AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
As many of you already know, I have somewhat unconventional tastes with fountain pens. I don't like plastic pens, threaded grip sections from screw on caps, and prefer cartridge converters over integral fill systems. I am also cheap.
Many of my cheapos have needed a little nib tweak when they first arrived, to get them writing as well as I want. Just a bit of light scribbling on a cheap foam nail buffer did the trick. Not so with these affordable modern Parkers.
I now have four Parker IM and one Jotter. All of them wrote perfectly on first fill (although I did give them a quick flush first). There is slightly more feedback on the standard IMs than on the two Ltd. Ed. ones, but that may just be a fluke, and the standard ones are by no means scratchy.
For me, the IM is a very comfortable pen to hold. There is a slight step between section and barrel (noticeable transitions are another gripe of mine), but the section is long enough, and corners smooth enough, that I am not consciously aware of it, and the grip doesn't distract or irritate like with so many other fountain pens.
The Jotter is a little too narrow for extended writing, for my tastes. However, for quick notes, and annotations, it is perfectly fine. It's not a pen that I would like to write more than a few lines with, but being Kensimgton Red, it will be paired permanently with red inks, and just used for those notes that need to stand out from the rest.
The nibs are rather unassuming, and not in any way "showy". There are simple steel affairs, on the smaller side, and with no discernible flex at my hand. For some, that might mean a characterless pen, but for me, it means consistent and reliable. I'm not the kind of person who considers handwriting to be "penmanship", or who indulges in flourished script. These do everything that I need them to.
There isn't a significant difference between the fine and medium nib sizes on the IM, and smaller loops aren't automatically coloured in. The Jotter leaves a little more presence on the page, but again remains legible, even without oversize writing.
All these pens are metal bodied, although there are some Jotters that have a plastic barrel. As I prefer metal pens, I cannot tell you how durable those plastic versions feel or handle. Cost wise, these pens can start creeping up the scale somewhat, but I waited for and pounced on sales, and got all of these - including the Premium Geometric and Reg Ignite Ltd Ed - for under £20 each. So bargains can be found, occasionally.
I actually paid less than £70 for all five!
None of these come with converters, but they are available separately, and in the UK at least, Parker cartridges are not hard to find. I would prefer Std Intel for a greater diversity of cartridge choice, but I am happy carrying two different cartridge types. I also refill them with a syringe, and use Parker converters too.
All things considered, I consider these to be excellent pens. Great value for money, durable, reliable, comfortable, and to my eye, they look better than their polymer clad cousins too.
Many of my cheapos have needed a little nib tweak when they first arrived, to get them writing as well as I want. Just a bit of light scribbling on a cheap foam nail buffer did the trick. Not so with these affordable modern Parkers.
I now have four Parker IM and one Jotter. All of them wrote perfectly on first fill (although I did give them a quick flush first). There is slightly more feedback on the standard IMs than on the two Ltd. Ed. ones, but that may just be a fluke, and the standard ones are by no means scratchy.
For me, the IM is a very comfortable pen to hold. There is a slight step between section and barrel (noticeable transitions are another gripe of mine), but the section is long enough, and corners smooth enough, that I am not consciously aware of it, and the grip doesn't distract or irritate like with so many other fountain pens.
The Jotter is a little too narrow for extended writing, for my tastes. However, for quick notes, and annotations, it is perfectly fine. It's not a pen that I would like to write more than a few lines with, but being Kensimgton Red, it will be paired permanently with red inks, and just used for those notes that need to stand out from the rest.
The nibs are rather unassuming, and not in any way "showy". There are simple steel affairs, on the smaller side, and with no discernible flex at my hand. For some, that might mean a characterless pen, but for me, it means consistent and reliable. I'm not the kind of person who considers handwriting to be "penmanship", or who indulges in flourished script. These do everything that I need them to.
There isn't a significant difference between the fine and medium nib sizes on the IM, and smaller loops aren't automatically coloured in. The Jotter leaves a little more presence on the page, but again remains legible, even without oversize writing.
All these pens are metal bodied, although there are some Jotters that have a plastic barrel. As I prefer metal pens, I cannot tell you how durable those plastic versions feel or handle. Cost wise, these pens can start creeping up the scale somewhat, but I waited for and pounced on sales, and got all of these - including the Premium Geometric and Reg Ignite Ltd Ed - for under £20 each. So bargains can be found, occasionally.
I actually paid less than £70 for all five!
None of these come with converters, but they are available separately, and in the UK at least, Parker cartridges are not hard to find. I would prefer Std Intel for a greater diversity of cartridge choice, but I am happy carrying two different cartridge types. I also refill them with a syringe, and use Parker converters too.
All things considered, I consider these to be excellent pens. Great value for money, durable, reliable, comfortable, and to my eye, they look better than their polymer clad cousins too.