Review of Esterbrook Fountain Pens, forgotten American Pen Maker

[@aredfalcon8546]

What a Amazing review FULL of history.. It was so wonderful seeing all your esterbrooks and I hope every one fines the pure pleasure of not only writing with these pens but just fooling around with them !! I've had many multi 100 dollar pens and have found the the esterbrooks have sometimes out preformed them ten fold ! They are a wonderful tool to draw with and a wonderful tool for writing .. And a rich history to boot as your showed ! Those adds are amazing and show all those amazing options ... Thanks so much for taking the time and the shout out it meant a ton to me and my family !!

[@chrisrap52]

+A Red Falcon Thanks. I did this for you.

[@ahikernamedgq]

The irony of Esterbrook pens: they made them with inexpensive materials that are resilient, and, as a result, even though they're vintage, they look fresh and sometimes like new pens. Fantastic value for vintage pens. Great stuff.

[@chrisrap52]

Great point! Maybe some pen maker will start making similar pens. At an affordable price.

[@sajjadhusain4146]

Esterbrook pens are my undying favorite American fountain pens. I love my Edisons and Conklins, too. This J series is an alluring, outright classic. I have four of these terrific colors. I badly want to get the other two. I bought them each for $42. So many superb nib options, too. I’m fond of the lever filling system, despite the somewhat scanty ink capacity. I don’t mind because I can always refill them regularly whenever I want. Anybody looking for elegant, dependable, every day carry vintage pens at a sane price, really needs look no further than this Esterbrook series of all-American beauties. I also have a pair of the transition models. This pen will always be my lifelong sweetheart. Thanks, Chris, for this very fine review of such splendid old pens.

[@chrisrap52]

I agree. These are timeless iconic pens, functional & beautiful.

[@joshuanorris5860]

I just ordered a green SJ :)) My first esterbrook! Actually it is my first used pen too.

[@monterrey1952MEDICINA]

Great video, I am a colector of Esterbrook pens since I was a little boy, back in 1958 because in my school they sell all kind of Esterbrook pens for less than 1 us dollar, and in 1978 a bookstore close and they have a final sale, and I find a bunch of Esterbrook fountain pens and nibs in boxes and I buy all for a bargain, now I keep all my pens in mint condition and use every single day, I subscribe to your channel, best regards from Mexico. Luis

[@chrisrap52]

Great. Glad to hear from another Estie user.

[@loveisall5520]

I've been a fountain pen lover since I was a child in the sixties. Fell in love with the Esterbrook J pens in the eighties, have a dozen or so now. I've spent a lot more money on modern fp's and also vintage Sheaffers. But--none are more comfortable or ergonomic, and definitely none more durable. I love the interchangeable nib units, but I also have a lot of the Esterbrook dip 'nibs' and also by Venus. Just great, great pens, and the new ones are like a bad joke.

[@chrisrap52]

Agreed.

[@penkino1]

Great video and great collection. Im sure there will be more Esterbrook collectors now :-)

[@chrisrap52]

+Grandmia Pens Thanks for watching & commenting.

[@DwightJurling]

Perfect motivation to get an Esterbrook back into my rotation. Thank you.

[@chrisrap52]

+Dwight Jurling Thank you for watching. Glad you got motivated, they are great pens.

[@kentuckylady2990]

I loved these . I had to sell my collection but I am now ready to begin anew and I am beginning with the Esterbrook and the amazing nibs.

[@chrisrap52]

+Kentucky 1950 Glad to have inspired you. Good hunting.

[@neilpiper9889]

I have a beautiful red Esterbrook LJ fountain pen which says Made in England on the barrel 5:08 which I picked up from a vintage market stall for £7. I fitted a new sac for £10. I love it

[@chrisrap52]

Amazing pens!!

[@Jeff_290]

Great video! I was just given my first Esterbrook model J from a friend at work. It has a 9556 nib. The sac is brittle and needs to be removed from the body. This will be my first pen restore. I'm looking forward to getting it writing. It is in good shape otherwise. Hopefully there are some videos on the sac replacement. Thanks for the video.

[@chrisrap52]

I did some restoration videos on replacing a sac. Grandmia also has some excellent restoration videos. Good luck.

[@Jeff_290]

chrisrap52 Thanks! I'll take a look at them.

