Parker Vacumatic

This was supposed to be a Parker Vacumatic Golden Brown Pen/Pencil set, but our mail carrier left the package in a public spot and never knocked. By the time I got the "delivered" message, someone had already stolen the pen and pencil and left the box by the dumpster. I was really looking forward to this set :(.

It's just survival of the best that makes it seem like what was made before was a lot better. My work desk pen is a vintage Parker Vacumatic Desk Pen that I got as new old stock still in original box never inked. It was made in 1942, was an upper quality one with a lifetime warranty, and it's scratchy as fuck, doesn't always write well even on Tomoe River, and hard starts almost every single time. Right now it's dumping ink on down strokes and barely stuttering out any ink on cross strokes.

My VP is about the perfect thickness and weight for me, it is quite comfortable and what I use most often for taking hours of notes. The smallest pen I use on a regular basis is my Parker Vacumatic, its about 5'' capped and about 4.6'' from the tip of the nib to the back when upcapped.

**Both** my 2 most expensive pens are disappointments. * **Parker Vacumatic oversize red-stripe** -- I thought I was getting a deal, as I was over-careful handling it before purchase and didn't realize the cap didn't match the body... so it either dries out the nib or tightens so much it twists the tines.

It behaves really well on cheap or nice paper and magically works in a wide variety of my pens (persnickety Montblanc 221, Parker Vacumatic, Parker 51, Arnold, Esterbrook LJ, Eversharp Skyline, finicky Sheaffer Skripsert, Pilot Stargazer). A bit hard to clean but otherwise one of my favorites.

But if you're looking for nice EF nibs, you can't go wrong with a Parker Vacumatic. They're gorgeous and great writers and can be found with your preferred nib size.