I randomly found this forum when searching for Parker 51 repair info, and decided I might as well sign up... what's a hobby without fellow hobbyists, right?
I'm 23 years old, originally from Melbourne, Australia, but I spend around half of the year in Seattle (I'm engaged to a Seattlelite).
I've always been interested in writing instruments and notebooks, but never really got into the hobby until my fiancee bought me a fountain pen for Christmas last year, to go with the beautiful journal she also got for me. The pen was a Sensa Meridian.
Very quickly I learned that paper, at least modern paper, is no friend of fountain pen ink. I began researching different inks, nibs, and pens online, and fast became obsessed. I'm an inveterate accumulator of hobbies, I guess. Whenever I get interested in something, I voraciously eat up every last bit of info I can find on the topic.
It didn't take long for me to decide that the Parker 51 was going to be my favourite pen. As a fan of midcentury design, it really stands out to me as a classic. I can't afford an Eames Lounge Chair or a Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian home, but hell, I can score a Parker 51!
So anyway, I bought a black aerometric 51 on eBay a few months ago. Unfortunately, the ink sac turned out to have a hole/rip in it. I'm gonna post about that fiasco in a more appropriate section of the forum a little later. Suffice it to say I've just pulled off my first successful 51 disassembly.
Looking forward to getting to know you all and cribbing all your fp knowledge!
Welcome Daniel, Seems you caught the bug. If you're a collector like me you can't stop with just one pen. Here are a few sites for your thirsty mind. vacumania.com richardspens.com and for really good prices on imported pens isellpens.com check out the Hero 100 line...Todd has a good line of inks too.
Oh yeah, richardspens.com has already been a great help to me.
As for the Hero pens... this might be a controversial stance, but I've already decided never to buy any of their products (at least not directly). I don't like to encourage piracy.
And you guys are right, it's very bloody addictive! I started off just wanting to get one nice pen that writes well, and now I find I want everything. Vacumatic, Snorkel, PFM, 75... all for me!
Hi Daniel, HA! I knew it. I wanted pens from all the makers too and Parker 75s is where I started <parker75.com> is the Bible site. Now there is one pen the Eversharp Skyline that can be had for a reasonable price on FeeBay...oh hell what's your address I'll send you one...you like firm or flex, fine or medium point? As for the "Heros"...well, I don't care for cheap knock offs either and don't advocate them,however, their limited issues can not be beat for the money, politics aside, isellpens.com is a good source and Todd is a gentelman. That said, don't for get the Skyline offer you'll like it.
As always, John PS: That is one free Eversharp Skylinewow! No fleas no flaws.
i don't know if it shows, but i'm a "51" fan here. as far as paper, what do you like? i have a few notebooks i like, but ended up using mostly hammermill 28lb laser copy paper in my Circa notebook system. if you have the Circa hole-puncher you're set!!
I was under the belief that technically Hero's aren't exactly rip-offs as they are actually using the old Parker Chinese factory with all of the original equipment etc after Parker pulled out after the cultural revolution or some such story... definitely not quite the build quality as the Parkers but not too bad... at least the single one I have seen
welcome Trevor. i do not view the hero hooded nib pens as rip-offs. they advertise them as heros and not as parkers. like you, i heard the story of the chinese using the old parker factory, but i'm not sure of that...!!!???
...anyways, i own a few of those, 100, 329, 330, 110... and i like them all... not as much as i do the "51", though!
Thanks, PP51. (Love the name, by the way... I'm a huge comics fan as well as an fp nerd.)
As far as paper, well, I've learned like everyone else that Moleskine's paper sucks, and I've been experimenting with various other notebooks since. I've got some Field Notes on order, as I've heard good things about them.
The story I had heard about Hero/Parker is that all of Parker's assets in China were nationalised by the Chinese government. Stolen, essentially. I don't know if that was actually the case or not. It'd be interesting to find out what actually went down.