[@kpurpose1078]

Great review Chris! I've enjoyed all of your restoration videos I have been able to find or catch. You inspired me to purchase several pens specifically for restoration purposes. Keep on doing what you do!

[@chrisrap52]

Thanks. Glad you enjoy them. I enjoy making them.

[@helenbugsynelson]

My mom gave me a handful of pens from my brother's belongings. He passed away two years ago. One of the pens was a brown Esterbrook. The nib tip was bent back, and sadly it came off when I was cleaning it. It had clearly fallen off someone's desk, My brother wasn't into fountain pens so it's a mystery where he got it. The bag inside looked powdery and dry, but when I cleaned it it looks black and feels soft and flexible, but I haven't tested it to see if it's cracked. It's a nice looking pen, so hopefully I will be able to get a new nib for it and possible a new sack as well, just in case. The engraving on it is really faded, but it has the trademark symbol after the name Esterbrook and with shining a light on it I was able to make our that it says Made in USA under the name. hoperfully I can get it writing again.

[@chrisrap52]

What number is on nib? Send me an email - [e-mail].

[@paulherman5822]

My first fountain pen that I actually liked was a grey Esterbrook J. Barn find when I was in high school in the early 1980s. 😁 As I've gotten back into fountain pens, they've become a major focus for me right now because of this. Plus, I can get them within my limited fixed income budget, and I have yet to find one that still doesn't write well. I currently have a version of each of the double jewel ones, and at least one in each colour, and have an H sitting in the post office waiting to get picked up. Thanks for sharing this video!

[@chrisrap52]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching. Hope you have great Holidays & a joyous New Year.

[@michelewhite1956]

I just bought a nice desk drawer of "grandpa's junk" one is an Esterbrook J series. I probably won't be able to find out more details on it until it arrives. Thank you so much for the info

[@chrisrap52]

Great buy. Let me know if you have any questions.

[@michelewhite1956]

@@chrisrap52 Thank you! oh the other was given the ID of a Sheaffer Tuckaway. I have been pouring over blogs and videos on repairing a piston filler. And I just snagged a #2048 and two #1550 nibs in a lot for $30.

[@chrisrap52]

Your on a roll. Restoration will be interesting. Writing even more so.

[@michelewhite1956]

@@chrisrap52 do you have a 1550 nib? If not, I'd love to send this extra one to you.

[@chrisrap52]

Thanks. I am not sure. Send me a photo [e-mail].

[@lizpilgrim1]

Recently bought 3 vintage Esterbrook J double jewel pens.

[@chrisrap52]

Great vintage pens. Enjoy.

[@howdydave45421]

My first Esterbrook was an SJ and I VERY quickly became an Old Esterbrook Fan. All of mine are fully restored (well... "restored" anyway) and the most expensive one was $60 for a "Demi" Black Esterbrook Dollar Fountain Pen. My latest is a Transitional J that has a patina on the hardware due to the fact that they used a palladium plating for all the trim rather than stainless steel as part of the war effort in the 1940s.

[@chrisrap52]

Excellent. These are well-made workhorse pens that look nice and withstand the test of time. DIdn't know about the plating.

[@tbayless8324]

Chris, Thanks for this video, I just acquired my first Esterbrook J. I am not real sure what version I have it is slender and small. I changed out the 9550 it came with and bought a 9968 for it. I don't care for real fine writing. I know this video is old. Sorry I am a little late to the pen World. I was following along with the list of nibs you were mentioning.

[@chrisrap52]

There are 33 Esterbrook nibs & others like Venus & Osmiroid that screw in. These pens seem to last forever. Glad you enjoy yours.

[@tbayless8324]

@@chrisrap52 and thanks, you are a wealth of information!

[@Takasnooze]

Thanks for this video! just beginning my Esterbrook journey.

[@chrisrap52]

May you have pleasant travels.

[@paxdomini9714]

I love the esterbrook dip less pen. It's not a fountain pen (it's a dip one) but it has a feed it's cool

[@chrisrap52]

I use one for my ink tests.

[@ronaldchapman2806]

I love your collection, which covers all the colour inks I use, except for purple. What with the inevitable risks and costs of restoration, I'm not sure that I could afford a full set but you've started me thinking.

[@chrisrap52]

I suggest purchasing restored pens. Restoration costs can vary a bit, then there are shipping costs. I'd say an average restoration would be about $50 total.

