Date code is on the barrel near the section. I use pen flush (my recipe) when there is dried ink. I can soak for days, flush regularly. I also may use Monteverde for the first ink as it has ITF which helps with dissolving ink & increasing flow. Restoring an old pen, not used in decades, is always an interesting experience.
It's no wonder I missed it. Naked eye, I can't see it at all. Under the loupe, this pen is 1950. Thank you for the Monteverde recommendation. I have an older bottle from when they first started selling ink. I'll try it out.
@@WaskiSquirrel I forgot where I read this but I think the first year or so the aerometrics were made, the "sac protector" was chrome plated and the plating has a really high tendency to chip off like on yours. After that they started using stainless steel instead. So that's another sign it's an early aerometric. Also kind of random, but I use the same exact yogurt glass containers for cleaning/flushing my pens, they're perfect! And the yogurt isn't too bad either.
The "Pli-glas" (PVC to us mortals 😁) sacs used for the Aerometric 51s were darn near indestructible. Good soak and a polish, most are back to usable. Like you said, do no harm. Really nice looking set! If you have any "with Solv-X" Quink, it's really good for dislodging dead ink. And check office supplies stores for the eraser. (Esterbrook takes a modern Pentel one, and that looks similar.) Fun to have some history for a pen you have. And I agree about the 51. They ain't my favorite either. But great everyday pens.
First congrats to all for going on to the next stage for this year’s Science Olympiad. If I recall this is about where you and the students were in 2020 when the Pandemic quashed the rest of the process. As I have said before, take the time you need off from the channel. As a survivor of Matt Armstrong’s Pen Habit, I always hated his hiatus, but understood it and looked forward to his resumption every year and could see the results in his enthusiasm when he resumed. So do it next Jan - March, sooner if needed. A couple of
Thank you for the congratulations! We made it to State during the pandemic, but that was held virtually, so it was not fun at all. This time we'll be able to go in person. It's surprising the kids who have never been to Fargo! I remember the hiatuses that Matt took. But this year I realized that's better than what I did this year: missing weeks at a time. I actually filmed 3 videos last weekend, and hope to film several more this weekend. The trick is to get ahead on videos. One mistake I made was to only film writing samples. This time, I'm trying to film writing and talking close together. After I get some pen videos banked up, I'll do some book reviews. Aside from the outlining, they're the least work. Most of my driving videos lately seem to be a LOT of research, so I'll probably do book reviews for a few weeks to get ahead on those. I agree on the pens. The Decapod Twist is a beautiful pen. Sadly all these pens have gone up significantly in price. I'll need to make a lot more UA-cam money before I buy another one! Galileo's work would be interesting to read, especially as he tries to make sense of what he is seeing. We really take it for granted now how the solar system works. Back then, they really didn't know!
What a beautiful pen set with nice history! I too avoid pen flush as much as possible! Right now I have just acquired a vintage Sheaffer school pen just like the one I had I'm the 70s ... it cleaned yp real well but the nib is misaligned and I'm discouraged! Hopefully I can fix it!! I love pen repair videos and I'm attempting to learn more as I go along!
Thanks for posting this video! I have a 51 identical to yours, and it had stopped writing, cleaned with water and dish soap and now it writes just like new! I LOVE this pen as it is so dependable. I use Parker Quink also.
Nice! Parker 51s are easy to dismiss as being a bit commonplace, but that's partly because they were popular in their time, and are robust enough that many have survived, so maybe worth a whirl. A cautionary tale here about impatience, and I'm often guilty of that when cleaning or testing pens 😞
I was recently given a Parker 51 ( same color) but it has a small crack and chip... so I will follow your video to clean the pen.. probably let it soak overnight :-). The timing of this video is perfect for me! Thank you ( and thanks to the other commenters!)
I love Parker 51's, especially the Vacumatic fillers, which seem to me more emblematic of their original era. I like to remove the hood so I can get the collector completely clean (I know, not recommended) and once I have taken it off I don't use any adhesive and just screw it in dry for the rest of the time I own it. That way I can always get at the collector, which is so tenacious at holding onto ink when you're trying to clean it.
I took a clone apart and it was a battle getting everything back together correctly and aligned correctly. So, I'm saving that as a last resort. Vacumatic fillers are interesting. I hope to repair one this summer: a project I definitely want to save for when I have some free time!
