I have this pen and i actually like it a lot. My grand mother had an original one which i liked also, but unfortunately it got lost. My new 51 has a steel nib, too - i think it writes beautifully 😊
I honestly feel that if they made this pen around the same price as a parker jotter fp it would have gone over pretty well. But it's just kinda sad how it ended up...
Very sad, and they could have easily sold it for £15 too. My Parker Jotter (brushed steel) is excellent for the price and it is pretty much the same pen except for the hood and threaded cap. Parker's snap caps seem to really last well too, mine hasn't became loose after 4 years of almost daily use. And no converter included? For a pen with a proprietary fitting at the price that it is this is inexcusable.
I was briefly tempted to buy the deluxe black and gold new P51 w/14k gold nib. But it’s obscenely overpriced, so I passed. But I did decide to buy the steel nib version: burgundy and chrome. I like the pen quite a lot. It writes reliably and very well. And the new P51 is a good enough pen in its own right. I’m so glad I have it. I only wish Parker retained the snap cap. And not including a deluxe Parker converter with the pen is definitely a cheap shot. edit: forgot to add I have a pair of vintage 51s; a 14k vacumatic and the other is a steel/octanium nib, aerometric filler. I readily admit those two are superior to the new model in every way.
I just cannot talk myself into this pen. And, to be fair, I'm not much of a fan of the original. But this betrays everything the original was. After all the hype, I did finally buy the Jinhao version of this pen. But I just can't bring myself to pay the Parker premium.
Thanks for a very balanced review. This was the best one that I have seen about the relative merits of the "new" Parker 51. I have never used an "old" 51, so cannot comment on them. However, ignoring the old 51 pens, the "new" model is simply an unimpressive on many levels, paramount among which is that the new pen is simply a dressed-up Jotter! If you want to spend this kind of cash on a pen with a stainless steel nib, there are many many better alternatives out there, that have been designed from the ground up. Most of the Lamy line up for example...Anyway, thanks for another really great video. I really enjoy your style of reviews.
Well said - I grew up in Greece using a vintage 50's 51 as my daily writer in the 80's. This fake 'hooded Jotter' is a cash grab with no substance. The only way Parker will learn to respect their customers is if we simply not buy this.
Anything that's lasts 70+ years must be very, very, good. That was was case with the original P51. I honestly can't see this 2020/21 version lasting even 10 years. Maybe just 5.
I agree...total rip-off. And Parker isn't alone...Aurora recently released a new version of their 1950s hooded nib Aurora DuoCart, which has a better looking build than this new Parker 51, but still overpriced at around $170-$180 with a steel nib. At least it comes WITH a converter. Mine came with a nib unit very off-center that should never have left the factory. I had to risk twisting it back to proper alignment, but it does write well. Just another example of "let's make a quick buck" and screw buyers at the same time. While there are a lot of people new to fountain pens, there are still too many makers issuing too many "versions" with only a color change - or in this case, a "new" release of an older classic. Several long-time makers have filed for bankruptcy in the last decade, and these are the kind of tactics manufacturers use to rake in the cash before pulling the plug. It's never a good sign when they stop caring about quality or brand loyalty,
I agree with everything you’ve said! This topic is really interesting to me, and I plan on exploring it further with other pens and brands across the years to see how they stand up.
I have both an original late 1940's vacumatic 51 and one of the new gold nibbed new 51, both with fine nibs. The new one writes very well smooth and adequately wet. Hard to really tell any difference from the older one but I'll give the old one the win just on familiarity. Don't mind the screw cap. I was surprised at how well the new one performed based on the different hood/feed design. I've written extensively with the new one and have experienced no issues with skipping, hard starting or anything else to complain about.
I had been turning over the possibility of buying the gold nib version, but you just talked me out of considering it at any price. What is with the floating jewel button on the cap? Same as Sonnet. I was told it was in case a child swallowed the cap they could breathe through the cap hole. Problem is, it also means the ink dries faster being exposed to air. I owned one of the Empire 51s reissued in the 80s? and the nib housing promptly cracked spontaneously. Parker had no replacements and at least they sent me the cheaper International Duofold as compensation. Sad, sad. I stick to Waterman Edson for hooded models. A dream writer.
The feed/nib/plastic cover assembly looks simply terrible on the NG model, especially if you are familiar with what they are supposed to look like and how they work. Recently I needed to disassemble and clean my Parker 51 after years of storage, and I am once again admiring the outstanding design of this pen. It writes perfectly, and now I wonder why I stopped using it in the first place. Thank you for your reviews!
Parker have really let themselves down in recent years, with this pen and especially their new pretend fountain pen the '5th technology' which is really a fineliner shrouded by a false nib and false claims. Someone needs to review that pen just to put it down. For a company with such a good reputation especially amongst non fountain pen enthusiasts too they need to really start getting themselves together. Wing Sung makes a better 51 copy that Parker now!
