Parker 25

[dogpoet]

He's just after a new nib, not a replacement pen, though.

[Anitropius]

I bought one today together with a Sheaffer No Nonsense for about 15 bucks at a charity shop today and I was reaaaally supprised by it! Mine has an italic nib that's actually really smooth and it's probably the only italic that I've tried that I actually like. I can see myself carrying this around and playing around with, I just need a converter so that I can try out some inks with nice shading qualities.

[dogpoet]

Be careful of convertors with a 25: I think the only current one that'll fit is the slide one, and it won't work with the Buck Rogers squeeze convertor or any of the fatter vintage models.

The italic sounds great, though: I had no idea they'd ever done those...

[Anitropius]

Be careful of convertors with a 25: I think the only current one that'll fit is the slide one, and it won't work with the Buck Rogers squeeze convertor or any of the fatter vintage models.

The italic sounds great, though: I had no idea they'd ever done those...

 

I popped in a Lamy converter (an old trick I discovered a while back, Lamy cartridges and converters fits most Parker pens but not officially) and it works like a charm actually! And yes, it's really nice, probably the first italic that I really liked.

[notVirtuThe3rd]

Aww, tempting topic. I love the pen so much...

[lovemy51]

my worst Parker pen, by far! it took hours of tweaking to get it to write ok...

[kevanf1]

my worst Parker pen, by far! it took hours of tweaking to get it to write ok...

 

Maybe you have a bad one I have lost count of the number of 25's I now own. I think I have perhaps one with a nib that is slightly 'scratchy'. Otherwise these are by far the nicest pens (fountain) I have written with. Admittedly I do not own any really expensive fountain pens, my highest priced probably being a Waterman Expert in now rare marbled blue and gold. I like them. However, I am not so enthusiastic about the ball point 25. It's obviously not the working unit as that is replaceable, I just don't so much like the feel of the ball point in my hand. The pencil is not much better either but the rollerball and felt tip 25 is ok.

[View from the Loft]

Be careful of convertors with a 25: I think the only current one that'll fit is the slide one, and it won't work with the Buck Rogers squeeze convertor or any of the fatter vintage models.

The italic sounds great, though: I had no idea they'd ever done those...

 

I popped in a Lamy converter (an old trick I discovered a while back, Lamy cartridges and converters fits most Parker pens but not officially) and it works like a charm actually! And yes, it's really nice, probably the first italic that I really liked.

 

In our family we currently have two 25s, both with stock italic nibs, and both with the current twist convertors. You need to make sure they are well seated, though. My eldest loves the 25 almost as much as his newly acquired Pelikan, and I wrote with a 25 for over 20 years (it would still be going strong if I had know where to find pen repairers 5 years ago ...). They are great pens and write well.

[dogpoet]

my worst Parker pen, by far! it took hours of tweaking to get it to write ok...

 

Maybe you have a bad one I have lost count of the number of 25's I now own. I think I have perhaps one with a nib that is slightly 'scratchy'. Otherwise these are by far the nicest pens (fountain) I have written with. Admittedly I do not own any really expensive fountain pens, my highest priced probably being a Waterman Expert in now rare marbled blue and gold. I like them. However, I am not so enthusiastic about the ball point 25. It's obviously not the working unit as that is replaceable, I just don't so much like the feel of the ball point in my hand. The pencil is not much better either but the rollerball and felt tip 25 is ok.

I think it's a terrible shame nobody seems to do a posh refillable felt tip anymore. Okay, there's a few rollerballs you can get fibretip refills for, but it isn't the same, is it?

[Geordielass]

I think it's a terrible shame nobody seems to do a posh refillable felt tip anymore. Okay, there's a few rollerballs you can get fibretip refills for, but it isn't the same, is it?

Graf von Faber-Castell do the only "posh" fibretips, these days, that I can think of, but they're at least 125 quid's worth of posh! That's too rich for my blood, at least for a fineliner!

 

I'm incredibly late in replying here, but I was just trying to remember what the weird-looking Parker pen was that my dad had when I was little and finally found it. That was my personal designation for it when I was little, the "weird-looking Parker", (I think it was a mixture of the nib and that step in the barrel that earned it that name). I do remember once or twice being allowed to try it and I did like it, apart from it's "weird" looks (if an 8 or 9-year-old can be judge of pens) - I don't remember being allowed to try his more expensive Sheaffer. I don't own any vintage fountain pens, but the 25 might have to be my first, for old time's sake (pretty sure my Dad's was lost years ago, or I might have asked him if I could have it). It's recent enough and was common enough in the UK to be able to find one in good working condition without much hassle, I guess.

