Esterbrook problem

[Empty_of_Clouds]

I have a few Osmiroid italic nibs that I like using for calligraphic projects, but I don't have a pen for them. So I thought to get an Esterbrook as I've heard that will take the nib units. Anyway, I saw a black dollar pen (I think) with a low start, chucked a bid on and forgot about it. Turns out I won the auction (for $12) but then noticed that the section threads of the barrel had a huge split. I don't recall seeing this in the original listing, but as it was cheap I am not going to contest it.

Is there any way I can get another barrel for this? Oh the nib is all bent down like a PO nib, though I was going to remove it anyway.

This is the sorry little pen.

https://i.imgur.com/11aZcyzl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/yqsIVFcl.jpg


If I can get another barrel I will also need a rubber bladder thingy for it too.

Any help would be really appreciated.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

No one?

[carlos.q]

I have no idea where to buy extra Esterbrook barrels. :noidea:

[azkid]

Is it an LJ, SJ or J? I have a parts pen or two with good barrels.

Unfortunately the same happened to me with a couple estie Js.

Supposedly it is possible to use a solvent to weld back together.

[Chrissy]

I think the welding solvent is called MEK

[Empty_of_Clouds]

As far as I can tell it is a "Dollar" pen. How much that differs from other models I do not know.

[azkid]

Rats I should have looked at pics. I only have the J series pens :(

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Okay. I am a bit surprised that a barrel is so difficult to source as I thought this was a fairly common old pen. Still, it's only a $12 mistake this time! So there is that. :)

[Sagebrush64]

I think the welding solvent is called MEK

Methyl Ethyl Ketone otherwise known as MEK is an effective and very strong solvent that is frequently used for such repairs. Make sure the 2 edges of the crack touch and that there is not any missing chunks of plastic otherwise it will not work. Just a very small amount is needed for an effective weld. Use a very small bush and load it up with MEK and "touch it to the open end of the crack. Capillary action will get the MEK down into the rest of the crack. Be sure not to use too much as it will melt and distort anything it touches. After you are satisfied that the solvent is where it needs to be, I like to use a band clamp but a small piece of tape wrapped around the threaded area to keep the crack together under pressure works too. Let it cure for an hour or so and voila....
On a side note. MEK is VERY toxic.....I work with it daily and the utmost care must be taken with fumes and contact....work in a well ventilated space and wear nitrile gloves if you have them.
Good luck on your repair if that is the route you decide to take....$12 for a Esterbrook Dollar pen is a decent deal.
James

[Empty_of_Clouds]

The crack seems too wide to easily bring the edges together.

No matter, at this price (minus the irritation of having to deal with a less than courteous ebay seller) the parts can be binned.

[Farmboy]

The pen is a bandless dollar pen. There are two sizes. I sold the bag of Esterbrook parts pens last weekend. Don’t recall if there was a match in it. If I see the buyer at a club meeting I can ask.

Not the most common Esterbrook out there.

[pajaro]

The search for a needed part has sometimes been the most fun I have had in pen collecting. Keep looking. I have had a little fun with Esterbrook searches, and more fun looking for Parker 51 parts. Then, when I had the pen in question fixed, came the letdown. Que sera, sera.

All those Titan IIs are gone, and the site I pulled ops alerts at is a museum.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Heh, yes, I guess it would be if you live in a country where parts can be found. Nothing like that here, only the cesspool that is the Bay of E.

[amk]

I think your best bet is to look for repair pens with smashed caps or sections, and no nib, rather than try to find just the replacement barrel!

[pajaro]

I think your best bet is to look for repair pens with smashed caps or sections, and no nib, rather than try to find just the replacement barrel!

This is the best strategy. The parts pen might sell at low cost, but the part will have a high asking price.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

I don't recall seeing such things, but then again I don't usually search for broken pens. Finding the right search terms may be an interesting challenge!

[Woody]

I don't recall seeing such things, but then again I don't usually search for broken pens. Finding the right search terms may be an interesting challenge!
Head over to FBN. There's a guy in the Esterbrook sub forum that will be able to help you out. Those barrels are kicking around. I've got a SJ but that's not going to help you.
-Bill

[Empty_of_Clouds]

FBN?

Perhaps you mean FPN. If so, I am not "officially" a member there, so I cannot engage with other members without revealing any other identities.

