Being in India, I have used this pen for many years. However, there is too much variance in quality of these pens. Second, it is painful to use if it is to be used for continuous writing. I don’t use these anymore and have moved to LAMY and TWSBI pens which are orders of magnitude better.
I love my Parker IM. TWSBI is Poly carbonate which is garbage. All the pens I owned from TWSBI are trash. I'd strongly recommend Majohn and asvine for a more budget friendly and superior quality. Lamy literally sells you a plastic stick for $45. Too much for what it is.
@@MitchellJBridgessuperior quality? You gotta be shitting me. Mahjohns build quality is known to be mad, even if it is heavy and looks like metal. They are so not dudable
From India here The Parker pens in India are made by a company named Luxor and trust me they're THE WORST to use at least the entry level ones like the beta Neo and vector The pen is made of cheap quality material, the nib is very scratchy A good alternative for the above pen is the Baoer 801 which can be bought from a local stationery shop for as low as ₹120 (that's less than $2) and the experience is so smooth ..
Yeah those Baoers are on eBay, Amazon and Ali. They're Chinese but actually getting very good reviews. I hate it when companys farm out their name to get stuck on to cheap quality products. A British garden tool company called Spear and Jackson have done that. It soils the name. That can be the beginning of the end for a company who does that. Firetrap and Pierre Cardin clothing have also done that. Whatever past reputation they'd built up for quality is now meaningless and gone. After buying one shoddy thing from those brands, no one would probably go back. Still, everything changes, I suppose and nothing stays the same. Businesses come and businesses go. But it's a pity when they are the orchestrators of their very own demise (e.g. Nokia).
in the early eighties I used these what I liked was the emergency ink reserve in the cartridges, so when they ran out you flicked the end with your finger and it would release the tiny reserve so you could continue writing knowing you needed to replace it soon
I also have a Parker Vector when I was in high school and its still working today. About 20 years ago, I bought an Unknown brand fountain pen with EF nib for about US$3- at al local stationary store while I was on a business trip to China, and I never expected this " John Doe " fountain pen could survive so many years up to TODAY and is still one of my favorite & daily writing instrument .... Really SURPRISED me !
0:51 ...Canadian Staples and Art Stores all sell the *Parker Vector fountain pens* med nib...(made in france) in different colors... $23 cad for the pen and one ink cartridge.... $ 8 cad for 5 refills in blue or black. Canadian Amazon sells the *Parker Vector fountain pens* med nib...(made in france) in different colors... $16 cad for the standard black vector FP $25 cad for the pen and one ink cartridge.... $30 cad for the stainless steel vector $35 cad for the Gold color vector $40 cad for the Parker Vector F P, Black with Chrome Trim, with 5 Washable Blue Ink Cartridges $ 9 cad for 5 refills in blue or black. Interesting ...I like how you point out the various minut details on the construction of this FP. Mine says *"France"* . Not included are all these micro details that your focusing on...interesting.
Greetings, DB. Always a pleasure to hear your views. I have Vector stamped IIL Made in USA (assume Janesville, WI) at the bottom of the cap, with consistent depth. Vector is a red plastic (Yama budo ink color) that feels as good (or better) than a Platinum Preppy. Vector = 10g without c/c; Preppy 11g. Unlike your version, top of cap has white plastic insert, and finish is good, with chamfer on the interior edge of the cap. Can't recall when I got Vector, but definitely before 1986. After several years of disuse, returned to service, June 2021, no nib adjustments. Feed marked F, but nib produces smooth wet line that gets finer with higher angle. Added a Parker converter ($10) b/c I'm now more interested in inks. Sorry that your version is disappointing. Keep with the interesting content.
Yeah I was thinking the older ones were better. I'd be curious to see one to compare, but don't know if I'll get one as it just doesn't do it for me. Stainless might be better with the increase in weight
@@Doodlebud I used mine back in the 90s everyday for pages and pages, and used a few cartridges each week, but most of the Vectors didn't survive more than a year.
When I first got into fountain pens as a hobby, I bought a steel one that I keep on my desk at the office for quick notes. At the time I liked slim pens, and it was fairly inexpensive, I believe. But my preferences have changed, and I prefer girthier grip sections now, esp. for longer writing sessions.
I really enjoy watching pens get picked apart and explained, so thank you for another fun video :) (And for the unexpected snort-laugh at "what's our vector, Victor?")
I have a blue Vector that was manufactured in France, I bought it about seven or so years ago at a grocery store here in Western Europe. The pen is too light for my taste and my main gripe with it is that it's too thin for my hand so I get cramps after any continuous writing past let's say five minutes, which renders this pen unusable for me for anything but note taking. Mine has a medium nib and I actually quite like the nib, quite smooth (above averagely so) and nice ink flow from the quink cartridges. The Parker logo is even in depth and is nice and legible, the sharp edges are there but aren't very sharp, no bulging burs like on your cap at all and the cap and barrel do line up though there is a bit of a gap, which is part of the design imo, the clip is real stiff though. There was no grease of any kind on my pen out of the box, the pen did not come with a converter.
I had a blue Parker Vector with medium nib back in the day. It was manufactured in the UK so before they moved to France. However, the quality is typical to what you described for the French version. I think maybe they have quality control issues and it differs between the different facilities which is a bad thing for the Parker brand because it is manufactured as a Parker so you should have the same quality wherever you buy it. Now I have the metal version and it is quality for a Vector and I do like it. Solid pen with a wet and smooth nib.
@@Doodlebud Cheap parkers are the fountain pens that are used in middle and highschools in my country like how cheap Lamys are used in Germany. The bulk of them being plastic Vectors and I have found no significant change in quality from back then up until now. We're talking '00's through '10's
@@Doodlebud That is the nostalgia speaking. They were never well made pens, but probably were an upgrade from bits. However, in retrospect you can see all the flaws.
Watch any of his vids and he's using it. Here's his latest one. Pulls the pen out about 60 seconds into it! LOL ua-cam.com/video/lMf-Zq7xJcY/v-deo.html
Watching this video made me pull out my Parker Vector. It is one of those accidents of time, being pushed to the back of a desk drawer for decades. I had it with me when I went traveling around Latin America after graduating from college (1972). It might even have been with me during college. In any case, I used it off and on during those decades, and then stopped about 20 years ago. The quality is surprising for an entry-level pen. It has "Parker" and "Made in the USA" stamped on the cap. The clip is much better quality than what appears in Doodlebud's video. I just plugged a Quink cartridge into the barrel and spent about 5 minutes getting it to flow. I had cleaned it about 4 months ago. I wrote off a paragraph of text. The medium nib is moderately wet, with a little feedback. I would not want to have extended writing sessions because it's too slim for my hand. The modern cartridge was a tight fit and I had to apply more force than I do with other pens and cartridges. I also have a Parker converter. What a nostalgia trip!
Grade 11 electronics class was the last time I saw mine lol. Was a trip back down memory lane as well. Helped decide my next expensive pen purchase. Not one of these, but was about to buy a beautiful new modern pen. However, now going for a vintage pen
I had one of those and it too was stolen when I was in elementary school back in the early 90s. In China, we were REQUIRED to write with ink pen until maybe 5th grade.
It is still possible to find parker vector roller produced in french in turkey. European quality is good. I have the classic and insignia series made in the usa, I guess I'm lucky.
I used to have 2 Parker Vectors. The quality of the plastic they use (or the design of it ) developed cracks in the first year of (light) use, that made the pens unusable. This put me off of fountain pens for some time ( around 8-10 years old, a decade and something ago). Thankfully I got a Jotter steel with an M nib later and the fp love fired up again.
I too owned one of these in high school as my first fountain pen, but I think at that age, these pens felt a little more substantial, girthier and weightier than they would to us now, especially given that we've tried so many great pens at this point.
The Vector was my first fountain pen back in the mid-eighties when I was 10 years old. I no longer have that one, but my understanding is that the manufacturing has become a lot lower quality. And kudos to you for using Washable Blue!!!
It's such a good & safe ink. It's that or watermans in my vintage pens. The flow is bang on & easy to wash out. No crazy shading or sheen but they just work! No issues ever
I mean .. you can get the Parker vector for approximately $3 on Amazon, here in India with free prime shipping! I don't know how much more can be expected at this price point. What you get , I think is more than enough value for money.
