Cross Century Fountain Pen

[FlexiCat]

I have a Cross Century FP w/fine nib. When it works, it's really nice, but it tends not to work if I don't use it for a few days. I have to force water through it with a syringe. When I do, I must apply a lot of pressure to the syringe to make the water flow and little bits of dried ink are washed out. Then, the water flows more easily. After this, the pen works until it stops again. Obvously, the feed is clogging. I am currently using Cross cartridges (blue, if it matters). By the way, this is not my first Cross pen. I have had others and they all did the same thing, except in the past I didn't know about flushing them out. The only Cross that was ever at all reliable is a Radiance (ooops...or is it a "Reliance"?) that seems to work all the time. I like the Century because it fits the pen loop in my protable calendar book. I am beginning to say, "I never had a Cross pen that worked!" It is making me cross! Any advice?

[joseanes]

My Cross Century F and my Cross Century II Fine, both work like champs.

 

It seems you may want to send it back to Cross for repairs.

Worst case you can try buying a new Nib section... but that would set you back for about $40 bucks (almost the price of the pen if it is one of the lowerly priced models).

[southpaw]

Definitely send it back to Cross. I'd call first to see about fees. Anything other than S&H would be too much IMHO. They should fix the pen.

 

Just out of curiosity, have you tried the converter, or just carts? Some pens do better with converters. I understand it still should work with the carts as it's a c/c pen.

 

Keep us posted and hope it gets resolved soon.

[Chris]

Cross have a lifetime guarantee so they should fix it for you OK.

I have several of their fountain pens and all work perfectly, although the convertor in one is a bit stiff - maybe I need some silcone grease.

 

Chris

[joseanes]

Or even a new converter.

I think they sell them cheaply, and many vendors sell them. On your next ink supplies order, you may want to get an extra one.

[Chris]

Perhaps you are right - I never thought of that D'oh!

 

Chris

[FlexiCat]

Thanks to everyone for your interest and replies to my question about my Cross Century.

 

Southpaw: I have a converter but have been using cartridges because, as a calendar book pen, I wanted to have ink if I ran out in the midst of one of those always important-at-the-moment notes we just simply have to write down! I will try the converter and, if that isn't an effectuve cure, off to Cross repair.

[GrantC]

I too have an older Century FP; I had the same problems. Note the word "had."

 

When I first got it, I used only Cross cartridges because that was the only type of ink the local office supply store carried! I had no idea what that little converter was for, and it sat -unused- in the box for a decade.

 

With the Cross cartridges, it would dry up quickly, often overnight, and like yours required a forceful flushing to resume working. I had constant problems with the ink drying in the feed but, at the time, it was my only fountain pen - I thought they all were like that!

 

It wasn't until after someone gave me a couple of other FPs that I learned not all pens acted this way. It prompted me to dig out that converter, load it with Noodlers ink, and use the pen.

 

Guess what? Problem solved! I can now let the Century sit idle for a couple of weeks until it gets back into the rotation, and it always starts up at the first touch.

 

My conclusion? Cross ink is garbage, at least in those little cartridges. Load it with good ink, and I think you'll find - as I did - it's a great pen (though with the widest and wettest line I've ever seen from a nib marked "F"!)

[Chris]

I've never used the Cross cartridges that came with my pens, but I believe Cross bottled ink is the same as Pelikan bottles ink, and Pelikan works really well. I wonder if the cartridges use different ink?

 

I've never even looked to see if they are labelled Cross.

 

Chris

[Goodwhiskers]

FlexiCat, could the cap of your pen not be sealing well against the section?

I just got a new Century II fine point. I chose it over an ATX fine point because the Century II's fine point was smoother at the store. I'll watch for this problem.

 

Cross cartridges are labeled, "Cross." According to several reliable sources on the FPN and at the Pendemonium store, the ink comes from Pelikan, and Cross puts it into the Cross cartridges. I've tried Pelikan Blue and Cross Blue on the same color-testing page, and they look identical. The Pelikan Super-Pirat eradicator (just got my first Super-Pirats from The Pen Gallery) also eradicates them equally well (and it eradicates my other "washable" blue inks, Sheaffer Skrip Blue from Slovenia and Lamy Blue).

 

It's not unheard of for ink cartridges, of any brand, to leak air in during storage (they already contain what I call a "starter bubble" of air, which is necessary for the operation of a fountain pen). The filling-sealing machines at factories, the cartridge designs, and the plastic materials aren't all perfect all the time. Maybe, if you buy cartridges from a retailer whose inventory of Cross cartridges is frequently "turned over," you'll get fewer problems.

Edited April 6, 2006 by Goodwhiskers

[Goodwhiskers]

Or, maybe, there's some manufacturing oil left in the section, which soapy water could remove most of.