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Hi!! Two days ago I bougth at Mexico city (where I live) a faceted fountain pen, wich looks as a Parker Vacumatic oversize. I was searching in the web in orden to confirm if it is an authentic Parker, but I didn't get any information or images about faceted Parkers. The pen description is: Barrel engraved: "Parker Vacumatic USA" (the "V" is engraved on the "R") Long with cap: 13.5 centimeters (5 1/4") Barrel diameter: 1.6 centimeters (5/8") Color: Borgoña Faceted barrel and cap Apparently, the original nib was replaced with a "Harley Davidson" nib (!!!). Can you help me to confirm if it is an authentic Parker? If it's an authentic pen, what is the correct nib for it? I'm attaching some pictures. Thanks! Jorge.

Hi!! Some days ago I bougth at Mexico city (where I live) a faceted fountain pen, wich looks as a Parker Vacumatic oversize. I was searching in the web in orden to confirm if it is an authentic Parker, but I didn't get any information or images about faceted Parkers. The pen description is: Barrel engraved: "Parker Vacumatic USA" (the "V" is engraved on the "R") Long with cap: 13.5 centimeters (5 1/4") Barrel diameter: 1.6 centimeters (5/8") Color: Borgoña Faceted barrel and cap Apparently, the original nib was replaced with a "Harley Davidson" nib (!!!). Some members in the First Stop forum had gave me very interesting information, wich says the pen it's not a genuine Parker. Some people says it's an italian pen. Other people says he has similar pens, but are diferente in the part of the barrel that screw in the cap. Someone more says the engraved is fancy, so it can't be an italian pen. Can somebody in this Parker forum help me whit some aditional information? I'm attaching some pictures. Thanks! Jorge.

Hello Everyone, I don't announce this kind of thing very much, but I wanted to share it with you kind people because this is one of my favorite places to go on the internet, and the FPN community is what makes it so for me. I am coming out with my latest production pens since the Icarus. I am very pleased with how they both are coming out. Those of you who know me personally know that I am not very easily pleased. It's been a long time since I used a pen that felt as comfortable as these. 1: As some of you know, I love wood. I think it's beautiful, has an unsurpassed feel, and makes an excellent construction material for many things, but it poses unique challenges when used for a fountain pen. I've been struggling with that problem for years, but now, I've finally gotten good enough that I can work with tolerances tight enough to make the dream a reality. For years I've wanted an all-wooden pen, and now I have one. Wooden cap, wooden barrel, wooden grip. Hands down, this is the most comfortable pen I've ever made. Wood can stain, and that's been accounted for in the design. When you get your hands on this, I think the pen will disappear into the experience of writing with it. I want to use it all the time, but for the work I do, I often need a clip for my pens. This pen will come with the option to install a functional, designed steel clip. My first release of this pen is just about 8 units, but I'll be making more in the future. They all fill with a simple, reliable aerometric sac. The beauty of an aerometric sac is how easy it is to fill and clean, but the ink capacity (around 2.5ml) isn't as voluminous as you might get with an eyedropper filled pen, so to prevent you from getting caught with an empty pen, some of these will have an ink window. Three, to be exact. 2. The first run you'll have available are made from highly patterned fancypantz german ebonite. The material has a black base color and has green, red or blue ripples in it. The big problem with this material (besides it being very expensive) is that it's so dark that it really doesn't photograph well, and even in person, it's hard to get a clear fix on what's going on with the color pattern. Well, I've solved that problem through faceting. The way the light glints off the sides attracts the eye in a way that's hard to describe. The pen has 12 gently tapered, faceted, painstakingly-finished-by-hand sides on the cap and on the barrel. Ink windows are optional, as are clips with this model. So, I've been talking about how these pens feel while writing. What nibs can you use? Jowo F (more of a "Western fine"/medium; .4-.5mm)Pilot XF (a true extra fine .2mm)Zebra G flex nib units (with my usual, handmade, purpose-designed ebonite feeds)Nemosine .6mm italicAll these pens come with interchangeable nib units, so you can switch nibs within one and the same pen. Just unscrew (or, if you want, just use a simple hex/Allen wrench you probably have at home). These will come out this week. I think "Black Friday" is stupid, but if you want to be the first to know when these pens will be available for sale, please consider signing up for my mailing at the top of this FAQ page here. Price? I can't speak to that right now, but I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on that subject. Please email me at DesiderataPens <<<AT>>> JEE-MALE <<<DOT>>> com., or leave a comment.

I've recently become custodian of this blue plastic(?) 10-sided button filler, and thought I'd run it past the forum on the off-chance that anyone knew anything about it. It's clearly of lower quality - there are voids in the surface of the barrel where the white has not mixed in sufficiently with the blue, for instance, and the pressure bar is one micron away from being tin foil - but it has a certain charm. 134mm capped 121mm uncapped 156mm posted 11.5mm barrel diameter (flat to flat) Translucent yellow button and ink window, the latter marked "4". (Mould number, I assume?) Nib is steel, tipping worn to a decided foot, ebonite feed. The only identification on it is the nib, and yes, I appreciate that may mean nothing, but it's all there is. It's not terribly clear, so pardon for inflicting an "artist" rendering of it in case it helps. To me it looks like mountains...? Anyway, any suggestions, pointers, wild stabs in the dark, reminiscences over how awful the one you had was, etc, all welcomed. Thanks, Al

I've owned a Montegrappa Symphony for many years, and started thinking about how I'd build one similar soon after I got into pen making. I didn't get around to starting till last weekend, then yesterday I see over on IAP there's a slew of activity around the subject of "faceted" pens ... cue the Twilight Zone music ... Anyway, here's mine: it's Dalmatian acrylic acetate, with a cap finial of black acrylic acetate. The section is black ebonite, with a Bock #5 nib -- though I might swap it out for one made from the same acetate as the cap finial (and might change the nib type while I'm tinkering with it.) As a first attempt, I'm quite happy with the way it turned out -- though there are a few things I have to improve (as will always be the case.) Dimensions: Length (capped): 146mm Length (uncapped): 137mm Thickness (across flats): 14.2mm (average) Nib: Bock #5 Fill: cartridge/converter Weight: 21g (without cartridge or converter)