Parker 75 Flighter USA Octanium Nib

[ThaIwan]

Longing for a Parker 75 for a long time already I managed to win an auction in the last 2 minutes. I preferred a cisele version but the prices are simply to steep, so I settled for a flighter with octanium nib. According to the specs this pen was NOS, didnt come with a converter or box though. I paid $70 still not cheap but yet I'm happy to have the chance. On E-bay I mostly find the more luxurious versions, this was the first flighter I think I stumbled upon though I look for some 75 bargains often.

 

As this was "just" a flighter version I'd expected not to be excited too much about it. Flighters appear always a bit boring to me, but in this case it turned out not to be boring at all.

 

Design:

So a flighter version with chrome accents, dished tassie on top of cap. The barrel is dished at the end but does not have a tassie. Numberless ring on section to indicate the turn offset position of the nib. Pen felt very smallish in the beginning and had to grow on me. On the bottom part of the triangular shaped section "M1708" is hotstamped with gold paint. This is something that is still a question to me...what does this mean? I studied various reference of the Parker 75 but couldnt find any info on this feature. Perhaps some of you can help me out. Cap is imprinted "QI USA". The QI should indicate the manufacturing year/quarter...also that I tried to figure out but I'm still looking for the answer. Perhaps some of you can help me out.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2762/4214808996_3ab0c3b87f_b.jpg

 

Capped the pen looks a bit...boring but posted I find it an awesome piece of pen to see. I never expected that from a flighter.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4214806316_11041f6365_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2561/4214799388_922324ec84_b.jpg

 

 

 

Nib:

Fine octanium nib. Performance...great! Smooth and very reliable inkflow that I have seldomly experienced. This pen is writing so consistent it's really true what they state about the performance of the 75. The nib can be turned left or right to fit it with your ideal writing angle. Did some experimenting with it but not have really discovered the advantage or did I? It's a bit turned left for some time now and didnt change it anymore.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2617/4214033691_d6a0225bd1_b.jpg

 

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2550/4214032681_8907815af4_b.jpg

 

 

 

Filling system:

C/C system. It came with a cheap plastic slide converter which is fine for now. Perhaps I can ever track a squeeze converter for it. But so far so good.

 

Anybody having more information about the "m1708" on the section or the "QI" on the cap or any other interesting info on this model, I appreciate your comments.

 

thanks for reading and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[bossy]

Happy New Year too.

[gyasko]

Half-life of the lethally radioactive isotope of molybdenum used in the pen?

 

Just kidding. Q1 or QI? QI would be a date code for 4th quarter 1980 according to the chart i've seen.

Edited December 26, 2009 by gyasko

[diplomat]

Thank you for a nice review of a nice pen.

 

Anybody having more information about the "m1708" on the section or the "QI" on the cap or any other interesting info on this model, I appreciate your comments.

 

In Italy during the 60s/70s the national importer/distributor was used to imprint the sections with a serial number that matched the warranty number on the papers. I have a P61 like this and www.parker75.com mention that it was made on 75 too.

Any chance you have an "Italian" 75?

 

Cheers,

[ThaIwan]

Thank you for a nice review of a nice pen.

 

Anybody having more information about the "m1708" on the section or the "QI" on the cap or any other interesting info on this model, I appreciate your comments.

 

In Italy during the 60s/70s the national importer/distributor was used to imprint the sections with a serial number that matched the warranty number on the papers. I have a P61 like this and www.parker75.com mention that it was made on 75 too.

Any chance you have an "Italian" 75?

 

Cheers,

 

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have gotten the pen via a seller in Istanbul Turkey, though that's not Italy it wouldn't surprise me that that is linked to what you are stating.

[lovemy51]

hi thalwan. very nice pen. thanx for the review. i have a flighter 75 with a B 14k gold nib that's writes dreamy! enjoy yours!

[blthong]

M - Medium...

170 - Jan 1970?

8 - Octanium?

 

I've got 2 75s, a medium nib that was a gift from my Mom to my Dad before I was born. He didn't take to fountain pens, so put it away and just used to BP it came with. 35 years later, he noticed I liked using FPs and dug it out for me. I cleaned it up and it worked perfectly! Bought another on Ebay, with a fine nib.

 

Both write like a dream! (Much better than those 51s)

Edited December 31, 2009 by blthong

[breaker]

nice review and nice pics