$3 is an extremely low price point, and that is what this pen should sell for. However, the best made pen I found for $3 is this zebra pen. The design consideration that was done at this price point blew my mind! ua-cam.com/video/QdAY2Nk6yD4/v-deo.html
Yes... yes I would. The new ones are not good at all. The Jinhao 82 is also fantastic along with the Jinhao 80. I haven't used the 80 personally but have heard mostly praise for that one as well. Here's my video on the 82 and there's a link in the description for it as well: ua-cam.com/video/0q3W74S7btQ/v-deo.html
@@Doodlebud I already bought Caran dAche 849 for muh gf after watching your video :3 thanks for helping me make up my mind! Edit: Lamy can do impressive machinning quality. I learned that from my multy pen I didn't liked to write with cuz it weigh 28 grams, slippery grip and viscouse nibs. But very impressive!
I have four Parker Vectors and they are all from at least three decades ago, probably more. I inherited two from my older brother. One came from the Parker calligraphy set that comes with nib units in various cursive italic sizes. The problem with Vectors is that the barrel cracks where the threads are. So when you go to pull off the cap, the cap stays on and the barrel comes off. A vendor at a pen show told me that is common and people seek new barrels in the parts bin that some vendors have.I really like the cursive nibs and just put up with having to remember to pinch the barrel tightly where it meets the cap when removing it. The slimness is also an issue for me. Thanks for your forensic look at your Indian Parker. (Wow, the package is so worn looking, it looks vintage).
@@Doodlebud You have to be careful when putting the section back in, and not overnighter. Although if you use it a lot that only delays the inevitable. Cap cracks are also common. Had one where just the inner liner was left to cap the nib, but at least it still snapped on.
Like many others, I had a Vector early on in my FP hobby, and I quite liked it. I'm not sure of its date, no later than early 2000s, but it might have been older than that. But I bought a bunch of them that I thought I could give out to others if they were interested in fountain pens, and they were awful, with the same problems you identified. I think they used to be better cheap pens, now they're terrible cheap pens.
@@Doodlebud They weren't that great back in the 90s, so if they are worse now, then they must really suck. Or with so many decent cheap pens our expectations have shifted for what we expect of $10 to $20 pen, and the Vector no longer cuts it.
A few weeks ago I was in a branch of 'Lidl' supermarket here in UK. They had lots of Parker Vector fountain pens for an incredible price. All the pens were blue and all were fitted with medium nibs. I wasn't going to bother with the Vector as I have nicer Parker pens but curiosity got the better of me. I have yet to rip open the packaging and get the pen out but noticed this one was made in France. I am hoping it will be better made than the version from India. I believe Baoer also copied the Vector and one reviewer said he much preferred the more comfortable Baoer.
The metal version of Parker Vector comes under the tag Parker Vector Metallix. It's nothing different from vector, just an additional metallic cap on the same body. You might wanna check it. More than the build quality, I was pissed about it's scratchy writing, as if you were writing with a knife. It often slit the paper. It was my first fountain pen ever and I contemplated going back to roller balls due to my bad experience until I got myself a pilot metropolitan. Loving them!
@@Doodlebud I am sure of it. The 51 is a classic with good reason. The fact that many are still a available in the secondary market, speaks of its appeal and value. I looked at the revived 51. There is no question it is a well made pen, but I couldn't get myself to pull the trigger and but it. So many other pens in this price range are, in my estimation, far better. Even those that are way below in price, like the pens from Wing Sung, penBBS and Jinhao are beautiful and wonderful writers instruments.
My Red Vector is 35+ years old. Made in 🇺🇸. Thin pen, and not my preffered writer but still writes every time and has none of the manufacturing flaws of the newer ones. Sad, seeing how low once famous and respected name brands have fallen 😔
Love my old 51, but seeing this now don't think I'll do the new one either. Has crossed my mind about maaaaaybe getting a new 51, but after this it's been crossed off
I have a USA Parker Vector that I have had for around 40 years in the red plastic. It has been a faithful writer, even when I've left it for a month or more! I ordered the Parker calligraphy set, made in India, and what crappy things that are. Glad to enjoy my old US made Vector!
Well I am from India and have a few of them in my collection and compared to the earlier vector models the newer ones don't hold up well, but vector beta or a vector stainless may work better than this one. But now a days it's like a lottery u might get a good one but then it goes downhill sometimes.
@@nancymilawski1048 yes there is one but not sure if it can be seen or found out of India,not only that it some times get different to even find the beta, i bought it like 4 to 5 years ago.
Perhaps it's been replaced by arriving zombies, grumpy wizards or quartz sphinxes. My current favorite is "Foxy diva Jennifer Lopez wasn't baking my quiches." (How dare she!).
I also started using these in high school, around 1990. I’ve still got two of them from back then, with one currently inked. I remember they cost $5 each back then. Mine have Parker Made in U.S.A. stamped on the cap. They don’t seem to have any of the build issues seen here. Mine have medium nibs and write very wet and smooth. I took art classes in high school and was an art major in college and used them for drawing. I also have a 1/4 bottle of 30 year old Quink blue black that’s still good. 😮
I had that happen to all of mine in 90s, eventually switched to disposable fountain oens, and then to nice fountain pens, which I still own and use, unlike all the Vectors that went to the great beyond.
Went through dozens of these in the 90s. The plastics would crack, mainly the cap, but occasionally the barrel where section screws in. The ones that didn't crack the non-hardened nib developed a real flat spot. I liked them, but they were never really well built, at least not the plastic Vectors.
Yet another late comment from one of your newest subscribers in the UK. I was in a branch of WH Smith (a UK chain that sells papers, books, stationery, etc.) killing time before an appointment, and I happened to wander over to the pens section. They have Parker Vectors in stock, priced at somewhere around the £11 mark (that's C$20 or thereabouts). Made in France. Didn't buy one because I was getting close to when I had to head over the road for my appointment, so I can't tell you what the quality is like, but we can hope that the quality matches the price at least to a degree.
I’m glad you made this video. I had been considering getting a yellow jotter fountain pen but something about it kept me from getting it. They do look cheaply made.
Luxor India manufactures Vector and a few other models like Frontier…Luxor manufactures pens for other manufacturers like Waterman (for eg., Waterman Hemisphere).. I’m fairly sure that What you saw on the cap is the Parker ‘Date Code’ which tells us the year and quarter of manufacture of the pen.. Looks like whoever packed the pen had a Samosa before packing it, so it was so oily.. Also, you might have had a better writing experience if you attempted to write ‘Mango Chutney’ (no prize for guessing why !)
Thats a huge development! 😆 I just looked, no idea what it is. He seems to just use very basic pens that work & that's about it. You should be take a screenshot and post it on Reddit to see if somebody could identify
@@Doodlebud It is a Parker Vector XL Green Fountain Pen. He now has multiple colored pens. Old style Parker in red and a newer Parker Vector XL Green Fountain Pen. It appears to write wet and has a bigger nib. For $25. -- I might try one.
my first fountain pen also. still have mine from highschool. probably one of the first, around 1988-1990. just found this channel, being from canada, i assume youre ave's neighbor. you seem to have many of the same mannerisms.
i have searched on forums about parker quink ink from india (luxor) to be much cheaper than others. even the ink recipe is different from others being that indian made still use older detergent agent in the ink which some europe countries have banned it, SOLV-X is the name if i am not mistaken. people said that LUXOR is a licensed company for making PARKER products but they do lowers the quality to make the product cheaper and affordable for India's market. maybe it is to make every household managed to own a Parker produc. that's why it is stated for sale in india and nepal only.
I looked up this video because I saw the pen listed on Canadian Staples. I wonder how that version compares to this one - for the price it damn well better be better!
Mine is about forty years old. I bought it when I started building my collection again. Made in the US and much better build quality than the one you got, but it hasn’t been used in years and is probably at the bottom of the list when I rank my pens.
Funnily enough when I was at it at first and how you can cap the cap at both the end and the tip of the pen it reminded me a little bit of the Farber Castell Ambition (although the cap clicks onto the end not just slides over it to post). It is also a very light pen with quite a few sharp edges, just that the body is made from different kind of woods (I got ebony cause violin player and that feels like home turf). But it seems the other little hiccups that this pen has are way less of an issue on the Ambition. Small sidenote: For writing samples you can use this funny sentence here and there is also my person favorite "Oh Sphynx of Black Quartz, judge my vows."
