Parker Arrow Flighter

August 18, 2014

this was my very first fountain pen. was given to me back in 83 as my JHS graduation gift from one of my older cousins. this is also the pen that made me not to use the fountain pen. i remember trying to use this pen back then and giving up as something too complicated for just taking notes. thank god my mother decided to keep it around. over the weekend with my little sister's visit down here, i stopped by my parents's and they had this.

brought it back home, soaked in soap and water, took the nib out, clean it as best i can along with converter that came with it. now it's writing very nicely. my mother also gave me the ink that i purchased at some time in the past to test this pen. i thought it was from 83 also, but looking at the package, it had URL for the Parker web site. this indicates that this is much newer ink, but definitely outside of their 2 yr warranty, and no clue how old the ink is.

the pen is very well made. nib seems to be a medium nib, and writes very smooth without any scratchiness. there is certain feed back, but not too severe. for a pen that has not been used for 30 yrs, and ink caked all over the nib, it writes very smoothly.

the barrel and section is on thin side. i prefer little thicker pen, but my hand is getting adjusted to it nicely. the pen is dated as 1982 first quarter and made in USA.

August 18, 2014

Nice pen, thanks for the review! The design somewhat reminds me to that of the Parker 45, but the clip is definitely different and more emphasized.

August 19, 2014

Nice pen, mine is inked with Waterman green.

Isn't it neat when parents save the stuff that we later want.

@Venemo

The 45 is tapered on both ends.

The Arrow and the following P99 are straighter, kinda like a tube when compared to the 45.

August 19, 2014

I always get the Arrow, 88, the Vector and the Rialto all confused. Very nice review and congratulations on the find!

August 19, 2014

i remember when i first got this pen back in 83 thinking it was really cool. sort of like metal vector. they look very similar. i think i tried to fill the converter by dipping the tip of the nib into the ink well and squeezing the thing on the converter not knowing i had to put the nib and section deep enough to draw the ink in. and since that didn't work, i put it away thinking it was broke.