Parker Vector - A Classic?

[inkstainedruth]

Well, you have more different ones listed than I own (most of mine are solid color ones).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[titrisol]

I had forgotten how good Vectors are for travelling. I took one for the last 3 weeks all over the USA.

No leak in planes, ink flows easily back and forth

[inkstainedruth]

Yes, they're little workhorses -- I'm not surprised yours did well on a plane.

I wouldn't want to write the Great American Novel with one, because they are skinny pens. But my first one? Sat at my brother-in-law's house for nearly a month. And then in the bottom of my husband's car for another week in 20°F Massachusetts weather, and I fished it out the day after he got home and it started right up. I've got that pen inked up right now, although with a cartridge of Quink Blue (modern, so probably Washable Blue -- you can't seem to get Permanent Blue in the US anymore). Even with the crack in the threading.

Yes, it's me saying that. I was in a hurry and grabbed a cartridge a couple of weeks ago. Once the cart is empty, I'm going to flush out the nib unit and reinstall the converter. I'm not even sure *why* I still have a package of Quink Blue cartridges, other than maybe to give to the person I bought the Looney Toons Tas pen for (now I'm thinking I should try getting one for myself, along with one of the Shrek pens... ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[titrisol]

I have mine with Waterman Purple in a syringe-refilled cartridge.... no complaints about it, no skipping, no leaks.

and yes, it is skinny and as I have grown older harder to hold comfortably for longer times but for note taking is definitely a great pen!

[LazyPen]

Is Vector build quality better than Parker Reflex, even if they share the same writing group ?

[Honeybadgers]

No, Lazy.

 

Just stay away from the bottom of the line when it comes to parker, sheaffer, waterman and cross. They're all junk meant to be sold in office supply stores. Getting one with a good nib is a rarity and the fit/finish is lower than you'd find on an equivalently priced pen from China.

 

If you've got a hankering for a slim slip/snap cap pen like the vector, look for a vintage parker 45 (under $50 with gold nibs are easy to find and about $30 with steel nibs) or a lamy CP-1, a lamy logo, the faber castell Neo, sailor hiace neo, Pilot Juliet (there's a seller in taiwan selling the 14k model for $25 plus shipping, lovely pen, I bought ten to use the nibs) Diplomat traveler, wing sung 601, the list is huge when you're between $10-40.

 

There is a lower priced waterman that is worth the money, the Phileas/Kultur is a really nice writer, but it can dry out if you don't use it regularly.

 

But just avoid the bottom rung of parker, sheaffer, waterman and cross pens. They're nice when you're spending over about $75, but under that, they're just overpriced chinese made junk.

[LazyPen]

The same thing can be said about Sheaffer No Nonsense ?

 

For what concerns Lamy products I could get a Lamy ST for just 20 euro, in near mint conditions, but I don't know it it worth the price.

 

No, Lazy.

 

Just stay away from the bottom of the line when it comes to parker, sheaffer, waterman and cross. They're all junk meant to be sold to morons in office supply stores. Getting one with a good nib is a rarity and the fit/finish is lower than you'd find on an equivalently priced pen from China.

 

If you've got a hankering for a slim slip/snap cap pen like the vector, look for a vintage parker 45 (under $50 with gold nibs are easy to find and about $30 with steel nibs) or a lamy CP-1, a lamy logo, the faber castell Neo, sailor hiace neo, Pilot Juliet (there's a seller in taiwan selling the 14k model for $25 plus shipping, lovely pen, I bought ten to use the nibs) Diplomat traveler, wing sung 601, the list is huge when you're between $10-40.

...

[Olya]

Imo the Vector and the Jotter are much better pens than the IM (and the old Urban, haven't tried the new Urban and going by my experience with the new IM, I won't waste money on the Urban). Vectors and Jotters are smooth, no dry out. The new IM dries out within hours of capping it. A full ink cartridge is empty within record time. The only thing that is bothersome is the pens' slimness. And the steel grip. Otherwise the cheapest of the line are good writers, which don't let you down, better than the more expensive offers.

 

I also recently bought Waterman Kulturs and Graduates as well as Allures and find them all to be great writers with no issues.

 

Modern Sheaffer Sagaris and Prelude haven't quite let me down either (though they are more expensive models than the Graduate, Jotter etc).

[stylite]

The Vector is a great pen for what it is, a cheap, no-frills pen that can take a lot of use. I've got a mid-90s UK one and it writes well but, as others have said, it's too skinny for extended writing. My Jotter from the same period is nowhere near as good and much less reliable. The first Jotter I had cracked along the section after a year or so, so I replaced it. Like the Vector it's OK for short notes, but hte Jotter skips more and can be a hard starter.

[Tom Kellie]

The Vector is a great pen for what it is, a cheap, no-frills pen that can take a lot of use. I've got a mid-90s UK one and it writes well...

 

 

~ stylite:

 

The black Parker Vector F I've used for several years has been a highly reliable writer.

There haven't been any problems.

It's the only fountain pen I ever found...abandoned on a classroom floor, unclaimed for several weeks.

Tom K.

[mamajolijn]

Oh Parker Vector, my first love!! I bought one (later 3 - Mexico in white and green and a purple one) begin 1990 somewhere, because my father had a black one. They got me through school and I've been writing with fountain pens ever since. I've now switched to the Parker Urban and I.M., but with the same small M-nib. It fit's me and my handwriting.

 

I still have the Vector, but I cracked the barrel of the white Mexico due to overtightning it, unfortunatly.

 

 

Edited December 6, 2019 by mamajolijn

[Alexandar]

Sorry to bring up the old thread and with sad news. The original Parker Vector is no longer in production. Here's the reply for my email to Newell brands:

 

Thank you for your response.

 

Yes exactly, you can find that model that is no longer in production on Amazon.

 

I can also add that this is a site that counts among our trusted retailers, so please do not have any concerns about ordering our products from them.

 

Thank you again for choosing Parker and have a great day.

 

If I can be of further assistance, please reply to this email directly.

 

As it says in the mail, Parker Vectors are still available on Amazon and probably in other online and brick and mortar stores while supplies last. Parker Vector made by Luxor, India are still in production. They are available on eBay are quality made pens.

 

[inkstainedruth]

A few years ago Parker reissued Vectors that were French production models, and I got one of them (purple).  Most of mine, though are actually UK production, with a couple of US production ones (the Looney Toons Sylvester pen I think is UK production, but the packaging was printed in Dutch).

While I don't think I'd want to be writing the Great American Novel with one because they're such slim pens, I would never want to be without any of mine.  And recently got a reboot design Looney Toons Tasmanian Devil one (I've wanted a Tas pen since buying one for a friend to start her collection back up after she and her housemate lost everything in a fire a few years ago).  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth