Parker Jotter review: the best edc pen?

[@4Clubs]

I was always partial to the Jotter, it has a nice classic appeal and it dresses well while remaining wholly unpretentious. I recently bought a nice stainless steel Jotter in Chelsea Orange, and the contrast between the silver and cooper is simply delightful. I also bought a blue gel ink refill from Parker, but it's very unreliable, I'm never lucky with these ink gel refills. Still, a splendid pen.

[@jonnycapes]

Yes totally agree - they’re stylish and can be classy without ever being ostentatious or pretentious. I, too, have always struggled with any type of gel refills in the Parker format but have recently bought some Monteverde capless ceramic gel refills (fine point) and so far they’ve been excellent - no skipping, stuttering or false starts - worth a try I think! 👍

[@accoutrements4469]

(that was my reply, above, but accidentally sent it from my other Pootube account - i'm always doing that, apologies)

[@alanfelix7390]

Just got a jotter and it looks so cute and the click just feels so satisfying ❤

[@accoutrements4469]

Great to hear! Such a good little pen 👍

[@mahoslash]

Recently aquired three Parker Jotters and converted the particularly used one given to me by my older brother with a Schmidt DSM 2006 into a mechnical pencil. The stainless steel Jotter models are somewhat the most verstile pen I've ever known and I certainly adore that factor. As long as the cartridge of your liking is in a Parker G2 format, it just fits into the Jotter and you don't need any brains to complete the conversion to another kind of pen or even a mechanical pencil. I was initally eyeing for a more expensive Fisher AG7, but my older brother convinced me to give the Jotter a try as I have sweaty hands and he thinks the chromed brass casing of the Fisher AG7 isn't exactly an ideal choice. Tried the Jotter and immediately got hooked by the satisfying click and the nice size for figeting around. I soon found out Jotters are a lot more than a pen size figet spinner and having a lot more cartridge options sure beats the hell out of other more expensive options out there. Till this day, I still can't believe you can just jam a Schmidt DSM 2006 or DSM 2007 right into a stainless steel Jotter regardless of the existance of a conversion kit and use it as a mechnical pencil as is. Yes, I do realize a mechanial pencil version of the Jotter is on sale, but heck if that pencil broke, good luck fixing it while all I have to do on my side is just replace the cartridge to something else and that Jotter will get a new life. The standard stainless steel Jotter might just be the king of whatever-you-need-it-to-be at this point and I found that side of this pen just hilarious and adorable at the same time.

[@accoutrements4469]

This was so great to read, thank you for posting! I really love the Jotter - so versatile, as you say, also durable, relatively cheap, satisfying, & such an iconic design. I had a Fisher AG7 for a while - I love its connections with space travel and its sturdiness BUT it’s not as ergonomic as a steel Jotter: the AG7 was a bit top heavy and just not as comfortable to use. Much more expensive than a Jotter too so I sold my AG7 - a Jotter is what I use daily for work and what I have clipped in my pocket most of the time. The AG7 (& the Fisher Bullets) do have that etched line around the grip area, though, which does help with grip quite a bit.

[@mahoslash]

