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Parker 21 Super


surprise123

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So I have heeded the community's advice that vintage P51 are not good school pens. I just got a Parker 21 Super NOS for 13 dollars on an auction. I was like "oh what the heck" and dropped a bid on it. And I won it. So what are you opinions on this economical version of the Parker 51? Would they hold up to everyday school use like my faithful TWSBI did?

 

Edit: And do they have the same octanium nibs as the Parker "51" Special?

Edited by surprise123
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Yes, the plastic is just more delicate, the sections are prone to cracking. A good drop onto a linoleum floor would probably not be good, but then it never is.

 

If you find that has any problems, let me also recommend a Hero 616 Jumbo/Doctor. I use these when I don't want to take one of my 51s into harm's way. $5 shipped and the real ones are quite pleasant to use. They are a little harder to fill than a real Parker - the press-bar doesn't create as much suction, I guess. The plastic on these is actually quite good. I usually keep one inked. The burgandy and teal colors are quite nice.

 

I applaud you not taking a P51 to school. I love mine and guard them feverishly.

<i>"Most people go through life using up half their energy trying to protect a dignity they never had."</i><br>-Marlowe, in <i>The Long Goodbye</i>

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I love my 51s, too, which is why they go where I go. I can't imagine guarding them feverishly. Then again, I have no great tendency to lose pens. I did lose a 51 after writing with it for 36 years, beginning at the age of 13, but let's say that wasn't an everyday event and I haven't lost another. There were millions of them made.

 

That said, it could be instructive to try an authentic Hero 616. It required what the late Chairman Mao would have called ardent revolutionary struggle to get my Hero 100 to write at all well. So I leave experimentation with Hero pens to those more fortunate in that respect than I am.

 

ETA: I think Super 21s are nifty pens. They do indeed have the same Octanium nib as the 51 Special, and I have a good opinion of Specials, too. I would consider a Super 21 an excellent and well-advised everyday pen.

 

And I would not cringe from the asserted fragility of the plastic. It is sturdier than what Parker used for the plain 21 if not as sturdy as the Lucite that went into the 51. In ordinary gentle use it will last. And there are many more of them if it doesn't.

Edited by Jerome Tarshis
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As Jerome says!

 

The Super 21 is a better pen than any TWSBI. The S21 was Parker's entry-level and school pen before the Parker 45, and a good example of fountain pen engineering before the all-component P-45. Before 1960, Parker and Sheaffer -- the top two pen companies -- assumed that an owner would return a misbehaving pen to a service center. An owner would refill a pen and flush every now and then, but repairs were meant for technicians...who had service manuals, tools, and spare parts.

 

Another of my opinions: Sheaffer and Parker made better fountain pens in 1955 than companies make today. In 1955, the fountain pen was the personal word processor, the writing instrument everyone owned if they could afford more than a dip pen. People used a pencil for anything that might need to be erased -- "I'll pencil you in", as Henry Petroski reminds us, in his book about "The Pencil". Pens were for anything permanent. A big market.

Washington Nationals 2019: the fight for .500; "stay in the fight"; WON the fight

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Surprise123, now you have at least four good pens. Two Duofold Seniors, a P51 and a P21S. Let us know which one writes the best. And don't forget we would like to see pictures of the pens. So picures please with writing samples.

Khan M. Ilyas

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I'll post pictures of all my finds... when they get here. Most are shipping on standard. The parker duofold order was canceled because the seller did not accept Visa gift cards... 😥 I HATE MY LIFE

 

But at the same time, that Parker duofold would have sucked a lot of money for repairs... Seller refunded me but never answered any of my questions. For now, just a Parker 51 vac, and a parker 21 super. More on the way? Maybe.

 

I never knew gift cards sold in the US only worked in the us... if anyone is interested, here is the seller: wolseley28

 

This is an ebay seller and he/she never answered my questions, so I am quite glad, to be honest, that I did not get the duofold. Might have been scammed.

Edited by surprise123
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Yes, the plastic is just more delicate, the sections are prone to cracking. A good drop onto a linoleum floor would probably not be good, but then it never is.

 

If you find that has any problems, let me also recommend a Hero 616 Jumbo/Doctor. I use these when I don't want to take one of my 51s into harm's way. $5 shipped and the real ones are quite pleasant to use. They are a little harder to fill than a real Parker - the press-bar doesn't create as much suction, I guess. The plastic on these is actually quite good. I usually keep one inked. The burgandy and teal colors are quite nice.

 

I applaud you not taking a P51 to school. I love mine and guard them feverishly.

I actually treasure my GRANDFATHER'S Hero pens, they are actually fitted with Parker nibs and feature rebranded Parker parts. It is smooth as butter from its 53 years of service by my grandfather's side. He took good care of it, and he is an accomplished fountain pen restorer (nib grinding, polishing, etc.)

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Yes, the plastic is just more delicate, the sections are prone to cracking. A good drop onto a linoleum floor would probably not be good, but then it never is.

 

If you find that has any problems, let me also recommend a Hero 616 Jumbo/Doctor. I use these when I don't want to take one of my 51s into harm's way. $5 shipped and the real ones are quite pleasant to use. They are a little harder to fill than a real Parker - the press-bar doesn't create as much suction, I guess. The plastic on these is actually quite good. I usually keep one inked. The burgandy and teal colors are quite nice.

