Friday flea market

[gearchow]

Unbelievable. There were razors there that I didn't buy - just left them there, but this pen I did buy. It needs guts. I hear them rattling around inside, sounds like a marimba. I can't get the tip off, I was told to soak it in WD40. Somehow, that doesn't sound right. I don't soak razors in WD40, I don't think I'm going to soak a plastic pen in it. (Bakelite they said, Hardly I thought)

203908

203909

I tried to improve this pic, but, it says Esterbrook/1550/Made in USA

203914

So I need to get at the insides and see what is what. I've never seen a pen bladder.

I'll trade a "how to clean my razor without boiling it" for a "how to take apart my flea market pen without breaking it"

-jim

[getsome]

I saw the same pen at the antique malls I hit up this week. I passed on them because they didn't seem like a good deal, given that the clips were broken off, and nibs badly damaged. Yours looks to be in good shape, though! Nice fine, methinks. How much did that set you back, if I may ask. I think I passed up the busted up one at $12.

FWIW - I soaked a couple pens in mildly soapy hot water, and the dried up old bladders cracked apart and all fell out with the aid of a carefully rolled up paper towel, and a pipecleaner.

Good luck with the rehab on the pen. I'll be curious how it goes because I'd like to try my hand at restoring a couple that need new ink sacks, too.

~B

[gearchow]

The guy was firm for $7. I was hoping he might give me a break because I also bought 7 bakelite dresser handles from him for $10.

Thanks for the advice, I'll give the soaking a go after work.

-jim

[andrew98]

:lol: $7? That's brilliant! It's my understanding that that's a fairly rare Estie. I had one in the copper color. I think they certainly look unique compared to most Esterbrooks. The flat end with no jewel and the clip with the holes in it does if for me. Nice find for a good price!

There should just be glue holding the black part (grip) in place. I've had some Esties glued in very tightly and others that were loose when I got them. Don't soak the nib and feed (plastic bit under the nib) in warm or hot water. You can distort the feed with hot water. Remove the nib/feed by grasping the nib and feed where it meets the grip (index finger on nib and thumb on feed), being careful not to grab and bend the tines. Then just unscrew the nib/feed assembly to remove it. Bits of old ink sack will probably fall out after you remove the nib/feed. You can then soak the pen in warm water. I'd then try to twist the grip out of the pen body with one of those rubber gripper things you use to open jam jars. The grip is just pressed into the pen body.

Enjoy it!

-Andy

[andrew98]

You may find this link helpful if you get into trying different Esterbrook nibs.

http://www.snyderfamily.com/current/estienibs.htm

You can often find NOS Esterbrook nibs on ebay and elsewhere for reasonable prices. The more rare flexible ones tend to cost more. My advice is to try a bunch of nibs once you get that green pen working. Replacing the sack on that Estie won't be too difficult, and the pen should serve you well.

-Andy

[gearchow]

:lol: $7? That's brilliant! It's my understanding that that's a fairly rare Estie. I had one in the copper color. I think they certainly look unique compared to most Esterbrooks. The flat end with no jewel and the clip with the holes in it does if for me. Nice find for a good price!

There should just be glue holding the black part (grip) in place. I've had some Esties glued in very tightly and others that were loose when I got them. Don't soak the nib and feed (plastic bit under the nib) in warm or hot water. You can distort the feed with hot water. Remove the nib/feed by grasping the nib and feed where it meets the grip (index finger on nib and thumb on feed), being careful not to grab and bend the tines. Then just unscrew the nib/feed assembly to remove it. Bits of old ink sack will probably fall out after you remove the nib/feed. You can then soak the pen in warm water. I'd then try to twist the grip out of the pen body with one of those rubber gripper things you use to open jam jars. The grip is just pressed into the pen body.

Enjoy it!

-Andy

got the nib/feed out and just as you knew:

203917

I'll try soaking just the body tonight and then hope for a easy release.

Super info!

-jim

[strop]

I doubt if soaking the body in water will allow you to get the section (that's the black part) off, and you will get water on the pressure bar which could contribute to it rusting over time. You should screw the nib unit back onto the section to stabilize it, but be careful not to ben the nib as you remove the section. Sounds harder than it is. Richard Binder's site has great instructions, and you can get replacement parts as well. He recomends a heat gun, but I've just used a hair dryer. I heat the section and end of the barrel to the popint that I can just barely hold them with bare skin. Like a baby bottle, if you can do bare skin, it won't burn the baby or melt the pen. GENTLY try to twist,barely wiggle the body and section. If you're too aggressive it will break. Eventually it will come apart. I had one that I must have heated 2 dozen times before it finally came loose. Patience is the key. When you strt to think twist more and wiglle more, put the pen down and come back later. I've not broken one yet, and never had one that I couldn't eventually get apart.

Good luck. You now officially have VFPAD (Vintage FP AD)!

Mark

[nemo]

Nice looking Dollar pen! Quite a bargain at only $7 too. All the sound advice above is correct, especially the bit about patience. Hopefully the section wasn't shellaced in and you will work it loose before long. Soaking won't hurt it if you let it dry afterwards.

