The Unsung Virtues of the Parker 45

[david-p]

In reading all over this forum, not by any means just here in the Parker corner, I find praise for the lowly 45. I have had one since c.1990 and many times the cartridges have dried in it. Cleaning and restoring flow with a new cartridge is a whizz, and this pen is still going as strong as ever. I did buy some nibs on Ebay and now have a broader one in it, which suits me perfectly. I have three of them now, two from Ebay, and use slider converters in them. The nibs and feeders are much easier to remove and clean than those of the 51. Since I no longer abuse them, these pens never fail to spring to life immediately, they are comfortable and encourage my best handwriting. I cannot find a single thing that I do not like about this design with its stylish semi-hooded nib.

 

I have recently acquired 51s and 61s and, though I like them very miuh, I still cherish the faithful 45s. I suppose it is partly because of their low price and the deservedly high reputation of the 51 that the Parker 45 does not in my opinion receive the praise and love due to it. It is a sleeper in the shade of the 51. (Dont tell anyone, or the prices will go up!)

 

David

[inkstainedruth]

My first pen with a gold nib was a 45 GT Deluxe that I found in the wild at a little antiques shop on the outskirts of Coudersport, PA. With the right ink in it, that smooth M nib just glides across the page.  I've since added several more to the stash, including a 45 Arrow in what I think is Aqua Blue a couple of weeks ago at the Commonwealth Pen Show.  So I completely understand where you're coming from.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Carguy]

I’ve had a “love/hate”relationship with the 45 for years. Currently, and most likely staying that way, is a love relationship as I now have about 10. I love how they write, regardless of nib size.

 

I keep hoping that I’ll find some of the “happy” colors like orange, yellow, and pink but I’m not getting my hopes up.

[Tas]

Super pens. Lovely nails, and a dream to clean and swap out nibs.

 

 

[Karmachanic]

Over the years I keep looking at Ciselles, but have yet to purchase.  Might be the shaped section.

[pen lady]

When I've have total ''newbies'' at my table at the Toronto Pen Show who are looking for an easy entry to vintage pens, the 45 is often what I'll point them to.  Great pens, no drama and reasonable prices.  What's not to like.

 

[Bristol24]

I have 4 Parker 45s and they all write exceptionally smooth and can handle the abuse of neglect quite well.  Why I don't use one of them for every day carry I do not know.  Perhaps it's the look...I just don't know.

 

Cliff

[Tas]

59 minutes ago, Bristol24 said:

I have 4 Parker 45s and they all write exceptionally smooth and can handle the abuse of neglect quite well.  Why I don't use one of them for every day carry I do not know.  Perhaps it's the look...I just don't know.

 

Cliff

Slip on cap is probably the only thing that stops them (or any pen) being an EDC for me. I'd end up with a pocket full of ink 🥺

[Bristol24]

8 minutes ago, Tas said:

Slip on cap is probably the only thing that stops them (or any pen) being an EDC for me. I'd end up with a pocket full of ink 🥺

I have used various Parker 51s, 21 Supers, and even a Hero 616 as an EDC pen without issue and all are slip cap pens.  No, even though the 45 is such a great writer, it is only on rare occasion that one finds it's way into my shirt pocket.  Nonetheless, they are a great fountain pen.

 

Cliff

[bunnspecial]

4 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

Over the years I keep looking at Ciselles, but have yet to purchase.  Might be the shaped section.

 

Is there a 45 version of this? I think of it as  a 75 pattern. In any case, the late 75s had round grips with serrations to indicate finger position, not triangles. My 75 Ciselle is like this.

[senzen]

The "airplane from the 40's" nib aesthetics don't do much for me but I like many of the 45's finishes; the feed seems similar to the 75's so they're probably very reliable pens.

[david-p]

7 minutes ago, senzen said:

The "airplane from the 40's" nib aesthetics don't do much for me but I like many of the 45's finishes; the feed seems similar to the 75's so they're probably very reliable pens.

Starting with the 51, I have always personally found hooded nibs far cooler than conventional ones, which seem to me rather boring. As far as reliability is concerned, there is hardly anything to go wrong in a 45.

[Carguy]

I’d like to find one of the later CTX models of the 45 as I think they had a heavier metal finish than previous models 

[Karmachanic]

1 hour ago, bunnspecial said:

 

Is there a 45 version of this? I think of it as  a 75 pattern

 

 

Thank you.  I'm easily confused.  I'm not a Parker afficionado.  I believe there was a proto type 45 at some point.

[bunnspecial]

23 minutes ago, Karmachanic said:

 

 

Thank you.  I'm easily confused.  I'm not a Parker afficionado.  I believe there was a proto type 45 at some point.

 

There again, not to sidetrack, but you can find a late one for under $100 easily. The ones priced like that will probably be late French made ones,  and will have the round(ish) section. 75 nibs are divine, and with some hunting there are a lot of non-standard sizes out there. My Ciselle has an XF and I have an emerald Laque with a fine oblique(and I think Parker graded Obliques and Italics wider than round nibs-an OF is more like an OB on my Montblancs).

 

I have a Parker 45 that was really nasty and crusted up when I bought it. This thread has remeinded me of it, and I really should take it apart, clean it up, and put it into service. I tried a quick flush and after getting some water in it could actually write with it-badly but could write with it.

[AL01]

 

 I find the Parker 45 more comfortable than the 51 and 21.

 

 Especially the all-plastic models, (English made, I believe) with gold nibs.

 

 

[AL01]

On 9/27/2021 at 1:19 PM, david-p said:

Starting with the 51, I have always personally found hooded nibs far cooler than conventional ones, which seem to me rather boring. As far as reliability is concerned, there is hardly anything to go wrong in a 45.

 

 The plastic on the 45s is a little soft and CT caps can occasionally crack.

 

 Usually there are indentations on sections caused by the fingers in the cap. Mr. Binder (on his website) recommends to take the cap off whenever a 45 is kept in long term storage. I have sadly seen an NOS 45 with a messed up section, so it does happen... 

[hatherton_wood]

n my view the Parker 45 is close to the best designed pen ever made as it is so easy to service and replace anything as well as writing so well.  I've used one since 1972 and it still works perfectly - the cap still holds on firm .. modern click on caps wear out in no time.  The only fault was the choice of section plastic on the early models which deformed with time and heat.  If only Parker would remake this pen again!

[david-p]

I always keep my pens capped and I guess I must have been lucky not to have a problem with a deformed section, though I can see that it might happen.

 

 

[bugsydog55]

Have salvaged a few from the Bay.  The prices were right and since I was on the prowl for pens that could be brought back from the dead, I was not shocked by the condition of some of these 45's.  I had to remove decades of ink, dirt where dirt doesn't go, fossilized "something" on the section and nibs that were obviously used as darts.  After all of that the pens were salvageable, at least to my modest needs, and polished up just fine.  It is a testament to a seriously well made pen.  I appreciate the advice that can be found on this forum.  Years back, I would never have thought about these pens.  I can always find room for another one or two.