Esterbrook JR Fountain Pen - A New Take on the Vintage Esterbrook J

Esterbrook brings us a new fountain pen, inspired by (inarguably?) one of the most popular vintage pens: the Esterbrook J! At the same time, we have the new Esterbrook Nook in navy blue with a soft red interior, a button closure, and an elastic to keep the pens in place. It's pretty great - it serves well as a case to carry pens but also as a display or holder while working at your desk. I love the soft interior and I really, really appreciate the elastic. Why? I have a similar Visconti zippered pen case and if you ever forget that it's open and you pick it up, all the pens fall out. This has happened many times, unfortunately. It's always followed by a panicked scramble to grab them as they fall and then curse myself for forgetting. Again. 

Esterbrook introduces their modern take on the famous Esterbrook J series fountain pen: the new JR shares the shape and design of the clip save for the engraving, the look of the marbled material, the streamlined cap and barrel, the Estie cap band, and a steel nib. Unlike the vintage J which fills by a lever, the new JR fills by cartridge/converter - easy peasy to clean and maintain. My Carmine red wrote well out of box - nice, smooth, reliable. The section is really comfortable and the pen feels good and balanced in hand! It does share the smaller size, which is quite different than something like the Estie Oversize! I appreciate this option because as my nerves in my arm/shoulder get inflamed, having a light pen that is easy to write with for longer sessions is a relief. ⁣

Like many vintage pens, the JR is a smaller pen. Compared to the Camden Composition, the Estie Oversize, Estie Regular, and Estie Slim, it is still smaller than all of them. It is also slimmer, so I do believe they have remained true to the vintage feel of the pen. 

I think it's a great option for smaller hands and serial posters! I used to be comfortable writing with larger, heavier pens all of the time until I hurt my nerves/tendons in my right (writing) arm. Since then, I have been struggling with weakness and a shaky hand so the lighter, smaller pens have actually been moving into my rotation more often. As such, the JR is super comfortable for me and easy to control. In addition, the #5 nib is small and the section is shaped such that I can get my grip close to the nib. I have good control of the pen especially as it is balanced and light. I don't have to hold the pen tightly to control my penmanship with my shaky hand. It's been a journey to adapt to the weakness and shaking. It's frustrating. 

A common question is, what nib size should I start with? If you can't try different sizes in person, you could always start with a broad and have it ground by a nibmeister - like at Toronto Pen Company - or you can just take the middle road with a medium nib. The medium on the Esterbrook JR is a nice, smooth steel nib. It serves well as a daily writer because it's not super wet and it's firm enough to withstand a heavy hand. It's a super comfortable pen. The section fits into my grip really well and I can get nice and close to the page for the best control for my shaky hand.

How does the JR stand out from other fountain pens? I believe the size is interesting, aside from the smooth nib and cute colors (there is a black and blue as well). It's a full size, postable pen without being a pocket pen. There are so many huge, heavy pens on the market - not knocking them, I have some of them! - and there are certainly other smaller pens out there but the JR brings another option to the table. It is extra appealing if you enjoy remakes of classics!

Thank you to Esterbrook for providing their brand new JR for me to check out and share with you. I received this pen free of charge so I could share my thoughts with you. I hope this has been helpful. Thank you for reading. If you enjoy and/or appreciate this type of information and you want to lend your support, please do check me out on Patreon! You can support yours truly for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so, of course. I am most grateful for your readership as is.

Scritch Scritch ASMR Handwriting with Fountain Pens Flex Nibs and Phat Nibs

Just what we all need on a Friday. And every other day but it happens to be Friday. 

Pen + nib: Waterman 94 + Ideal fine flex (vintage)
Ink: Waterman Serenity Blue

Pen + nib: OMAS Ogiva Vodka Cocktail + EF extra-flessible
Ink: Visconti Turquoise

Pen + nib: OMAS Paragon Arco Bronze + BBB anniversary nib
Ink: Waterman Mysterious Blue

Music: just the sweet sound of scritches. Also something from iMovie.

You can visit my sponsors and snag a bottle of these inks for yourself! Some even offer discounts for you to enjoy. You don't have to use the code and you don't have to shop with them but it helps me out if you do!

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Baron Fig Squire Adrift Rollerball

Create an ocean of ideas with Adrift — a Squire Rollerball that features a full wraparound design inspired by the world beneath the waves.⁣

An ocean of ideas.⁣

Putting an idea on paper is like sending a letter out to sea—there’s no knowing where it will end up. Set your ideas adrift and discover the treasures they bring.⁣

An endless sea.⁣

Adrift is the first Squire Rollerball Limited Edition to feature a full wraparound design. Seek uncharted waters with this stylish blue pen in hand.⁣

⁣A deep dive into creativity.⁣

Every seafarer needs a companion, like every pen needs its other half. Adrift pairs swimmingly with our Confidant and Vanguard notebooks." - Baron Fig

⁣Adrift is Baron Fig's most recent limited edition Squire rollerball. Unfortunately because of postal delays, this edition sold out just days after I received it. I posted about it recently on Instagram, where I usually post snippets and previews but I wanted to expand a little on my thoughts there. 

It's not a fountain pen, it's true, and I still love it. I'm a water baby. Everything water makes me happy. Swimming is one of my favorite sports and the ocean is captivating. Tiny cute doodles make me smile so this perfectly blue pen adorned with wee cuties was just the bright spot I needed. I get to zone out and doodle, (attempt to) draw, and write out some of the thoughts that had me sinking a beneath the surface. ⁣

⁣One of things Baron Fig does really well is the presentation of the Squire. In this case, it's a message-in-a-bottle-theme and it even has a little message in the tube! The tubes are cute enough to keep and they are not huge or cumbersome. The only downside is when they are empty, they are quite light and can tip over.

This one comes with a brain teaser that will send you into a world of - rolling waves? 

This limited edition is based on the Squire - it has an aluminum body that weighs in at 0.85 oz and takes a cartridge refill. It's precision weighted and has an ergonomic shape. Indeed, it is very comfy to hold and write with and the refill is smooth and dark. The ink has great coverage and doesn't wash away completely with water. I used a water brush to swipe across the writing a few times and the ink stuck around but it might not survive a soaking. Your paper probably won't survive much of that, either. 

The Adrift has these adorable marine graphics and again, as a water baby, it makes me really happy. It's sweet and happy and the blue is a gorgeous deep sea blue with a brushed metallic finish. It's smooth and satiny to the touch. The back of the pen has the little knob to extend and retract the refill and you also unscrew it to pop in a new refill. Sometimes I turn it the wrong way too far and open it up but that's just because I never remember things. Since it's so round and sleek, it rolls and it slides. Best to tuck it into a sheath or a closed case because it can very easily slide out of your pocket or roll off a desk. If you're jotting notes and putting your pen down in between doing something else, that's where it can quickly roll away.

I know a few friends who wouldn't consider a rollerball that costs more than $10 and that's ok! To each their own. The Squire is a great gift idea, they perform really well, and they could be collected if that's your thing. 

They are clearly slender so if you have trouble gripping slim pens, Adrift might be uncomfortable. As it is fairly light, it otherwise works well for longer writing sessions. 

The Squire Adrift sold for $60USD and unfortunately, this limited edition is sold out. The regular line up is always available and keep an eye out for their next release!

Thank you to Baron Fig for providing this pen. I received this pen free of charge so I could share my thoughts with you. I hope this has been helpful! Thank you for reading. If you enjoy and/or appreciate this type of information and you want to lend your support, please do check me out on Patreon! You can support yours truly for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so, of course. I am most grateful for your readership as is.