Parker 51 Trouble Starter

January 26, 2015

So I purchased a NOS Parker 51 with a medium nib from a FPN member back in October and after a thorough flushing with soapy water I filled her up with Waterman Florida Blue. At the time she did not lay down a consistent line, she would vary from wet to dry in just a few strokes. I didn't think much of it because the pen was so beautiful I didn't mind that she didn't write that well or else she would have to go into my rotation and succumb to wear and tear. I ended up storing her in a Parker box while still filled with Waterman Florida Blue. Tonight, while tuning a Sheaffer Sagaris I opened the Parker box and decided to write. Lo and behold she wrote, and she wrote very well, the line was wet and smooth, a proper medium. I could only assume that the feed, after being in storage for such a long time uninked, might have dried out and the prolonged storage of the pen with ink allowed the feed to regain its unique properties. Can anyone chime in on this?

Thanks,

Brad

Edited January 26, 2015 by Batman

January 27, 2015

I've had the experience of pens writing better after they have been filed for a few days. Most likely dried ink clogging the works dissolved when the pen was filled.

January 27, 2015

Batman, there is a fairly large finned collector inside the hood. It's purpose is to regulate ink flow. After a cleaning or when dry, it takes a while for the collector to become fully charged with ink and full proper flow ensue.

From not having been filled, most pens I've used write better the morning after a fill.

Especially if there is an ebonite feed involved. (Yes, the 51 also has an ebonite feed.)

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

January 27, 2015

My freshly cleaned (and totally genderless) Parker '51s always write better after a day or so. I usually keep it on my desk flat and maybe move it here and there till I feel like the flow is good. Nib up will not allow the collector to settle, if the collector is a tad flooded nib down might drip ink in to the cap (usually not) so I clean the pen, let it dry, then fill it and keep it on my desk. After a day or so, or a couple pages all is good.

Less problems with the Vac fill, I always try to write a little after the fill because even if you hold down the last pump and then let go when the nib is clear of the ink there is often a bit of flooding in the collector. A half a page or so and it is usually gone.

Definitely a pen that writes better on day 2 of a fill and luckily it holds plenty of ink. If I am not changing ink colors (usually not) I will fill w/o cleaning. The second fill always rocks.

I learned a lot about how the 51 works by owning a demonstrator.

P51 filled with Florida Blue is a great combo. heh. Enjoy.

January 31, 2015

You should keep the pen with water for 24+ hours or more and see if it writes smooth enough. then switch to soap and other products.

February 1, 2015

Soapy water is not recommend to cleanse a pen.... It may place a film on the fins and prevent even flow.

Use 10 -20% ammonia to 80% cold water never warm or hot.

Believe it or not.

February 2, 2015

After buying a brand new Parker 51 when I was in the Air Force I filled it with Sheaffer blue black and it wrote perfectly and has never faltered. This soapy water hooha applies to some European pens like Pelikans, which seem to have frequent issues when new. I wouldn't apply the soapy water hooha to most pens, and soapy water is too much. A small amount of soap in water to fill one of those flock of stuff pens, followed by heavy rinsing to leave no traces of visible soap is better.

I tried some of this hooha when I was trying to straighten out some Sonnets, but found the hooha unnecessary. Just a purge with water usually helps.

I have inked about eighteen NOS Parker 51s, and I never found manufacturing oils in them, which is what leads some people to use a small amount of soapy stuff to clean out the oils. I never had a NOS P51 not write perfectly from the getgo. Otherwise why bother with the best pen ever made?

I think that some neophyte enthusiasts try too hard to use all of what they believe to be recommended solutions. Many pens need to have ink penetrate the feed for a while before they flow ink perfectly, though. My experience does tell me that not all pens of a model will behave exactly the same. If the ink does not have perfect flow at the outset, have patience and let the ink saturate the feed. That can take variable amounts of time. Go ahead and try it from time to time.