@@accoutrements4469 Yes, you had pointed out one crucial thing I forgot to mention about the AG7: It's top heavy. I'm used to writing and drawing with the Faber Castel TK Fine Vario L, a bottom heavy dual use graph mechanical pencil that's easy to use for long working sessions. So when I was trying out my brother's AG7, it's a pen that I had a hard time getting used to. On the other hand, Jotters tend to have it's weight centered right in the middle and that is ideal for a pocket pen as it sits in your palm and does not slip out easily from either sides. I have to say though I like the AG7, it's just not "the pen" that suits me so I have to let if off the hook. I did thought it might be fun to buy one for collection purposes, but in the end I still like to use a pen instead and letting it sitting in a box is such a waste. Recently I've aquired two additional standard "London Edition" stainless steel Jotters just for personal use. (The original three stainless ones are for work.) Those two come in Kensington Red and Royal Blue. I found out the lacquer finishing on the colored stainless Jotters improved the grip quite a lot while giving the pen a nice flare of personality, and in my mind, it might be the best version of the good old Jotter: It's classy while still obtaining the sturdiness of a stainless steel Jotter. I picked the Royal Blue one because Jotters with a dark blue plastic grip and chromed head with blue ink was the hallmark Jotters I've seen my parents, uncles and aunts were using when I was a child. I only came to realized that I've been seeing Jotters all around me when I was a kid until I started using them. I guess I just wanted to own a "hallmark Jotter" that most of my family had used before. (Come to think of it, It's either a dark blue Jotter or a silver or golden Cross pen, all of my elders had a pocket pen back then, though the model really depends on their income.) And the Kensington Red......let's just say it looks cool and it looks even fancier when you swapped a gold trim for the top. It might not be the most expensive pen out there, but Jotters are workhorses with a timeless design that just works well. I guess that's the reason why it stood the test of time and is a classic.

[@accoutrements4469]

Great comments to read again! Sorry for my slow reply! Yes, I, too, have thought about having pens just as collectors items but that’s just not me: I want all my items to be useful and USED, not just sitting in a case or something! I also have the red and blue full metal barrel Jotters - very nice, but the plain all-steel is my favourite. They are supposed to be releasing a 70th anniversary Jotter with a chiselled pattern around it - looks very nice but I’ve only seen that in 3or4 online shops that don’t ship to my country. Have you seen that one?

[@themightysquid]

I’ve been using Jotters for over 50 years. Best pens, but the refills are inconsistent. Some write smooth and some need more pressure than others. But when you get a good refill there’s nothing better.

[@accoutrements4469]

I adore the pen bit am not a big fan of the refills - my very favourite are the uni Jetstream G2 refills - very smooth, dense and fine archival quality ink - only problem with those is actually finding any at a reasonable price!

[@themightysquid]

@@accoutrements4469 : I agree. I looked for Jetstream refills and the price was outrageous.

[@themightysquid]

I’ve found the Schmidt Easyflow 9000m is an excellent refill, however it’s slickness takes getting used to. Writes smooth as glass but can be pretty slippery until you can tame it.

[@accoutrements4469]

@@themightysquidI do like the easyflow 9000 - nice, dense, vibrant lines, I do find them slightly unreliable on different paper types though so tend to stick to more traditional ‘ballpoints’, at least for work.

[@user-uv9fz5rw4z]

Good video. I like my Parker Jotter. Mine has a black plastic barrel at the grip with a stainless tip, which I think dresses it up a bit. I like the plastic barrel better than the whole stainless barrel because it grips better. My grip seems to slip more on the stainless.

[@accoutrements4469]

Oooh, controversi! Lol personally I find the stainless steel has a better grip 🤷‍♂️ I do have quite a few of the plastic ones though and love those as well. The Jotter is my all-round favourite edc pen by a mile. Thank you for your comments 👍🙂

[@themightysquid]

Plastic grips best. I tried the steel and it kept slipping as I wrote. You need the “grid” steel pen to be able to grip it.

[@acmramon]

I have around or more than 200 parker jotters. For me is the only pen i use. Also i like the Schmidt P900 ballpoint refill(£1 only) much better than the easyflow9000.

[@jonnycapes]

Wow, that’s quite a collection!! So great to hear you love these fantastic pens! I have not tied those particular refills but will surely try them after your recommendation! Thanks!

[@jimclip2012]

I agree, I prefer the P900 over the P9000 in every way. More feedback, a more true blue, and it comes in my preferred bold. The P900 is the best standard ballpoint out there, and I’ve tried many, from Rotring and Montblanc to Monteverde and Uni Jetstream, as well as all major brands (Parker, Sheaffer, Fisher, Waterman, Zebra, Lamy).

