Parker Vector - A Classic?

[mitto]

Waiting to get my hands on my UK made Vectors and see what colors/designs these are. I remember having a few UK made ones with plastic barrels and metal caps as well some interesting colour plastuc ones such as plum, two to three different red shades, white probably and some more.

[inkstainedruth]

not sure if the comment about 'geometric' might apply to the colourful slightly deco looking design below? - in fact of these four this is the only f.p. - the others being roller ball - though rollers can be converted to f.ps., and you'd not be any the wiser. Mitto has explained that the plastic sticker on the cap top is removed - then undoing the small screw releases clip of existing inner cap of the r.b. which is then replaced with ditto of f.p. etc. These four pens are all Made in U.K. (Newhaven).

The date code of II L on the red/blue/yellow/green f.p. looks to be for 1993.

Obviously a model used often for corporate ads., as with the KLM example and what might well be a promo job for the British Scouting movement, though the fleur-de-lis seems to have been appropriated by many causes other than Scouts and the French nobility.

The Vector is reliable though banal and nibs are so often a medium nail, but they are v.g. value for money and better than the P15 IMHO - but they score when it comes to collectability if only for their varied livery.

 

The issue of the sharp barrel opening rim, when writing, has been mentioned earlier, and this can be resolved by careful sanding of the barrel mouth when the barrel is plastic, though have to say I've not tried this being a non writer, but with flighter pens it's probably something that can't be done, so writing is permanently uncomfortable.

It looks like standard sections and nibs are interchangeable with Parker's calligraphy parts.

 

That second one from the top (with the multicolor rectangles) looks a lot like my only US-made Vector (only mine just has red, yellow and blue blocks, not the green). Like the appearance of that fleur-de-lis one, and the fighter jet one. Both are new designs to me, as are a couple on eBay at the moment (I got email from some guy from the Writing Instrument Society yesterday asking me what different designs were made at the Newhaven facility -- and I had to say "I have no clue -- most of mine are UK-made Vectors, but they're pretty much all solid colors except for the US-made one and one stainless steel one with the imprint of some computer company with a lion head for a logo.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Mannyonpil]

Vectors were my gateway fountain pens. I really enjoyed them. I haven't used one in about 15 years though.

Edited October 11, 2018 by Mannyonpil

[Ricky2011]

Thanks

 

like your post @tamiya

Just recently acquired City in motion, TAJ, Wild3er & Attawa…

 

best wishes

 

Rick

[JayKay3000]

I remember a lot of people had vectors in school, but I had what I thought was a nicer frontier. Years later I brought a vector and it was the scratchiest piece of garbage pen I'd ever had the displeasure to use. Every frontier I'd brought had always been smooth. I found the vector too small, the metal slippery and didn't care for the design. I thought about returning it till I just decided that vectors were probably all like that. Could have happened with any pen I guess. Never going to use or buy one again.

[Ricky2011]

my vectors FP. to date.

[PaulS]

very exotic looking Ricky - thanks for showing - are these all U.K. made examples?

[penzel_washinkton]

my vectors FP. to date.

 

I have the exact same pattern as the most right one!

[inkstainedruth]

Wow, Ricky -- those are some fun-looking designs. I don't think I've seen any of those before. Do they have date codes as to when they were made?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Ricky2011]

Thanks @pauls all UK.

 

City in motion- 2011

Taj- 1997

Wild3er - 1997

Attawa- 1996

[DR.ink]

I own a Parker Vector Stainless Steel GT and it has been serving me well for the last 4 years!

I didn't know they had limited editions for the fountain pen models too! I always thought it was just the vector's ball pens!
But fountain pens have less design options back here in India!

[WarrenB]

Nice finds, Ricky! I've looked at some vector designs on ebay, but haven't seen many that caught my attention like those.

 

I got a second-hand set of green vector FP and RB off ebay some time ago. I've used the rollerball as a pocket pen because it worked so nicely straight off, with the old refill still in it and all. I only stuck a cartridge in the FP a couple of days ago, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. I agree with the OP - it's got no give, but good 'n' smooth and flows nicely.

Edited November 14, 2018 by WarrenB

[mitto]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F162297709995

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F312303916476

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F223226907207

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F352513791302

 

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F401623769982

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163330393597

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F162169867167

 

And a lot more special edition rollerballs currently listed on eBay.

[goodpens]

Vectors were my gateway fountain pens. I really enjoyed them. I haven't used one in about 15 years though.

 

Gateway is a good descriptor. Prior to receiving a Vector as a gift, I'd bought a couple Sheaffer school pens in high school and college. They were good first FPs, but leaked and weren't nearly as reliable or smooth as the Vector, which seemed relatively fancy at the time.

 

I'd also had Sheaffer calligraphy FPs, but the italic nibs didn't seem appropriate for everyday handwriting. Around the same time I got my first Vector, I also found a few vintage pens that had belonged to my parents. Those eventually took me way down the rabbit hole, and onto this site, as I kept learning about repairs, but the Vector was a workhorse for a few years of college and into my first job.

[1nkulus]

Gateway is a good descriptor. Prior to receiving a Vector as a gift, I'd bought a couple Sheaffer school pens in high school and college. They were good first FPs, but leaked and weren't nearly as reliable or smooth as the Vector, which seemed relatively fancy at the time.

 

... but the Vector was a workhorse for a few years

+1

[inkstainedruth]

Goodpens, what you say is too true. In some respects my first Vector could be considered my most expensive pen, because when I left it at my brother-in-law's nearly 7 years ago, and went to find a replacement, it led to ALL the other pens. And to all the ink I now have (in my search for a replacement I stumbled across Goulet Pens and their ink comparison app: "Purple? You can get purple ink? Oh I need to get me some of that..." and also found my way here.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[1nkulus]

Goodpens, what you say is too true. In some respects my first Vector could be considered my most expensive pen, because when I left it at my brother-in-law's nearly 7 years ago, and went to find a replacement, it led to ALL the other pens.

 

That Vector cost you a fortune, who the hell said it was an inexpensive pen?

[inkstainedruth]

 

That Vector cost you a fortune, who the hell said it was an inexpensive pen?

 

Don't think I can use that excuse on the husband, though....

The real irony is that up until I left it at my in-laws' house, I was perfectly content with it, and ONLY used it for the morning pages journal entries. It was only when I tried to get a replacement for it (because by then it didn't "feel" right to be using a ballpoint for that -- for some nebulous definition of "feel") that I fell down the rabbit hole.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Ricky2011]

correction to my earlier post... i now believe that the city in motion sets are 2001. not 2011 as newhaven was closed in 2010.

 

Came across love Japanese oriental style RB's... will post soon...also came across pictures of vectors wrapped in paintings some of which were very nice looking.

[Ricky2011]

Just manged to put this list together.

1990- 2002 UK

 

Green lined (1990)

Rings (1991)

Fusion (1992)

Mexico (1993)

Aztec (1995)

Attawa (1996)

TAJ (1997)

Flame (1997)

Jungle (1998)

Line (1999)

Milenuim (2000)

Taste of colours (2001)

City in Motion (2001)

Adrenaline (2002)

 

hope these are correct... @inkstainedruth, @tamiya, @paulS, @richardandtracey