A Great Problem: What To Do With A "51" Desk Pen And More Parker Musings

[montserratplay]

Friends, I don't have the best collection of fountain pens around, but the Parkers I have just feel special in my hand. And I love that a fifty-five-year-old Aerometric can work PERFECTLY with nothing more than a flush.

 

I guess that my first point is to say that I really love the Parker pens and pencils I've acquired. I'm still fighting with my first couple "51"s on a few points, but they generally write so beautifully and feel so good in the hand. I'm so amazed that the Aerometric filling system is so robust after so many decades. I also love that the pens were made in America (for the most part). I have a couple modern foreign-made pens in my modest collection; they work very well. (Don't think I'm not dismissing those pens.)

 

My second point is that I acquired a "51" Aerometric desk pen that seems like it will work just fine...aside from the fact that I don't have a base for the pen. And I'm not really a desk pen person at this point. This desk pen has a stub nib, I believe...that's pretty cool. It seems like a "51" barrel and cap could make it into a "normal" "51." Is there anything crazy about turning the desk pen into a portable one?

 

Do you have any tips as to how to get a barrel and cap at a reasonable price?

[ac12]

No, but it might be a bit costly but the best idea is to get a donor pen to get the barrel and cap from.

Then you could sell the resultant desk pen that the donor pen becomes, to get back some of the cost.

 

Now the tricky part, what 51 is it?

A pix of the inside where you press the lever would help.

And what does it say on the sac protector? Parker 51, Parker 51 Special, ??

The reason for the questions is that the "mark 3" pens have a different thread for the body, and a 51 Special body will not fit a mark 3 pen.

[montserratplay]

Oh, very good questions. It's not a Special; I already have a couple "51"s and I tried the barrel and cap from one of those and it was fine. Shoot. I did forget to look to see if there was a date code. I'll check that later.

[sherbie]

Why not shop around for a Whitefriars bubble glass Parker 51 desk base?These go for very little money, and come in a range of really nice colors

 

Picture shamlessly borrowed from the web

 

Cheers, paul

[Hooker56]

 

 

Do you have any tips as to how to get a barrel and cap at a reasonable price?

 

Look for a PM from me.

 

Clayton

[JotterAddict62]

If you need a desk base I have a few extra lying around.

 

 

Ken

[pajaro]

I just find a spare cap and use it on the desk pen. I use it around the house, and the cap keeps it moist for a reasonable period.