Bought New Parker 51 Vacumatic

[Deep_Adhikary]

Hi All

 

Today I am going to share my experience with my new(new to me ) Parker 51 Vacumatic . I have bought it from Pen Hospital Kolkata.

This was my first visit to pen hospital. The seller is nice and well behaved person. First I have dealt with Sheaffer snorkel, but I have changed my mine after testing the Vac.

It cost me Rs 5000(Around $78).

This is single jewel pen with a blue diamond in the cap. And the cap is 14 Kt gold plated. And the ring near section is golden(generally we found silver color). The section of the pen is black and engraved with "PARKER 51 MADE IN USA".

 

Nib is fine-medium . It is made of gold and dated 1947. Nib is very smooth in fact this is the smoothest nib I have ever used(I own Waterman Carene, Pelikan M200, Pilot Metal Elabo). May be I should thanks previous owner of this pen .

 

Seller said everything is original(including vac pump ) . It gives me a mixed feeling. Although the pump is working fine as of now, it may need to be serviced after some time. But seller promise me to provide free repair(within 5 Years of purchase)..

 

Thanks

Edited September 18, 2017 by Deep_Adhikary

[Beechwood]

A very interesting purchase, congratulations. It is not often that we are lucky enough to be able to use a 70 year old pen that has never been used.

[Deep_Adhikary]

A very interesting purchase, congratulations. It is not often that we are lucky enough to be able to use a 70 year old pen that has never been used.

Thank You!!! But my pen is not NOS. It has been used by someone. But the pen writes very smooth.

[PaulS]

the main point here is that you are very happy with your purchase, and happy dealing with this seller - it's the sort of transaction that might make you do a return visit for another purchase some time. It's also testament to the quality of Janesville pens that with all the original parts this pen still works as it did in 1947 - congratulations.

[Sasha Royale]

Wonderful ! Congratulations on a very nice Parker Vacumatic. The mechanism is somewhat expensive and tricky to execute. Vacumatics are a joy to use. I recommend using this pen extensively. In four years, let the seller replace the "diaphragm". The Vacumatic is loaded with innovations of the period.

 

Great pen !

[mitto]

Good that you found a vac 51 in working order and that too with seller' warrantee of free repair/service upto five years.

 

Enjoy using ur 51. These are great pens.

 

Among the quite large herd of my vacumatics and vac 51s that I found, all of them, in the wild only one was in working order. And it still works. But I do plan replacing diaphragms on all of my Vacumatics and 51 vacs including the one that still works.

Edited September 19, 2017 by mitto

[Deep_Adhikary]

Thanks to all for reading my post.

 

Yeah I am quietly satisfied by its quality. I have also bought another Parker 51 aerometric (around a year ago), but the nib was medium to broad. That does not fit with my handwriting. I have another plan, if I unable to repair my VAC(By chance), I will replace the nib with previous one.

Good that you found a vac 51 in working order and that too with seeler' warrantee of free repair/service upto five years.
Enjoy using ur 51. These are great pens.
Among the quite large herd of my vacumatics and vac 51s that I found, all of them, in the wild only one was in working order. And it still works. But I do plan replacing diaphragms on all of my Vacumatics and 51 vacs including the one that still works.

 

Wonderful ! Congratulations on a very nice Parker Vacumatic. The mechanism is somewhat expensive and tricky to execute. Vacumatics are a joy to use. I recommend using this pen extensively. In four years, let the seller replace the "diaphragm". The Vacumatic is loaded with innovations of the period.

Great pen !

 

the main point here is that you are very happy with your purchase, and happy dealing with this seller - it's the sort of transaction that might make you do a return visit for another purchase some time. It's also testament to the quality of Janesville pens that with all the original parts this pen still works as it did in 1947 - congratulations.

Edited September 19, 2017 by Deep_Adhikary

[FPFan]

Congratulations on your "new" pen. I have recently returned to using the Parker 51 pens myself. I had forgotten just how fantastic a writing experience they are. I was sort of disappointed that you left out the details of your new pen, the barrel and cap colors. There are so many wonderful color and cap combinations. I've also discovered that there are two different lengths in the "demi" size 51's. And recently found a color chart listing 7 vacumatic colors and 8 aerometric colors. So could you give a little more detail about your "new" pen!

 

I'm currently inked up with about 8 - 51's and can't make up my mind about which one I like the best. They are fantastically smooth, moderately wet flow. I have burgundy, dove grey, navy grey, cobalt blue, cocoa, forest green, teal, black.

 

Happy writing and Welcome to FPN

[ac12]

The pump/filler is fine, as was mentioned by Sasha it is diaphram that will deteriorate with age.

Working or not, I would expect to replace the diaphram as it is 50+ years old.

Rubber deteriorates with time/age. So even if not used, it will deteriorate.

 

N-joy the pen.