 

I applaud you not taking a P51 to school. I love mine and guard them feverishly.

I actually treasure my GRANDFATHER'S Hero pens, they are actually fitted with Parker nibs and feature rebranded Parker parts. It is smooth as butter from its 53 years of service by my grandfather's side. He took good care of it, and he is an accomplished fountain pen restorer (nib grinding, polishing, etc.)

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I actually treasure my GRANDFATHER'S Hero pens, they are actually fitted with Parker nibs and feature rebranded Parker parts. It is smooth as butter from its 53 years of service by my grandfather's side. He took good care of it, and he is an accomplished fountain pen restorer (nib grinding, polishing, etc.)

Nice! Some Hero/Jinhao pens are not great in terms of quality, but I enjoy the 616s. Apart from the filling issue, they write well. Have to wet the nib to start only after about a week and a half or so, so I would not call that a hard-starter.

<i>"Most people go through life using up half their energy trying to protect a dignity they never had."</i><br>-Marlowe, in <i>The Long Goodbye</i>

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Nice! Some Hero/Jinhao pens are not great in terms of quality, but I enjoy the 616s. Apart from the filling issue, they write well. Have to wet the nib to start only after about a week and a half or so, so I would not call that a hard-starter.

You would not believe the quality before "made in china" stickers were slapped onto crappy goods... this was technically a Parker 51 Special, rebranded under Hero.

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... this was technically a Parker 51 Special, rebranded under Hero.

 

How? Could you substatiate this claim of yours?

 

Hero "feature rebranded Parker parts" and it "was technically a Parker 51 Special"...

 

Then why did you opt for buying the much inferior Parker 21S?

Edited by mitto

Khan M. Ilyas

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Because why would I ever use my grandfather's pen in school??! That seems like a disrespectful and risky thing to do... and to attest to the rebranded parker parts, they have the same markings, but stamped over with chinese.

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You would not believe the quality before "made in china" stickers were slapped onto crappy goods... this was technically a Parker 51 Special, rebranded under Hero.

I seriously doubt your statement in bold. Parker did not make pens rebranded as Hero. If you have evidence to the contrary I would like to see it as would many others. Lets see a picture of this.

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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I seriously doubt your statement in bold. Parker did not make pens rebranded as Hero. If you have evidence to the contrary I would like to see it as would many others. Lets see a picture of this.

In his young school-going age he seems to have 'insights' into the history of Parker as well knowledge of Chinese language. No wonder he comes farward with SOME evidence.

Khan M. Ilyas

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I'm not sure what the facts are, but there are other sources available online that state that the manufacturing plant, tooling and stock parts that were initially Parker's in China became the Hero company when things became nationalized under the Communist government, with the result that early Hero pens were similar in quality and build to Parkers. Parker parts would be interchangeable in that case, and It may be that our young enthusiast has inherited a "missing link" transitional pen if there are both English and Chinese imprints on some of the parts. Pictures would be very interesting.

 

One article mentioning the Parker 51/Hero 100 connection is this one:

http://newpentrace.net/penbase/Data_Returns/full_article9e96.html

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We were expecting EVIDENCE. The Parker-Hero connection is just a myth. No evidence, whatsoever, is found that may substantiate the existence of a Parker Shanghai factory that 'reportedly' was nationalised by the Communist regime. We see vintage US made parkers, English made Parkers, Argentina made Parkers, Canada made Parkers and so on. Have anyone ever seen a vintage China made Parker?

 

As far as stories are concerned, this Wikipedia article about Parker, while making a mention of Parker oversease plants (in the 'HISTORY' section), states that a 'manufacturing facility' was also put in place in Pakistan which, historically, is 100% wrong.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Pen_Company

Edited by mitto

Khan M. Ilyas

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I'm not sure what the facts are, but there are other sources available online that state that the manufacturing plant, tooling and stock parts that were initially Parker's in China became the Hero company when things became nationalized under the Communist government, with the result that early Hero pens were similar in quality and build to Parkers. Parker parts would be interchangeable in that case, and It may be that our young enthusiast has inherited a "missing link" transitional pen if there are both English and Chinese imprints on some of the parts. Pictures would be very interesting.

 

One article mentioning the Parker 51/Hero 100 connection is this one:

http://newpentrace.net/penbase/Data_Returns/full_article9e96.html

All BS. Think about the dates and what was going on in the world. Not to mention there is exactly ZERO anything related to Parker that confirms this. Note Parker had 100s of drawers of documents in Janesville that many people went through.

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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Never mind, theyre copies of the p51. The resemblances were uncanny, though. They had the same aero filler as the p51 and the same tubular nib.

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Never mind, theyre copies of the p51. The resemblances were uncanny, though. They had the same aero filler as the p51 and the same tubular nib.

:)

Khan M. Ilyas

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All BS. Think about the dates and what was going on in the world. Not to mention there is exactly ZERO anything related to Parker that confirms this. Note Parker had 100s of drawers of documents in Janesville that many people went through.

 

Sine dubio................

 

Fred

 

overall a very interestin' read........................

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