Parts in UK for a sad looking Parker 51

[Jolltax]

I got a bit carried away and bought a sad looking vacumatic Parker 51 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Parker-51-Fountain-Pen-/251549490633?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=98TiEgj3B%252BZHFedxtE5d089duUQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc) with no cap on ebay.co.uk (item number 251549490633 if you are curious and the link doesn't work). The nib also looks a bit weird in the photos but it was only £13.28 so not too much of a disaster if it doesn't work out. The vacumatics were the early ones weren't they? I do have a couple of Aerometric ones but have wanted a vacumatic Parker for some time :D

I have bought a new sac for it and am hoping the pump unit will function once it is replaced. Could anyone recommend somewhere I could buy a suitable cap for it? I have scoured ebay and its hard to find caps on their own which haven't been customised.

I'll probably try following Stef's video guide (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCBsMGnhaGQ) to bring it back to life, love his videos and his accent. Any other good reference on the web to making repairs?

It hasn't been delivered yet so no idea what kind of shape it is in, fingers crossed its within my capabilities .....

Jolltax

[Paul-H]

Hi

In the UK caps on there own are about as rare as hens teeth, I only know of one seller and for some reason he is asking about £55 for one cap, I kid you not.

The best way to get a cap is to look for a complete pen that has damage to the barrel, I buy quite a few 51's on eBay UK and don't ever pay more than £20 for a complete pen, some do just end up as parts pens but most with a little work end up back in use and sold on.

Keep looking you will find one soon.

Big tip for buying on eBay, look for auctions that end around 2 to 3 pm on a weekday, everyone is either at work or out on the school run so those auctions often end with very low bids on them.

Big tip for selling on eBay, make sure your auctions end on Sunday evening, everyone is home then, so you get many more last second bids.

Paul

[Jolltax]

Great advice, thanks

[amk]

Worth going to the London Pen Show (I think it's October, check on the WES website) to rummage through the parts boxes - you can usually find P51 parts, and last time I was there I could have had P51 caps for £10-15. Come to think of it I have a couple of capless 51s, so I may be competing with you Jolltax :-)

[scrivelry]

Another thought-no one kill me,please, I realize this can be seen as sacrilege but - is that perhaps for the meantime a Hero 616 or something like it yields a workable if incorrect cap? You can get these very cheaply on ebay.

I do have a 616 but I do not have a 51. so I can't try it out - someone else may know if this works.

Obviously you'd eventually want a 51 cap for it, but having some cap you could use might put you in the position of being able to wait for one at your price point and still use the pen in the meantime.

Just a thought.

*ducks quickly under cover before the random objects fly... *

[Jolltax]

Another thought-no one kill me,please, I realize this can be seen as sacrilege but - is that perhaps for the meantime a Hero 616 or something like it yields a workable if incorrect cap? You can get these very cheaply on ebay.
........snip .....

Thats a good idea, like you I don't know whether they fit. I am not a purist to be honest, I just want it to write and have a cap!

The London pen show also a good idea, I spend quite a lot of time out of the country through my work so I will need to see whether I am around.

Jolltax

[Flounder]

A cap from a 616 Jumbo, also know as a 616 Doctor, will fit the 51 you picked up. Expect the finger tension to vary between examples.

Consider dropping Jim Marshall (http://www.penpencilgallery.com/)a line. I last contacted him in September last year, and he had rolled gold caps in stock at a good price.

[Jolltax]

A cap from a 616 Jumbo, also know as a 616 Doctor, will fit the 51 you picked up. Expect the finger tension to vary between examples.
Consider dropping Jim Marshall (http://www.penpencilgallery.com/)a line. I last contacted him in September last year, and he had rolled gold caps in stock at a good price.

Brilliant, I have pinged him a quick email. Thanks!

[Jolltax]

A cap from a 616 Jumbo, also know as a 616 Doctor, will fit the 51 you picked up. Expect the finger tension to vary between examples.
Consider dropping Jim Marshall (http://www.penpencilgallery.com/)a line. I last contacted him in September last year, and he had rolled gold caps in stock at a good price.

Brilliant, I have pinged him a quick email. Thanks!

For anyone reading this thread I thought it would be worth a note to say that although Jim's website appears to be up he may be in hibernation or very busy as he has not responded to my emails.

I have posted a request in the WTB section of the forums.

Jolltax

[RuiFromUK]

If you haven't got a cap at all and until you find a P51 original part you might want to get one of these or similar for less than £10:

http://www.andys-pens.ukhome.net/he125.shtml

[Jolltax]

If you haven't got a cap at all and until you find a P51 original part you might want to get one of these or similar for less than £10:

http://www.andys-pens.ukhome.net/he125.shtml

Good idea, if I don't identify a suitable spare soon then i will definitely do this, thank you.

EDIT : I have had a look at these on ebay and given the unbelievably low price of these pens I have ordered some!

[Chrissy]

I don't know if vacumatics have the same caps as aerometric fillers, but I saw this cap on ebay the other day (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PARKER-51-ROLLED-GOLD-CAP-ONLY-SPARES-OR-REPAIR-/371113064735?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_Writing Equipment_SM&hash=item56680ff91f). It's just a cap with no top and clip, but maybe tops and clips are easier to come by. Just a thought.

I would also look on ebay to try and buy a parts only pen with a cracked barrel or no nib, as long as the cap was decent.