The Limits Of "synergy" And Cost-Cutting

[olivier78860]

So today I took a little while to tune my Parker Premier's ink-flow (it was a bit dry), and my Waterman Kultur.

I dismounted the nibs and feeds.

Let's see what I found :

http://i.imgur.com/xeOXY.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uYzCE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HCIS8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wY9hI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iJcLX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HBgSb.jpg

 

Waterman Kultur : paid 7.5€ in July 2011.

Parker Premier : paid 310€ in December 2010.

 

Interesting.

*Edit : Of course, the Premier has a 18ct gold nib, and not the Kultur, so it's the same nib's design.*

Edited February 13, 2012 by olivier78860

[watch_art]

Sure - but the gold nib is most of the cost of the Parker, too.

 

That's no different than Bock and Jowo making nibs for a lot of manufacturers and putting different names on them all is it? I thought only a couple companies still made nibs in house (montblanc and...pelikan?).

 

Cheers.

[hari317]

From the pictures it appears to me that the parker version is a step down in quality and finish. Both of the feed as well as the nib. The nib appears very poorly made-slit underside and the quality of the stamping-less crisply shaped nib.

 

The parent company is the same now, Rubbermaid, so maybe they are now even sharing parts.

[olivier78860]

Hari, the Parker nib isn't of lesser handcrafting quality, I had to add lots of additional light sources to show the shapes (it's dark today and I'm bad at photography). The only difference in shape on the nibs is the hook on the Waterman one.

The feeds are exactly the same, though. The ink conduit was enlarged a little by myself, so it looks different. Actually before I enlarged the conduit, both were exactly the same, except for the "M" engraved on the Parker's feed.

 

watch_art, I think Waterman/Parker still do their nibs, as for S.T. Dupont.

Edited February 13, 2012 by olivier78860

[AltecGreen]

Sure - but the gold nib is most of the cost of the Parker, too.

 

That's no different than Bock and Jowo making nibs for a lot of manufacturers and putting different names on them all is it? I thought only a couple companies still made nibs in house (montblanc and...pelikan?).

 

Cheers.

 

 

There are around 10 pen companies still making their own nibs. I might have missed one or two. Also, some Bock clients only buy the buys and make their own feeds like Omas.

[watch_art]

And of course I forgot about the Asian companies. I know - my brain is sort of on autopilot right now and lots is forgotten.

[raging.dragon]

Waterman are one of the companies still making nibs. Since they have the same parent company, it makes sense that Parker would buy nibs from Waterman.