Parker 15 / Jotter Review

[The Blue Knight]

Parker 15/Jotter Review After 10 Years

 

I have owned my 15 for over 10 years having originally purchased it as NOS. The pen has been in regular use since the day it was purchased and has becomes one of my favourite fountain pens due to its durability.

Nib Width: M

Finish: Shiny Black

Date Code: IIII (Second Quarter 1994)

 

 

 

Design and build 6/10

The pen for a long time has been Parkers entry level fountain pen so has a basic construction consisting of an ABS plastic barrel and grip section with stainless steel pocket clip and cap.

The design of the pen borrows aspects from Parkers of yesteryear and shares a similar design to the Parker Frontier. I find that the pen to looks pleasant without looking eye catching.

 

Construction Quality 10/10

The pen as mentioned previously has sustained 10 years of regular use and abuse with little signs of wear so I feel I can’t fault it. Even after 10 year’s the pen still cap’s tightly without much give which is surprising for any pen that has been in regular use for so long let alone one so cheap.

 

Ergonomics and Dimensions 3/10

This is where the pen major let down’s are found. The main issue I have with this pen is that it has an extremely slim grip section that at one point measures little more than a Bic Crystal. I find the pen to be just too slim for extended periods of use even though I have quite small hands. In terms of weight the pen is 10 grams which is very light however this isn’t an issue for me.

 

Dimensions

Capped Length 12.5 cm

Un-posted Length 11.6cm

Posted Length 13.8cm

Diameter Widest Point (Barrel) 1.1cm

Diameter at slimmest Point (Grip Section) 0.8cm

 

Weight

Capped 10 grams

Un-capped 5 grams

 

Nib Performance 6/10

The Jotter comes in Stainless Fine and Medium nib sizes and closely resembles the nib on the Parker: Vector, Reflex, I.M. and Urban.

The nib writes smoothly however does gives a considerable amount of feedback delivering a dry medium line. The nib is acceptable at this price point.

 

Filling and Maintained 8/10

This pen like all modern Parker’s takes proprietary cartridges or converter (basic slide or the less common slim aerometric). However due the fact the pen has no metal components in the barrel or grip section it can be converted to an eye dropper pen.

The pen requires little maintenance only requiring a flush every few months.

 

Cost and Value 6/10

I purchased this originally for about £5 and appears to still be sold for this price 10 years later on amazon. The pen is good value however for only £2 more the Parker Frontier can be purchased which is a big step and is arguably one of the best budget pens around.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Overall score 37/60

 

The good

Even though I now have pens which are quite a lot better than the Jotter I always ensure it is inked up as my back up as it is a good, reliable, compact pen and seems well suited well suited for this purpose.

 

The Bad

I can’t recommend this pen as a daily write due to its small size as it’s simply uncomfortable to use for extended periods. If I was to recommend a suitable pen for this purpose I would recommend the Parker Frontier as the pen has a comfortable size whilst keeping to the traditional Parker design on a budget.

 

Would I buy another?

Yes as it is rare you find a pen that can survive 10 years of abuse especially at such a low price point.

Edited September 10, 2013 by top pen

[Vendome]

I bought a 1983 NOS 15 last year to try and get back into writing with a fountain pen again.

It's a great little pen, although the original Medium nib seemed to write with too big a line for such a slim pen, so I got a modern Jotter Fine nib unit to use with it and it writes like a dream now.

[The Blue Knight]

I bought a 1983 NOS 15 last year to try and get back into writing with a fountain pen again.

It's a great little pen, although the original Medium nib seemed to write with too big a line for such a slim pen, so I got a modern Jotter Fine nib unit to use with it and it writes like a dream now.

 

Mine strangely enough writes on the fine side and quite dry.

[The Blue Knight]

It still surprises me how good the jotter is.

Edited January 21, 2014 by top pen

[Bo Bo Olson]

Your review seems fine. It is good to see where some one is not over rating a pen.

[The Blue Knight]

Your review seems fine. It is good to see where some one is not over rating a pen.

 

Thanks for your comment

[dickydotcom]

Would have liked to see a photo of the nib