You've Got Your First Found In The Wild Parker 51 In Your Hand, Now What?

[OcalaFlGuy]

Here will be my Parker 51....I will need help when it arrives.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&rt=nc&nma=true&item=380453182413&si=adT9%252F9SJArlu8%252B5xYnyGTTWD2yA%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME%3AL%3ACORT%3AUS%3A1123&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_500wt_1156

If your "new" 51 doesn't respond to this Nuke FlushNSoak, you'll need to break it down yourself and resolve the issue(s) or send it off to a restorer. At least you'll know then the problem ISN'T it just being ink clogged.

 

Do some searches here on disassembling P-45s. The nib unit unscrews right out and breaks down to it's parts easy peasy.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Moonageuk]

Hi. The feed on my 51 Aero twists when I refill. I can pull it right out with tweezers and push it back in place without trouble. I can't get the hood off though. Is this likely to cause issues in future? Any tips please?

Edited July 15, 2012 by Moonageuk

[lovemy51]

hi, GClef. it looks like a black jewel on the cap, so it could be a Special -tho' i don't read it on the sac guard and from the pic i can't tell if it's a hoop filler. or is it just a "51" with a Special cap swap? Franken?

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/photobucket-8907-1342356952598.jpg

what color is the jewel?

[GClef]

hi, GClef. it looks like a black jewel on the cap, so it could be a Special -tho' i don't read it on the sac guard and from the pic i can't tell if it's a hoop filler. or is it just a "51" with a Special cap swap? Franken?

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/photobucket-8907-1342356952598.jpg

what color is the jewel?

 

Black

[lovemy51]

hi, GClef. it looks like a black jewel on the cap, so it could be a Special -tho' i don't read it on the sac guard and from the pic i can't tell if it's a hoop filler. or is it just a "51" with a Special cap swap? Franken?

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/photobucket-8907-1342356952598.jpg

what color is the jewel?

 

Black

Special it is... funny i didn't see it marked on the guard.

[Mags]

Here will be my Parker 51....I will need help when it arrives.

 

http://www.ebay.com/...c#ht_500wt_1156

If your "new" 51 doesn't respond to this Nuke FlushNSoak, you'll need to break it down yourself and resolve the issue(s) or send it off to a restorer. At least you'll know then the problem ISN'T it just being ink clogged.

 

Do some searches here on disassembling P-45s. The nib unit unscrews right out and breaks down to it's parts easy peasy.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

 

I have taken the four Parkers for a bath and doing a fair bit of soak and flush today. The P51 I suppose is in good shape, not that I even dipped it to check the nib. The positive of the pen is the sac is in shape to hold ink. Now deciding to resac it or use it with a probability of failure will nag me.

 

The Parker Duofold which is so tiny compared to modern ones is in poorer shape. The filler is clearly toast and is devoid of the mechanism to allow me to press and fill the pen. It will be tempting to see if I fill it like eye dropper style if it holds any ink and gets the feed working.

 

Finally, of the most potential interest to me is the P45 I think which turns out to be labeled a broad nib, and I love broads!

 

I may as well try them tonight and will start a new thread to post to and come back here if nuke and flush and more dismantling research and advice is needed.

[maybeamac]

I don't think I can find any clear ammonia here. Would the sudsy variety still be okay?

 

So the 51 is perfectly safe being soaked in a 10% ammonia cleaner/water solution for 36 hours?

Edited July 25, 2012 by maybeamac

[ObserveClosely]

This is all great, but lacks one thing: pictures. For those of you who (like me) need to see as well as read, here is a pic of the Aero (I think!) disassembled. So you can see all the parts that Bruce is talking about in his narrative.

 

Can anyone find a similar pic for the Vac? I'd appreciate it.

[OcalaFlGuy]

 

So the 51 is perfectly safe being soaked in a 10% ammonia cleaner/water solution for 36 hours?

 

Yes.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[pearlbeer]

Thanks for the post. I have several old ones I need to clean up, this should help.

[Cyclopentadiene]

Thanks loads for this!

 

 

Found one of my relatives 51s lying about the house yesterday before I saw this wonderful guide.

 

Before I saw this I gave the pen a soak for an hour in cool water and then flushed it out a few times with mildly soapy water, there was a few dribbles of blue ink still present but gave it a re-ink after drying, some blue ink now comes out of the pen, but it's an incredibly fine dry writing line that was probably due to whatever ink is still clogging up the pen. Left it alone after that as I didn't want to risk damaging it (I've only just done my first fiddle on my newly arrived Ahab to get the ink properly flowing).

 

I've stupidly left the Pen back with family so I'll have to give it another clean out using your method when I get back down there next month.

Anyone have any idea where to get Ammonia, or rather a good solution of it in the UK?

 

Thanks again,

Badger

[OcalaFlGuy]

 

Anyone have any idea where to get Ammonia, or rather a good solution of it in the UK?

 

Thanks again,

Badger

 

Homebase, Boots or a small independent hardware store.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[View from the Loft]

Anyone have any idea where to get Ammonia, or rather a good solution of it in the UK?Thanks again, Badger

 

You'll find it stocked in most Homebase stores, whereas Boots don't seem to stock it but will order it in.

[JSHous]

Ike and D-Day.

I'm watching the 2004 movie (Countdown to D-Day) where Tom Selleck plays Eisenhower as he plans for the D-Day invasion....Operation Overload.

As the troops depart, Ike climbs back into his staff car.

As he drives off Ike writes a contingency letter to the press taking full blame for the failure of the landings on the french coast....

fortunately it was never needed as the landings were successful.

What I noticed, was that he was using a Parker 51 to write that letter.

You know you're a pen junkie when what stands out is the brand and model of pen used in a movie.

I had the good fortune to have an older brother who had good choice in pens in the 1960s.....he attended a ivy league school the Northeast....

and I snatched a 51 from him that I still have and use. Great pens. I have bought others that I like better since then but the Parker 51 is a classic.

John Houston

Tampa, FL

[OcalaFlGuy]

Parker had a special affinity for the military. The were known to gift the pens to high level brass.

 

Both American sides of the Europe and Asia surrender papers were signed with Parkers.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[Cyclopentadiene]

Awesome, I'll take a look when I next roll on by

 

Badger

[Ishinho]

Thank you for this very informative article. I recently acquired my first "51" and already have another one on the way. I LOVE this pen!

 

I also own a couple of Parker 21 Supers and I assume that the same cleaning method is recommended, but I would like confirmation. Thanks!

[OcalaFlGuy]

Yes, it should work just as well on a P-21.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[maybeamac]

Hi Bruce,

 

I just purchased some Ammonia but over here we have a 20g NH3/L dilution which is only 2%. I know in your other post you suggested a 10% Ammonia concentration.

 

So I assume that I'd have to make a 50:50 mixture of mine to equal the 1% solution that your 1/10 solution would make?

 

Do you think that sounds about right?

 

Thanks!

[inkthefinks]

Fantastic thread, Bruce! I wouldn't be surprised if some folks try this out and realize that they love repairing pens and want to get more serious...

 

With that in mind, here's a link to Woodbin's Vac repair kit - this is probably the best $100 I've ever spent on this hobby:

http://www.woodbin.ca/VacumaticToolsNibsJewels.html

 

Cheers!