Parker Jotter

[rx170]

I just bought 2 Parker Jotters. Not sure where to post this, I guess it goes here....

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Ovea23OdViI/SyzNGVJU67I/AAAAAAAAAX0/8Wgm9CR2ROg/IMG_2850.JPG

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Ovea23OdViI/SyzL9WWxPfI/AAAAAAAAAXY/pm0PzEKQQDs/IMG_2839.JPG

[jbb]

I think you've posted in the correct section. As far a loaning pens go I keep a few Pilot Varsity fountain pens in my purse.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have two Jotters, two different different French Flighters, A Parker Classic, a Silver hatched "match" for my Parker 75 bought back in 1970. It was a mechanical pencil, that would not take Parker ball point cartridges. How ever it is now a Ball Point, with Scheider Express 735.

One of these days, I'm going to have to waste pen-ink buying money and buy Parker Cartridges for most of them.

 

My wife has the blue Cross Townsend ball point, that came with my Cross Townsend set.

 

I also have a Mount Blanc ball point pen.... Inherited, among the inherited fountain pens that started my collecting mania. Being totally ignorant, I'd not even noticed the MB star on the top, nor would have known what it ment...I kept it only because it was a good ballpoint pen...that some day would get a "Parker" cartridge, when I had the time, and thought about it.

 

I'd even given it away..to a crippled kid downstairs who was starting back in school. But the kid, realizing I was collecting fountain pens, after finding out what it was a Mount Blanc at a Brick and Mortar where he was getting a BP Cartridge, gave it back to me. I gave him 5 "good" ball point pens, for being honest. It takes a MB cartridge which is smooth on top and not jagged like the Parkers or the Schnieders.

 

I don't know why, but perhaps one day I'll get a black and gold Cross ball point that I could never afford as a kid in the Silver Dollar days, but admired. On second thought no. I'll never use it.

 

When I started collecting fountain pens, I hunted high and low, and was surprised at how many good ball points I had...all Parkers.

 

All the hundred of cheap ball points...the "good" ones are being sold dirt cheap at flea markets for fifty cents....the Cheap ones will be bundled in bundles of 10 and sold too for about the same price. It's astounding how many there were.

 

The Cheap ones are never bought, but always there.

[Jeff E]

I have fond memories of Parker Jotter BPs. Back when I was attending high school and college during the 1970's, they were a step up from the typical throw away BPs that everyone used, They wrote well and longer than just about any other BP. My favorite was a white Jotter with a built in calendar. I used that pen for so many years that it eventually broke where the barrel threaded into the cap. It was like losing an old friend. I think it's a shame that Jotters are becoming progressively harder to find in retail outlets.

[RLTodd]

My standard since the 1950's.

 

Usually always carry one or have a Parker Jotter Refill in some other holder.

 

Must have a dozen sitting here and there, almost always within arms reach.

 

Save a No. 2 cedar cased pencil, the only writing instrument that I can recommend without reservation.

 

They do seem to be getting driven out of the market by lower cost BPs of the all plastic clicker and throw-a-way type.

[Bo Bo Olson]

The only reason I still have them is I put them up so they'd not get lost or broken at work. Jotters were like Zippo lighters, in breaking the 2 minute mile.

 

 

I must have had 100 cheap BP that I never spent a cent on....given away for advertisement or something.

[streeton]

This might sound a bit nutty, but if you use a Parker '50th' jotter from 2004 (the maze and dots series) even though the refill is the same, the writing experience is much enhanced because these pens do not have the metal ring at the end. This creates a more natural taper from the end of the barrel extending to the insert ball tip - not interrupted by a metal band as on normal jotters. Remember these jotters from 2004 were designed to recreate the experience of those early 50's jotters. Try one and you'll see what I mean.

[TYoung]

Interesting but I tend to like the current models with rings on the end. The 50th models seemed a bit loose.

[streeton]

I agree about the looseness but I think that is more a function of the metal barrel of these '50th' jotters (metal refill hitting metal barrel)and I solved that problem by wrapping a prestick label around the top end of the refill and Voila! perfectly smooth and no more noise/rattle.

[jread]

A single Parker Jotter is what got me into collecting pens in the first place. I still have it at work and still use it on a daily basis. They are great pens and I will always have them.

