Parker 25 Flighter - How Do I Tell Which Size Nib It Has?

[Floreat]

Hi all,

 

Sorry for the newbie question, but I am just cleaning up an old Parker 25 Flighter and am wondering how I can tell what size nib it has, as there are no markings on it. Any ideas please? This nib works really beautifully for me and I'd like to get the same size if I ever acquire a similar pen.

 

Thanks!

Floreat x

[dave-]

Search of pictures. Then compare your one to the ones in the pictures. I have a parker 45 in fine, medium and broad and they are very easy to tell apart because there is a decent jump in size each time.

[Floreat]

Thanks Dave. I've found a picture comparing nibs from 25s, but it's still difficult for me to tell the difference really! To me, the pen writes like a Lamy F and is a lot finer than my Pelikan or Waterman M, but the chap I got it from reckons it would have been an M nib as it was probably the bog standard stock they had in WH Smiths at the time.

 

It's a great writer, I really do love it.

[Sandy1]

 

Hi,

 

Congratulations on the Parker 25! It is one of my favourite casual carry pens. So ugly its cute

 

Kindly consider measuring the width of the line from a simple down-stroke. Use of an aniline dye ink (Waterman, Parker, Lamy, Sheaffer) on a 'reasonable' paper, such as 24lb/90gsm laser copy, then refer to the linked chart of tipping sizes from our friends at Classic Fountain Pens.

 

Note Well: There will be a difference between the measured line width generated and the tipping size. That is due to variables of the ink+paper combo and your manner of writing. Please read the text above the chart.

 

Classic Pens Tipping Sizes : http://www.nibs.com/TippingSizespage.htm

 

As that shows, there is a difference in the tipping size and 'grade' between manufacturers.

 

Also, some Members have suggested there is also a difference between vintage nibs and current production nibs; and that different types of nibs of the same grade might also vary in width, such as Western Short Hand and Posting nibs or Asian Script nibs, but those are not so common.

 

In addition, we have nibs that produce variable line width due to spreading of the tines when the writing pressure (weight) increases, commonly referred to as 'flex'. The conical firm-rigid steel nib of the Parker 25 has no appreciable native flex.

 

Just to keep things interesting, the Parker England nibs tend to be somewhat wider than the Parker USA nibs of the same grade and age; and perhaps Parker nibs produced in other countries also have their own notion of grading.

 

In my Ink Reviews I use some pens for all written samples of a given basic colour group, so the extent of the variation produced by different ink+paper combos can be seen. e.g. A Pelikan M200 + g-p steel EF nib was used for 30+ Blue inks on four or five papers. There's also a NIB-ism sample of nibs' width & wetness for each ink.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited August 3, 2014 by Sandy1

[Floreat]

Thank you, Sandy! That is really very helpful I'm so new to all of this.

 

My Parker 25 is going to be inked with Diamine Sunshine Yellow - the nib is wide enough to allow this to be legible, and I love the fact that such a utilitarian-looking pen should contain such a joyous-coloured ink.

[Sandy1]

Thank you, Sandy! That is really very helpful I'm so new to all of this.

 

My Parker 25 is going to be inked with Diamine Sunshine Yellow - the nib is wide enough to allow this to be legible, and I love the fact that such a utilitarian-looking pen should contain such a joyous-coloured ink.

 

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

The DSY seems a great pick for a Summer ink! And it will be a good indicator as to the effectiveness of the clean-up.

 

Wheee!!

 

Bye,

S1

[lisadan]

I have several 25s (my favorite FP), some with M and some with F nibs. It's pretty difficult to tell the nib size from looking at the pen, even when holding it in your hand. The only way I can think of (without writing) is to hold it next to another nib whose width is known.

I've learned to somewhat "control" the width and bleeding of my writing by using certain brands of ink with certain nib widths, and by knowing how the paper used reacts to the nib/ink combination.

It took some time, but I was able to figure out which ink/nib/pen brand combination works better with the print/copy paper and post-it notes that are used at my workplace, and I carry several pens, using different pens for different papers (and colors) . When writing on unknown paper, I usually use a fine nib, to limit potential bleeding.

[Shaughn]

 

 

Maybe this helps: from left to right XF, F, M, B and stub/italic

[Sandy1]

P25 nib widths.jpg

 

Maybe this helps: from left to right XF, F, M, B and stub/italic

 

Outstanding!