Jump to content

What's Your Favorite Vintage Esterbrook Nib?

donnweinberg

By donnweinberg
in Esterbrook

 Share

Recommended Posts

Estycollector Collectors Item

Estycollector

Posted
Posted

You realize of course, that we're never going to find them again after this. Maybe I should delete my post....

 

You're safe with me. I found my happy place long ago...LOL!!

"Moral goodness is not a hardy plant, nor one that easily propagates itself" Dallas Willard, PhD

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 96
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Estycollector

    16

  • corgicoupe

    13

  • gweimer1

    12

  • pajaro

    7

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Posted Images

gweimer1 Antique

gweimer1

Posted
Posted

You realize of course, that we're never going to find them again after this. Maybe I should delete my post....

 

I think I still have a box. Maybe I should start selling. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Estycollector Collectors Item

Estycollector

Posted
Posted

There's a 9461 on eBay for $13 plus shipping.

"Moral goodness is not a hardy plant, nor one that easily propagates itself" Dallas Willard, PhD

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ron Z Museum Piece

Ron Z

Posted
Posted

 

I think I still have a box. Maybe I should start selling. :lol:

 

Only if you're not going to accumulate any more Esterbrooks. Fat chance.

spacer.png
Visit Main Street Pens
A full service pen shop providing professional, thoughtful vintage pen repair...

Please use email, not a PM for repair and pen purchase inquiries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Joe in Seattle Antique

Joe in Seattle

Posted
Posted

1551 Student. Cheap and cheerful and darn near bulletproof.

"how do I know what I think until I write it down?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FarmBoy Museum Piece

FarmBoy

Posted
Posted

The 6668 and the 8999.

 

There is also a ball point renew point that is quite nice.

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
Posted

The 6668 and the 8999.

 

There is also a ball point renew point that is quite nice.

What do you use for refills. I think I had to use an adapter Bamapen 3-D printed with a small modern refill that worked OK.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AAAndrew Antique

AAAndrew

Posted
Posted

There are so many! Here are a few.

 

10 Commercial is a good shoulder pen, but not common

11 Albata (but very rare)

14 Bank pen has great action, especially the earlier ones

Of course the 048 Falcon

123 as a general pen

149 Pacific Railroad (though I like the original better than Esterbrook's copy)

128 EF elastic pen

239 Chancellor and 442 Jackson are my favorite stubs

256 Tecumseh is quite nice but very uncommon

453 Business and College has very nice spring and high durability for a medium point

477 Postal is my favorite turned-up point

The 556 and 571 Vertical Writers and 761 Natural Slant are great semi-firm all-arounders

854 Spoon just is fun to write with.

 

“When the historians of education do equal and exact justice to all who have contributed toward educational progress, they will devote several pages to those revolutionists who invented steel pens and blackboards.” V.T. Thayer, 1928

 

Check out my Steel Pen Blog. As well as The Esterbrook Project.

"No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the mistake is to do it solemnly."

-Montaigne

Link to comment
Share on other sites
corgicoupe Collectors Item

corgicoupe

Posted
Posted

What's your favorite nib for an Esterbrook fountain pen, Andrew? The 9048?

Baptiste knew how to make a short job long

For love of it. And yet not waste time either.

Robert Frost

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AAAndrew Antique

AAAndrew

Posted
Posted

Actually, it's 9556, with a specific 1555 Gregg whose tip was broken off and smoothed into a stub by someone a long time ago, in a close second. I have a fairly flexible (for an Estie fountain pen nib) 9048, but I'm spoiled by dip pens and I can't enjoy it as a flexible nib.

 

“When the historians of education do equal and exact justice to all who have contributed toward educational progress, they will devote several pages to those revolutionists who invented steel pens and blackboards.” V.T. Thayer, 1928

 

Check out my Steel Pen Blog. As well as The Esterbrook Project.

"No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the mistake is to do it solemnly."

-Montaigne

Link to comment
Share on other sites
corgicoupe Collectors Item

corgicoupe

Posted
Posted

Actually, it's 9556, with a specific 1555 Gregg whose tip was broken off and smoothed into a stub by someone a long time ago, in a close second. I have a fairly flexible (for an Estie fountain pen nib) 9048, but I'm spoiled by dip pens and I can't enjoy it as a flexible nib.

I find that my 2048 has more flex than my 9048. I'm not sure why. I need to get back to playing with the dip pens again.

Baptiste knew how to make a short job long

For love of it. And yet not waste time either.

Robert Frost

Link to comment
Share on other sites
gweimer1 Antique

gweimer1

Posted
Posted

Actually, it's 9556, with a specific 1555 Gregg whose tip was broken off and smoothed into a stub by someone a long time ago, in a close second. I have a fairly flexible (for an Estie fountain pen nib) 9048, but I'm spoiled by dip pens and I can't enjoy it as a flexible nib.

 

The Esterbrook "flex" renew point nibs really don't have anything that you would call flex. If you look for the wartime "teardrop" nibs, they have a much thinner profile, and also a decent amount of flex. I have one of those in the 9048 nib (gold plated to boot), and it really does have flex to it.

