Parker 51 — what is the appeal?

[es9]

1 hour ago, Aysedasi said:

It isn't all that difficult.  I say this with a degree of care because I made the mistake of saying on here a few weeks ago that removing the hood on a P51 was relatively easy.  I then spent several weeks trying to get the hood off of my recently acquired cocoa P51.  But I invested in the Pen Practice C ring and a set of loggerhead pliers (cheap ones off eBay) and it was done then in less than five minutes with my wife's hairdrier.    The nib on the pen was slightly bent and I replaced it with my only spare, an OB (possibly even OBB) and it was easy to install.  I have done this many times before though, I have to say.  

 

If all one wants to do is change the nib, you probably don't need any tools beyond a heat gun/hair dryer, two grippy pads, and some shellac or rosin thread sealant.*  Here's what I do:

(1) I soak the front first in water with a little ammonia to get rid of any dried ink.  That way I'm only fighting against the shellac or rosin around the threads.  

(2) I heat the area right around where the hood threads onto the barrel.  I have found a cheap heat gun is easier than a hair dryer because the former channels the heat to the precise spot you want it.  Yes, you do have to be careful to avoid overheating.  But the shellac and/or rosin have released pretty easily for me. 

(3) Then I *gently* twist the hood.  If things are warm enough, it should untwist surprisingly easily.  If it's not releasing easily, I repeat steps (1) and/or (2).  When gripping the hood, I try to avoid putting pressure anywhere other than just around the base where the threads are.  I have not yet cracked a 51 lucite hood yet, but I have cracked enough 21 hoods that I've learned my lesson.  

(4) With the hood off, the collector (which holds the nib and feed) pulls out pretty easily with a little light twisting as long as it isn't caked in with ink.  If it is, soaking/rinsing helps.  The fins on the collector are delicate so be very gentle.  Once it's out, you can soak the whole shebang (collector, feed, and nib) for however long you need until it all comes apart easily. 

(5) Swap a new nib in and reverse the above steps.  Realligning the collector (which by now is again holding the nib and feed) is annoying, but just a matter of trial and error.  Once it's lined up, seal the threads that hold the hood on with a little bit of shellac or rosin.  I use the latter.  Only a little bit is needed to keep everything where it should be and prevent ink from flowing through the threads.  

 

*An ultrasonic cleaner certainly speeds things up, but I do not actually think it is necessary.  

[NumberSix]

5 hours ago, TheRedBeard said:

Thank you, Aysedasi.

I've being checking eBay quite regularly...

Maybe I am just unlucky as recently I have seen many P51s with M nibs, but inly a few with F and those were in poor condition...

And you are right that it should be easier to find the one in good condition from a reputable dealer.

 

 

You might ask @gweimer1 of Midnight Pens on Etsy. I dunno if he'd be willing to ship overseas. But I know I bought a stunning forest green Aero 51 with F nib from him, and he puts P51s on offer regularly. Can't hurt to ask, right?

[TheRedBeard]

9 minutes ago, NumberSix said:

 

You might ask @gweimer1 of Midnight Pens on Etsy. I dunno if he'd be willing to ship overseas. But I know I bought a stunning forest green Aero 51 with F nib from him, and he puts P51s on offer regularly. Can't hurt to ask, right?

Thank you, NumberSix.

Yes, I'm considering to buy from the US-based dealer if I fail to find something I like here in the UK.

In the past I purchased pens fro the US and there were no problems for the sellers.

It is me as a buyer who has to pay up to 30-40% extras on top of the price :(

 

[NumberSix]

3 minutes ago, TheRedBeard said:

It is me as a buyer who has to pay up to 30-40% extras on top of the price

 

You don't have to tell me! I have three pens on the way from a German ebay dealer. This is my second order from him, and both times I have paid a small fortune to expedite the shipping! Worth it, though, because my orders arrive in about a week - instead of the month (or who knows how long it would take) for the standard shipping these days. 

[Wilbur]

Above, I said that my two Parker 51s wrote wet, and now I want to modify that!  I'm actually new to the Parker 51 and hooded nibs.  After using the pens a while, I see that they don't write overly wet any more. 

 

I wonder if it was because I used to store my pens vertically, and the collector would be either starving or flooded with ink when I used the pen.  Now that I store them horizontally, the ink in the feed system is at a better state of readiness to write well.   After the filling the pens and letting the ink level settle down, both nibs seem to write with a proper line thickness on dry, March notebook paper. 

 

These pens are growing on me.  The quality of the plastic must be high because the polished surface feels really nice.  I just passed one to my wife to try, I hope I get it back!

[gyasko]

6 hours ago, maclink said:

I have 2 fine nibs, a fine italic and a broad italic.  The fine italic is my favourite of the lot, although the flow is a bit dry.  

 

 

Are those aftermarket italic grinds?  

[TheRedBeard]

1 hour ago, NumberSix said:

You don't have to tell me! I have three pens on the way from a German ebay dealer. This is my second order from him, and both times I have paid a small fortune to expedite the shipping! Worth it, though, because my orders arrive in about a week - instead of the month (or who knows how long it would take) for the standard shipping these days. 

The shipping cost is not a problem - it is worth to pay some premium and get a pen delivered with 7-10 days, but taxes/duties make circa 22-25%+ in total...

[maclink]

15 minutes ago, gyasko said:

 

Are those aftermarket italic grinds?  

Unfortunately, I don't know.

[TheRedBeard]

Just further to my above post: for one of my recent pens purchased from the US seller I paid US$236 in total including $175 price for the pen, and $44.72 taxes/duties that made 25.6% on top of the price paid...

[gyasko]

9 minutes ago, maclink said:

Unfortunately, I don't know.

