Greetings to one and all,

I found this site on a link from PenTrace, liked what I saw and signed up.

So am I a fountain pen collector, well sort of, but only by accident you understand. Am I a FP user, most certainly! Being educated in England during the 1950/60s writing with a fountain pen was mandatory. So I have had inky fingers for many moons now

My first REAL fountain pen was a Parker 51, bought for me by my parents for the Christmas of 1962 as I had just started at a new senior school. I still own that pen today, I say own, because right now it is not in my hands having been sent off for repair yesterday after the sac sprang a leak. This happened before about 12 years ago when the sac came loose and I fear it has happened again But on the bright side I have a good local repair man here in the UK and I sent it off to him yesterday for a bit of TLC and I know it will return as good as new.

So for a while I only had the 51, right through school and higher education. However when I started work, in computer rooms in the late 60s, I could not use a FP, they were banned from the clean room conditions. I did have the matching 51 Ball Pen though so I used that!

As the years past, people bought me other pens, but only ever Parkers, once a Parker user, always a Parker user. So a rather nice rolled gold 61 and later one of the first Sonnets joined the user collection. A few years back a comment from a friend at work about my Rollerball, (it was actually the RG 61), started me off on a quest to educate the masses. I do collect Victorian Pocket Watches and Clocks, and at Fairs you often found the odd fountain pen. So I began buying old Parker 51s, cleaning then up and giving them to friends and family as Educational Gifts.

On route I found some examples that either were surplus to requirement or were a colour or cap type I did not have and therefore they found their way into my desk drawer. So I have around ten 51s, four 61s, a trio of Sonnets, a WingSung clone and a Black Cross that crept in there from somewhere?!? I normally have about 3 or 4 inked and in use, as they run out of ink, they get flushed and another gets an outing. Today I have a Sonnet with a broad nib, two 51 vacs and a 51 Aero in use.

So am I collecting? Well sort of maybe, as a new or different item comes along I try to resist then fail. I promise myself that I will either sell or give away a few, but that also goes by the wayside. For example this week I ended up swapping a Parker 45 Flighter FP/BP and a Shaeffer White Dot BP for the Broad Nib Sonnet I am currently learning to get the best from.

So do I have a wonderful writing hand? Simple answer NO! But if I write with a FP and think about what I am doing, then maybe I can read it back later and if a miracle happens somebody else might be able to read it too.

So that is me then, Parker Pen Maniac from Swindon, Wilts UK, Home of the GWR otherwise known as God's Wonderful Railway, Oh Yes and I like Steam Locomotives Too, Oh and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who built the GWR.

Best regards,

Jim Strutton

Welcome, Jim. I love 51s as well, especially the broader-nibbed ones. I have a beautiful black vac with a broad stub. One day when times are really hard and I can only keep one pen, that will be the one. Until then, of course, it has a large and growing range of friends!

Ray

Greetings, Jim.

I'd say that you are collecting. At least what you are accumulating has some degree of focus to it.

I'm just a newbie modern accumulator. Someday, I'll happen upon a niche that will get a vintage collection going, but no hurry.

Enjoy!

welcome to FPN, Jim. Glad you have joined us. My only Parkers are Sonnets. someday I'll probably break down and buy a 51 to see what all the fuss is about.

hope you enjoy the group and i enjoyed your intro.

best,
KCat

Hi KCat,

Try a 51 you will either love it or hate it. I find a fine nib is best for note taking, whilst something on the broad side is better for 'writing'

Having said that I use my Sonnets for Writing, sometimes a nib that will flex is a change from the hard 51 nib. Just between you and me, do you think we could get Ray to part with his Stub? I doubt it

Thanks,

Jim

Hi Jim,

here is a name that sounds familiar I got from a reliable source that your next "51" is taking the airplane, wrapped in cloth inside a plastic tube in the middle of a sea a plastic peanuts in a box wrapped in strong brown paper. Good thing pens do not need to breathe !

Enjoy this corner of pendom

Denis.

Thanks Denis,

But, about those plastic peanuts. Are they salted or do I have to roast them first?

I tried those plastic snails in both a butter garlic and a tomato and garlic sauce, did nothing for me?

Look forward to the new pen for the herd.

Regards,

Jim

Hi Jim, and welcome to FPN!

We gotta convince you to try a vintage Sheaffer or two....

Hi Maja,

I have tried the odd Sheaffer, but I have a friend who begs, borrows or steals every one I get my hands on. But I am open to suggestions

Regards Jim

PS Love your dog, used to have two Airedales, sadly passed on these six years.

Jim,

If you like 51s, then try a triumph nibbed Sheaffer. From a firm covered nib, to a firm nib that is completely on show. Both great writers, though.

Thanks Stompy,

I will look around for a decent Sheaffer to try, but somebody else is telling me to get a Pelikan and right now the pen piggy bank is empty for a while!

I am off on a walking holiday in the Cyprus Wilderness next month so that is going to restrict the pen budget too, so this might have to wait until and early Christmas present I am thinking

Regards,

Jim

Hi again Jim!

Thanks, the little dog in my avatar is one of my parents' two wire-haired fox terriers. Her name is "Dharma" (and no, they didn't name her ) She was adopted along with "Chandler" (another w-h fox terrier) last year. Airedales are beautiful dogs...The tallest of the terriers and I think their personality is a bit more subdued than that of the smaller terriers.

As for vintage Sheaffers, as Stompy suggested, you could try a Sheaffer with a Triumph nib... or an open-nibbed Snorkel (although they are a tad narrower in diameter than a 51, I think) or Balance. I don't think you'll have much luck finding a broad-nibbed vintage Sheaffer Balance, though!
Do you like pens with inlaid nibs? If so, Sheaffer made some nice Imperials...So much to choose from! I understand your desire to save up money for your trip though, so good for you, having the willpower!

~Maja

Welcome aboard Jim! Interesting collection, focused on the 51. Many fans of the 51 around here based on comments on the board. I'm sure you'll fit right in and enjoy it. Looking forward to seeing some of that collection in posts in the future.

Good for you.

What's the use of having nice pens if you don't go out and have a life that's worth writing about.

But I am taking two pens with me you will be glad to hear. I am taking a 61 Flighter and a Sonnet, both with medium nibs and can be cartridge filled.

I will use the Flighter in the field and I take a hardback A6 notebook, that fits in the rucksack pocket. I use the Sonnet to write up a log in the evening as that is more a sit down with a glass of something exercise. Nothing flashy, just a reporters notebook or two. Saves all that, 'where did we go Monday' and where did we see that/take that photo when the shock of getting back wears off.

Cheers,

Jim