What's your take on Cross fountain pens?

[Apollo]

I own a couple of Cross ballpoints and a gel ink pen (Century II blue, Ion Metal, and the venerable Classic Century), but I've never owned nor even tried a Cross fountain pen. I stopped by a Things Remembered store at a local mall in town to pick up a couple of leather pen cases for $5 bucks each, and they had a few clearance items which included 1 Cross fountain pen. I couldn't tell if it was a Townsend Medalist or a Century II Medalist and I didn't have time to stop and examine it closely, but the store clerk told me that next week, they'll be taking an additional 50% off of their clearance price and suggested I wait to take advantage of the sale. That means the pen will end up costing me close to $30.00 with tax. Not a bad deal for a Cross fountain pen I should think, but how do they compare to the other "big" manufacturers like Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman?

Edited June 14, 2005 by Apollo

[wimg]

Hi Apollo,

 

I don´t know much about Cross as a brand, as it isn´t very common over here, but I do understand from postings I have seen here and in other places that their products are really good, and that they do compare with the big brands, no problem, just are sold less.

 

So, another 50% off, off a discount price to start off with, sounds like an incredibly good deal to me.

 

Maybe Jim can chip in here, as well.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Apollo]

Yeah, it appears to be a stunning deal. I've never had any problems with their ballpoints and my blue Century II remains one of my favorite non-fountain pens. I've just never heard many comments on Cross's fountain pens. I need to find out which model it is. It looked a bit thicker than the Century II Medalist, but I may be mistaken.

[marklavar]

Hi Apollo,

 

I don´t know much about Cross as a brand, as it isn´t very common over here, but I do understand from postings I have seen here and in other places that their products are really good, and that they do compare with the big brands, no problem, just are sold less.

 

So, another 50% off, off a discount price to start off with, sounds like an incredibly good deal to me.

 

Maybe Jim can chip in here, as well.

 

Warm regards, Wim

Cross is a big brand!

 

They are the last independent pen maker in the USA. And I don't know about the Netherlands, but in the UK Cross is one of only a handful of quality pen brands whose products are sold in mainstream stationery shops.

Edited June 17, 2005 by marklavar

[rowdy]

I've had a Cross Century Fountain pen for over 20 years. They are a very nice pen. Cross makes durable stuff. I've looked at the Century II and it is similar in size to the Century Fountain pen (they only made the Century fountain pen for a couple years in the mid 80's).

 

I've had the Townsend Roller Ball and it was a nice pen. The medallist Townsend can be a bit top heavy if posted however have heard the nibs are excellent. I found the RB heavy posted.

 

Overall I'd try both the Century II and the Townsend to really see what your comfortable with. The Townsend cap snaps onto the barrel when posted so it doesn't fly off (same as the Waterman Expert).

 

My experience has been Cross FP's are quite nice and you can't go wrong with one at 50% off. I just picked up a brushed chrome GT Prelude Fountain pen today for 50% off

(19 bucks CDN).

 

Hope this helps.

 

Rowdy

[Apollo]

Rowdy, thanks for the info. I'll be going back there on Monday to pick it up. I'll post my impressions on it as soon as it gets into my hands.

[PenHero]

I would add Bexley to the list of USA independants. I'm not sure how to classify Krone or Conklin, as I believe they are actually made outside the USA. Sheaffer is still made in the USA, but owned by BIC. Cross is moving to a lot of off shore parts sourcing, as well as entire pen lines. There are also some small specialty makers in the USA.

[georgem]

I have a Cross Townsend FP that my daughter gave me a few years ago. It's a really nice pen, writes beautifully, and fits my (rather large) hand well.

 

IMO it's a fine pen with a rather underrated reputation.

[Apollo]

Well, I went back to the store and checked out the pen. It was a Century II Medalist, but the nib appeared slightly bent and the clerk had no converter or box for it, so I passed. I did manage to score a Sheaffer Intrigue rollerball for $16 bucks though.

[RSVP]

I think Cross look OK in terms of quality most of the time. But many of their designs do look very similar (although this is a comment that may be made of many companies).

 

The pens I have been most drawn to are the Lapis Lazuli and Jade Edition and the Art Deco, although someone did questio the Art Deco's finish I recall.

 

I've just visited their website...really not keen on the advertising at all. Also slightly bermused by the floating pictures and buzzwords after the initial screen. Seems like there was a ration on immagination that week... looks a bit like every othe PP presentation...

