Parker 51 Comeback 2020?

[enuhski]

Hi, everyone, I've been trying - unsuccessfully, to find a vintage one, so for now I'm thinking of getting the gold nib one (Parker 51, 2021 edition).   I found a pretty good deal on the Parker 51 deluxe - enough for it to be within buying range for me. I see that this thread is very busy so while I'm wading through the thread, if you don't mind my asking if you can share your thoughts on getting one - those who have it. I'm looking at the gorgeous plum and gold one. Thank you.

 

 

[TheRedBeard]

12 minutes ago, enuhski said:

Hi, everyone, I've been trying - unsuccessfully, to find a vintage one, so for now I'm thinking of getting the gold nib one.  However, I found a pretty good deal on the Parker 51 deluxe - enough for it to be within buying range for me. I see that this thread is very busy so while I'm wading through the thread, if you don't mind my asking if you can share your thoughts on getting one - those who have it. I'm looking at the gorgeous plum and gold one. Thank you.

 

 

Please, check this thread about 2-3 days ago, as far as I remember, someone already got "new" P51 Deluxe and posted his first impressions.

 

Otherwise, please, read all recent posts of Sean aka Corniche on this thread about his experience with NG51 with a steel nib - he provided us with a very useful and well-balanced opinion, and you can rely on it completely.

At this moment, it is reasonable to assume that quality and performance of Deluxe version with gold nib and gold-plated cap should be not worse than ons of basic versions.

 

If you are happy to have Vector/Jotter nib/feed dressed to resemble P51, and pay unjustified premium for that masquerade, then you might be happy with NG51 then

 

 

 

 

 

[Estycollector]

48 minutes ago, enuhski said:

Hi, everyone, I've been trying - unsuccessfully, to find a vintage one, so for now I'm thinking of getting the gold nib one.  However, I found a pretty good deal on the Parker 51 deluxe - enough for it to be within buying range for me. I see that this thread is very busy so while I'm wading through the thread, if you don't mind my asking if you can share your thoughts on getting one - those who have it. I'm looking at the gorgeous plum and gold one. Thank you.

 

 

If you want a vintage, look no further. You can be assured of finding one that is properly restored. Yes, they are more expensive, but at leas you will know they are correct. Parker "51" – Dedicated to Parker "51" Pens

 

 

[Estycollector]

27 minutes ago, TheRedBeard said:

Please, check this thread about 2-3 days ago, as far as I remember, someone already got "new" P51 Deluxe and posted his first impressions.

 

Otherwise, please, read all recent posts of Sean aka Corniche on this thread about his experience with NG51 with a steel nib - he provided us with a very useful and well-balanced opinion, and you can rely on it completely.

At this moment, it is reasonable to assume that quality and performance of Deluxe version with gold nib and gold-plated cap should be not worse than ons of basic versions.

 

If you are happy to have Vector/Jotter nib/feed dressed to resemble P51, and pay unjustified premium for that masquerade, then you might be happy with NG51 then

 

 

 

 

 

The member is asking about a vintage 51. 

[TheRedBeard]

14 minutes ago, Estycollector said:

The member is asking about a vintage 51. 

It sounds like he changed his mind and asked about "new" P51, doesn't it?...

Otherwise, "I'm looking at the gorgeous plum and gold one" sounds like a rather difficult task if he means original P51 Plum...

[Estycollector]

8 minutes ago, TheRedBeard said:

It sounds like he changed his mind and asked about "new" P51, doesn't it?...

Otherwise, "I'm looking at the gorgeous plum and gold one" sounds like a rather difficult task if he means original P51 Plum...

Okay, my bad.

