Converters?

[seffrican]

Regarding the colour guide given so far in the thread, it may be incomplete.

 

I bought a Century II from a Cross AD in England about the turn of the century. It came with the Cross screw-in converter, but it is neither green nor orange, instead the converter barrel is clear mid-blue.

 

I'm not confusing green and blue either - my wife has a Century with the green push-in converter, they are clearly different.

[Mike 59]

Hi All, As far as I know, there is no reason why the 'wrong' type of converter cannot be used in a given pen, I can switch my Century 2 and Aventura and Bailey around and all fit....... but the Century has a thread in the section for the orange converter, and it is so much more secure using it.

Aside from the thread, and colour, I can see no difference between the two.

Edited December 14, 2012 by Mike 59

[jslallar]

Regarding the colour guide given so far in the thread, it may be incomplete.

 

I bought a Century II from a Cross AD in England about the turn of the century. It came with the Cross screw-in converter, but it is neither green nor orange, instead the converter barrel is clear mid-blue.

 

I'm not confusing green and blue either - my wife has a Century with the green push-in converter, they are clearly different.

 

 

Hi All, As far as I know, there is no reason why the 'wrong' type of converter cannot be used in a given pen, I can switch my Century 2 and Aventura and Bailey around and all fit....... but the Century has a thread in the section for the orange converter, and it is so much more secure using it.

Aside from the thread, and colour, I can see no difference between the two.

 

Dear seffrican,

The color code is not wrong for the current production.

Blue converters are no longer in production.

I too have seen a Century II wifh a blue converter circa 2000 made in Ireland.

 

Dear Mike59,

Please see my post above (serial#9).

Green converters can be used in any pen but may be loose in those wkth threads

But orange ones will not fit the non tbreaded sections due to a wider sleeve but can be modified for use by grating off the threads on the sleeve.

Edited December 15, 2012 by jslallar

[seffrican]

Regarding the colour guide given so far in the thread, it may be incomplete.

 

I bought a Century II from a Cross AD in England about the turn of the century. It came with the Cross screw-in converter, but it is neither green nor orange, instead the converter barrel is clear mid-blue.

 

I'm not confusing green and blue either - my wife has a Century with the green push-in converter, they are clearly different.

 

 

Hi All, As far as I know, there is no reason why the 'wrong' type of converter cannot be used in a given pen, I can switch my Century 2 and Aventura and Bailey around and all fit....... but the Century has a thread in the section for the orange converter, and it is so much more secure using it.

Aside from the thread, and colour, I can see no difference between the two.

 

Dear seffrican,

The color code is not wrong for the current production.

Blue converters are no longer in production.

I too have seen a Century II wifh a blue converter circa 2000 made in Ireland.

 

Dear Mike59,

Please see my post above (serial#9).

Green converters can be used in any pen but may be loose in those wkth threads

But orange ones will not fit the non tbreaded sections due to a wider sleeve but can be modified for use by grating off the threads on the sleeve.

 

Please understand, I did not say that the information that you gave was wrong, I suggested that it could have been incomplete.

 

As you say, the blue converters were once production items. There are probably a few still floating around, so it's useful to have had them mentioned.

 

Do you happen to know when the blue converters were dropped from production, just as a matter of interest?

[Mike 59]

Hi seffrican, I agree that there can and will be problems with trying to fit the 'wrong' converter, Cross don't give out good information only for it to be ignored by the user.

Personally I would (and have) bought a new converter for each of my Cross pens, and would not expect the 'other' type to fit well or be secure. It was just a test to see if they would fit, to get by for a few days until the correct one could be fitted.

The threaded converters are so much better, it's difficult to see why they are not standard fitting in all Cross pens,

cost I would think.

I don't have any older Cross pens, so cannot comment on blue converters, and there are exceptions.

The Cross 'Spire', I believe had to have some very thin cartridges, the normal type will not fit inside the thin barrel. In that case no converter will fit.

When I have bought new Cross pens I have had to buy the converter at extra cost (GBP 5) which surprised me, considering that these are not cheap pens.

[Biber]

The Bailey has the threads for the threaded converter. I just bought one at Staples. (I needed a pen, what can I say? It was only $20!)

 

You needn't be embarassed to for buying a Cross. They're great pens.

[jslallar]

Dear seffrican

There is a saying in Urdu language which roughly translated say "one tends to forget even a mountain if it not in front of the eyes".

The blue converters were discontinued somewhere in mid to late 90s - my guess! I am not sure though.

They were push in type like the green ones, and both were being produced at the same time.

The one that I have seen was in a pen made in Ireland, which fact may or may not be relevant.

[seffrican]

Dear seffrican

There is a saying in Urdu language which roughly translated say "one tends to forget even a mountain if it not in front of the eyes".

The blue converters were discontinued somewhere in mid to late 90s - my guess! I am not sure though.

They were push in type like the green ones, and both were being produced at the same time.

The one that I have seen was in a pen made in Ireland, which fact may or may not be relevant.

 

My blue converter is a screw-in model that came in a Century II, it sounds like it must be similar to the orange converter. The blue converter will not go into the original Century.

 

Maybe we need some photos to straighten this all out?

[jslallar]

Dear seffrican

There is a saying in Urdu language which roughly translated say "one tends to forget even a mountain if it not in front of the eyes".

The blue converters were discontinued somewhere in mid to late 90s - my guess! I am not sure though.

They were push in type like the green ones, and both were being produced at the same time.

