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The Best Parker Fountain Pen?

CharlieAndrews

By CharlieAndrews
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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
Posted

I'll take my VAC 51 o'er any AERO.

 

At least, IMHO, the balance on the pen is equally distributed.

 

Now I gotta look for a Vacumatic...

 

Ahhhh....

 

Many happy restorations.

"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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AL01 Vintage

AL01

Posted
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Thank you.

 

I kinda went here ....

 

.... And there ....

 

.... But I am more than satisfied with the Vac 51.

 

I guess the restorations would be worth the better balance???

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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
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Thank you.

 

I kinda went here ....

 

.... And there ....

 

.... But I am more than satisfied with the Vac 51.

 

I guess the restorations would be worth the better balance???

===============================================

 

Better balance? What better balance? Both versions seem equally balanced to me. I am not restoring mine, even though I have the parts and supplies. I never could tell when the pen had enough ink. Easier to put a cartridge in the C/C 51. I am coming around to the Sonnet anyway.

"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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mitto Museum Piece

mitto

Posted
Posted (edited)

Buy user grade vac 51s (in need of restoration) for not more than the price of nib and hood to use both in aero 51s. :)

Edited by mitto

Khan M. Ilyas

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AL01 Vintage

AL01

Posted
Posted

===============================================

 

Better balance? What better balance? Both versions seem equally balanced to me. I am not restoring mine, even though I have the parts and supplies. I never could tell when the pen had enough ink. Easier to put a cartridge in the C/C 51. I am coming around to the Sonnet anyway.

 

I guess I'm just picky like that.

 

The vac always has something inside of it.

 

(Meaning that no part is "hollow", so to speak.)

 

I can feel the area in an Aero that doesn't have the filler, and that used to annoy me to no end.

 

(I hope that makes some sense. The filling unit doesn't take up the whole barrel, so the end of the barrel is "hollow".)

 

Oh yeah, and I know when the pen needs a refilling when it feels way too light.

 

(I guess the Esterbrooks taught me that.)

 

Buy user grade vac 51s (in need of restoration) for not more than the price of nib and hood to use both in aero 51s. :)

 

:P

 

I'll take the loss!

 

:P

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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
Posted (edited)

Loss? The 51 Vac nibs are often exceptional. Actually they are all good. I don't think I would cannibalize the nibs from the 51 Vacs unless the pen were badly damaged. Even then, I have bought a NOS Cedar Blue barrel to replace one that broke. The 51 Vac has a brass filler and rod. Looks nice, but I haven't gotten around to putting the thing back together. I have never felt confident with these pens that I ever got a sufficient amount of ink into the pen and that I haven't just been expelling the ink with each filler stroke. Yes, I have read the recommendations to do it ten times, etc., but it doesn't seem to inspire confidence. They are pretty and a marvelous success story. Pieces of real history.

Edited by pajaro

"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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Glenn-SC Donor Pen

Glenn-SC

Posted
Posted

 

.... But I am more than satisfied with the Vac 51.

 

I guess the restorations would be worth the better balance???

 

+1

===============================================

 

Better balance? What better balance? Both versions seem equally balanced to me.

The Vacs feel better to me as well. More solid, better weight, and better balance.

Interesting how we are all different, eh?

That's why there is no "best" or "worst" anything, it's all what's best of worst for us individually.

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AL01 Vintage

AL01

Posted
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It really is the subjectivity that makes fountain pens a fun hobby, (an gives me an excuse to buy more and more of 'em.)

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inkstainedruth Ancient Artifact

inkstainedruth

Posted
Posted

Thank you.

 

I kinda went here ....

 

.... And there ....

 

.... But I am more than satisfied with the Vac 51.

 

I guess the restorations would be worth the better balance???

 

I have both 51 Vacs and Aerometrics. And truthfully, I prefer the Aeros, because pretty much to a man they just needed to be flushed out well when I got them -- with no other maintenance/repairs to start with; whereas the 51 Vacs invariably needed repairs (replacement sacs, etc., and in one case the nib needed tweaking because it was an EF and kinda scratchy).

OTOH, I've gotten deals on all three of the 51 Vacs, so the repairs didn't blow my budget. And the one with the EF nib is Cedar Blue with a rolled gold cap, found in the wild in a little antiques store outside Fairmont, WV for $25 US. And once the tines were opened up some, it has become an excellent writer for times when I need to take copious notes. Thinking that since I now have it, I may let the other Cedar Blue go. But I paid $10 for it initially, because it had some third tier brand cap on it -- the guy who opened the case for me didn't have a clue, and I'm betting the booth holder didn't either (it didn't have a price tag, and the other two pens in the case were third tier junkers); but of course once I saw that hooded nib I took a really hard look at the pen and I DID have a clue.... B) Best poker face EVER ("Uh, yeah, I can do ten bucks on this...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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mitto Museum Piece

mitto

Posted
Posted

Ruth, I got half a dozen vac 51s for Rs.1000 (around $9) each. All bought from the same antique store. And the funny thing was that the guy said it was an 'ecomomised' model that came between the 51 and the 21. He also said this model was inferior than both the 51 and the 21 and, hence, it did not sell well. :)

Khan M. Ilyas

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Freddy Donor Pen

Freddy

Posted
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fpn_1528819907__brhw59_3mfhrb.jpg

And Parker Vacumatic / Aerometric 51's.........Still have the 51 Vacumatic my mother gave me {early '50's}.

 

Me earworm....and I think to myself what A Wonderful World...yes..I think to myself...Louis A. Oh Yeah!

Fred

and playin' in the background...Star spreadin' the news, I'm leavin' today, I want to be a part

of it......New York, New York.......Mr. Sinatra........................

Have a safe journey.................................................................... ...................................................

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AL01 Vintage

AL01

Posted
Posted

Ruth, I got half a dozen vac 51s for Rs.1000 (around $9) each. All bought from the same antique store. And the funny thing was that the guy said it was an 'ecomomised' model that came between the 51 and the 21. He also said this model was inferior than both the 51 and the 21 and, hence, it did not sell well. :)

 

COMEONMAN!

 

:lol:

 

Pakistan has some killer deals!

 

When I go there....

 

Oh I'm gonna find some deals dangit.

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Offret Near Mint

Offret

Posted
Posted

My personal opinion is that the Parker 51 is not only the best Parker-made pen, but also the best pen ever made, period.

 

Regarding the differences between the Vacumatic and Aero-metric, their differences are - IMO - overstated. The Aero-metric filler is longer lasting, and the pen is easier to flush - neither make a difference to me as I only use one ink, and a sac replacement is not that expensive. The Vacumatic 51 caps are aesthetically superior (plating, engraving depth, detail, design harmony, clip length, etc.). The pump is also more pleasing to use, and beats pulling the barrel off of the Aero-metric (reminds me of C/C pens). The Aero-metric is simpler, and has a superior filling mechanism from a design perspective. It is also engineered for taking in the air. I own both, and love both. I never think, "hey, this 51 X is so much better than 51Y." Writing characteristics of both are the same to me.

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Erik Dalton Collectors Item

Erik Dalton

Posted
Posted

That’s the beauty of the P-51, we all find something about it that we like. If I tried to tell you my favorite version, I’d sound like an idiot that can’t make up my mind. I have an aero that writes like a Sharpie. I just love it. A 1947 black & gold vac that I just can’t write enough with, then there are the Demi in both Vac and Areo these just might be my favorite....today...lol.

Hard to believe these 70 year old pens are still writing everyday and going strong.

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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
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The one recurrent issue I have had with Parker 51s has been having to replace a nib when someone takes the tipping off or mangles the nib. It is usually the loose nut in the chair.

"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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Manalto Collectors Item

Manalto

Posted
Posted

My favorite Parker is the PFM - the Pen For Men! I like its technology and siz...

 

What's that?

 

Oh.

 

Yeah, the 51.

James

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PeterR-C Rare

PeterR-C

Posted
Posted

Charles: I am going to do something which will endear me to almost none of the people who have responded so far. I suggest that you enjoy your sonnet, and get some more of them - because for me they are about the most beautiful pen ever made. I confess I've never really understood why the Parker 51 is so popular. Is this just a psychological failing on my part? I've never quite liked the covered nib as much as the open nib of the sonnet. The covered nib reminds me of the small head and beak of a little bird like a swallow. The open nib of the sonnet on the other hand is something a medieval calligrapher would recognise and appreciate. Besides which, the finishes are delightful. Go for the older ones, I'm not convinced the newer ones have quite the same quality. The "gold trim" is already wearing off my two new ones.

 

And now I'll duck back below the parapet...

 

Peter

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inkstainedruth Ancient Artifact

inkstainedruth

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Posted

Charles: I am going to do something which will endear me to almost none of the people who have responded so far. I suggest that you enjoy your sonnet, and get some more of them - because for me they are about the most beautiful pen ever made. I confess I've never really understood why the Parker 51 is so popular. Is this just a psychological failing on my part? I've never quite liked the covered nib as much as the open nib of the sonnet. The covered nib reminds me of the small head and beak of a little bird like a swallow. The open nib of the sonnet on the other hand is something a medieval calligrapher would recognise and appreciate. Besides which, the finishes are delightful. Go for the older ones, I'm not convinced the newer ones have quite the same quality. The "gold trim" is already wearing off my two new ones.

 

And now I'll duck back below the parapet...

 

Peter

 

Not everyone likes hooded nibs. Even some people who understand the rationale behind the design.

You can send them my way though.... I'd be more than happy of relieving you of the burden of having to use one.... ;)

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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