[@ronaldchapman2806]

@@chrisrap52 Thanks for the reply and I'll certainly give it some consideration. I salute you for your invaluable contribution to the pen community.

[@chrisrap52]

Thanks. I may have some Esterbrooks that need a new home. Send me an email if interested. [e-mail]

[@3528-g9i]

Gracias, gracias, gracias. Excelente vídeo.

[@bbrachman]

Just bought 3 of these J Series pens. Someone did a great job keeping them in good repair or restoring them. I will have to replace the sac on the LJ model. The barrel was empty but the section was perfectly clean. I am going to try your white glue method of sealing the sac. The nibs on these are like new. I am amazed that they are at least 50 years old. Maybe more. Thank you Chris for showing me how historic these are.

[@chrisrap52]

Thanks for the compliment. The Esterbrooks stand the test of time very well.

[@chrisrap52]

Not something I have done. Lefties do have a challenge with fountain pens. Hope the Watermans works for you.

[@bbrachman]

So far, I have no trouble writing with the LJ pen with my left hand. I do prefer a slightly thicker fountain pen. Somewhere (modern comparison) between a Pilot Metropolitan and a TWSBI Eco. Haven't really written with the J Series pen. The nibs are a bit scratchy and I cannot seem to find the 3 grit nail file you use. I have 3000 grit sandpaper and some Micro Mesh. That should work.

[@MrCarGuy]

I agree with your comments. My personal Esterbrook is a mint-in-box 40s model with an original 2556.

[@chrisrap52]

+MrCarGuy20 Have you written with it? I like the 2556 nib.

[@MrCarGuy]

+chrisrap52 Oh yeah, it writes alright but if I were to use it every day I would need to adjust it. I'm just not going to mess with it because of condition. I'm trying to pick up a used group on eBay to experiment with.

[@chrisrap52]

+MrCarGuy20 Recently, I've been lucky to win some Estie groups (love EZ sniper). I will use them to explore nibs. The 2556, as with many Estie nibs, has a small sweet spot. It is great when you're there but can be a demanding writer when not. One of the reasons I like them.

[@MrCarGuy]

+chrisrap52 Yeah, the sweet spot on the 2556 is so smooth. It makes you understand the cult-like following of Esterbrook many people and artists did back then.

[@santauxia]

Thank you for sharing so much knowledge.

[@chrisrap52]

My pleasure!

[@LANCSKID]

Thanks for this, Chris. What a lovely series of affordable and collectible pens! Am I right in saying that the Osmiroid 65 nib will fit as a screw-in?

[@chrisrap52]

That is correct. Thanks for watching.

[@reyesbriones9547]

I found a 2284 green at garage sale for $1 - made my day! The "piston" fills a bit rough when pumping ink - should I fill this one with syringe instead? Thanks!

[@chrisrap52]

Pen has a latex sac, no piston. That's what the lever is for.

[@juicylouisey]

I love these pens. I would have more were it not for USPS/UPS international shipping. I also find the jewels are a weak point. Does anybody stock them? Does anyone have 3D print files for them?

[@chrisrap52]

Sold on US eBay - www.ebay.com/itm/224031307655

[@taylorwatts1234]

Doing a little repair work myself chrisrap52, how do you get the finial and clip off and how do you get the "inner cap" out to clean???

[@chrisrap52]

I have not removed the cap finial. I've read it's pressure fit but I have not felt brave enough to use the pressure needed to pop it out. I am satisfied with soaking cap a soapy solution to remove dried ink, sometimes takes days.

[@00davelshep]

I just acquired my parent's Easterbrook pens from their school days. I'm wondering whether the pens can use a converter or do I have to use a bladder?

[@chrisrap52]

No, only uses a bladder, designed in the 1930's. These are generally easily to restore. Interested?

[@00davelshep]

I am interested. How much are they?

[@chrisrap52]

Sacs are a few bucks, a #16 fits Esterbrook J's. Have you tried to fill using lever? I have found many that still work with original sac.

[@Lowkster]

You made me want to dig out my Ester J now :)

[@chrisrap52]

+The Lowkster One reason i do videos. These are great pens.

[@jerrythurston4644]

Great info, thanks!

[@markputnam4902]

Are the transitional pens worth more, or are they more collectible ?

