Are New Parker Sonnets Still Problematic?

[alexwi]

It is good if they decided to fix it, they should have offered a 100% exchange to those of us who got screwed for $250 USD on a pen they knew was a lemon.

 

My guess is that most fountain pens are never used, and of those that are used, many people just use them occasionally, which makes them even less practical for those people, which in turn makes those pens even less used.

 

Otherwise, dealers would've known about these issues early on and, as a result, Parker. If Parker made cars, recalls would be unheard of, I suppose...

 

But still, now that the problems that plague Sonnets are vox populi, I suppose that Parker just chose not to do anything.

 

alex

Edited September 26, 2018 by alexwi

[torstar]

 

My guess is that most fountain pens are never used, and of those that are used, many people just use them occasionally, which makes them even less practical for those people, which in turn makes those pens even less used.

 

Otherwise, dealers would've known about these issues early on and, as a result, Parker. If Parker made cars, recalls would be unheard of, I suppose...

 

But still, now that the problems that plague Sonnets are vox populi, I suppose that Parker just chose not to do anything.

 

alex

 

Not at all, these pens were used and complained about HEAVILY at the time.

 

Please don't patronize people that got totally screwed over like this...

 

The market will rip off anyone it can sink it's teeth into.

[alexwi]

I wasn't patronizing anyone. If anything, venturing a possible explanation for what seems like a crazy phenomenon.

 

I returned my first Sonnet, God knows how long ago. The next two were used every day, so I didn't get to notice the problem until it was too late, so I got screwed over by this as well.

 

If these pens were so complained about, and I were a dealer, I would stop carrying it altogether. This is clearly not the case, as it's a widely sold pen and has always been.

 

Where were these pens complained about heavily?

 

alex

[pajaro]

I wasn't patronizing anyone. If anything, venturing a possible explanation for what seems like a crazy phenomenon.

 

I returned my first Sonnet, God knows how long ago. The next two were used every day, so I didn't get to notice the problem until it was too late, so I got screwed over by this as well.

 

If these pens were so complained about, and I were a dealer, I would stop carrying it altogether. This is clearly not the case, as it's a widely sold pen and has always been.

 

Where were these pens complained about heavily?

 

alex

 

Here, on this forum. I have gone over many of the pens I had trouble with, and have found them fairly good, IF I used them every day. Previously I had so many pens I would use a pen, then get out another. Using each about once a month or so. Actually, I believe this is a very bad way to use pens, and the Sonnets actually write better than a lot of other pens. You have to use them, and the next use maybe fill them first.

 

Also, some, like Ron Zorn and Chrissy have advocated dripping a little epoxy into the cap and letting it set. This appears to be a permanent solution to the dryout issue. I have a number of these that are pretty, and I am determined to use them. The lacquer finished ones have a wonderful feel in the hand. The variety of interesting nibs is good. I have the Blue Ice, silver plated barrel, with a fine italic. What a nib.

Edited September 26, 2018 by pajaro

[senzen]

I just got Kyo No Oto Hisoku, it's a nice looking ink but very, very pale; I'd have no problem using it (there's a calmness about it) but I'm also going to try and use my Sonnet's tendency to dry out and make inks come out darker. I subscribe to the "two bad things can't make one right"view but the other Sonnet proved me wrong, I can finally see Souten as it should.

[MartinSimonnet]

I have a gold nib Sonnet from 2009. It is absolutely lovely. Great writer if the size fits your hand, the nib is superb. It is an extremely small pen, be mindful of that when purchasing.

[alexwi]

Also, some, like Ron Zorn and Chrissy have advocated dripping a little epoxy into the cap and letting it set. This appears to be a permanent solution to the dryout issue. I have a number of these that are pretty, and I am determined to use them.

 

Hi Pájaro,

 

How, exactly, does the dripped-epoxy technique work? I've seen it mentioned before, but epoxy is too dense for dripping. And even if it dripped, how do you make sure that it falls right were it's supposed to?

 

Thanks!

 

Alex

[pajaro]

 

Hi Pájaro,

 

How, exactly, does the dripped-epoxy technique work? I've seen it mentioned before, but epoxy is too dense for dripping. And even if it dripped, how do you make sure that it falls right were it's supposed to?

 

Thanks!

 

Alex

 

The story goes that, in French manufacture, workers riveting or otherwise installing the clip and cap jewel broke the inner cap systematically as a defect in the manufacturing technique. To seal the leaky inner cap you mix up some epoxy and somehow drip it into the cap. It has enough viscosity to not just flow through, and I would guess you would want it to set for a day plus or minus. This apparently seals the cracked or broken inner cap. I have never taken a Sonnet cap apart to check this out. I have not yet tried dripping or applying an epoxy mix to the inner cap.

 

I think this might have merit. I can blow right through all my Sonnet caps, and hear air rushing out the top. Water flows through. Still, some of my Sonnets, if used constantly through a day, can keep writing. I presume I am starting them just prior to dry out. I can't imagine all the Sonnets are just awful, or Parker would have faced a real marketing debacle. If I didn't like the feel of these pens and the variety of nibs, I would have given up on Sonnet. Fortunately, I have a number of reliable other pens. Frankly, I have the same kind of issues with most other Cartridge/Converter pens I have bought. There are exceptions, but some are just as drying-out prone as Sonnet.

