Dear Colleagues,

I was thinking of purchasing a Parker 51 considering the amount of praise this pen gets because of it's smoothness and writing ability....but........I can't believe some of the prices these pens fetch !.

Then a thought a came to me....why spend all that money on a Parker 51.....when that money would be better spent on getting the nib of your favorite pen customised by Mr Binder or Mr Mottishaw ?. The pen will write significantly better than the Parker 51....'smooth as glass, with line variation and wetness' ( yummee ! ). Surely the money spent on this is well spent and any modification to a Pelikan nib by Binder / Mottishaw will out perform the Parker 51's writing characteristics ?. Or am I being too optimistic about the modification ?.

Or should I not bother with the nib customisation of my Pelikan and just spend the money on a Parker 51 and expect it to perform better than the customised nib ?. Does anyone have a customised nib from the aforementioned pen masters and how does it perform ?.

kavanagh

What makes the 'P51" desirable isn't it's smoothness. Almost any pen can be made uber-smooth by a Binder/Mottishaw/et.al. . The 'P51' design, feel, ergonomics, history, and looks are what those who adore it desire. If you love the feel of you Pelikan but want different nib characteristics, send it out (or just replace the nib as it's quicker).

What sort of modification are you considering? If you're going to add flex for example, you'll increase scratchiness. There are always trade-offs. In any case, if you like the nib, why change it? Don't fix what isn't broken.

If you want exotic nibs, a 51 is probably not for you. They can be nice writers, but they are rather plain.

I think you should consider other options

RE:Choice: Parker 51 or nib modification, The better alternative?

I'd opt for a 51 with a nib modification! (at least a tune-up, anyway!)
I did not like my 51 until a got the nib "tuned" by Ron Z (Main Street Pens).

The 51 is one of those pens you have if you consider yourself a pen collector!

This sounds similar to the question, "What do I want, peace on earth or a new car?", or maybe, "Is it Blue or is it Round?"

They aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.

If the reason you're interested in a Parker 51 is smoothness etc. rather than getting another, iconic, pen with such characteristics, your suggestion makes perfect sense (unless the "favorite pen" isn't good enough to begin with). In the event you send it to Richard Binder, ask him to make it write as near as possible like "the pen," the 51 he always carries around; of its sort it's as near perfect as makes no difference. (I suppose I should disclose a bias against Parker 51s - unless you're lucky enough to find one with some sort of italic or stub nib (or to find one that's broad enough to be so modified), they're boring to write with, the results look boring, and the body of the pen, with its nib all but hidden - as though it's embarrassed to be a fountain pen with a real nib; a pen with ballpoint envy or a misplaced sense of Victorian decorum - strikes me as quite unattractive.)

Simon

Maybe you should go for a P51, if you find you do not like it I am sure someone will happily take it off you on the marketplace.
It also depends on what sort of pelikan you have (IMO) if its just a 2xx, 4xx or a 6xx (which are great pens etcetc), then I am not sure if I would get it modified, however if its a 8xx or the 10xx then i would go for it...but still get a P51 at some stage - I love mine for its simplicity and elegance.

Variety is the spice o' life -- get a Parker 51! You can always smooth nibs on your other pens later.