Are Im's Practical As General Used Fountain Pens?

[Liuna]

I was surfing around, looking for a nice Parker fountain pen for a reasonable price (I really love Sonnets and Duofolds too, but they are too expensive for my budget unfortunately).

 

I ended up finding I found two IM's which I really like and I'm debating a bit over whether choosing this one in case I got a new Parker fountain pen (I have 45 and Jotter pencils and Jotter pens so far).

 

(Also looked at Vector and Premier, but I like IM the best so far.)

 

I'm curious for your opinions about it, like how practical and comfortable it is, if it's good for longer writing and maybe some not-so-professional calligraphic writing (for example for Christmas greetings) and so on.

 

I attach two pictures of the ones I like the most so far

 

The blue one is a Parker IM metal fountain pen and the green one says Parker IM Premium Vacumatic Emerald Pearl CT.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Liuna

[mitto]

Both are entry level cartridge / converter metal pens. Vacumatic filling system was discontinued by Parker in late 1940s.

 

I would suggest you buy a 1970s/1980s era Parker 45 flighter (all steel body), instead. You may find one with a 14k nib for the price (or for nearly about the price) of the IM.

[ballboy]

I have a Parker 25, which I adore.

The IM and Urban range have been updated; the IM not so obviously, but the Urban feels like a different pen with more weight and elegance. Both now have open nibs.

 

Khan is right though: vintage/late 20th century Parkers are rewarding for the price and feel in the hand.

[Liuna]

  On 11/10/2017 at 1:27 PM, mitto said:

Both are entry level cartridge / converter metal pens. Vacumatic filling system was discontinued by Parker in late 1940s.

 

I would suggest you buy a 1970s/1980s era Parker 45 flighter (all steel body), instead. You may find one with a 14k nib for the price (or for nearly about the price) of the IM.

Thank you, that's a good idea. I already know what a 45 feels like when held in hand and it's very good.

 

I found this one on an auctioning site of my country: I think it looks very good. And it's USA made, so it must be the era you suggested, pre-1987. The price is about $37,4/£28,3.

http://www.vatera.hu/45-parker-45-1-10-12-karat-g-f-made-in-usa-regi-toltotoll-arany-heggyel-2551168160.html

 

 

  On 11/10/2017 at 1:47 PM, ballboy said:

I have a Parker 25, which I adore.

The IM and Urban range have been updated; the IM not so obviously, but the Urban feels like a different pen with more weight and elegance. Both now have open nibs.

 

Khan is right though: vintage/late 20th century Parkers are rewarding for the price and feel in the hand.

Thank you for your reply. I might consider the 45 one.

 

I found this one on an auctioning site of my country: I think it looks very good. And it's USA made, so it must be the era mitto suggested, pre-1987. The price is about $37,4/£28,3.

http://www.vatera.hu/45-parker-45-1-10-12-karat-g-f-made-in-usa-regi-toltotoll-arany-heggyel-2551168160.html

 

 

I looked up Parker 25, it's nice, it seems to have a simple, but nice looking design :-) I'm still getting to know to the types, as I've known mostly the Jotters until recently.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Liuna

[mitto]

That Parker 45 has a gold filled cap and has a 14k gold nib with the original fatty Parker squeeze converter. $37 is really a good price for that pen. I would advise you go for it.

 

The P25 is also a good pen when compared to IM. But it comes with only steel nib. The P45 is the best of all three.

 

Edited to add.

Yes, the pen looks to be pre-1980s production. Probably 1960s-1970s era pen. Although, to be sure about the probable production timeline one has to have a look at the cap top tassies of the pen and at certain other characteristics in case of the metal versions of P45s.

Edited November 10, 2017 by mitto

[Liuna]

  On 11/10/2017 at 4:26 PM, mitto said:

That Parker 45 has a gold filled cap and has a 14k gold nib with the original fatty Parker squeeze converter. $37 is really a good price for that pen. I would advise you go for it.

 

The P25 is also a good pen when compared to IM. But it comes with only steel nib. The P45 is the best of all three.

 

Edited to add.

Yes, the pen looks to be pre-1980s production. Probably 1960s-1970s era pen. Although, to be sure about the probable production timeline one has to have a look at the cap top tassies of the pen and at certain other characteristics in case of the metal versions of P45s.

Thank you.

An other question: what's your opinion about the Jotter fountain pen?

[mitto]

There were UK made kind of stepped up Jotter fountain pens. Both gold trim flighters as well black lacquer versions. Anyhow, the Jotter has the same nib as used in the Vector and the plastic body on the Jotter is prone to cracking on its own. The flighters, however, are usable pens. But no comparison with the P45.

[Liuna]

  On 11/12/2017 at 6:02 PM, mitto said:

There were UK made kind of stepped up Jotter fountain pens. Both gold trim flighters as well black lacquer versions. Anyhow, the Jotter has the same nib as used in the Vector and the plastic body on the Jotter is prone to cracking on its own. The flighters, however, are usable pens. But no comparison with the P45.

I see, thank you :-) Do I have to pay attention to anything specific regarding its use, cleaning etc? (I haven't written much with fountain pens yet, but tried out some pieces already). Especially since it's a gold filled one.

[Chrissy]

A big advantage with the Parker 45 is that the actual nib section unscrews and completely takes apart so that it is easy to clean thoroughly. I would recommend a Parker 45.

