Esterbrook Dollar Pen Review

The Esterbrook Dollar Pen was one of the pens I acquired at the 2014 Atlanta Pen Show. I didn't really have an Esterbrook on my list when I went to the show, but I went home with two of them. I completely underestimated the charm and unique attributes of these pens, and I just couldn't tear myself away. I had to have them.

A little background

I bought the pens from Carl Daniel at a smaller booth at the back of the room. I remember stopping at the booth several times to handle a few of the pens that were calling to me. He was extremely friendly and offered all kinds of fascinating history tidbits about the pens I was holding. That was part of the allure that snagged me – the history. It put the context in living color.

Esterbrooks weren't on my list before because I really had no interest in antique pens. I had nothing against them, but I hadn't been bitten by the bug. Seeing these pens in person, I pretty much had no choice.

The first model I chose was one of the early "Dollar Pens." From what Carl told me and what I can find online, it's a gray demi model from circa 1939. It's not in perfect, mint condition, and that's part of the allure for me. It's a real pen that's been used. Someone wrote with this, and it still writes today. It has one job, and it does that job with excellence, even ~75 years later.

The nib that came with the pen is a model 1551 – firm medium (student). The nib unit was of an old variety that had a shallow feed. The shallow feeds are apparently prone to leaking, so the vendor included a new-old-stock 2668 nib unit with the pen. I installed the 2668 nib when I got home, and that's all I've been using since.

Now, the pen

I fell in love with this pen the minute I inked it up and started writing with it. I don't know why, but I wasn't expecting it to write so flawlessly. I thought I would possibly end up tweaking and adjusting it a bit before it would write well. No, the pen filled with ink and wrote buttery smooth and consistent from the beginning.

Size

Even though this pen is a short model, it feels like an average full-size pen when posted. When capped, it's somewhere between a TWSBI Mini and a Kaweco Sport. When posted, it's the longest of the three. I've written with the pen for long periods without any complaints. It's a great workhorse pen that I throw in my pen case almost every day. I only paid $30 for the pen, but I treat it like one of my > $100 pens. It's special to me.

Filling mechanism

Ah, the lever filling mechanism. I can't help but make a quick aside about this filling system. As a boy, I loved the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where Professor Henry Jones struggles with a solider inside of a German tank, and manages to win the fight by squirting ink in the soldier's eyes. Cheesy, I know, but it's a childhood favorite. I doubt a lever-filler can actually squirt ink with that much force anyway. Back to the point, though.

The lever filling mechanism actually works really well. A small complaint that I have is that it's difficult to get my fingernail under the tiny lever handle sometimes, but that's just a minor gripe. Drop the nib into the ink, work the lever a few times, and you're good to go.

In my experience, the pen doesn't hold much ink. It's definitely much less than a standard Lamy converter, and more like the squeeze converter that comes with the Pilot Metropolitan. Also, another complaint is that you can't tell how much ink is left. You know when the ink starts turning a lighter shade that you only have a few more words left.

Writing

The firm medium nib is a pleasure to write with. There are pens that cost a lot more than this one, and they can't hold a candle to it. I know that each nib is unique and that I might have gotten a little lucky with this one, but that's alright. It's the pen that I have, and I absolutely love it.

The nib is long, which is nice for keeping a good grip on the pen. It's never had a problem starting, skipping, or scratching. I couldn't be happier with it.

And sometimes, depending on the paper and ink combination, the nib acts somewhat like a stub. I've found inks and paper with low saturation properties tend to behave differently with the nib. The tip of the nib is rounded on the top and bottom, but the sides are fairly square. I'm guessing that's what is causing the stub behavior at times. Wet inks do not show any sort of stub behavior, however.

One of the coolest parts about the Esterbrooks is that you can easily swap out the nibs. The nib and feed unit simply unscrew from the section, very similar to how the Edison Beaumont or new Kawecos work.

Overall

This is easily one of my favorite pens, and I'm really glad I took the chance to try one out. It can be a bit nerve-wracking to purchase an antique pen that may or may not actually operate as a functional writing instrument. In my case, I found a good dealer who does a good job of restoring the pens. Being as new to this as I am, I can't really offer any advice other than to find a reputable seller who cares about these pens. If you're fortunate enough to have a pen show near you, that's a fantastic place to see lots of vintage pens and knowledgable, friendly people.

This is one of my favorite new pens, and I can confidently say that I will be expanding my Esterbrook collection.

(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)

You Win, Pilot Metropolitan

The Pilot Metropolitan is the best fountain pen for beginners. There. I said it.

Ever since it was released, the Metropolitan has been gaining steam. I liked what I saw when I reviewed the original medium nib model, and now that the fine nib model has hit mass release I think it is the fountain pen to choose for beginners over my previous favorite, the Lamy Safari.