$20 Jotter being sold as a Parker 51... Thanks to Rubbishmade owning the Parker brand. The NG Parker is rubbish. I used several; Parker 51s (all Aero Gold Caps made in UK and US) in grade school. My dad and mom also used 51. Sad to see what Rubbishmade has done to this brand.
Add Ten Dollars to it and I can get a Platinum Century with a Gold Nib in my Country. Buying this Pen would Pose a Very Serious Challenge to my Intellect. No Thanks. 😏
Only reason I can think that someone would even remotely care for this polished turd of a pen would be if they had never ever ever held a vintage pen in their hands before. Wait, we can even include decently designed modern pens as well...
Hi there! Thank you for your 'thoughts' on the new 2021 version of the Parker '51' as well as on the vintage pens. I happen to like this new pen but then I like the Parker Vector and their stainless steel nibs. Your vintage '51' pens have 'Lustraloy' caps with the body and section in Lucite. The nibs were normally 14k, plathenium tipped and electro-polished. The new pen has a very similar cap with a new style three chevron style clip (Parker Sonnet maybe) with the barrel and redesigned section in highly polishec resin. As you say, the nib is possibly from a Vector or Jotter - which unlike the vintage pens - is not tubular. Personally, I think the quality and feel of the pen is very good and I have definitely not experienced any flow issues with it. Like its illustrious predecessor, the nib will also have a 'collector' attached to the feed beneath the section 'shell' as do all Parker's nowadays. It writes even smoother if 'inverted' for reverse writing. I brought up the lack of a Converter with Parker, and they very kindly sent me one free of charge which I greatly appreciated. I also have a 70 year DEMI '51' and a 1970's Parker '61', and to me all three pdns are very comparable. One day, this new generation '51' will be much sought after by Collectors!!
What was wrong with the original P51? Answer: Nothing at all. Why bother with a "new" P51? Answer: Beats me. It will just end up being short lived. Parker never learns.
I have this pen and i actually like it a lot. My grand mother had an original one which i liked also, but unfortunately it got lost.
My new 51 has a steel nib, too - i think it writes beautifully 😊
I honestly feel that if they made this pen around the same price as a parker jotter fp it would have gone over pretty well. But it's just kinda sad how it ended up...
Very sad, and they could have easily sold it for £15 too. My Parker Jotter (brushed steel) is excellent for the price and it is pretty much the same pen except for the hood and threaded cap. Parker's snap caps seem to really last well too, mine hasn't became loose after 4 years of almost daily use. And no converter included? For a pen with a proprietary fitting at the price that it is this is inexcusable.
I was briefly tempted to buy the deluxe black and gold new P51 w/14k gold nib. But it’s obscenely overpriced, so I passed.
But I did decide to buy the steel nib version: burgundy and chrome. I like the pen quite a lot. It writes reliably and very well. And the new P51 is a good enough pen in its own right. I’m so glad I have it. I only wish Parker retained the snap cap. And not including a deluxe Parker converter with the pen is definitely a cheap shot.
edit: forgot to add I have a pair of vintage 51s; a 14k vacumatic and the other is a steel/octanium nib, aerometric filler. I readily admit those two are superior to the new model in every way.
Ink feed problems with my new gen 51 was why I watched and your presentation was enlightening. Thanks!
Glad it helped!
I just cannot talk myself into this pen. And, to be fair, I'm not much of a fan of the original. But this betrays everything the original was.
After all the hype, I did finally buy the Jinhao version of this pen. But I just can't bring myself to pay the Parker premium.
Thanks for a very balanced review. This was the best one that I have seen about the relative merits of the "new" Parker 51. I have never used an "old" 51, so cannot comment on them. However, ignoring the old 51 pens, the "new" model is simply an unimpressive on many levels, paramount among which is that the new pen is simply a dressed-up Jotter! If you want to spend this kind of cash on a pen with a stainless steel nib, there are many many better alternatives out there, that have been designed from the ground up. Most of the Lamy line up for example...Anyway, thanks for another really great video. I really enjoy your style of reviews.
You hit the nail on the head regarding the new 51. Awful. Of the things I find bad the top of the list is the screw cap. Why did they do that?
It makes no sense to me! It’s wild!
@@oliveboypens it’s so sad that almost every functional part of the original design was made less functional.
Well said - I grew up in Greece using a vintage 50's 51 as my daily writer in the 80's.
This fake 'hooded Jotter' is a cash grab with no substance.
The only way Parker will learn to respect their customers is if we simply not buy this.
a lot of volume in the hair today 👍🏼
only the best for my fans
I was thinking the same, wish I had hair like that!
Anything that's lasts 70+ years must be very, very, good. That was was case with the original P51. I honestly can't see this 2020/21 version lasting even 10 years. Maybe just 5.
I agree...total rip-off. And Parker isn't alone...Aurora recently released a new version of their 1950s hooded nib Aurora DuoCart, which has a better looking build than this new Parker 51, but still overpriced at around $170-$180 with a steel nib. At least it comes WITH a converter. Mine came with a nib unit very off-center that should never have left the factory. I had to risk twisting it back to proper alignment, but it does write well. Just another example of "let's make a quick buck" and screw buyers at the same time.