[Liuna]

  On 11/13/2017 at 12:11 PM, Chrissy said:

A big advantage with the Parker 45 is that the actual nib section unscrews and completely takes apart so that it is easy to clean thoroughly. I would recommend a Parker 45.

That's very good :-) Does the gold nib require anything special when cleaning?

I'm asking because my love has a 12kt gold filled overlayed pen and part of it has come off over the time (it's decades old).

[mitto]

  On 11/13/2017 at 1:32 PM, Liuna said:

That's very good :-) Does the gold nib require anything special when cleaning?

I'm asking because my love has a 12kt gold filled overlayed pen and part of it has come off over the time (it's decades old).

The gold nib on that P45 is solid gold and not gold plated. So no worries. Nothing will come off of that solid gold nib.

Edited November 13, 2017 by mitto

[Liuna]

  On 11/13/2017 at 2:22 PM, mitto said:

The gold nib on that P45 is solid gold and not gold plated. So no worries. Nothing will come off of that solid gold nib.

 

 

Okay, that's very good

 

One more thing I noticed is it might have either something screwn/hammered into the ink holder (don't know the exact name of it, sorry). I circled it on the photo. And are the other two "patches" from ink?

What's your opinion about it? And in case something would go wrong with it, can a new one bought into it seperately in general?

(My love says it's a damage and I should pay less...)

Edited November 13, 2017 by Liuna

[mitto]

  On 11/13/2017 at 4:41 PM, Liuna said:

Okay, that's very good One more thing I noticed is it might have either something screwn/hammered into the ink holder (don't know the exact name of it, sorry). I circled it on the photo. And are the other two "patches" from ink?What's your opinion about it? And in case something would go wrong with it, can a new one bought into it seperately in general? (My love says it's a damage and I should pay less...)

That is perfectly ok. The three 'pinches' (there would be two more) around the button end of the metal tube (called 'sac protector') are intentional and are designed to keep the black button firmly in place. The black button, at the end that is inside the metal tube, has a nipple whereto the ink sac is glued / shellaced.

 

The whole ink holder thing is called a converter. There are other types of Parker ink converters (slide converter and piston converter etc). This one is from the 1960s and is called (Parker) squeeze converter.

Edited November 13, 2017 by mitto

[mitto]

And yes, the other two patches are ink stains. Those may be cleaned out by soaking in water mixed with a few drops of liquid dish waher.

[robert1962]

  On 11/10/2017 at 1:27 PM, mitto said:

Both are entry level cartridge / converter metal pens. Vacumatic filling system was discontinued by Parker in late 1940s.

 

I would suggest you buy a 1970s/1980s era Parker 45 flighter (all steel body), instead. You may find one with a 14k nib for the price (or for nearly about the price) of the IM.

+1

 

While I don't hunt them, I came across one while floating in the Bay the other day for BIN $20 US. Swapped in a nice 14k unit and I have a GREAT starter pen I can gift or, more likely, keep.

 

-Bob

[Liuna]

  On 11/13/2017 at 6:06 PM, mitto said:

And yes, the other two patches are ink stains. Those may be cleaned out by soaking in water mixed with a few drops of liquid dish waher.

Yep, that's what I thought too. Will be simple.

I ordered it It's expected to be here in 2-3 days as it will be posted from an other city 198 km-s away.

I'm a very bit afraid how I'll use this kind of converter but I think it will be fine. I've read it can be squeezed/reloaded via a ring without having to take the converter out right? I also hope the sac is still okay, I don't really know where I could find a new one in case I needed it, especially since these aqueezed converters aren't manufactured anymore as far as I know.

 

I found out my love had colored bottled inks (they are still in liquid state with little pieces of ink "pieces" in it, looking white from outside. He advised we mix them up. Might try one of them

 

 

  On 11/13/2017 at 7:31 PM, robert1962 said:

+1

 

While I don't hunt them, I came across one while floating in the Bay the other day for BIN $20 US. Swapped in a nice 14k unit and I have a GREAT starter pen I can gift or, more likely, keep.

 

-Bob

 

Nice buy! Does it have a squeezer converter as well?

[ac12]

The IM is a fine pen.

But it is a HEAVY pen, compared to the 45. That is the only reason that I do not use my IM.

[Mike 59]

Hi, Agreed, the 'I.M' feels like a fairly heavy pen in use, but much of the weight is the cap.

I weighed the 'I.M.' at 31g and then the '45' at 19g.

[Liuna]

  On 11/14/2017 at 4:45 AM, ac12 said:

The IM is a fine pen.

But it is a HEAVY pen, compared to the 45. That is the only reason that I do not use my IM.

Yeah, I guess the weight of the cap can eb felt very much when it's put on the other end of the pen while writing.

 

Then it's almost double the weight. The plastic part does make it look light in my opinion. I think its cap is its heaviest part too like at the IM, it's just not as heavy altogether.

 

Finally I saw in a video where to squeeze it when refilling, looking forward to trying it out. Also saw how it writes, it looks light. (This squeeze converter is still new to me).

[mitto]

I love the Parker squeeze converter (not so much the Sheaffer ones) and especially the original 1960s' fatty ones like in your pen. They do add to the weight of the otherwise too light plastic bodied Parker pens.