Aloha "DB!" I have no experience with the Parker Vector, although I came very close to buying one or two. This may be obvious, but these a copies of the original, and thus the reason for the poor quality? I would suggest getting a used or NOS from Proto Pens to compare? I see a few in the $15-19 price range. Just a suggestion. Have a wonderful weekend. Mahalo, Thomas
In the 80s I had one that looked just like this. I'll guess that was made in the US. It was a pretty good writer in my opinion at the time ( I was around 10). I recall that the clip eventually became loose enough that I found it annoying and quit using it. It might still be buried somewhere in my things. I am sure this India-made pen is not quite the one I had way back.
I have a made in UK dark blue one. The body on mine feels very solid and the sharp edges are sharp, but not too bad. Mine sadly has a dud nib, which I hope to smooth myself since it has a nice flow, but a terrible scratch like from a burr of some sorts. But need to get around to getting that loupe and appropriate micro mesh pads. The best thing about my Vector is its cap though. It holds tight and writes immediately after months of laying on a shelf, due to no use with its terrible nib. Looking forward to that project some day, but until then, I have other much nicer pens to use. If I want a slim Parker I'll use my Parker 25, which would be a nice pen to hear you have a go at with your engineer's eyes. If I remember correctly it had some novel production method that made it very cheap to produce and a big hit for Parker Newhaven.
The Vector was the first fountain pen that I ever owned, back in 1992 (college). I had two, one was blue and the other was burgundy. The caps on both cracked after about 5 or 6 months and I have never bothered to buy another Vector since then. They were around $12 each back then (OfficeMax) and I expected better for $12. It put me off fountain pens for about 2 decades.
That was my experience. Killed them in about six to twelve months when I went through a dozen in the 90s. Mostly black and blue versions, although I did have one in red. Eventually got better longer lasting fountain pens.
@@Doodlebud I guess one of us will have to buy one and find out. However, I have low expectations. The Parker Jotter fountain pen was not that good. It's probably the same nib.
I have an "original" Vector that I used in school in the 90's and a new one I bought recently, and it does not feel like the same pen. Like you observed, the sharp edges are really terrible and build quality is quite poor, while my old Vector is a brilliant pen, no sharp edges and real quality feel.
Doooooodlebud! I just picked up a Vector I have as I'm watching this video to see if it has the same issues. It's a rollerball though also from the late 90s. I suspect your memories of that Vector are correct, as none of the issues of the body are present on mine. Mine is however made in the U.K. No sharp edges and feels pretty sturdy. As you might know, India manufacturers for 2 markets. Labels are clearly indicated, "For export only," and the one you got. I am not saying India QC is shoddy as you can attest from Ranga pens being well made, but you got a domestic market pen and the QC is going to be well....iffy. That is what I think is what is going on, but I may be wrong. Take solace that whoever took your pen is hopefully enjoying it to this day and hasn't trashed it somewhere. Who knows maybe they might see this and still have it and return it too you. Fingers crossed!
@@Doodlebud Okay then. Try and find one made in Europe. Too bad there aren't anymore Grand & Toy or WH Smiths around anymore. Better yet try WH Smith in the UK. Shouldn't be more than 10 Pounds I would think.
@@Doodlebud True say. It's funny using pens way more then through schooling the width of a ballpoint was never an issue. Now I definitely prefer NOT to use a thin pen.
I have one I did recently on low cost papers. Have done others in the past as well. Also did one on the inks I use on very low quality paper & the pen to go with. But not a full low cost combo approach
Hey ..love from India I have used these pens by parker and tbh wiriting with fountain pens was a chore for me. I got a discount on lamy safari and bought it. Since then the fountain pen experience is people do neet to focus on utility and value of the product. Much happier with the Lamy now and looking forward to buying japanese or german fountain pens in future.
I bought an older vector off eBay, it must have been made by the original factory, it had a stainless steel brushed body and writes quite nice, it’s not fantastic but far better then this newer version. Details are more dialed in .
Hello! Good video! Subbed... I have the burgundy roller ball, made in the USA. I believe it is an older model...it has a "Y" next to "made in usa"...still in good shape, writes well...Do you happen to know what the "Y" is? Thanks!
You know I have an original Vector s was given so I could compare it to the new one! I forgot about that pen. Gonna do the video. I'll see what I can find
@@Doodlebud I wondered about that. Looks vintage, though, which is the next best thing. I've been trying to get my hands on a vintage Schaeffer for a while. You recommend Ebay? Re soap and water, I'm a lefty so the side of my hand gets thoroughly stained. Soap and water works eventually but I'm looking for a magic solution. I noticed your inky fingers but at the end of the vid they were clean. I thought 'hey, D-bud (your rapper name) is on to something!" BTW, I'm in T.O. I love Wonder Pens and Laywine's. Any other retailers you can recommend?
With this pen the ink was Parker washable blue. Comes off with ease! I do instore purchases at the local Vancouver Pen Shop. For online I do Pen Chalet, Goulet, Goldspot, Cult Pens, Jet Pens, and ebay. Also do Aliexpress for my cheap stuff. Have done other online as well but those are my main ones with a wide selection. But there are MANY great online pen retailers along with independent makers
I used to quite like the sleek modern lines of the Vector when they first came out, but never actually owned one until recently. It's a nice enough basic pen, nothing exciting, but good for a school workhorse.
I have one here in Calgary, picked it up ages ago at the DT G&T (now a Rotten Ronnies) back in 90s. Mine is made in the UK. It seem fairly better made than the one you acquired. It is the same nib used on the New "Parker 51" and the $20 Parker Jotter FP. I think that tells you how el cheepo the new "parker 51" really is.
I have a burgundy Vector from the early late 80's/ early 90's... The quality is somewhat better, perhaps, but it's a very light pen. The printing on the cap is much smaller - it has" [logo] PARKER IIIL MADE IN USA " evenly debossed around the base of the cap. Has "M" on the feed's underside. The cap finial is white, and flush with the top of the cap, no number stamped on the beveled cap sides. This pen's cap and the barrel are lined up very well when capped, though it has that same, slightly beveled, stark edge between the section and the barrel. The edges aren't so sharp as to cause injury, though this is well-used pen, so it's likely also dulled witih age/wear. Being a well-used medium, it writes smoothly with good flow, but the section is perhaps better suited for small hands, being smallish and overly smooth for my use. It still has a "vintage" cartridge that has been reused many times, which also has better finishing than the one in the video. It's interesting to see how very little it has changed, after 30+ years of production.
I picked up a Vector at the grocery store back in 1984, and I was so underwhelmed that I went right back to my Sheaffer No Nonsense pens - purchased at the same grocery store. Parker's higher end pens are better, I'm sure, but for cheap "student" pens, the Vector was always kind of a dud.
I have a few of these and a two are more than a decade old. The quality control is not consistent at all with these Parker vectors. Some are good and some are bad and same goes with the nibs of these fountain pens. Some are really scratchy and some are pretty smooth. It's like a lottery if you are lucky you get a good one... Else better luck next time LOL
I have the very same red and chrome Parker Vector (the fountain pen and a rollerball pen) from 1990 (I was 16) . I still have both pens. And they look and write as well as they did back when the pens were new. I also had a dark blue one which I gave to my nephew. The pens may look the same and bear the same name. But obviously the Vector you reviewed here and the ones I own from more than 30 years ago, are night and day apart, in quality. *Sigh*
My Parker Vector rollerball is the one I purchased in the 80's. I don't like the quick refills at all. Even on fountain pen paper there is some feathering. I want to know about higher quality refills in lieu of the Parker Quink please! Thank you! Lisa (fountain pen newbie)
I am from India and i have been using this pen... the stainless steel crome trim version to be particular... it has been 6 years with this pen and frankly speaking the pen I have , writes like butter and is on the wetter side since the day i first bought it... I have seen many reviews where they have had a bad experience with this pen... I guess the quality control by Luxor in India is very inconsistent and i do admit the pen's grip is very uncomfortable and that is the reason why currently I seldom use the pen and i have shifted to using a Parker urban and a jinhao 159 as my daily drivers. 😄
no the vector is DEFINITELY WORSE than it used to be. My first fountain pen was a parker vector, I remember my grandpa gave it to me for my 12th birthday in 2006. It was his pen that he used in the military it was with him from China to Netherlands to the middle east to the US and when I got it wrote great and I continued to use it throughout middle school and high school until one day my idiot teacher try to show me how to do calculus and bent the nib. Skipping the drama my dad went out a few days later and bought me another one from office depot this one cracked within 2 weeks inside my school backpack. I then went out and bought another one when I was in college and the cap cracked when I posted it. I tried a few more parkers only to be disappointed every time. For entry level just go with a preppy or pay up for a lamy or pilot
Same as you, it was where my journey started in school, and I have such a romantic opinion about it, think I moved from it onto an Inoxcrom fountain pen, since then it's been Cross and Waterman all the way. I still need to get one for nostalgia sake, but that looks very poor.