[Deep_Adhikary]

Congratulations on your "new" pen. I have recently returned to using the Parker 51 pens myself. I had forgotten just how fantastic a writing experience they are. I was sort of disappointed that you left out the details of your new pen, the barrel and cap colors. There are so many wonderful color and cap combinations. I've also discovered that there are two different lengths in the "demi" size 51's. And recently found a color chart listing 7 vacumatic colors and 8 aerometric colors. So could you give a little more detail about your "new" pen!

 

I'm currently inked up with about 8 - 51's and can't make up my mind about which one I like the best. They are fantastically smooth, moderately wet flow. I have burgundy, dove grey, navy grey, cobalt blue, cocoa, forest green, teal, black.

 

Happy writing and Welcome to FPN

Actually, some times it is not feasible to upload Image. And int terms of look and fill nothing special about it. Black and gold classic looks. The cap is 16 Kt Gold Filled (Previously I thought it was 14Kt ). Ok I will upload some picture of it.

Edited September 19, 2017 by Prince_of_Kolkata

[mitto]

One minor correction please. The USA made P51 caps are GOLD FILLED and not GOLD PLATED. Similarly the English made P51 caps are ROLLED GOLD and not GOLD PLATED.

[Deep_Adhikary]

One minor correction please. The USA made P51 caps are GOLD FILLED and not GOLD PLATED. Similarly the English made P51 caps are ROLLED GOLD and not GOLD PLATED.

Thanks. Actually I was not aware of the "GOLD FILLED" and "GOLD PLATED".

[mitto]

Actually, some times it is not feasible to upload Image. And int terms of look and fill nothing special about it. Black and gold classic looks. The cap is 16 Kt Gold Filled (Previously I thought it was 14Kt ). Ok I will upload some picture of it.

The cap should either be '1/8 14k GOLD FILLED' or '1/10 16k GOLD FILLED' without the 't' after the 'k' ie 14k/16k and not '14kt'/'16kt'.

[MarcinEck]

Could you please publish some photos?

[Erik Dalton]

Sounds like you did very well for yourself. I have several P-51's in aero and Vac versions. No matter how often I handle them, I remain on awe of these iconic pens. Congratulations on your pen and also in finding a reliable seller where you can get service for this special pen. I'm sure it will give you years and years of happy writing... Enjoy.

Don't forget to put up pics.

[PAKMAN]

Congrats! Hope you have many years of enjoyment from your 51!!

[Deep_Adhikary]

Congrats! Hope you have many years of enjoyment from your 51!!

Sounds like you did very well for yourself. I have several P-51's in aero and Vac versions. No matter how often I handle them, I remain on awe of these iconic pens. Congratulations on your pen and also in finding a reliable seller where you can get service for this special pen. I'm sure it will give you years and years of happy writing... Enjoy.

Don't forget to put up pics.

Could you please publish some photos?

Congratulations on your "new" pen. I have recently returned to using the Parker 51 pens myself. I had forgotten just how fantastic a writing experience they are. I was sort of disappointed that you left out the details of your new pen, the barrel and cap colors. There are so many wonderful color and cap combinations. I've also discovered that there are two different lengths in the "demi" size 51's. And recently found a color chart listing 7 vacumatic colors and 8 aerometric colors. So could you give a little more detail about your "new" pen!

 

I'm currently inked up with about 8 - 51's and can't make up my mind about which one I like the best. They are fantastically smooth, moderately wet flow. I have burgundy, dove grey, navy grey, cobalt blue, cocoa, forest green, teal, black.

 

Happy writing and Welcome to FPN

The pump/filler is fine, as was mentioned by Sasha it is diaphram that will deteriorate with age.

Working or not, I would expect to replace the diaphram as it is 50+ years old.

Rubber deteriorates with time/age. So even if not used, it will deteriorate.

 

N-joy the pen.

Thanks to all for your time,and valuable comments. Today I have cleaned my pen. Cleaning is a pen for vacumatic. And I think overcleaning is not at all good for diaphram. So I have decided that I wont cleant it, until and unless it absolutely required. Pkease share your thought regarding this

[Deep_Adhikary]

 

Please refer to follwing link for photos. Please let me know if it works.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/em4giTH42KEyC9do1

[ENewton]

What a lovely pen. May it provide many years of writing pleasure and inspiration.

 

On the matter of cleaning, if I am using a pen continuously and not switching inks, I still clean it after a few months. And, of course, I clean it if I won't be using it for a while. For example, I would never go on a vacation and leave a pen at home with ink in it.

 

My Parker 51s are both wet enough that they produce a very dark line, so I usually make my last fill before cleaning a partial fill of distilled water. For however long it takes me to exhaust that partial fill, my writing is paler, but I think it makes the pen easier to flush when the time comes.

 

As for cleaning materials, I have used fountain pens exclusively for more than twenty years and have never used anything other than distilled water for flushing.

[mitto]

Please refer to follwing link for photos. Please let me know if it works.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/em4giTH42KEyC9do1

 

Lovely pen. Enjoy writing with it.