[pajaro]

Some of my Sonnets are from after the Refresh of 2007? or whenever the issue with the cap was supposedly fixed. They are just as dry-out prone as earlier ones. It seems there is no inner cap.

[Rob G]

I have three Ocean Blue STs from about 15 years ago. I had stopped using them because they dried out so quickly. I even plugged one of the caps with silicone grease, to no avail.

 

Recently I picked up a Chinese Sonnet copy. It worked rather well - which gave me an idea: I swapped the Parker feed & section out in favor of the copies. The point is a Parker XF, ground italic.

 

This pen has been inked for about three weeks now, and it writes first time, every time, with line variation and shading, to boot.

 

After polishing the lacquer finish, this one's back in permanent rotation.

[alexwi]

I have three Ocean Blue STs from about 15 years ago. I had stopped using them because they dried out so quickly. I even plugged one of the caps with silicone grease, to no avail.

 

Recently I picked up a Chinese Sonnet copy. It worked rather well - which gave me an idea: I swapped the Parker feed & section out in favor of the copies. The point is a Parker XF, ground italic.

 

This pen has been inked for about three weeks now, and it writes first time, every time, with line variation and shading, to boot.

 

After polishing the lacquer finish, this one's back in permanent rotation.

 

Hmmm... food for thought. Who did you order the "very fine 'parker sonnet'" from?

 

I'm not clear, though, on whether it is the original parker with the fake feed/nib or the fake parker with the original feed/nib, that writes like it's supposed to.

 

I recently got a Chinese IM with a 0.5mm nib and would gladly experiment, except that it's so hard to cap/uncap this pen, that it's a pain in the finial to use it casually. It's worth mentioning that the Chinese pen does not dry up.

 

Alex

[pajaro]

If I fill the cap of any of my Sonnets with water, the water flows right through. To seal it so the nib won't dry out, I imagine I will have to pour a little epoxy into each Sonnet cap and let it set. I don't think silicone grease will stay in place. and it might make a mess.

[mitto]

I have come to the conclusion that the Sonnets are to be used 'as is'. Inked every morning if in use. Or just look at them and not write with them.

[senzen]

Takeda Jimuki Kyo No Oto Hisoku is looking really nice in Sonnet number 1; Sonnet number 2 was finally clogged up by Rouge Hematite, can't get the end of horizontal bars on my Ts, even when both kept in a clear top box, but that ink clogs everything. Maybe number 2 would benefit from another pale ink like Aonobi...

 

[Nicholas Green]

I hope this video answers your question, as to how this pen performs after not having been written with for about a week:

 

[alexwi]

I've owned three sonnets (they don't deserve the capital "s") and not one of them could do this.

 

Where do you store yours? In a humidor?

 

alex

 

PS: Lovely hardware collection you have. At some point I would've loved to have a sun workstation on my desk.

Edited October 19, 2018 by alexwi

[Nicholas Green]

I've owned three sonnets (they don't deserve the capital "s") and not one of them could do this.

 

Where do you store yours? In a humidor?

 

alex

 

PS: Lovely hardware collection you have. At some point I would've loved to have a sun workstation on my desk.

 

I store mine in my Montblanc pen box along with my other daily writers.

 

It's never too late to get into collecting vintage machines. (It's a very satisfying hobby!)

[FLZapped]

If I fill the cap of any of my Sonnets with water, the water flows right through. To seal it so the nib won't dry out, I imagine I will have to pour a little epoxy into each Sonnet cap and let it set. I don't think silicone grease will stay in place. and it might make a mess.

Actually, this is what is supposed to happen, hence the need for the inner cap to seal the nib. This flow-through feature was required as an anti-choking measure.

[pajaro]

Actually, this is what is supposed to happen, hence the need for the inner cap to seal the nib. This flow-through feature was required as an anti-choking measure.

This feature, then, lets the pen dry out fast, and so defeats the purpose of having it. There are other pens that make a seal, so I would like someone from Parker make the statement you wrote. Not saying it's not true, but I want Parker to say that. This is as bad as the adult-proof caps on all kinds of stuff.

[alexwi]

The INNER cap is supposed to be air/water-tight. Once you cap a pen, the inner cap covers the nib/section and that part is supposed to be air-tight.

 

The OUTER cap can have as many holes as you want.

 

If you fill the OUTER cap to capacity (and this includes pouring more water in the cap than what the INNER cap will hold, it should leak. After all, you have the hole for the clip, and you have the empty spaces around the jewel. Once the water level goes down to the brim of the INNER cap, no more water should escape.

 

If you just fill the INNER cap, as you can surmise from the previous paragraph, no water should leak.

 

Considering how well parker's done ignoring this problem, I'd be hard-pressed to wait for an official statement from them.

 

alex