Many thanks for this perfectly timed video. Why perfectly timed? In December 2022 my father died. In January my mother gave me his Parker 51. A pen that was bought for him by his own mother. I haven't done anything to the pen so far but I would like to evaluate it in much the same way as you with your 51. I don't know the condition of the sac or the nib yet but I feel better informed after watching your video. I hope the flow issues with your pen towards the end of the writing sample can be fixed. Maybe old dried ink in the feed?
Congratulations on the pen. It's a good way to remember him, especially if you can write with it. My flow issues must have been dried ink. The pen is writing beautifully now with its new fill of ink.
The Pli-glas (PVC) sacs in Parker 51 Aerometric pens is usually almost indestructible. They could crack, maybe get unsealed, but very uncommon. Usually just soak clean and ink it. But the collector (kind of like the fins on modern feeds) can hold a LOT of dried ink, so it could take awhile.
My favorite thing about the Parker 51 is that when in a shirt pocket for quite a while (hours) it still writes first time. Most of my vintage pens will hard start for 1/2 a letter before it starts to write after sitting nib up in a while.
I wonder why they stuck a plastic cartridge inside a pen that had its own filler? I've had good luck using a long, slender screwdriver. It's a bit of digging at first, but once you inch it forward a tiny bit, it usually comes loose and falls out. Good luck!
Thanks for a great video, as always. If you still have that beautiful Parker 51 I can fix those problems. I have been collecting and repairing for over 30 years. PM me at your convenience.
Date code is on the barrel near the section. I use pen flush (my recipe) when there is dried ink. I can soak for days, flush regularly. I also may use Monteverde for the first ink as it has ITF which helps with dissolving ink & increasing flow. Restoring an old pen, not used in decades, is always an interesting experience.
It's no wonder I missed it. Naked eye, I can't see it at all. Under the loupe, this pen is 1950.
Thank you for the Monteverde recommendation. I have an older bottle from when they first started selling ink. I'll try it out.
@@WaskiSquirrel I forgot where I read this but I think the first year or so the aerometrics were made, the "sac protector" was chrome plated and the plating has a really high tendency to chip off like on yours. After that they started using stainless steel instead. So that's another sign it's an early aerometric.
Also kind of random, but I use the same exact yogurt glass containers for cleaning/flushing my pens, they're perfect! And the yogurt isn't too bad either.
The "Pli-glas" (PVC to us mortals 😁) sacs used for the Aerometric 51s were darn near indestructible. Good soak and a polish, most are back to usable. Like you said, do no harm.
Really nice looking set! If you have any "with Solv-X" Quink, it's really good for dislodging dead ink. And check office supplies stores for the eraser. (Esterbrook takes a modern Pentel one, and that looks similar.)
Fun to have some history for a pen you have. And I agree about the 51. They ain't my favorite either. But great everyday pens.
Good point about the office supply store! I'll be near one in about a week, so I'll check then.
First congrats to all for going on to the next stage for this year’s Science Olympiad. If I recall this is about where you and the students were in 2020 when the Pandemic quashed the rest of the process. As I have said before, take the time you need off from the channel. As a survivor of Matt Armstrong’s Pen Habit, I always hated his hiatus, but understood it and looked forward to his resumption every year and could see the results in his enthusiasm when he resumed. So do it next Jan - March, sooner if needed. A couple of
Thank you for the congratulations! We made it to State during the pandemic, but that was held virtually, so it was not fun at all. This time we'll be able to go in person. It's surprising the kids who have never been to Fargo!
I remember the hiatuses that Matt took. But this year I realized that's better than what I did this year: missing weeks at a time. I actually filmed 3 videos last weekend, and hope to film several more this weekend. The trick is to get ahead on videos. One mistake I made was to only film writing samples. This time, I'm trying to film writing and talking close together. After I get some pen videos banked up, I'll do some book reviews. Aside from the outlining, they're the least work. Most of my driving videos lately seem to be a LOT of research, so I'll probably do book reviews for a few weeks to get ahead on those.
I agree on the pens. The Decapod Twist is a beautiful pen. Sadly all these pens have gone up significantly in price. I'll need to make a lot more UA-cam money before I buy another one!
Galileo's work would be interesting to read, especially as he tries to make sense of what he is seeing. We really take it for granted now how the solar system works. Back then, they really didn't know!
What a beautiful pen set with nice history! I too avoid pen flush as much as possible!
Right now I have just acquired a vintage Sheaffer school pen just like the one I had I'm the 70s ... it cleaned yp real well but the nib is misaligned and I'm discouraged! Hopefully I can fix it!!