[inkstainedruth]

14 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 

 

Don't knock "beat-up user grade pens" -- ESPECIALLY if they're 51s.  Most of mine were either estate sale/antique store finds or on eBay.  And yeah, I needed to have some rehab work done on the 51 Vacs and some nib work done on two pens with EF nibs.  But even then I didn't pay even $87 US total for any of them except for the Midnight Blue Aero and the English-made Navy Gray Aero with the OB nib.  With the nib work on the Forest Green Aero (yes, estate sale find) it cost me $22 (plus gas from the suburbs and back, and admission fees to the Commonwealth Pen show; I let the EZPass worry about tolls on the Mass Pike).  And maybe $58.20 is no longer the going rate for vintage 51s, but I didn't pay much more than that for the black Aero at my second pen show, from Pendleton Brown, so the nib had already been worked on....  And while it was seven or eight years ago at this point, I think I paid $56....  

Yeah, I'm also the person who doesn't completely freak out by a name engraved on a vintage pen -- if it cuts the "value" it also cuts the PRICE....  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Audog]

19 hours ago, Ferocity said:

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

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

Mustang, but I don't know how to fly, but do know how to write

[Audog]

After a day of use, I have to say it's a good pen (New 51), starts right up after being capped, I STILL prefer my original 51's, and the other hooded nib pens I have (Lamy 2K's). I think that this new Parker 51 is in the same category as the "new" Aurora Duo-Cart, which is another nice hooded nib pen, and a cut above the Esterbrook hooded nib reissue. Although for a LOT LESS money, a Wing Sun (Sp?) is a nice hooded nib pen, and is closer to my original 51's than any of the others. I don't think I will purchase a second 2021 model 51, but glad I got the one I did. I should mention that of all my 51's, and I have 40 or so, the model from the early 2000's has the smoothest writing nib of any. The plastic body sucks, with all the cracks that develop, but the nib is butter smooth.

[Audog]

This may not belong here, but having a love of "hooded" nib pens, but not owning a Waterman Carene, I realize that it's not a true hooded nib pen, but any good?

[Estycollector]

56 minutes ago, Audog said:

After a day of use, I have to say it's a good pen (New 51), starts right up after being capped, I STILL prefer my original 51's, and the other hooded nib pens I have (Lamy 2K's). I think that this new Parker 51 is in the same category as the "new" Aurora Duo-Cart, which is another nice hooded nib pen, and a cut above the Esterbrook hooded nib reissue. Although for a LOT LESS money, a Wing Sun (Sp?) is a nice hooded nib pen, and is closer to my original 51's than any of the others. I don't think I will purchase a second 2021 model 51, but glad I got the one I did. I should mention that of all my 51's, and I have 40 or so, the model from the early 2000's has the smoothest writing nib of any. The plastic body sucks, with all the cracks that develop, but the nib is butter smooth.

Having so many vintage 51's, I found your opinion about the Wing Sung 601 noteworthy. It might be my imagination, but the metal flighter type is more smooth than the plastic ones I've owned and given away, but still very nice. 

[corniche]

24 minutes ago, Audog said:

This may not belong here, but having a love of "hooded" nib pens, but not owning a Waterman Carene, I realize that it's not a true hooded nib pen, but any good?

 

Hi Audog,

 

There are many here who love the Carene; I wish I could say the same.  I tried two Carenes and ended up returning them both. 

 

One was a stunningly beautiful "Amber" model, which perfectly matched the mottled and burled mahogany finish of the old Chris-Craft racing yachts of the 1920s.

 

That one would write well for a few words or a couple lines - and then stall out.  I tried flushing it out and splaying the tines - no luck.

 

The second one was a classic black and gold; which would regularly leak ink out of the siphon/feed hole in the section - leaving me with inky fingers and an inky cap. I returned that one as well.

 

Sufficed to say, my luck with the Carene wasn't great. Pity. It's a gorgeous pen.

 

- Sean 

[Audog]

the Wing Sung is the closest to the original 51 that I have. Wing sung is vacumatic, nib is similar to my original 51's (read that like a nail) no flex, but writes a decent line.styling is not exactly the same, with Wing Sung having large ink level windows, and original 51 having none. But the nib feel, or lack thereof, is about the same. No flex, have to find the "sweet spot" when writing, but I'm old enough that a couple of the 51's in my  collection were purchased new, by me, and they write very similar to the Wing Sung. The WS is a good pen, and price is well within reach of most people.

