Here are my thoughts after owning this vintage Parker 51 for about a week or two. Check out Cass' video, which inspired me to get my own! • My First Vintage Fount...
Wonderful. Just landed on Parker 51 world myself, and can’t believe it’s taken me 55 years to touch down, here! All those years I could have been putting even more giggle into every squiggle. I have also won / ordered 3 other Parker 51s and an Parker 61, so that I can have a King Prawn day between that choice juicy steak. How can I go back to from whence I came? When satisfactions are rife and conspiring all around me? It’s all good under the hood. Parker 51… Even Queen Elizabeth, God rest her soul and hairstyle, used an Parker 51. And she could’ve had any brand of Fountain Pen from any continent or any age made from golden lavatories, and yet those royal fingers held a “claret“ plastic… That humblety in itself should suffice for any Englishman to feel Aeromatically fulfilled in any likewise and also pursuits. And very much indeed he does, most assuredly. One thing the late Leonard Nimoy and I shared is an penchant for, Green Ink. So with my new found go-to pen, I have also been enjoying the flamboyance and being on the Silly Spectrum of colour, while engaged in the cut and Parry of squiggle committal to paper. Before I bore you frightfully I shall take my leave after conveying my gratitude and thanks for your superbly charming video.
You are correct on the date code. I have a similar model Vacumatic 51 but with the double jewel. Mine is also a medium nib and is the smoothest writing pen I own.
This is wonderful, I'm so happy you love your 51! I'm still using mine quite often and doubt I'll ever tire of it. It's such a perfect little pen. Also love the "you can make more money but you can't make more time" sentiment, I utilize that type of thinking quite a bit lol. It's my reasoning on not wanting to mess with unrestored/broken pens, as well. I'd rather spend a little more money initially so I can have more time to spend in my hobbies.
I have used it every single day. I love it so much. Your video really was what pushed me to buy one, and I’m so happy I did! As for the sentiment, my husband (a carpenter) always scowls when I say it because he can fix just about anything except intricate electrical or plumbing work.. but I’d MUCH rather just pay someone to do it so I can relax 😅
The best way to clean out pens is to fill with water and empty and do that till its mostly clear, about 5 times. Fill and empty again and shake the rest out. Even if some color comes out a bit its fine just fill the pen with new ink and after a few lines the color will be the new color ink. Anyways thats how the instructions state it.
Something I made up years ago and I always say it. Jeff gets so mad even though once I got him to admit it was true. He just prefers to fix things to his liking. I prefer to pay someone else to do it so I can spend my time doing fun things 😂
@@jennstns9 if that’s how he prefers to spend his time then that’s good! Some people like to tinker. I am with you though, I would rather pay someone to do it for me
Nice pen, glad it makes you so happy. I found that my buying largely dried up once I found MY pen, and subsequent purchases have all been very similar to it. Or identical.
Thank you! Yes, I’ve found that to be true for me as well. If I got this pen as my very first, I don’t think I wouldn’t purchased any more. And if I did, it would probably be more Parker 51s!
Great video! I just got my vintage Parker 51 this week. I love it! Mine isn't quite as cosmetically nice as yours, but I love the pen and the way it writes!
Btw, from what I can see, you have the version with the blue diamond on the top of the pen clip. Apparently those are rarer and the earliest models, whereby Parker placed the blue diamond to signify "Parker's lifetime warranty" but started to remove them after 1947, due to new laws being passed on regulating lifetime warrantees.
This was fun to see! I think it’s really neat that it’s from the 1940’s era because I love history and imaging the times surrounding an object like that. What other pens do you have with the glassy smooth feel?
@@gailsbookishthings5191 if you want to venture into gold nib pens, I highly reccomend the Pilot Vanishing Point or even the Pilot Custom 74. Pilot’s Medium and broad gold nibs are pretty comparable to western medium and broad nibs. Also the Lamy 2000, which is another gold nib pen. My medium is one of my best writers. So buttery smooth. You can find the Lamy 2000 on Endless Pens for around $160, and they offer and first timer’s discount of 10% which brings the pen to around $145 shipped, which is around the same price as the two Pilots I mentioned. But if you’re not yet ready to spend the money, even the Pilot Kakuno and the Metropolitan are exceptionally smooth. Their nibs are steel, so the mediums are true Japanese mediums - similar to western fine.
