Jump to content

Review on 2 custom made Parker 51s made by Ralph Prather


Nikolaos

Recommended Posts

Review on 2 custom made Parker 51s made by Ralph Prather: The Titanium and the Vespel

 

Background

 

Ever since I laid my eyes on the Prather Titanium 51 a few years ago I wanted to have one. My main interest is in vintage Japanese pens and with that in mind it remained on a wish list. I always enjoyed using my 51 flighter set and it was a Parker 51 that got me all interested in fountain pens.

Last year I attended my first ever pen show in Tilburg. It is small show but I was pretty excited, as it was my first ever pen show. My excitement turned out to be justified as I ran into a titanium 51 that a German seller has on his table. I was very surprised to see one of these pens there, and immediately asked the seller how much he wanted for it. I dashed out of the show to an ATM across the road and 5 minutes later the pen was mine!

Ralph kindly got in touch with me and informed me that my pen was #8 in a series of 22 pens made. He provided me with extra info, photos and answers to my questions

Several weeks later a pentracer had for sale a Prather 51 Vespel. I was seriously considering adding the pen to my collection. Ralph contacted me and shared info about the pen. It was just the extra little “push” I needed and a couple of weeks later my Titanium 51 had a Vespel sibling.

 

Design and finish

 

51 Titanium

 

The design of the pen is based on the timeless Double Jeweled Parker 51 pen.

The pen is machined from a solid bar of commercially pure titanium. The machining, fit and finish of the pen is absolutely gorgeous. The satin matte finish of the titanium is stunning and feels really nice when you hold the pen. Every part of the pen is meticulously made and fits perfectly in place. The pen feels very solid but it is not too heavy for an all-metal pen. The cap is a highly polished original sterling 51 cap that adds a lot of shine and acts as a great contrast to the satin finish of the titanium. It sort of becomes the jewelry part of what is an industrial looking pen.

The cap and blind cap both have aluminum jewels that look really great with the rest of the pen. I really like the solid brass filling rod that Ralph made for this pen.

 

this photo taken by Ralph

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/51-ti-9.jpg

 

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/titaniumuncapped.jpg

 

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/titaniumuncappedandblind.jpg

 

another photo from Ralph showing all the components that make up the pen..pretty amazing

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/51-ti-18.jpg

 

 

51 Vespel

 

The design of the Vespel 51 is pretty much identical to the Titanium but it doesn’t have the brass ring that separates the blind cap from the barrel.

The material Ralph used to create this pen is called Vespel and is manufactured by Dupont. Vespel is a high performance polymer is mostly used in aerospace, semiconductor and transportation technology. It combines heat resistance, lubricity, dimensional stability, chemical resistance, and creep resistance, to be used in hostile and extreme environmental conditions. It is a very expensive material and Ralph explained to me that the rod he used to make this pen came from the same rod stock that NASA used to fabricate parts for the MARS ROVER. Yes this material has been on Mars!

The color of the Vespel pen is a bit debatable. The photos the seller provided made the pen look like it s a deep burgundy. When I received the pen the color was more like a milk chocolate. On some photos it appears dark red on others brown. Ralph sent me some Vespel shavings and when held in the sunlight they appear orange.

Some of the very cool touches on the pen are the vacumatic filling rod that is made out of Vespel just like the two jewels on the pen! The cap is hand hammered and I think complements the pen really well. I particularly like the way it catches light and reflects it in all kinds of directions.

 

Ralph's photo with info regarding the use of Vespel on the Mars Rover

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/51-Vespel.jpg

 

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/P51-Vespel-CP.jpg

 

both pens together

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/titaniumvespeltool.jpg

 

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/titaniumandvespel2.jpg

 

Nibs and filling system

 

Titanium

This one came with a very juicy stub BB nib. I prefer fine nibs so I switched it. Now it has the stub BB nib on again and I am really enjoying it . It really glides on paper and works really well even when you are writing at a faster pace.

 

Vespel

The Vespel has a smooth fine nib that performs just like any other 51 fine nib! No problems at all and always ready to go

Both pens have different pitch threads on the vac retaining collar from the Parker made 51 pens. Ralph has created a solid brass tool that he gives with his pens to allow owners to self-service their pens, certainly a very nice touch.

