Ode to the lowly Parker 21

[ToasterPastry]

Ode to the lowly Parker 21

 

 

Here is my homage to the lowly Parker 21: the student pen, the younger brother to the ’51,’ the pen that’s practically ignored by collectors, except when they actually need a good pen to use. Parker produced these pens to look like the ‘51’ from the outside, but cutting costs wherever possible to make it more affordable.

 

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/Parker_21_1.jpg

 

A green Mark I Parker 21 with stainless steel nib, shown here with my rough draft of this review. The ink used was Pelikan Fount India (black) from the 1940s.

 

 

 

I purchased my Parker 21 on eBay thinking it was a ’51.’ The picture was blurry, but the $15 price was cheap. Parker initially released these pens in 1948 in four different colors—black, red, blue or green. I got a green ‘49.

 

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/Parker_21_5.jpg

 

The feed and steel alloy nib on the Mk I Parker 21.

 

Despite the low price, I was initially disappointed. In comparison to the ’51,’ the ’21 is much lighter, and feels less substantial. Parker 51s were machined from acrylic, whereas the ‘21’ was cast from polystyrene. The polystyrene material was more prone to cracking, especially in the early models. My pen makes a great example: it has three small cracks near the clutch ring where the body screws into the nib section. The cracks don’t interfere with the writing performance. There is a small imprint on the barrel near the clutch ring that reads PARKER “21” MADE IN USA 9. The “9” refers to 1949, the year this pen was made. Date codes disappeared after 1951.

 

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/Parker_21_2.jpg

 

The early model clip design with steel ball welded to the underside of the clip.

 

 

The stainless steel—sorry, I mean “Octanium”—nib was a bit misaligned. But with straightening and smoothing, I got it to write with only a tad bit of tooth. As opposed to the tubular gold nibs of the ’51,’ the steel alloy nib was a traditional flat nib design with the hooded-look. Refinements to the internal feed were made after 1951, known as the Mark II. After 1956, the ’21’ was known as the “Super 21.”

 

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/Parker_21_3.jpg

 

Cracks seen on the body near the clutch ring. These cracks do not affect the writing performance.

 

 

Initially caps were made from stainless steel, in this case, known as Lustraloy. Parker later added a gold-plated clip and gold plated caps. The clip was redesigned several times. The early model features a ball welded to the bottom of the clip, the wedge clip and arrow clips appeared later.

 

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/Parker_21_4.jpg

Inscription on the Aerometric filling system. "To fill, press ribbed bar three times. Use Parker Superchrome Ink." I have not used Superchrome Ink. The sun still rises in the morning.

 

 

Why do I love this pen? Okay, it is a cheap pen. It has cracks in it. But yet, I reach for this pen more than any other. Supposedly the early 21s had issues with ink flow. I see no problems with this one. In fact, it handles just about any vintage or modern ink I’ve put into it. The Aerometric filling system holds a week’s-worth of ink. There are very few fountain pens that I can pop the cap with one hand and begin writing immediately. It doesn’t dry out. It isn’t slow to start. It never hesitates, and it has never glorped out a big blob of ink. Its ink flow is close to perfect, not too heavy and not too light. Parker sold a lot of these pens from 1948 to 1965, so it’s no accident, but rather clever design. The stainless steel nib has tiny bit of character; much more flexibility than the 51, but certainly not something that I would classify as flexible.

 

Final thoughts: Pens are first and foremost writing instruments. While I have collected some beautiful pens, I use fountain pens for writing on a daily basis. Some people have compared the Parker 21 to the Esterbrook. Certainly it’s a low budget starter pen. But they are completely different writing instruments. I fell in love with this 21 because of its reliability. If you purchase a Parker 21, and I think you should, don’t expect to spend too much. Be aware that you may have one with a crack or two in the body. Live with it. Enjoy it. When it breaks, buy another one.

[FooWriter]

Preach on. I recently acquired a Super 21 (F), and it has quickly become my workhorse writer at the office, complementing a P51 Demi (F) and a Pilot 78G (F) that I use for journaling. The 21 already had a 5mm crack in the section when I received it, but it doesn't leak and I'm hoping that with reasonable care it won't get worse.

 

If it weren't for the well-known brittleness of the plastic, I'd happily own another few just like my Super 21.

[pmsalty]

The pen that got me started with my adult love affair with fountain pens was my grandfathers Parker 21 that I found going through some stuff left to me from my dad after he passed away. I have since given that pen to my son but I have acquired a Parker 21 Special via reconstructing two PArer 21 Specials to make one working pen. As ToasterPastry says they are great writers! One of my favorites! Nice review on a great pen! Thanks

PMS

[bluemagister]

The best pen is the one that writes when you need it to. Excellent review!

[Pfhorrest]

I have one exactly like yours. I agree that it is one HECK of a pen and that people new to FPs should grab one of these instead of a Safari or Core.