@@jennstns9 Thank you! This is really helpful information. I do want to try a gold nib at some point, soon. I appreciate all these ideas and it gives me some good options to consider. I like the pens I have but there is always that desire and interest to try something new.
51s are great durable pens. They are made of lucite. I like the 61 in style better but they are made of plastic. For vintage pens though i like eversharps they have an ellegance to the designs and the nibs write with a certain flair.
Thank you for sharing! I'm currently having my Grandpa's Parker Vacumatic restored, and I've been stressing over it hardcore. Especially on which ink to use! Have you found that J. Herbin ink does well with it? I've been looking at Waterman and Parker Quink inks, but the color options are pretty limited.
As long as you don’t use Japanese inks or Noodlers inks, any ink will do. J Herbin inks are very wet so they flow beautifully from this pen 🥰 it’s the only brand I’ve been using. I buy the little 10ml bottles of their inks so I always have a couple colors to choose from.
Thanks for watching! I purchased this on eBay for $115 if I remember correctly. It was listed for closer to $150 but I remember haggling a bit. Just be sure to find someone reputable if you decide to shop on there.
I find it really odd that you spent the money to acquire a vintage fountain pen without having learned how to write with one. Holding a fountain pen vertically as you do in this video is not the proper way to use the instrument. If you believe the pen writes satisfactorily as you are depicted using it, imagine how it would write if you learned the proper way to use it.
With the angle that my camera is at, it definitely does make it look like I hold my pen vertically, but I can assure you that I do not. Thanks for giving me a view though 😊
Wonderful. Just landed on Parker 51 world myself, and can’t believe it’s taken me 55 years to touch down, here! All those years I could have been putting even more giggle into every squiggle. I have also won / ordered 3 other Parker 51s and an Parker 61, so that I can have a King Prawn day between that choice juicy steak. How can I go back to from whence I came? When satisfactions are rife and conspiring all around me? It’s all good under the hood. Parker 51… Even Queen Elizabeth, God rest her soul and hairstyle, used an Parker 51. And she could’ve had any brand of Fountain Pen from any continent or any age made from golden lavatories, and yet those royal fingers held a “claret“ plastic… That humblety in itself should suffice for any Englishman to feel Aeromatically fulfilled in any likewise and also pursuits. And very much indeed he does, most assuredly. One thing the late Leonard Nimoy and I shared is an penchant for, Green Ink. So with my new found go-to pen, I have also been enjoying the flamboyance and being on the Silly Spectrum of colour, while engaged in the cut and Parry of squiggle committal to paper. Before I bore you frightfully I shall take my leave after conveying my gratitude and thanks for your superbly charming video.
I started out buying vintage pens, then learned how to restore them. Then I bought my first modern fountain pen. I just ordered my first 51 today.
You are correct on the date code.
I have a similar model Vacumatic 51 but with the double jewel.
Mine is also a medium nib and is the smoothest writing pen I own.
It’s a very cool pen 👍🏻 Parker 51 and parker 45 are my personal favs from the affordable vintage parkers
Good choice. I have 3 of them, all aerometric. Next try vintage Parker 45. Also excellent and more modern.
This is wonderful, I'm so happy you love your 51! I'm still using mine quite often and doubt I'll ever tire of it. It's such a perfect little pen. Also love the "you can make more money but you can't make more time" sentiment, I utilize that type of thinking quite a bit lol. It's my reasoning on not wanting to mess with unrestored/broken pens, as well. I'd rather spend a little more money initially so I can have more time to spend in my hobbies.
I have used it every single day. I love it so much. Your video really was what pushed me to buy one, and I’m so happy I did!
As for the sentiment, my husband (a carpenter) always scowls when I say it because he can fix just about anything except intricate electrical or plumbing work.. but I’d MUCH rather just pay someone to do it so I can relax 😅
The best way to clean out pens is to fill with water and empty and do that till its mostly clear, about 5 times. Fill and empty again and shake the rest out. Even if some color comes out a bit its fine just fill the pen with new ink and after a few lines the color will be the new color ink. Anyways thats how the instructions state it.
“You can always make more money but you can’t make more time” 🤯🤯🤯
Something I made up years ago and I always say it. Jeff gets so mad even though once I got him to admit it was true. He just prefers to fix things to his liking. I prefer to pay someone else to do it so I can spend my time doing fun things 😂
@@jennstns9 if that’s how he prefers to spend his time then that’s good! Some people like to tinker. I am with you though, I would rather pay someone to do it for me
The Parker 51 is an excellent pen. You should buy an aerometric model. You will love it!
