M y father’s first Parker 21 Super

[Penman57]

Dear Forum,

 

To add to my earlier introduction note, here are a few pics of my father’s first Parker 21 (this pen was and is the reason I love fountain pens). The photos perhaps do not show the colours well, so sorry, I am still in learning mode. After reading up on this type of pen on this forum, I now know (or think) that it is a Parker 21 Super, with the arrow clip and smaller nib opening. I remember him using this pen during the sixties, always with Parker turquoise ink and I loved the colour, so good memories. The pen itself has a turquoise section, but if I remember correctly, at some point the barrel cracked and he had it repaired. At that point, perhaps due a lack of spare parts, they repaired it by putting in a green barrel, which is close, but obviously not the right colour. After having been in a box for over thirty years, I cleaned it today and it appears that everything is working as it should. The sac had some encrusted turquoise ink inside, but after patient and abundant filling/cleaning the sac with tepid water (as per this forum’s advice), I now am at a light blue colour and transparent sac. So far so good. Next will be for me to find some nice and kind ink that I can start using with it safely. The Parker turquoise colour no longer exists, so perhaps I will go for Waterman serenity blue, which I like as a colour and understand to be a safe and good ink for everyday use. The inspired blue I find too light in colour. The other current turquoises are nowhere near the colour I remember, so no problem changing to a different blue that I like. Final point, I will now be on the lookout for a turquoise barrel that matches the nib, to put the pen back into its previous shape as I remember it.

[Penman57]

Just to add to my note above, I think the pen colour is actually called teal. So I went ahead and purchased a low price teal 21 on Ebay that looked very close to my colour. Will keep the forum posted when it arrives. 

[PAKMAN]

Look at Waterman Inspired Blue.  Congrats on having a wonderful legacy pen! 

[Penman57]

Thank you Pakman. I did look at inspired blue as well.  Very nice, but for me more like light blue versus turquoise.  Still, you cannot go wrong on any of these blues, since all are quite beautiful. I may get a bottle of each….the rabbit hole opening up I am afraid. 

[Penman57]

As said, the rabbit hole is opening up with no way to escape its draw….cleaning all my pens….on the net for inks next….and future acquisitions if I cannot control the urge. Moderators, please let me know if I need to move my thread to another forum, thanks. Great joy to have found this community of fountain pen aficionados. 

[Penguincollector]

  Hi and welcome! I’m a pen lover because of my dad’s Parker 45. I keep it in my rotation. I have a couple of recommendations for a safe turquoise ink for you. Let me know if you find they lean too blue or green, are too light or any other concerns.  Inks to look at are Pelikan 4001 Turquoise, Herbin Bleu Calanque,  Diamine Havasu Turquoise, Lamy Turquoise, or try mixing 1-2 drops of Waterman’s Serenity Blue into 1 mL of Inspired Blue to make it a bit more legible. 

[Penman57]

Thank you Penguincollector, I will look at your recommended turquoises and report back. Sadly, I used the same Parker ink my dad used for a long time, but threw it away when I stopped using fountain pens. For business and air travel ballpoints were much more practical, so put the FP in the drawer.  I appreciate your suggestions and am pleased to find another pen friend inspired by a father’s pen. 

[Penman57]

So, following Penguincollector’s advice, I looked up the colour swatches available on the net. Waterman is a bit too blue, as is Diamine. Herbin is very, very nice but a bit too green and Pelikan comes close, but too light blueish. But all are very nice! Perhaps I will just hunt for a vintage Parker turquoise bottle. 

[PAKMAN]

You might also look at Diamine Marine blue green 

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

Hey

 

Just an fyi, the plastic on 21s is extremely prone to cracking. Fatally.  For a nearly identical writing experience, i would consider picking up a “51” special (non gold nib, in fact the same octanium nib as a 21 super ). The plastic in a “51” is borderline indestructible. That way you can put your dad’s pen aside and not worry about it breaking. Just a thought. 
 

ps: i really like turquoise inks too. 

[Penguincollector]

How about Diamine Aqua?

[VacNut]

Sounds like the pen has sentimental value to you. The different colored barrel was satisfactory to your father, perhaps you may consider leaving it as-is?

A correct replacement barrel may be cosmetically a better match, but it was never touched by your father.

 

Just my thoughts. Enjoy using the pen.

[Penman57]

Thank you for your colour suggestions and I will keep looking. Part of the fun of course is trying different inks. But I do need to start thinking about writing more beyond grocery lists…

 

Thank you also for the advice regarding the fragility of the 21 plastic, I will keep that in mind.

 

Regarding keeping my pen in its current bi-colour state, that is a very good point and I did think about it. But what I remember most is when it was original in one colour and think my dad also did not like the bi-colour much, because shortly after he bought a dark blue 21 (the other one in the picture above).

[Penman57]

Dear Forum, I posted a follow up on my search for the old Parker turquoise ink colour on the Parker forum, including a comparison picture of various other inks that come close. Not sure if that is the right procedure, but I expect to learn as I go along and guidance from the moderators is of course welcome. My current choice would be Diamine “Eau de Nil” as the colour that matches the best with my memory. 

[torstar]

Great read to start the week, many thanks!

[I-am-not-really-here]

Perhaps procure an empty bottle of Parker Super Quink Turquoise, that's the 60's era as I recall, and back fill with your chosen Diamine ink.  

[Penman57]

Excellent idea, thanks!

[Penman57]

Well, to close off my introduction thread, here is my first fountain pen writing in 25 years….today’s grocery list (as mentioned in my intro, I currently only write for grocery lists and hope to move on to more serious writing soon, including working on my style)!

Written with Caran d’Ache ultra violet in my Waterman Le Man Arlequin. I thought this colour quite fitting for a pen named harlequin. I will start using my father’s Parker 21 when the Diamine Eau de Nil arrives (on order from Paris) and report on that in the Parker forum. 

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

 

 Writing with a fountain pen is just so much nicer than a ballpoint isn’t it?

[Penman57]

It is indeed. Also makes me look for different papers. Used to write my grocery list on the back of an envelope….now I have a nice little note book for this purpose.