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Which vintage pen to get - this noob needs inspiration!

Gents, as a lurker in these parts I kindly ask your advice on which vintage pen to look for.

I have been using fountain pens almost exclusively for almost 30 years now, but always pens bought new.

My pen backstory:
I especially love thin writing stub nibs as they really give that vintage look in your note taking. For the last almost 15 years my one and only pen was a nice Mont Blanc Meisterstuck where I replaced the M nib after 10 years with a stub nib (now that was an expensive move, phew!).

This nib however ran into problems with the flow and I grew tired of it. I even had it refurbished here in DK but it still does not really flow well.

About 6 months ago I therefore got 2 TWSBI’s and a Kaweco AL Sport, all 3 with stub nibs. Not least the Kaweco is wonderful as a front pocket carrier and I really like the way it writes, still quite thin and with great flow. The 1.1 stub also is perfect.

So now the tricky part: What to get/look for when I look for a vintage that ideally would write the same? I am initially thinking a 1940s-60s model as I like the designs of those times, and it must be a solid everyday worker that writes safely and wet; I hate it when the ink stops mid-sentence!

Any proposals and pics would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
You could probably find a sweet coral red (actually kinda orange) Penol button-filler where you are.
Penol - www.tema-penne.dk
Penol Pens and Pencils
I've always wanted one that looks a lot like a Parker Duofold, not sure if they're tough enough to use daily though.
Probably, but I've never had one to test.

Or ... I really like and use 1950s Pelikans, they're robust enough for everyday use and I'm always carrying mine to work. The 400 is easy enough to get for around 100 euro. Good writers and lots of character in the vintage gold nibs.

Lots of cool Brit pens like Conway Stewart -- Parker had plants there. I've got a few nice reliable vintage lever fillers from CS but the sheer number of models can be daunting. Jonathan's Vintage Pens - a list of Conway Stewart numbers

Good luck, have fun hunting, and ask questions!
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
I have three different Esterbrooks, and I think they were something of the TWISBI's of their day. So if you like TWISBI, they might be worth a look. Lovely little pens. Nice celluloid. Steel nibs, of course. I have a 9314-M medium oblique that is just a cracker jack writer with nice line variation. You can get a whole range of stubs and italics and obliques in different sizes. All screw-in nib units. Good stuff.

I wish I knew more about vintage gold nib pens. I've only been at this fountain pen thing for less than a year. I rather like the looks of Parkers and Watermans. The super sleek Wahls and Schaeffers aren't quite to my taste, at least not yet. Though, I hear they are all wonderful writers.

Its too bad your MB crapped out on you. Did you try different inks with better flow properties? I have heard of people overseas sending pens to the nibmeisters in the US, if you don't have any locally. That might be an option, but I don't know what it would cost. For that matter, do you still have the old M nib? Could you put that one back in to make the pen usable at least?
 
Hi Guys,
I'll start by saying these are my opinions. You're welcome to challenge them but please don't take offence. I enjoy learning from others experiences. BTW never throw out a vintage pen. Send it to me with a paid self-addressed envelope and I can fix it for you. Free labour only applies to B&B members.

I've been restoring vintage pens for several decades. Being a retired engineer (you'll never find an ex-engineer), I've always enjoyed exploring the different filling systems so I've naturally been attracted to pre-cartridge pens which stopped in the late 50's. Most of the vintage pens were "heirloom" pens that were meant to last generations. Restoring them can extend their life for another 60+ years. I don't fancy the recent trend in manufacturing pens under the old brand names. They may look fancy on the outside but won't last a lifetime.

I am also practiced in nib repair so tend to always have 1/8 (1mm) to 1/4 (2.5mm) so people know you're writing with a fountain pen. I've always converted damaged nibs with broken tines into some very nice Italic to Stub nibs.

If you experience flow problems particularly in Montblancs then it's most likely a blocked feed. Current Pelikans and Montblancs are worthy brands but expensive. Their early vintage models are not so.

