HI ALL...Finally received a NICE Parker 51...Special Black Jewel 1 5/8" Clip....with blue barrel....it shows VERY little use..and virtually no scratches..dings...etc....AllI can say is that I have wasted a LOT of $$ on Cross...Sonnet....Waterman...fountain pens..this 51 puts them to shame...it has a REALLY extra-fine nib...and is by far THE SMOOTHEST writing fountain pen I have ever had the pleasure to write with.....glides across the paper like oiled ball bearings on greased teflon rails......when I received it this AM it had some kind of reddish, purplish ink in it and it didn't write at all....soooo...used a weak solution of cool water and a drop of dishwashing liquid to thoroughly flush it out...took all day....shook all the water out and let it dry for 2-3 hours.....filled it with Noodlers Old Manhattan Black......WOW...it immediately started to write with that SMOOTH SMOOTH REALLY extra-fine lines and script......In closing, I will say to all..get yourself a PARKER 51...you won't be sorry......
Pete

Congratulations! I love 51s...they're addictive!

Ah, yes, another convert. I love my 51s as well. But, is it the pen, or is it the excellent super-smooth nib and its characteristic behaviors, that fascinates you so? Couldn't a nib just as nice be present on your otherwise least favorite pen?

So where did you get it? Some of us have yet to join the cult and are looking around for smooth 51s...

Congratulations ...

Congratulations! I got one recently, but it was fitted with a worn-out nib. I just sent it for repairs, and the replacement nib costs SG$40. I'm getting another 51 by the end of this month. Good luck trying to fight the addiction!

Hi All....Thank you to all who responded....if it were not for this wonderful forum I would not have found the art of the fountain pen once again.....
I got lucky on EBAY....Won this one for only $32.....keep your eyes open and troll constantly on EBAY...there ARE bargains on EBAY.....good things come to ye that waits......
Pete

Oh man, I am burning with jealousy. So far I've gotten TWO scratchy 51s and paid $100 each. I've had to return both. You're very lucky!

Congrats on the pen! I too was astounded with my first "51" - it really turned me on to vintage pens.

Congrats! My first 51 was a black Special. Writes as smooooth as butta! Enjoy!

I bought 2 51s, a vac and an aero, the vac wrote dry but the aero wrote wet. The vac and the aero was a bit scratchy. I smoothed both the vac and the aero and flossed the nib on the vac. They are now both smooth wet writers.
Before, using waterman purple ink, the vac wrote a light purple line, no shading, now it writes a dark purple line with lots of shading.
I think most vacs need some sort of tuning to get it to write to your specifications. Lets face it, they have had decades of use and you really should give vintage pens a sort of service like you would do for a vintage car

Congrats! They are the best! Then ther's Sheaffer's, Waterman's etc!
PMS