Is it worth it? Parker 51 2021 Edition

[Checklist]

23 hours ago, Glenn-SC said:

I would rather pay less for a good pen and get a cheap box.  

My Lamy 2000 came in a plain cardboard box, too.  Kind of appreciated it, since I'm running out of pen box space...

[davidtaylorjr]

14 minutes ago, Checklist said:

My Lamy 2000 came in a plain cardboard box, too.  Kind of appreciated it, since I'm running out of pen box space...

This is true, and I do like my Lamy 2000!   

[Mike B]

And even the Lamy box is going to look better than whatever your new-to-you "51" arrives in.

 

Be sure to let us know what you think of the pen when you've had time to play with it.

[davidtaylorjr]

29 minutes ago, Mike B said:

Be sure to let us know what you think of the pen when you've had time to play with it.

Will do!

[davidtaylorjr]

30 minutes ago, Mike B said:

And even the Lamy box is going to look better than whatever your new-to-you "51" arrives in.

 

Be sure to let us know what you think of the pen when you've had time to play with it.

This is what I got Parker 51 Black Chrome Cap Fountain Pen ---working--fine point | eBay

[inkstainedruth]

Let us know when you get it!  I'm curious as to how you will like it.  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[TheRedBeard]

On 1/31/2022 at 4:55 PM, davidtaylorjr said:

Ok, So I have seen a lot of opinions about the new Parker 51. I want to hear from people who actually own one. Is it worth it? Does the Converter/Cartridge really rattle around in the barrel? Is the steel a good writer for the money? How does the Gold perform?

 

I'm looking to buy one of these and wondering if it is worth it to get an original or if the new ones are good as well. I am more interested in the LOOK but do not want one of the knock off brands.  I've never had a vintage pen before so getting an older one scares me a bit with the sacs and everything.

NG51 is a lousy rubbish - read other detailed threads in this Parker section.

If you want a P51 then buy an original P51 - no disappointment, as this is the one of the best pens ever made

Even vintage P51s perform much much better than many modern pens  

 

 

[Glenn-SC]

4 hours ago, TheRedBeard said:

NG51 is a lousy rubbish - read other detailed threads in this Parker section.

 

See doctox57 above for a differing opinion based upon his ownership and use of the pen. 

[Vladpu]

18 hours ago, Glenn-SC said:

See doctox57 above for a differing opinion based upon his ownership and use of the pen. 

I stand by that.  It has its flaws, as does every pen. (if any pen were perfect, we'd only need the one, and so it would be boring.  Or as Yogi Berra put it, "If everything was perfect it wouldn't be.")  Mine looks good, the plastic is not marred after about a year of frequent use, the gold on the cap has not shown any wear despite a lot of pocket time.  It writes well.  In fact one of my best as a writer, very smooth, very good but controlled flow.  i'm using today at work.  I can't comment on any other versions, only mine with the 18 K nib, medium, but it came out of the box being pretty much a perfect writer.  On that note, one complaint I have heard is that you can't remove the nib to tweak it, if that is what you wish to do.  That is not true.  Firstly, it's not exactly simple to remove and tweak a 1946 51 nib.  But in the new one, it is a simple wiggle and tug.  (I admit to having the very bad habit of dismantling just about every pen I have ever owned just to see the insides.  I have always done that with my watches too.  I guess it's part of being a pathologist.)  

I agree with a few of the complaints, especially the boxes to which Parker has stooped, but including the rattly converter.  Again, that is the cheapened Parker converter, not the pen.  The older ones are much tighter fitting.  I made a slight modification to the converter - I just use a short, narrow bit of the stick-to-itself bandage material and wrap it around the metal band at the top of the converter.  But as I say, that is not the pen - I did the same for the $1100 Duofold's converter.  If they did anything else to add to the new version's appeal, I would say make more colours of the gold version.  I'd buy a cedar blue.  