Back to pens, regardless of which brand you use, make sure you regularly clean the nib and feed. Most do well with dropping them (section and nib only) in a ultrasonic machine using a pen flush solution. It should solve most of your skipping problems. Most importantly be careful of the ink and avoid inks with a sediment on the bottom of the ink bottle.

My best pens:
Mabie-Todd: Swans aren't cheap but have the best re-sale value. I've often found a Swan nib on their cheaper range Blackbird and Jack Daw. Their vintage flex nibs are in huge demand.
Conklin: I'm a sucker for crescent fillers, they're different and attractive.
Sheaffer: had the best reputation especially their "white dot" (lifetime guarantee) range. They're more of a challenge to restore but you can extend their life for another 80+years.
Waterman: nice looks and solid performers.
Eversharp: with the distintive caps are a great performer and attractive.
Parker: especially the Duofolds have a good reputation and many still performing well. Many Parker 51 ink-sacs still perform well after 60 years.

This is becoming too long so I'll stop here. It's easier if you ask whether a particular brand+model are any good.

Hope you find this useful.

Cheers . .
Danny
 
Thanks so much, gentlemen. Superb input!

I did not even know about the Danish(!) Penols and the links were really attractive, Doug! I will reach out to one of them, I think.

And thanks for the pointers to Esterbrooks John (great looking pens!) and the suggestions for cleaning, Danny. I am feeling a pen acquisitiondisorder building!

As regards the Mont Blanc we have a professional guy here in Denmark and I may send it to him again. Honestly I haven’t really tried anything as I wanted also to try some new pens after 10 years of only using one.
 
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I can second the pleasure of writing with an Esterbrook. Back in the 50's, these were "dollar pens" and can be found anywhere from US$15 to US$50 depending on condition. Many will need flushing and possibly replacement of the ink sac, but are great pens. Mine is an SJ double-jewel with a 9556 nib in green.
 
Thanks for Esterbrook guidance!

Someone here in Denmark actually has this beautiful Esterbrook on offer for the equivalent of 42 USD. Do you think it is a good choice? Nib seems ok? Any other info on this particular model?

Seller does not know if it writes...

Thanks for your shoot-from-the-hip thoughts.

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Very good choice on the Estie, it also looks good value. The pen has a 9 series nib, I cannot see all of the number possibly 9668 which a general writing nib, the stubs are 9314 M/B, very easy to swap the nibs as long as you can find a seller.
 
Very good choice on the Estie, it also looks good value. The pen has a 9 series nib, I cannot see all of the number possibly 9668 which a general writing nib, the stubs are 9314 M/B, very easy to swap the nibs as long as you can find a seller.

Thanks a lot! It is indeed a 9668 nib. I will see if I can get the price down a bit, since I can’t physically check it before buying...

EDIT. Just bought the pen for 26 USD including shipping Now I really hope it works, haha.
 
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There are three Estie models in this series, all have the same styling and will take the same screw in nib unit, the following site is useful at working out whether you have a J LJ or SJ.

The Esterbrook Model J Family

They are very useful pens, the nib unit unscrews for easy washing, the sac can be replaced without much trouble, the only issue I have seen is cracking to the cap lip caused by overtightening of the cap.

If you want to change the nib they often come up on Ebay as NOS and Anderson Pens sells replacement units, including a stub nib, currently for $25.

I would suggest that the first job is to unscrew the nib and give it a good wash, perhaps even an overnight soak in a glass of water with a couple of drops of dish soap. If the sac is good then you will have a pen that will give good service for years to come.

In these days when we are all trying to cut down on waste plastics its great to see 60 year old pens being restored and passed on with zero environmental impact, not even a wasted cartridge!
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
Gorgeous! I love the green. I have a 9668 on one for my Esties. It’s the general purpose medium nib. Mine is very wet. I recommend going with a drier ink like Pelikan or Faber Castell.
The 9668 is a fantastic writer, but doesn’t have any line variation to speak of.
 
There are three Estie models in this series, all have the same styling and will take the same screw in nib unit, the following site is useful at working out whether you have a J LJ or SJ.

