How to replace an Esterbrook Sac

[Argentum]

Thank you so much for this guide, Chiro75. I've resacced a few lever fillers now, all thanks to your guide that I found when I first got an Estie that needed a new sac!

[jdllizard]

I'm so glad people are finding my instructions useful, still! Thanks for the feedback!

This post was extremely helpful to me as well these last two days. After a week of learning by trial and fire (and failure), I have now successfully replaced the sacs in 2 Esties!

 

Thanks for taking the time to help us newbs with your incredible repair tutorial.

[Veltri]

I never thought I'd replace a sac, but thanks to this tutorial I just did my first replacement. And it took less than half an hour including getting the section apart and scraping out the old sac that got stuck to the sides.

I felt like MacGyver with my paperclip.

 

I'm almost disappointed now that I got lucky getting a few "as is" pens with supple sacs...

[gweimer1]

 

 

I'm almost disappointed now that I got lucky getting a few "as is" pens with supple sacs...

 

I hear that! I have been looking intentionally for pens that need assistance just so I can continue to learn and get better.

[ac12]

I never thought I'd replace a sac, but thanks to this tutorial I just did my first replacement. And it took less than half an hour including getting the section apart and scraping out the old sac that got stuck to the sides.

I felt like MacGyver with my paperclip.

 

I'm almost disappointed now that I got lucky getting a few "as is" pens with supple sacs...

 

IMHO, I would not trust those sacs.

The sac could be 60 years old, and ready to fail tomorrow.

Whenever I get a pen, if the seller did not specifically state that he replaced the sac, I replace the sac as a standard procedure.

Better to use a $1.50 sac than get a big ink splot on my shirt.

 

BTW, I've seen some sacs that felt OK under the lever, but when removed, I could see cracks in the rubber. IOW, they were well on their way to failing.

Edited November 8, 2014 by ac12

[Veltri]

Ha! Gweimer1! I'm not that much of a masochist so you won't get competition from me. I can probably provide you with a couple of challenges that are way beyond me...

 

Ac12 I will take that into consideration. I removed the sections of most of the pens and the sacs seemed completely fine, even the one that was stamped Esterbrook that is likely an original sac. But for a couple I just went by the sound and filled them up. They're working so far, but I will check them in short order.

[ac12]

 

 

Ac12 I will take that into consideration. I removed the sections of most of the pens and the sacs seemed completely fine, even the one that was stamped Esterbrook that is likely an original sac. But for a couple I just went by the sound and filled them up. They're working so far, but I will check them in short order.

 

I figure that I already have the pen apart, so why not just replace the sac. The sac is just a $1.50 part. Then I don't have to worry about it for another 15 years.

[Recoil Rob]

May I ask what happened to the photos in the initial tutorial? I get nothing when I click on "Posted Image".

[OcalaFlGuy]

The easy most logical answer is that something happened where Chiro was hosting his images at. Perhaps his account there

went inactive. It's been a month since he's been here on FPN.

 

I sent him an Email about the pics just in case he wasn't already aware of it.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Chiro75]

Hi guys, it has been a crazy start to the year. I did get Bruce's email while my wife was unexpectedly in the hospital for a couple weeks (she is doing well now) and things have been jamming at work. I have a break coming up and I intend to shoot new photos and fix the tutorial. Thanks for your patience, should be done within the next couple weeks.

I have NO IDEA where I would've hosted the original photos from. I have had several websites in the past and I thought I was current on the one I've had the longest, but I may've forgotten to renew. I'll figure it out!

 

The easy most logical answer is that something happened where Chiro was hosting his images at. Perhaps his account there

went inactive. It's been a month since he's been here on FPN.

 

I sent him an Email about the pics just in case he wasn't already aware of it.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[OcalaFlGuy]

I have NO IDEA where I would've hosted the original photos from. I have had several websites in the past and I thought I was current on the one I've had the longest, but I may've forgotten to renew. I'll figure it out!

 

 

Glad to hear The Mrs. is doing better.

 

A quickie gander at your phantom pic's elements shows something from Skitch which apparently has something to do with the Evernote App in the I-Environ.

 

If that helps you any. (Frankly, finding that out was Above my Pooderistic pay grade. )

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Ergative]

Would it be at all possible to repost the images from the first message here? I think the original post is so old that the images are no longer visible.

[Runnin_Ute]

Would it be at all possible to repost the images from the first message here? I think the original post is so old that the images are no longer visible.

I am having the same problem. Got a gray Estie in route that will need a sac.

[Pensterman]

This post keeps on giving. I just finished replacing the sac in an Esterbrook Dollar pen using the techniques outlined here. It went like a charm.

 

It took a while to get the hairdryer method to heat up the pen barrel enough to get the nib and feed portion to let go, but patience, patience, patience and it will work.

 

The old sac - completely brittle - came out in one piece, but it took some careful scraping to get rid of the portion that had been shellacked to the feed. Not difficult, just good slow effort. A set of miniature scrapers and picks that look like dental tools work well here.

 

A shout out to Indy-Pen-Dance for supplies (I have no personal connection to them). Reasonably priced and very quick delivery. Since the pen was a freebie, the modest cost of supplies more than made up for getting a first-rate “daily driver” out of the deal. And now I have enough supplies to re-sac half a dozen other pens.

 

This was my first project and I can vouch for the instructions.

[northstar]

The original images are still not working.

[ScienceChick]

You don't need them, IME.

[gweimer1]

He's got a You Tube video.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ-yvmRDBnw

[roswell1965]

Agreed, would love to again see the photos for this classic post. Any way to make this happen?

[tjchervy]

I have 6 pens that need new sacs, and I've been writing with another 4 where the sacs should be replaced.

 

On my list of things to do. Thanks for the great post.

[eastonp]

Great tips. May take on some of my older Esterbrooks that have dried out over the years. I only have a few that I use continually....