What Parkers Have Joined Your Collection Lately?

[jchch1950]

Fountain pens are gifts for special occasions such as graduations, birthdays or retirement mementoes. In many cases, they were engraved to remember the occasion. I don't mind buying a pen with an engrave because they can be objects meaningful for someone.

[christof]

And some engravings are very nicely done:

 

 

...and if the  initials fit your owns, it's even better :)

[donnweinberg]

14 hours ago, Just J said:

And secondly, can the Aerometric refill system ("Press ribbed bar 3 times...", if it matters) be replaced by a converter? 

 

11 hours ago, Driften said:

There is a replacement brass connector that changes the Aerometric to cartridge/converter. There was a review on YouTube (InkquiringMinds) where he showed the install and was going to order more. 

 

There is on eBay an India-based seller who manufactures a brass connector to replace the aerometric squeeze unit.  I purchased 4 of his connectors, along with O-Rings that go on one end of the connector, so that I could convert some of my aerometric Parker 51s.  I tried to use it on one of my black 51 Aeros, but it didn’t fit well enough that the barrel could screw back onto the section fully; there was a gap.  I got in touch with Sriram, who is very honorable and easy to work with.  He indicated that he has different models of his connector for different “years” of the Parker 51 Aerometric, and he is sending me three other connectors in hopes that they will work.

 

I sent Sriram photos relevant to the task, as I wasn’t able to identify the year of manufacture of my P51.  I’m still not clear about the year.  I have many, many P51 Aeros, and I haven’t yet tried the connectors I have with other of my Aeros.  I’ll keep you all posted.  Bottom line:  It’s not as simple as one might hope, as which connector you want depends on your model’s year of manufacture, which in turn is not obvious.

 

However, I was able to remove the section (using soaking and dry heat) and to remove the collector-feed-nib unit from the aero squeeze unit (after some further soaking to dissolve any dried ink).  I also removed the metal ring.  From that point, all you have to do is put the collector-feed-nib unit into the correct side of the brass connector (no longer using the aero squeeze unit with the pen).  You have to properly locate the collector-feed-nib unit so that the nib aligns properly with the hood opening (as you would in any case). You then place the metal ring back on, place an O-Ring above the metal ring, then screw the brass connector into the section, and then screw the barrel onto the other end of the connector.  Because of the O-Ring, you shouldn't use any thread sealant or shellac to keep the section from leaking.

 

Just to try out whether the pen would write, despite the gap between the barrel and the section ring, I inserted a Parker slide-converter into the lower portion of the brass connector and filled the pen with Waterman Blue-Black ink using the converter.  It worked and wrote well, even after a day.  So, the connector works just fine, but you need the correct model of the connector for your particular Parker 51 Aero.

 

 

[donnweinberg]

Just to provide helpful information about these products:  The seller on eBay is listed as rkpw.77a9, but his first name is Sriram.  The brass connector is listed as “Parker 51 Aerometric Pen Converter Adapter” and sells for $10.50 plus $3 shipping.  There also is another listing for “Parker 51 ‘O’ Rings for Aerometric Fountain Pens,” which sell for $5.50 each ring plus $2.50 shipping.  He consolidates shipping costs if you buy both.  Each eBay page explains how to use each product.  I don’t have any connection to this seller other than having recently purchased the products, as reported above.  I’ll be interested in knowing your own experiences, if any, with these products on your own Parker 51 Aeros.

[Mercian]

5 hours ago, donnweinberg said:

There is on eBay an India-based seller who manufactures a brass connector to replace the aerometric squeeze unit...

 

5 hours ago, donnweinberg said:

Just to provide helpful information about these products...

 

Thank you for these two posts! 😊

[Sheptonian]

On 10/23/2024 at 11:31 PM, Mercian said:

 

Perhaps the first owner was a massive fan of Iron Maiden...? 😉

 

Aha - Very good! (I had to get a work colleague to explain....)

 

 

[Just J]

On 10/23/2024 at 8:05 PM, Mercian said:

 

There aren't any physical markings; not even on the nib.
At least, that is true for my "51" that was made at Newhaven in 1954, onto which I paid a restorer to put a replacement nib (from 1955).
I believe that it's also true for the "51"s that were made in Janesville.

