Quality control or just production variability?

[oldstoat]

I had a very nice Sonnet in matte black with gold trim and a B nib, of which I was very fond- and then I lost it. After kicking myself, I looked for a replacement and found a similar Sonnet with an M nib on Amazon for £40, much much less than the next best price, so I bought it. Chatting to another member here (Annie) she told me that she had seen the same offer and we both bought one. Hers had a dry nib which needed fixing, and seems to be on fine side of medium. Mine has a wet nib on the broad side of medium. Both look like genuine Parkers, rather than knock-offs.

So the the question it raised in my mind is- is this poor QC or just variability? For what it's worth, I think it's the latter.

[top pen]

Urrgh Sonnet's annoy me. I too had a Matte Black Sonnet that unfortunately I lost too after only 1 and a half weeks after getting a nib exchange from M to F for it. It was really sad as it was my first nice pen and I only got a replacement in the form of a 21st birthday present a few months ago. This was one of those fancier 2010 sort of checkered grey GT 18K nib releases. This one annoyingly had baby's bottom. I've tried to use Parker's service to no avail and one day I will have to get a nib meister to look at.

It's a shame as I really like Sonnet's but they just don't write as well as perhaps they could. I imagine yours is genuine.

[RuiFromUK]

So the the question it raised in my mind is- is this poor QC or just variability? For what it's worth, I think it's the latter.

It sounds to me like being a symptom of modern pens as I have heard similar stories from Geeks who use other brands of pens.

[RuiFromUK]

It's a shame as I really like Sonnet's but they just don't write as well as perhaps they could. I imagine yours is genuine.

If you are anywhere near London you might consider popping into one of the gatherings on the first Saturday every month there is almost always someone (alas Annie) who is more than happy to help with nib problems.

There is a thread under clubs about those gatherings including details of where they take place.

[oldstoat]

I suspect you're right Rui. I find it odd that with mass production over a century old, there can be that much variation between two supposedly standard items.

[View from the Loft]

I suspect you're right Rui. I find it odd that with mass production over a century old, there can be that much variation between two supposedly standard items.

But it isn't just the nib that's in play here, is it? Add in the two feeds (which could be at opposite ends of the tolerances), then were you both using the same bottle of ink (to eliminate variability there) and the same sheet of paper? If not, you can see where all of the variances come into play.

It's not just pens that exhibit these tendencies, I've experienced this with vehicles - consecutive chassis numbers, consecutive gearbox numbers, consecutive engine numbers - driven over the same stretch of roads. Numbers 1 and 2 were flying machines, numbers 3 and 4 we were forever up and down the box just to try and keep them moving.

[oldstoat]

OK, Felicity, that's a challenge. Same ink and paper in front of you at the next meeting

[top pen]

It's a shame as I really like Sonnet's but they just don't write as well as perhaps they could. I imagine yours is genuine.

If you are anywhere near London you might consider popping into one of the gatherings on the first Saturday every month there is almost always someone (alas Annie) who is more than happy to help with nib problems.

There is a thread under clubs about those gatherings including details of where they take place.

Annoyingly enough I rarely venture down to London. However if I'm ever close on the first Saturday of the month , it would be great to come along and get my pen looked at.

Thanks

[Annie]

I suspect you're right Rui. I find it odd that with mass production over a century old, there can be that much variation between two supposedly standard items.

But it isn't just the nib that's in play here, is it? Add in the two feeds (which could be at opposite ends of the tolerances), then were you both using the same bottle of ink (to eliminate variability there) and the same sheet of paper? If not, you can see where all of the variances come into play.

It's not just pens that exhibit these tendencies, I've experienced this with vehicles - consecutive chassis numbers, consecutive gearbox numbers, consecutive engine numbers - driven over the same stretch of roads. Numbers 1 and 2 were flying machines, numbers 3 and 4 we were forever up and down the box just to try and keep them moving.

Good points Felicity; you're right, it isn't just the nib and I don't know about the feed on Stoat's pen. Having had a letter written with the Sonnet it is writing on the broad side of medium and quite wet. It would be fun to test both our pens with the same ink and paper but we would have to consider that I have now fiddled (a technical term) with my nib so that it is a bit broader and wetter than it was. The other variable is hand writing and ours are stoatily different (sorry.)

As an aside, I doubt I am going to make it on the 6th. Although I don't fly on hols until the 7th, it is at sparrows fart so I will probably bow out on this one.