PARKER FANTASY HYPOTHETICAL: You're the new owner of Parker Pen Co. What's your pen lineup?

[Parker51]

Well, I would go in a series of directions based upon my experience at Pen Shows and with our local Pen Club.

 

First, inks, yes, increase the number of basic Quink colors to match the competition and create a luxury sub-brand under the Penman label with distinctive bottles and higher price point, plus limited edition inks including an ink of the year.

 

Second, nibs would come back of a variety of widths and styles, again to match the competition. They are available in the marketplace and used by smaller manufacturers in both stainless and gold, so I expect Parker should be able to offer everything from a needle point to a double broad with a variety of obliques and even a music, an Arabic and a ballpoint nib.

 

Third, Special Editions that are not simply different colored pen bodies and/ or furniture but actually different shapes, again to match the competition.

 

Fourth the return of a self/filling mechanism for Duofolds.

 

I would also like to bring back the older 51 in parallel with the Duofold in different sizes as well and with many different colors, nibs and furniture.

[inkstainedruth]

59 minutes ago, Targa said:

I neglected to say that the present generation of Parker converters is disappointing, too.  You need to order 3 at a time because at least one or maybe 2 will already be sticky, and they are too narrow and the plastic end that used to have a metal collar is wobbly and it rattles around in the barrel.

Are you talking about the slide converters or the twist/piston ones?  Because if you're talking about the slide ones, I agree -- they're junk.  But IME the twist-style ones work very well and aren't horribly expensive (as compared, say, to Sheaffer converters...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: As for "exotic" flashlights, the only ones I can think of are the "nightlight" clip-on style ones for reading (and I got both of mine at Barnes and Noble) and the UV bulb ones (and I think I got those at a big hardware store like Home Depot or Lowes).

But now I'm curious about what is meant by an "exotic" flashlight...  Unless what is meant is the "flashlight" apps on smartphones....

[Z man]

3 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

...

 

ETA: ...

No offense, but what does "ETA" stand for? I'm hopelessly out of date with modern conventions and would appreciate your assistance.

 

Thanks,

Z

[inkstainedruth]

It means "edited to add".

I got into the practice of saying that when I was editing posts with the old software for the site; and just never got into the habit of using the new version where there's a box to add the reason a post was edited (for me, sometimes it's because I hit the "send" button too quickly and didn't say everything I meant to say, and sometimes it's because I then catch that there are typos -- I often don't catch places where I need to put a "closed parentheses, or such).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Z man]

59 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

It means "edited to add".

...

 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Thanks for that. I just knew it couldn't mean "Estimated Time of Arrival."

 

Z

[inkstainedruth]

15 hours ago, Z man said:

Thanks for that. I just knew it couldn't mean "Estimated Time of Arrival."

 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Kalessin]

On 7/1/2022 at 4:37 PM, inkstainedruth said:

ETA: As for "exotic" flashlights, the only ones I can think of are the "nightlight" clip-on style ones for reading (and I got both of mine at Barnes and Noble) and the UV bulb ones (and I think I got those at a big hardware store like Home Depot or Lowes).

But now I'm curious about what is meant by an "exotic" flashlight...  Unless what is meant is the "flashlight" apps on smartphones....

 

I hope that this copy-and-pasted description from Reddit's flashlight subreddit, /r/flashlight, might, ah, illuminate what an exotic flashlight might be:

 

Emisar D4v2 - every flashlight geek's favorite way to burn a hole in their pocket has been upgraded. It now comes with colored aux LEDs that can serve as a decoration, locator, and battery status indicator. Some versions of this light can exceed 4000 output at power-on, though efficiency is not one of its goals, even at lower levels. Not to be outdone by the FW3A, there are eight LED options, from which I'd suggest the 4500K, 90+ CRI Nichia 519A to most people. Optional extras include a tailcap magnet, steel bezel, pocket clip, 18350 and 18500 battery tubes, different optics, and high-efficiency boost driver. There are exposed programming headers on the battery side of the driver for those who want to modify the firmware, or just keep it up to date with ToyKeeper's latest revisions. That's right, it's 2022 and you can get software updates for your flashlight. $45

 

 

Some helpful hints:

• "aux LEDs" are LEDs along the barrel, and not part of the main beam.
• "4000" is output in lumens.  A "60-watt replacement" 10w LED light bulb outputs about 800 lumens.
• The color temperature (daylight, bright white, soft white, etc) of the beam can be changed by changing out the LEDs.
• Battery choices can favor brightness or longevity.
• Programming choices allow for different brightness levels, fade up/down, flash on/off function and flash patterns, changing the function of the aux LEDs, etc.

 

[inkstainedruth]

@KalessinAhhh, I see.  A high-priced (possibly overpriced) toy, such as the stuff that get shoved in my face during the local noon news by some spokes-model "influencer" that purports to be a consumer "segment" but is really just advertising (since I've seen the same segments in other markets on different networks); a typical example would be battery powered "tiki torches" that also have wi-fi in them to play music at a backyard luau....

As opposed to a pocket UV flashlight that I can get for under $8 US including sales tax at my local big box hardware store.  And which would NOT annoy my husband, who is extremely sensitive to peripheral light sources, by having a "side" bulb light....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth 

[Targa]

On 7/1/2022 at 3:37 PM, inkstainedruth said:

Are you talking about the slide converters or the twist/piston ones?  Because if you're talking about the slide ones, I agree -- they're junk.  But IME the twist-style ones work very well and aren't horribly expensive (as compared, say, to Sheaffer converters...).

I mean the twisty pisty ones- have you ordered a new one lately?  The older ones were great.  The ones from the past 2 years are ill-fitting and wobbly.

[ARVA]

Great topic!

 

I would reintroduce the Parker 51, 45, 75, T1 with the following changes:

- inscription a serial number by which they can be dated exactly

- use only metal threads on the 51, 75, T1

- I would sell classic finishes, colors on the base price and offering customized colors for a premium

- many say the Falcon is like the T1 but for me that shiny finish ruins everything on the nib, I would reintroduce the T1 as it was released but only selling a limited amount each year, for example every year I sell only 10.000, but not ending only after one year

- also I would introduce a new model the S1, the same as the T1 but made entirely of stainless steel, at lower price

- I would get rid of this new non characteristic poor logo, and bring back the bold and strong-willed logo of older times, when the arrow was an arrow not a fluffy thing

- and as every company, I would introduce limited editions, but not like adding a new color that can be identified only under a microscope, but using sculpted caps for the 51, intricate engravings for the 75 and so on.

 

And of course I would take away the Parker name from the garbage line of pens and name them Never Rubberpen in honor of the previous owner.

[Penguincollector]

Ooh, hire Ariel Kullock for limited editions! 

[inkstainedruth]

20 hours ago, Targa said:

I mean the twisty pisty ones- have you ordered a new one lately?  The older ones were great.  The ones from the past 2 years are ill-fitting and wobbly.

I got a couple maybe a year or two back and had no issues with them.  But they were mostly gotten at pen shows, IIRC, and were probably ones that the seller already had in stock.

But I had a similar problem in trying to find a converter for a Waterman Exclusive a few years ago, and had to try several DIFFERENT converters at different booths at a show.  Sadly, the converter I ended up getting cost nearly as much as the pen itself (which I had found in a booth at an antiques mall about an hour and a half north and a bit east of me).  Eventually found a converter that would fit and wasn't wobbly, but it took some doing.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[inkstainedruth]

7 hours ago, ARVA said:

And of course I would take away the Parker name from the garbage line of pens and name them Never Rubberpen in honor of the previous owner.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Penguincollector]

Out of curiosity, what is the garbage line of Parkers out now? I don’t have anything new that isn’t out of India (which are so so, except for their Vector- that one is fabulous). 

[inkstainedruth]

Most of my Vectors are UK production, except for a couple of NOS ones that were US-made, and one of the re-issued French production ones from a couple of years ago.  They aren't for everyone, in that they are small and thin pens (I would *not* want to try writing the Great American Novel with something that thin myself).  But they're inexpensive and come in a bunch of different fun designs, and IME they're little workhorses -- even if they are "school pens". 

