Parker 180-review

[goodguy]

I want to let people know about some of the less popular and knows Parker models out there.

Everybody knows about the 51 or the Vacumatic but the less known ones like the VP, T-1,VS,85,105,Premier.

 

So I wrote reviews about most of these pens and here is the Parker 180.

The 180 isn’t an entirely unknown pen but not a very popular either.

 

Well this is a very interesting pen and it has features that are very unique.

 

First I have 2 models the stainless steel and the GF model.

These are slim pens perfect for people with little hands or for those who doesn’t like fat pens.

I love big pens but somehow these pens sit well in my hands.

It’s a C/C filler working with both standard Parker cartridges and converters.

 

The most unique feature of this pen is its nib. It’s got a very interesting arrow shape nib.

And to me the whole pen when uncapped looks like a dart.

You can write on both sides of this nib. One side is M and the other XF.

The M side of the nib is glass smooth and very wet, this is a testament that this nib is good for everyday use. The XF side is slightly less smooth then the M side but it is still to ne expected since its such a fine point and in any case is still very smooth and a wonderful writer in its own right. This is very useful in case you need to change line wideness.

As far as I know these nibs are gold plated steel nibs but they surprisingly have a slight springiness to them.

 

To me it looks like the pens design was influenced but the 75 and the pen is a lovely yet non flashy design.

The pen is very light weight and very well balanced.

 

Bottom line it’s a very nice everyday writer with the advantage of changing lines when you want or need it. It is also a nice conversation piece because if this feature and also the arrow shape nib.

[DRP]

Fascinating review. Thanks for posting it.

[Ernst Bitterman]

It looks like it might be a good stabbing pen, too.

[greencobra]

Interesting pen. I wasn't aware of it's existence, frankly. Getting an education before I head off to the JELL-O farm. Thanks for posting about it.

[KrisH]

I have a green one of these and what attracted me to it was the nib design and feature of having 2 nib widths in one pen.

[georges zaslavsky]

I always had troubles to understand that pen

[ecarag]

As far as I know these nibs are gold plated steel nibs but they surprisingly have a slight springiness to them.

 

Nice to know someone's got exact same 180s as mine. Anyways, 180s have 14K nibs. I don't know if they've something to do with springiness. The 180, as I heard, is like the predecessor of the Classic fountain pen. With the latter not being double-sided. Nice review. :ltcapd:

[satrap]

You know what, I have a different pen with that weird nib, an exorcist-green Kenzo.

 

Cool pen, GGuy!

[gyasko]

I have a 180, too. Mine is an F/B, which is perfect for me. I like to use a B for any sort of writing involving sentences, but an F for corrections and writing in an agenda. It's a very good nib. I'd rather that the pen were a tad thicker, but i will compromise for a good nib. Just try and find a 51 with a broad nib.

[SquelchB]

It looks like it might be a good stabbing pen, too.

That's what I thought upon seeing the photos, it just looks dangerous. I'll start thinking about buying one :roflmho:

Edited March 27, 2008 by SquelchB

[johnee]

What I'm really curious to know is the timeline of this pen. How many variations were made and when. When I say variations, I don't mean colors/finishes/textures, but true engineering changes such as any different feed designs or nib lengths, etc.

 

Also, anyone know anything about the design team as far as who was the chief architect?

 

The reason I love this pen (and am seeking out my perfect version of it) is because this pen was Parker's response to where they felt the world should be with respect to technology. The design is definitely induced from the space era (remember the last moon shot was only 8 years prior to the introduction of this pen). Man had landed on the moon, and even though I was just in elementary school in the 70s, I get the feeling people thought we were at the brink of a technological revolution. The Parker 180 shows how that perception of technology creeped into people's everyday lives and thoughts.

[Shamouti]

Hey there,

 

I was interested in the 180 for a long time as many of you were too. It's a good pen for playing darts with although I'd refrain from doing so since the nib can be so fragile.