It was my first fountain pen... I've mine for over 30 years and it is mainly a nostalgia pen for me... Never really expected it to write like my Visconti Opera Series 😂😂😂
Hej Doodlebud, I am from Poland and we still have them here. Looks like this one is not so well made as those we have here. I have mine still after 20 years and working fine. No sharp edges. Everything is in the line. Writing for this price is ok I would say. Also my first pen and the same red colour. Sorry for all language mistakes.
i remember having a couple of these in my school days but mine were a roller ball instead.. they also used the ink cartridges similar to a fountain pen.. writing with them was super smooth but every one i had for some reason the cap cracks along the length of it even though i'm usually delicate with the pens i enjoy using.. no idea if the ones i had were also made in india or somewhere else though
The cap’s edges used to be sharp even in the olden days. I always smoothed them out with a few quick revolutions against fine steel wool when I got a new one(turnover was frightening) Other flaws mentioned in your video i guess is due to worn out machinery, paired with insufficient QC. I own only one at this time, and considered selling it. I might get a better price currently, as it now is a ”Dr Campbell pen”. And vintage quality no longer produced? Haha!
Yep, if one lasted more then a semester, then it was lucky one. In the 90s there wasn't many cheap alternatives though, so kept replacing them till I got a much nicer pen later on. It was essentially disposable pen in a way. Although the actual disposable fountain pens can last about as long, if you refill them a few times, although that can be a bit messy the first few times.
I used quite a lot of Vector fountain pens during my school and college days and I can vouch for it to be a fake. Vector FPs(even when Indian made) feel quite premium and this is not!!!
@@Doodlebud yes...luxor had been the licence holder for parker for a long time. I got my first parker in 2001 and it was made by Luxor. In fact, the last Indian made Vector I got hold of was in 2018 before i came to the UK, and it was pretty good. Didn't feel cheap at all.
Same company does the Indian version of Parker Quink, and Parker, though they sold the rights to them, doesn't currently recognise it as "authentic Parker" currently. It's not surprising to see them made in an area for making hosiery. Parker itself is owned by a company noted for its rubber totes... 😁 From what I've read, these are kind of made on the cheap, anymore, and consistency suffers as a result. I've also seen someone buy a job lot of these, and though nothing impressive, they all were better than this one. Guess they're hit or miss...
@@Doodlebud I did buy the 30 mL bottles of their black and blue inks. Basically still just Parker Quink. So, if you like those... About $6 USD if I remember correctly, for the both. Well better than Staples. 😉
@@Doodlebud probably they are making in mass scale to supply students of subcontinent. The price is almost similar what they have 15 years back. I think that's why quality has been compromised.
I happen to have a vintage Parker Vector right next to me. I bought it back in the 1980s, when I was a teenager, and it hasn't been used in decades. It was probably my second fountain pen, after I started using Sheaffer No Nonsense Calligraphy pens around age 10. My Vector has a chrome-plated barrel with gold-plated furniture and a navy blue section and tips of the barrel and cap. The gold band in the center reads "Parker" "Made in UK". So, given that the one you have there is a licensed product made in India and is marked for sale only in India (more than likely at the behest of Parker), I'm guessing the quality is not up to the original standards.
Watching this video caused me to do a little digging, and it appears that what I have is actually a Parker 88 Place Vendome, which is a fancy version of a Vector. This is a little confusing to me, because one website says this pen originally sold for $135 USD, and there's no way I spent that much money on a fountain pen during my teenage years, but it is unmistakably that pen.
I bought a Parker Vector Stainless Steel Gold Trim edition, The build quality was much better but roughly double the price. The nib was slightly smoother than a chrome trim. But agreed with you that for the price point on either of these Parkers, they are not that good. My next pen will definitely will be LAMY. so let's see.
Hey man you should try Camlin elegante if you can get hands on one there ( it is 200 rupees (3$) here in India..) It is one of the most popular pen here and main competitor of Parker vector
From India here. Parker Vector was my first fountain pen. Hated it. Thankfully I got a Pilot Metropolitan after an year and realised what a piece of crap the Vector was, even for the price.
Damn dude same ! Vector was my first FP aswell, wrote like crap ! So dry and scratchy, almost put me off fountain pens completely. Then i tried a Jinhao450 and it blew my mind. Literally the best writing experience of my life.
Being in India, I have used this pen for many years. However, there is too much variance in quality of these pens. Second, it is painful to use if it is to be used for continuous writing. I don’t use these anymore and have moved to LAMY and TWSBI pens which are orders of magnitude better.
I love my Parker IM. TWSBI is Poly carbonate which is garbage. All the pens I owned from TWSBI are trash. I'd strongly recommend Majohn and asvine for a more budget friendly and superior quality.
Lamy literally sells you a plastic stick for $45. Too much for what it is.
@@MitchellJBridges I agree. I have found LAMY to be overrated.
@@MitchellJBridgessuperior quality? You gotta be shitting me. Mahjohns build quality is known to be mad, even if it is heavy and looks like metal. They are so not dudable
From India here
The Parker pens in India are made by a company named Luxor and trust me they're THE WORST to use at least the entry level ones like the beta Neo and vector
The pen is made of cheap quality material, the nib is very scratchy
A good alternative for the above pen is the Baoer 801 which can be bought from a local stationery shop for as low as ₹120 (that's less than $2) and the experience is so smooth ..
Yeah those Baoers are on eBay, Amazon and Ali. They're Chinese but actually getting very good reviews.
I hate it when companys farm out their name to get stuck on to cheap quality products. A British garden tool company called Spear and Jackson have done that. It soils the name. That can be the beginning of the end for a company who does that.
Firetrap and Pierre Cardin clothing have also done that. Whatever past reputation they'd built up for quality is now meaningless and gone.
After buying one shoddy thing from those brands, no one would probably go back.
Still, everything changes, I suppose and nothing stays the same. Businesses come and businesses go. But it's a pity when they are the orchestrators of their very own demise (e.g. Nokia).
You got to try the Jinhao 9016 you won't be disappointed.
I watched this video because of Dr John Campbell. Thanks for making. I'd really like a Vector standard such as in this video. Cheers.
in the early eighties I used these what I liked was the emergency ink reserve in the cartridges, so when they ran out you flicked the end with your finger and it would release the tiny reserve so you could continue writing knowing you needed to replace it soon
I also have a Parker Vector when I was in high school and its still working today. About 20 years ago, I bought an Unknown brand fountain pen with EF nib for about US$3- at al local stationary store while I was on a business trip to China, and I never expected this " John Doe " fountain pen could survive so many years up to TODAY and is still one of my favorite & daily writing instrument .... Really SURPRISED me !
0:51 ...Canadian Staples and Art Stores all sell the *Parker Vector fountain pens* med nib...(made in france) in different colors...
$23 cad for the pen and one ink cartridge....
$ 8 cad for 5 refills in blue or black.
Canadian Amazon sells the *Parker Vector fountain pens* med nib...(made in france) in different colors...
$16 cad for the standard black vector FP
$25 cad for the pen and one ink cartridge....
$30 cad for the stainless steel vector
$35 cad for the Gold color vector
$40 cad for the Parker Vector F P, Black with Chrome Trim, with 5 Washable Blue Ink Cartridges
$ 9 cad for 5 refills in blue or black.
Interesting ...I like how you point out the various minut details on the construction of this FP.
Mine says *"France"* . Not included are all these micro details that your focusing on...interesting.
