Hero P51 Clone Vs. Real Parker 51?

[Unkas]

We give you an extra cookie if there's a writing sample in the pic with your pen.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

I guess I'll have to show off my penmanship eventually anyways! Could be good to have a reference point to look back to see how I've improved in the future

 

If I don't like the M nib I'll see if I can find a F somewhere since it doesn't look too hard to change that from what I've seen on videos.

 

I think I got bitten by the vintage bug when I started looking into and finally bought the P51.

I went around looking at antique shops around town and didn't find any fountain pens except for at one store and they seemed pretty overpriced to me.

I did fall in love with a blue Parker Vacumatic I saw however but I won't be buying it since it would need a massive restore and was incredibly expensive but that was a gorgeous pen that just felt 'right'.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Unkas

[TauRho]

Hi

 

 

recently I purchased a hero 329 (the Star-Trek) pen, compared to my Parker 51 its a little slimmer in the fingers and the nib is finer, it also is reluctant to take much ink.

 

That said to look at and to write with its very much like the Parker 51 for $7.20 from ebay for two including postage.

 

if you get one of these and like it your going to love the 51.

[Albus]

I think the hero 100 and the 110 is a good cheap alternative to the p51.

[pajaro]

You can buy an inexpensive alternative to a P51. You can also find many P51s at inexpensive levels if you shop carefully. I have used some of the look-alikes. Since I already have several P51s, I can't bring myself to use valuable writing opportunities using an inferior pen. You have just so much time in a lifetime in which to write stuff. When you are young the opportunities to write seem infinite. When you are 64 you might think you have only so much time left, and you might think "why waste a writing opportunity using a cheap pen if you can afford a nicer writing pen?"

 

Why use a Jinhao or Hero if you have a Parker or another quality pen? Trying stuff out is one thing. Seek writing pleasure otherwise.

[hardyoyo]

At the risk of being excommunicated, I have to say I'm considering selling/trading my Parker 51, because my brother keeps brining me back Hero 329s from his trips to China, so many of these dependable aerometric pens waiting to be used... I just can't bring myself to use the much more valuable vintage 51. I will likely post my 51 up this week, I'd like to see if I might be able to trade it for a Vanishing Point, maybe there's someone out there with a VP they aren't happy with? To bring this back on topic, though, I have to say the Hero 329 is a very nice pen, and not really the match for a 51, but it's a dependable pen, and cleans up nice. The thing is, I'm not a big fan of aerometric fillers, so for me it's mostly down to which of these kinda-annoying-to-fill pens would I feel less terrible about losing? The real 51, or one of the 329s from the pile? :embarrassed_smile:

[pajaro]

At the risk of being excommunicated, I have to say I'm considering selling/trading my Parker 51, because my brother keeps brining me back Hero 329s from his trips to China, so many of these dependable aerometric pens waiting to be used... I just can't bring myself to use the much more valuable vintage 51. I will likely post my 51 up this week, I'd like to see if I might be able to trade it for a Vanishing Point, maybe there's someone out there with a VP they aren't happy with? To bring this back on topic, though, I have to say the Hero 329 is a very nice pen, and not really the match for a 51, but it's a dependable pen, and cleans up nice. The thing is, I'm not a big fan of aerometric fillers, so for me it's mostly down to which of these kinda-annoying-to-fill pens would I feel less terrible about losing? The real 51, or one of the 329s from the pile? :embarrassed_smile:

You can fill a 51 or other squeeze-filler with one hand on the filler and one hand on the ink bottle to steady it. Piston fillers and pens with piston converters generally need two hands on the pen and the ink bottle can move around. So, what is annoying to fill?

 

I have traded 51s for Pelikans and Vanishing point pens, so there is an option for you there. I used to have more 51s than I have now, so I traded an NOS 51 and two other 51s for a Pelikan M805, a 51 set for a Pelikan M200, and a 51 for a VP. I have done other trades too. I came to be acquainted with other pens without spending more money. So, trade the 51s. Why not? It can save you money.

 

[Flounder]

At the risk of being excommunicated, I have to say I'm considering selling/trading my Parker 51

 

Vade retro! Vade retro, Satan! I cast thee out!

