Parker 51... ...or... A Lamy 2000?

[AL01]

I think some of you are aware of my quest to find my first 14k gold - nibbed pen. I have boiled down to two choices: the 2000 or 51.

 

My intentions are to:

 

- Have a purdy pen.

 

- A good suit pen

 

- A writer's pen

 

- A fine nib

 

- An EDC pen.

 

- It needs to also be durable.

 

 

("Drawing" done by a green Wearever Pennant - Ink is Noodler's Polar Eel Black)

 

Thanks in Advance, Al.

Edited May 3, 2017 by AL01

[NinthSphere]

I'm a 51 loyalist but, although the 2k has been on & off my radar countless times, I've never bought one. The 51 checks all of those. I think the 2k would too.

 

Where do you like your metal, on the cap or on the section? Piston or aerometric (I suppose vac is an option also, but I'd go with aero)? I personally think the 2k clip is ugly, unlike the Parker arrows. One of the things that has held me back whenever I've thought about the 2k.

[carlos.q]

The answer is obvious.... buy both!

[mr2txaggie]

 

I have both in a medium nib. I love my 51, however the 2k takes a bit of a lead.

 

While I see you want a fine nib, I just mentioned mine were both mediums to verify that I compared like-sized nibs.

[praxim]

Buy the Lamy 2000 Makrolon. Then if you want, buy the other one. Or vice versa.

 

 

My own choice is the Lamy which I consider the superior pen, which one hopes it would be given it was designed toward the end of Parker's life!

[FlyFast]

They are both great pens but when I had to make that choice I went with the 2000. I've never regretted that choice.

[TennesseeTrash]

If ease of cleaning is a consideration I'd go Lamy 2000 over an aerometric anything.

[AL01]

The answer is obvious.... buy both!

 

 

EHHHHH!!! Not at once, though. I am a student. That's the problem. If I had the funds...

 

... I can only imagine...

 

Edited May 4, 2017 by AL01

[AL01]

I'm a 51 loyalist but, although the 2k has been on & off my radar countless times, I've never bought one. The 51 checks all of those. I think the 2k would too.

 

Where do you like your metal, on the cap or on the section? Piston or aerometric (I suppose vac is an option also, but I'd go with aero)? I personally think the 2k clip is ugly, unlike the Parker arrows. One of the things that has held me back whenever I've thought about the 2k.

 

51 Vac. I'm thinking of one with a gold clip and a lustrous cap. I have tested out both pens... The problem is that the 2000 I tested had the nubbies taken out of it! Argh........

 

TBH, I like both! The 2000 and 51 both appeal to me. I love the blood, sweat, brains, and tears that went into making these pens.

I guess it's more of 'which one first' than anything else.

Edited May 4, 2017 by AL01

[langere]

I have both. I would take the 51. I find that the Lamy 2k has too small of a sweet spot. Usually this is not a problem with a Parker.

 

Erick

[Albert26]

Both of them are great pens, but based on the type of pen you are looking for, I would go for a vintage Aurora 88 instead; it has larger ink capacity + you can get flexible nib.

 

Source: I own a Lamy 2000, a Parker 51 and an Aurora 88. If I had to keep only one, it would be the Aurora 88 without hesitation.

 

Good luck!

Edited May 4, 2017 by Albert26

[eharriett]

Gee, when I read this, my first thought was, "how accurate does he want to get with holding his pens?" Both the Parker 51 and the Lamy 2k(famously) has a sweet spot or it won't work. I do not own a Lamy, but I've got some Parker 51's including one in active rotation right now, and I can say that, while I can see its appeal for some, the fact that these hooded nib pens have to be used at such a specific place to write properly keep them out of my regular use. I don't know if it is just my style or the fact that I'm left handed, but the Parker is too particular for regular use for me.

 

If you didn't title your post saying it is a choice between the Parker or the Lamy, I actually would have recommended either one of the dressier Sheaffer vac/Snorkel pens if you wanted vintage, or a Karas Kustoms if you wanted modern. But that's me.

[Erik Dalton]

What are you writing with now?

I have a bunch of P51's, areo, Vac, and mk111's, and I love them all. But I won't take the mk1 or vacs out of the house. I'll carry a Pelikan, Montblanc, Sailor, almost anything that can easily be replaced. The P51's are no longer made. Pens fall out of your pocket, off the desk, your backpack gets snatched, all sorts of things can happen to an EDC. You might consider the Lamy 2000 Makrolon for now, the fiberglass body will take a lot of wear and tear. Plan to get the P51 for graduation, your birthday, or Christmas. Especially if you can get someone to gift it to you.

