written by BrianL , February 18, 2010

I agree that these pens are still the totl. For decades I had not noticed them around as my circle of acquaintances were buying Cross, Waterman, Montblanc, etc. I had several Parker fountain pens in continual use. One day I noticed on eBay a place in NYC selling packs of the Parker T-ball Jotters and the matching pencils so I bought a few as they were cheap enough to throw in the supply closet in the office. On trying them, it was like going back to my childhood and I then remembered as a kid, the Jotter was THE pen of kids' dreams. The writing is so smooth but not wet like a rollerball. Just nice control, similar to a goot fountain point nib with just enough bite. Of course it feels small compared to when I had one when I was about 10. I got a mix of brushed stainless sets and red barreled sets. A couple of months later I happened to be in a computer store and as I checked out at the counter were packs of 2 sets of the brushed stainless steel pen and pencil. Seeing them there and noticed no one even looked at them made me figure they were not a decent but but asked the price anyway. I was told and immediately asked in it was per set or per pack of 2 sets. It was for the pack. Talk about a holiday gift so I quickly bought the 12 packs while those around me wondered if I'd flipped. I gave sets to each client as a little gift. One client had the nerve to call me to tell me he'd never used a Parker Jotter before and it was the best been he had ever used and then asked if I had another set. Of course I gave it to him. He could not figure why my name was not on them and I explained they were not ad promotional items but simply a gift.

I have noticed that the pens from NY which have the same markings as the later packs I bought and look the same are different in that the pen mail threaded section on the top is plastic versus the metal on the ones I bought locally. The pencils look exactly the same.

Pricing - well the sets form NY were about $10.00 set while the ones bought locally were $10.00 per pack of 2 sets so $5.00 per set. Compared to the pricing for sets from the local stationary supply store even at $10 per set I got a heck of a deal as the pen alone from the stores are about $10.