 

My experience is that one has to make an educated guess based on how wide one perceives the line written with the pen to be.

The same is also true of e.g. my 1980s Sheaffer Triumph 444.
I bought it from someone who was selling it as a 'Fine', but if that's true than it's a very 'big-boned' 'Fine'!

Maybe Sheaffer's nib grades were based around their pens being "built for comfort, not for speed"? 🤷‍♂️

 

I have read on here that the nibs on the "51"s from Janesville WI tend to be a little narrower than the equivalently-marked nibs on the "51"s from Newhaven; but I only have two "51"s, and both of mine are from Newhaven, so I cannot say whether or not that rumour is accurate.

 

 

Sorry, but no. It's built-in.

 

Although Parker did (briefly) make a c/c version of the "51", I believe that the 'guts' of the two 'sub-species' of the beast are not interchangeable in that manner.

And one certainly cannot dismantle a "51" to remove its 'aerometric' filling system and then simply stick a Parker cartridge or converter in to the pen.

 

Btw, shouldn't the stamping on the metal sac-shroud say "Press ribbed bar 4 times" (or 6 times for the earlier models), rather than 3?

 

Slàinte,
M.

Nup; See below, just as advertised: 

[Just J]

On 10/24/2024 at 3:49 PM, Mercian said:

 

 

Thank you for these two posts! 😊

From me as well! Flexed metal fatigues over time, and I've tried to imagine what one might do when that fateful day arrives for a much-loved pen with Aero- refill. 

[Mercian]

2 hours ago, Just J said:

Nup; See below, just as advertised: 

 

Well, I shall go to the foot of our stairs!

 

On a positive note, even if the production-date-code has worn off your pen's barrel, the mention of 'Superchrome' ink† on the filler shroud gives a good idea of the era in which your "51" was made

 

† some say that this ink was the inspiration for the corrosive blood of the anthropophagic xenomorph in Alien.

[John T]

My Parker collection is slowly growing, 3 Vacs, 4 Aerometric, 2 Specials, and 3 21's The Cocoa Aerometric is the latest acquisition...

[TheRedBeard]

On 10/23/2024 at 3:17 PM, Sheptonian said:

A lovely early Newhaven P61 Custom Insignia set with a slightly unusual engraving. I bought these for spares but they are too good for that.

 

 

 

 

Just marvelous... Congratulations!  

[baz666]

A recent find.

Parker 45 set in the less common black TX.

 

 

 

[Carguy]

10 hours ago, baz666 said:

A recent find.

Parker 45 set in the less common black TX.

 

 

 

That’s beautiful!

[Sheptonian]

On 11/2/2024 at 12:52 PM, baz666 said:

A recent find.

Parker 45 set in the less common black TX.

 

 

 

 

Oh, very nice indeed!

 

[PAKMAN]

Picked up a couple of Gray pearl Vacs off of Ebay recently

 

[GlenV]

On 11/4/2024 at 3:05 PM, PAKMAN said:

Picked up a couple of Gray pearl Vacs off of Ebay recently

 

I like your choice of pens...

[Armo]

30's Canadian Duofold. From what I've been able to ascertain it appears to be an SR Streamlined. It has a Parker Arrowed nib which is not orginal but has been half-inched from a Vacuumatic. Waiting on a new sac to get it up and running.

[GlenV]

On 11/6/2024 at 11:05 PM, Armo said:

30's Canadian Duofold. From what I've been able to ascertain it appears to be an SR Streamlined. It has a Parker Arrowed nib which is not orginal but has been half-inched from a Vacuumatic. Waiting on a new sac to get it up and running.

The later duofolds went to an arrow nib and comb feed instead of the lucky curve which they no longer say on the barrel so may be the right nib, they had a BIG arrow nib.:)

[Armo]

9 hours ago, GlenV said:

The later duofolds went to an arrow nib and comb feed instead of the lucky curve which they no longer say on the barrel so may be the right nib, they had a BIG arrow nib.:)

Thanks GlenV, you are right about the nibs but this one has Vacuumatic writen on it so no great detective work on my part. I've been able to ink it up and it's a very nice pen, a little bit chunky but nice in the hand.

[cat74]

Lovely blue Parker VS set. Sold as untested and after a scrub to bring the nib back(it was grey!) it turns out the sac is working!!