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rolo305

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I want to buy my first Parker and I say first because I always end up buying a bunch more of a brand. My daily carry is Pilot Vp and Lamy 2k and I want to switch one of them out. My Grandfather carried a Parker pen as long as I can remember (a jotter). Since I'm into fountain pens I'd like to carry one daily. My question is where to start? I am a fan of gold nibs. I have noticed allot of complaints about newer Parkers on reddit. Ask me about Pilots, Platinums, and Sailors all day I just don't know anything about Parker.

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I'm not a fan of most modern Parkers (other than Vectors, which may be too skinny for your taste if your EDC are a VP and a Lamy 2000.

Vintage Parkers are another matter entirely. I LOVE vintage Parkers. I would say to start out with a Parker 51 Aerometric -- odds are good that all you will need to do is flush them out. 51s were the flagship of the line for something like 20 years for good reason (they stopped counting how many they had made after 12 MILLION of them -- and in their day they were considered expensive pens. But unless you're looking at one of the rarer colors or one with an exotic nib, they are still pretty affordable -- the most I ever paid was $120 US (including the buyer's premium) at an auction at the Triangle Pen Show a couple of summers ago -- and that one was an English-made one with an OB nib on it; OTOH, I paid two bucks for a Forest Green Aerometric (and that is apparently one of the rarer colors) at an estate sale last fall. :thumbup:

If you aren't comfortable with something that isn't a c/c pen, have a look at Parker 45s. They come in a bunch of colors, come with both gold nibs as well as steel ones, and are still relatively inexpensive (I think of them as being on the borderline between "vintage" and "modern". Parker cartridges will fit them, as well as most Parker converters (but you have to get Parker ones, not International Standard ones, because they're one of the "proprietary" brands.

More expensive (but also larger pens) would be something like a Parker 75 (I don't have one of those but a lot of people really like them, and the sterling silver Ciselé finish is actually quite attractive.

If you want to know about Parker Pens, the best resource is www.parkercollector.com. That is my go-to source for information and the amount of stuff that Tony Fischier has on his site is just staggering.

I'm also a fan of Vacumatics, but I wouldn't recommend one as your first foray into Parkers, unless you get one that has been serviced and is in working condition (the advantage is that they hold a huge amount of ink -- the disadvantage is that replacing the diaphragm in one is not a job for an amateur, so you have to factor repair costs into the price; and that also goes for the earlier Vac fill 51s).

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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Id endorse Ruths recommendations about looking for a 51 or a 75. If the 51 interests you, but you arent sure you want to spend the money on one just yet, you could buy a Wing Sung 601 (or one of the other 51 knockoffs) for $15-20 or so, to see if you like writing with a 51 style pen/hooded nib. Then if you find it suits you, you can start looking for a vintage 51. There are many 51s and 75s out there in the world to choose from. As it happens, another FPN member started a thread today with a video that nicely shows you the Wing Sung 601A and goes over the WS 601 models as well. This will familiarize you with those pens as well as give you an idea of how the real 51 looks and works, if the 51 appeals to you.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/349244-video-review-wing-sung-601a/

Edited by Herrjaeger
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Thank you for all the info. I may just go ahead and jump on an Aerometric I was doing some research on my lunch break and I think we are a go. Now its finding the right deal on one. I don't mind the fill mech much I'm just one like many that like to switch inks allot so that is why I like cartridge converters.

 

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I know it doesn't bother many but I'm not a fan on knock offs I'd rather try the cheaper steel nib and go from there. Hooded nibs I do like because its not that flashy so my coworker don't start to think I have money. LOL They think my Lamy 2k is a $20 dollar pen. haha

 

 

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51.

Yes, get the real thing. (I'd go aerometric, myself.)

 

It's a predictable answer, I know. But they're a lot of pen for the money, imho

It may be the Lucite, they have a great feel. And their reliability is legendary.

Great daily pens. I can often find common colours for very low money.

 

As Sailor Kenshin points out: other Parker c/c pens available.

 

Good luck

Enjoy the ride.

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I'm not a fan of most modern Parkers (other than Vectors, which may be too skinny for your taste if your EDC are a VP and a Lamy 2000.

Vintage Parkers are another matter entirely. I LOVE vintage Parkers. I would say to start out with a Parker 51 Aerometric -- odds are good that all you will need to do is flush them out. 51s were the flagship of the line for something like 20 years for good reason (they stopped counting how many they had made after 12 MILLION of them -- and in their day they were considered expensive pens. But unless you're looking at one of the rarer colors or one with an exotic nib, they are still pretty affordable -- the most I ever paid was $120 US (including the buyer's premium) at an auction at the Triangle Pen Show a couple of summers ago -- and that one was an English-made one with an OB nib on it; OTOH, I paid two bucks for a Forest Green Aerometric (and that is apparently one of the rarer colors) at an estate sale last fall. :thumbup:

If you aren't comfortable with something that isn't a c/c pen, have a look at Parker 45s. They come in a bunch of colors, come with both gold nibs as well as steel ones, and are still relatively inexpensive (I think of them as being on the borderline between "vintage" and "modern". Parker cartridges will fit them, as well as most Parker converters (but you have to get Parker ones, not International Standard ones, because they're one of the "proprietary" brands.