Greetings, DB. Always a pleasure to hear your views. I have Vector stamped IIL Made in USA (assume Janesville, WI) at the bottom of the cap, with consistent depth. Vector is a red plastic (Yama budo ink color) that feels as good (or better) than a Platinum Preppy. Vector = 10g without c/c; Preppy 11g. Unlike your version, top of cap has white plastic insert, and finish is good, with chamfer on the interior edge of the cap. Can't recall when I got Vector, but definitely before 1986. After several years of disuse, returned to service, June 2021, no nib adjustments. Feed marked F, but nib produces smooth wet line that gets finer with higher angle. Added a Parker converter ($10) b/c I'm now more interested in inks. Sorry that your version is disappointing. Keep with the interesting content.
Yeah I was thinking the older ones were better. I'd be curious to see one to compare, but don't know if I'll get one as it just doesn't do it for me. Stainless might be better with the increase in weight
@@Doodlebud I used mine back in the 90s everyday for pages and pages, and used a few cartridges each week, but most of the Vectors didn't survive more than a year.
The parker IM is a much better pen.
So cool you mentioned that; watching Dr Campbell made me start buying fountain pens this year.
When I first got into fountain pens as a hobby, I bought a steel one that I keep on my desk at the office for quick notes. At the time I liked slim pens, and it was fairly inexpensive, I believe. But my preferences have changed, and I prefer girthier grip sections now, esp. for longer writing sessions.
I really enjoy watching pens get picked apart and explained, so thank you for another fun video :)
(And for the unexpected snort-laugh at "what's our vector, Victor?")
So many Classic lines in that movie! ✈️
I have a blue Vector that was manufactured in France, I bought it about seven or so years ago at a grocery store here in Western Europe. The pen is too light for my taste and my main gripe with it is that it's too thin for my hand so I get cramps after any continuous writing past let's say five minutes, which renders this pen unusable for me for anything but note taking. Mine has a medium nib and I actually quite like the nib, quite smooth (above averagely so) and nice ink flow from the quink cartridges. The Parker logo is even in depth and is nice and legible, the sharp edges are there but aren't very sharp, no bulging burs like on your cap at all and the cap and barrel do line up though there is a bit of a gap, which is part of the design imo, the clip is real stiff though. There was no grease of any kind on my pen out of the box, the pen did not come with a converter.
I had a blue Parker Vector with medium nib back in the day. It was manufactured in the UK so before they moved to France. However, the quality is typical to what you described for the French version. I think maybe they have quality control issues and it differs between the different facilities which is a bad thing for the Parker brand because it is manufactured as a Parker so you should have the same quality wherever you buy it.
Now I have the metal version and it is quality for a Vector and I do like it. Solid pen with a wet and smooth nib.
I just remembered this as being a much better pen. Seems it's gone downhill significantly
@@Doodlebud Cheap parkers are the fountain pens that are used in middle and highschools in my country like how cheap Lamys are used in Germany. The bulk of them being plastic Vectors and I have found no significant change in quality from back then up until now. We're talking '00's through '10's
@@Doodlebud That is the nostalgia speaking. They were never well made pens, but probably were an upgrade from bits. However, in retrospect you can see all the flaws.
Hello Doodlebud, could you please give me the link to the video where DR.Campbell uses the parker Vector?
Watch any of his vids and he's using it. Here's his latest one. Pulls the pen out about 60 seconds into it! LOL
ua-cam.com/video/lMf-Zq7xJcY/v-deo.html
Thank You very much!
Watching this video made me pull out my Parker Vector. It is one of those accidents of time, being pushed to the back of a desk drawer for decades. I had it with me when I went traveling around Latin America after graduating from college (1972). It might even have been with me during college. In any case, I used it off and on during those decades, and then stopped about 20 years ago. The quality is surprising for an entry-level pen. It has "Parker" and "Made in the USA" stamped on the cap. The clip is much better quality than what appears in Doodlebud's video. I just plugged a Quink cartridge into the barrel and spent about 5 minutes getting it to flow. I had cleaned it about 4 months ago. I wrote off a paragraph of text. The medium nib is moderately wet, with a little feedback. I would not want to have extended writing sessions because it's too slim for my hand. The modern cartridge was a tight fit and I had to apply more force than I do with other pens and cartridges. I also have a Parker converter. What a nostalgia trip!
Grade 11 electronics class was the last time I saw mine lol. Was a trip back down memory lane as well. Helped decide my next expensive pen purchase. Not one of these, but was about to buy a beautiful new modern pen. However, now going for a vintage pen
@@Doodlebud I think I may have misstated when I acquired the Parker Vector. It's more likely that I bought it in the early 1990s, maybe mid-1980s.
I had one of those and it too was stolen when I was in elementary school back in the early 90s. In China, we were REQUIRED to write with ink pen until maybe 5th grade.
The current spate of Parker pens seems to have as much in common with the fine tradition of “Parker”, as does a block of Swiss cheese.
It is still possible to find parker vector roller produced in french in turkey. European quality is good.
I have the classic and insignia series made in the usa, I guess I'm lucky.
I used to have 2 Parker Vectors. The quality of the plastic they use (or the design of it ) developed cracks in the first year of (light) use, that made the pens unusable. This put me off of fountain pens for some time ( around 8-10 years old, a decade and something ago). Thankfully I got a Jotter steel with an M nib later and the fp love fired up again.
I too owned one of these in high school as my first fountain pen, but I think at that age, these pens felt a little more substantial, girthier and weightier than they would to us now, especially given that we've tried so many great pens at this point.
The Vector was my first fountain pen back in the mid-eighties when I was 10 years old. I no longer have that one, but my understanding is that the manufacturing has become a lot lower quality. And kudos to you for using Washable Blue!!!
It's such a good & safe ink. It's that or watermans in my vintage pens. The flow is bang on & easy to wash out. No crazy shading or sheen but they just work! No issues ever
@@Doodlebud I use the Quink Black. It's a good, basic, reliable ink.
I mean .. you can get the Parker vector for approximately $3 on Amazon, here in India with free prime shipping! I don't know how much more can be expected at this price point. What you get , I think is more than enough value for money.
$3 is an extremely low price point, and that is what this pen should sell for. However, the best made pen I found for $3 is this zebra pen. The design consideration that was done at this price point blew my mind!
ua-cam.com/video/QdAY2Nk6yD4/v-deo.html
@@Doodlebud In India we have Reynolds fountain pens that are plastic bodied but equally as smooth in the same price point of USD 3
Would you recommend Jinhao 51a over this pen? I am planning to buy for daily use.
Yes... yes I would. The new ones are not good at all. The Jinhao 82 is also fantastic along with the Jinhao 80. I haven't used the 80 personally but have heard mostly praise for that one as well. Here's my video on the 82 and there's a link in the description for it as well:
ua-cam.com/video/0q3W74S7btQ/v-deo.html
I'm wondering if the letters at 4:48 are Parker's date codes 🤔Thanks for another great review!
Possibly not sure
Omg! My OCD is so in love with your character! You don't miss a thing!!!
You might like these 2 videos in that case LOL:
ua-cam.com/video/zTYYYx6i47c/v-deo.html - part 1
ua-cam.com/video/6iK2E4wAN_g/v-deo.html - pat 2
@@Doodlebud I already bought Caran dAche 849 for muh gf after watching your video :3 thanks for helping me make up my mind!
Edit: Lamy can do impressive machinning quality. I learned that from my multy pen I didn't liked to write with cuz it weigh 28 grams, slippery grip and viscouse nibs. But very impressive!
Finally, a review of the pen Dr. John Campbell has been using during his videos! Regretful that your example did not perform well. Cheers! 😄✌
I bet he has an older model from years ago
Dr John Campbell helped Parker sell millions of these, all red ones.
I have four Parker Vectors and they are all from at least three decades ago, probably more. I inherited two from my older brother. One came from the Parker calligraphy set that comes with nib units in various cursive italic sizes. The problem with Vectors is that the barrel cracks where the threads are. So when you go to pull off the cap, the cap stays on and the barrel comes off. A vendor at a pen show told me that is common and people seek new barrels in the parts bin that some vendors have.I really like the cursive nibs and just put up with having to remember to pinch the barrel tightly where it meets the cap when removing it. The slimness is also an issue for me. Thanks for your forensic look at your Indian Parker. (Wow, the package is so worn looking, it looks vintage).
Thats pretty bad about the barrel threads cracking!
@@Doodlebud You have to be careful when putting the section back in, and not overnighter. Although if you use it a lot that only delays the inevitable. Cap cracks are also common. Had one where just the inner liner was left to cap the nib, but at least it still snapped on.