[@chrisrap52]

Certainly one of the rarer models. That may make them more collectable to those that collect rarer models. Depending on color & condition may be priced higher than J models.

[@markputnam4902]

chrisrap52 I have a transitional green with the pencil to match. Thank you

[@knifenoob5411]

That dollar pen is nice. Would that be a good first vintage pen?

[@chrisrap52]

Depends on many things, your budget, what nib you want, color, size, etc...

[@moonchaserstudio]

I found one for $1 at a thrift store. It’s the beautiful green one. I took apart, and the sac is torn. Looks like I’m gonna attempt to repair it. Lol

[@chrisrap52]

Your half way to restoring. Flush out nib/feed, gets a No 16 sack, install it & start writing. This may help - kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6XLqn2hq9F9o7c

[@moonchaserstudio]

@@chrisrap52 thank you! Just ordered the sac and adhesive off eBay. 👍🏻

[@MrsinTN]

What should one be able to get one for today, in 2020? Thank you, Sir!

[@chrisrap52]

Depending on condition, color, model & nib from $15-80. A fully restored blue model J in very good condition with a 2556 nib around $35, You'll find a big range as vintage Esterbrooks are popular due to the new one. Best deals for me are unrestored estate finds.

[@gordonbusseau9349]

Why do the caps have a hole in them?

[@chrisrap52]

Most vintage pens have holes in the cap below the cap liner. My understanding these were to avoid ink being pulled out when uncapping. If air tight, when uncapping could create a vacuum that could pull out ink.

[@mambokurtz]

Nice video, full review with a bit of history, thanks a lot. I am considering getting a vintage Esterbrook, I kinda like their style, especially the transitional models. They seem to have jumped in price recently haven't they? More like $40 or am I just looking at the wrong sellers?

[@chrisrap52]

That seems to be the current price for a working transitional pen. I suggest you sent up email alerts on the pen. Maybe you can snipe a good one. From my review of eBay today, I'd say prices are higher than last year and fewer auctions.

[@mambokurtz]

@@chrisrap52 Thanks I appreciate

[@melkon1an]

Can you show us how you go about restoration?

[@chrisrap52]

See kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6XLqn2hq9F9o7c

[@melkon1an]

chrisrap52 That’s so cool! Bringing the life back to them.

[@markputnam4902]

I have this set in green. I would like to get a red set

[@chrisrap52]

What model? Pen & pencil set? Do you watch eBay?

[@markputnam4902]

chrisrap52 I would like to have the J or transitional in red with the matching pencil to go with my green transitional and pencil set. I do watch eBay that’s where I get most of my pens . But I generally buy them in lots in need of restoration and restore them myself, then I resell them working and looking like new for a profit, I keep some of my favorites for my collection. I just finished a Waltham The Postmaster set. Your videos were a great help when I started doing this and you are appreciated.

[@shanedaniel7]

Have you tried a Platinum Preppy?

[@chrisrap52]

Yes, as an eye dropper. Nib finer than I like.

[@shanedaniel7]

chrisrap52 Did you use the medium nib?

[@kanck7909]

Cucumber?

[@chrisrap52]

Good call.

[@zakariyyaalbrahim9613]

Can I buy one from you?

[@chrisrap52]

+Zakariyya Albrahim Possibly. Can we move this discussion to email? [e-mail]. Where would the pen be shipped ? Which pen are you interested in?

[@Ceme612]

I love your collection! Wanna sell some? Thank you for this video! I love the Double Jewel Esterbrooks. I have three, but I want all the colors ;o) I have a Cooper with a 2314B stub nib and its stunning, I call her Barbara Stanwyck, and this is by far my favorite. I keep her inked with Pilot Iroshizuku take sumi (black). A Blue with a 2048 fine flex, but I think its a serious extra fine, she's called Bette Davis (this dame has claws, her nib is so sharp I fear she will tear the paper). I keep her inked with Pilot Iroshizuku asa-gao (blue). And a Green that I have set aside to send to be cleaned/sac checked, etc., she's definitely a stunner (as green is my favorite color), her name's Dorothy Dandridge. Thanks for this video. I loved learning the history of Esterbrook too.

[@chrisrap52]

Glad you liked it. I open to discussing transferring some of my Esties. What style, color & what nib? You can contact me via email [e-mail]