The one that I have seen was in a pen made in Ireland, which fact may or may not be relevant.

 

My blue converter is a screw-in model that came in a Century II, it sounds like it must be similar to the orange converter. The blue converter will not go into the original Century.

 

Maybe we need some photos to straighten this all out?

 

dear seffrican

 

You may be right. It was a long time ago that I saw that converter in a pen in a shop, and was browsing others too at the moment. It may be that my memory is playing tricks on me. So if you have a blue threaded converter in front of you I'll take your word for it and say sorry for the wrong info posted.

[dadoody]

I just bought the wrong converter the other day... :bonk: I've got the orange screw version in a ripped open package destined to be thrown out of sight in the back of a desk drawer.

 

Doesn't have to. Sell or trade it here with someone else for their green converter or something. Shouldn't cost any more than the price of a stamp.

 

Or else just wait until you get a pen that can use the screw in converter. They are nice because they don't come loose and don't leak ink back into the pen body like the push converters do.

[ThatLeoneGuy]

I bought the green converter for my Cross Aventura and I push it into the nib section and when I put the barrel on there is a springing action and it is difficult to screw it but not impossible.However, because of the pressure it forces the screw into the ink cavity and pushes all the ink out. Yes, I made a mess...what am I doing wrong?

[Mike 59]

Hi, I think the idea is that you can carry a spare cartridge in the barrel, above the cartridge in use.

The spring, right at the top, is to push the spare cartridge down and prevent it getting stuck in the barrel.

But if you are using a converter, you take the spring right out.

Can't remember if I had a spring in mine, from new, but I do use a converter and no spring in the barrel.

.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Mike 59

[ThatLeoneGuy]

Hi, I think the idea is that you can carry a spare cartridge in the barrel, above the cartridge in use.

The spring, right at the top, is to push the spare cartridge down and prevent it getting stuck in the barrel.

But if you are using a converter, you take the spring right out.

Can't remember if I had a spring in mine, from new, but I do use a converter and no spring in the barrel.

.

Ok, I took off the little tip end of the barrel because the spring inside was stuck. It wasn't easy. I said a few choice words but I got he tip off the barrel. The spring came out after using a wire. Put the tip back onto the barrel. Pushed the green converter into the nib end and inked up the converter....screwed the barrel to the nib end and...ta dah! It works! That spring was the problem. Converter fits nice now inside the pen. I know why they put a spring in there...to load a spare cartridge and put pressure on the cartridge being used. They want you to use cartridges. Bottled ink is much more economical and more eco.

 

So Mike, you were right. But all that prying the tip off, my Aventura looks like a wild beast chewed on it. Guess I will head over to Cross HQ and go to the retail store and upgrade to an Affinity, ATX or Century...yes I already got an orange converter. So far the Aventura is not impressive...writes fine but operational....they just didn't need that little spring.

Edited February 5, 2013 by ThatLeoneGuy

[vinper]

I believe the spring is in there not to help with a second cartridge, but because the barrel does double duty in the sense that it is used for rollerballs as well and the spring has a function in that mode. In another post it was suggested to remove the spring to make carrying a second cartridge easier. In fact I could not carry a spare in some of my Cross fps without removing the spring. The simplest way to get rid of the spring is with the chopstick method, which causes no damage at all. vinper

Edited February 14, 2013 by vinper

[Saintpaulia]

Blue, orange, green! I am more confused now than when I came to this thread for help!

The only business thus far I've found that sells cartridge converters for Cross pens is PenBoutique. They don't name the converters by color. They have two types: Type 1 and Type 2. Which one, if any, will fit my Cross Century? Not Century II, just the plain Century? Thanks, Breck

 

Update: I found this info on another thread and it seems to be the answer: "It is the first Century fountain pen, which has been superseded by the Century II. It takes a green push-fit converter. Those are still sold, but the advertising will often say it is for the Cross Townsend..."

Edited March 14, 2013 by Saintpaulia

[lightspirit]

I just bought the wrong converter the other day... :bonk: I've got the orange screw version in a ripped open package destined to be thrown out of sight in the back of a desk drawer.

 

I will gladly trade with you. I have a spare green one. I could use an orange threaded one. Are you in USA? I can toss a green one in the mail to you.

Lightspiritphotography@yahoo.com or contact me on FB.

[lightspirit]

Blue, orange, green! I am more confused now than when I came to this thread for help!

The only business thus far I've found that sells cartridge converters for Cross pens is PenBoutique. They don't name the converters by color. They have two types: Type 1 and Type 2. Which one, if any, will fit my Cross Century? Not Century II, just the plain Century? Thanks, Breck

 

Update: I found this info on another thread and it seems to be the answer: "It is the first Century fountain pen, which has been superseded by the Century II. It takes a green push-fit converter. Those are still sold, but the advertising will often say it is for the Cross Townsend..."

 

The Cross Century is an older design. It takes the unthreaded, green Type 1 converter. I have one.

[Saintpaulia]

Thank you!

[lightspirit]

Thank you!

 

Breck, If you like, send me an email with your address. I will send you a green one. I can use the orange one if you would kindly send it by return mail.

George.

[Saintpaulia]

Thank you!

 

Breck, If you like, send me an email with your address. I will send you a green one. I can use the orange one if you would kindly send it by return mail.

George.

Hi George, thank you for your generosity. As it happened, I ordered the green one from PenBoutique and it arrived today. It fits my Cross Century perfectly! Breck