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Cross Nib - Gold Or Steel -

Robb1980

By Robb1980
in Of Nibs & Tines

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Robb1980 Dipped Only

Robb1980

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I've had this sterling silver fountain pen in my display case for ~15+ years and believe it is a classic century ll. (graduation gift from my father). It's new - never inked. Both cap and barrel are sterling and I haven't found another one like it. There is no hallmark on the nib specifically indicating that it is gold. Are all Cross gold nibs, particularly the older models, marked as such or should I assume that this is steel.

 

Photo link attached. https://imgur.com/a/JYCBl4I

 

I would really appreciate some help figuring this out.

 

Thanks

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sandy101 Collectors Item

sandy101

Posted
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It is a Century II.

 

The nib is not gold. If it were, it would have 14k 585, or 18k 750 printed on it.

 

Cross have a variety of trims, with a variety of nibs - at different prices.

 

The current sterling silver version comes with a gold nib.

 

Cross still sell Sterling silver Century 2 pens.

 

if you wish, you can buy a nib unit with an 18K nib - with, or without rhodium trim.

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Honeybadgers Donor Pen

Honeybadgers

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Had I not seen the pictures, I would have guessed that a sterling silver cross would always have a gold nib.

 

But that's definitely just a steel nib.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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Robb1980 Dipped Only

Robb1980

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I have a 2nd one that is older with a gold nib and the Cross name written in cursive.The vertical black lines are also more space further apart like a broad pinstripe.

 

Thanks everyone fro your help.

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Bo Bo Olson Ancient Artifact

Bo Bo Olson

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Posted

Well my Cross Townsend has a 'butter smooth' steel nib. Cost a hell of a lot less than one with a gold nib.

 

There is a myth that gold is better than steel.....it depends on who makes the steel nib and era.

A gold nail and a steel nail are a nail......there are no 'soft' gold nail nibs.

 

Could be folks confuse nails with semi-nails, when talking gold being 'softer' in nail nibbed pens. A gold semi-nail if there is any if mashed tine bend or spread....semi-nails when mashed give 2X tine spread............Same with a steel semi-nail nib..........

 

A good steel nib is as good as a good gold nib.....accent on good and era.

 

I have '30-50's Osmia gold nibs that are as good as their grand steel nibs. Both great and in semi&maxi-semi-flex.

 

In Degussa (gold and silver maker who took over Osmia's nib factory for debt in 1932, and made nibs to the 1990's) made them and the nibs for Geha. My single spare steel nib for a 790 was then as noobie a surprise that it was equal to the gold nibs of my other 790's. Since swapped. :angry: :headsmack:

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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jslallar Vintage

jslallar

Posted
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Well my Cross Townsend has a 'butter smooth' steel nib. Cost a hell of a lot less than one with a gold nib.

 

There is a myth that gold is better than steel.....it depends on who makes the steel nib and era.

A gold nail and a steel nail are a nail......there are no 'soft' gold nail nibs.

 

Could be folks confuse nails with semi-nails, when talking gold being 'softer' in nail nibbed pens. A gold semi-nail if there is any if mashed tine bend or spread....semi-nails when mashed give 2X tine spread............Same with a steel semi-nail nib..........

 

A good steel nib is as good as a good gold nib.....accent on good and era.

 

I have '30-50's Osmia gold nibs that are as good as their grand steel nibs. Both great and in semi&maxi-semi-flex.

 

In Degussa (gold and silver maker who took over Osmia's nib factory for debt in 1932, and made nibs to the 1990's) made them and the nibs for Geha. My single spare steel nib for a 790 was then as noobie a surprise that it was equal to the gold nibs of my other 790's. Since swapped. :angry: :headsmack:

+1

 

amongest the smoothest nibs that I own are the Cross Century B, Waterman Expert I M, Pelikan M200 B, Hero 717 Broadish M, and the list goes on and on .....

 

I wouldnt say that the other gold nibs (some but not all) I have cannot compete with these super smooth pens but they would be hard put to beat the performance of these steel nibs.

Enjoy your pens

Have a nice day

Junaid

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Addertooth Vintage

Addertooth

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I am going to state the obvious. If you have a powerful rare earth magnet, it will be attracted to steel, even 400 series stainless steel (it will just be a weaker attraction). The magnet test is always the standard for determining if any nib is something other than Steel.

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DonM Mint

DonM

Posted
Posted

I am going to state the obvious. If you have a powerful rare earth magnet, it will be attracted to steel, even 400 series stainless steel (it will just be a weaker attraction). The magnet test is always the standard for determining if any nib is something other than Steel.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with this. Due to how thin a nib is, and depending on the stainless steel used, it can essentially be nonmagnetic. Even with a strong neodymium magnet the attraction can be imperceptible, so I could not say that this is a definitive test.

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