safest way of removing an overtightened Esterbrook nib unit (renew point)?

June 10, 2021

I somehow managed to overtighten an Esterbrook nib unit into the section. I've tried hot water to warm the area, but it seem stuck fast and I'm hesitant to apply too much force. Any other things I might try?

June 10, 2021

A quick trip in an ultrasonic?

It’s loosened things up for me in other pens

June 10, 2021

Did you also have ice water?

About a minute in a bowl of very hot water (below boiling), and then a minute in ice water (with ice). Test to see if it's loosened.

If it doesn't do it the first time, repeat.

This method helped me out a number of times.

Good luck.

June 10, 2021

@IThinkIHaveAProblemInteresting - I hadn't thought of this. But I also don't have an ultrasonic cleaner. Maybe I should get one at some point.

@evan-housemanAh, no, I didn't do that. I'll try tomorrow!

I was trying to adjust the nib a bit because I wasn't getting any ink flow. I realised that the feed wasn't sitting close enough. I thought perhaps the nib was pulled out a bit and needed to be pushed slightly in and somehow managed to overtighten the whole thing while doing so. About that time I realised that what it really was needing was heat setting. But I had wanted to do that with just the nib unit so I wouldn't further discolour the section. But I couldn't get it to come out, so I tried hot water several times to see if that would help. It didn't (so far).

But ironically while doing so I did manage to 'accidentally' heat-set the feed while do so. So, at least it works now (but it's currently stuck in this particular pen).

June 10, 2021

18 hours ago, evan-houseman said:

Did you also have ice water?

About a minute in a bowl of very hot water (below boiling), and then a minute in ice water (with ice). Test to see if it's loosened.

If it doesn't do it the first time, repeat.

This method helped me out a number of times.

Hurrah! Success!

I had to do the Finnish sauna thing (i.e. alternating very hot water and ice water baths) about 10-15 times, gently trying to unscrew/screw (that is, turning it anti-clockwise and clockwise) the nib unit back and forth in-between, and I was just at the point of thinking "oh no! this isn't going to work either!" when it came loose.