Like many others, I had a Vector early on in my FP hobby, and I quite liked it. I'm not sure of its date, no later than early 2000s, but it might have been older than that. But I bought a bunch of them that I thought I could give out to others if they were interested in fountain pens, and they were awful, with the same problems you identified. I think they used to be better cheap pens, now they're terrible cheap pens.
They ain't what they used to be it seems
@@Doodlebud They weren't that great back in the 90s, so if they are worse now, then they must really suck. Or with so many decent cheap pens our expectations have shifted for what we expect of $10 to $20 pen, and the Vector no longer cuts it.
A few weeks ago I was in a branch of 'Lidl' supermarket here in UK. They had lots of Parker Vector fountain pens for an incredible price. All the pens were blue and all were fitted with medium nibs. I wasn't going to bother with the Vector as I have nicer Parker pens but curiosity got the better of me. I have yet to rip open the packaging and get the pen out but noticed this one was made in France. I am hoping it will be better made than the version from India. I believe Baoer also copied the Vector and one reviewer said he much preferred the more comfortable Baoer.
It will stay a mystery until it is opened and & inked.
Yes, I managed to get one here in Ireland. Extremely good value and has yet to let me down. I am a fan of the quink blue ink cartridges.
The metal version of Parker Vector comes under the tag Parker Vector Metallix. It's nothing different from vector, just an additional metallic cap on the same body. You might wanna check it. More than the build quality, I was pissed about it's scratchy writing, as if you were writing with a knife. It often slit the paper. It was my first fountain pen ever and I contemplated going back to roller balls due to my bad experience until I got myself a pilot metropolitan. Loving them!
Interesting installment. Thanks for the information. My introduction to Parker steel nib pens was the Parker 25. Very modern and a great nib.
This one is a far cry from my vintage 51
@@Doodlebud I am sure of it. The 51 is a classic with good reason. The fact that many are still a available in the secondary market, speaks of its appeal and value.
I looked at the revived 51. There is no question it is a well made pen, but I couldn't get myself to pull the trigger and but it. So many other pens in this price range are, in my estimation, far better. Even those that are way below in price, like the pens from Wing Sung, penBBS and Jinhao are beautiful and wonderful writers instruments.
It's a quality vs looks. You can get amazing looking pens for the same money. But no where near the build quality of the P51.
@@Doodlebud I have to go looking for a 51.
Nice review. Keep up the engineering reviews.
My Red Vector is 35+ years old. Made in 🇺🇸. Thin pen, and not my preffered writer but still writes every time and has none of the manufacturing flaws of the newer ones. Sad, seeing how low once famous and respected name brands have fallen 😔
Love my old 51, but seeing this now don't think I'll do the new one either. Has crossed my mind about maaaaaybe getting a new 51, but after this it's been crossed off
Had a red one in the 90s. Used it a lot, but it broke. Bought NOS this year (red wasn't affailable new). Glad I have old ones.
Lol I hear ya
Your in luck, I just found my Parker Vector, purchased in the 90s . Your right, edges are smooth and rounded. Email coming your way. KB
I have a USA Parker Vector that I have had for around 40 years in the red plastic. It has been a faithful writer, even when I've left it for a month or more! I ordered the Parker calligraphy set, made in India, and what crappy things that are. Glad to enjoy my old US made Vector!
I figured the older ones were made better!
Here in India , we don't prefer the Indian made Parkers since they cheap out on quality
We use UK made ones which are very good
Well I am from India and have a few of them in my collection and compared to the earlier vector models the newer ones don't hold up well, but vector beta or a vector stainless may work better than this one. But now a days it's like a lottery u might get a good one but then it goes downhill sometimes.
I have a stainless one and it's crap. The only thing worse is a Parker Beta which I had never heard of before.
@@nancymilawski1048 yes there is one but not sure if it can be seen or found out of India,not only that it some times get different to even find the beta, i bought it like 4 to 5 years ago.
@@Ironspyder3000 I do actually have the Parker Beta. I found it on eBay.
@@nancymilawski1048 great but u would have to align the nib and feed also the tines sometimes
@@Ironspyder3000 I don't like to fix brand new things. 😀😀
R.I.P. Quick Brown Fox.
Perhaps it's been replaced by arriving zombies, grumpy wizards or quartz sphinxes. My current favorite is "Foxy diva Jennifer Lopez wasn't baking my quiches." (How dare she!).
Nature took its course
Good morning from Embrun! Thanks for the video I always enjoy your straight forward reviews.
Embrun ON?
@@Doodlebud yes sir!! We are practically neighbours! Lol. All the best man!
Haven't been out that way much. This country is so damn big!
I also started using these in high school, around 1990. I’ve still got two of them from back then, with one currently inked. I remember they cost $5 each back then. Mine have Parker Made in U.S.A. stamped on the cap. They don’t seem to have any of the build issues seen here. Mine have medium nibs and write very wet and smooth. I took art classes in high school and was an art major in college and used them for drawing. I also have a 1/4 bottle of 30 year old Quink blue black that’s still good. 😮
My all Parker Vector's caps and bodies have cracked in an intense use. Their plastic quality are so cheap. I had to strengten them with tapes.
I had that happen to all of mine in 90s, eventually switched to disposable fountain oens, and then to nice fountain pens, which I still own and use, unlike all the Vectors that went to the great beyond.
Went through dozens of these in the 90s. The plastics would crack, mainly the cap, but occasionally the barrel where section screws in. The ones that didn't crack the non-hardened nib developed a real flat spot. I liked them, but they were never really well built, at least not the plastic Vectors.
Yet another late comment from one of your newest subscribers in the UK. I was in a branch of WH Smith (a UK chain that sells papers, books, stationery, etc.) killing time before an appointment, and I happened to wander over to the pens section. They have Parker Vectors in stock, priced at somewhere around the £11 mark (that's C$20 or thereabouts). Made in France. Didn't buy one because I was getting close to when I had to head over the road for my appointment, so I can't tell you what the quality is like, but we can hope that the quality matches the price at least to a degree.
I’m glad you made this video. I had been considering getting a yellow jotter fountain pen but something about it kept me from getting it. They do look cheaply made.
Luxor India manufactures Vector and a few other models like Frontier…Luxor manufactures pens for other manufacturers like Waterman (for eg., Waterman Hemisphere)..
I’m fairly sure that What you saw on the cap is the Parker ‘Date Code’ which tells us the year and quarter of manufacture of the pen..
Looks like whoever packed the pen had a Samosa before packing it, so it was so oily..
Also, you might have had a better writing experience if you attempted to write ‘Mango Chutney’ (no prize for guessing why !)
"respectable length" is now in my vocabulary forewer.
Today John had a new pen, green and green ink. Not sure what it is.
Thats a huge development! 😆 I just looked, no idea what it is. He seems to just use very basic pens that work & that's about it. You should be take a screenshot and post it on Reddit to see if somebody could identify
@@Doodlebud It is a Parker Vector XL Green Fountain Pen. He now has multiple colored pens. Old style Parker in red and a newer Parker Vector XL Green Fountain Pen. It appears to write wet and has a bigger nib. For $25. -- I might try one.
my first fountain pen also. still have mine from highschool. probably one of the first, around 1988-1990.
just found this channel, being from canada, i assume youre ave's neighbor. you seem to have many of the same mannerisms.
i have searched on forums about parker quink ink from india (luxor) to be much cheaper than others. even the ink recipe is different from others being that indian made still use older detergent agent in the ink which some europe countries have banned it, SOLV-X is the name if i am not mistaken.
people said that LUXOR is a licensed company for making PARKER products but they do lowers the quality to make the product cheaper and affordable for India's market. maybe it is to make every household managed to own a Parker produc. that's why it is stated for sale in india and nepal only.
I looked up this video because I saw the pen listed on Canadian Staples. I wonder how that version compares to this one - for the price it damn well better be better!
Mine is about forty years old. I bought it when I started building my collection again. Made in the US and much better build quality than the one you got, but it hasn’t been used in years and is probably at the bottom of the list when I rank my pens.
Funnily enough when I was at it at first and how you can cap the cap at both the end and the tip of the pen it reminded me a little bit of the Farber Castell Ambition (although the cap clicks onto the end not just slides over it to post). It is also a very light pen with quite a few sharp edges, just that the body is made from different kind of woods (I got ebony cause violin player and that feels like home turf). But it seems the other little hiccups that this pen has are way less of an issue on the Ambition.
