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Pen Similar To Parker 51 Or 21?


Caeruleum

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Hello,

 

I'm relatively new to fountain pens, I've used Lamy Safaris for years when I was in school, but didn't know that much about fountain pens.

Recently I've become more interested in them. Several months ago I was gifted a Waterman Hemisphere and am quite happy with it. Of course it's not the best Pen out there and it's somewhat small for me.

 

Enough introduction for now.

I like the design of Parker 51, 21 and those pens which look very similar. The hooded nib, the relatively unpretentious design.

I would like to get a similar pen. It doesn't need to have a gold nib, actually a steel nib is what I would prefer die to the affordability. Of course you can get vintage Parker pens on eBay but I'm not really experienced with buying vintage pens. I can't assess how well their conditions is. Another option are pens like the Hero 616, which design-wise are copies but many people complain about their quality. Caps that cratch the barrel each time you use the cap, leaking bladders and so on.

 

To get to the point: I' like to have a Pen like the Parker 21.

Could you more experienced fountain pen users give me some advice?

Is it possible to get a Parker 21 on eBay for a reasonable price? I mean I don't want to pay as much as I would pay for a really decent new pen.

Are there copies of the Parker 21 or 51 whose quality is good enough to be used for some time without having ink all over your desk?

Or are there maybe other modern pens with a hooded nib (not the Lamy 2000, Vanishing Point or something in this price range)?

 

I'm looking forward for some tips. Thank you!

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I kinda like the Hero 616; I always have one or more loaded (it's three this week), but mine are 'vintage.' They don't leak and are smooth and wet. Still, the new ones are inexpensive enough to get a few and try them.

 

Or look for a reputable seller of the 21 and 51. To be blunt, though, I use the 616s more often as they're easier to clean. And I originally bought mine because I love the look of a hooded nib.

 

Hope this helps a bit.

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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You can buy Parker 21s and 21 Supers in ebay fairly low cost, about $15 or so NOS. These are pretty good pens. The Parker Super 21 has the same Octanium (steel alloy) nib as the 51. The 51 Special usually comes with the Octanium steel alloy nib. They cost a bit less than a regular 51. I haven't bought one in years, so I can only say that $50 would be a guess as to the price. A restored one would likely cost more, but restoration should not be a necessity. Just a good flush.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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I kinda like the Hero 616; I always have one or more loaded (it's three this week), but mine are 'vintage.' They don't leak and are smooth and wet. Still, the new ones are inexpensive enough to get a few and try them.

 

Or look for a reputable seller of the 21 and 51. To be blunt, though, I use the 616s more often as they're easier to clean. And I originally bought mine because I love the look of a hooded nib.

 

Hope this helps a bit.

 

Thanks for your reply. This helps a lot.

Do you think it's necessary to get more than one? Or is the quality of the modern 616 good enough as well?

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As odd as it seems there are fake copies of the Hero 616 out there. It is important that buy from a reputable vendor, on this groups recommendation I have used an eBay seller named Mentag. I recently purchased three HERO 616 Doctor Jumbo Fountain Pens from him and the quality was much better than from random vendors.

 

All of the Hero 616 pens that I have seen come with a fine nib only. They will benefit from several flushes of water with a little dish soap to remove any manufacturing grease-- followed by several water rinses.

 

There are many reviews of the Hero 616 jumbo online that might be fun to read.

...............................................................

We Are Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams

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Thank you, OCart.

On Amazon there are more copies than originals of the Hero 616.

Do you think if I buy one from Hero on Amazon the quality will be as good as from your eBay seller Mentag? That would be easier for me.

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Thanks for your reply. This helps a lot.

Do you think it's necessary to get more than one? Or is the quality of the modern 616 good enough as well?

 

I only have one more recent 616, so I don't have a wide sample. It's smaller and slimmer than my Jumbo models, and it 'blurped' ink once. When it didn't, the nib was nice, and smooth enough.

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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Thank you! I think I will Just try it out.

The reason I'm asking is I'm afraid a pen will leak or burp when it's filled with something like Noodler's Black.

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Thank you, OCart.

On Amazon there are more copies than originals of the Hero 616.

Do you think if I buy one from Hero on Amazon the quality will be as good as from your eBay seller Mentag? That would be easier for me.

 

I do not think that buying from Amazon will guarantee against a fake and I don't know of any way to detect a fake by the advertising photos.

see these discussions

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/239242-real-versus-fake-hero-616/

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/199462-real-hero-616-please-step-forward/

...............................................................

We Are Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams

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For the price of a Lamy-2000 or Pilot VP, I would get a genuine Parker 51.

The aerometric is probably the best for a first 51.

 

Why not just get a 21 or Super 21. The 21 is less expensive than a 51.

 

Just be aware that if the 21 or 51 is used and not cleaned when you get it, the cleaning process can take a LONG time. I've spent 3 weeks of daily cleaning to get dried red ink out of a 51. In my experience, red and purple ink have been the hardest ink colors to clean out, with red being the worst.

 

The plastic of the 21 is more fragile than the plastic used for the 51. And over time, many have cracked. So you MUST inspect the pen carefully for cracks before you buy it. If the 21 is in good condition, I would use it.

Edited by ac12

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

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I would suggest you buy a 21 Super. These have the same 51 octanium nibs that are used in the 51 Special. You would be able to find the 21 Super for $10-20.

 

Best.

Khan M. Ilyas

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A heavily used P61 tends to be a little cheaper than a moderate P21S, and a good deal cheaper than a P51 with the same usage. Think I got my last P61 for £22 (about 25 Euro) - it was a flighter c/c version with a slightly distorted hood. Despite the problems with the P61, and I do admit there are a few, I think it's nicer to write with than the P51.

 

Also, don't forget the Parker 17. Gold nib, feels good, slightly different innards to the P51 but works well. The full size ones (not the 'Lady') with a black plastic central connector have a very P61 shape, the ones with a metal central connector have a shape nearer the P51. Overall, I like the pen a lot, but dislike the wide cap band of the 'P17 Super'.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

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Hmmm...I do have a 17, with an extrasuperduper fine point, and while it's a good pen, I don't use it as often as my...

 

No. I won't say it again. ;)

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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I have all the four versions of the P17. The 17, the 17 Deluxe, the 17 Super and the 17 Lady. But I seldom use these. Currently, I am using my 51s and my 75s.

Khan M. Ilyas

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I would suggest you buy a 21 Super. These have the same 51 octanium nibs that are used in the 51 Special. You would be able to find the 21 Super for $10-20.

 

Best.

Can you give me some tips on how to find a pen which is in this price range and in good condition?

I have seen some pens on eBay for about that price and most of them looked good as well but I can't tell if the filling system still works.

Thank you!

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The 21 Super has almost the same filling system as that of the 51 (minus the breather tube). You would most probably find the filler system intact. Also see for the hood to not be deformed or with shrinkage. Go the ebay route. See for a pen with good and detailed photos. And don't be shy of asking questions.

Khan M. Ilyas

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Only Hero 616 Jumbo or Hero 100 matches the parker 51/21 in style and function. The difference is that the chinese versions are not as reliable, but the 616 jumbo is dirt cheap.

 

Or you could buy a brand new parker 21

http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/parker-super-21-fountain-pen-1970s-new-old-stock-steel-nibs-new-perfect-un-inked.html

Edited by rochester21
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