There's a Vector design that I really like the look of -- but is apparently ONLY sold in the Asian market.  I tried to buy one a couple of months ago from the one vendor on eBay that had a US address but then it turned out the seller didn't ACTUALLY have the pen in stock.  AND was in India (NOT the US as listed) and who cancelled the order without contacting me (I got the cancellation notice from PayPal BEFORE getting the one from eBay).  And all the other listings are from vendors in India -- but although the pen is allegedly made for Parker by Luxor, the "country of origin" for some of the listings are actually China.  And some of the sellers seem to be a little vague about stuff in general, so I'm wary -- especially after the bad experience with the one with a NYC address which turned out to be some sort of drop box....  I don't want to go through what I did with that seller again (which was basically, "Oh, no I don't ACTUALLY have the pen...."  Contacted one seller yesterday and said "Which color do you have?  You show two in the photo....  Also, the header for the listing says it's a fountain pen but the details say "rollerball" -- so which is it?"  (That seller has 100% positive feedback -- but so did the one who was allegedly in Queens....)  

I've had mixed experiences buying from overseas vendors on eBay.  There's a few that if the seller had what I wanted?  I'd buy from them again in a heartbeat, without a second thought.  Others, though?  Not so much....  Of course I've also had issues with US sellers on eBay a couple of times, so it's a case of YMMV and also a case of "buyer beware"....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Targa]

7 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Of course I've also had issues with US sellers on eBay a couple of times, so it's a case of YMMV and also a case of "buyer beware"....

There is still something to be said for having a real store and feeling the merchandise in your own hand.  But, alas, that is just a fond memory.  Like young Mr. Potter and Diagon Alley, I have some fond memories of back-to-school visits to Wolfe's Book Store and Stationery.  Crowds of students stocking up on notebooks and school pens and ink.  That for our younger pen adopters is just anemoia.

I too have have some very negative results from on line vendors, but also a few very trustworthy.  

I've been trying to work out YMMV, and all I come up with is "Your Mother Makes Videos".  

[inkstainedruth]

It means "Your mileage may vary" (i.e., you might have a completely different experience/result from what is reported by other people).  I know that there's an eBay seller in the EU that I've always had a good rapport with -- and was shocked to see a while back that that particular seller did NOT have a 100% positive rating (the only bad experience wasn't his fault at ALL -- it was eBay's IT people not thinking about all possible cases and not planning for said occurrence....  But as a result the guy had to pull his listing and redo it as a BiN (after having been a "2nd chance offer" when the original high bidder had, a couple of days after the auction ended, apparently reneged...).  The poor seller was up all night long and it finally got resolved at about 5 PM ET, *no* thanks to eBay, so that I COULD buy the three pens I wanted at my price times three....

I had a good laugh a couple of years ago at a pen show I was with Pierre, the guy behind Desiderata Pens, who had a table at it, so I stopped over to say hi to him (I got to beta test one of his early models and had a couple of LONG phone calls with him over what I liked and didn't like; then got to meet him in person the last year I went to DCSS, at the old site in Tysons Corners).  He was talking to another person about ordering from overseas on eBay and said he had a good seller in Japan.  I said "You do?  So do I!" (the guy I got a Pilot Decimo from in a color that Pilot does NOT sell in the US for "marketing decisions" according to the person I contacted at Pilot USA) and in talking it turned out that Pierre and I were talking about the same seller! 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[TheRedBeard]

On 7/5/2022 at 10:13 AM, ARVA said:

...

And of course I would take away the Parker name from the garbage line of pens and name them Never Rubberpen in honor of the previous owner.

+100!  

[TheRedBeard]

On 7/5/2022 at 7:10 PM, Penguincollector said:

Out of curiosity, what is the garbage line of Parkers out now? I don’t have anything new that isn’t out of India (which are so so, except for their Vector- that one is fabulous). 

No 1 garbage of modern "Parker" era is NG51  

[aurore]

I would introduce piston a filler line based on Duofold Centennial line, using the nicest acrylic used for Centennials in last 30 years (Pearl & Black, Citrine Check, Amber Check Burgundy L.E. etc.). 

And would relaunch Penman inks but tuned to avoid the infamous troubles they caused.