Small sidenote: For writing samples you can use this funny sentence here and there is also my person favorite "Oh Sphynx of Black Quartz, judge my vows."
I've looked at the Ambition many times. They look lovely but just don't think I'll enjoy as much when out to use
My favourite pangram is: How vexingly quick daft zebras jump.
It always reminds me of Mrs Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.
There is no i.
Aloha "DB!" I have no experience with the Parker Vector, although I came very close to buying one or two. This may be obvious, but these a copies of the original, and thus the reason for the poor quality? I would suggest getting a used or NOS from Proto Pens to compare? I see a few in the $15-19 price range. Just a suggestion. Have a wonderful weekend. Mahalo, Thomas
Yeah this is new manufacturer so not overly suprised by the oor quality
In the 80s I had one that looked just like this. I'll guess that was made in the US. It was a pretty good writer in my opinion at the time ( I was around 10). I recall that the clip eventually became loose enough that I found it annoying and quit using it. It might still be buried somewhere in my things. I am sure this India-made pen is not quite the one I had way back.
I have a made in UK dark blue one. The body on mine feels very solid and the sharp edges are sharp, but not too bad. Mine sadly has a dud nib, which I hope to smooth myself since it has a nice flow, but a terrible scratch like from a burr of some sorts. But need to get around to getting that loupe and appropriate micro mesh pads.
The best thing about my Vector is its cap though. It holds tight and writes immediately after months of laying on a shelf, due to no use with its terrible nib.
Looking forward to that project some day, but until then, I have other much nicer pens to use. If I want a slim Parker I'll use my Parker 25, which would be a nice pen to hear you have a go at with your engineer's eyes. If I remember correctly it had some novel production method that made it very cheap to produce and a big hit for Parker Newhaven.
The Vector was the first fountain pen that I ever owned, back in 1992 (college). I had two, one was blue and the other was burgundy. The caps on both cracked after about 5 or 6 months and I have never bothered to buy another Vector since then. They were around $12 each back then (OfficeMax) and I expected better for $12. It put me off fountain pens for about 2 decades.
That was my experience. Killed them in about six to twelve months when I went through a dozen in the 90s. Mostly black and blue versions, although I did have one in red. Eventually got better longer lasting fountain pens.
Staples now sells a french made version in Canada.
Oh nice! Wonder if it's any better?
@@Doodlebud I guess one of us will have to buy one and find out. However, I have low expectations.
The Parker Jotter fountain pen was not that good. It's probably the same nib.
I brought the Parker vector about 20 years back in India, quality has really gone down, my vector pen still works fine.
I have an "original" Vector that I used in school in the 90's and a new one I bought recently, and it does not feel like the same pen. Like you observed, the sharp edges are really terrible and build quality is quite poor, while my old Vector is a brilliant pen, no sharp edges and real quality feel.
Doooooodlebud! I just picked up a Vector I have as I'm watching this video to see if it has the same issues. It's a rollerball though also from the late 90s. I suspect your memories of that Vector are correct, as none of the issues of the body are present on mine. Mine is however made in the U.K. No sharp edges and feels pretty sturdy. As you might know, India manufacturers for 2 markets. Labels are clearly indicated, "For export only," and the one you got. I am not saying India QC is shoddy as you can attest from Ranga pens being well made, but you got a domestic market pen and the QC is going to be well....iffy. That is what I think is what is going on, but I may be wrong. Take solace that whoever took your pen is hopefully enjoying it to this day and hasn't trashed it somewhere. Who knows maybe they might see this and still have it and return it too you. Fingers crossed!
No solace here... HE TOOK MY PEN! 😡🤬
@@Doodlebud Okay then. Try and find one made in Europe. Too bad there aren't anymore Grand & Toy or WH Smiths around anymore. Better yet try WH Smith in the UK. Shouldn't be more than 10 Pounds I would think.
Even with a better made version, I still don't think I'll pick up an extra one. It's just too thin for my hand.
@@Doodlebud True say. It's funny using pens way more then through schooling the width of a ballpoint was never an issue. Now I definitely prefer NOT to use a thin pen.
Have you made any videos of best cheap pens/ink for cheap paper? The vector that I had (medium)worked GREAT for the worst paper I had (using quink).
I have one I did recently on low cost papers. Have done others in the past as well. Also did one on the inks I use on very low quality paper & the pen to go with. But not a full low cost combo approach
Funny, someone stole my first parker vector in school.
I like your reviews and have subscribed. :)
Thanks buddy 😁👍
I also have the stainless version which is made in France and stamped "IIIQ."
Hey ..love from India
I have used these pens by parker and tbh wiriting with fountain pens was a chore for me. I got a discount on lamy safari and bought it. Since then the fountain pen experience is people do neet to focus on utility and value of the product.
Much happier with the Lamy now and looking forward to buying japanese or german fountain pens in future.
I bought an older vector off eBay, it must have been made by the original factory, it had a stainless steel brushed body and writes quite nice, it’s not fantastic but far better then this newer version. Details are more dialed in .
HOW DO YOU REFILL IT? I can't unscrew mine. :(
You unscrew the barrel from the grip section of the pen. Something must have got into the threads of yours to make it sticky or something
Hello! Good video! Subbed... I have the burgundy roller ball, made in the USA. I believe it is an older model...it has a "Y" next to "made in usa"...still in good shape, writes well...Do you happen to know what the "Y" is? Thanks!
You know I have an original Vector s was given so I could compare it to the new one! I forgot about that pen. Gonna do the video. I'll see what I can find
@@Doodlebud Nice! Thanks!
I think it looks okay I'm kind of interested in it
Its a $4.51 pen. Too cheap to have those luxurious features u want. Its made for beginners who want to step in the world of fountain pens.
Im not expecting luxury from any pen at this price. However, for the same price, you can get pens that have much better build quality.
Looks great! Love vintage pens. What do you use to clean the ink off your hands?
This one was no vintage, recently made. The older ones it seems are made better. For the ink, just soap & water really
@@Doodlebud I wondered about that. Looks vintage, though, which is the next best thing. I've been trying to get my hands on a vintage Schaeffer for a while. You recommend Ebay? Re soap and water, I'm a lefty so the side of my hand gets thoroughly stained. Soap and water works eventually but I'm looking for a magic solution. I noticed your inky fingers but at the end of the vid they were clean. I thought 'hey, D-bud (your rapper name) is on to something!" BTW, I'm in T.O. I love Wonder Pens and Laywine's. Any other retailers you can recommend?
With this pen the ink was Parker washable blue. Comes off with ease! I do instore purchases at the local Vancouver Pen Shop. For online I do Pen Chalet, Goulet, Goldspot, Cult Pens, Jet Pens, and ebay. Also do Aliexpress for my cheap stuff. Have done other online as well but those are my main ones with a wide selection. But there are MANY great online pen retailers along with independent makers
@@Doodlebud Thanks!
I have the same exact pen, color and nib, but it's stamped "Made in USA." It has none of the fit and finish flaws you found.
That's what I was wondering, thx for sharing
I used to quite like the sleek modern lines of the Vector when they first came out, but never actually owned one until recently. It's a nice enough basic pen, nothing exciting, but good for a school workhorse.
Definitely works but just a meh pen. This price pint tough to beat some of thr decent Jinhao or entry pilot & platinums
@@Doodlebud Yep. My Jinhao X750 beats it on every measure, and was half the price.
I have one here in Calgary, picked it up ages ago at the DT G&T (now a Rotten Ronnies) back in 90s. Mine is made in the UK. It seem fairly better made than the one you acquired. It is the same nib used on the New "Parker 51" and the $20 Parker Jotter FP. I think that tells you how el cheepo the new "parker 51" really is.
I was sort of excited for the new 51, but took a pass on it when it finally came out
I used the same style nib an i found that mediums write better than fines.
I had a yellow one in middle school
I have a burgundy Vector from the early late 80's/ early 90's... The quality is somewhat better, perhaps, but it's a very light pen. The printing on the cap is much smaller - it has" [logo] PARKER IIIL MADE IN USA " evenly debossed around the base of the cap. Has "M" on the feed's underside. The cap finial is white, and flush with the top of the cap, no number stamped on the beveled cap sides. This pen's cap and the barrel are lined up very well when capped, though it has that same, slightly beveled, stark edge between the section and the barrel. The edges aren't so sharp as to cause injury, though this is well-used pen, so it's likely also dulled witih age/wear. Being a well-used medium, it writes smoothly with good flow, but the section is perhaps better suited for small hands, being smallish and overly smooth for my use. It still has a "vintage" cartridge that has been reused many times, which also has better finishing than the one in the video. It's interesting to see how very little it has changed, after 30+ years of production.