I still love the Safari, so what changed? The Pilot Metropolitan nib is superior. Japanese nibs are finer than their counterparts from the rest of the world, and the fine Pilot nib is amazing. I love it in the Pilot Prera, and now it is available in a pen less than half the price? I'm sold. The sharper edge on the step-down from the barrel to the grip is still present, so that flaw puts it even with the molded grip on the Lamy Safari. No pen is completely perfect, right? And while the Safari line has many more stock nib options, the Metropolitan is easily modifiable with the EF nib from the Pilot Penmanship or the stub nib from the Pilot Plumix, all for approximately the cost of the Safari.

What do I want to see next from the Metropolitan line? No more Python or Leopard patterns, that's for sure. Since it is a metal body pen and Pilot is doing some interesting colors in their Vanishing Point line, how about some colored barrels? Get on that Pilot - don't let the Kakuno line have all the fun.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Kaweco AL Sport (EF Nib) Review

The Kaweco AL Sport seems to be one of the first "premium" pens that beginners pick up after they try a few < $50 pens. I know that a $76 pen doesn't really count as premium, but when you're new to the world of nibbed writing instruments, it seems like a lot.

And I completely understand why the AL Sport is a popular pen. It's gorgeous, well-built, portable, and classy. It's a great all-around pen, and it doesn't break the bank.

Now, I should explain that this review is about the same pen that I had so much trouble with when I first got it. You can read all about those problems, as well as the solution, in the article about correcting baby's bottom.

In this review, I won't let any of my previous feelings and conclusions about this pen influence what I think about the pen now -- the corrected version that I believe Kaweco strives to produce. Although, maybe they could strive just a little bit harder, but that's beside the point. Off we go!

Look and feel

I went with the black model of the AL Sport, but it was a really difficult choice. They all look great. In the end, the matte black sheen won me over, and I'm extremely happy with it.

The AL Sport comes in a fancy Kaweco tin, unlike the regular Classic Sport models. On first picking it up and sliding it out of the plastic sleeve, I was surprised by how light it was. I was expecting something a bit heavier. Upon closer inspection, I was blown away by the build quality of the pen. It seems to be made from a block of aluminum. The pen screams quality and precision. The threads are solid and fine, which make it feel even more secure when screwing the cap or the body. There's no play at all.

In my hand, the pen feels well-balanced and easy. I've written for periods of 30 to 45 minutes with this pen. I wasn't uncomfortable, but I did find myself wanting a longer pen after a long period. This isn't so much a hit against the Kaweco as it is my own preferences. Besides, when you make a portable pen, it's understood that you sacrifice part of the writing comfort. Overall, it's a completely comfortable pen.

Being metal, the pen is susceptible to scratches, but it hasn't scratched or scuffed nearly as much as I expected it to. This is a delightful surprise, but I also won't be upset when it starts developing more character over the years.

This is an attractive pen that feels good in the hand, looks good on the desk, and won't break in my pocket or bag.

Writing performance

When I first received the pen, the writing performance wasn't the best. Again, you can read the article for more details on that. After tuning the nib for a while, it writes really well.

The EF nib puts down a line that is on par with other EF nibs from German manufacturers. Lamy might be a hair finer, but not much. Putting pressure on the nib results in a slightly wetter, broader line that resembles a medium nib width.

The nib flows across the page with little effort. Due to the size of the pen and the way I usually hold my pen, I tend to choke my grip toward the nib, resulting in scratchy writing. When I notice this, I back off my grip and lighten my touch. When I'm using the proper grip, the nib feels like silk. The proper grip for me means that I'm gripping the threads for the cap. I know that some people really dislike this, but I actually like it. It provides a nice grip. I'll also note that the threads are shallow and very close together, so it feels more like a texture instead of ridges.

Due to the size of the pen, the weight of the pen tends to go more toward the nib side. Again, the fix for this is mental, meaning I have to mindfully keep my posture and grip on check. It's a small, metal pen, so some imbalance is expected. Like I said earlier, I can achieve a great balance if I back off my grip and loosen my hand.

Ink filling mechanism

The Kaweco accepts international short cartridges. This means you have lots of options available outside of what Kaweco offer. They also offer a converter, which is fairly new to the market as far as I know. I haven't tried it, but it looks like it won't hold much ink. I've been happy with just filling old cartridges with a syringe.

Conclusion

This is a great pen that delights me every time I use it. That wasn't always the case, but I'm glad it is now. I wouldn't recommend this pen until you've tried a Classic Sport. In my opinion, the writing experience for the Classic Sport and AL Sport is nearly identical. If you find that you don't prefer the Classic Sport, you likely won't enjoy the AL Sport either.

The Kaweco AL Sport has a multitude of color and nib options. The hardest part of buying one is figuring out which one to pick. Black, blue, gray, silver, and raw finishes all look fantastic. Plus, you can easily swap out the nib you purchase with the pen with another fairly cheaply.

(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)