Buying A Used Parker 51 - What To Check?

[Hermina Haller]

Hi!

I hope I am asking this question in the right place. I have come across a nice, used Parker 51 online and am about to meet the seller in order to inspect the pen before purchase. Since I haven't bought used pens before, I was wondering what I should look for and what I should check in order to make sure that the pen is ok.

Thank you in advance!

[Arkanabar]

There is no better source of information on the Parker "51" than Richard Binder's site.

 

Aerometric Parker "51"s are nigh unto bulletproof. If the whole barrel unscrews from the grip section, it's aerometric. My dad set his down around 1983, still with Parker Quink Permanent Black with Solv-X in it. I picked it up in 2007, flushed it with water, filled it from the same bottle of Quink he'd set aside with the pen, and it wrote right off. About the only sort of neglect I can imagine affecting it would be if somebody filled it with iron gall ink and let it dry in the collector, and probably more than once. (Iron gall inks dry to an insoluble solid.)

 

Vacuumatic Parkers often require professional restoration. If only the last 2cm or so of the barrel unscrews, it's Vacuumatic. Restoration may or may not have been done by the current owner.

 

The owner may have confused (or misrepresented) a Parker 21 for a "51". The plastic used in the 21 is a lot more prone to shrinking, compared to the "51". Mr. Binder has quite a lot of info on the 21 as well, but I don't know if you'd be able to tell the difference based on what he has to say.

 

And the Shanghai Hero Pen Company has been making the Hero 616, nigh unto identical to the "51", for decades. They can be had in packs of ten for around $30USD. Obviously, there will be markings in Chinese, especially on the filler.

[Buzz_130]

The good news is all Parker "51"s that you will buy today are used. After going to Richard Binder's site and learning about the amazing engineering that went into this pen, go to the Parker forum here on FPN and read the first post about getting your first Parker "51" from the wild. It's a great way to understand what you should do when you get your pen.

 

First, the Parker "51" came in two major versions - an aerometric and a vac filler. (Yes, there are some other variants, but you are probably considering one of these.). If it's an aero, you have it pretty easy as all you will need to do is have the seller fill it with ink and see if it holds ink and writes. Check for blemishes on the cap (the cap alone can drive the price up hundreds or thousands of dollars, depending on style). Look over the body for deep scratches, shrinking on the hood, and maybe take a look so you can tell the difference between a special, a Parker Super 21, and a Demi. Those will also change the prices significantly.

 

If it's a vac, you'll need to be careful with the filling mechanism. There's a chance it'll need to be replaced, and you'll have to factor that into your pricing.

 

But if you like how it writes, don't worry if it's a user grade pen. You'll probably find out quickly why the "51" was one of the most successful fountain pens in history.

 

Buzz

[samba]

First of all you need to learn about Parker 51 and in this case I would suggest you to go through parker51.com

For buying used Parker 51[vac/aero] you should check the filling mechanism,the amount of tipping material on the nib,the barrel, hood, clutch ring and lastly the cap.Be sure that the cap is the right one for your pen.If you find all this things o.k. then make some doodle with the pen to examine the smoothness of the point.If you are satisfied go for it.

[ac12]

One problem that you will run into is the nib size. There is no place were you can see the nib size. So you have only the tip of the nib itself to tell you the nib size. Unfortunately, it can be difficult and inconsistent for a person to determine the nib size. What I call a Medium someone else may call a Fine. I understand that the English nibs are wider than the US nibs. Most US nibs are Fine, similar to a Lamy/Pelikan XF.

 

And in my experience a 51 writes different when it is dipped in ink vs. when the ink is loaded into the pen and flowing thru the feed.

Edited April 26, 2016 by ac12

[johnmc2]

Most aerometric 51s I have bought recently have needed breather tube replacement

[utopic]

In addition to what's been said:

 

If possible, ask to ink it and test that it writes, that the nib is not scratchy and compatible with your writing style (if you actually plan to use it).

If it's dry, try to shake it a bit - if you hear/feel a light rattling noise, then the feeder tube is probably broken inside the sac (and will need replacing).

You may also peep inside the cap, and take a look at the inner cap, you may see it's cracked (not a big issue but may use that to negotiate).

You may also look at the tines with the naked eye or loupe to see if they're misaligned.

 

Good luck with your purchase

Edited April 27, 2016 by utopic

[Hermina Haller]

Thank you very much, you have all been very helpful!
Now I have a lot of reading to do before I go and inspect the pen!