Look for a #16 sac.

[gearchow]

I didn't need to heat it or soak it, just used a "sticky" rubber jar pad and gently, but firmly twisted it. Just knowing that it wasn't threaded in was a huge piece of beta.

203949

All righty, I found this web site, I just need to order some supplies - a #16 straight sac, maybe something else or two. Any suggestions?

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/repair/sac_replacement.htm

As far as the shellac goes, I got some in the shop that dries, will that do? It is older then 6 months though. I should probably just get some flakes. Been meaning too.

I love being on the newbie end of things!

-jim

[nemo]

Liquid shellac is fine, most people I know don't use the flakes. Zinsser in a small can is what I use (amber), mine is a few years old and works just fine. You'll just need to scrape off the remains from the sac nipple with a dull knife and you're good to go.

Have fun! If you want a sac, PM me with your address and I'll mail one out tomorrow.

[Hex]

This is a good site that talks about your Esterbrook.
Nice find by the way.

http://www.esterbrook.net/v.shtml

[airmech]

Who has the B&B Repair Kit? Please PM GEARCHOW for his address to send it to him. It should have everything you need to replace your sac.

Tom

[gearchow]

Liquid shellac is fine, most people I know don't use the flakes. Zinsser in a small can is what I use (amber), mine is a few years old and works just fine. You'll just need to scrape off the remains from the sac nipple with a dull knife and you're good to go.

Have fun! If you want a sac, PM me with your address and I'll mail one out tomorrow.

PM sent and thanks!

-jim

[Raatt]

I have the repair kit and will PM you for your address...my order of sacs has not arrived so I am unable to send you a #16, but there is a #15 with the kit. There is shellac and cleaning pads as well.

[joshmpdx]

Great score, Jim!

[IPD Mr.]

Excellent buy. We have had several of the Esties and have done all of the restoration on each. IF you have (or have access to) an ultrasonic cleaner it will help tremendously. While I might not buy one for just one pen, if you decide you want to be able to do your own work then it's a great investment.

That being said - DO NOT LEAVE the Estie in HOT water for any extended period of time. It will discolor the material and you will have a heck of a buffing job on your hands (yup the voice of experience - thankfully though we were able to fix the oops on that one.)

Since you have already gotten past the hard part - a few things to be aware of.....

Number 16 Sacs - available at many many places, in my opinion, should be the good Latex sacs that are available. You will want some sac talc to keep the sac from sticking to the walls of the pen, small tray (if there is one in any given Estie) and metal bar. If the J-Bar in the pen is already bad - these can also be purchased at a low rate and are VERY easy to replace. As others have said - you can get Estie nibs pretty good prices and it's a good idea to try several out. We have gotten several pens that people seemed to have done their own "adjustments" too and have found them hacked so badly as to take a "firm fine" to an oblique by cutting it off and/or filing it off - was hard to tell.

These are great pens to learn on. You'll want something to clean it up most likely and there are a few good products for that as well. Sac Shellac - goes a long way and seems to last forever so if mixing your own make just a little bit (or get a small bottle with a brush and put the spare into that.) One note on using sac shellac - practice putting your sacs on a couple of times so you can do quickly and it won't dry on you while trying to work it up into place!

That is a great little pen - can't wait to see it when you have finished it all up.

Mike

[gearchow]

I have the repair kit and will PM you for your address...my order of sacs has not arrived so I am unable to send you a #16, but there is a #15 with the kit. There is shellac and cleaning pads as well.

Thank you for the offer, but I've already taken Doug's (nemo) offer for one. He lives just down the coast from me too. Thanks again, very kind of you!

-jim

[Hex]

Have any of you folks replaced the lever that compresses the ink sac ? I might have to do that and try as I might, I cannot find anything showing how it's done. I took apart an older lever looking to see if I could salvage the J-bar and I also got the lever out. There were 2 very thin wires that seemed to come out with it and I was wondering how to put it back together. The lever seems to have a slot that rides along a track on the J-bar. I was hoping to get the correct instructions before I attempt it.

[The Nid Hog]

You guys have motived me. I saw a gunked-up Esterbrook at the store the other day, but I passed it up. Maybe I'll pick it up today and see if I can make my way to the deep end of the pool.

Update:

I stopped back this afternoon and the owner jacked up the price from $10 to $25 bucks after I looked at it. Must figure that there's interest now. She wasn't in, so I'm going to stop back in a couple of weeks (I'll be away for a while) and see if I can talk her back down to $10.

[gearchow]

Thanks again to everybody that helped me out - and a big shout out to Doug (nemo) who sent me a sac and Raat who also offered. Somehow, I got 3 pens now - 2 vintage and one new. Not sure how that happens. :wink:

205326

My Parker 45 is a lot smoother and lays down a bit more ink then the Esterbrook - a little wider line that is.

Oh, I just looked up the nib model - 1550 and here is why it feels like it does:

Firm Extra Fine Accounting and Bookeeping

Next job is finding a medium nib for my new Esty!

-jim