 

fpn_1498613141__esterbrook_nibs_5.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Estycollector Collectors Item

Estycollector

Posted
Posted

Has anyone named the 2442 Falcon as their favorite?

"Moral goodness is not a hardy plant, nor one that easily propagates itself" Dallas Willard, PhD

Link to comment
Share on other sites
corgicoupe Collectors Item

corgicoupe

Posted
Posted

I was just about to mention that it is one of my favorites.

Baptiste knew how to make a short job long

For love of it. And yet not waste time either.

Robert Frost

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Estycollector Collectors Item

Estycollector

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'd go for the 2442, but it is based on the #442 Jackson rather than the 048 Falcon, my favorite. What's the FP nib based on the 048? Would it be either the 2048 or 9048? I am curious if the FP nibs are as flexible as the 048?

Edited by Estycollector

"Moral goodness is not a hardy plant, nor one that easily propagates itself" Dallas Willard, PhD

Link to comment
Share on other sites
gweimer1 Antique

gweimer1

Posted
Posted

I'd go for the 2442, but it is based on the #442 Jackson rather than the 048 Falcon, my favorite. What's the FP nib based on the 048? Would it be either the 2048 or 9048? I am curious if the FP nibs are as flexible as the 048?

 

The 2048 is the closest to the 048. The 9048 has no physical resemblance to either. See my comments above - the FP "flex" nibs really don't have anything you would consider flex. The wartime nibs (left nib in the photo above) have some flex, even on nibs that aren't supposed to be. I have one of those in a 9048, and it really is what you would call a flex nib. I just don't use it ever, because it is a gold-plated nib on a prototype pen.

 

fpn_1573491614__esterbrook_prototypes_4.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Estycollector Collectors Item

Estycollector

Posted
Posted

Thank you for explaining.

"Moral goodness is not a hardy plant, nor one that easily propagates itself" Dallas Willard, PhD

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AAAndrew Antique

AAAndrew

Posted
Posted

Most of the renew points are loosely based on their dip pen predecessors. People knew the numbers of their favorite pens and so Esterbrook hoped they would gravitate to the fountain pen equivalent. None of the stainless steel nibs, even the SS dip nibs that Esterbrook made, can come close to the flex of the steel pen equivalents. But then they are much smoother and easier to write with, and don't corrode.

 

“When the historians of education do equal and exact justice to all who have contributed toward educational progress, they will devote several pages to those revolutionists who invented steel pens and blackboards.” V.T. Thayer, 1928

 

Check out my Steel Pen Blog. As well as The Esterbrook Project.

"No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the mistake is to do it solemnly."

-Montaigne

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
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43972
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      35666
    3. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      31684
    4. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    5. Bo Bo Olson
      Bo Bo Olson
      27747

  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Misfit
      On my second trip to Japan in seven months, while the going is good

      By Misfit · Posted

      Oh to have that translucent pink Prera! @migo984 has the Oeste series named after birds. There is a pink one, so I’m assuming Este is the same pen as Oeste.    Excellent haul. I have some Uniball One P pens. Do you like to use them? I like them enough, but don’t use them too much yet.    Do you or your wife use Travelers Notebooks? Seeing you were at Kyoto, I thought of them as there is a store there. 
    • A Smug Dill
      On my second trip to Japan in seven months, while the going is good

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      It's not nearly so thick that I feel it comprises my fine-grained control, the way I feel about the Cross Peerless 125 or some of the high-end TACCIA Urushi pens with cigar-shaped bodies and 18K gold nibs. Why would you expect me or anyone else to make explicit mention of it, if it isn't a travesty or such a disappointment that an owner of the pen would want to bring it to the attention of his/her peers so that they could “learn from his/her mistake” without paying the price?
    • szlovak
      On my second trip to Japan in seven months, while the going is good

      By szlovak · Posted

      Why nobody says that the section of Tuzu besides triangular shape is quite thick. Honestly it’s the thickest one among my many pens, other thick I own is Noodler’s Ahab. Because of that fat section I feel more control and my handwriting has improved. I can’t say it’s comfortable or uncomfortable, but needs a moment to accommodate. It’s funny because my school years are long over. Besides this pen had horrible F nib. Tines were perfectly aligned but it was so scratchy on left stroke that collecte
    • stylographile
      Bits and bobs to bring with me to in-person meets

      By stylographile · Posted

      Awesome! I'm in the process of preparing my bag for our pen meet this weekend and I literally have none of the items you mention!! I'll see if I can find one or two!
    • inkstainedruth
      My notes and advice on fountain pen cleaning

      By inkstainedruth · Posted

      @asota -- Yeah, I think I have a few rolls in my fridge that are probably 20-30 years old at this point (don't remember now if they are B&W or color film) and don't even really know where to get the film processed, once the drive through kiosks went away....  I just did a quick Google search and (in theory) there was a place the next town over from me -- but got a 404 error message when I tried to click on the link....  Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth 

  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More

  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...