Esterbrook J Loose Section

[RCIfan]

I just bought an Esterbrook J that's in pretty good condition. Unfortunately, the section is loose from the barrel and is able to spin and be removed without much force at all. None of my other Esties have this problem, so I'm wondering two things. A) Is this fixable? If so, what is the best way to repair this problem?

[JonSzanto]

I just bought an Esterbrook J that's in pretty good condition. Unfortunately, the section is loose from the barrel and is able to spin and be removed without much force at all. None of my other Esties have this problem, so I'm wondering two things. A) Is this fixable? If so, what is the best way to repair this problem?

 

A fairly simple fix is to paint a thin layer of shellac on the portion of the section that goes in the barrel. Let dry and then check the fit. I'm suggesting that you have this dry rather than insert wet so it doesn't bond tightly to the barrel. You could still remove with careful application of heat in that instance, but here all you want is to make a snug fit. If it is still a little loose, just put a tiny more shellac on. Shellac is a common pen repair material because it is easy to remove and doesn't harm the pen parts. Most people who have done their first restore/repair on a pen - putting in a sac - have a small bottle of shellac, and you can get it from a number of pen vendors.

[RCIfan]

Thanks. This sounds like a pretty easy solution.