The Parker Vector

[mitto]

That is interesting. I know that the RB-1 and FP-1 (the forrunner of the Vector) was produced in Janesville. Early production problems were some of the reasons for Janesville's demise. It is just possible that some were made in France before production moved to the Far East. I wonder if anyone has any pictures?

The RB-1 and FP-1 had a slightly different two piece clip.

Never saw a two piece clip on Vectors. Could you please explain. Have more than a dozen Vectors but none of two piece clip. Clips of these two different designs but none of tow pieces. Edited November 27, 2014 by mitto

[Captivelight]

On the early RB1 and FP1 versions the clip is made from 2 pieces ... namely a spring steel piece with the arrow mounted onto that. In 1986 the pens were slightly redesigned into what we now know as the vector with a one piece clip a longer section and a correspondingly longer cap. If you look at them side on the second piece is more obvious on the early pens. If you look at a Parker Vector Clip side on you will see the tip of the arrow is nice and rounded and touches (or nearly touches) the plastic. On the early ones the point of the arrow is sharper without the rounded back and sits well clear of the plastic cap, but further up just past the start of the feathers you will find a bump on the that touches the plastic. Parker had many complaints about the sharper older clips going straight through clothes when you clipped your pen on.

 

Like this (although the bottom one is from a Parker Arrow the clip is the same style). You can clearly see the 2 pieces in the bottom clip.

 

http://pencollect.co.uk/personal/rbvectorclip.jpg

Edited November 27, 2014 by Spikey Mike

[mitto]

So you have to see beneath the clip to just know whether the clip was of tow pieces. Oh well , you can also note the tip of the arrow as to whether it was rounded or sharper. Never noticed this difference until I read Matlock's post above. Would however , now see all my Vectors for the difference in their clips. Thanks you anyway.

[mitto]

All Vectors up to 2010 were made in the UK. They are now made in India and China.

Do you mean no Vectors were made in the US ? I have quite a few that say " Made in USA ". As for French made Vectors , I dont have any information though.

[Matlock]

Do you mean no Vectors were made in the US ? I have quite a few that say " Made in USA ". As for French made Vectors , I dont have any information though.

 

I answered this on post 79 in reply to inkstainedruth. She too has seen Vectors marked "Made in USA". Interestingly you replied to that post regarding the two piece clips on RB-1 & FP-1.

Further to the clip issue, the whole Vector range, including RB-1 & FP-1, were designed at Newhaven. Janesville insisted that they should use the Arrow clip but as this clip was known to tear pockets to pieces Newhaven stood their ground and the one piece clip was used on all Vectors. Janesville were not best pleased and this was the beginning of the end (along with other issues). Whilst Newhaven saw a 70% increase in profits, Janesville's profits collapsed leading to the take over of the Parker empire by the Newhaven management. Then followed one of the most profitable periods in Parker's history until greed took over and the Newhaven management sold out to Gillette. The rest is history and we have seen the end of a great pen company in all but name.

[mitto]

I answered this on post 79 in reply to inkstainedruth. She too has seen Vectors marked "Made in USA". Interestingly you replied to that post regarding the two piece clips on RB-1 & FP-1.

Further to the clip issue, the whole Vector range, including RB-1 & FP-1, were designed at Newhaven. Janesville insisted that they should use the Arrow clip but as this clip was known to tear pockets to pieces Newhaven stood their ground and the one piece clip was used on all Vectors. Janesville were not best pleased and this was the beginning of the end (along with other issues). Whilst Newhaven saw a 70% increase in profits, Janesville's profits collapsed leading to the take over of the Parker empire by the Newhaven management. Then followed one of the most profitable periods in Parker's history until greed took over and the Newhaven management sold out to Gillette. The rest is history and we have seen the end of a great pen company in all but name.

Does that mean that the single piece clip " Made in USA" Vectors are fake? I am still confused. Also , Inkstainedruth says the US made Vectors' clips were black but my USA made Vectors clips aren't black. Rather , the one I have with black clip ( RB ) is "Made in UK". Here :

[Matlock]

Does that mean that the single piece clip " Made in USA" Vectors are fake? I am still confused. Also , Inkstainedruth says the US made Vectors' clips were black but my USA made Vectors clips aren't black. Rather , the one I have with black clip ( RB ) is "Made in UK". Here :

 

It is becoming clear that the Vector story is not as cut and dried as was thought. I am sure that your pen is not a fake but I don't think anyone has carried out a full study of the Vector and more varieties will show as time goes on.

