Parker 51 Comeback 2020?

[TheRedBeard]

21 minutes ago, corniche said:

 

Hi Red,

 

The fear of failure and low key marketing I can give you, but why no literature? Not even simple instructions on how to fill and flush the pen - something any neophyte would need; no warranty card... nothing.  No converter, either; even in the "high-end" Deluxe model - it's all quite strange. 

 

- Sean 

 

 

Hi Sean,

I absolutely agree, and not enclosing any "supporting documentation" is a mystery for me, too...

Some time ago you rightly mentioned inevitable problems when a company changes hands too often, and it seems it is exactly a case for Parker under Newell ownership.

As I see it, it is a serious lack of commercial expertise in marketing/selling luxury pens.

It is obvious that Newell treats all pens they manufacture as commodity or disposables... 

 

Some time ago it was a small discussion here in Parker FPN sub-forum on new cheaper boxes for Duofold Cenntennial introduced last year.

It is just another illustration...

 

 

 

 

 

[ele]

"Cap now screws on to make the experience feel more premium." Having used mine for a couple days, I can tell you it feels nothing of the sort. There are some excellent-feeling threaded caps out there--I'm thinking of modern Auroras especially--but this is not one of them. Who puts metal against plastic? 

Anybody had issues with hard starts after sitting capped? Mine has had a slight hesitancy and a more concentrated color on the page a couple times. 

[encremental]

Who puts metal against plastic? Caran d'Ache, Montblanc and Graf von Faber Castell are three for starters ...

 

John

[maclink]

1 hour ago, encremental said:

Who puts metal against plastic? Caran d'Ache, Montblanc and Graf von Faber Castell are three for starters ...

 

John

It's quite common place in the case of plastic body to metal threaded section (usually mix of plastic and metal). However, metal cap threads to plastic body threads is unusual.  I could find only one example among my pens, i.e., a Montegrappa Fortuna Copper Mule.  The threading on the inside of the cap is plastic although the cap is metal. The threading on the section for the cap is metal.  

[encremental]

That's true - the examples I mentioned are all plastic lined caps screwing onto metal threaded sections. But metal against plastic all the same.

 

John

[maclink]

11 minutes ago, encremental said:

That's true - the examples I mentioned are all plastic lined caps screwing onto metal threaded sections. But metal against plastic all the same.

 

John

I think the distinction is important because of how often one threading is worked as opposed to the other.  The cap on section/body threading is heavy duty whether designed as such or not.  It has to put up with very frequent use, much less than the body to section threading.

[encremental]

I think we're at cross purposes! Yes, a metal section screwed into a plastic body will not generate as much stress as the metal section screwing in and out of a plastic lined cap, which were my examples. Metal sections screwing into plastic bodies are quite common - often with a little rubber or silicon gismo at the end of the section. But there are metal sections screwing into plastic threads in caps  as well - and all my examples are from quite expensive pens.

 

John

[corniche]

5 hours ago, ele said:

Anybody had issues with hard starts after sitting capped? Mine has had a slight hesitancy and a more concentrated color on the page a couple times. 

 

Hi Ele,

 

Yes. Read the last 2-3 pages of this thread; it seems to be a common problem with multiple options for correcting it. Fortunately, mine was fixed using the simplest one - I gave it a good soak/flush and a 4-minute ride in my ultrasonic cleaner - and now it's on the third or fourth day with no issues, so far.  👍

 

- Sean 

[corniche]

Hi all,

 

This will probably be my last update; UNLESS theres a problem:

 

 

- Sean 

[Estycollector]

I find those occur, but no fault of the pen, Sean.

 

Best Regards,

chuck

[Audog]

My "New" 51 came, and honestly, I'm not upset with it. I do find when posted it's a bit back heavy, but overall a decent pen. Not quite like my collection of original 51's, but perhaps a bit more like them than the early 2000's 51's I have. It is not a lousy pen, writes well, nice smooth nib. Overall I'm happy with it and will put it into rotation. 

[corniche]

58 minutes ago, Estycollector said:

I find those occur, but no fault of the pen, Sean.

 

Best Regards,

chuck

 

Hi Chuck, 

 

You know that - and I know that - but others may not. 

 

- Sean 

[corniche]

39 minutes ago, Audog said:

My "New" 51 came, and honestly, I'm not upset with it. I do find when posted it's a bit back heavy, but overall a decent pen. Not quite like my collection of original 51's, but perhaps a bit more like them than the early 2000's 51's I have. It is not a lousy pen, writes well, nice smooth nib. Overall I'm happy with it and will put it into rotation. 

