Removing The Nib On Original Cross Century

[miket_nyc]

It seems to be repeated over and over that the nib and feed on the original Cross Century can’t be removed without damage. That may be true for the feed, but it’s not true for the nib because I’ve removed and reinstalled the one on my Century several times.

 

The first time I did this was by accident – I was trying to clean (bleep) out of the slit with a wet washcloth, and the nib slid down out of the feed. I thought the pen was ruined, then I realized the nib goes back the same way. I remove it now by pulling with my fingernails on the top and underside of the point. No force is needed (although I may have applied some force with the original washcloth). The nib can be removed and reinstalled easily without getting misaligned because the nib wraps around the feed to stay place, a little like the famous Chilton Wingflow.

 

The best reason to take the nib out is for cleaning. These pens have a reputation for clogging, but with the nib out, I was able to clean the slit easily, and I also flushed the feed and used an ultrasonic cleaner on it. This is the only Century I’ve ever had, so maybe it’s a freak that my nib is removable. But I think it makes sense that Cross would design the pen this way, so they could install nibs as needed to meet incoming orders.