The Search For Fountain Pen Perfection

[pajaro]

Usually you will pay a high price for the Estie 2788 or 9788. I have usually seen these at about $75. I have an LJ with a 9048 extra flexible fine, and it's amount flex is about where I want it--nearly none. If I press down I can strongly underline something, but it's not easy to make these flex. The broader ones might flex more, but Esties aren't known for being extra flexible the way people generally think of flexible.

 

When I want line variation from an Estie, I use a 2314-B or 9314-B stub (it's oblique) or a 2312 or 9312 italic (medium CI). The 2312 works best, and you might find one at a sane price in the $30-40 range, if you think that's sane. The 9312 doesn't work any better for beaucoup dollars more. I have all four of these nibs. They are OK. The 9048 is a nice fine, near-nail. I have read posts where members wax ecstatic about the flex of the 2788 or 9788. I wonder how much effort it takes to flex them.

 

I wax ecstatic over the 9460, to me the most perfect of Estie nibs. Dry, narrow for a medium in all five I have, and one so deliciously fine it's almost extra fine and as dry as the Sahara. Different strokes.

[SharkOnWheels456]

Usually you will pay a high price for the Estie 2788 or 9788. I have usually seen these at about $75. I have an LJ with a 9048 extra flexible fine, and it's amount flex is about where I want it--nearly none. If I press down I can strongly underline something, but it's not easy to make these flex. The broader ones might flex more, but Esties aren't known for being extra flexible the way people generally think of flexible.

 

When I want line variation from an Estie, I use a 2314-B or 9314-B stub (it's oblique) or a 2312 or 9312 italic (medium CI). The 2312 works best, and you might find one at a sane price in the $30-40 range, if you think that's sane. The 9312 doesn't work any better for beaucoup dollars more. I have all four of these nibs. They are OK. The 9048 is a nice fine, near-nail. I have read posts where members wax ecstatic about the flex of the 2788 or 9788. I wonder how much effort it takes to flex them.

 

I wax ecstatic over the 9460, to me the most perfect of Estie nibs. Dry, narrow for a medium in all five I have, and one so deliciously fine it's almost extra fine and as dry as the Sahara. Different strokes.

 

Yeah, I've had difficulty finding them for decent prices.

 

I'm almost tempted to get a stub nib, since I have never written with one, but I love the way that they write. Once again, I'm finding it a bit difficult to get the one I would ideally want, but I can only do so much

 

I'll most likely purchase the manifold now and expand in to other nibs in the future. I need to take a bit of a break from my August spending spree

[OcalaFlGuy]

You could always find a NOS 9668 for around $15 and send it to Letta at Pendemonium to be ground into either a Stub or CI for another $15 (+$5 shipping).

 

The results would be similar to this.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[pajaro]

Bruce's idea of the 9668 and a grind is excellent.

 

The stubs, 9314-f, -m, -b are good.

9284 or 2284 stub, broad stubs, excellent.

9312 or 2312 italics are dreamy.

 

Unless you buy a nice nib and grind it, the answer is patient perusal of ebay. Occasionally sellers who don't always have good stuff stumble on something nice and advertise it on ebay, expecting to let the bidding take the price up. Frequently their expections go unrewarded, and you find a deal.

 

Many of the nice Estie nibs I have found have come cheaply with a pen.

 

Some other nice Estie nibs came at about one third the going rate from an ebay offering that went unnoticed or ignored because the seller might have been unknown. Patience was my method in finding these items at what I thought were decent prices. Don't get all impatient to get something right now. Patience, and you will find a deal. I didn't believe this until I started finding deals. I don't want any more of these, so you can have this advice. It works.

 

Sometimes there's risk. I bought a pen with a 9312 italic for a really cheap price, and the nib was broken. There was, though, a pen and a feed and collar I used to make a Frankenpen.

 

Some of the Estie bidders are real cheapskates. Example: two offerings of an NOS M2 I outbid the cheapskates at $18 each. New in the box. I think one has an NOS 9668 nib. I still haven't used them. I am still surprised when I look at them. Deals await your patient perusal.

 

Or, as Bruce of Ocala FL recommends, buy a 9668 and have it ground to order. That's a right now solution.