Confused: Which Cross And What Section

[butangmucat]

Hello,

 

Picked up a used Cross from Century Pens when I was in Chicago a few days ago. Noticed it had hard start so I brought it back before I leave for a nib swap. From my research I thought the pen is a Century II, but the gentleman at the store found that it took a NOS Townsend section lying around. So a bit confused, is it a Century II or a Townsend (for comparison sake I put it beside an ATX), and what nib would you suggest me to find besides the NOS steel medium? Thank you.

 

P.S. The pen says Cross USA and does this mean that the pen is made in USA?

 

 

[ballboy]

Looks like a Townsend: the clip is arched out a bit more and the section is smoother, with no ridges, compared to the Century II.

USA imprint was used on pens actually made there.

Nib options are steel in chrome coloured or gold plate or the stiff but nice 18K bi-colour nibs.

 

The Townsends seem to be improved in barrel/section fit and feel these days.

 

Hope you enjoy writing with it!

[pennut]

I think you got an "upgrade!!"

[sriramoman]

Yours is a Townsend. Century II is on my profile pic.

Cross USA does not necessarily mean it is made in USA. If it is made in USA, it will be explicitly engraved "Made in USA" or "Made in Ireland" above the clip.

[MrThoth]

That pen is not a Cross Townsend -- it lacks the distinctive double gold band at the bottom of the cap. It's a Cross Century 2000, looks like Lustrous Chrome.

Edited March 21, 2016 by MrThoth

[RMN]

That pen is not a Cross Townsend -- it lacks the distinctive double gold band at the bottom of the cap. It's a Cross Century 2000, looks like Lustrous Chrome.

 

Hmmm, I consider you one of our Townsend experts...

 

But isn't this pen a bit fat for a Century?

 

 

 

D.ick

[MrThoth]

 

 

But isn't this pen a bit fat for a Century?

 

It's a sort of odd pen that they made, presumably in 2000, that sort of "combines" Century and Townsend features. Often it's just known as the Cross 2000. It's very easy to mistake it for a Townsend because its features are pretty much identical to a Townsend in most respects. The giveaway is the ring at the bottom of the cap.

[butangmucat]

 

It's a sort of odd pen that they made, presumably in 2000, that sort of "combines" Century and Townsend features. Often it's just known as the Cross 2000. It's very easy to mistake it for a Townsend because its features are pretty much identical to a Townsend in most respects. The giveaway is the ring at the bottom of the cap.

But it takes a Townsend nib unit, right? I ordered a Townsend steel F for this pen.

[Jerome Tarshis]

Yes, it will take a Townsend nib unit. These were a somewhat anomalous sort of pen, a Townsend in certain respects, but no gold nib, not the same cap rings, sold for a fairly modest price at the time, not widely distributed. I used to want one, but have enough Cross pens to be going on with.

 

The pen is properly called the Century 2000. The Cross 2000 was a different pen.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Jerome Tarshis

[butangmucat]

Yes, it will take a Townsend nib unit. These were a somewhat anomalous sort of pen, a Townsend in certain respects, but no gold nib, not the same cap rings, sold for a fairly modest price at the time, not widely distributed. I used to want one, but have enough Cross pens to be going on with.

 

The pen is properly called the Century 2000. The Cross 2000 was a different pen.

So the question I guess is does the 18k nib really has a performance margin in experience or corrosion resistance (against IG inks) that makes the $150 upgrade make sense?

[butangmucat]

Yes, it will take a Townsend nib unit. These were a somewhat anomalous sort of pen, a Townsend in certain respects, but no gold nib, not the same cap rings, sold for a fairly modest price at the time, not widely distributed. I used to want one, but have enough Cross pens to be going on with.

 

The pen is properly called the Century 2000. The Cross 2000 was a different pen.

It seems that modern Townsend also has a steel nib option (I ordered a steel F directly from Cross). Maybe they figured out that a steel Townsend makes more sense.

[Jerome Tarshis]

The Townsends always did come with steel nibs. Not a new development. I own one from years ago, although "years ago" is a little funny, since the Townsend doesn't go back to time immemorial. It was only in the 1980s that Cross became a major manufacturer of fountain pens, and the Townsend is a thing of the 1990s.

 

To address the gold nib question, I can say from my own experience that it is entirely possible to be a happy user of fountain pens without gold nibs, although most of mine do have gold nibs. Pens with steel nibs write well and are durable. By "durable" I mean they will last longer than I will.

 

The idea of pens as a multi-generational possession can come only from advertising copy and fond imaginings. Not only is it rather ordinary that one's children and grandchildren will be different from one's self, right here on FPN we may find many people whose keen interest in fountain pens will not last as long as they do.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Jerome Tarshis

[butangmucat]

The Townsends always did come with steel nibs. Not a new development. I own one from years ago, although "years ago" is a little funny, since the Townsend doesn't go back to time immemorial. It was only in the 1980s that Cross became a major manufacturer of fountain pens, and the Townsend is a thing of the 1990s.

 

To address the gold nib question, I can say from my own experience that it is entirely possible to be a happy user of fountain pens without gold nibs, although most of mine do have gold nibs. Pens with steel nibs write well and are durable. By "durable" I mean they will last longer than I will.

 

The idea of pens as a multi-generational possession can come only from advertising copy and fond imaginings. Not only is it rather ordinary that one's children and grandchildren will be different from one's self, right here on FPN we may find many people whose keen interest in fountain pens will not last as long as they do.

I asked about durability against iron gall inks because I use quite a bit of them and nib ministers like Richard Binder had suggested against using iron gall ink in steel nib pens, so I want more feedback on this.

[Arklawboy]

I'm sort of sorry / sort of glad I missed this topic earlier. I recently placed a winning bid on a certain auction site for a blue "Cross Townsend Rollerball." Although the photograph of the pen showed the absence of the second ring at the bottom of the cap, I didn't notice it at the time. When I received the pen, I immediately noticed the single ring at the bottom of the cap and knew it wasn't a Townsend. In researching the pen, I found this thread and now know from this, and other threads, that the pen is a blue Century 2000.

 

Had I noticed this thread and looked more closely at the photos in the listing, I might not have placed a bid at all. But, I paid little for it and it seems like a bit of an curiosity, so I am not disappointed. Actually, I really like the blue color. Moral of the story (which I have always followed until this listing): double-check the photos and FPN before bidding.

[Chris]

Sorry, but not all Townsends came with steel nibs. Indeed, of my ten Townsends, most have gold nibs in either 14k or 18k. Which nib was fitted depended on the actual model, with the less expensive ones such as the chrome finish getting steel nibs but the sterling silver and gold models getting gold nibs as too did the black laquer.

 

I don't know which nibs were fitted to other Townsends but I would expect the Lapis Lazuli to have a gold nib.