 

Anyway, the nice thing about the 180 is the nibs are interchangeable just like the Parker 75 and 45. Since they had such a small production run of about seven years (1976-1983) they apparently still made the 180 in the UK.

 

I finally bought my first Flighter 180 this last March and immediately had problems with it. Poor ink flow, leaky inner sleeve, and very loose nib. You could turn the nib in the section while writing with it. The nib was a steel nib and a pretty inexpensive pen. Still, despite feeling ripped off (paid $80 for it!!) I wanted the pen to write. So I went down to a pen show and had someone try to fix it. Now the pen flows out ink very fast and is leaky as heck. Where the converter presses into the section, there's a gap in between and when I draw ink from a bottle, it leaks right out.

 

This sucks man. I've mentioned to Richard Binder about it and well, he suggested getting a whole new nib and section.

I still like the 180, but it would be a lot nicer if they improved the design for IMHO it wasn't designed very well at all.

 

Shamouti

[goodguy]

Hey there,

 

I was interested in the 180 for a long time as many of you were too. It's a good pen for playing darts with although I'd refrain from doing so since the nib can be so fragile.

 

Anyway, the nice thing about the 180 is the nibs are interchangeable just like the Parker 75 and 45. Since they had such a small production run of about seven years (1976-1983) they apparently still made the 180 in the UK.

 

I finally bought my first Flighter 180 this last March and immediately had problems with it. Poor ink flow, leaky inner sleeve, and very loose nib. You could turn the nib in the section while writing with it. The nib was a steel nib and a pretty inexpensive pen. Still, despite feeling ripped off (paid $80 for it!!) I wanted the pen to write. So I went down to a pen show and had someone try to fix it. Now the pen flows out ink very fast and is leaky as heck. Where the converter presses into the section, there's a gap in between and when I draw ink from a bottle, it leaks right out.

 

This sucks man. I've mentioned to Richard Binder about it and well, he suggested getting a whole new nib and section.

I still like the 180, but it would be a lot nicer if they improved the design for IMHO it wasn't designed very well at all.

 

Shamouti

I am very sorry to hear about your bad experience with your pen.

Like everything else you can get a lemmon and that will ruin your whole experience.

All I can say mine is writing like a dream and it only cost me 25$ (can).

I hope you will get the pen fixed and you will be able to enjoy it.

Another way is to look for a Steel 180 on eBay and get the section from it.The Steel 180 are not expensive and I believe you could get then for 25$-30$.

[cjjohnst]

I want to let people know about some of the less popular and knows Parker models out there.

Everybody knows about the 51 or the Vacumatic but the less known ones like the VP, T-1,VS,85,105,Premier.

 

So I wrote reviews about most of these pens and here is the Parker 180.

The 180 isn’t an entirely unknown pen but not a very popular either.

 

Well this is a very interesting pen and it has features that are very unique.

 

First I have 2 models the stainless steel and the GF model.

These are slim pens perfect for people with little hands or for those who doesn’t like fat pens.

I love big pens but somehow these pens sit well in my hands.

It’s a C/C filler working with both standard Parker cartridges and converters.

 

The most unique feature of this pen is its nib. It’s got a very interesting arrow shape nib.

And to me the whole pen when uncapped looks like a dart.

You can write on both sides of this nib. One side is M and the other XF.

The M side of the nib is glass smooth and very wet, this is a testament that this nib is good for everyday use. The XF side is slightly less smooth then the M side but it is still to ne expected since its such a fine point and in any case is still very smooth and a wonderful writer in its own right. This is very useful in case you need to change line wideness.

As far as I know these nibs are gold plated steel nibs but they surprisingly have a slight springiness to them.

 

To me it looks like the pens design was influenced but the 75 and the pen is a lovely yet non flashy design.

The pen is very light weight and very well balanced.

 

Bottom line it’s a very nice everyday writer with the advantage of changing lines when you want or need it. It is also a nice conversation piece because if this feature and also the arrow shape nib.