[joeahearn]

I like these pens so much that I now have four of them in different colors. They are excellent pens for actually, you know, writing stuff. Very comfortable and reliable workhorses, just as you say. I got each of my 21s for less than the cost of a Safari and every one of them worked fine after some minor cleanup.

Edited May 10, 2010 by joeahearn

[Ed Ronax]

Excellent review, thanks.

[drmom777]

One of the pens I found in my basemant the other day is a green 21 that looks just like that, but it is in like new condition, except that the bladder is stained, probably from that Superchrome ink. It has a different style cap and clip and no imprint on the barrel. The edge of the cap reads "Parker" and "made in USA". I suspect it might be a little younger than your pen. Now I am worried about taking it out and using it for fear of cracking.

 

I also have my father's old black 51. I was not aware that the bodies were made out of a different grade of plastic. The nib and cap differences are obvious, of course. Both seem to have survived the years very well.

[jonro]

Excellent review of the 21. I have a couple, including a Super 21. I don't use them very often because I find the 21 just a little small for my grip, but no doubt I'll use them again. Mine are very good writers and were probably very popular among students.

[ToasterPastry]

 

I also have my father's old black 51. I was not aware that the bodies were made out of a different grade of plastic. The nib and cap differences are obvious, of course. Both seem to have survived the years very well.

 

Thanks for the kind responses everyone. It is very obvious that this is not the same material as a Parker 51 once you hold the 21 next to the 51. I shouldn't imply that all Parker 21s break. But as Richard Binder says, Parker made so many of them--millions, in fact--that it's likely that you could find a replacement or parts very quickly for little money. Richard's article, as well as Tony Fishier's, was an excellent source of factoids for my review. I also used about 4 or 5 books on fountain pens. But I found those articles most informative. I contemplated discussing the history even more, but found myself practically rewriting these web pages. I decided, rather, to put more of a personal spin on it, even showing you the blemishes close up.

[Ernst Bitterman]

Funnily enough, I was just contemplating which of three 21s I was going to bring into service this week-- Mk I, Mk II or Super. My favourite, a red XF Mk. II cracked while in storage between uses, so it's a well-deserved reputation for fragility.

[mateo44]

In a similar spirit, my two 45s are the cheapest pens in my collection, but are definitely among my favorite writers. Every new pen I buy makes me appreciate them even more. They write extremely well and offer rock-solid dependability.

[josephfabry]

Great review.

 

Everytime I see your avatar, I have to chuckle. The Grannie with one hand on the wheel and the other holding a huge pistol just kills me!!

 

I'm falling in love with Parker.

 

Must get one.

 

Love,

 

Joe

[tawanda]

I have a burgundy one. It was one of the earliest pens I bought. Got ito ff e-bay for £4! Didn't know anything about it then. Mine is ugly, the section is all warped, shrunken and ink stained, but I LOVE IT. It has no cracks, so far, but as long as it writes I shall keep it. It writes just as good as A P51 I have, and because of its cosmetic faults I tend to love it more...I recommend them to anyone as a great knockabout that will reward you with a fantastic and surprising writing experience.

 

Here it is:

 

 

 

 

[murfie]

Thanks for the review. I have a 21 on its way to me at the moment, plus I need to get my post count up ...

[georges zaslavsky]

never heard of that model, thanks for the review

[ondine]

I have a 21 super I found in my dad's antique dental cabinet that was full of pens, pocket knives, old Hamilton electric watches and assorted fascinating accumulation. I try to pretend that my 51s are superior - and in some ways I suppose they are, purportedly - though the 21 is a terrific writer and finds its way into my pocket often.

[bindikah]

This is every inch a writers pen. Thanks for the info!

[Jimmy James]

For anybody new to these pens, it should be noted that the Parker 21 Super has a lot more in common with a Parker 51 (particularly the 51 Special) than with the other 21s. The nib on the Super is a more true hooded nib, while the earlier 21s had a more traditional nib obscured by the hood. The plastic in a 21 Super is much less prone to cracking, though I believe it is still a non-lucite material.

 

I have had both Mk. II and Super versions of the 21. I love both. One of my Mk. II pens is out of service due to a hood crack. One Super I bought last year is out of service because I need to grab some shellac and get the hood properly installed -- it had apparently dried out with time. I have heard of and seen 21s that have been in a drawer or box for years before getting put on eBay being rinsed out and becoming outstanding pens for a new generation. Give them a try, but do be careful about the non-Super 21 cracking.

[rockydoggy]

Ditto on the review of these pens as generally excellent writers. I'd also second the point about the fragility of the plastic on some of them. I recently scored three on eBay at a low price. Two of them are in good shape; one of them has a hairline crack in the hood that I didn't notice (given the black plastic) until I filled the pen and ink leaked onto my hand. Two out of three isn't too bad. Bottom line: I'd strongly recommend these pens but treat them gently.