More expensive (but also larger pens) would be something like a Parker 75 (I don't have one of those but a lot of people really like them, and the sterling silver Ciselé finish is actually quite attractive.

If you want to know about Parker Pens, the best resource is www.parkercollector.com. That is my go-to source for information and the amount of stuff that Tony Fischier has on his site is just staggering.

I'm also a fan of Vacumatics, but I wouldn't recommend one as your first foray into Parkers, unless you get one that has been serviced and is in working condition (the advantage is that they hold a huge amount of ink -- the disadvantage is that replacing the diaphragm in one is not a job for an amateur, so you have to factor repair costs into the price; and that also goes for the earlier Vac fill 51s).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

thats a nice letter Ruth, but I, after many years prefer the parkers aereometrics instead of vacumatics, they work better and last forever.

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Get a Parker 51, the all-time greatest fountain pen. After the 51, find a cartridge/converter version of its successor, the Parker 61.

 

Get your first 51 from a restoration expert who will have tuned the nib and can tell what size it is. Any aerometric will probably write, but most 51's will have been made before the mid-50's, so there is no telling what has been done to the tipping. Furthermore, if you want a medium nib, you will need to check it first. From my experience buying half-blind on EBay, about 3/4 of the US-made 51s were fine point. The factory in England made more mediums...maybe 50:50. The finer-than-fine nibs are rare these days, but it is interesting to see the variety that the market demanded.

 

Of "modern" Parker pens, the Sonnet is not half bad. It has an easily-swappable nib-unit, like the superb Parker 75 and the great entry-level Parker 45. I inked up and used a Sonnet a few days ago, and thought, hey, this is about what a fountain pen should handle like.

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

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Can't go wrong with the 51 but I do love some of the 75's!

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The Parker 75 is a good choice if you want a C/C pen. Once cleaned out from old ink. The 51 Aerometric squeeze filler does last ad infinitum. I even have a 51 I converted to C/C with an adapter from a man in India. It works well, but it has been said that the ink will attack the brass of the adaptor, so it is idle.

"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 second or third Ruth's excellent suggestions. I've bought a number of English-made, gold-nibbed Parker "51" aeromatics off of eBay, all for under $65, some under $50, from well-established UK sellers who know their pens. (One pen was only $35 due to a minor scratch which polished out.). All were just for sale, as I am sick of auctions, and advertised as used but clean, and fully-checked, with a writing sample and many other photos, and guaranteed. Returns were allowed. Each has been a good buy. I came away feeling I had been treated fairly and professionally, and made at least two repeat purchases in assembling my collection of various Parkers. Just watch and follow a few sellers. Being in no rush is a good thing!

 

Personally, I prefer the English Parkers, and don't mind a medium nib.

 

A Parker 45 is another good choice, and you can go about it the same way. In fact, hunt up a decent deal on one of each, taking them as they come, and see which you want another example or two of (perhaps with a different nib). The steel-nibbed pens are quite nice, so don't be shy of them if the price is right!

 

Feed your interest in using different inks by having a few pens inked at the same time. It's a good reason to go for different colored barrels. Good hunting!

Brian

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I agree about 45s. Great pens in loads of styles and colours to collect. Thing is too, if you get one with a steel nib, it's so easy to switch it out with a gold one.

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I agree with all those who recommended Parker "51", 45, 75 and Sonnet. I have multiples of all of them and they are great pens.

 

To the above recommendations I would add Parker English Duofold. Not too expensive and there is a range of sizes and colours. Good looking, quasi Aerometric filler and good writers.

 

Can't go wrong with any. Parker pens are that good.

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Id endorse Ruths recommendations about looking for a 51 or a 75. If the 51 interests you, but you arent sure you want to spend the money on one just yet, you could buy a Wing Sung 601 (or one of the other 51 knockoffs) for $15-20 or so, to see if you like writing with a 51 style pen/hooded nib

 

The Man asked for a Parker and you tell him to buy a Clone!!!!

?

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The Man asked for a Parker and you tell him to buy a Clone!!!!

?

 

 

That's the problem with the new members these days. All they care about is cheap and they buy these Chinese pens, when they could have bought a cheap vintage pen and started from there.

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I have many Parkers still in my horde 51s , 61s, Duofolds, 45s and many others and all have good features and each is unique.
However I have one that regularly hits my pocket and stays in use because it looks, feels, and writes well without any problems.
They are inexpensive and come in a wide variety of styles.
My favourite is the Flighter with Gold Trim a fat, well balanced, humble every day workhorse
The Frontier deserves more enthusiasts in my opinion!

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I have gone through collecting various parker models

duos, vacs, DQ, 51, 45's ect...

 

I settled on the early parker victoiries due to their colours, however I have dabbled with vectors they are nice a light to use...

 

i would suggest trying a few out to see what you like and can comfortably use.

Rick

 

Member of the Writing Equipment Society.

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