The Parker Classic fountain pen, introduced in 1986, was, essentially, an update to the Parker 180. This pen, made in England, carries a date code for the first year of production.
The pen is in superb condition throughout, the brushed stainless steel body and cap show no wear and the Gold filling is in good order. The sharply pointed flat triangular nib is straight and well aligned with a good ball of tipping material, the collar carries the letter 'F', for a fine point. It writes with a very firm and precise fine line. The crosshatched plastic gripping section shows no signs of wear.
The Classic is a cartridge/converter filler, it is fitted with the original Parker ink converter and a new ink cartridge is supplied so the pen is ready to write in either configuration.
The cap is a push fit, it closes securely with a satisfying 'click'. If the pen is posted for use the cap also secures on the slightly flared barrel end stud, a useful feature to prevent scratching of the barrel by posting a metal cap.
At 137mm. capped and 142 mm. posted, the Classic is a good sized, slim and elegant pen. At 11.8g. with the converter in situe it is a light pen, despite the all metal construction. This is an important consideration if the pen is to be used for extended periods of writing, it reduces strain on the small muscles in the fingers, it is a very 'comfortable' pen.
The metal construction of the Classic Flighter and the flexible filling system makes the pen a robust and reliable every day vintage writer.