Maybe if I decide to get another, I will try that filling system 😀
Nice pen, glad it makes you so happy. I found that my buying largely dried up once I found MY pen, and subsequent purchases have all been very similar to it. Or identical.
Thank you! Yes, I’ve found that to be true for me as well. If I got this pen as my very first, I don’t think I wouldn’t purchased any more. And if I did, it would probably be more Parker 51s!
You may have just sold me on this pen 🖊 😁
Great video! I just got my vintage Parker 51 this week. I love it! Mine isn't quite as cosmetically nice as yours, but I love the pen and the way it writes!
Btw, from what I can see, you have the version with the blue diamond on the top of the pen clip. Apparently those are rarer and the earliest models, whereby Parker placed the blue diamond to signify "Parker's lifetime warranty" but started to remove them after 1947, due to new laws being passed on regulating lifetime warrantees.
Love it! Such a cute pen, I have been dreaming of getting a vintage pen too.
I made it 3 weeks without buying a pen. It was a CAT. PEN. 😂
So I have permission to withdraw my statement of not buying pens! 😂
I love this pen so much! I think I’m going to look for one at the SF Pen Show to try out the writing experience. So beautiful! 🧡🖋
I can always mail it to you if you’d like 😉 but I’m in trouble if they have these at the show!!
@@jennstns9 No need to mail, just looking for non-buying things to do at the show. 😹
This was fun to see! I think it’s really neat that it’s from the 1940’s era because I love history and imaging the times surrounding an object like that. What other pens do you have with the glassy smooth feel?
I find Pilot nibs (of all price ranges) to be glassy smooth as well!
@@jennstns9 Maybe I’ll try one of those for something different. 😁
@@gailsbookishthings5191 if you want to venture into gold nib pens, I highly reccomend the Pilot Vanishing Point or even the Pilot Custom 74. Pilot’s Medium and broad gold nibs are pretty comparable to western medium and broad nibs. Also the Lamy 2000, which is another gold nib pen. My medium is one of my best writers. So buttery smooth. You can find the Lamy 2000 on Endless Pens for around $160, and they offer and first timer’s discount of 10% which brings the pen to around $145 shipped, which is around the same price as the two Pilots I mentioned. But if you’re not yet ready to spend the money, even the Pilot Kakuno and the Metropolitan are exceptionally smooth. Their nibs are steel, so the mediums are true Japanese mediums - similar to western fine.
@@jennstns9 Thank you! This is really helpful information. I do want to try a gold nib at some point, soon. I appreciate all these ideas and it gives me some good options to consider. I like the pens I have but there is always that desire and interest to try something new.
51s are great durable pens. They are made of lucite. I like the 61 in style better but they are made of plastic. For vintage pens though i like eversharps they have an ellegance to the designs and the nibs write with a certain flair.
Thank you for sharing! I'm currently having my Grandpa's Parker Vacumatic restored, and I've been stressing over it hardcore. Especially on which ink to use! Have you found that J. Herbin ink does well with it? I've been looking at Waterman and Parker Quink inks, but the color options are pretty limited.
As long as you don’t use Japanese inks or Noodlers inks, any ink will do. J Herbin inks are very wet so they flow beautifully from this pen 🥰 it’s the only brand I’ve been using. I buy the little 10ml bottles of their inks so I always have a couple colors to choose from.
Beautiful pen! May I ask roughly how much one goes for in good working condition (the vintage models, not the re-released models)?
Thanks for watching! I purchased this on eBay for $115 if I remember correctly. It was listed for closer to $150 but I remember haggling a bit. Just be sure to find someone reputable if you decide to shop on there.
@@jennstns9 thank you so much for responding and for the advice. I have my eye on one, just need to bite the bullet!
And that is why I will never say that I will never buy another pen! I know I will fail at that as soon as the next shiny new pen comes my way.
I find it really odd that you spent the money to acquire a vintage fountain pen without having learned how to write with one. Holding a fountain pen vertically as you do in this video is not the proper way to use the instrument. If you believe the pen writes satisfactorily as you are depicted using it, imagine how it would write if you learned the proper way to use it.
With the angle that my camera is at, it definitely does make it look like I hold my pen vertically, but I can assure you that I do not. Thanks for giving me a view though 😊