Parker 51 Grail?

[crescentfiller]

Oh, and the black Empire set was found in a small Michigan town a stone's throw from Pajaro's stomping ground, by the way.....

[mariom]

 

If I see another set priced at under $25, I'll send you a PM!

 

No doubt you will, but only after you've pocketed it of course.

[pajaro]

Oh, and the black Empire set was found in a small Michigan town a stone's throw from Pajaro's stomping ground, by the way.....

 

Clinton? I haven't checked the antique places anywhere outside of Tecumseh. Requires careful planning.

[crescentfiller]

Well, that explains why the set was there for over a year!

 

(Not Clinton; the opposite direction!)

[eaudom]

I am currently using a plain black aero with a gold filled cap...not a grail but definitely understated elegance...even with a ding in the cap.

[gyasko]

I have a bunch of 51s: vacs, aeros, black, plum, nassau, cocoa, flighter DJ models, single jewels, first years, sterling, gf & steel caps. They all write pretty much the same -- though some better than others -- except for the two with stubs.

 

It doesn't get better than a 51 with a stub.

If i didn't have both stub widths already, those would be my grails.

[Dip n Scratch]

I got a beater black #51 and spent a week with very dilute ammonia solution purging it of old ink.

I think the aerometric '51 is preferable because the squeeze bulb-thing is more durable than the diaphragm on the end of the vacumatic's reservoir that is rubber as I am aware.

The creature is reliable. I believe that it has got Herbin Blue Myosotis in it at the moment.

After having the Chinese knock-offs I wanted to find out what the real thing was like.

 

If you had a Parker prototype 51 in a colour that was never issued that'd be interesting to put it mildly. But you'd never take it to work with you. The same would apply if John Lennon & Paul Mc Cartney had used it to write songs with.

[FlighterGuy]

Well, I have a first year double jewel set and a mint Empire set. But as a Flighter collector, I consider my 1949 Flighter a grail pen. The 1949 Flighter Mark I Type 1 was only produced in the 4Q 1949. The 1950 pens are Mark I Type 2 and the most notable difference is in the threads and the clip length.

[Tseg]

My one and only P51 aerometric special that was seemingly too dry for my preference has finally found a home in my line up when I paired it with Akkerman Shocking Blue. I bought the Akkerman a year ago because I loved the bottle but the overly red sheen of the ink was not doing it for me. But this ink with all its saturation, combined with my drier writing P51 is fantastiic. Because the nib is not gushing like the rest of my favorites the sheen is well controlled. This little pen (not really little) holds quite a bit of ink. I would never dare try this ink in any of my other vintage sac pens as everyone warns about using highly saturated ink in them... but understand it should be no issue for this aerometric.

[finansista]

The 1949 Flighter Mark I Type 1 was only produced in the 4Q 1949. The 1950 pens are Mark I Type 2 and the most notable difference is in the threads and the clip length.

FlighterGuy, could you post some pics? I have a 1949 and 1950 Flighters and cant really tell much difference between them.

[jchch1950]

How many Flighter different models of the 51 were produced?.

[FlighterGuy]

How many Flighter different models of the 51 were produced?.

 

There are three versions of the 51 Flighter, the clip on the 49 is 42mm and the 50 is 38mm. When I put the 49 section into the 50 barrel, there is a gap at the ring.

 

[FarmBoy]

I dont understand what you mean by there is a gap at the ring. The only difference between the two caps should be the clip. The arrow was shortened across the 51 line. Opinion varies on when the change occurred but mid- to late-1950 seems to be the consensus. Certainly by 1951 the clip was short.

Edited April 8, 2019 by FarmBoy

[Glenn-SC]

I don't understand what you mean by there is a gap at the ring.

I appear to have copies of the same three pens, and, indeed, the Section from the '49 pen and the two shorter clipped pens (mine are not date marked) will not fully thread onto the others. There is a "gap" or length of thread left exposed when the barrel is fully seated/threaded onto the section.

Edited April 8, 2019 by Glenn-SC

[richardandtracy]

How very peculiar.

Is there a chance of posting a photo? Sounds very odd, if I'm understanding you correctly it's the sort of thing you might expect of a less well made replica. But you're experienced enough to avoid being sold a replica as an original, so it's odd.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Matlock]

How very peculiar.

Is there a chance of posting a photo? Sounds very odd, if I'm understanding you correctly it's the sort of thing you might expect of a less well made replica. But you're experienced enough to avoid being sold a replica as an original, so it's odd.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

I have tried it and it is because the Aerometric filler unit is longer on the 1949 pen so will not fit later models (not just the Flighters).

[Glenn-SC]

I will post photos later today.

[FarmBoy]

Does one of the barrels have a brass insert and the other a plastic insert?

[finansista]

I dont understand what you mean by there is a gap at the ring. The only difference between the two caps should be the clip. The arrow was shortened across the 51 line. Opinion varies on when the change occurred but mid- to late-1950 seems to be the consensus. Certainly by 1951 the clip was short.

Both of my P51 Flighters have long clip and they are Q4 1949 and Q4 1950.

[Matlock]

Does one of the barrels have a brass insert and the other a plastic insert?

 

As I said, the problem is with the filler sleeve. The early ones are longer and will not allow the barrels of later pens (not just Flighters) to fully screw on..