Another 8440 Has Darkened My Door

[corgicoupe]

I have found the lowly 1555, even mounted in a desk pen to be an extremely dependable starter. A woman in our pen club was a stenographer many years ago and kept two in case one ran out of ink. I read where it was designed not to dry out because a person taking shorthand would not, could not, tolerate a non-start.

[inkstainedruth]

My first Estie had a 1555 nib on it. It's a decent writer in spite of having a folded nib with no tipping....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[corgicoupe]

I met an Esterbrook collector today who prefers some 2xxx nibs over 9xxx nibs. She had a folding case with 16-20 [i didn't count accurately[ green Esterbrooks which she said was one of each that had been produced. I recognized Js, LJs, SJs, an Icicle, Dollar pens, and Transitionals.

Edited March 2, 2020 by corgicoupe

[Estycollector]

I met an Esterbrook collector today who prefers some 2xxx nibs over 9xxx nibs. She had a folding case with 16-20 [i didn't count accurately[ green Esterbrooks which she said was one of each that had been produced. I recognized Js, LJs, SJs, an Icicle, Dollar pens, and Transitionals.

 

I've acquired several 2556 nibs that are very nice writers.

[corgicoupe]

When I was an undergrad student in the 1960s, I was assigned to a desk that came with a green Esterbrook desk pen with a 2668 nib. The pen followed me through grad school and is on my desk today, but has graduated to a 9668 nib which is not a significantly better writer.

[pajaro]

Just because a 9xxx nib can be expected to outlast a 2xxx nib of the same size doesn't mean it will write bettter. It will just last a couple of lifetimes instead of one. I couldn't say I noticed diffrences in writing unless one were worn out.

[Mannyonpil]

I have found the 2xxx to be smoother than the 9xxx but I cannot say that I have used enough of either to really have experienced a representative sample of all of the 3.7 kajillion nibs Esterbrook produced.

[Estycollector]

I got a 2788 in on a late Transitional demi. This is the most flexible and medium nib I have used/owned. I recommend one. THis photo show the pen and the 788 dip nib.

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Estycollector