The Esterbrook Model J Family

They are very useful pens, the nib unit unscrews for easy washing, the sac can be replaced without much trouble, the only issue I have seen is cracking to the cap lip caused by overtightening of the cap.

If you want to change the nib they often come up on Ebay as NOS and Anderson Pens sells replacement units, including a stub nib, currently for $25.

I would suggest that the first job is to unscrew the nib and give it a good wash, perhaps even an overnight soak in a glass of water with a couple of drops of dish soap. If the sac is good then you will have a pen that will give good service for years to come.

In these days when we are all trying to cut down on waste plastics its great to see 60 year old pens being restored and passed on with zero environmental impact, not even a wasted cartridge!

Gorgeous! I love the green. I have a 9668 on one for my Esties. It’s the general purpose medium nib. Mine is very wet. I recommend going with a drier ink like Pelikan or Faber Castell.
The 9668 is a fantastic writer, but doesn’t have any line variation to speak of.

Thanks again, guys! I am really looking forward to trying this out. And I am already scouring the net for a stub nib. Seems - at least on the bay - that a replacement 9314F will set me back another 40 USD + shipping, but let’s see. Will keep you posted on what the status is when I get it in hand :thumbup1:
 
You may see ebay ads for Osmiroid nibs, just seen one for example, 3 new broad nibs for $7. You may need to look on ebay.co.uk. These nibs will fit your Esterbrook.
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
You may see ebay ads for Osmiroid nibs, just seen one for example, 3 new broad nibs for $7. You may need to look on ebay.co.uk. These nibs will fit your Esterbrook.
+1. I’ve heard good things about Osmiroid nibs. They were known for their calligraphy sets back in the day. Venus nibs are supposed to be pretty good too and much cheaper than Esterbrook nibs. Anderson Pens has good prices on Esterbrook and Venus nibs. I don’t know how good their international shipping is. Etsy is another spot to look, but like e-bay, the vendors are kind of hit or miss.
 
I received the beautiful green Esterbrook today. After a 2 hr soak it freed up and the pump seems to work impeccably. I writes wonderfully. Thanks for your suggestions and support :)
 
I have three different Esterbrooks, and I think they were something of the TWISBI's of their day. So if you like TWISBI, they might be worth a look. Lovely little pens. Nice celluloid. Steel nibs, of course. I have a 9314-M medium oblique that is just a cracker jack writer with nice line variation. You can get a whole range of stubs and italics and obliques in different sizes. All screw-in nib units. Good stuff.

Comparing Esties to TWISBI.... Sacrilege
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
Comparing Esties to TWISBI.... Sacrilege
If esties were the twisbis of their day, none of them would still be working!
Ouch! Tough crowd. For the record, I stated Esterbrooks were something of the TWISBIs of their day, which is rather different than being exactly the TWISBIs of their day. But I'll stand by the comparison. My point was that Esterbrook focused on the low end of the fountain pen market, much as TWISBI does now. It might be more accurate to say that TWISBI seeks to be the Esterbrook of our day (certainly more than the modern Esterbrook). There are some obvious differences, like Esterbrook put far more effort into nib design and functionality while TWISBI puts more emphasis on filling systems. But in general, they occupy the same space in the market as a value-oriented alternative to other brands' low end offerings.

I've never handled a TWISBI in the flesh, so I can't speak to TWISBI's quality (or lack there of). My understanding from the interwebs is that it had a lot of early quality control issues that have been mostly solved. But I'm sure the problems spoiled the brand for many enthusiasts. No second chance to make a first impression, or something like that. Will anybody be collecting and reselling TWISBIs on the vintage pen scene in seventy years? I don't know. We'll have to wait to find out.

Anyway, I'm very happy the OP acquired an Estie, and I hope it works out for him.
 
Esties=Good. I like a thin line, so I use the 9550, 9551, and 9555 because they are firm nibs.
The x668 will be a pretty solid line.
 
Here is another vote for Shaeffer. I didn't give them much thought but on a whim I bought a restored Shaeffer Balance from the DC pen show and it is an absolute pleasure to use. A little pricier than an Esty but a great pen.

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