Parker 25 Variations

[PhilD.gb]

I have just listed a Parker 25 matt black automatic pencil on Ebay, which I bought from a pen shop in London around 1985-6 (I think) and it has been in a drawer ever since. Time for somone else to give it some TLC I think ...

 

Here's the listing if anyone is interested:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181136757284?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649#ht_497wt_958

[poxy51]

I have a flighter (stainless) set including the pencil, ball pen, and fountain pen. I never liked the styling a whole lot, but the fountain pen has been among the best FP writers that I have . It almost never skips, and has a broader nib.

[Shaughn]

I have just listed a Parker 25 matt black automatic pencil on Ebay, which I bought from a pen shop in London around 1985-6 (I think) and it has been in a drawer ever since. Time for somone else to give it some TLC I think ...

 

Here's the listing if anyone is interested:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181136757284?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649#ht_497wt_958

 

So it did £63 It seems my parkers are a better investment than real estate

[Inkysloth]

I bought a Parker 25 in its box, and it arrived this morning.

 

I thought people might like to see the box insert, in part because it lists which nibs were available for the 25 at the time of printing (pen is dated 1981, so I assume the insert was similarly dated.)

 

What I find interesting is they have used an illustration of a 45, rather than draw a new picture for the 25 insert!

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8542/8757528034_bd7aebfd8e_c.jpg
Parker 25 box insert page 1 by Inkysloth, on Flickr

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7419/8756399183_d2e05c20ba_c.jpg
Parker 25 box insert page 2 by Inkysloth, on Flickr

Edited May 20, 2013 by Inkysloth

[Darryl.k]

Hi all,

 

I’m new to this forum, although not new to the pen scene. I’m an ex Parker Toolmaker. I worked at the Newhaven plant, England. I’m pretty sure I’m the only ex Toolmaker using this forum, as I still know all the other Toolmakers to this day!

 

I play around with bits of pens and tooling and although I appreciate the older Parker pens, I only worked there between the 90’s and until it shut down so I am not knowledgeable when it comes to the older models as I’d like to be.

 

One particular model that has become a bit of an addiction is the 25. You can read what I believe is the most detailed and current information on the internet at my new website below. Any feedback would be appreciated and questions welcomed.

 

www.moreengineering.co.uk

 

 

Many thanks,

 

Darryl

[Shaughn]

Some more info on the P 25 timeline:

 

I've been through my pile because of Darryl's great site and some remarks of Keepsake in PM, because I0ve earlier dissected a P25 FP shell that had a full metal band.I thought, because I hadn't seen one on the orange version that it would be a later experiment. sadly, I never made o note from what pen that dissected shell was teken. Keepsake argued it must have been an MKI, briefly before the orange version was made. The metal on the dissected one was corroded by ink, and the corrosion issue might well have been the reason to chanfge to plastic lining. Going through te pile, I found a P25 MK I with this full metal band. So Keepsake is apparently right.

 

Further observation learns that there are three versions: first, the full metal band, later replaced by a plastic lined band and finally an extended, protruding plastic lining until production end. That makes it more plausible that the lining is a protection against corrosion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Captivelight]

Good to see you on here as well Darryl! .... (bought a couple of items off yon Ebay)

 

I share your liking for the 25's ...

[Darryl.k]

Hi Shaughn,

 

Thank you very much for the observation and photos. Your probably correct regarding the corrosion and using plastic instead of metal. To modify the mould tool would not of been too hard, maybe only a week or so, but remember each mould tool had several cavities. So each cavity had to be modified or remade i.e.12, 18, 24 cavities per tool.

 

Regards,

 

Darryl

[Darryl.k]

Website updated.

 

http://www.moreengineering.co.uk

 

Thanks again for the photos and informations. Who'd of thought there were so many differences!

 

Regards,

 

Darryl

[xian112]

Thanks for all the useful info re: codes.

[Papamud]

As a relative rookie in all things FP, where can I get nibs and ballpoints for the flighters? I LOVE these things!

[Shaughn]

For nibs I'm afraid you'll have to look at Ebay, but ballpoint, pencil and rollerball refills are just the standard Parker refills!

 

Edit: Sonnet nibs also fit the P25.

Edited May 19, 2017 by Shaughn

[mitto]

 

Edit: Sonnet nibs also fit the P25.

That is interesting. How you fit the Sonnet nib in a P25?

[Shaughn]

Mitto, just pull out the P25 nib&feed. Push in the Sonnet nib&feed. Both are friction fit.

 

Credits:

I owe the idea to RobbS: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/84172-my-souped-up-parker-25-fountain-pen/

[Shaughn]

*bump* to close in to the P25 thread.

[Shaughn]

After all those years an addition to the knowledge base: found yesterday, quite by accident: a P25 Mk1 nib variation:

 

Usually all P25 nibs are plain stainless steel. This one isn't. It is marked capital A in a circle and underneath is engraved 'AMBITIONS' (or ambition) The nib is somewhat corroded and worn. Are there more out there?

 

 

[baz666]

Here's a listing on ebay (no affiliation) for some Parker 45 nibs from the same manufacturer

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lot-of-14-Parker-45-Fountain-Pen-Octanium-Nib-PARTS-NOS-India-R-x3976/333092330825

 

Obviously Indian in origin, Parker sanctioned? knock off's? I don't know.

 

Here's a picture from the auction, for when the listing disappears.

 

 

Paul.

[J English Smith]

I do enjoy my 25s in addition to other Parkers. Finally stoppe buying them at five...figured that was enough...and have one of the BPs that I got at a good price. These are wonderful pens, I still love the look and feel of them. So durable, and such good starters. Parker England really got this design right.

[Shaughn]

Thanks, Paul! I remember there are Indian imitations of the P25, maybe the same firm… The logos on these nibs are the same so I take mine for an Indian nib.

[Shinyblue]

There has been a long radio silence on this topic - perhaps there is more recent one but I have one pen that stands out from the rest (before 1980 but no hole in the nib). First of all the lettering seems smaller and untidier. Secondly the end of the barrel is different from the other four P25s I have. The one on the left has an obvious thicker rim than the other three. The three with the "normal" rim are from before 1980 (no date code) and after.

 

So is there is variant that has a different barrel rim? I looked at the excellent https://www.moreengineering.co.uk/changesandvariations web site but that bit isn't mentioned.