While there are a lot of people new to fountain pens, there are still too many makers issuing too many "versions" with only a color change - or in this case, a "new" release of an older classic. Several long-time makers have filed for bankruptcy in the last decade, and these are the kind of tactics manufacturers use to rake in the cash before pulling the plug. It's never a good sign when they stop caring about quality or brand loyalty,
I agree with everything you’ve said! This topic is really interesting to me, and I plan on exploring it further with other pens and brands across the years to see how they stand up.
I have both an original late 1940's vacumatic 51 and one of the new gold nibbed new 51, both with fine nibs. The new one writes very well smooth and adequately wet. Hard to really tell any difference from the older one but I'll give the old one the win just on familiarity. Don't mind the screw cap.
I was surprised at how well the new one performed based on the different hood/feed design.
I've written extensively with the new one and have experienced no issues with skipping, hard starting or anything else to complain about.
I would love to have a VINTAGE Parker 51.. But that 2021 thing... no, thank you. For 80 dollar? Oh, no, no, no.
I had been turning over the possibility of buying the gold nib version, but you just talked me out of considering it at any price. What is with the floating jewel button on the cap? Same as Sonnet. I was told it was in case a child swallowed the cap they could breathe through the cap hole. Problem is, it also means the ink dries faster being exposed to air. I owned one of the Empire 51s reissued in the 80s? and the nib housing promptly cracked spontaneously. Parker had no replacements and at least they sent me the cheaper International Duofold as compensation. Sad, sad. I stick to Waterman Edson for hooded models. A dream writer.
Dont bother with this Parker jotter... not worth it...
The feed/nib/plastic cover assembly looks simply terrible on the NG model, especially if you are familiar with what they are supposed to look like and how they work.
Recently I needed to disassemble and clean my Parker 51 after years of storage, and I am once again admiring the outstanding design of this pen. It writes perfectly, and now I wonder why I stopped using it in the first place.
Thank you for your reviews!
Parker have really let themselves down in recent years, with this pen and especially their new pretend fountain pen the '5th technology' which is really a fineliner shrouded by a false nib and false claims. Someone needs to review that pen just to put it down. For a company with such a good reputation especially amongst non fountain pen enthusiasts too they need to really start getting themselves together. Wing Sung makes a better 51 copy that Parker now!
$20 Jotter being sold as a Parker 51... Thanks to Rubbishmade owning the Parker brand. The NG Parker is rubbish. I used several; Parker 51s (all Aero Gold Caps made in UK and US) in grade school. My dad and mom also used 51. Sad to see what Rubbishmade has done to this brand.
an official sequel with none of the original's spirit
Add Ten Dollars to it and I can get a
Platinum Century with a Gold Nib in
my Country. Buying this Pen would
Pose a Very Serious Challenge to my
Intellect. No Thanks. 😏
Same reason I will not purchase one... It is encouraging Rubbishmade Parker to fleece the fools who buy one...
This video is good
I like the title
Thank you.
No inky face pics :c
When I lean into the camera you can just barely see it!!
The 'weird gap' is for safety reasons! I really like the new 2021 '51'. I have the burgundy model with a stainless steel nib. I love it!
Reasons ?
Not just One Reason but Multiple Reasons. 🤣
Don't get you a man that talks to you like this 15:11
Only reason I can think that someone would even remotely care for this polished turd of a pen would be if they had never ever ever held a vintage pen in their hands before. Wait, we can even include decently designed modern pens as well...
Hi there! Thank you for your 'thoughts' on the new 2021 version of the Parker '51' as well as on the vintage pens. I happen to like this new pen but then I like the Parker Vector and their stainless steel nibs. Your vintage '51' pens have 'Lustraloy' caps with the body and section in Lucite. The nibs were normally 14k, plathenium tipped and electro-polished. The new pen has a very similar cap with a new style three chevron style clip (Parker Sonnet maybe) with the barrel and redesigned section in highly polishec resin. As you say, the nib is possibly from a Vector or Jotter - which unlike the vintage pens - is not tubular. Personally, I think the quality and feel of the pen is very good and I have definitely not experienced any flow issues with it. Like its illustrious predecessor, the nib will also have a 'collector' attached to the feed beneath the section 'shell' as do all Parker's nowadays. It writes even smoother if 'inverted' for reverse writing. I brought up the lack of a Converter with Parker, and they very kindly sent me one free of charge which I greatly appreciated. I also have a 70 year DEMI '51' and a 1970's Parker '61', and to me all three pdns are very comparable. One day, this new generation '51' will be much sought after by Collectors!!
One day, this new generation '51' will be much sought after by Collectors!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😁😁😁😁😁😁😂😂😁😁😁😂😂😂🤣
What was wrong with the original P51? Answer: Nothing at all. Why bother with a "new" P51? Answer: Beats me. It will just end up being short lived. Parker never learns.
Your review has further dissuaded me.
Cheap pen sold at a high price
Blech...
No good