I picked up a Vector at the grocery store back in 1984, and I was so underwhelmed that I went right back to my Sheaffer No Nonsense pens - purchased at the same grocery store. Parker's higher end pens are better, I'm sure, but for cheap "student" pens, the Vector was always kind of a dud.
I guess since this was my first FP I had nothing else to compare it to LOL
@@Doodlebud Well, I will allow that since I only tried the Vector once, I might’ve just gotten a bad one. 🙂
My main issue with this pen is its grip gets very slippery since have sweat problem while writing
I have a few of these and a two are more than a decade old. The quality control is not consistent at all with these Parker vectors. Some are good and some are bad and same goes with the nibs of these fountain pens. Some are really scratchy and some are pretty smooth. It's like a lottery if you are lucky you get a good one... Else better luck next time LOL
I have the very same red and chrome Parker Vector (the fountain pen and a rollerball pen) from 1990 (I was 16) . I still have both pens. And they look and write as well as they did back when the pens were new. I also had a dark blue one which I gave to my nephew.
The pens may look the same and bear the same name. But obviously the Vector you reviewed here and the ones I own from more than 30 years ago, are night and day apart, in quality. *Sigh*
Much has changed
My Parker Vector rollerball is the one I purchased in the 80's. I don't like the quick refills at all. Even on fountain pen paper there is some feathering. I want to know about higher quality refills in lieu of the Parker Quink please!
Thank you!
Lisa (fountain pen newbie)
I've just picked one up in wh smith England not unbowed it yet
I am from India and i have been using this pen... the stainless steel crome trim version to be particular... it has been 6 years with this pen and frankly speaking the pen I have , writes like butter and is on the wetter side since the day i first bought it... I have seen many reviews where they have had a bad experience with this pen... I guess the quality control by Luxor in India is very inconsistent and i do admit the pen's grip is very uncomfortable and that is the reason why currently I seldom use the pen and i have shifted to using a Parker urban and a jinhao 159 as my daily drivers. 😄
no the vector is DEFINITELY WORSE than it used to be. My first fountain pen was a parker vector, I remember my grandpa gave it to me for my 12th birthday in 2006. It was his pen that he used in the military it was with him from China to Netherlands to the middle east to the US and when I got it wrote great and I continued to use it throughout middle school and high school until one day my idiot teacher try to show me how to do calculus and bent the nib. Skipping the drama my dad went out a few days later and bought me another one from office depot this one cracked within 2 weeks inside my school backpack. I then went out and bought another one when I was in college and the cap cracked when I posted it.
I tried a few more parkers only to be disappointed every time. For entry level just go with a preppy or pay up for a lamy or pilot
Oh wow, good to known at least there was a time it was a decent pen!
Same as you, it was where my journey started in school, and I have such a romantic opinion about it, think I moved from it onto an Inoxcrom fountain pen, since then it's been Cross and Waterman all the way. I still need to get one for nostalgia sake, but that looks very poor.
It was my first fountain pen... I've mine for over 30 years and it is mainly a nostalgia pen for me... Never really expected it to write like my Visconti Opera Series 😂😂😂
Hej Doodlebud, I am from Poland and we still have them here. Looks like this one is not so well made as those we have here. I have mine still after 20 years and working fine. No sharp edges. Everything is in the line. Writing for this price is ok I would say. Also my first pen and the same red colour.
Sorry for all language mistakes.
It’s sad imo. Modern Parker’s, modern Waterman’s. Just meh pens. Especially the new P51, what a shame.
Yeah I hear ya, no love given to any part of this pen's manufacturing process
i remember having a couple of these in my school days but mine were a roller ball instead.. they also used the ink cartridges similar to a fountain pen.. writing with them was super smooth but every one i had for some reason the cap cracks along the length of it even though i'm usually delicate with the pens i enjoy using.. no idea if the ones i had were also made in india or somewhere else though
The cap’s edges used to be sharp even in the olden days. I always smoothed them out with a few quick revolutions against fine steel wool when I got a new one(turnover was frightening) Other flaws mentioned in your video i guess is due to worn out machinery, paired with insufficient QC. I own only one at this time, and considered selling it. I might get a better price currently, as it now is a ”Dr Campbell pen”. And vintage quality no longer produced? Haha!
Yep, if one lasted more then a semester, then it was lucky one. In the 90s there wasn't many cheap alternatives though, so kept replacing them till I got a much nicer pen later on. It was essentially disposable pen in a way. Although the actual disposable fountain pens can last about as long, if you refill them a few times, although that can be a bit messy the first few times.
I used quite a lot of Vector fountain pens during my school and college days and I can vouch for it to be a fake. Vector FPs(even when Indian made) feel quite premium and this is not!!!
Were those ones made by Luxor brands at that time? Common comment I heard is that the quality on these has drastically fallen over the years
@@Doodlebud yes...luxor had been the licence holder for parker for a long time. I got my first parker in 2001 and it was made by Luxor. In fact, the last Indian made Vector I got hold of was in 2018 before i came to the UK, and it was pretty good. Didn't feel cheap at all.
Same company does the Indian version of Parker Quink, and Parker, though they sold the rights to them, doesn't currently recognise it as "authentic Parker" currently.
It's not surprising to see them made in an area for making hosiery. Parker itself is owned by a company noted for its rubber totes... 😁
From what I've read, these are kind of made on the cheap, anymore, and consistency suffers as a result. I've also seen someone buy a job lot of these, and though nothing impressive, they all were better than this one. Guess they're hit or miss...
Yeah I saw on their site the other makes & models they make. I'll be staying away from those ones too
@@Doodlebud I did buy the 30 mL bottles of their black and blue inks. Basically still just Parker Quink. So, if you like those... About $6 USD if I remember correctly, for the both. Well better than Staples. 😉
I have vectors 10-15 years old made/marketed by Luxor. And few new one manufactured in last 2 -3 years . Quality has awfully degraded.
Oh wow, if anything you think manufacturers would be doing things to improve quality not reduce it!
@@Doodlebud probably they are making in mass scale to supply students of subcontinent. The price is almost similar what they have 15 years back. I think that's why quality has been compromised.
I happen to have a vintage Parker Vector right next to me. I bought it back in the 1980s, when I was a teenager, and it hasn't been used in decades. It was probably my second fountain pen, after I started using Sheaffer No Nonsense Calligraphy pens around age 10. My Vector has a chrome-plated barrel with gold-plated furniture and a navy blue section and tips of the barrel and cap. The gold band in the center reads "Parker" "Made in UK". So, given that the one you have there is a licensed product made in India and is marked for sale only in India (more than likely at the behest of Parker), I'm guessing the quality is not up to the original standards.
Watching this video caused me to do a little digging, and it appears that what I have is actually a Parker 88 Place Vendome, which is a fancy version of a Vector. This is a little confusing to me, because one website says this pen originally sold for $135 USD, and there's no way I spent that much money on a fountain pen during my teenage years, but it is unmistakably that pen.
Uncle AvE does pen reviews now ?
I have same red one like you
I bought a Parker Vector Stainless Steel Gold Trim edition, The build quality was much better but roughly double the price. The nib was slightly smoother than a chrome trim. But agreed with you that for the price point on either of these Parkers, they are not that good. My next pen will definitely will be LAMY. so let's see.
Hey man you should try Camlin elegante if you can get hands on one there ( it is 200 rupees (3$) here in India..) It is one of the most popular pen here and main competitor of Parker vector
From India here. Parker Vector was my first fountain pen. Hated it. Thankfully I got a Pilot Metropolitan after an year and realised what a piece of crap the Vector was, even for the price.
I think the older ones were better. But yeah, pretty much any pen is better than this thing
Damn dude same ! Vector was my first FP aswell, wrote like crap ! So dry and scratchy, almost put me off fountain pens completely. Then i tried a Jinhao450 and it blew my mind. Literally the best writing experience of my life.
I remember thi being 30+ dollars when I was in primary school.