Vintage Esterbrook Repair Questions

[Carguy]

I have gotten back into collecting vintage Esterbrooks in a more reasonable manner and I have a couple of random repair questions:

 

I bought a pen with my first ever Sunburst 3xxx nib. In my eagerness to remove the nib unit, I managed to break a piece of the feed off. So, is it possible to remove the nib from the screw in feed unit, or am I out of luck?

 

Next pen is one with a loose clip that turns. Does the black clip screw tighten or is there another way to tighten the clip?

 

Any advice/assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Mike

[bsenn]

Yes, you can remove the nib. I'll leave instructions for someone who has done it more often than I.

 

You can tighten the clip, but its a bit of work and has the possibility of damaging something. You need to remove the inner cap, remove the jewel, tighten the clip, and re-install the jewel and inner cap. Practice on a broken cap or one which needs a jewel or clip if possible

 

First, soak and/or ultrasonic the cap to get any ink out from between the inner cap and the cap. The inner cap can then be removed using a rudimentary puller. The puller I use is a 5/16-18 x 3" long bolt with a nut and a washer. To use, move the nut up near the head of the bolt, then put the washer on the bolt. Thread the bolt into the inner cap (the threads bite right into the relatively soft inner cap), finger tight. Move the washer against the lip of the cap, turn the nut against the washer. As you turn the nut further the inner cap starts to pull out, eventually reaching a point where it comes out.

 

Next push the jewel out using a 1/8" punch.

 

 The clip is held to the cap using a tube which is flared on each end to basically rivet the clip to the cap. You have to tighten the flares of that rivet. Put the 5/16" bolt head on a solid surface with the bolt facing up. Place the cap onto the bolt (the bolt will be an anvil). Pound on the top of the rivet using whatever you feel comfortable with (a center punch, a rod, the rounded end of a ball pein hammer) until the rivet pinches the clip tightly.

 

Reinstall the jewel, then the inner cap.

 

This is also the procedure for changing a clip (remove the clip by grinding the flare off the top end of the rivet using a tapered burr).

 

I hope others have suggestions for making this process easier, because it is a pain.

 

Brian 

 

 

[FarmBoy]

First make sure the jewel isn’t one of the threaded jewels. 

[Bristol24]

I removed a nib and feed from the threaded collar using a knockout block but I had threaded the nib assembly into a sac-less section for added support.  A true Estie tech/expert may cringe and have a better way but my thought then and still today is that things were less likely to break if threaded together.

 

Cliff

[Carguy]

11 hours ago, Bristol24 said:

I removed a nib and feed from the threaded collar using a knockout block but I had threaded the nib assembly into a sac-less section for added support.  A true Estie tech/expert may cringe and have a better way but my thought then and still today is that things were less likely to break if threaded together.

 

Cliff

Thank you for this advice which I followed and solved my problem.

[Ron Z]

A true Estie tech/expert may cringe and have a better way but my thought then and still today is that things were less likely to break if threaded together.

 

No, that's the best way to do it.    You can't use just your fingers and a knockout block because the nib is wider than the collar.  You have to hold the collar in place and a scrap section is ideal.

[Bristol24]

19 hours ago, Carguy said:

Thank you for this advice which I followed and solved my problem.

I'm glad to hear it worked out.

 

Cliff

[Bristol24]

18 hours ago, Ron Z said:

 

 

 

No, that's the best way to do it.    You can't use just your fingers and a knockout block because the nib is wider than the collar.  You have to hold the collar in place and a scrap section is ideal.

Thanks for the affirmation.  It was, however, not a scrap section.  It was my only section and I was praying it wouldn't become a scrap section.

 

Cliff

[Estycollector]

I am not sure this was the OP's question, and I am happy he found the information he needed. 

 

I was schooled to hold the nib feed between the index (index) and thumb (feed) stationary and the to turn the body of the pen toward me. This has worked for a couple dozen restorations. 

[Ron Z]

1 hour ago, Bristol24 said:

Thanks for the affirmation.  It was, however, not a scrap section.  It was my only section and I was praying it wouldn't become a scrap section.

 

Cliff

 

Based on experience, that isn't likely.  Esterbrook sections are pretty tough.  Just don't try pulling the section out of the barrel without having a nib installed because the nib supports the shell of the section and helps to prevent crushing.

[Carguy]

2 hours ago, Ron Z said:

 

Based on experience, that isn't likely.  Esterbrook sections are pretty tough.  Just don't try pulling the section out of the barrel without having a nib installed because the nib supports the shell of the section and helps to prevent crushing.

I have learnt this the hard way indeed. My latest lesson which made this post is soak a nib and section before trying to unscrew the nib.

[Ron Z]

Works for the Wahl Eversharp and Pelikan nib units too.

[Hobiwan]

On 11/16/2022 at 5:22 AM, Bristol24 said:

I removed a nib and feed from the threaded collar using a knockout block but I had threaded the nib assembly into a sac-less section for added support.  A true Estie tech/expert may cringe and have a better way but my thought then and still today is that things were less likely to break if threaded together.

 

Cliff

 

+1

If one doesn't have a knockou block, there are two workarounds which I've used successfully:

 

1.  Tube & Washer  Find a tube or somesuch, that'll support the open section containing the target renew point, and has a space inside long enough for the nib/feed to drop out safely. Then find a metal washer that will CLOSELY slip past the nib, and cover or support the inner diameter of the threaded sleeve.  Using a thin metal rod of some kind that fits INSIDE the diameter of the threaded sleeve, gently tap the nib & feed out.  I find that it comes out using very gentle taps.

 

2.  Instead of a washer, find some kind of "circle" template like the one below and use that for the size to knock out.  I've found that either the #7 (top row) or the 5/16 (bottom) work for my Esties.

 

This will also work for other pens, even your Black Giants ... if you're careful.... 

 

And, BTW, don't leave Renew Points soaking too long in the wrong kind of cleaner, which could produce a beautiful nib, housed in disfigured rubber goo, requiring the above labor.  Don't ask how I came by this knowledge .... 

 

 

Best Regards,

Paul