Also I suggest you steer away from the P51 Vac. I know you have your heart set on one and they are really great pens. The sac is their Achilles heel. It is latex, You might look for an areo with a plyglass sac. They are extremely durable and easy to clean, and more forgiving of today's inks. I only use Waterman Serenity Blue in my Vacs. I'm less conservative with the Areo's equipped with a plyglass sac. You can put almost any ink in them as long as you maintain good pen hygiene and clean them regularly.

There is a small amount of areo's out there with what looks to be a black latex sac similar to what is in the Vac. Be on the look out for these. I ended up with one out of carelessness. Eventually I'll change out the sac. Look for a clear plyglass sac in your new P51, you won't be disappointed.

I'm sure you will have both the Parker and a 2000 before too long.

Whichever you choose I'm sure you'll be happy with it. They are all quality pens.

[Drone]

Of the two the P51 Aerometric wins by a mile

[Chrissy]

The most important consideration for me is how long do you tend to write for, and how frequently do you want to change your ink colour?

 

Parker 51 aerometric or vacumatic won't write for so long with one fill as a Lamy 2000 will, and both Parkers are more difficult to clean out before changing ink colour than the Lamy 2000 is.

 

As far as a sweet spot on a nib is concerned, on a F nib this shouldn't be so much of an issue. Most Parker 51's will have nibs that have been previously used by someone else. So the sweet spot on A Parker 51 will always seem bigger than that on a brand new Lamy 2000 nib. In any case, when you start writing with a pen, you will make your own sweet spot on your new nib.

[ac12]

I have both and I choose the 51.

 

The L-2000 is too FAT for my hand. It feels like an oversize Parker 45. If the L-2000 was a bit slimmer, more like the P45, It might compete, but not at its current size. It now sits in my collection, never to see ink again.

[bizhe]

Which one do you like better?

[MrBlack]

The 51 Aerometric is an incredible pen. I have several - just beautiful. Being vintage pens, some nibs do write better than others, but if it writes well it will match or even surpass the best nibs out there. Very slick, beautiful and smooth pens. 51 over the Lamy for sure!

[AL01]

Both of them are great pens, but based on the type of pen you are looking for, I would go for a vintage Aurora 88 instead; it has larger ink capacity + you can get flexible nib.

 

Source: I own a Lamy 2000, a Parker 51 and an Aurora 88. If I had to keep only one, it would be the Aurora 88 without hesitation.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Been kinda looking at that one too. I'll keep that in mind.

[AL01]

Gee, when I read this, my first thought was, "how accurate does he want to get with holding his pens?" Both the Parker 51 and the Lamy 2k(famously) has a sweet spot or it won't work. I do not own a Lamy, but I've got some Parker 51's including one in active rotation right now, and I can say that, while I can see its appeal for some, the fact that these hooded nib pens have to be used at such a specific place to write properly keep them out of my regular use. I don't know if it is just my style or the fact that I'm left handed, but the Parker is too particular for regular use for me.

 

If you didn't title your post saying it is a choice between the Parker or the Lamy I actually would have recommended either one of the dressier Sheaffer vac/Snorkel pens if you wanted vintage, or a Karas Kustoms if you wanted modern. But that's me.,

 

Whoo... I looked at many pens.

 

Here's a List: Parker 51, Lamy 2000, Pilot VP, Pilot 74, Pilot Elite, Platinum 3776, Pelikan M400, Sheaffer Legacy Heritage, Sheaffer Snorkel, Parker 61, and a Parker Vacumatic.

 

Sheaffers are the only pens that I can buy in a heartbeat. I am scared of polystyrene though. I have owned way too many pens made out of that plastic crack by themselves.

 

The 'Sweet Spot' is a non existent problem for me. I write in the sweet spot.

 

I have owned two Parker 21s and two Parker 45s. All cracked. I have almost bought a Snorkel though. I do like them, but their design doesn't speak to me like the design of the Parker 51 and Lamy 200, etc. I've even looked at a Legacy Heritage, but that's way out of my range of 120$> (Moi)

.

Edited May 4, 2017 by AL01