 

Hi Audog,

 

I agree. I also find it a little out of balance - the cap and body weigh the same - 12 grams. 

 

The original is much better balanced with a 12 gram body and an 8 gram cap.

 

- Sean 

[Ferocity]

Wow that's awesome Audog~!

I'm glad things are looking good Corniche = )

 

[inkstainedruth]

5 hours ago, corniche said:

 

Hi Audog,

 

I agree. I also find it a little out of balance - the cap and body weigh the same - 12 grams. 

 

The original is much better balanced with a 12 gram body and an 8 gram cap.

 

- Sean 

Good to know.  I take it that you mean that the total capped or posted weight is 24 grams?

While not hitting the weight limit for a pen to still be comfortable for me to use, that is getting pretty close to the limit.  And the "top heavy when posted" part could very well be a dealbreaker for me as well.  

I'll save my money and stick to vintage 51s....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Ferocity]

Which would you rather have: Parker 51 or P-51 Mustang ?

I'll take the P-51 every single time ❤️

[inkstainedruth]

Well, I've got a photo in my screen saver file of me standing in front of a P-51 Mustang in the Museum of Flight in Seattle, while holding the 1949 Plum Demi 51 -- so I've got the best of all possible worlds (well almost, anyway -- my husband took the photo with my phone and it's a little blurry...).

The quote is actually from a cartoon someone posted a number of years ago, along with some other ones, from an in-house magazine Parker had for its employees (two guys in uniform standing on a runway at a military base).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[corniche]

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

Good to know.  I take it that you mean that the total capped or posted weight is 24 grams?

While not hitting the weight limit for a pen to still be comfortable for me to use, that is getting pretty close to the limit.  And the "top heavy when posted" part could very well be a dealbreaker for me as well.  

I'll save my money and stick to vintage 51s....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Hi Ruth, Everyone, 

 

Well, I love my vintage 51s, but by the same token, I'm not going to scorn the NG51 just because it's not an EXACT replica of the original. 

 

I've said several times, I wouldn't pay $87 for one of these pens, but if you can get a deal on one; they're really not bad pens. I got mine at Pen Chalet, (where I'm a "Master Penman," because I buy a lot of pens and with my discount and $20 in ink drop bonus bucks; I got my teal NG51 for $58.20. I'd pay that price all day long for one of these NG51s - and I can guarantee you, you wont find an original at that price unless it's a beat-up user grade or you happen across one at a yard sale run by clueless people - which does happen, but it's rare. 

 

Even at $65/70, I'd buy one; anything over that, probably not... anything over $70, I might as well put out a c-note for an original  - although, even at that price, it wouldn't be in "new" or even "near mint" condition - I wish I could find a NM P51 for a c-note - I'd buy that one all day long, too. 

 

Granted, the pen IS a little back-heavy; which I don't like, but i can live with - although i can also understand where that can be a dealbreaker for some. 

 

- Sean 

 

[Estycollector]

6 hours ago, corniche said:

 

Hi Ruth, Everyone, 

 

Well, I love my vintage 51s, but by the same token, I'm not going to scorn the NG51 just because it's not an EXACT replica of the original. 

 

I've said several times, I wouldn't pay $87 for one of these pens, but if you can get a deal on one; they're really not bad pens. I got mine at Pen Chalet, (where I'm a "Master Penman," because I buy a lot of pens and with my discount and $20 in ink drop bonus bucks; I got my teal NG51 for $58.20. I'd pay that price all day long for one of these NG51s - and I can guarantee you, you wont find an original at that price unless it's a beat-up user grade or you happen across one at a yard sale run by clueless people - which does happen, but it's rare. 

 

Even at $65/70, I'd buy one; anything over that, probably not... anything over $70, I might as well put out a c-note for an original  - although, even at that price, it wouldn't be in "new" or even "near mint" condition - I wish I could find a NM P51 for a c-note - I'd buy that one all day long, too. 

 

Granted, the pen IS a little back-heavy; which I don't like, but i can live with - although i can also understand where that can be a dealbreaker for some. 

 

- Sean 

 

You got a good deal, Sean, and your writing samples look good to me. I think as collectors we don't necessarily need a pen to do it all. You got one for a reason and that reason is a good one. Enjoy!!

[Ferocity]

Neat = )

❤️❤️👍❤️❤️