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My Parkers arrived.... I am really disappointed

OldGriz

By OldGriz
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OldGriz Donor Pen

OldGriz

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The 3 Parkers I bought at a 'special price' arrived today... and I am a bit disappointed in them..... I really expected better at the price I paid for these..

 

First is a nice maroon Parker 21 with a sweet smooth nib and not a mark on the barrel or cap... unfortunately there is a crack from the nib almost to the clutch ring on the hood... now I have to find a maroon (or is it moron) 21 hood...

http://www.oldgriz.biz/Pens/Parker21.jpg

 

Next is a Grey Parker 51 .... not the Demi we all thought it was going to be, but a 51 Special... again with one of those fine smooth nibs and not a mark on the body or cap... I filled it with De Atramentis Kupferbraun and it puts down a wet line...

You know cleaning a out a 51 feed is a real PIA... all that flushing followed by a UC cycle and more flushing... what a pain.

http://www.oldgriz.biz/Pens/Parker51.jpg

 

This one is the real disappointment... a depression era Parker Challenger.. but American made, not one of those Canadian ones with the semiflexi nibs.... OK, yeah, it has nice crisp factory marking and no marks on the body and the hardware is really nice and the black/greay marble is pretty. Yeah the nib is smooth and wrote a nice line when dipped. That's right dipped... the filling system needs restoration and I don't know how.

Now you think that for the $11.00 average price I paid for each pen I should have been able to expect more than this... :P :P :P :P

http://www.oldgriz.biz/Pens/ParkerC.jpg

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southpaw Donor Pen

southpaw

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Old friend of mine had a term he would affectionately call me when I said such things as this, and I think it's quite fitting here:

 

"JERK!!!"

 

:D :D :P :P ;) ;) (just funnin' with ya, Tom)

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8, NKJV)
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KendallJ Vintage

KendallJ

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Tom, don't dispair on the Challenger. Its a button filler, and quite simple to repair. At best you'd need a new sack and a new pressure bar.

 

A 51 and a Challenger for $31 is not a bad deal at all I think. Cheer up! ;)

Kendall Justiniano
Who is John Galt?

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OldGriz Donor Pen

OldGriz

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Just so everyone understands... the complaining in my post is all tongue in cheek and especially aimed at my Parker buddies who have been teasing this Sheaffer collector for purchasing a few Parkers for next to nothing lately...

I will find a hood for that 21... heck if I can't find a maroon, I'll put a black hood on it and use it like that...

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KendallJ Vintage

KendallJ

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you know. Cleaning a snork isn't near as hard as that 51 feed.

 

;)

Kendall Justiniano
Who is John Galt?

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southpaw Donor Pen

southpaw

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Just so everyone understands... the complaining in my post is all tongue in cheek. . .

As was a certain other post :lol:

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8, NKJV)
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OldGriz Donor Pen

OldGriz

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you know. Cleaning a snork isn't near as hard as that 51 feed.

 

;)

Another reason I love my Sheaffers.... :D :D :D

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philm Vintage

philm

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Tom,

 

Challengers Rock! Well worth fixing, even with the manifoldish nib:

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y50/munsonhsr/dcp_3365a.jpg

 

Pull out the old sac and pressure bar and replace. I think they are easier to fix than lever fillers (but I am a Duofold and Challenger Junkie, so I would :rolleyes: )

 

Have fun!

http://munsonpens.wordpress.com/
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JRodriguez Vintage

JRodriguez

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Yeah Old Griz ... too bad <_< . I really feel for you <_< . I'll take those raggedy old pens off your hands if you don't want the trouble :lol: .

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JimStrutton Antique

JimStrutton

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Dear Griz,

 

Just wanted you to know I am sitting here crying into my morning coffee, not sure if they are tears of laughter or frustration :D

 

Jim

 

Edit coz I can't tripe

Edited by JimStrutton

Obi Won WD40

Re vera, cara mea, mea nil refert!

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Olivia.C Dipped Only

Olivia.C

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A 51 and a Challenger for $31 is not a bad deal at all I think. Cheer up! ;)

Send them to me I don't mind playing with it....
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Olivia.C Dipped Only

Olivia.C

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A 51 and a Challenger for $31 is not a bad deal at all I think. Cheer up! ;)

Send them to me I don't mind playing with it....

Or you like my parker 21

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OldGriz Donor Pen

OldGriz

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:D

 

are u pleased or complaining. There seems to be an ambivalence of both with you being a Sheaffer collector among us Parker fans :doh:

Kissing,

The "complaining" was totally tonque in cheek... it was my way of having some fun with my Parker buddies....

Just like the interservice teasing of the Armed Services, I think we see the same kind of thing in FPs, especially between Sheaffer and Parker collectors...

For instance, if I can't make Jim Strutton choke into his morning coffee every couple of days, I don't feel I have fulfilled my purpose in life... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

And by the same token, if he can't tell me my daughter needs one of those Parkers I have to really be able to write properly and learn cursive, he has not done his part...

All in all, we are having a great time with our collections and friendships...

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HesNot Vintage

HesNot

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A tragic tale, to say the least.

