Parker Contact

[NaviGator]

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p287/zeppos/Parker%20Contact/IMG_3517Large.jpg

[NaviGator]

 

The Parker Contact...

 

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p287/zeppos/Parker%20Contact/IMG_3504Small.jpg

[NaviGator]

The main feature of this very futuristic, "young", "urban" (blablabla) fountain pen, as shown on the blister, is that you can clip it to whatever you want.

 

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p287/zeppos/Parker%20Contact/IMG_3506Small.jpg

 

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p287/zeppos/Parker%20Contact/IMG_3507Small.jpg

 

The clip is huge indeed, but as i said above, even when the pen is still in the blister, you can tell that it's not going to work. There's too much pen left above the clip. And below pictures prove it:

 

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p287/zeppos/Parker%20Contact/IMG_3509Small.jpg

 

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p287/zeppos/Parker%20Contact/IMG_3511Small.jpg

 

The clip isn't even halfway up the pen, so there's more wait at the top than below the clip:

 

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p287/zeppos/Parker%20Contact/IMG_3513Small.jpg

 

And even the "clever" option, allowing you to twist the oval back end of the pen for 90°, putting more pressure on the clip, won't keep the pen from falling...

 

If you compare the drawing on the blister and my pictures, you can tell the difference is quite big. In the drawings most of the pen hangs suspended from the clip. (meaning there it has a clip nearly the same as any "normal" pen)

Even though i was able to spot the flaw in the shop, it still feels like cheating to me...

 

Edited July 29, 2008 by NaviGator

[Ernst Bitterman]

Have you tried clipping it with the arrow pointing upwards, so the weight is below the clip? This has the added advantage of making it very easy to lose so you will have to buy another.

[NaviGator]

 

Now to another odd feature, the cap:

 

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p287/zeppos/Parker%20Contact/IMG_3519Small.jpg

 

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p287/zeppos/Parker%20Contact/IMG_3520Small.jpg

 

It is small, made of hard plastic and partly covered in metal. I really wonder how long it will last, as it is quite hard to take it of and put it back on.

 

It also has a lanyard hole, which i suspect should work a lot better than the clip (i'll give it a try later), at least as long as the cap fitting (not sure how this is supposed to be called) isn't worn out.

 

And finally it's translucent, so you can see the ink spots quickly spreading inside, after only one day's carry...

 

Now to the good:

As i stated in the beginning, it does write quite well straight out of the blister, as far as i can tell with my limited experience. And i've discovered i quite like bulky pens. The ergonomy isn't perfect, but i like the feel of it a lot.

 

I'll use it for a while and get back with an update later...

 

[NaviGator]

Have you tried clipping it with the arrow pointing upwards, so the weight is below the clip? This has the added advantage of making it very easy to lose so you will have to buy another.

 

I did. And it didn't work... (not a surprise, really )

[RevAaron]

What does the nib feel like compared to a Vector? For me, the Vector seemed to write like a B, really thick.... but it was incredibly smooth. Always on the lookout for cheap pens, if only to categorize them as "crappy" or "useful."

[PDW]

Just found one off the 'Bay. Under GBP 7. After a light flush with tap water, it's a very smooth and rather wet writer with Diamine Graphite in a refilled cartridge. Line width is a little broader than a typical medium, but I can live with it. Comfortable to write with, despite the unusual shape - a small rubber patch under my forefinger (edit: and my thumb) makes the grip comfortable without the loss of precision you have with, say, the Rotring Skynn.

 

Construction from cheapish plastic but the material feels soft rather than brittle, and the walls are thick so it might last. Having looked at the clip and read the comments above I've put it on a lanyard which will mean I can carry it round with I'm not wearing a shirt with a pocket, and I might be less likely to lose the small cap. I can think of it when carried like this as a less staid alternative to the Lamy Nexx.

 

Marks:

 

Appearance - 1 or 5 / 5: depending on how traditional you are

 

Construction and Quality - 3.5 / 5: cheap plastic, and the transparent cap may be brittle, but we'll see. When assembled it certainly feels solid without rattles or any looseness

 

Weight and Dimensions - 4.5 / 5: there's a metal tube in the barrel to give a bit of weight, but it all feels 'right'; to me. Could be a 5 if price were taken into account

 

Nib Performance - 5 / 5: very smooth with Diamine ink. As good as much more expensive pens if you like this feel

 

Filling System and Maintenance 1 or 5 / 5: if you like cartridges you'll like this pen, if you hate them, you'll hate it. Haven't tried using a converter, but a refilled old Parker cartridge works fine.

 

Value – 5 / 5: at this price, you must be joking

 

Overall conclusion: unusual, interesting, a good writer at a silly price (given what I paid for it), but it might take a while to see how durable it is.

 

With it's strange shape I can't wait to for my colleagues at work to say, 'what the *** is that?' so I can start converting more of them to FPs <evil laugh>.

Edited November 7, 2014 by PDW