Esterbrook Nib Disassembly

[mdp666]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm a newbie just getting into pen repair. I found my grandparents pens and have restored some to almost mint condition and am loving the process of restoration, writing with my fountain pens, and having a historical and cognitive link to my grandparents whom have both passed on.

 

Do Esterbrook nibs come apart? I have removed the nib from the section but does the nib itself break down into the nib, feed, and sleeve? I'm hoping to pull it apart to ensure that it's clean. If so, how do I this without causing damage to any of the parts. I'm reluctant to just start pulling away or twisting on the nib. Another pen that I restored, much older and a different brand, had a nib and feed that were easily pulled out for cleaning. Any help/advice that can be provided is most appreciated.

 

Cheers,

 

Monty

 

[gweimer1]

For cleaning, I wouldn't recommend tearing the whole thing apart. A good ultrasonic rinse and flush should suffice. You also run a guitar string down the channel to make sure it's clear. There is some risk in taking the nib assembly apart. I've done it to replace bad nibs, or to use a non-Esterbrook nib. There have been some casualties.

[ac12]

They can be taken apart, but you need to be very careful and use the proper method. I destroyed one collar following the instructions I read on this forum. So the method that worked for one person may not work for you.

And putting the nib assembly back together can be just as tricky, especially if the collar has shrunk.

 

IOW, if the nib is not damaged/broken or the feed absolutely clogged, I would not disassemble the nib assembly.

 

I clean my nib assemblies using an USC.

I also use the USC to blast out the dried ink around the nib assembly to be able to unscrew it from the section.

Edited December 12, 2015 by ac12

[pajaro]

I don't think you should disassemble the nib unit unless you want to replace the nib, feed or collar. Tricking the nib out with a gold nib or an interesting steel nib might qualify.

 

If you tear the nib unit down repeatedly, you will be putting stress on the material and the collar might wear out or the nib and feed might become loose in the collar.

[mdp666]

Thanks for the advice everyone. My instincts were correct, when in doubt, don't force the issue!!

 

Appreciate the feedback.

 

Merry Christmas for those celebrating, Happy Chanuka. Best of the season.

[Tom Heath]

Before dis-assembling , why not back flush the unit using a small bulb squeeze filler or a pen sac

 

Flush with cool wait never hot... If it will not flash then carefully dis assemble

Always have a spare nib on hand incase you can not get it back together

[pollandakuma]

  On 12/12/2015 at 4:35 PM, gweimer1 said:

For cleaning, I wouldn't recommend tearing the whole thing apart. A good ultrasonic rinse and flush should suffice. You also run a guitar string down the channel to make sure it's clear. There is some risk in taking the nib assembly apart. I've done it to replace bad nibs, or to use a non-Esterbrook nib. There have been some casualties.

Interesting. I really want to use a non-Esterbrook nib to replace my atrocious 2550, is it possible?

[gweimer1]

  On 12/23/2015 at 5:36 PM, pollandakuma said:

Interesting. I really want to use a non-Esterbrook nib to replace my atrocious 2550, is it possible?

 

It is, but don't forget my last sentence - there have been some casualties. I try to stick with the earlier feed and collar, since there is no notch (another roadblock). The blue pen at the top has an Esterbrook section, and a Laban nib mounted in the collar.

 

[pollandakuma]

  On 12/23/2015 at 11:06 PM, gweimer1 said:

 

It is, but don't forget my last sentence - there have been some casualties. I try to stick with the earlier feed and collar, since there is no notch (another roadblock). The blue pen at the top has an Esterbrook section, and a Laban nib mounted in the collar.

 

Nice picture! What size is the Laban nib? I'm think of putting a goulet nib on the esterbrook. Did you have to modify the nib's shape?

[Peppers]

How amazing! They rolled the plate after adding the iridium tip. Wow, talk about inefficient Engineering for today standards.

Not hate. Just quite surprised.

[Tweel]

Why is that inefficient?

[Peppers]

A roll already comes rolled (or sandwiched) at the desired thickness from the gold/steel supplier. Very long sheets.

 

The roll gets pulled through a machine which cuts the nib shape and raises it in one step, and embosses any information needed.

 

Nib gets tipped, then slit cut, then polished.

 

What the picture above does in 7 steps from the blank to the finished nib, a modern manufacturer does in 4.

 

The amount of money, and time saved is significant, very large. Large enough that is pays for itself to research into how to do it and pay for the new machinery that produces millions of nibs per year.

