Esterbrook Nib Size Comparison

[@Doodlebud]

Great stuff! This definitely helps when it comes to the most stressful part when ordering a pen.... NIB SIZE! This will be a useful reference 👍

[@debhan]

I usually buy medium nibs, but the journaler nib on my Estie is one of my favorites I own, highly recommended for those looking for a bit of line variation while still being practical for everyday writing. I have the Nouveau Bleu acrylic with palladium trim, great looking pen!

[@Ken-wz9vy]

Tom, you've got great handwriting. Watching you write with the various nibs makes me want to expand my horizon and learn to write each of the nibs you demionstrated.

[@journalwithjas]

What a great video! This is exactly what I was hoping to learn when thinking about which Esterbrook nib to go for.

[@GoldspotPens]

Glad it helped. Which nib size did you opt for?

[@oldladywithacamera]

Overwhelming. Lots of information. Thanks, Tom.

[@larrypenner83]

This was, indeed, quite helpful. Thanks

[@eileengoldenberg270]

Great video and info!

[@bharatc.sampat6406]

Excellent

[@blschipper3594]

Would be nice to be able to look at those sheets with the writing samples and comparisons. Are they on the goldspot website?

[@GoldspotPens]

I got you - goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/esterbrook-fountain-pen-nib-size-comparison

[@blschipper3594]

@@GoldspotPens Thanks!

[@paulmchugh1430]

I like the idea of the nib being able to do reverse writing. Would the fine nib in reverse would provide an extra fine or more like a needlepoint line?

[@GoldspotPens]

Reverse writing with a fine point is comparable in line width to the extra-fine.

[@paulmchugh1430]

@@GoldspotPens thank you for your reply

[@CreatingCuteArt]

So helpful, thank you!

[@ghostwhowalks5623]

Thanks for the detail...is it possible to see that full writing sample somewhere?

[@GoldspotPens]

I got you - goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/esterbrook-fountain-pen-nib-size-comparison

[@jacqulynet]

Thank you

[@munozrick]

Thanks for the info. Are there any gold nib (14K+) options of some of theses sizes going to be available at some point? Also, nice lumberjack look. (Queue the Monty Python song...)

[@GoldspotPens]

Esterbrook does have the Estie Accutron fountain pen with a medium 18kt gold nib. That was a special edition collaboration with the Accutron brand. I believe they will stick with stainless steel unless there was some limited edition.

[@SunshineFL]

Beautiful pens

[@antoniomonteiro1203]

I wonder why they don't produce standard nibs with a stub shape but in range of 0.6 to 0.9 mm, for instance...

[@SunshineFL]

Awesome

[@stevehuffman7453]

Do the new nibs fit the older (1940's - early/mid 1950's) pens?

[@GoldspotPens]

The new nibs cannot be retrofitted on the older pens. However, thanks to the MV nib adapter, it is possible to use the vintage nibs on the newer Estie.

[@paulherman5822]

200 nib options for their fountain pens? I've only ever heard of 33 actually for the older fountain pens. 200 sounds like the dip pens were included in the list...

[@garyn7067]

My old Esterbrook nib list shows 51 nibs. More than your 33, but WAY short of the 200 he said. So I am inclined to agree with you, that he is also counting dip pen nib. Or just exaggerating. I just found another list with 68 nibs. Still WAY short of 200.

[@paulherman5822]

@@garyn7067 Odd that he says that they're for the fountain pens. He could have easily done better homework... Based my information from Brian Anderson. Could your list also include the Dip-Less nibs?

[@garyn7067]

@@paulherman5822 My list is just Re-New Point nibs. Even if you add Dip-Less nibs, I doubt you can get from 68 to 200. There are a few hard to find/rare nibs in my list, which are probably not on Brian Anderson's list. I would like to see that list of 200 old-Esterbrook "fountain pen" nibs.

[@paulherman5822]

@@garyn7067 I'd like to see your list. Of course, this means that I have more to hunt for... 🤣 Maybe he did the eBay seller thing and just is calling every nib ever made for any type of Esterbrook a "fountain pen nib," in spite of the dip ones being the original "pens," and not nibs.