[pienaar]

At the risk of being excommunicated, I have to say I'm considering selling/trading my Parker 51, because my brother keeps brining me back Hero 329s from his trips to China, so many of these dependable aerometric pens waiting to be used... I just can't bring myself to use the much more valuable vintage 51. I will likely post my 51 up this week, I'd like to see if I might be able to trade it for a Vanishing Point, maybe there's someone out there with a VP they aren't happy with? To bring this back on topic, though, I have to say the Hero 329 is a very nice pen, and not really the match for a 51, but it's a dependable pen, and cleans up nice. The thing is, I'm not a big fan of aerometric fillers, so for me it's mostly down to which of these kinda-annoying-to-fill pens would I feel less terrible about losing? The real 51, or one of the 329s from the pile? :embarrassed_smile:

 

I just got my first 51 a few weeks ago. I got a real nice 51 and 21 at the same time. Both write great and both look great. But I am scared to take them to work. I also really like the Hero 329s (Star Treks) I have them really writing smooth and those go with me to work. They are my scapegoats for my 51.

 

I am really looking forward to seeing the photos of your new one Unkas.

[ndw76]

I used to hate the idea of a hooded nib. To me the whole idea of a fountain pen was the showy nib. But the other day I visited a little Ma and Pah stationery store in Bangkok. Just because it was what they had I bought a Hero 329 for only 40 Baht. That's about $1.30 USD. I have to say that I love it. Maybe some time in the future there could be a real P51 waiting for me.

 

The Hero 329 changed my mind about the P51.

[FPcollection]

Hello!

I just saw your post and completely agree with you that Parker 51s are more of a legacy than a mere writing instrument! And, yet, they are also great writers!
My friend got a pen for a great price ....,

http://fountainpenclassifieds.com/topic/1831-sold-collector-grade-parker-51-black-with-12ct-rolled-gold-cap-14k-nib-fully-restored/

Pen is doing great!

Edited August 30, 2013 by FPcollection

[Vendome]

The Hero 616 is a £4 knock-off that isn't worth 4 quid.

[Rockyrod]

I have had two HERO pens, both were complete (bleep) and a waste of money. They went into a drawer and have not seen daylight in several years. Cheap is an understatement. No pen brand new out of the box should leak ink, much less both pens leaking. Stay with what has been proven in the P51 series. Vac holds more ink, Aero is easier to clean, both will gives years of wonderful service.

[Tom Aquinas]

Heroes are a good student pen. I once considered buying one, but why buy a copy when considering my collection of pens , the Hero would end up a curio in my desk, and for me, be a waste o money that could have been better spent on ink. You get what you pay for.

[whoelse]

By the way, is the Hero 616 a closer clone to the P21 than the P51?

Also, there are fake Hero 616 that is of lower quality. I have some genuine 616s, they write well and I use them a lot because I do not worry about damaging them.

 

Also to be fair, cheap material that is. But I do not think it will break unless someone abuse them. Many students use them and they work even when throwing around. If you treat them well like if it is a P51, I am sure it will last many decades Mistreat a P51, it will breaks too. Use what it is being design for...writing.

[richardandtracy]

I reckon that the H616 & P21S stand direct comparisons with each other rather than the H616 & P51. There is not such a disparity in feel & overall quality. I did a comparison review here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/63828-hero-616-and-parker-21-super/ and came to the conclusion that the only major difference between the two was 'Value for Money', where the Hero was better than the P21S.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[Flounder]

The Hero 616 is a £4 knock-off that isn't worth 4 quid.

 

If you're talking about the £3.75 gold nib, gold cap, P51 sized 616 as sold individually by yespen:

 

• I strongly disagree with you! What a well behaved writer! They always start up first time, every time! What a beauty! As well as the pen, you get enough awesome packaging to send on two pens - the hard cardboard box, and the rigid plastic case the 616 comes in.

 

• I strongly agree with you! It's a much better idea to buy a three pack, QC is all over the place.

[pajaro]

I accidentally got a Hero in a lot of pens. I also have some other P51 look alikes. Every once in a while I trot these out and try to make them write. This is a fun exercise if you enjoy pointless and hopeless effort. I usually put these pens back in a pen cup. That's the problem. They belong in the round file. Every time I mess with these or other inferior pens I come away with the impression that I have just wasted time and wasted another writing opportunity where I might have derived the sublime pleasure of writing with a genuine Parker 51.

 

I could have honed some verse with my 51s instead of bleep.

[wangwei]

Try HERO100 first,and the price is not that expensice.

[pajaro]

Last night I picked up the Hero out of a pencup and wasted another half hour or so trying to get it to write.

[OcalaFlGuy]

Makes ya crazyier don't it?

 

Take the whole thing apart, forward of the filler and sonicate the pieces and reassemble and see what happens. If the collector is the same config remember wide channel on top.

 

(I feel your pain. I spent a few minutes over several days sealing a hood crack on a H-100 Flighter with Cpt. Tolley's but only because it was a friends favorite work pen at the time.)

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl