Parker UK

[PelikanPenman]

Hello FPN'ers. Let me explain my problem. I have a Parker Duofold International that I purchased new. The nib was a fine and wrote beautifully, very smooth, consistent ink flow, but it was not fine enough of a line for me. So I contacted Parker here in England and they told me to send it in and they would exchange it for an extra fine. Which is what I have on my Parker Duofold Centennial is an extra fine nib and it is a joy.

 

Long story short, after a week I recieved my nib from them. Now mind you I put the original nib in bubble wrap and a box and made sure it was protected. The one I received from Parker was in a little pastic envelope thing in a jiffy bag. Not very well packed at all.

 

Put on the pen, wash it out several times, put ink in it and put it paper. UGH! I had to grit my teeth when I started writing, now I know what people mean by a nail to paper, terrible, terrible nib. Looking at it closer, the feed is not even centered. It is over to the left.

 

If I had a digitial camera I would take photos, but alas that money goes to pens.

 

So, should I try to fix this nib or send it back and hope to get a better one? I am REALLY disappointed in Parkers service. This is a horrible nib.

[twdpens]

Send it back. It's obviously a Friday afternoon job.

 

BTW, the plastic "envelope" you mentioned is Parker's standard packaging for nib units. We've never received one in damaged condition so I assume it was that way when it left the factory.

 

Martin

[Col]

Yes, of course you should send it back. You're entitled to expect a nib, especially a high-end one, to perform flawlessly. I had a similar problem recently with a medium Sonnet nib, which was so thin and scratchy I thought it was a fine. I sent it to Newhaven, and they returned it having merely adjusted the ink flow. It produced a broader line, but was still downright scratchy. I sent it straight back requesting they exchange it, which they did with no argument.

 

It's tedious, and we shouldn't be put to the trouble, but it pays to be persistent, and polite but firm.

[PelikanPenman]

Thank you gentlemen. I have taken your advice and contacted Parker Customer Service and they were very polite and have requested that I send it back. Only down side I have to pay the 2 pounds to send it back registered and take the time to go to the post. But I am beginning to think this is what is required to just get a pen that works for you. But when the nib is right, writing with a fountain is beautiful. Cheers.

[PelikanPenman]

Hello FPN'ers. Figured I would let you know how this turned out. I just received the nib back with a nice note from the Parker Pen Company Service Department. The feed has been adjusted back into centre. But it is still scratchy, not as bad as it was but still unacceptable. Sigh. Down to either sending it to Richard Binder or selling the pen. I guess I expected too much out of a modern customer service from a major company. Cheers.

[PelikanPenman]

Hello again. I have been using this now for a couple of hours and have gotten it to write smoothly, IF I only write at a certain angle. What Parker did was to smooth the nib, i.e. sand or grind it flat. My extra fine nib now writes a wider line than my medium! Every time I have sent the nib to Parker it comes back worse. I would have been better off keeping the fine nib, which was at least smooth. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated, especially from the nib masters out there.

[marklavar]

I don't understand why you don't just write with the F nib! XF nibs are always going to be scratchier - it goes with the territory. Just learn to write with the F nib and enjoy it.

[PelikanPenman]

Mark, I beg to disagree. First I have a Parker Centennial with an XF nib that is very smooth. Second I have two Pelikans (M805, M625) with XF nibs that are smooth. Now Parker Customer Service has had three whacks at making this right and it has gotten worse every time. So why should I "learn to use a F nib" when I enjoy using an extra fine? We each have our own personal likes and dislikes of the fountain pens and I like the extra fine. I know the companies can make a smooth extra fine nib, so why should I put up with one that is not? I thought the most important thing was having a good nib and to enjoy using it? So I must say I am a bit suprised at your attitude to just use a nib that I do not enjoy. Cheers.

[marklavar]

QUOTE (PelikanPenman @ Mar 22 2007, 10:40 AM)

Mark, I beg to disagree. First I have a Parker Centennial with an XF nib that is very smooth. Second I have two Pelikans (M805, M625) with XF nibs that are smooth. Now Parker Customer Service has had three whacks at making this right and it has gotten worse every time. So why should I "learn to use a F nib" when I enjoy using an extra fine? We each have our own personal likes and dislikes of the fountain pens and I like the extra fine. I know the companies can make a smooth extra fine nib, so why should I put up with one that is not? I thought the most important thing was having a good nib and to enjoy using it? So I must say I am a bit suprised at your attitude to just use a nib that I do not enjoy. Cheers.

Sorry, but I'm not clear. You already have a Parker Duofold Centennial with an XF nib you like, but the XF nib on the Duofold Intenational is cack. Surely doesn't this imply that Parker has an issue with International Duofold nibs? I've never been a fan of the smaller Duofold, and it seems I've been proved right.

[joeycoleman]

I'm a little surprised they've messed it up so badly, to be honest. I have a Sonnet that originally had a rather wide XF. I sent it to Parker UK and it's come back with quite a nice XF now. I hesitate to suggest that you send it to them again, but perhaps calling them and complaining might prove useful.

[OldGriz]

QUOTE (marklavar @ Mar 22 2007, 04:48 PM)

Surely doesn't this imply that Parker has an issue with International Duofold nibs? I've never been a fan of the smaller Duofold, and it seems I've been proved right.

Interesting statement...

One person has a problem with one International Duofold XF nib (granted 2 nibs) and ALL International Duofold nibs are no good or at the very least suspect.

Now this might prove your opinion of the pen, but by your own admission you don't like the pen to begin with...

IMO, it means that Parker MIGHT have a problem with the XF nib, but every nib made for that pen.

I will be the first to admit that XF nibs can be problematical. I have Parker 51s with XF nibs.. 2 are toothy, but the other 3 are butter smooth. On my Vacumatics, all three XF nibs are fantastic writers.

[PelikanPenman]

Tom - good points raised. The differences betweent the Centennial and the International extra fine are night and day. But I am really suprised at the Parker Customer Service and I am one of those people that even if the product is flawed, if the after purchase customer service can make it right, I will continue to do business with them. But if the after purchase customer service is flawed, even after multiple trys, then I tend not to return to that business, unless I find out they have changed hands or changed their way of doing business. Overall I am a big believer in customer service.

 

Maybe I have gotten very lucky with my extra fine nibs in my Pelikans and my Centennial. But I like the extra fine, it fits my style of writing and if one company can not get it right, there are lots more out there.

 

I must admit, the more time I spend with my Pelikans, the less I am picking up and using my Centennial. I still carry it day to day, but out of the three in my bag, it has become number three. The time spent going back and forth with Parker has just soured me on using their products. Except their inks. You would have a fight on your hands to get me to stop using the sapphire. Cheers.

[PelikanPenman]

After advice from FPN I contacted Parker UK service again and did not hear anything back for a week. Then I received and email saying they have had their senior technican work on an extra fine nib and they are sending it to me. And they included a prepaid postal label and have requested the faulty nib back.

 

I have now received the nib and what a suprise. It is actually as narrow a nib as my Pelikan M805 and very smooth, I was amazed. So, after three tries with them, success, but it has still soured my taste for Parker.

 

Just wanted to let people know how this has turned out.

[Col]

QUOTE (PelikanPenman @ Mar 29 2007, 07:53 PM)

So, after three tries with them, success

Which is what perseverance brings - well done!

 

QUOTE

but it has still soured my taste for Parker.

I know what you mean, with regard to moderns.

[JimStrutton]

Pity Parker could not get it right first time, but it would seem that finally they have got you the nib you wanted

 

Enjoy,

 

Jim