Perhaps someone closer to the operations at Janesville will come up with a more accurate picture?

[mitto]

That is it. Thank you Matlock dear.

[Tom Kellie]

~ After teaching a full day of classes in a university in Beijing, I went around the classroom tidying and placing chairs back.

In a corner a small black pen was semi-hidden. Glancing at it, it seemed to be a fountain pen, but not anything I'd ever seen before.

No student ever claimed it, therefore it was slipped into a briefcase and forgotten.

Yesterday and today have been devoted to careful cleaning of fountain pens, mostly Montblancs, plus a half dozen Parker 51s and four Lamy Safaris.

The unidentified “found” fountain pen turned up, so it seemed time to carefully examine it, test it out, and identify it.

It turned out to be a Parker Vector with an F nib, and a black barrel, with UK marked on the cap.

After inking it with Montblanc Leo Tolstoy blue ink, it wrote with a sharply clear, smooth fine line.

What a joy to use!

Tonight I've read what other FPN members have written about Vectors.

The one I'm using is indeed fine, with superb feedback and steady ink flow, albeit not overly wet.

One never knows what might turn up during cleaning...

Tom K.

[Mike 59]

Hi, The Vector 'F' nib is a fairly rare thing, I've looked in shops in the UK over many years, at the Parker ranges, and still have never seen an 'F' nib Vector for sale.

I believe Parker will do a nib exchange if the pen is under 30 days old, from date of purchase, with shop receipt to prove it. (I've not tested this service though.)

The only nib width options in the Vector range are 'F' and 'M'. I don't know how differently they write on paper.

There were more elaborate versions of the Vector though, the '88' and Rialto, and they all can be smooth and reliable, simple pens.

Edited August 9, 2016 by Mike 59

[Tom Kellie]

~ Mike 59:

 

That's useful to know. Thank you for explaining that.

The “found” Parker Vector is clearly marked with ‘F’. The line is indeed fine in line with Montblanc fine nibs.

How it appeared in a classroom in Beijing, there's no way to determine.

It has mild signs of use if carefully examined, but otherwise is find.

Looking inside it's a slide mechanism which works very well.

I'd never heard of Parker Vectors, but using this example has shown its utility.

Most of the fountain pens I use have fairly sizable barrels, in contrast to this Vector. That hasn't in any way detracted from the pleasure of using it to write marginalia in books.

I wish that everyone could likewise have the pleasant experiencing of finding such a fine pen.

Tom K.

[mitto]

Hi, The Vector 'F' nib is a fairly rare thing, I've looked in shops in the UK over many years, at the Parker ranges, and still have never seen an 'F' nib Vector for sale.

I believe Parker will do a nib exchange if the pen is under 30 days old, from date of purchase, with shop receipt to prove it. (I've not tested this service though.)

The only nib width options in the Vector range are 'F' and 'M'. I don't know how differently they write on paper.

There were more elaborate versions of the Vector though, the '88' and Rialto, and they all can be smooth and reliable, simple pens.

In january I came across an Antique store in a small city bordering Afghanistan where I found a shelf full of brand new or NOS (depending whether these were from 1990 or 2010 if we assume these still were made in France in 2010) France made flighter Vectors ALL with F nibs. As I was not interested in the Vector at the time I did not buy but one. The date code on the pen is IIIQ (1990 or 2010?). I paid only $8 for the pen.

 

I however was interested more in the Parker parts that the shop keeper had a good supply of. So I bought from him old parker squeeze converters, 51 nibs, barrels, hoods and around dwo dozen 45 sections along with nib units.

[Mike 59]

Hi, That's an unusual find mitto, and you only bought one 'F' Vector for $8? Ouch.

I don't think the 'F' nibs are rare because they are more expensive or difficult for Parker to make, it's just that, most likely retailers order mediums because they sell well and are a 'known' standard.

I do have a Vector 'F' feed, but it has an italic nib on it, I guess about 1mm width. That was part of the Vector Calligraphy set, the wider italic nibs had 'M' feeds, I think. Details of that one are; Made in UK, code; II T (2nd Q of 1995.)