[@acmramon]

@@jimclip2012 also try the Schmidt Softline.Come in bold only and i think is the best refill overall and is just £1.10 . Is between p900 and easyflow9000.Cheers

[@accoutrements4469]

(that was my reply, above, but accidentally sent it from my other Pootube account - i'm always doing that, apologies)

[@David-cq5ns]

As a replacement for the zebra pen I would recommend checking out the F-401 by the same brand. The clip is much sturdier and the is pen is mostly steel except for the grip which is made of rubber.

[@accoutrements4469]

I have got one of those - it's a pretty good pen IMHO

[@simonh6371]

My preferred EDC pen is an Online mini pen (Online being a brand from Germany). I had been looking at the Zebra Epandz mini pens which are telescopic and just 8.4cm long in the shortest configuration but they are hard to find in my preferred colour (black/steel) so I went for the online. It is not telescopic and is 8cm long and very slim, with a pocket clip, and furthermore made of metal not plastic. At that size it's barely noticeable when clipped inside the 5th pocket of my jeans, but just long enough for the end to reach the base of my thumb so I can write comfortably with it, unlike the shorter SAK pens which are shorter and result in spidery handwriting.

[@accoutrements4469]

Thanks for the comments here, too, Simon - I’ve just had a look at those Online Minis and that looks like a brilliant solution - I’ve just ordered one to try! 👍 I have a Zebra Expanz and it’s a really nice little pen BUT it uses proprietary refills and that’s a bit of a pain - the D1 refills don’t quite fit properly. I’ve got loads of d1 refills kicking around so look forward to trying the Online Mini! I love the Fisher Bullet but the thing which drives me mad about them is the lack of pocket clip - I realise clips are available for them but they’re piss poor and I’ve lost a couple of the bullets over the years with them falling out of a trouser pocket, so the Online Mini looks like a brilliant and cheap solution! Thanks again for the input! 😃

[@tonayo27]

Is the clip good? Is it bent over,or some deformation? If i put it on the notebook or jins pockets could the clip deformed?

[@accoutrements4469]

I often clip one to my trousers pocket - never had a problems with them bending. I mean, yes, of course you CAN bend them but they’re relatively sturdy as long as u don’t be too rough. You’d be able to bend ANY pocket clip if you tried - they’re all just a thin bit of metal, but the Jotter clip is plenty sturdy if my use anyway 👍

[@marc4143]

Hi, great video! How does the plastic one compare to the all metal in term of grip?

[@jonnycapes]

Hi! I’ve heard some folks say they prefer the plastic and find it more grippy but I personally find the brushed stainless steel barrels have slightly better grip. The plastic ones only have the plastic screw connector too so I would normally choose the stainless steel version every time.

[@accoutrements4469]

(that was my reply, above, but accidentally sent it from my other Pootube account - i'm always doing that, apologies)

[@havoveegandhi3947]

I am a diehard fan of the Parker Jotter Ball Pen refill and i keep on buying Parker pens at least one a year. After the refill is over i remove the refill and keep the pen in boxes. The spring is superb and sometimes I use these pens

[@accoutrements4469]

I love the pens but their standard refills aren’t my favourites- although very reliable and relatively nice n smooth for a standard ballpoint refill. Thank you for commenting 🙂

[@darkpope6667]

Parker refill is dogshit.

[@likeagenieinabottle1591]

Do you have huge hands or are the pens just really small?

[@accoutrements4469]

The pens are quite compact - not sure if I'd want to hand write a novel using one but great for pocket use and writing notes 👍

[@lunalovegoodwitch]

Interesting video but when he said gentleman until next time he is forgetting the other people i.e. women are watching as well

[@accoutrements4469]

Indeed - no discrimination intended here! Apologies. ✌️✌️✌️

[@lunalovegoodwitch]

@@accoutrements4469 exactly I thought it was very on that you just said gentlemen please be aware that women do watch as well

[@accoutrements4469]

Point taken. Again, no offence intended whatsoever :o)

[@BongoBaggins]

I've seen lots of these videos and I'm hoping that one day I'll find out what EDC means

[@accoutrements4469]

It probably stands for Emergency Death Cabbage. 👍

[@robm7076]

Clip looks bent out on the all chrome one...I surmise thsys the one you carry in your jeans pocket? Like the jotter but the clips are precarious.

