My first Estie

[gweimer1]

Awesome! Thanks!

[Venemo]

Actually, my first Estie is this pretty desk pen. It is gracious and sleek.

I have a wooden pen holder that I use it with - of course it isn't an exact match but it does look good.

 

It's a lever filler and has a 2668 nib and is in excellent condition. I got it from a local auction site for the equivalent of 10$. The nib is pretty smooth and draws fine line even though it's supposed to be medium. Every time I walk by, the pen just makes me feel like writing something with it!

 

What do you think?

Edited August 17, 2014 by Venemo

[gweimer1]

Looks nice and clean. The thing I love about these pens is the ability to switch the nib easily without having to buy a whole new pen.

[melodiousb]

My first Estie arrived yesterday--a gray Pastel with a 2668 nib. I love the size (I have really small hands) and it writes so smoothly, and I'm going to do my best not to fall headlong into collecting these, but I'm not making myself any promises.

 

I have an Osmiroid 65 with a soft fine Rola tip that I love, so hopefully switching nibs back and forth between the two pens will keep me entertained for a while.

[Veltri]

Here's my first Estie, a nice deep blue on one side and an interesting pattern on the other. This is a great looking pen!

 

So with all the names for the different patterns, would this be called a Halfsie?

 

 

http://i60.tinypic.com/2a4tq3q.jpg

 

http://i61.tinypic.com/4kzki9.jpg

Edited September 15, 2014 by Veltri

[mtbradley]

As a result of the Esterbrook loan program, I am now the proud owner of a double jewel J in Copper - my first Estie. It's loaded with Private Reserve Copper Burst, but I have a bottle of Diamine Ancient Copper en route. I'm curious to see which I like better when comparing them side-by-side. That said, I think I've decided the blue is my favorite, so I hope to acquire one of those in the next couple of weeks. This Copper has the 2668/medium that writes very smoothly with Copper Burst.

 

 

And I'm sorry for asking this, but could someone who is willing to talk to me about posting photos please PM me? I've looked for help on this but can't find this specific question answered: My photos look great on my laptop, but are degraded when I post them in the forum. I know very crisp photos can be posted because I see others doing it. This photo, for example, looks great on my laptop, but is clearly low res as I see it posted in the forum. I'm using the "Attach Files" option in the advanced posting editor. Someone please help!

Edited September 21, 2014 by mtbradley

[pajaro]

Go to the top of the page, "More" >>> "Upload" and follow the menu to load a file from your hard drive to FPN. Then you can go to "More" >>>>> "Upload" and browse the pics you have uploaded. Open one, right-click, copy, put it where you want it, right-click and paste.

 

Sent a pm.

[mtbradley]

Thanks pajaro!

 

Matt

[jdllizard]

The story of my first Esterbrook is a bit strange. I actually owned it for many years and used it as a display piece in a shadowbox. A few weeks ago I was walking around a Gunshow and saw a guy with custom-made fountain pens, so I bought one on impulse. I instantly fell in love with writing with it. So I decided to take the one from my shadowbox, which turned out to be a green Esterbrook SJ, to see if I could get it working. That is what led me to this website and a new hobby, collecting various J series Esterbrooks. I just really like the mottled colors of the J series pens.

 

Here is the one from that shadow box that started my Estie bug.

 

 

 

I'm rebuilding it now, waiting on a new J Spring (the old one fell out in pieces) so I can install a new sac and reassembled it. It's in good condition except both jewels are chipped. Maybe someday I'll learn how to replace them as well. Thanks to FPN, I now know where to come when I need instructions on how to do it.

[spaceink]

I started my Estie craze with a copper LJ that was professionally restored. On learning more about Esties and how easily they are to repair and maintain, I bought a less expensive blue LJ with a faulty sac and some repair tools, and did my first restoration. I've since done the same for a green J transitional and am performing another on a black LJ.

 

So far it has been pretty fun, and the pens are great writers.

 

I'm in the process of getting my hands on some later Esterbroooks, including a cartridge pen that I will likely experiment with, for lack of new ink cartridges available, and I look forward to restoring some more J pens, possibly as gifts.

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2014 by spaceink

[Dj Shift]

Here's a picture of the first Esterbrook that got me addicted and the four subsequent purchases following it. They're in order of first to last ordered with first on top and last on bottom.

 

Nibs (in the same order): 2556, 2668, 1555, 9550, 1555 (for some reason this one's WAY finer than the other 1555)

 

They really do multiply though and i know these aren't going to be my last. Least it's an Esterbrook addiction though and not Montblanc. Now that would be a hard one on on my wallet.

 

[OcalaFlGuy]

 

EstieLJblue.jpg

 

Space, where did you get your dental scaler? I like it even better than mine. Mine has a little cup of one end and a small knife blade on the other.

 

Yours looks even More useful.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Lamyrada]

That dental scaler looks like the spatulas i used to work with when i was studying chemistry... i assume you can get it from a seller of these items like beakers, pipettes, etc.

