Parker pens used to have life-long warranty. When I recently browsed their website, I noticed that the international warranty has been reduced to TWO years. When buying a Jotter this may not be problem, but a Duofold is a different story....
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Man is what he eats
Ludwig Feuerbach
Vice and virtue are products like vitriol and sugar
Regarding the duration/term of product guarantee/warranty, I have seen this same change w/ other Vendors, i.e., from lifetime to 2,3,5 years, as per the warrenty certificate/booklet. So, if one is choosing among pens desired and all else is equal, the lifetime feature is a big plus.
Modern Parkers don't do it for me and the company itself is not what it used to be. I stick to vintage duofold flat tops and vacs, the modern ones I just ignore them.
Cross is sort of heavy. I got a blue Townsend...not the Cross crystal one, but a German version that I got for E-99 with ball point. Normal worth E-250. No gold nib. I'd really wanted the fancy blue Crooss, but for 1/3 less pluss BP, I'll take regualr very nice blue instead of world class blue.
I'm going to have it cut to OM, as soon as I get my gold smith up to speed, after Christmass. She's going to do my BB (605)Pelikan to Cursive Italic too. I'd talked to her and her first two years as apprentice was doing fountain pen nibs. It's real nice to be a 12 minuted walk to your nib meister.
Dammed if you do...dammed if you dont....If I continue to buy pens, I can't afford the nib work, if I buy the nib work, I can't afford new pens.....
Some day, I'll tell you how come it's all my Grandfather's fault and an Irish girl.
Early 1917 my grandfather and is buisness partner, just as big at 6-4, 210 pound cousin, got into a street fight over an Irish girl neither married.
Neigher spoke to each other afterwards, the next day lawyers split the business. The cousin stayed in business and was not even drafted, for buisness reasons.
My Gramps ended up in WW1, was gassed as a master sergeant.
In the twenties he was in trucks and transport....three times a millionair and due to fast women and slow horses, three times broke.
1942, he stands before the recruitment office, and was told at 42 he was too old. Inspite of his offer to beat them all two hundred waiting line to join up, one at a time or all at once. No!
He is forced to swollow his pride. He eventually reaches his cousin. "Hello Allen." "Hello George, what can I do for you?" "They won't let me into the war." "Call me back in 30 minutes." "Hello Allen." "George you are a major, you have a POW camp in Maine."
That is what 122 million dollars did for you in 1942. Is it any wonder I hate the Irish?
-- Edited by Bo Bo Olson on Friday 4th of December 2009 01:11:52 PM
"Your OMAS writing instrument has been manufactured to the highest standards of Italian craftsmanship. In addition, rigorous quality control procedures guarantee that each product has left the factory in good conditions in order to give years of pleasure and service. Omas provides 36 months warranty from the date of purchase. Any defective writing instrument should be returned to an authorized OMAS dealer together with the warranty certificate provided at the time of purchase duly filled, dated and stamped by the selling authorized OMAS dealer. The warranty does not cover damage caused by improper use, breakage due to accident, repairs made by a non-authorized service centre, the use of components other than those recommended by OMAS, alterations caused particularly by direct exposure to sunrays or high temperature, normal aging and wear.
MAINTENANCE: The outside of Omas writing instruments should only be cleaned using a soft cotton cloth or a cloth designed specifically to clean delicate objects. Do not use materials of liquids other than water. Do not place pen near heat or open flame."
I suppose they're calling the use of another manufacturer's ink "improper use?" :-/
Just popped in to list some of my pen woes- the two Italians have returned & I saw this thread.
OMAS disqualified my request for warranty repair because I used non-OMAS ink.
Please tell me your kidding. That truly reeks of raw & uncut suck! After reading your posts on the Italian's...you can add omas to my no fly list. I wont support that kind of bullshit in any manner.
Whats new man?
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Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito ~Yield not to misfortunes, but advance all the more boldly against them
Well here is my Omas experience which was very positive. The cap on my 2005 Arte Italiana has broken, I went to Mr Mora (the world wide known of Morastylos http://www.morastylos.com) and asked him to demand Omas to replace the broken cap for free and after 7 months of long wait, I got a new cap for my 2005 Arte Italiana Paragon and I paid nothing. For those who don't know Mr Mora, he is the owner of the french most famous penshop in the world (http://www.morastylos.com). He restores vintage and modern pens and repairs nibs, he sells vintage and second hand pens. He is very knowledgeable and helpful. I think it has a lot to do with the who is the owner of the penshop whether he is a pen repairer or/and pen collector who has good communication abilities with the different brands and their representatives. BTW I have never ever had a single leak with any of my Omas pens by using waterman ink.
-- Edited by georges zaslavsky on Saturday 5th of December 2009 02:26:37 AM
"sorry I should not have come back as it is posts like the above that started to push my buttons"
I see why your pissed. I'd be just as pissed myself. Have you gone through the European channels rather than the lousy US service I keep hearing about.
As the owner of this site, I'd LOVE it if someone would send a copy of this thread to Omas customer service as sort of an impromptu 'how ya doin', man on the street note'. Let them know that the US contingent is pissing all over the good name of OMAS and if they would like to pull a bit of damage control and show they aren't total corperate jackasses sign in and reply and better yet take care of Kurts problem. I personally like OMAS pens & inks and hate to see their name messed around with, the sad part is their own employees are doing it.
I may own the site, but our board space is paid for through member donations. We dont have any sponsors so my opinion is just that. My own and I encourage everyone to have one too.
So Kurt, if we can get Omas on the line so to speak. What would you ask/say to them? How can they handle the situation to your satisfaction & for lack of a better phrase, how can they repair their name in your eyes?
The mic's yours baby.
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Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito ~Yield not to misfortunes, but advance all the more boldly against them
If you'd like to put your money where your mouth is I give you first call on this pen for a little more than half of the going rate for a celluloid Paragon?