[jgoodwin1]

Jotters are as reliable as the Model T. I enjoy writing with a classic antique Jotter. As loaners, I will loan a common jotter to a friend to write something.

 

You can still find stainless steel Jotters at Target for $5.50. And a refill can cost more than $4 so, you are getting a free pen for the refill!

[MLKirk]

I'm so much a Jotter purist that I don't write with my Jubilee 50th Anniversary pens. They stay in the box.

 

I'm posting today's finds in the wild. Forgive the hotel bathroom photograph but it's the best light I have available for the moment.

 

SPEAKING of Jotters....once again....I added another to the collection today. This one is light blue with a 1969 refill inside so it's likely that it's at least that old. The booty today, shown below, is a black Skyline Standard with a semi-flex stub teardrop nib, a burgundy slipper-capped Eversharp Symphony (1st year) and a dark blue Sheaffer Imperial IV touchdown filler. The engraved cap band on the Imperial leads me to believe that it's unmarked sold gold, however, I can see without my 30x pen scope. I plan to clean it and check the engraving as it's deep and would likely show plated metal if not.

 

Incidentally, the significance of the magazine ad (also found today) is that '66 Pontiac Catalina is the car I grew up in...same color sans vinyl roof and rack. Ours had a wind deflector on the back roof. The Jotter seems to match the ad pretty close but I vividly recall that color and it's much more turqoise than the pen. My brother found a near exact car on the west coast and immediately bought it a few years ago. Still has it.

 

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j316/mikelkirk99/Jotter/20100105002a.jpg

[Hugh200au]

I'm so much a Jotter purist that I don't write with my Jubilee 50th Anniversary pens. They stay in the box.

 

I'm posting today's finds in the wild. Forgive the hotel bathroom photograph but it's the best light I have available for the moment.

 

SPEAKING of Jotters....once again....I added another to the collection today. This one is light blue with a 1969 refill inside so it's likely that it's at least that old. The booty today, shown below, is a black Skyline Standard with a semi-flex stub teardrop nib, a burgundy slipper-capped Eversharp Symphony (1st year) and a dark blue Sheaffer Imperial IV touchdown filler. The engraved cap band on the Imperial leads me to believe that it's unmarked sold gold, however, I can see without my 30x pen scope. I plan to clean it and check the engraving as it's deep and would likely show plated metal if not.

 

Incidentally, the significance of the magazine ad (also found today) is that '66 Pontiac Catalina is the car I grew up in...same color sans vinyl roof and rack. Ours had a wind deflector on the back roof. The Jotter seems to match the ad pretty close but I vividly recall that color and it's much more turqoise than the pen. My brother found a near exact car on the west coast and immediately bought it a few years ago. Still has it.

 

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j316/mikelkirk99/Jotter/20100105002a.jpg

 

Second gen.Symphony actually, nice find overall.

 

Regards

Hugh

[richardandtracy]

I've tried the jotters, but felt the P25 BP was much better constructed. However, I disliked them both in comparison to an fp. Any fp.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[OcalaFlGuy]

If you are actually going to Use a Jotter, you might try updating it with an Itoya or Schmitt gel refill. Either will offer a much nice writing experience than the antiquated standard (and pricier I beleive) Jotter refill.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[TYoung]

I've found Visconti gel ballpoint refills to be outstanding - medium 0.7.

[MLKirk]

If you are actually going to Use a Jotter, you might try updating it with an Itoya or Schmitt gel refill. Either will offer a much nice writing experience than the antiquated standard (and pricier I beleive) Jotter refill.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

I would tend to replace the word "antiquated" with "insufficient" or "substandard" because the old Jotter refills were much better than today's ink (not gel) refills. I personally believe the formulation and/or manufacturing methods have changed over the years. The gel's are nice and smooth but still do not offer that ballpoint feel and dryness to me. Just my take on it. :embarrassed_smile:

 

Thanks for the review on the Visconti gel refills, Tim.

[jread]

I've found Visconti gel ballpoint refills to be outstanding - medium 0.7.

 

One more vote for the Visconti refill; I use the 0.7mm in my Parkers and it is absolutely wonderful. I haven't found anything else that even comes close to this refill.

[TYoung]

Where do you purchase your Visconti refills? I go with Swisher.

[jread]

Where do you purchase your Visconti refills? I go with Swisher.

 

I get them from a local Paradise Pens location, but you can also order them from their website.