 

[pajaro]

I am glad I read this thread. Late for me, as I sidelined my Vector and my Reflex years ago as pens that couldn't be made to write. It's good to know that I need to work the nibs over to make them work.

 

It is obvious now that the plastic cap clutch will wear out. Mine were never in danger.

 

These are pens that impress me as being like the 45. I have a lot of trouble getting those to write also. They are all kind of like specimens in a hoard.

 

I guess I was fortunate to have started out with Sheaffer school pens, moving later to 51s and Montblancs for most of my pre-FPN life.

[Tom Kellie]

I am glad I read this thread. Late for me, as I sidelined my Vector and my Reflex years ago as pens that couldn't be made to write. It's good to know that I need to work the nibs over to make them work.

 

I guess I was fortunate to have started out with Sheaffer school pens, moving later to 51s and Montblancs for most of my pre-FPN life.

 

 

~ I did the opposite, starting with 51s and Montblancs, in my post-FPN life discovering the Vector.

We're both satisfied, which is what matters.

Tom K.

[El Gordo]

Hi, That's an unusual find mitto, and you only bought one 'F' Vector for $8? Ouch.

I don't think the 'F' nibs are rare because they are more expensive or difficult for Parker to make, it's just that, most likely retailers order mediums because they sell well and are a 'known' standard.

I do have a Vector 'F' feed, but it has an italic nib on it, I guess about 1mm width. That was part of the Vector Calligraphy set, the wider italic nibs had 'M' feeds, I think. Details of that one are; Made in UK, code; II T (2nd Q of 1995.)

 

 

I do have some with F nibs but they are quite old already (1990 France), they look like shifting to an M to me.

Also over here you only find M at the regular retailers, so pity for them, if they don't stock F's they can't sell them to me.

The nib exchange program of Parker does exist (http://www.parkerpen.com/en-GB/nib-exchange-pgm) but I did not see any Vector nibs appearing there, probably it only about higher level pens?

[teryg93]

When I was a teen (13-18), i loved my Vectors. I had the kit - one regular fine point, 2 or 3 italic nibs. they were pretty good though i smoothed the corners on one of the italics. But I suppose I had little else to compare it to other than my Osmiroid set which wasn't really appropriate for school. And I had pretty strong, healthy hands then.

 

Now... i will tolerate them if need be. But I can not use them for extended periods of time because the section is slippery and the connection between section and barrel cuts into my hand.

 

i think it's one of those pens you either love or hate and not a lot in between. But for a young person just getting started, they might be a good choice because of the nib selection and size.

 

I am just getting into calligraphy and was pleased to find a Parker kit with the pen make in the UK on ebay. Hope my experience is better than yours!

 

I have a couple of Vectors. They're not my favorite pens but they're okay for carrying around. It would not break my heart to lose one.

 

In general, I like the thinness and weight of this line of pens. I have several Rialtos now. I have a P51 that I write with occasionally, but it's a little thick and heavy for my hand.

 

 

[teryg93]

 

I answered this on post 79 in reply to inkstainedruth. She too has seen Vectors marked "Made in USA". Interestingly you replied to that post regarding the two piece clips on RB-1 & FP-1.

Further to the clip issue, the whole Vector range, including RB-1 & FP-1, were designed at Newhaven. Janesville insisted that they should use the Arrow clip but as this clip was known to tear pockets to pieces Newhaven stood their ground and the one piece clip was used on all Vectors. Janesville were not best pleased and this was the beginning of the end (along with other issues). Whilst Newhaven saw a 70% increase in profits, Janesville's profits collapsed leading to the take over of the Parker empire by the Newhaven management. Then followed one of the most profitable periods in Parker's history until greed took over and the Newhaven management sold out to Gillette. The rest is history and we have seen the end of a great pen company in all but name.

 

Perhaps that explains why I'm fond of the Parker pens I've gotten on ebay, but not fond of the one Vector I bought new from Amazon.

[pajaro]

 

 

~ I did the opposite, starting with 51s and Montblancs, in my post-FPN life discovering the Vector.

We're both satisfied, which is what matters.

Tom K.

 

You sure beat me to death with the blaring type.

[Tom Kellie]

~ pajaro:

 

I apologize for having offended.

Tom K.