Parker Vector Review

[funkypeanut]

I found one of these while I was cleaning out my basement. It was still in the box with four nibs, a converter and four cartridges. (The house's former owners left some stuff behind in the basement.) After I cleaned the nibs, it wrote fine. It is, though, a bit slender for me, and the converter doesn't hold a great deal of ink. Still, for a free pen it's great! :clap1:

[kwpalzang]

That J. Herbin 1670 ink is not iron gall... It's an earthy red colour meant to replicate the colour of wax used in old seals. Apparently, the ink also contains some gold that only shows up in certain nib and paper combinations. Really an intriguing concept... a red ink that's safe in fountain pens with a golden shimmer.

 

So, is the J. Herbin Encre Authentique ink their iron gall ink? I assume that's it. They mentioned it could last 300 years on their website.

 

Oh, and by the way, I seem to have stated this in a rather ambiguous way: the gold is not real gold, of course. . . Well, at least I'm pretty sure it isn't. It would be a lot more expensive had it been made with gold too, right? o_o

[Sidestreaker]

Great review, I like the simple and utalitarian design of the Vector. I believe I've handled it once, feel solid.

[P.E.N.S]

Have you ever heard of any fake?

[Dillo]

Have you ever heard of any fake?

 

There are a lot of Parker Vector inspired pens from China. Some Parker pens are now made in China as well.

 

Dillon

[P.E.N.S]

There are a lot of Parker Vector inspired pens from China. Some Parker pens are now made in China as well.

 

Dillon

What are the characteristics of those pens? Does they write like original vector?

How's the Parker written on cap and nib?

Regards

W

[whoelse]

Even James Bond's "M" has a Parker Vector in the movie Skyfall (I',m sure she has a Vector FP somewhere)

 

http://www.jamesbondlifestyle.com/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_image/public/images/product/ac039-parker-pens-in-skyfall-m-large_0.jpg?itok=qhlooczC

Edited November 10, 2013 by whoelse

[Dillo]

What are the characteristics of those pens? Does they write like original vector?

How's the Parker written on cap and nib?

Regards

W

The inspired ones are mostly rollerballs and ballpoints, and they don't usually say Parker.

 

Dillon

[P.E.N.S]

The inspired ones are mostly rollerballs and ballpoints, and they don't usually say Parker.

 

Dillon

Not FPs?

[Dillo]

Not FPs?

I said, "mostly" not "all"

It simply means that they are very uncommon.

 

Dillon

[swanjun]

The first ones to come to my mind as being definitely Vector-inspired are still distinguishable from Vectors, and those would be some of the R. Pirre's Paul pens. Mostly I just mean the shape. The nibs don't look anything the same, and though I actually like how the R. Pirre's Paul pens write, it's not comparable to a Vector.

[fiberdrunk]

Glad to see this review is still kicking around. I have bought several more of these Parker Vectors since I posted this review. Mostly I use them for commercial and even homemade iron gall inks, but I've also used Noodler's Bad Blue Heron in one, too. I'm still happy with these pens.

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3809/10809418914_7ef3a4bed6_c.jpg

[mohan]

Have you ever heard of any fake?

There ARE a lot. They do not come in a box, available at a fraction of price than original and printed "made in uk". Thats how I distinguish them as fakes.Original Parker ( here in India) have no "made in". They write equally good!

Fibredrunk,

thanks for excellant review.

Edited November 12, 2013 by mohan

[Mesu]

Nice collection of Vectors. Love the tweety pen

 

 

 

Glad to see this review is still kicking around. I have bought several more of these Parker Vectors since I posted this review. Mostly I use them for commercial and even homemade iron gall inks, but I've also used Noodler's Bad Blue Heron in one, too. I'm still happy with these pens.

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3809/10809418914_7ef3a4bed6_c.jpg

[Davjohn]

I hate it when I get a pen that most people like only to find that it won't work for me in any capacity.

I bought a Parker Vector online, with 2 refills. From what I see everything is as it should be. No dings, dents, scrapes or bends. Both the filler and the cartridge offer snug fits. The ink will flow to the nib after some gymnastics, but I can get it to flow out the top of the nib, not the writing point. I've even wet the nib to try to get the ink to flow. No dice.

 

I didn't pay that much for it, so I'll have to go back to my collection of Sheaffers, Jinhaos, Baoers and whatever those no-name pens are. At least most of them write.

 

Edit: I decided to clean the pen. I disassembled the nib/filler assembly and cleaned it. I didn't see a lot of debris, but as soon as I put it together it now writes, and quite nicely, too.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Davjohn

[fiberdrunk]

 

Edit: I decided to clean the pen. I disassembled the nib/filler assembly and cleaned it. I didn't see a lot of debris, but as soon as I put it together it now writes, and quite nicely, too.

 

Glad to hear it's working for you! I was going to recommend a soak in diluted ammonia. Though I've never noticed it on the Parker nib, some nibs have an oil coating that must be removed first, or else it affects the flow. It's there to prevent tarnishing.

[swain]

I had a very different experience with the one Vector that I've tried. It was simply horrible. I checked the nib for alignment and so on but was unable to find anything that worked.

It was so scratchy that I had to quit using it in meetings because it became a distraction.

I vaguely recall leaving it with a couple of cartridges on a table in the hope that someone else might find it and, possibly, enjoy it.

More likely it was trashed by the next poor sod.

Still, I note the positive experience of other Vector owners and conclude that mine was a dud.

[fiberdrunk]

I had a very different experience with the one Vector that I've tried. It was simply horrible. I checked the nib for alignment and so on but was unable to find anything that worked.

It was so scratchy that I had to quit using it in meetings because it became a distraction.

I vaguely recall leaving it with a couple of cartridges on a table in the hope that someone else might find it and, possibly, enjoy it.

More likely it was trashed by the next poor sod.

Still, I note the positive experience of other Vector owners and conclude that mine was a dud.

 

I once tried a fine nib on the Vector and found that to be a bit scratchy, too. The medium nibs seem much better. You can smooth a rough nib with nail file. Sally Beauty sells a file that has 4 buffers on it (#77330). It works quite well for the odd problem nib.

 

http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits_pod21/dw/image/v2/AABJ_PRD/on/demandware.static/Sites-SA-Site/Sites-SBS-SallyBeautySupply/default/v1407557480103/images/large/SBS-707330.jpg?sw=495&sh=495&sm=fit&sfrm=png

[P.E.N.S]

Glad to see this review is still kicking around. I have bought several more of these Parker Vectors since I posted this review. Mostly I use them for commercial and even homemade iron gall inks, but I've also used Noodler's Bad Blue Heron in one, too. I'm still happy with these pens.

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3809/10809418914_7ef3a4bed6_c.jpg

 

Do u have the metal one I have one Metal (M) Vector and i usually use it with black Quink for Heading n its wonderful.

[fiberdrunk]

 

Do u have the metal one I have one Metal (M) Vector and i usually use it with black Quink for Heading n its wonderful.

 

I don't have a metal one (yet), though they do look very nice. And I once saw a 14k gold nib on a Vector that I was sorely tempted by! I recently acquired a Tasmanian Devil Vector, designated for my also newly acquired ESS Registrars ink. Great combo!