I bought the Imperial gold plated pen based on your review. I must say that I am extremely pleased and it is and absolutely wonderful writer just as you said. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Edited March 30, 2013 by cjjohnst

[goodguy]

I bought the Imperial gold plated pen based on your review. I must say that I am extremely pleased and it is and absolutely wonderful writer just as you said. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

I am so glad to be of help and am happy to see you are enjoying this pen

[wspohn]

 

I rather like the 180 although they are a little slimmer barrel than the pens that best fit my hand. I have a dozen of them, including some oddball patterns My preference is an M/XF nib combo, which gives you a nice wet writing medium, but also an XF for taking notes in limited space just by turning the pen in your hand.

 

I'd just mention one interesting variant of the 180. Parker made a purse pen version called the Pucci 'Ms. Parker' that came with a leather purse pouch. Kind of cool. I've attached pictures of one of these pens with pouch as well as a contemporary ad.

[ac12]

12 of them....

Were there that many different versions?

[Heemstede]

 

QUOTE(Shamouti @ May 14 2008, 03:48 AM) 610282[/snapback]

Hey there,

 

I was interested in the 180 for a long time as many of you were too. It's a good pen for playing darts with although I'd refrain from doing so since the nib can be so fragile.

 

Anyway, the nice thing about the 180 is the nibs are interchangeable just like the Parker 75 and 45. Since they had such a small production run of about seven years (1976-1983) they apparently still made the 180 in the UK.

 

I finally bought my first Flighter 180 this last March and immediately had problems with it. Poor ink flow, leaky inner sleeve, and very loose nib. You could turn the nib in the section while writing with it. The nib was a steel nib and a pretty inexpensive pen. Still, despite feeling ripped off (paid $80 for it!!) I wanted the pen to write. So I went down to a pen show and had someone try to fix it. Now the pen flows out ink very fast and is leaky as heck. Where the converter presses into the section, there's a gap in between and when I draw ink from a bottle, it leaks right out.

 

This sucks man. I've mentioned to Richard Binder about it and well, he suggested getting a whole new nib and section.

I still like the 180, but it would be a lot nicer if they improved the design for IMHO it wasn't designed very well at all.

 

Shamouti

I am very sorry to hear about your bad experience with your pen.

Like everything else you can get a lemmon and that will ruin your whole experience.

All I can say mine is writing like a dream and it only cost me 25$ (can).

I hope you will get the pen fixed and you will be able to enjoy it.

Another way is to look for a Steel 180 on eBay and get the section from it.The Steel 180 are not expensive and I believe you could get then for 25$-30$.

 

 

I have a "minimalist" 180 as well, in stainless with the small gold rings on ends of cap and barrel, and gold clip. I had problems with this over the years, almost from the time I bought it, with leaks. My fingers were constantly getting stained by the pen, and the cap would accumulate a lot of ink. I think it was sent back twice to Parker, for repairs. This could be one of the reasons for the early demise. It is a really "techie" design, perfect as and example of a product from the new age after the Apollo moonshots.

 

Does anyone have suggestions on how to get this thing to work properly?

 

JJK

[siopaopei]

wow. i've honestly never heard of this kind of Parker before. very interesting-looking nib. Thanks for the review.

[ac12]

 

 

I have a "minimalist" 180 as well, in stainless with the small gold rings on ends of cap and barrel, and gold clip. I had problems with this over the years, almost from the time I bought it, with leaks. My fingers were constantly getting stained by the pen, and the cap would accumulate a lot of ink. I think it was sent back twice to Parker, for repairs. This could be one of the reasons for the early demise. It is a really "techie" design, perfect as and example of a product from the new age after the Apollo moonshots.

 

Does anyone have suggestions on how to get this thing to work properly?

 

JJK

 

Mine drooled with Parker Quink, despite being sent back to Parker for adjustment/repair.

The easy fix was to change to Cross/Pelikan ink which was dry enough to tame the ink flow.