 

Not to mention that rolling the plate after it has been tipped doesn't allow for an even thickness around the iridium.

 

Old Engineers were great, but not efficient. Engineers today create elegant solutions, not just solutions.

Edited December 24, 2015 by Peppers

[ac12]

 

  On 12/24/2015 at 4:10 AM, pollandakuma said:

Nice picture! What size is the Laban nib? I'm think of putting a goulet nib on the esterbrook. Did you have to modify the nib's shape?

 

 

Yes you can replace/swap the nib. I have.

I put a 2-tone Chinese nib into an Esterbrook nib assembly, and it looks good. The Chinese nib matched the curve of the feed perfectly (see problem #1 below).

 

You have 2 problem areas to address when replacing the nib;

 

#1 the curvature of the nib where it goes around the feed.

I am pretty sure that the Goulet nib (a #6) is too large to fit.

I "think" the Esterbrook is a #5 or maybe smaller.

You might be able to tighten the curve of the nib, using a nib block. But you might change the profile of the slit in the tip when you do this from a || slit to a V slit.

 

#2 the width of the nib, and if it will fit inside the cap.

This will either fit or not fit.

Edited December 26, 2015 by ac12

[robert1962]

  On 12/24/2015 at 5:07 AM, Peppers said:

A roll already comes rolled (or sandwiched) at the desired thickness from the gold/steel supplier. Very long sheets.

 

The roll gets pulled through a machine which cuts the nib shape and raises it in one step, and embosses any information needed.

 

Nib gets tipped, then slit cut, then polished.

 

What the picture above does in 7 steps from the blank to the finished nib, a modern manufacturer does in 4.

 

The amount of money, and time saved is significant, very large. Large enough that is pays for itself to research into how to do it and pay for the new machinery that produces millions of nibs per year.

 

Not to mention that rolling the plate after it has been tipped doesn't allow for an even thickness around the iridium.

 

Old Engineers were great, but not efficient. Engineers today create elegant solutions, not just solutions.

 

 

I think that the rolling step might have had a purpose. I could be way off base, but this is a hobby for me, so I don't mind being lazy and wrong, as long as I am entertained. I am also happy to provide an opportunity for all of those who need to be correct to take a swing! Here goes. The nib illustrated is a 9xxx series - the premium Esterbrook nib of its time. I took a look at several 9xxx nibs and while it is not as obvious as it is on some quality gold nibs of the day, the metal is often thicker through the tines, toward the tipping material. I think that the blank, after tipping, may have only been rolled part-way, stopping at a given thickness and a given distance from the tip, based on the style of nib in question. For example, the thickness at the shoulder of a flexible 9128 is thinner than it is on a 9668. In both cases their tines are thicker than their respective bodies. On many older nibs, I see what I view as evidence of grinding the tines to achieve a desired profile, which seems consistent with a standard gauge of metal being re-worked in house.

 

Kind of a true story -

I once asked an engineer if the cup was half empty, or half full. He told me that by his calculations - it was too big.

 

Bob

[gweimer1]

  On 12/24/2015 at 4:10 AM, pollandakuma said:

Nice picture! What size is the Laban nib? I'm think of putting a goulet nib on the esterbrook. Did you have to modify the nib's shape?

^^^a lot of what ac12 said. It's been a while, but I want to say it was the #5 Laban nib size, although I have a no-name #4 gold plated fine in another pen. And while I didn't have to reshape the curve, I think now that I could have benefitted from a little nib block adjustment.

Edited December 26, 2015 by gweimer1

[pollandakuma]

  On 12/26/2015 at 9:38 PM, ac12 said:

  

 

Yes you can replace/swap the nib. I have.

I put a 2-tone Chinese nib into an Esterbrook nib assembly, and it looks good. The Chinese nib matched the curve of the feed perfectly (see problem #1 below).

 

You have 2 problem areas to address when replacing the nib;

 

#1 the curvature of the nib where it goes around the feed.

I am pretty sure that the Goulet nib (a #6) is too large to fit.

I "think" the Esterbrook is a #5 or maybe smaller.

You might be able to tighten the curve of the nib, using a nib block. But you might change the profile of the slit in the tip when you do this from a || slit to a V slit.

 

#2 the width of the nib, and if it will fit inside the cap.

This will either fit or not fit.

Thanks for you advice!