[Audog]

1 minute ago, corniche said:

 

Hi Audog,

 

There are many here who love the Carene; I wish I could say the same.  I tried two Carenes and ended up returning them both. 

 

One was a stunningly beautiful "Amber" model, which perfectly matched the mottled and burled mahogany finish of the old Chris-Craft racing yachts of the 1920s.

 

That one would write well for a few words or a couple lines - and then stall out.  I tried flushing it out and splaying the tines - no luck.

 

The second one was a classic black and gold; which would regularly leak ink out of the siphon/feed hole in the section - leaving me with inky fingers and an inky cap. I returned that one as well.

 

Sufficed to say, my luck with the Carene wasn't great. Pity. It's a gorgeous pen.

 

- Sean 

thanks, I LOVE the look, but wondered about the "ink on fingers" potential issue. I will stick with 51's, duo-carts and Lamy 2K

s for my hooded nib obsession.

[I-am-not-really-here]

3 minutes ago, corniche said:

 

Hi Audog,

 

There are many here who love the Carene; I wish I could say the same.  I tried two Carenes and ended up returning them both. 

 

One was a stunningly beautiful "Amber" model, which perfectly matched the mottled and burled mahogany finish of the old Chris-Craft racing yachts of the 1920s.

 

That one would write well for a few words or a couple lines - and then stall out.  I tried flushing it out and splaying the tines - no luck.

 

The second one was a classic black and gold; which would regularly leak ink out of the siphon/feed hole in the section - leaving me with inky fingers and an inky cap. I returned that one as well.

 

Sufficed to say, my luck with the Carene wasn't great. Pity. It's a gorgeous pen.

 

- Sean 

Having nearly two dozen (in collecting the various color schemes) and those issues are yet to come up. But if a user is in the habit of gripping pens low, then the nib wings could get squeezed and flow out ink.  The nib units (nib+feed+section) are easily exchanged.

[Audog]

5 minutes ago, I-am-not-really-here said:

Having nearly two dozen (in collecting the various color schemes) and those issues are yet to come up. But if a user is in the habit of gripping pens low, then the nib wings could get squeezed and flow out ink.  The nib units (nib+feed+section) are easily exchanged.

So the issue is with grip? I think I may try one, as I love the look of them. 

[Audog]

Parker 51, circa 2021 further thoughts.....I don't like the threaded cap. right now I have an original 51 from the 1940's, a version from early 2000's and the 2021 inked for use in my journal, I have to remember which is which when going to un-cap and use. If only the current version, whose nib I actually like, were a press fit.........

[corniche]

14 hours ago, Estycollector said:

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!!

 

True. Thanks, Chuck.

 

- Sean 

 

[corniche]

25 minutes ago, I-am-not-really-here said:

Having nearly two dozen (in collecting the various color schemes) and those issues are yet to come up. But if a user is in the habit of gripping pens low, then the nib wings could get squeezed and flow out ink.  The nib units (nib+feed+section) are easily exchanged.

 

Congratulations, iamnotreallyhere. You obviously have better luck than I do. It broke my heart to return the amber one - and I got a good deal on it - $190 from Amazon during the holidays. (The fine nib was only $125, but I cant stand them and was wary of a "nib exchange" with Waterman in France during a pandemic- so I shelled out the extra coin to get the Medium). I really wish it would have worked out. I loved the look of that pen.

 

I'm glad you're able to enjoy yours. 👍  I didn't. 

 

- Sean 

[corniche]

34 minutes ago, Audog said:

thanks, I LOVE the look, but wondered about the "ink on fingers" potential issue. I will stick with 51's, duo-carts and Lamy 2K

s for my hooded nib obsession.

 

Hi Audog,

 

Those are all good pens; I would also encourage you to try a Carene - you may get lucky - just make sure you buy it from a place that has a liberal return policy.

 

One note, though; the Carene has an inlaid nib, not really a hooded nib, so much.  It's more like a Sheaffer than a Parker. 

 

- Sean