51 Vacumatic Or 51 Aerometric?

[a-pen-for-a-sole]

which is the best pen among both the legends. parker 51 vacumatic or 51 aerometric. i know that, both of them are great pens. but, when i want to buy one among them, i want to know about their maintenance and use. which one of them is more user friendly? ie, filling should be easy and should not ink my hands. which filling system lasts long without asking for maintenance? one last question. how much can i pay for NOS and used? i know that the price varies, but just give me price range.

thanks in advance for helping me.

sriram

[Wolverine1]

Sriram- if you are worried about the possibility of maintenance, go with the Aerometric version. As for the other questions, use the Forum's search function, all you questions have been answered before. And expect to pay a pretty sum of money if you expecting to find a Parker 51 pen in NOS condition.

[Hooker56]

+1 Wolverine 1. To learn more about history and differences:

 

http://parkerpens.net/parker51.html

 

To learn more about mechanics of the two go here:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/?refp=design/pneumatics

 

The reason that these pens are desirable and have held their value is because many (especially aerometrics) still function today after years of use with very little maintenance. You can spend premium dollars on NOS and still have to have it tweaked. Or you can roll the dice on an ebay find and it may work well after just a little cleaning.

 

Good luck.

[pajaro]

Parker 51 aerometrics have recently sold between $150 to $225 or so on ebay. It is interesting that you can even find them.

 

I favor the aerometric. It is easier to maintain. Its sac is not worked as hard in normal use as the diaphragm on a 51 vacumatic, so it lasts longer. They are both interesting.

 

There are zealots for each pen. I have both types, and I prefer the aerometric. Sac not worked as hard, lasts longer. The aero I bought new in 1970 is a no hassle, great writing pen.

 

Try both in time, and make up your own mind.

[PenFisher]

Parker did a lot of R&D before switching to the aerometric filling system and they switched to the aerometric version for many good reasons. The aerometric system is less complex, quicker filling, and easier to maintain. From a durability standpoint it is also superior. It is the norm to find aerometric models with the original pli-glass sac still functioning just fine after more than half a century. If you are looking to buy just one model and use it constantly then IMHO the aerometric is the clear choice. Having said all this, both models of the "51" are iconic and perhaps among the best pens ever designed and produced.

[DrCodfish]

I am a user not an expert, and have several samples of each. The big difference I see (as a user) is that the aerometric is easier to clean that the vac. In my remaining years on this planet, I don't expect to have any maintenance issues with any of these pens.

 

Focus your attention on the nib and writing characteristics, more than the differences between aero and vac.

[a-pen-for-a-sole]

I am a user not an expert, and have several samples of each. The big difference I see (as a user) is that the aerometric is easier to clean that the vac. In my remaining years on this planet, I don't expect to have any maintenance issues with any of these pens.

 

Focus your attention on the nib and writing characteristics, more than the differences between aero and vac.

yes, that's understood. i will first give the maximum priority to the nib and its conditions. after many suggestions, i am bending towards aerometric than the vacumatic pen. many thanks for your few lines.

sriram

[a-pen-for-a-sole]

Parker did a lot of R&D before switching to the aerometric filling system and they switched to the aerometric version for many good reasons. The aerometric system is less complex, quicker filling, and easier to maintain. From a durability standpoint it is also superior. It is the norm to find aerometric models with the original pli-glass sac still functioning just fine after more than half a century. If you are looking to buy just one model and use it constantly then IMHO the aerometric is the clear choice. Having said all this, both models of the "51" are iconic and perhaps among the best pens ever designed and produced.

thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and helping me to select an aerometric p51. your writing is very informative.

sriram

[a-pen-for-a-sole]

Parker 51 aerometrics have recently sold between $150 to $225 or so on ebay. It is interesting that you can even find them.

 

I favor the aerometric. It is easier to maintain. Its sac is not worked as hard in normal use as the diaphragm on a 51 vacumatic, so it lasts longer. They are both interesting.

 

There are zealots for each pen. I have both types, and I prefer the aerometric. Sac not worked as hard, lasts longer. The aero I bought new in 1970 is a no hassle, great writing pen.

 

Try both in time, and make up your own mind.

thanks for your advice and i will definitely buy an aerometric p51.

[Barry Gabay]

Good morning Sriram,

 

I would like to second what wolverine said regarding maintenance. Performance on both models is excellent. I find that the vac models hold more ink, though the aeros write for a very long time as well.

 

Rather than looking on ebay, perhaps you could try the stationary shops in old market areas down south, perhaps Chennai or Bangalore. Try antique shops as well. Up north, I have found fair, good, and excellent 51s in antiques shops in Delhi, Jaipur, and Lucknow.

 

Good luck with your hunt.

Best wishes,

Barry

[CraigR]

I love the Parker "51" in all it's incarnations. My favorite fill system is the aerometric. The Pli-Glas sac is long lived rarely needs to be replaced. The fill procedure is straight forward and simple and I believe that most of the aeros that I have, or have had, hold more ink - that may be subjective but it is my impression. The vacumatics have a more complicated system. The plunger stem may be plastic and subject to breakage. On the older Speedline models, the metal plungers are subject to corrosion and wear. Diaphrams need to be replaced and breather tubes can be pesky. I like the vacs but prefer the aeros.

 

I have recently sold a couple of restored vac 51s for around $65- $85 in common colors and with plain Lustaloy caps.

 

Best wishes to the OP on finding a "51" that fits his/her needs and fancy.

 

Craig

[FarmBoy]

My usual answer would be, "Red-Band".

 

Due to conversations regarding Project X105, I'm going with capillary filled 51s for the rest of the week.

 

FarmBoy

[pajaro]

51 IPen with capillary-fed music.