I keep going back to my Esterbrooks

[corgicoupe]

I have some very nice Parker and Sheaffer pens, various models but all vintage [prior to about 1990], but I find that I very often go back to my vintage Esterbrooks time and time again. Is it just me, or is this common among those who have a half dozen to a dozen Esterbrooks with a variety of nib styles?

[goodpens]

You’re not alone. 
I have whittled down my Esterbrook collection, but currently have a grey J (1555 nib, modified as a stub, with Diamine Earl Grey) and a red SJ (9668, with Montblanc Corn Poppy Red) inked up right now and I am about to re-ink my copper demi Dollar pen. They are fantastic, fun, reliable and I reach for them more than many other pens. 

[Ron Z]

The two best writing pens that I have are Esterbrooks.  Bar none.

[es9]

Could not agree more.  There are not enough metaphors out there to capture how remarkable they are: their nibs make them flexible as a utility player; their solid construction makes them dependable as a brick doorstop; etc.  They are my battlefield pen.  

[gweimer1]

I do the same, and I just had a Trans J with a really nice 9460 nib in it with me over the past week.   And despite all the really nice pens out there, I agree with Ron that my absolute best writers are Esterbrooks, particularly the ones with the frosted nibs in them.  Those are just wonderful to use.  And, yes, they are better than a couple of really nice Parker 51 pens that I use a lot.

 

The only other pen that I have decided will stay with me is a really nice Mabie Todd desk pen that is just a great and dependable writer.

[g33klibrarian]

Ditto. My Esty Deluxe LK and Deluxe SM are not my best looking pens. Indeed they're almost homely. Yet, they're in my hand constantly. They're well balanced and comfortable, but mostly because I'm hooked on their 9461 and 9668 nibs— they're such nice writers. I'd sell my Pilot VP, Sailor 1911S, and Lamy 2000 both before you could pry these two Esties away from me. 

[gweimer1]

8 hours ago, g33klibrarian said:

Ditto. My Esty Deluxe LK and Deluxe SM are not my best looking pens. Indeed they're almost homely. Yet, they're in my hand constantly. They're well balanced and comfortable, but mostly because I'm hooked on their 9461 and 9668 nibs— they're such nice writers. I'd sell my Pilot VP, Sailor 1911S, and Lamy 2000 both before you could pry these two Esties away from me. 

 

I agree with the balance of the Deluxe pens.   The metal caps seem to give them a better heft and balance missing from the J series.

[g33klibrarian]

4 hours ago, gweimer1 said:

The metal caps seem to give them a better heft and balance missing from the J series.

 

The cap certainly helps, but for me it's also the denser plastic— especially compared to the hollow feeling Dollar and J. The hollowness gives those pens an unstable feeling.

 

Parenthetically I really like the looks of the Dollar pen — the name plate is so much classier than the J's jewel.