[Farmboy]

Believe you speak of Gary W

[Lady Onogaro]

Try Gary W on Etsy under MidnightPens.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Sorry, I don't understand the suggestion. I am not looking to buy a whole Esterbrook - and that's all MidnightPens is showing on Esty. Aside from this they do not ship here, according to their listings. :noidea:

[catbert]

Sorry, I don't understand the suggestion. I am not looking to buy a whole Esterbrook - and that's all MidnightPens is showing on Esty. Aside from this they do not ship here, according to their listings. :noidea:

Probably worth contacting him. A restorer/reseller must have parts.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Sorry, I don't understand the suggestion. I am not looking to buy a whole Esterbrook - and that's all MidnightPens is showing on Esty. Aside from this they do not ship here, according to their listings. :noidea:

Probably worth contacting him. A restorer/reseller must have parts.

Emphasis added.

[catbert]

Yup, saw that. Yet I vaguely recall a thread in the other place where he offered to supply a part to someone outside the States. I could be completely wrong. Worth asking if you deem this a problem worthy of solution rather than just a generator of online content. :)

Incidentally another reason to have a wish list for that pen show you're going to be at anyway. (So you can rummage in some seller's parts bin or whatever.)

[Lady Onogaro]

David,

I'm suggesting that you contact him because he might have parts. Even if he doesn't ship his pens to foreign parts, he might ship a single part outside of Etsy.

There was another guy in Ohio I bought my esterbrooks from who might have parts. His name is Charles Krantz. His email is ckrantz3@msn.com. I haven't seen his posts here on FPG for a while, though.

Just trying to help. Feel free to ignore any suggestion of mine that doesn't work for you.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

I take your advisement under advisement. As always. :) On reflection it's probably not worth bothering with when other whole Esties can be had for about $30 anyway. There's nothing special about the bits that are sitting in my bin right now.

[Farmboy]

I take your advisement under advisement. As always. :) On reflection it's probably not worth bothering with when other whole Esties can be had for about $30 anyway. There's nothing special about the bits that are sitting in my bin right now.
The cap is special as Esterbrook go. Bandless caps were only made for a short time.

[Voiren]

Etsy tends to be rather bad at combined international shipping calculations, so some sellers at least don't accept international automatically but do if they are contacted. (And other ones just say no).

[Empty_of_Clouds]

I have just been offered a restored bandless Esterbrook dollar pen in blue (excellent condition apparently) for $75 plus shipping. Unfortunately I have no idea if that price is exorbitant or fair. Advice?

[Farmboy]

I have just been offered a restored bandless Esterbrook dollar pen in blue (excellent condition apparently) for $75 plus shipping. Unfortunately I have no idea if that price is exorbitant or fair. Advice?

Esterbrooks seem to be rising in price but it is more than I would pay unless there was an unusual nib in it.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Okay, cool. It has a very mundane nib in it, so I shall give it a pass. Nice looking pen though.

[Farmboy]

Okay, cool. It has a very mundane nib in it, so I shall give it a pass. Nice looking pen though.

I find the bandless pens are among my favorites. Well worth finding and having at least one or two but not at a great premium.

In Chicago restored Esterbrooks were being sold with a nib in the 40-55 range as a guide. Color and size was a pricing factor. Pastels were running higher but I find them less appealing.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

That's okay. I rather liked the one I saw, but not so much I want to spend that much on it. One may turn up at a more reasonable price on the Bay one day I guess.

[Jordan Weiss]

If you tell me the size of the pen (full length and girthy like a j; full length and slender like an lj, or short like an sj) I can check my parts to see if I have one.

Jordan

[Empty_of_Clouds]

It was Dollar pen, as far as I could tell. I had no way to accurately measure the parts, and I am not sure I could even find them now (they may well have gone in the trash some time ago).

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Okay, cool. It has a very mundane nib in it, so I shall give it a pass. Nice looking pen though.

I find the bandless pens are among my favorites. Well worth finding and having at least one or two but not at a great premium.

In Chicago restored Esterbrooks were being sold with a nib in the 40-55 range as a guide. Color and size was a pricing factor. Pastels were running higher but I find them less appealing.


Easy to say when you have multiple resources at your disposal, somewhat less easy when there is only eBay.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Addendum.

Found the cap in my ink drawer (not sure how it got in there), the rest of the pen is gone.

Anyone want an Estie cap? It's not worth anything to me.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Wow!

Couldn't even give it away.