Parker 51s: Did they come with med or broad nibs?

[TMann]

I have recently joined the club of "Parker 51 Devotees," and have been enjoying my blue aerometric 51. It's a smooth writer and is incredibly reliable.

 

My one complaint about the P51's is the lack of nib choices. My blue 51 was advertised as having a medium nib; however, it really doesn't seem to be much wider then my Waterman Phileas or my Lamy Al-Star, which were both fine nibs. So I was wondering: does anyone know if the Parker 51 came in a true medium nib size, or even a broad? Does anyone here have a 51 with a nib wider then a fine?

 

Thanks,

TMann

[Maja]

Ted, I have seen broad nibbed P51s on eBay once in a while, but they seemed to always go for a premium price. As for my P51 and my husband's, both seem to write with a finer line.

[zxc]

My only Parker 51 was a medium (which I was informed was rarer) and ran to a true medium IMO. Got it for £30.

Edited November 11, 2005 by zxc

[Woody]

The thing is, they did come in a true medium size. What you've seen was the sizing for that time.

 

What you fail to realize is that those nibs on the vintage "51" are smaller than many modern day equivalents. I've got several vintage "51" pens. Some actually came in boxes and/or with stickers showing the nib size on them. In each case, the nib was, when compared to modern pens, a size or so smaller than the modern day equivalent. The medium nibs on my vintage 51's produce roughly the same line width as any fine nibbed modern pen I have. The broad nib on my vintage 51 is like the medium nib of my 51 SE from 2002.

[Richard]

Nib stroke widths have, like our diet, become a little "super-sized." A modern medium is broader than a vintage medium but not, usually, as broad as a good vintage broad.

 

To answer the original question, yes, the "51" (always enquoted, if you're a real devoté) had a very broad (pun intended) selection of nibs, including a good solid broad, with an iridium ball big enough to choke a Shetland pony. Just today, as it happens, I adjusted the flow on a big fat stub whose owner says it's a music nib. It draws a soppy wet stroke 1.0 mm wide up and down and 0.4 mm sideways.

 

My personal favorite "51" has a standard medium in it, adjusted for a nice wet stroke. It's 0.5 mm wide, not the 0.6 mm that I use these days when I adjust a nib to medium. (0.5 mm is my gauge for a fine.)

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/51_cedar_dj.jpg

 

Feel free to download my printable PDF stroke-width chart.

Edited November 12, 2005 by Richard

[amin]

Check out the second one from the bottom here: http://www.wetinc.com/pens/51%20Aeros/51_aeros.html

 

I'm sorely tempted but not ready to spend another $175. I just paid that much for a very nice restored PFM IV. By the way Ted, I'm really enjoying the "51" I bought from you recently!

Edited November 12, 2005 by amin

[randyholhut]

The 51 nibs do run finer than most other pens. I've got a medium that puts down a pretty good line, but the fine point I have (currently up for sale in the Marketplace) is finer than, say, the fine point on my Sheaffers.

 

On the other hand, the 61 nibs seem to be a little broader. I have a medium and a fine, and they both write wider than their 51 equivalents.

[Ray]

I have a broad and a broad stub. They're hard to find, but worth the effort.

 

Ray

[JimStrutton]

I would also mention that the English made "51"s (Thanks Richard) are broader than the US made ones. In fact if you want a medium inb. look for a UK made example as most of those shipped with a medium.

 

I have a US Vac "51" than ran too fine for me so I had it changed to a UK medium nib, wonderful now!

 

Jim