Parker 51 As Edc?

[Arstook]

Wow, I do not even look at cartridge pens because they seem to limit you to only so many colors unless a syringe is utilized. I love using fountain pens, for one reason, that it can let you write notes with no cramps at all, until the ink runs out. I literally took so many notes in Geometry at school and Calculus after school that I ran out of ink on my TWSBI Eco. And my hand was fine, unlike my friends the next day.

 

Well, it sounds like you are already a hardened fountain pen user. In that case, you should be just fine. Given that you're going to be taking notes, you just might also want to bring a bottle of ink to school for flash refills. I can vouch for the 51 specials! I have a Parker Super 21 which was made with an identical octanium nib to the Specials. Very smooth and buttery writing to be had.

[welch]

Would a mike masuyama tune up be around 50 small? Because that is what I have reserved for tune ups this holiday season.

 

Mike is good, but so are others:

 

- Josh Lax, president of Big Apple Pen Club, https://www.jjlaxpenco.com/

 

- Linda Kennedy of Indy Pen Dance, http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/

 

...and others.

 

Oh, and, yes, if someone sells a P-51 Special, grab it. The Special was a P-51 with a steel nib, one that Parker called "Octanium", and a simpler filling system. Great pens.

[surprise123]

 

Well, it sounds like you are already a hardened fountain pen user. In that case, you should be just fine. Given that you're going to be taking notes, you just might also want to bring a bottle of ink to school for flash refills. I can vouch for the 51 specials! I have a Parker Super 21 which was made with an identical octanium nib to the Specials. Very smooth and buttery writing to be had.

So should I have gotten a Parker 51 or a Parker 21? They look very, very similar...

[surprise123]

So I lost the auction, but a new listing immediately appeared. I will be sniping for that one...

[surprise123]

I NEED TO GET MY HANDS ONE OF THESE THINGS

[mitto]

I find quite often Specials here in local antique markets and the sellers ask more for the 'Special' than the 'regular' because of the 'Special' being something special than the 'regular'. No amount of explanation as to the contrary did yield any results with the stubborn sellers. With the result that I now have started leaving the expensive Specials (with the 'special' octanium nibs and 'special' simpler filler) and picking up the inexpensive 'regular' (with the ordinary gold nibs and ordinary fillers).

Edited December 9, 2017 by mitto

[mitto]

So should I have gotten a Parker 51 or a Parker 21? They look very, very similar...

They may look similar but the fact of the matter is that they are not. The 21 is much inferior pen when compared to a 51.

[surprise123]

Ok, so i will go for the gold on my Parker 51 special. For some reason, there are quite a couple deals right now...

[Arstook]

The Super 21 is a different creature from the 21 and have a good quality record. I think the Super 21 was built by Parker to address complaints about the earlier "regular" 21. Some people on FPN have reported on cracking barrels which is something to consider. I love my Super 21 and it seems like a very durable pen. They aren't as collected as the Parker 51 so you can find a Super 21 in excellent or new old stock condition for $40-60. Parker 51s for that price range tend to be somewhat more banged up or sold for as/is condition without repairs. Peyton Street Pens has new old stock Super 21s for $67.

[Brandywine]

Wow, I do not even look at cartridge pens because they seem to limit you to only so many colors unless a syringe is utilized. I love using fountain pens, for one reason, that it can let you write notes with no cramps at all, until the ink runs out. I literally took so many notes in Geometry at school and Calculus after school that I ran out of ink on my TWSBI Eco. And my hand was fine, unlike my friends the next day.

 

You can still fill from an inkglass when you use a converter.

You then can keep some cartridges as backup when the converter is empty.

 

The market may be different in the USA, but around here there are a lot of colours available in cartridges.

The big ink manufacturers (Pelikan, Kaweco, Montblanc, Lamy, Waterman, Diamine to name some)

offer most of their inks in cartridges as well.

But they may not be in store everywhere and the "normal" colours are cheaper, too.

[inkstainedruth]

I have a 21 and did have the hood crack on me. But it was the gateway to buying a "real" 51 (starting with a 51 Special, and then going from there).

I still haven't figured out what the difference between a 21 and a 21 Special (or for that matter, a 21 Special and a 51 Special) is, other than that possibly) Parker 41s got re-labeled and re-marketed as 21 Specials after the 41 model didn't sell well.

Mitto, great story! Yeah, no point in arguing. Just buy the less expensive "regular" 51s....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[ac12]

Given what you said in another post about your classmates damaging your pen, I would NOT bring any pen worth more than $30 to school.

As I've said before "school is a high risk environment."

Anything you take to school is at risk of loss, damage or theft.

Keep the expensive/good pens at home.

 

I took a pair of Parker 45s to college.

At home, for homework, I used a Parker 51.

Edited December 9, 2017 by ac12

[FarmBoy]

Given what you said in another post about your classmates damaging your pen, I would NOT bring any pen worth more than $30 to school.

As I've said before "school is a high risk environment."

Anything you take to school is at risk of loss, damage or theft.

Keep the expensive/good pens at home.

 

I took a pair of Parker 45s to college.

At home, for homework, I used a Parker 51.

You have not seen him when he gets angry.

[tamiya]

I find quite often Specials here in local antique markets and the sellers ask more for the 'Special' than the 'regular' because of the 'Special' being something special than the 'regular'. No amount of explanation as to the contrary did yield any results with the stubborn sellers. With the result that I now have started leaving the expensive Specials (with the 'special' octanium nibs and 'special' simpler filler) and picking up the inexpensive 'regular' (with the ordinary gold nibs and ordinary fillers).

You're probably similarly life-experienced enough to remember back when "standard" denoted an item was of a HIGHER level of specification/quality than the majority... not just base level

[mitto]

You're probably similarly life-experienced enough to remember back when "standard" denoted an item was of a HIGHER level of specification/quality than the majority... not just base level

 

But the sellers insist "SPECIAL" means something special than an ordinary "standard".

Edited December 10, 2017 by mitto

[tamiya]

But the sellers insist "SPECIAL" means something special than an ordinary "standard".

Yes, those sellers are indeed "Special"

 

Ironically, I think the word Special came from the meaning "unique one of a species"... vaguely remembering,

[mitto]

I am dying to get a Special on Special's price.

[surprise123]

The seller was stubborn too, I told him a Special was not worth more than a standard, and therefore he priced the standard with gold nib (still aerometric) lower. Deal or no deal?

[surprise123]

Given what you said in another post about your classmates damaging your pen, I would NOT bring any pen worth more than $30 to school.

As I've said before "school is a high risk environment."

Anything you take to school is at risk of loss, damage or theft.

Keep the expensive/good pens at home.

I took a pair of Parker 45s to college.

At home, for homework, I used a Parker 51.

You think I would take such a find (Parker 51 with blue diamond, gold filled cap, gold nib, pristine condition) to school at this point? I mean, a Special sounded viable, but something like this certainly is NOT.

[AL01]

There was a seller I found that sold lots of p51 specials for cheap, should I buy bulk? They all have 17 day warranties so there is little risk... and yes, I will most certainly take care of a pen that could see me through school, college, and beyond.

 

Yeah....

 

Give 'em a try.

 

The one I have needs a ton of nibwork.

 

But as an EDC, I mean - what other pen compares to the 51???

 

It's amazing that this pen is still easily the best EDC pen ever.

 

(While it ain't my favorite, but man.... It's something to think about.)

 

 

BTW, ALWAYS tell your classmates to use very little pressure. I tell people that and my pens are jus' fane. AND a P51 nib can be used as a dart. Although I don't recommend trying dat.

Edited December 10, 2017 by AL01