Jump to content

“NOS” ester took nib isn’t working


GMYoussef

Recommended Posts

Hello all! I recently bought an Esterbrook J off of eBay that was advertised to come with a NOS 9550 nib. The nib definitely doesn’t appear used at first glance, but after inking the pen I quickly realized it just doesn’t work. It’s not even that it skips or hard starts, it simply doesn’t write. Upon closer inspection I noticed that the name and number of the nib are written in a different direction than I’m used to seeing and the feed has a triangular slit near the tip that I also haven’t seen on my other esterbrook nibs. I’m not sure if this is a design switch up in later years or if the slit in the nib was added later by someone, but ink seems to drip out of that slit, not the tip of the nib, when I tap the pen, and I’m thinking maybe that’s why the pen isn’t writing. I’m by no means an expert on estys though so I figured I’d turn to you all for advice. I’ve attached pictures of the nib and feed, and I would greatly appreciate any feedback or advice that you might have on the matter.

ECD273B0-8D81-40EF-8612-5A16DC54BBB1.jpeg

4B20B326-E1A8-42CD-B7CC-7638012568DA.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 7
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • GMYoussef

    3

  • gweimer1

    2

  • PaFitch

    1

  • crescentfiller

    1

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

It's something I've seen on the later versions of the nibs.  I'm personally more fond of the earlier ones, with the imprint across the nib, rather than along it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, gweimer1 said:

It's something I've seen on the later versions of the nibs.  I'm personally more fond of the earlier ones, with the imprint across the nib, rather than along it.

Have you experienced any problems with the newer models writing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't seen any problems with them, but have to admit that I don't have many that I use often.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

😂 I’m not one for naming my pens usually but I might have to make an exception now

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Somewhere in the Esterbrook information world I think you'll find that the slots at the tip of the feed were supposed to aid in filling the pen (a tip dip instead of dunking the whole nib). I have a 9460 and a couple of 9556 nibs with the slots. They have worked OK for me. If you take a very fine wire (like the wire used to clean small engine carburetor intake holes) it can be fed from the back side of the feed out through the slots you see in the front.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I think most have correctly identified this nib is legit; just a little newer version of the nib.  I have a few of these and they work well for me.  As for it not working; this might be that it was used and it is clogged.  I would soak it in pen wash overnight and use a bulb syringe to flush it out.  Then try again.

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


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...