Writing Characteristics Of The Esterbrook Estie

[Pennenut]

I have been writing with an Esterbrook Estie with a fine #6 jowo steel nib. The jowo nib does not provide a smooth writing experience it feels like you are writing with a pencil. Is this characteristic for jowo #6 steel nibs on the Esterbrook Estie?

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi P,

 

I have no experience with the new Esterbrooks, but Jowo nibs are usually smooth...

 

 

- Anthony

[Madeline]

I have several of the older Esterbrooks, and their Esterbrook steel nibs are quite wonderful. I found an Estie in an antique store and its nib turned out to be a 2314 Relief (medium). At the time I didn't know very much about Esties but once I dipped it and discovered its wonderful character, I was won over. The 2314 Relief nib writes very smoothly and is one of my favorites. Perhaps you could swap out your nib for an Esterbrook nib, or maybe the Jowo nib just needs some adjustment?

[sirgilbert357]

I always got that "pencil like" feedback from all my Jowo nibs on other pens. I could get out the Mylar sheets and make them smooth as glass, but after a week or two of use, the polish would apparently fade because they would end up with that pencil feel again slowly but surely. They were still what I would call "smooth", but weren't "hot butter on glass" smooth.

[Madeline]

Ah, no, my Esties are not that smooth!

[ParkerDuofold]

I always got that "pencil like" feedback from all my Jowo nibs on other pens.

 

Hi SG,

 

I think it varies by manufacturer... they must make their own final adjustments... or they have JoWo do it to their specs.

 

For example, JoWo makes Faber-Castell's nibs and you'd be hard-pressed to find a silkier nib anywhere... Goulet and Bexley nibs are also pretty smooth and they're made by JoWo as well.

 

Now Edison nibs... also made by JoWo,... I've always found a bit toothy.

 

Here's who makes what:

 

http://danielpi.com/fountain-pens/2015/12/1/nibs-and-who-makes-them

 

 

I could get out the Mylar sheets and make them smooth as glass,...

 

Good advice.

 

 

...but after a week or two of use, the polish would apparently fade because they would end up with that pencil feel again slowly but surely...

 

Here's where you lose me... I don't think I've ever experienced anything like that before.

 

 

...They were still what I would call "smooth", but weren't "hot butter on glass" smooth.

 

I like butter smooth, too,... ...but that's really a fine art to balance between butter smooth and baby's butt syndrome.

 

Be well.

 

 

- Anthony

[Bo Bo Olson]

You are talking about a vintage Esterbrook, not what ever is now being made with that fine name. A very solid pen, the vintage one.

The Esterbrook is a light and nimble pen, I had DJ, SJ and LJs.

Down to a DJ Copper and a blue SJ.

 

My Esties were...(the 1xxx nibs that I didn't have were to last a year of 8 hours a day. It like the better 2xxx nibs is a rolled steel nib. The 2xxx nibs should last 2 1/2 years, and replaced the 1xxx nib with in a couple of years before the War if I recollect right.......so 2xxx were made for 30 years or so.

The 9xxx nibs are 'iridium' tipped and should last the then normal 7 or so years of full time writing....now a life time. They cost lots more than the 2xxx. The Estie was a solid second tier pen, for workers....not a status pen.....even had a Nurse's pen. So the 2xxx nib was affordable. Back then the rubber sac was to last 30 years....one of mine lasted 60 . Pre-supersaturated inks. They will eat and kill a rubber sac in weeks....major Repairmen say so. I didn't have any of those inks so never had any problems with new sacs.

 

And the 2xxx nib should also last a life time, in I don't see you writing 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 260 days a year.

 

I believe the reform nibs are English....The Osmiroid untipped sharp italic nibs will also fit an Estie.

 

Depending on if the Eastie 2xxx nib you buy is 'NOS' you should have no problems....for an older 2xxx nib...4-5 seconds on the micro-mesh should do the trick.

 

It will not be 'butter smooth' but nibs weren't back in the day....tipping was perfected in WW2....and afterwards 'good and smooth' was normal to my feeling.....no drag. (Butter Smooth is somewhat new....as a must on a nib....as is nibmeisters.)

I did have one of the ugly pressed plastic metal cap post '60 Esties as a kid and it was quite ok.

 

In this century, I later had some 12 or so....including 5 of the 8 grays, and was quite happy with the pen and the 2xxx nibs. Most said the 9xxx nibs were good, but not missed. The rolled tipped steel 2xxx nibs do just fine.

I'm down to just one....a 9xxx and a 2xxx....both quite ok.

 

The Estie semi-flex is reputed to be a bit hard for semi-flex. Regular flex was a normal issue. There are manafold/nail nibs to be had also. 20 or so nib flexes, widths.

 

Question...you replaced a perfectly good Esterbrook nib with a JoWo? What was it?

Or does JoWo screw in sections perfectly fit the Esterbrook????

I'd think JoWo is metric, Esterbrook both US and English, like Osmiroid were threaded in inches.

Could be you have cross threaded. Causing air problems.

Is your sac good........or is it weakened by supersaturated inks???

 

Loss of smoothness, are you holding the Estie after the big index knuckle, like a fountain pen....or very vertical like a ball point?

Edited January 18, 2019 by Bo Bo Olson

[sirgilbert357]

Hey Anthony, I think the issue is all in the tipping. Not all "iridium" is equal and I'm betting Jowo nibs have several grades of tipping. Faber Castell probably specifies the better grades for their pens. But the bog standard ones sold to the likes of Franklin Christoph, Edison and others are likely the cheaper grade. My Franklin Christoph experienced this same glass smooth to pencil like feedback transition as the other Jowos I've had. TWSBI was another notable example. I must have smoothed that one medium 3 times before realizing I wasn't crazy. None of my Pelikans have this issue. They stay glass smooth once I bother to get them there...haven't messed with my Lamys or Pilots.

Edited January 18, 2019 by sirgilbert357

[Bo Bo Olson]

There was a link by some good poster that showed the iridium compounds in the 1920-30's changing constantly in each company, as they went away from super rare iridium to rare earth compounds.

 

Germany is still the place to order 'iridium' (rare Earth) compounds.....so would have various different rare earth combinations. Depending on price and what the tipping was supposed to do. The famous Iridium tip Germany .... nibs.... a long time ago were made in Germany. (don't know if any still are....but they were just as cheap for such cheap German made nibs as others.) Don't know anything about Knox nibs, other than cheap and supposedly made in Germany.

 

 

With China rapidly getting a monopoly on Rare Earths (As soon as the US leaves Afghanistan; the Chinese can buy in and mine & will have it----the US is/was only there for a oil pipe line, that will never be built. The Chinese would rather it be built in their direction; instead of south to the Indian Ocean.) the price rare earths has climbed big time....so cheaper ....is now what expensive best use to be.

Small fortunes are being made in Angola mining computer grave yards....electronic dumps that were cheaper to rail road, steam ship and truck to a foreign junk yard than to tear apart in Germany....now the Germans have woke up....as rare earth has become real rare and money can be made in a good beer land, mining old computers.

[peroride]

I have been writing with an Esterbrook Estie with a fine #6 jowo steel nib. The jowo nib does not provide a smooth writing experience it feels like you are writing with a pencil. Is this characteristic for jowo #6 steel nibs on the Esterbrook Estie?

Hmmm... I bought my better half a fine sapphire and it writes pretty smooth, don't have to press at all but has feedback.

 

We were both pleasantly surprised.

 

I also bought her the adapter kit but she has yet to swap out the nib.

 

Her Lamy all black M that writes like a F feels smoother than the Estie, if that helps any.