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An Unhappy Visit To The Cross Factory Store


Redblur

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I live in Providence so I dropped by the factory store the other day because I wanted a fine nib for my ATX. Shockingly, they don't sell nib units in the store. How do I get one? Try the repair department. They'll ship you one, maybe.

 

And ink? You can get bottles of blue, or bottles of black, or 6 cartridges of blue black. Blue black in a bottle? Why would you want that? Let's not even start on something kooky like red, or green......

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Oh, and -

 

Exactly one pen out of the hundreds in the shop with a nib other than medium - a Townsend with a fine.

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I wouldn't cross the street to shop there.

 

(Oh, great, now you woke HIM up!)

Until you ink a pen, it is merely a pretty stick. --UK Mike

 

My arsenal, in order of acquisition: Sailor 21 Pocket Pen M, Cross Solo M, Online Calligraphy, Monteverde Invincia F, Hero 359 M, Jinhao X450 M, Levenger True Writer M, Jinhao 159 M, Platinum Balance F, TWSBI Classic 1.1 stub, Platinum Preppy 0.3 F, 7 Pilot Varsity M disposables refillables, Speedball penholder, TWSBI 580 USA EF, Pilot MR, Noodler's Ahab 1.1 stub, another Preppy 0.3, Preppy EF 0.2, ASA Sniper F, Click Majestic F, Kaweco Sport M, Pilot Prera F, Baoer 79 M (fake Starwalker), Hero 616 M (fake Parker), Jinhao X750 Shimmering Sands M . . .

31 and counting :D

 

DaveBj

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well - you have a right to be "cross" with them!

 

 

I wouldn't cross the street to shop there.

 

(Oh, great, now you woke HIM up!)

 

 

So, you didn't have a "fine" experience there?

Mine's may not be as funny is theirs, but:

So, you are very cross about that.

-William S. Park

“My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain. My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course. Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane. - Graham Greene

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Blue black in a bottle? Why would you want that? Let's not even start on something kooky like red, or green......

 

There is a reason why Cross discontinued blue/black in bottles. Cross bottled ink is relabeled Pelikan 4001 ink and Pelikan stopped selling blue/black in the USA about 3 years ago. The blue/black cartridges are not made by Pelikan. I think they are made in China.

Edited by Florida Blue

Parker: Sonnet Flighter, Rialto Red Metallic Laque, IM Chiseled Gunmetal, Latitude Stainless, 45 Black, Duovac Blue Pearl Striped, 51 Standard Black, Vac Jr. Black, 51 Aero Black, 51 Vac Blue Cedar, Duofold Jr. Lapis, 51 Aero Demi Black, 51 Aero Demi Teal, 51 Aero Navy Gray, Duofold Pastel Moire Violet, Vac Major Golden Brown, Vac Deb. Emerald, 51 Vac Dove Gray, Vac Major Azure, Vac Jr. Silver Pearl, 51 Vac Black GF Cap, 51 Forest Green GF cap, Vac Jr. Silver Pearl, Duovac Senior Green & Gold, Duovac Deb. Black, Challenger Black, 51 Aero Midnight, Vac. Emerald Jr., Challenger Gray Pearl, 51 Vac Black, Duofold Int. Black, Duofold Jr. Red.

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There is a reason why Cross discontinued blue/black in bottles. Cross bottled ink is relabeled Pelikan 4001 ink and Pelikan stopped selling blue/black in the USA about 3 years ago. The blue/black cartridges are not made by Pelikan. I think they are made in China.

I'm not sure about the particulars, but I think there were components in the ink that the FDA found a hazard when ingested.

 

 

D.ick

~

KEEP SAFE, WEAR A MASK, KEEP A DISTANCE.

Freedom exists by virtue of self limitation.

~

 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm not sure about the particulars, but I think there were components in the ink that the FDA found a hazard when ingested.

 

 

D.ick

 

Did you say ingested?

 

This is Crossing the line...

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Did you say ingested?

 

This is Crossing the line...

Yes, ingested. Some component of the Pelikan ink is on their no-no-list, as far as I understood.

 

D.ick

~

KEEP SAFE, WEAR A MASK, KEEP A DISTANCE.

Freedom exists by virtue of self limitation.

~

 

 

 

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Love their pens. Good in hand, nice weight and balance, excellent plating

Sorry you had a bad experience, I used to live in Providence as well and once visited the plant with Frank Dubiel

Jerry

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What a Fine mess the Sheaffer brand seems to be in now. I'll be very Cross if they end up ruining a perfectly good brand simply because they're not the most creative lot in Town... send for more tea, would you? I'm more parched than I've been in a Century!

 

... Haha, okay, I give up; I was never much for making bad puns, though I admit being a silver Medalist in high school ;)

 

 

Cheers!

 

Kevin

 

(On a more serious note, sorry to hear about your disappointing visit, OP.)

"The price of an object should not only be what you had to pay for it, but also what you've had to sacrifice in order to obtain it." - <i>The Wisdom of The Internet</i><p class='bbc_center'><center><img src="http://i59.tinypic.com/jr4g43.jpg"/></center>

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I'm new here but I am sorry to hear you've had a bad experience with them. I have always loved Cross and their C-Series is my favorite pen by far. (but remember, that's just my preference)

 

Regarding the ink, there's a reason why I don't use Cross ink. On my first pen order I got a bottle of their blue. Its like blue water. ¬_¬ I've used one converter, maybe two so I could put it on comparison sheets, and that's as much use as you'll find it getting from me.

 

Since they aren't the manufacturer of their own ink, sadly they are subject to restrictions and limitations placed on other ink manufacturers.

 

I really don't think they'll ruin Sheaffer, but who knows.

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Well, well, well, a Townsend with a fine?, you are lucky.

Blue and black cross inks ?, you are fortunate. No better colors.

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You can always buy a bottle of blue and a bottle of black and mix them to your preferred shade. I have done this with their (Pelikan) ink with no difficulties.

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