[@accoutrements4469]

Hi, and thank you for commenting. The clip one the all chrome one isn’t bent at all. I usually carry the brushed steel one in a trouser pocket outside of work and that one’s not bent either & I’ve had that one for several years - the clip’s tip is still firmly in contact with the pen body. I’ve never ever had a problem with them myself and found them sturdy enough. Obviously they’ll snap with too much force but have been reliable for me 🙂 I know there’s probably a ton of pens with stronger clips though - what do you use?

[@robm7076]

@@accoutrements4469 I've been using some titanium click and bolt pens from: therightchoicepaintingcompany . I've found them better than some of the more expensive machined pen makers..his click pen is the closest I've found to a durable jotter...I do go back to my Jotters as they are well built and comfortable..its just that I can't carry my jotter in my jeans pocket else I'll stretch the clip.

[@accoutrements4469]

@@robm7076 thanks for the info Rob - I’ve had a look and those pens do look reaaaally 👌 Seem very well priced too - I’m going to look into shipping costs to the uk and will try one if its reasonable! 🙂

[@basicdose.9872]

These bad boys are expensive man.

[@accoutrements4469]

They’re expensive compared to those ‘orrible nasty cheapo plastic pens that you can buy for like a quid for 5 or something, but they’re not at all expensive compared to plenty of other pens. I dunno, for me personally, I like writing with a nice pen and these are a design classic well worth spending a few quid on. ✌️

[@joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536]

What is EDC? by your mind.

[@accoutrements4469]

For me it’s essential items that you carry with you everyday that allow you to get on with daily tasks: so in this case a compact, stylish, durable and functional pen - I use it every day multiple times. I also always carry a pocket knife and a small flashlight - just very useful items which help solve problems or daily needs. EDC to me is not necessarily about being ready for the apocalypse at all times: to me that would be more about “prepping”, & that’s a bit different to EDC as I see it. What does edc mean to you?

[@samtoo8685]

I got them all stainless steel different colors

[@accoutrements4469]

Marvellous! The all-metal ones are my favourite! Love these pens so much! 👍

[@ViktorDmytrenko]

it is a good EDC pen if it is fountain pen

[@accoutrements4469]

I don’t have one of the Jotter fountain pens - they don’t seem to get very good reviews so I never bothered. I can recommend the Lamy Safari as a really great cheap edc fountain pen though - those are great (but you either love or hate their design)

[@ViktorDmytrenko]

@@accoutrements4469 I have both:) safari is perfect but quality, unfortunately, vary. Parker looks much more stable. Anyway, use both when I get bored with one brand :)

[@ViktorDmytrenko]

@@accoutrements4469 thank you for your comment. actually I have both:) Safari is really great and unique, but the problem in nibs - one could act as half-flex, another as hard as Pilot EF nibs. No stability. I like Jotter and Urban with short nibs due to they are more predictable.

[@accoutrements4469]

I have some Parker IM & Urban fountain pens and they’re quite nice. I have, I think, 5 Safaris and have had now problems with any of their nibs but realise this may be pot-luck at this price-point, but all of mine are really very nice writers, I must say. I also like the Kaweco Sports as edc pens - seem very sturdy, but have found some variation in quality of their nibs more than with the Safaris - again, I’m sure that’s just the luck-of-the-draw at these sort of prices 🤷‍♂️

[@ViktorDmytrenko]

@@accoutrements4469 thank you for the feedback. I collected the 3 boxes of different fountain pens, but the most funny that within the last 2 month, I mainly use jinhao 80 and 82. The most extremely surprising for me, that their quality is so cool 😎, that I didn't even might think 5 years ago :). Also, a lot of Chinese inks are also good and 70% cheaper than popular brand analogs. I'm really impressed