Parker 21

November 11, 2009

I searched forever to find a Parker 21 in exactly this color and nib size and condition, from this year, and I finally...alright, it was an impulse buy, bought on the cheap in the Marketplace. Regardless, a Parker 21 came into my possession. And it was awful!

However, I had just bought and re-sold/returned two pens, and didn't want to go through that trouble again for something that cost something like $12. That left one option: fix the darn thing. A relatively minor repair, but to an amateur repairman such as myself, quite a stepping stone. This was the process: 1) Re-align the tines. 2) Smooth to acceptable...smoothness. 3) Discover that one tine is actually longer than the other. 4) Decide that even though my smoothing skills are not quite consistent, I cannot ignore this. 5) Sand down the longer tine. 6) Smooth again. 7) Annoy my girlfriend with my excitement over having turned a bad writer into a lovely writer. 8) Repeat #7.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a94/willsw/p211.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a94/willsw/p215.jpg

I don't really have much to say as far as a review goes. If you like 51s and hooded nibs, it's definitely worth investigating. The nib is different from the 51 (and the Chinese copies, which imitate the 51), in that it is not tubular and therefore more of the nib and feed show. I still find it attractive. As far as performance it now writes a smooth fine, but I couldn't say how the factory turned it out however many decades ago.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a94/willsw/p217.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a94/willsw/p212.jpg

The clip is interesting - I was expecting an arrow but instead found this interestingly concave shape. It gives the 21 more of a unique personality, rather than just looking like a mini-51.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a94/willsw/p214.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a94/willsw/p213.jpg

Unfortunately (actually, it's probably fortunate for the pen) I couldn't find any superchrome ink and had to use Noodler's Red-Black. The flow is perfectly average. I like the pen a lot, it's comfortable in my largish hand, and it has replaced my Estie as the cheap pen that doesn't fit in my 2-pen case but I still want to put in my bag.

Edited November 11, 2009 by WillSW

November 11, 2009

I have some Superchrome...nice stuff! It stays in the cheap pens.

November 11, 2009

Good job with the sandpaper Will, what about a writing sample?

As for the clip, yours has the original P21 clip from the 50s. Later on (60s) the 21 was gifted with the arrow clip.

Enjoy your pen!

November 13, 2009

Good job with the sandpaper Will, what about a writing sample?
As for the clip, yours has the original P21 clip from the 50s. Later on (60s) the 21 was gifted with the arrow clip.

Enjoy your pen!

Here ya go! I'm glad I have that clip, earlier is always more interesting to me.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a94/willsw/wsa2.jpg