 

Stock 51 nibs:

 

51 nibs

[Aysedasi]

2 hours ago, es9 said:

 

If all one wants to do is change the nib, you probably don't need any tools beyond a heat gun/hair dryer, two grippy pads, and some shellac or rosin thread sealant.*  Here's what I do:

(1) I soak the front first in water with a little ammonia to get rid of any dried ink.  That way I'm only fighting against the shellac or rosin around the threads.  

(2) I heat the area right around where the hood threads onto the barrel.  I have found a cheap heat gun is easier than a hair dryer because the former channels the heat to the precise spot you want it.  Yes, you do have to be careful to avoid overheating.  But the shellac and/or rosin have released pretty easily for me. 

(3) Then I *gently* twist the hood.  If things are warm enough, it should untwist surprisingly easily.  If it's not releasing easily, I repeat steps (1) and/or (2).  When gripping the hood, I try to avoid putting pressure anywhere other than just around the base where the threads are.  I have not yet cracked a 51 lucite hood yet, but I have cracked enough 21 hoods that I've learned my lesson.  

(4) With the hood off, the collector (which holds the nib and feed) pulls out pretty easily with a little light twisting as long as it isn't caked in with ink.  If it is, soaking/rinsing helps.  The fins on the collector are delicate so be very gentle.  Once it's out, you can soak the whole shebang (collector, feed, and nib) for however long you need until it all comes apart easily. 

(5) Swap a new nib in and reverse the above steps.  Realligning the collector (which by now is again holding the nib and feed) is annoying, but just a matter of trial and error.  Once it's lined up, seal the threads that hold the hood on with a little bit of shellac or rosin.  I use the latter.  Only a little bit is needed to keep everything where it should be and prevent ink from flowing through the threads.  

 

*An ultrasonic cleaner certainly speeds things up, but I do not actually think it is necessary.  

 

Yep, familiar with all that and this latest attempt was the first (of at least a dozen) that failed all my attempts with heat and rubber grips.  The problem was that the filler unit (the metal cover) was loose and rotated, making it impossible to get a firm grip on that end of the pen.  The C ring and the pliers enabled me to hold that firmly and only about a minute of heat on the hood enabled me to 'crack' it.  Thereafter, it was the proverbial piece of cake...

[mizgeorge]

1 hour ago, TheRedBeard said:

Thank you, NumberSix.

Yes, I'm considering to buy from the US-based dealer if I fail to find something I like here in the UK.

In the past I purchased pens fro the US and there were no problems for the sellers.

It is me as a buyer who has to pay up to 30-40% extras on top of the price

 

Give me a day or two and I'll have a look in my box of 51s - I have a feeling I may have a couple of fines, and I think a shorthand too. Was there a particular colour/cap you wanted? I'd look now, but I can't remember where I've put them (definite sign of age catching up with me).

[corniche]

5 hours ago, Aysedasi said:

 

 

It isn't all that difficult.  I say this with a degree of care because I made the mistake of saying on here a few weeks ago that removing the hood on a P51 was relatively easy.  I then spent several weeks trying to get the hood off of my recently acquired cocoa P51.  But I invested in the Pen Practice C ring and a set of loggerhead pliers (cheap ones off eBay) and it was done then in less than five minutes with my wife's hairdrier.    The nib on the pen was slightly bent and I replaced it with my only spare, an OB (possibly even OBB) and it was easy to install.  I have done this many times before though, I have to say.  

 

Yeah, thanks, Aysedasi. I even have the repair books from Oldfield as well as Frank Dubeil(sp), but still hesitate. 

 

 

- Sean 

[TheRedBeard]

17 minutes ago, mizgeorge said:

Give me a day or two and I'll have a look in my box of 51s - I have a feeling I may have a couple of fines, and I think a shorthand too. Was there a particular colour/cap you wanted? I'd look now, but I can't remember where I've put them (definite sign of age catching up with me).

Thank you, Mizgeorge :) Much appreciated.

If you find it in burgundy (any shade), black or green with RG cap, please, send me PM, and we will discuss further.

And I  am only looking for Mk I or Mk II but not Mk III.

[Carguy]

10 minutes ago, TheRedBeard said:

Thank you, Mizgeorge Much appreciated.

If you find it in burgundy (any shade), black or green with RG cap, please, send me PM, and we will discuss further.

And I  am only looking for Mk I or Mk II but not Mk III.

If you are interested, I have several shades of Burgundy that I can offer. All in good shape, albeit user grade pens. I’ll ship to you if we can agree on how that should be done.

 

Mike

 

 

[Estycollector]

50 minutes ago, TheRedBeard said:

Just further to my above post: for one of my recent pens purchased from the US seller I paid US$236 in total including $175 price for the pen, and $44.72 taxes/duties that made 25.6% on top of the price paid...

Amazing price paid!!

[NumberSix]

53 minutes ago, TheRedBeard said:

Just further to my above post: for one of my recent pens purchased from the US seller I paid US$236 in total including $175 price for the pen, and $44.72 taxes/duties that made 25.6% on top of the price paid...

💔

[corniche]

4 hours ago, TheRedBeard said:

Just further to my above post: for one of my recent pens purchased from the US seller I paid US$236 in total including $175 price for the pen, and $44.72 taxes/duties that made 25.6% on top of the price paid...

 

Wow, those levies are steep! Sorry to hear that.

 

- Sean

[es9]

3 hours ago, TheRedBeard said:

Just further to my above post: for one of my recent pens purchased from the US seller I paid US$236 in total including $175 price for the pen, and $44.72 taxes/duties that made 25.6% on top of the price paid...

 

Dang.  For that price -- unless it was something crazy unique -- I'd expect it to perform pretty flawlessly.   

[Glenn-SC]

I like the colors!