I fully agree that the original 51s were fabulous pens, among the best ever.  I prefer the aerometric, but the vacs are great too, until it's time to change the diaphragm.  I sincerely believe that the real complaint about the new 51 is that it is just not the old 51.  And that's fine.  But I can have old friends and make new ones too.  And, the best reason in my mind in favour of the new version is as I have said, it is replaceable.  Yes, there are plenty of old 51s at good prices, but it is work to find just the one you like, right nib, right colour, and still working, and if possible not scarred.  I suppose for many, it is exactly this hunt that is the charm, and I do that too.  But I also refuse to accept some of  the future, and so actually write with a real pen at work all day, and for me, I'd sooner have a replaceable new model pen for the hard work, and a vintage pen for fun at home.  

[TheRedBeard]

30 minutes ago, Doctox57 said:

I stand by that.  It has its flaws, as does every pen. (if any pen were perfect, we'd only need the one, and so it would be boring.  Or as Yogi Berra put it, "If everything was perfect it wouldn't be.")  Mine looks good, the plastic is not marred after about a year of frequent use, the gold on the cap has not shown any wear despite a lot of pocket time.  It writes well.  In fact one of my best as a writer, very smooth, very good but controlled flow.  i'm using today at work.  I can't comment on any other versions, only mine with the 18 K nib, medium, but it came out of the box being pretty much a perfect writer.  On that note, one complaint I have heard is that you can't remove the nib to tweak it, if that is what you wish to do.  That is not true.  Firstly, it's not exactly simple to remove and tweak a 1946 51 nib.  But in the new one, it is a simple wiggle and tug.  (I admit to having the very bad habit of dismantling just about every pen I have ever owned just to see the insides.  I have always done that with my watches too.  I guess it's part of being a pathologist.)  

I agree with a few of the complaints, especially the boxes to which Parker has stooped, but including the rattly converter.  Again, that is the cheapened Parker converter, not the pen.  The older ones are much tighter fitting.  I made a slight modification to the converter - I just use a short, narrow bit of the stick-to-itself bandage material and wrap it around the metal band at the top of the converter.  But as I say, that is not the pen - I did the same for the $1100 Duofold's converter.  If they did anything else to add to the new version's appeal, I would say make more colours of the gold version.  I'd buy a cedar blue.  

I fully agree that the original 51s were fabulous pens, among the best ever.  I prefer the aerometric, but the vacs are great too, until it's time to change the diaphragm.  I sincerely believe that the real complaint about the new 51 is that it is just not the old 51.  And that's fine.  But I can have old friends and make new ones too.  And, the best reason in my mind in favour of the new version is as I have said, it is replaceable.  Yes, there are plenty of old 51s at good prices, but it is work to find just the one you like, right nib, right colour, and still working, and if possible not scarred.  I suppose for many, it is exactly this hunt that is the charm, and I do that too.  But I also refuse to accept some of  the future, and so actually write with a real pen at work all day, and for me, I'd sooner have a replaceable new model pen for the hard work, and a vintage pen for fun at home.  

Perfectly said, Doctox57, thank you. And I agree on major points of your post, too 

If Newell would have named NG51 as, say, SuperJotter DeLuxe  and priced it at, say, £45 then I would likely buy it and even use for a while 

But, as many already said here, NG51 is "51" only in its name... nothing more...

That is why I prefer to spend £190 on another genuine P51 Aero (NOS or near mint) and enjoy it  

 

 

[Lee Dawson]

On 2/1/2022 at 7:11 PM, TitoThePencilPimp said:

They are junk. Either go vintage, or buy the Wing Sung model.

 

I bought a Yong Sheng 601 as I do not want to have my Aerometric 51 damaged (Parker 21) or stolen (Pilot Metropolitan) at work. I got the one with the windows in it. It is NOT a 51 but it is very nice. Parker should have incorporated some of the changes of the Chinese pens. Having a 51 a 51 Special and a Yong Sheng, I would rank them in that order. I cannot comment on the "New" 51 but I personally would rather go after some other vintage pens like a Sheaffer Balance or something. 

 

[Lee Dawson]

On 1/31/2022 at 11:55 AM, davidtaylorjr said:

I've never had a vintage pen before so getting an older one scares me a bit with the sacs and everything.

 

I understand completely. Find some good restorers you can trust is important. If you want a really good vintage pen with little worry, Start collecting Parker 45s. Have heard they were the longest run of a model for Parker. Nice things is they were the start of the standardized cartridge / converter. So no problems. Nice writers. Lots of variety to work on building a collection. I only have two flighters and two regular 45s. 

[matteob]

I went with a vintage Parker 51 as I think Newell Rubbermaid Parkers feel cheap and nasty and generally overpriced compared to the pens I grew up with.They are trading on past legacy and the Royal Warrants though Lord knows why the Queen and Charles still use them. In hear the new 51 feels cheap too. You might not notice it if you are new to Parker but i have Parkers : 25s, Jotters from my boyhood and they feel much better quality than the modern stuff with even my Jotter having a good substantial plastic barrel and it feels well balanced. I’d buy a classic 51 from a trusted seller who only sells good condition, lightly used pens. I’d recommend writetime. I have just bought a lovely burgundy 51 Aeromatic (same as HM the Queen uses) with 14k nib for £60 which writes and fills perfectly and is cheaper than the new 51 with the boggo jotter steel nib on it which I have read is a horrid scratchy, dry writer anyway. I think a good vintage from a reputable seller is better value than a new 51 and the Chinese knock offs that are going up in price due I suspect to them being hyped on the internet. 

[Glenn-SC]

Reports of “I heard that a friend of a guy heard from someone at work that ….” are useless to me. 
I don’t put any faith in reports (positive or negative) if the user didn’t actually hold the pen in their hand and write with it themselves. 

[Estycollector]

Yes, to actually use it has a cost for which I would not endure. Fortuitously, I discovered the Wing Sung 601 and later the "Flighter" model for $22. It is a true vacumatic type which performs as well as either 1942 Parker 51. 

[jchch1950]

1 hour ago, Glenn-SC said:

Reports of “I heard that a friend of a guy heard from someone at work that ….” are useless to me. 
I done put any faith in reports (positive or negative) if the user didn’t actually hold the pen in their hand and write with it themselves. 

+1.

[matteob]

I’m happy to go with reputation. Not tried the new 51 but have bought several Newell Rubbermaid pens and they are definitely inferior to those Parkers that were made before they took over in terms of materials and workmanship. The fact that they reduced the lifetime warranty speaks volumes too. Suit yourselves if you have the money but I would not spend £75 for a pen with a nib from a £7.99 personally. I have not tried the Wing Sung but have tried the smaller Hero which I believe has the same nib. It’s a bit scratchy but better than a jotter fountain pen in that respect and in respect of the grade and sturdiness of the plastic for the barrel. I may try a Wing Sung at some point if the vacuumatic is not shoddily engineered. My Hero 51 knockoff is an aeromatic. I have found Chinese converters in things like Jinhaos to be (bleep) and substitute them with a Schmidt. The nibs though have been surprisingly good. It’s all about expectations. If you buy a cheap pen (or anything) and it performs better than expected you will be pleasantly surprised. If you pay a lot of money for something and it is made of cheap materials and performs shoddily you are not going to be best pleased.

[Estycollector]

There are times when actual experience is unnecessary. 

[Glenn-SC]

People are free to make decisions based upon any criteria they wish; reputation, here-say, phase of the moon, whatever. I base mine on personal experiences.  
 

There is a “birds plat” brand of Fountain Pens that others love and which sell for lots of money.  I’ve tried over a dozen and only one wrote well for me.  So I avoid that brand. Is the problem the brand?  Me?  The combination?  I don’t care. I don’t spend any money on the brand. If asked I will report my experiences with the pens I tried.  If I had based my purchases on “reputation” I, in my experience, would have wasted money. 
 

So, I do not praise or damn a product based upon others’ opinions and experiences, I praise or damn based on my own. Because one “guy” on the internet giving one good or bad report can be both the “brother”, “son”, “father”, “co-worker”, “guy I was told about”, etc. etc. that people repeat and their one report has suddenly become five good or bad reports that effect a products reputation and change opinions. 

[sansenri]

I have not tried the new 51 so cannot judge performance. I love the original 51, besides performance, for it's perfect (for me) ergonomics, as nothing gets in the way of my fingers when I hold it.

Why on earth they decided to put threads and a step down (although marginal) on the new version is beyond me. For that reason only I will never get one...