 

I've been experimenting with two Sheaffer Sentinel snorkels with a F and EF triumph nib respectively. For the record, I am firmly in the "51" camp as being the ultimate daily user.

 

No question the snorkel concept is a good one as I easily filled the fine nib with my last gasps of Florida Blue - no mess, no precarious tipping of the ink bottle or transfer to another vessel. Fantastic idea across the board. And it is pretty cool to watch the mechanism. Thankfully mine were already restored so the fillers work nicely, which as discussed isn't always the case with snorkels in the wild. They certainly are at opposite ends of the complicated spectrum, the "51" aero being a model of efficiency and simplicity, the snorkel being perhaps the most complicated model produced.

 

Both snorkels write well although I find that the triumph nibs aren't any more intuitive or easier to align than my "51"s. I do wish the sentinel's were just ever so slightly thicker, but AFAIK the triumph nib snorkels were all TM pens.

 

They are certainly comparable in quality and overall build. I go back and forth with the slip cap/screw cap differences but do think that overall the "51" slip cap design is more user friendly for my typical uses which involve lots of small comments rather than long writing sessions (i.e. I take the cap on and off with some regularity).

 

No question the snorkels are easier to flush!!!! Not Esties in this regard but since few pens are as time intensive as a "51" this isn't really a contest. Plus it's fun to watch that stream of water squirt out and think about my particular scenario where I'll need to use it as a weapon against some miscreant who has trapped me into a corner (or just my boss when I finally am driven over the edge! ... although, on second thought ... :unsure: ;) ).

 

My comparison, then, is that the "51" wins by a nose for the slip cap and the long term reliability and cost effective maintenance! (I would duck but since this is the Parker forum after all I'll await all the "ditto" posts instead! :D)

A pen a day keeps the doctor away...

 

Parker "51" flighter; Parker 75 cisele; Conway Stewart Dandy Demonstrator; Aurora 88P chrome; Sailor Sapporo ; Lamy 2000; Lamy 27 double L; Lamy Studio; Pilot Murex; Pilot Sesenta (Red/Grey); Pilot Capless (black carbonesque); Pilot Custom 74 Demonstrator; Pilot Volex; Waterman Expert 2000 (slate blue)

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OldGriz Donor Pen

OldGriz

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:lol: I was aware of that and im enjoying it very much! ;)

 

You seem to be buying a lot of Parkers these days though :rolleyes: How do Sheaffers and Parkers compare in your opinion? (or is this a dangerous question? :ph34r: )

OH you are definately asking a dangerous question... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

 

I have to admit the Parkers I have purchased are fine writing pens... they are well made and definately have stood the test of time... and if I can get them at the right price (CHEAP) I will most likely acquire some more..

 

BUT, there is something about my Sheaffers that I really like... I have yet to get one that did not write nicely. Yes, most of the nibs are nails... but that does not bother me. I think the TD and Snorkels are interesting filling systems and it was interesting learning to repair them...

The early lever fill and vac fill pens with the striped bodies are just absolutley beautiful. The nibs on the early pens write wonderfully also....

 

So if you are do I think one is better than the other... for a good writing pen you can't go wrong with either one. Do I still have a preference in my collecting, YES... but that does not mean I won't pick up the odd Parker if the price is write.

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KendallJ Vintage

KendallJ

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I have yet to get one that did not write nicely. Yes, most of the nibs are nails... but that does not bother me. I think the TD and Snorkels are interesting filling systems and it was interesting learning to repair them...

Here, here. I think Sheaffer nibs are far better than most of the Parker nibs I've had experience with, both in quality control and variability as well as technical merit. I think the upturn in the Triumph nib adds to the ability to tune these nibs to "butter smooth" in almost every case. I have not one well formed nib on my 5 parkers, but probably 90% of my 15 sheaffers have wonderfully formed nibs.

 

I hate the slip caps on my "51"s. Feels cheap to me.

 

I too wish the TM models were a little thicker, but 49 TD's are plenty wide for me.

Kendall Justiniano
Who is John Galt?

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Guest JohanO

Guest JohanO

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To avoid any conflict, I sold Tom a Sheaffer AND a Parker. I wonder if both pens have fought a duel in that small package! :lol:

 

btw Tom, have you already received the pens?

 

Johan

post-47-1149794690_thumb.jpg

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HesNot Vintage

HesNot

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Not fair - the touchdown would win by a landslide since it requires but one swift downstroke, whereas the "51" as we all know requires 6 presses! :D

 

Of course, that assumes that the touchdown is working properly, since we all know that an aero will almost always function properly! ;)

A pen a day keeps the doctor away...

 

Parker "51" flighter; Parker 75 cisele; Conway Stewart Dandy Demonstrator; Aurora 88P chrome; Sailor Sapporo ; Lamy 2000; Lamy 27 double L; Lamy Studio; Pilot Murex; Pilot Sesenta (Red/Grey); Pilot Capless (black carbonesque); Pilot Custom 74 Demonstrator; Pilot Volex; Waterman Expert 2000 (slate blue)

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