[@garyn7067]

@@paulherman5822 Let's see if I can do a paste 1314 Flexible Stub Social use and manuscript writing 1461 Rigid Fine* Manifolding, carbon copies 1550 Firm Extra Fine Accounting and Bookeeping 1551 Firm Medium General school and clerical use, student 1554 Firm Fine Shorthand and penmanship, clerical 1555 Firm Fine Oficially approved for Gregg Shorthand 1556 ?? 2048 Flexible Extra Fine Falcon For clerical and office use , shaded writing 2128 ?? 2284 Broad Stub Bold signatures 2312 Italic Medium 2314F Relief Fine Stub Fine stub 2314M Relief Medium Stub Medium stub 2314B Relief Broad Stub Broad stub 2442 Falcon Stub Firm smooth, popular with executives 2450 ?? 2460 Firm Fine Reord keeping 2461 ?? 2464 Rigid Broad Multicopy manifold 2550 Firm Extra Fine Bookeeping 2555 ?? 2556 Firm Fine Accounting, penmanship and fine writing 2668 Firm Medium General writing 2788 Flexible Medium General writing 2968 Firm Broad General, broad writing FINE Firm Fine General writing - like 2556 MEDIUM Firm Medium General writing - like 2668 BROAD Firm Broad General writing - like 2968 3312 Relief Medium Italic Gold Plated 3314 Relief Medium Stub Gold Plated 3550 Firm Extra Fine 3556 Firm Fine 3668 Firm Medium 3968 Firm Broad 5284 Broad Stub Signatures 5442 Falcon Stub Firm Stub 5460 Firm Fine Record Keeping 5461 Rigid Medium Manifolding 5550 Firm Extra Fine Bookeeping 5554 Firm Fine Secretarial Work 5556 Firm Fine Accounting, Fine Writing 5668 Firm Medium General Writing 5788 Flexible Medium General Writing 5968 Firm Broad General Writing 6668 Firm Medium Triumph Style - Prototype General Writing 7550 Firm Extra Fine Fine Manifold 7556 Firm Fine General writing 7668 Firm Medium General writing 7968 Firm Broad Broad writing 8440 Superfine Cartographic Mapmaking 8461 Firm Rigid Fine 8550 Firm Extra Fine 8556 Firm Fine 8668 Firm Medium 8968 Firm Boad 9048 Extra Flexible Fine Shaded writing 9128 Extra Flexible Extra Fine 9284 Broad Stub Signature stub 9312 Italic Medium 9314F Relief Fine Stub Fine stub 9314M Relief Medium Stub Medium stub 9314B Relief Broad Stub Broad stub 9450 Firm Extra Fine Posting 9460 Manifold Medium Carbon copies 9461 Manifold Fine Carbon copies 9550 Firm Extra Fine 9555 Firm Extra Fine Gregg shorthand 9556 Firm Fine Fine writing 9668 Firm Medium General writing 9788 Extra Flexible Medium Shaded writing 9968 Firm Broad Broad writing Most nibs that you find will be 1xxx, 2xxx or 9xxx nibs.

[@TheNightowl001]

Are the nibs available individually? Could I swap a needlepoint nib into any model of Esterbrook pen?

[@garyn7067]

While you might be able to buy the nibs, installing them yourself is a different matter. The old Esterbrook Renew-points were designed to be user swapped. You just unscrew the nib assembly from the section. As long as you do not have dried ink cementing the nib assembly into the section. So don't let your pen dry out. Actually I think it was done when you buy the pen. The dealer has pens without nibs, then you select the nib you want, and the dealer puts that nib into the pen. That way the dealer does not have to stock dozens of different pens, just for the different nibs. Most fountain pens nibs are NOT designed to be user swapped. There are exceptions; Osmiroid, Pelikan, Lamy, etc.

[@GoldspotPens]

The specialty grind nibs shown on this video (like the Kirk Speer Needlepoint) are not sold separately. It is possible to swap out the nib by unscrewing the nib unit from the front section.

[@garyn7067]

@@GoldspotPens So the current Esterbrooks have a removeable nib unit, but with a different dimension/thread than the old-Esterbrook Renew-Point nibs?

[@GoldspotPens]

Correct. The current Esterbrook fountain pens have a Jowo screw-in nib unit. The only way to use the old Renew-Point nibs on the new Esterbrook pens is to obtain the MV adapter section mentioned in the video.

[@RobertWilliamssoonerpa]

Architect???