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Hi all, One thing I've been wondering about the Super 21 (the upgraded 21 with a proper hooded octanium nib and collector). Is the sac nipple in the Super 21's aerometric filling system vulnerable to the same sort of softening that sometimes occurs on 51s? I just wondered about this while refilling my Super 21 - this one has seen continuous usage for about 45 years now without problems. (Well, ok, maybe the tines have gotten a wee bit misaligned over the years... but apart from that... it's perfect.) So far, my thoughts about maintenance of this pen ran mostly in the "if it ain't broke..." vein, but having become more aware of the (thankfully small) number of issues that could affect 51s (sac nipple softening, breather tube corrosion...), I started to wonder whether Super 21s are vulnerable to the same problems, and whether I ought to have the internals of my pen checked, just for peace of mind. Then again, it ain't broke, and there's always a risk associated with opening up an old pen. I would have to get a professional pen repairer to do it for me, as I've never done any servicing of pens that required heat or shellac. I don't think I would be confident enough to use this pen as my first practice, considering its sentimental value. On a side note, is it necessary to remove the hood in order to correct slightly misaligned tines on a Super 21? Mine has always had misaligned tines since I got it from my father. I've always taken a "grin and bear with it" attitude to it, since the misalignment is small, I write with a very light hand and it doesn't bother me that much, and most of all - I was afraid of cracking the feed or the hood if I tried to exert pressure on the tines in any direction. Thanks & regards, CZM

Hello, Everyone. About a 2 months ago, on a whim, I picked up a NOS 21 Super, in the original box (but missing the mechanical pencil, it appears) on ebay. I haven't had a chance to look at it until just today (it's been a rough 2 months!). The pen really does appear to be unused. Definitely never inked. It's possible that the cap was taken off and put back on, but there are no finger prints on it, and there were no finger prints on the squeeze filler, either. I paid a whopping $27.74, including shipping, for this pen. Now here's my dilemma: The pen was purchased so I could use it. I wanted an older pen to take with me to work and use with permanent inks (Noodler's Black or Polar Blue). But now that I have it, I'm wondering if it's worth more as a collectible unused than as a daily using pen. What's the opinion from Parker collectors? Keep it "like new", or use it?