHAT?!!! SPEAK UP, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!" - Ludwig van Beethoven.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"You do realize...."


Actually (supposedly), it's both: extra-fine and firm. I tend to bear down rather hard and I'm looking for a nib like my 9461 Fine Manifold, which is "rigid", only EF.

Edited by aandrews
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't trust that list, it has been wrong before. I'd advise relying on Easterbrook's own published ads (easily found through internet image searches) as well as original packaging. Regardless though, you'll never really know until you write with the actual nib.

Edited by Biber

"What? What's that? WHAT?!!! SPEAK UP, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!" - Ludwig van Beethoven.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

extra firm AND extra fine is correct -- it was designed for posting numbers in ledgers, very small numbers fitting into confined spaces.

 

Tim

Tim

 timsvintagepens.com and @timsvintagepens

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"You do realize...."

Actually (supposedly), it's both: extra-fine and firm. I tend to bear down rather hard and I'm looking for a nib like my 9461 Fine Manifold, which is "rigid", only EF.

 

Hi,

 

You're on the right course.

 

In the manner of the Manifold nibs, the 9450 is of heavier gauge steel than the 9550 'Firm Extra Fine'.

 

Bye,

S1

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Hi,

 

You're on the right course.

 

In the manner of the Manifold nibs, the 9450 is of heavier gauge steel than the 9550 'Firm Extra Fine'.

 

Bye,

S1

 

Eureka!! Finaly an explanation for how they achieved the different qualities of stiffnes etc. What's your source on this information? I don't doubt you, I just want to learn more about their use of diferent gauge steel for nibs. I've never run across this before (not that I've actively looked for it mind you).

"What? What's that? WHAT?!!! SPEAK UP, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!" - Ludwig van Beethoven.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Eureka!! Finaly an explanation for how they achieved the different qualities of stiffnes etc. What's your source on this information? I don't doubt you, I just want to learn more about their use of diferent gauge steel for nibs. I've never run across this before (not that I've actively looked for it mind you).

 

Hi,

 

I wondered that myself, so when The Steel Driver arrived, I compared it with the 9550.

 

No apparent naked-eye difference in metallurgy or geometry - just the gauge of steel.

 

One thing about such rigid nibs is that should the tines need alignment, one must use a firm steady hand.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited by Sandy1

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've tried using one on old ledger paper, writing old fashioned debits and credits. I'm a broad nib/wet ink guy, 9668 and 9968 nibs are more my line. It was really interesting to see how the small numbers fit perfectly into the columns.

 

Tim

Tim

 timsvintagepens.com and @timsvintagepens

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hard to tell from the photo, but it appears to me that the tipping is gone from the skinny-looking tine. I would pass on this one.

ron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

Comparo of the gauge of steel used in 9450 Extra-Firm Posting and the 9550 Posting nibs:

 

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%202015/DSCN7199-EstieManifold.jpg

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

Edit to add, hence round-out comparison:

9550 down-stroke line width is 'A':

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Syrah/9fd045d2.jpg

Diamine Syrah on 24lb laser copy/print.

Edited by Sandy1

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

Comparo of the gauge of steel used in 9450 and the 9550 nibs:

 

[foto deleted by respondant in interest of space]

 

Bye,

S1

 

Wow! Thanks for that. I can only wonder about Esty's use of other gauges as well. I'll have to go home and look at all my Esty nibs.

"What? What's that? WHAT?!!! SPEAK UP, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!" - Ludwig van Beethoven.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Wow! Thanks for that. I can only wonder about Esty's use of other gauges as well. I'll have to go home and look at all my Esty nibs.

 

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

I would be interested to see a comparison of the flex-ish Estie nibs to their standard nibs...

 

Bye,

S1

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...