 

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/titaniumandvespel1.jpg

 

Final thoughts

 

Needless to say that Ralph is a true gentleman. A few weeks he offered to service both of my pens free of charge just to make sure everything is in order. The pens he makes are works of art but actually meeting and interacting with him (even online) is an experience of its own.

It is one thing getting some really cool pens, but how often do we get to meet and interact with those responsible for creating them? My experience with these two pens and their maker has taken this hobby to a different plateau.

I am thrilled to have these two pens and they will remain in my collection for good.

 

photo taken by Ralph after servicing the pens

 

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/51-V-Ti-1.jpg

 

 

Nikolaos

Edited by Nikolaos
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 27
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Nikolaos

    5

  • Glenn-SC

    3

  • significantpass

    1

  • TWRDO

    1

Wow, lovely pens, Nikolaos! I think that, as you said, the contrast of the matte titanium barrel and the shiny silver cap is amazing. And I am a total sucker for hammered silver caps! Just stunning pens and a very nice exposition in text and photo. Thanks very much!

 

Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WOW!!!!! :puddle::puddle::puddle::puddle::puddle:

 

 

Those are Gorgeous!

 

darn you for making me lust after more pens.. :)

 

May I ask the price? Are they available to us plebes? :notworthy1:

Science is a way of skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility.

-Carl Sagan

http://mark.intervex.net/fpn/images/LetterExchange_sm.pnghttp://mark.intervex.net/fpn/images/PostcardExchange_sm.pnghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qVJOiluU9_4/THp4f_4pakI/AAAAAAAAA14/_d-MITGtqvY/s320/InkDropLogoFPN2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone,

 

Thanks a lot for your great comments.

 

I didn't want to talk about the prices of these awesome pens as they are truly unique pieces and adding monetary values will not do them justice. However, since you guys insist i have to tell you that i paid a fraction of the list prices. I paid 280 euro at the Tilburg pen show for the Titanium one, and $450 for the Vespel.

 

The list prices for these pens are $890 for the titanium and $750 for the Vespel. http://www.pratherpens.com/Custom%2051s.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not into 51s but I must say that those are stunners :thumbup:

Edited by georges zaslavsky

Pens are like watches , once you start a collection, you can hardly go back. And pens like all fine luxury items do improve with time

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I paid 280 euro at the Tilburg pen show for the Titanium one, and $450 for the Vespel.

Thief!!

 

Are you not ashamed of yourself?

 

 

I am sooooo jealous! :notworthy1:

 

I paid a lot more than that for mine ...

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/glenn-sc/PratherParkerOpen.jpg

Edited by Glenn-SC
Link to comment
Share on other sites

:puddle: I didn't have a grail pen until now. Wow.

Music, verily, is the mediator between intellectual and sensuous life, the one incorporeal entrance into the high world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend. -Ludwig van Beethoven

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, lovely pens, Nikolaos! I think that, as you said, the contrast of the matte titanium barrel and the shiny silver cap is amazing. And I am a total sucker for hammered silver caps! Just stunning pens and a very nice exposition in text and photo. Thanks very much!

 

Dan

 

 

Thank you Dan,

 

it is pretty difficult to decide which one of the two is my favorite. I find myself using the Titanium more as i really enjoy the heft and how solid it feels, but then again the hammered cap and warmth of the vespel along with thoughts of space exploration.....hmmm decisions...decisions!

 

Nikolaos

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I paid 280 euro at the Tilburg pen show for the Titanium one, and $450 for the Vespel.

Thief!!

 

Are you not ashamed of yourself?

 

 

I am sooooo jealous! :notworthy1:

 

I paid a lot more than that for mine ...

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/glenn-sc/PratherParkerOpen.jpg

 

 

Very nice pen you got there Glenn. I know i was super lucky to get both pens at such great prices. In general, luck seems to be on my side when it comes to pens :happyberet:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know i was super lucky to get both pens at such great prices. In general, luck seems to be on my side when it comes to pens :happyberet:

The ONLY way you can redeem yourself is to buy another titanium version at the same price for me! :thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow! Those are really unique and quite stunning. Thanks for sharing! :thumbup:

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/7260/postminipo0.png
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33501
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...