I love pen repair videos and I'm attempting to learn more as I go along!
It's so nice to bring a vintage fountain pen back to life! Hopefully your nib isn't too badly misaligned. Some can be fixed with fingernail pressure.
Thanks for posting this video! I have a 51 identical to yours, and it had stopped writing, cleaned with water and dish soap and now it writes just like new! I LOVE this pen as it is so dependable. I use Parker Quink also.
Glad it helped! The Parker 51 isn't a perfect pen, but it is a well designed pen.
Nice! Parker 51s are easy to dismiss as being a bit commonplace, but that's partly because they were popular in their time, and are robust enough that many have survived, so maybe worth a whirl.
A cautionary tale here about impatience, and I'm often guilty of that when cleaning or testing pens 😞
Yes! I was impatient. When I'm not filming, I'm better, but I've rushed a few pens that needed time.
It is a very useful video for the newcomers to the fountain pens 🌎 world.
Thanks for taking the time.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you. Very enjoyable video of a fine classic.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you! Very enjoyable!
Glad you enjoyed it! I'll be doing more pen repair videos soon.
I was recently given a Parker 51 ( same color) but it has a small crack and chip... so I will follow your video to clean the pen.. probably let it soak overnight :-). The timing of this video is perfect for me! Thank you ( and thanks to the other commenters!)
Soaking is the right solution. I was too gung-ho to get this video going!
I have a 51 and a 75 inked right now. the 75 is the more well mannered and predictable .The 51 is the nicer experience.
I very much enjoy my 75. It's probably my favorite of the two. But, now that I have two 51s, I can see the wide variation in that model!
I love Parker 51's, especially the Vacumatic fillers, which seem to me more emblematic of their original era. I like to remove the hood so I can get the collector completely clean (I know, not recommended) and once I have taken it off I don't use any adhesive and just screw it in dry for the rest of the time I own it. That way I can always get at the collector, which is so tenacious at holding onto ink when you're trying to clean it.
I took a clone apart and it was a battle getting everything back together correctly and aligned correctly. So, I'm saving that as a last resort.
Vacumatic fillers are interesting. I hope to repair one this summer: a project I definitely want to save for when I have some free time!
Many thanks for this perfectly timed video. Why perfectly timed? In December 2022 my father died. In January my mother gave me his Parker 51. A pen that was bought for him by his own mother. I haven't done anything to the pen so far but I would like to evaluate it in much the same way as you with your 51. I don't know the condition of the sac or the nib yet but I feel better informed after watching your video. I hope the flow issues with your pen towards the end of the writing sample can be fixed. Maybe old dried ink in the feed?
Congratulations on the pen. It's a good way to remember him, especially if you can write with it.
My flow issues must have been dried ink. The pen is writing beautifully now with its new fill of ink.
The Pli-glas (PVC) sacs in Parker 51 Aerometric pens is usually almost indestructible. They could crack, maybe get unsealed, but very uncommon. Usually just soak clean and ink it. But the collector (kind of like the fins on modern feeds) can hold a LOT of dried ink, so it could take awhile.
My favorite thing about the Parker 51 is that when in a shirt pocket for quite a while (hours) it still writes first time. Most of my vintage pens will hard start for 1/2 a letter before it starts to write after sitting nib up in a while.
That is definitely a perk of the 51! My vintage experience has been better than that with most pens.
It was strangely gratifying to see someone else using Oui jars for pen maintenance.
I got the idea from a viewer!
Wouldn't a shot glass work as well as an ink miser for filling a pen?
Maybe? I don't own a shot glass. I like that the ink miser tapers to such a narrow end: it gives more height to the ink. Sample bottles work too.
@@WaskiSquirrel Thank you for the reply. I just bought an ink miser on eBay!
Hey ive just found a pen identical to yours. It has a plastic cartridge stuck inside? Any idea how to get it out?
I wonder why they stuck a plastic cartridge inside a pen that had its own filler?
I've had good luck using a long, slender screwdriver. It's a bit of digging at first, but once you inch it forward a tiny bit, it usually comes loose and falls out. Good luck!
@WaskiSquirrel brilliant, I'll give that a go. Thanks
Thanks for a great video, as always. If you still have that beautiful Parker 51 I can fix those problems. I have been collecting and repairing for over 30 years. PM me at your convenience.
It is working now. Thanks!
A pleasure to hear from you again. Good to know it's now working. In case it malfunctions again my offer still stands. Have a great weekend.