[OcalaFlGuy]

I've have to dig for the Url but there is a place that has about 20 different scalers on-line.

 

The "trick" is to get Both ends that work with pens well. It's easy to find the scalers with one good usable pen tool.

 

The blade on mine rates a 10, the cup end, agh, about a 6-7. It works fairly well. I'd rather have one like above with a nice pen tool on

each end.

 

No bigwa though, I can make do.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[idazle]

As a result of the Esterbrook loan program, I am now the proud owner of a double jewel J in Copper - my first Estie. It's loaded with Private Reserve Copper Burst, but I have a bottle of Diamine Ancient Copper en route. I'm curious to see which I like better when comparing them side-by-side. That said, I think I've decided the blue is my favorite, so I hope to acquire one of those in the next couple of weeks. This Copper has the 2668/medium that writes very smoothly with Copper Burst.

 

I sold a blue Esti J-pen with a 2668 nib in the classified section a few weeks ago. That 2668 nib was indeed smooth, more so than the 9668, even though this belongs to the in principle superior Master series.

 

My first and only Estie now is one like yours, a Copper double jeweled J-pen that belonged to my dad. I replaced its native extra fine 2550 nib by a Falcon stub 2442 and am quite happy with it.

 

I use Ancient Cooper with italic nibs only as it gives quite shadowing, and I believe this effect is lost with finer round nibs. I also have a thing with Diamine's Golden Brown and Red Dragon ;-)

 

 

[amberleadavis]

I love the Estie porn.

[setriode]

For much of this year I resisted the temptation (it was severe) to buy an Esterbrook. The arguments with the dark side of my mind were as follows:

 

"Why do you want this when you have 9 Pelikan 200s to choose from?

 

You have a Pelikan 800 and a 140, why would you want an Estie?

 

You have 6 Parker 51s a similar number of vacumatics why compromise on an Estie?

 

You have 3 gorgeous Pilot pens with gold nibs why do you want an Estie, then again what about those Omas pens tucked away and those vintage Sheaffers too?

 

No I resolved, you have enough pens. Don't listen to that Amber lady, just because she's a lawyer like you, doesn't mean you need to do what she does. Amber and the Venerable Sandy1, will only cause you trouble so desist at once. The exchange rate is against you now so there! And what's more, the shipping charges from the States are ridiculous. Just get another Pilot or two and that will be that, no more pens in this lifetime."

 

And then I saw them on the bay of Evil: a US seller had two Esterbrook Js listed and in unpopular colours: one in green, the other in grey. No one had bid, they were listed at $15.95 each, a miracle, a voice called to me. Shipping was only $6.80. So I posted my bids and there was another miracle, no one else bid. Ended up with both for $32 and combined shipping to Australia of $6.80. They will probably arrive in the new year.

 

It's Amber's fault I tell you, I didn't need these Esterbrooks.

Edited December 9, 2014 by setriode

[gweimer1]

 

It's Amber's fault I tell you, I didn't need these Esterbrooks.

 

Oh, I beg to differ. As I look at my little collection, I see that the Parkers outnumber the Esterbrooks 6:4. My teal Parker 51 aero is my best pen.

My Esterbrook Dollar Pen 9461 is my favorite. For all the pens I've tried, and the ones I'm keeping (and I have a Sheaffer that I love), it's still the Esterbrooks that are my favorite. They are simple, classic, stylish, versatile and reliable. They are easy to come by, for the most part, simple to maintain, and easy to customize to your needs.

[setriode]

Yes, that's what Amber said too.

[amberleadavis]

For much of this year I resisted the temptation (it was severe) to buy an Esterbrook. The arguments with the dark side of my mind were as follows:

 

"Why do you want this when you have 9 Pelikan 200s to choose from?

 

You have a Pelikan 800 and a 140, why would you want an Estie?

 

You have 6 Parker 51s a similar number of vacumatics why compromise on an Estie?

 

You have 3 gorgeous Pilot pens with gold nibs why do you want an Estie, then again what about those Omas pens tucked away and those vintage Sheaffers too?

 

No I resolved, you have enough pens. Don't listen to that Amber lady, just because she's a lawyer like you, doesn't mean you need to do what she does. Amber and the Venerable Sandy1, will only cause you trouble so desist at once. The exchange rate is against you now so there! And what's more, the shipping charges from the States are ridiculous. Just get another Pilot or two and that will be that, no more pens in this lifetime."

 

And then I saw them on the bay of Evil: a US seller had two Esterbrook Js listed and in unpopular colours: one in green, the other in grey. No one had bid, they were listed at $15.95 each, a miracle, a voice called to me. Shipping was only $6.80. So I posted my bids and there was another miracle, no one else bid. Ended up with both for $32 and combined shipping to Australia of $6.80. They will probably arrive in the new year.

 

It's Amber's fault I tell you, I didn't need these Esterbrooks.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAb-bGNpyr0