The Parker 21 Super, made between 1956 and 1965, was fitted with an 'Octanium' steel nib. This pen came to me in virtually unused condition but it had somehow sustained some nib damage.
After a good deal of deliberation, I decided to upgrade the pen and fit a 14Ct. Gold Parker 51 nib rather than repair or replace the original with another steel nib. The 51 and 21 nibs are virtually identical so a good fit was assured and it gave me the opportunity to perform a 'transplant' that had been on my mind for some time. The 51 nib has a broad point and is dated 1954, so it is from the right era.
The pen was fully disassembled, throughly cleaned and checked before being reassembled with the new nib and comprehensively tested.
The aerometric type filling system works well and, as the original pli-glass sac is unstained the ink level cam be clearly seen.
The nib is an absolute pleasure to use, it delivers a super smooth and consistent broad line which would particularly suit someone with a large, bold hand. It is a pity my scrawl does it little justice.
Finished in red, pen is in mint conditiion throughout. The barrel and hood are unmarked and the polished steel cap, which bears a '21' stamp, is similarly pristine.
I intentionally have not fixed the hood in place with shellac, as it is already a tight, leak free fit and I thought it best to make the nib accessible in the event that it outlives the rest of the pen due to accidental damage. There is also the possibility of relocating the nib back into a 51 if required.
The Parker 21 has often been compared to the 51, and usually falls short. This pen is a good deal closer than the rest.
Read a full Parker 21 review here.