 

:bunny1:

[Allan]

The first fountain pen I ever bought was a Cross ATX and I didnt much care for it. I returned it and bought a Cross Townsend, what a difference! Now that I have somewhere around 80 pens in my collection that Cross Townsend remains my second best writer, although a little top heavy when posted, the nib is awesome, easily being smoother than my Pelikan 400 and second in smoothness to only my Mont Blanc 146.

 

Allan

[Apollo]

Thanks for the info on the Townsend. I'm seriously considering the purchase of one. I recently picked up a Cross Century II Medalist and was impressed at what a smooth and reliable writer it is. The Townsend sounds like must own!

[Titivillus]

Yeah, it appears to be a stunning deal. I've never had any problems with their ballpoints and my blue Century II remains one of my favorite non-fountain pens. I've just never heard many comments on Cross's fountain pens. I need to find out which model it is. It looked a bit thicker than the Century II Medalist, but I may be mistaken.

Just remember that like some other companies they use a propriatary cartridge/ converter for their Fountain pens.

 

 

I has a grey Townsend and as a whole a nice pen except that the way the cap clicked onto the body made me think that it would soon loosen.

 

K H

[Blade Runner]

Hi Apollo,

 

I've owned 5 Cross pens, and they have all written flawlessly out of the box.

In regards to the Townsend, I have a sterling silver one with an 18k medium, It is one of my top 3 writers and out performs some more expensive pens.

 

It is long enough for me to use unposted, and I like the extra weight of this pen.

I highly recommend the Townsend, especially one with the 18kt nib.

 

Cross Customer service is also first rate, and they have a lifetime warranty on their pens.

 

Jeen

[Michael Wright]

Just to endorse Cross further. Very solid pens indeed, and their lifetime guarantee means what it says. I bought one in the UK, which had been made in Ireland, and after about six or seven years it developed a slight leak in the section. The agents here in New Zealand made it good, no charge, quickly and with a smile.

 

I bought v. cheap a Townsend. It took me some months of use before I discovered it was the steel nib I had.

 

Only contra is that they tend to extremes in size/heft. The Century and even Century II is pretty thin, and the Townsend is a big and heavy pen. Also, the nibs are rigid. Very good, but rigid.

 

You could even be cheeky, buy the discounted pen, and then if the nib is problematic, send it to Cross to be put right. Since they'll have got their price which includes the margin for the guarantee, it would even be a roughly ethical thing to do.

 

Best

 

Michael

[Stylo]

I have a few of their ball points, but I used to have an FP - matte black with gold trim, but not sure about model name, not a high end one for sure - that I used for a couple of years while I was an undergrad, until I lost it As I remember, it was a decent writer, but it felt a little plain. But some of these newer higher-end models look interesting. I especially like the Apogee with barleycorn engraving. The nib looks so much better and makes you anticipate a more involved writing experince than the one I had. Craftmanship always seems good on Cross pens.

[Chris]

Cross pens don't seem to gain as many comments here as others but I suspect they actually have a very loyal following. I did a quick count and found I had two fountain pens (Townsend - medium - and Century - broad). Both are exactly what they ought to be - smooth writers, reliable performers and well constructed.

 

Indeed, several times I've nearly bought another pen and thought "Actually, for that money I could get another Cross" and then thought "but why not use the ones I have and enjoy" so I didn't spend .

 

Then I found I had two selectip (one with highlighter and one with jumbo ballpoint refils), four ballpoints (red, black and blue twice), three 0.9mm pencils and three 0.5mm pencils.

 

And they all work well too.

 

Fourteen! I didn't realise

 

I only have one grumble, and that is the rollerball refills are not up to the standard of the other Cross products.

 

If anyone knows whether another rollerball/gel refil would fit, I'd like to know. Thanks.

 

Chris

[Roger]

Indeed, several times I've nearly bought another pen and thought "Actually, for that money I could get another Cross" and then thought "but why not use the ones I have and enjoy" so I didn't spend  .

A very dangerous attitude, Chris. Hopefully, you aren't contagious.

MEDIC! Here's one over here that needs help!

[Stylo]

The one thing that bothers me a little on the Apogee is that the nib seems disproportionately small compared to the heft of the grip section, but I would have to see the pen in person to finalize such judgement.

[Chris]

Roger, I know but I'm working on a cure

 

Chris