[Captivelight]

For anyone coming back to this topic ... yes the nibs can be replaced.

 

Before doing anything I suggest that you flush and soak the nib section to loosen any dried up ink.

 

You then need a thin screwdriver or similar, I use one side of a pair of tweezers, put it in the gap on the underside of the nib and pull it outwards away from the pen body. The nib and feed should slide out.

 

To put it back simply push it back in.

 

Clips can also be replaced easily by pushing out the plastic holder in the pen cap, you need a flat ended rod, wood or plastic is best so as not to scratch or damage anything. Make sure the diameter of the rod is slightly smaller then the coloured plastic top that you can see so it does not touch the metal sides which can dent quite easily.

 

Again soak the cap in warm water for a while to loosen any dried up ink, then warm the metal cap in hot water just prior to starting to loosen it a little. Using the rod, place the end against the plastic at the top of the cap and tap it down with a hammer. The plastic inner should slide out and the clip can be removed.

 

To put it back, line up the flat side of the plastic with the clip, put the clip in place and tap the plastic up the cap keeping the flat part aligned with the clip.

[Tanzanite]

I have five Parker 25 fountain pens and they are the best Parker nibs I have tested. Smoothe writers.

[Captivelight]

I use one as an every day pen which I've had for something like 20 years and it's my favorite writer ... the pen itself is battered and scratched but the nib is smooth as silk ...

[lisadan]

I've just joined the FP Network, but I have followed this thread for the past two years and have enjoy reading it very much.

I would like to add my 2 cents to the discussion about the Parker 25, my most favorite fountain pen.

My fascination with this pen is for sentimental reasons. I remember the adds when they were first sold back in the 1970's, remember seeing them at the store, and as the president of my high school students' council, I remember my high school principal using one (I even remember him using green ink!).

I had used one for more than ten years, until it fell (for the second time) and the section broke at the threads. I have purchased several of them on eBay in the past few years, flighters and black ones, both Mark I and Mark II, with medium and fine nibs and I couldn't be more happy. I always have one of them as part of my rotation fountain pens. They are always ready to write, even after being capped and put away for a week or two, and generally are very smooth writers. As already been said, they are very durable and can take a lot of punishment. I never had any leaks with any of them. Once I even forgot one in my pants pocket and it went through an entire regular washing machine cycle. The pen came out of the pocket during the washing cycle but cap stayed on and there was no external leak. There was very little ink inside the cap, which may have been there before, or could have leaked from the pen during the wash.

 

Did I already say it's my favorite FP?

 

Dan

[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

[lisadan]

Thank you for the great Parker 25 website.

Where do you find the date code on a 25? Is it in the same place as in some other Parkers, in or around the same line of the "Made in" and "PARKER"? I own several 25s, some stainless steel finish and some black epoxy, and all but one Mk I stainless steel fit the description of a Mk II, including the two black epoxy ones (all have brass threads, "Made in England", nib without a hole, and logo above the "Made in"). However; some have flat top, while others have ridged top (the two 25B have flat top). I could not find a date code on any of them. It is possible that all my pens are from the pre date code years?

 

Thanks again

[xian112]

I find the cap sticks a bit but otherwise I love my 25

[modifier]

Thank you for the great Parker 25 website.

Where do you find the date code on a 25? Is it in the same place as in some other Parkers, in or around the same line of the "Made in" and "PARKER"? I own several 25s, some stainless steel finish and some black epoxy, and all but one Mk I stainless steel fit the description of a Mk II, including the two black epoxy ones (all have brass threads, "Made in England", nib without a hole, and logo above the "Made in"). However; some have flat top, while others have ridged top (the two 25B have flat top). I could not find a date code on any of them. It is possible that all my pens are from the pre date code years?

 

Thanks again

 

If your caps say "Made in England" but are missing date codes then the cap is most likely from 2nd quarter 1979 or earlier. I'm not aware of any England made variants past that without date codes. I have two green 25s and both have QI (1980) date codes.

 

This page has extensive info on P25 date codes: http://www.moreengineering.co.uk/date-codes/4582811215

[Tanzanite]

I have bought four more Parker 25. Now have nine. Still the best fp made. Prefer them to my Sailor Pro Gear.

[lisadan]

 

If your caps say "Made in England" but are missing date codes then the cap is most likely from 2nd quarter 1979 or earlier. I'm not aware of any England made variants past that without date codes. I have two green 25s and both have QI (1980) date codes.

 

This page has extensive info on P25 date codes: http://www.moreengineering.co.uk/date-codes/4582811215

 

Thanks modifier.

 

Since my post of April 8, 2014 , I have purchased another 25 Mk II flighter blue trim with F nib. No date code.