Parker Frontier (56k alert)

[lukeformosa]

I have a Frontier which I never use because the medium nib is way too broad for my writing. I think I may have bought a lemon, because the nib on mine is quite scratchy... my favourite pen is a fine nib Parker Latitude - the smoothest pen (and also the most expensive pen) I have ever owned.

[Limerick]

I like the nib of my Frontier, but the pen itself is quite a pain because it just doesn't fir my hands ... does anyone have an idea or a suspicion if you could put the Frontier nib into a Sonnet? They look quite the same ... at least very similar to each other! I have thought of buying a Sonnet and put the Frontier nib (and feed?) in it, as I have heard that the new Sonnets tend to be dry and scratchy.

[Kabe]

am I the only one who has tried and noticed that the Frontier takes Sheaffer cartridges very comfortably too?

[czanguine]

Is there a ballpoint-pen version of this Frontier? I'm pretty sure there used to be BP's that looked sort of like these Frontiers and had the exact same material/color coordination (translucent plastic, stainless steel used minimally).

Edited September 15, 2012 by czanguine

[Sherwood Forester]

What an excellent review.

 

I have a green Frontier just like yours. It writes perfectly. It has always been used as a cartridge pen until a few days ago when a fellow FPN member (thanks, Flounder) very kindly donated a converter to me. The pen writes equally well now with that, too.

 

So far, there is no sign of a tendency for it's cap to become loose. Long may the status quo prevail.

 

S.F.

[Sherwood Forester]

Hello there,

 

Thank you all for your replies.

 

Update:

 

I just got these from eBay, how do you like them?

 

 

Hello, Wilfred

 

Your pens are lovely. I hope to acquire a similar pen myself one day!

 

All the best

 

Alan aka S.F.

[LapsangS]

I have an old, made-in-USA-Frontier that I bought in 1997. No problems with the cap. They must have downgraded materials to save costs.

[nickapos]

I have two frontiers, one flighter version bought new, and the second a vintage one with a black plastic barel.

This last one has seen a lot of use (it has scratches, some bite marks and a bend nib which I corrected) but not a loose cap.

[dogpoet]

I stopped using my own Frontier (a flighter) quite a while ago, not because of cap issues but because it was one of the first fountain pens I bought when I started using them again. I was using it as my main daily writer for at least two years, and while the cap felt a little wobbly, it was still sealing nicely. I think the problem with the Frontiers isn't that the seal on the inner cap gives out or the cap ceases to grip (like the inexplicably more popular Vectors), but that after a while a bit of play develops between the outer and inner caps, so the cap feels wobbly and loose while still having a tight(ish) seal.

And, as everybody else has said, if a wobbly cap isn't a deal breaker, this is an excellent pen for the money.

 

czanguine: I think the biro you're thinking of is the jotter. You used to see flighters of those a lot, but they had a much slimmer body than the Frontier:

http://www.bcsystem.co.uk/files/Jotter1.jpg

[Flounder]

This post should be stickied!

[M@rtin]

Very nice review and photos!!! enjoy your great pen!!!!

[welch]

Is there a ballpoint-pen version of this Frontier? I'm pretty sure there used to be BP's that looked sort of like these Frontiers and had the exact same material/color coordination (translucent plastic, stainless steel used minimally).

 

Yes. I have used the same Frontier Flighter (brushed steel) ballpoint for about 12 years. I have a "backup" in plastic. You should find some on eBay.

[ChrisTK]

As far as i know there is a complete series of Parker Frontier Fountain Pen - Ballpoint Pen - Mechanical Pencil.

[ChrisTK]

Elo,

 

I just bought a Parker Frontier FP, i think a week ago (or more). The stainless steel one. I wasn't very fond of the other finishes, neither do i like gold! it's the first parker i buy after using hand-me-down parker 51's.

 

The pen is really nice. i do find the nib a bit wide for my writing. i got used to the smaller 51 nib. i don't have cap problems yet. i guess i should've scoured this forum before i bought it! oi!

 

so far it's very smooth. it doesn't skip after being left for a few moments. i'm still using the blue quink cartridge that came with it. i bought the slide-pump type convertor. i didn't know the Frontier could use the other deluxe convertor, is this true? maybe i'll buy that one also.

I don't have that Fleur-De-Lys. the parker's we have here, are made in UK, i guess they don't they're different from the US made ones.

 

End of line.

 

 

 

ΟZZY is there any difference between the Simple and the Deluxe Parker Converter? Im interested more for the amount of ink they can take.

 

I think Deluxe is for Frontier. It is not suitable to these pens Parker Vector, Reflex, Jotter.

Edited October 8, 2012 by ChrisTK

[Drone]

As long as this review has resurfaced, I might as well add my two cents... I have a Frontier, all SS with GT furniture. The GT M nib is a super smooth writer. The pen performs flawlessly with any ink and paper I throw at it. I've put a lot of mileage on this old Frontier - but alas, the cap has slowly but surely started to rattle. The cap still posts well, but when the pen is capped, the cap rattles annoyingly (if anyone knows how to fix this, please let me know). The Frontier was introduced in 1996 and discontinued in 2012. At post time there is still affordable new old stock available online.

[nedal]

dogpoet You're Right, I adjusted the play between the inner and outer cap and the problem has disappeared.

I stopped using my own Frontier (a flighter) quite a while ago, not because of cap issues but because it was one of the first fountain pens I bought when I started using them again. I was using it as my main daily writer for at least two years, and while the cap felt a little wobbly, it was still sealing nicely. I think the problem with the Frontiers isn't that the seal on the inner cap gives out or the cap ceases to grip (like the inexplicably more popular Vectors), but that after a while a bit of play develops between the outer and inner caps, so the cap feels wobbly and loose while still having a tight(ish) seal.
And, as everybody else has said, if a wobbly cap isn't a deal breaker, this is an excellent pen for the money.

czanguine: I think the biro you're thinking of is the jotter. You used to see flighters of those a lot, but they had a much slimmer body than the Frontier:
http://www.bcsystem.co.uk/files/Jotter1.jpg