Cleaning / Flushing a vintage Esterbrook LJ

[Medievalist]

This is a restored pen, and a lovely writer.

How do I clean the sack? I've been simply sucking up and ejecting warm water, as if I were filling it with ink.

Is this the best way to flush the ink?

[Jon Szanto]

It isn't the only way, but is certainly the most common one. Of course, any pen with a lever/button fill sac system is a bit laborious, especially if the ink was quite saturated, or if ink dried out inside the sac.

The one thing you *can* do with a vintage Estie, if you like, is to remove the nib and power-flush (with care). The nib unit unscrews, and you can either soak that or run it in an ultrasonic cleaner. Then you have the option of a more active flushing of the sac. I have used a blunt needle syringe for years for both filling pens with ink, and then flushing cartridges and converters with water. by filling a syringe, inserting it and then applying a good deal of pressure (squeezing quickly), you can get the ink flushed out quickly.

I finally realized this year that, hey, they probably make these in a higher capaticy - I've always had a 6 ml syringe. So I hopped on eBay and for a couple of bucks ordered three 20 ml syringes. They make larger ones but I thought they might be too big for one-handed use. It works really well, one big flush and they are clean. It would do a great job with the Estis, as would the smaller ones. Just be careful with even a blunt needle, and maybe not has much pressure with the latex sac.

Hope that helps.

[Medievalist]

That helps a lot. Thanks so much.

[Farmboy]

How clean does it need to be?

[Jon Szanto]

How clean does it need to be?

Giving a serious answer as to my personal use: the water coming out of a pen has to be clear enough that it won't tint the next ink if a different color. I can deel with less-flushed out if re-inking after many uses or using a similar ink (i.e. just making sure to dilute and flush any old ink build-up). I don't use overly-saturated inks, pigment inks, or inks with any particulates (glitter/shimmer) in a sac-filling pen. I don't feel a pen has to be clean enough to administer IV fluids or serve Sunday tea on.

[Medievalist]

How clean does it need to be?

Giving a serious answer as to my personal use: the water coming out of a pen has to be clear enough that it won't tint the next ink if a different color. I can deel with less-flushed out if re-inking after many uses or using a similar ink (i.e. just making sure to dilute and flush any old ink build-up). I don't use overly-saturated inks, pigment inks, or inks with any particulates (glitter/shimmer) in a sac-filling pen. I don't feel a pen has to be clean enough to administer IV fluids or serve Sunday tea on.

I do like to sometimes use a different ink, but I think it's good to rinse the pen even if I'm using the same ink.

[pajaro]

If you fill the pen and then flush it a few times the flushed water should come fairly clear. Some inks might put you to more trouble. I usually don't want to fill and flush in very many cycles, so as not to wear the sac out. Each pen user will have a personal level of fastidiousness. I have gone through different levels myself, and now I rarely use any of these pens. I just like to look at the things now.

[Robalone]

Agree with the same ink in the same pen thing……
And I’m one of those loonies that only puts blue ink in a blue pen , red in a red pen etc.
being in OZ , in summer my pens do dry out when they don’t get used for a few days 🤣 so I flush a bit before refilling , otherwise it ink gets more and more concentrated .

I’ve always wondered if the proprietary 'pen flush' people sell is better that water ?!

[welch]

Agree with the same ink in the same pen thing……
And I’m one of those loonies that only puts blue ink in a blue pen , red in a red pen etc.
being in OZ , in summer my pens do dry out when they don’t get used for a few days 🤣 so I flush a bit before refilling , otherwise it ink gets more and more concentrated .

I’ve always wondered if the proprietary 'pen flush' people sell is better that water ?!

Well, "pen flush" is usually 10% ammonia, so it cleans a little more than plain water. (I usually make my own, since ammonia is cheap and water is free)

[Runnin_Ute]

Water and a bulb syringe. Unscrew nib, flush run nib under water, screw it back in.

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