Franklin-Covey + Cross = ?

[cuza]

My local stationer is offering a line of pens branded FranklinCovey, BUT made by A T Cross. I purchased one of the fountain pens for $19.99. It is a cartridge only model using the standard international cartridges. I inked my new FP with a cartridge of Private Reserve Midnight Blues and gave it a brief test run. Nib seems to be leaning towards FINE although it is not marked with a size. A bit toothy. The gold tone nib is marked "Iridium Point" only. See my snaps below:

 

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab132/smucker8/DSC00419.jpg

 

 

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab132/smucker8/DSC00422.jpg

 

 

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab132/smucker8/DSC00423.jpg

 

 

The $19.99 USD price is likely full retail so it is likely that it can be purchased for less. It falls in a price range that offers few competitors. I wish them luck.

 

-- cuza

[fluteplayer07]

A Franklin-Crossy, perhaps?

[cuza]

ADDENDUM

 

Length: 138mm

Posted: 145mm (cap clicks onto barrel when posting)

Diameter: 10mm

Weight: 27.6g (with one ink cartridge installed)

 

Good weight and good wt. distribution when posted.

 

-- cuza

Edited April 8, 2010 by cuza

[Dace]

I think it's smart for Cross to do this. Their current line up seems very overpriced for what they are. I think Cross has some awesome designs and keeps coming up with interesting pens. However they price them out of so many peoples pockets.

 

There are a lot of current Cross pens I would love to buy but not at the prices they want.

 

Maybe Cross is realizing this and trying to get into the cheaper markets by using other names.

[RLTodd]

well,

 

1) that is the least Cross looking Cross pen I have yet seen, and they have been going quite far afield of late,

 

2) tieing the Cross name with a $20 pen is not good business if they are trying to build up into the luxury brand market nice. (What would you think of the Rolex brand if they started selling a $35 OEM out of China watch?)

[pen2paper]

Interesting, as several years ago I bought the remaining stock of Cross Solo pens at a Frankin Covey store..

Gave most away as gifts, and soon therafter Solo was officially discontinued..

Now that I know about those who tweak nibs, wish I'd bought Every Solo they had..just bought the smooth ones.

[cuza]

I've used the FranklinCovey for almost two days now and am surprisingly impressed. The ink feed is very good. The pen feels good in hand.

And despite the polished metal section, I have complete control. I like to fact that it take "regular" cartridges and not the funky Cross ones.

Presently, this is pen is going to replace my trusty Sheaffer Imperial © as my pants pocket pen.

 

Perhaps someone will do a review. I'd be interested in someone else's experience with this pen.

 

-- cuza

Edited April 8, 2010 by cuza

[Biber]

Well, here we are a month later. How's the pen working out?

 

B

[JerryVK]

The pen you show looks like the exact same pen that I bought at Big Lots last year for $9.99. They also sold a matching mechanical pencil separately for the same price. My pen wrote very well, but it showed smudges on the chrome. I no longer have the pen.

 

Enjoy your pen,

Jerry

[moonriver17]

My local stationer is offering a line of pens branded FranklinCovey, BUT made by A T Cross. I purchased one of the fountain pens for $19.99. It is a cartridge only model using the standard international cartridges. I inked my new FP with a cartridge of Private Reserve Midnight Blues and gave it a brief test run. Nib seems to be leaning towards FINE although it is not marked with a size. A bit toothy. The gold tone nib is marked "Iridium Point" only. See my snaps below:

 

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab132/smucker8/DSC00419.jpg

 

 

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab132/smucker8/DSC00422.jpg

 

 

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab132/smucker8/DSC00423.jpg

 

 

The $19.99 USD price is likely full retail so it is likely that it can be purchased for less. It falls in a price range that offers few competitors. I wish them luck.

 

-- cuza

[moonriver17]

This Franklin Covey fountain pen is certainly a great looking pen! I once purchased a pen/pencil set of Bill Blass pens, also made by Cross. I paid 10 bucks at Walmart. These pens were of Cross quality, made like a Cross and had a lifetime warrenty. I couldn't believe they were being sold at Walmart for $10! This Covey pen looks like the same quality pen! I can't wait to try one! The fact that it uses standard international cartridges is a plus also!

moonriver17

[nxn96]

This probably works better for Franklin-Covey than it does for Cross, as it "brands" what would otherwise be a no-name pen, meaning a potentially higher price out the door than otherwise. As Franklin-Covey is itself a reputable name, it probably limits any exposure Cross might have to having a lower priced version out there directly/indirectly with their name on it. On balance, I'm not sure this sort of thing works to Cross' long term benefit to stay a "premium" brand.

Edited December 5, 2010 by nxn96

[Newb]

I agree. Would be a marketing advantage for FC than for AT Cross. In any case, I don't believe either of these brands are run to the original family's standards, so they got one dirty hand washing the other, while we the customers are too busy looking at the chef's shiny knife.

[patjoyce]

This pen is similar to the line of Cross pens marketed under the name penatia several years ago. That effort was aimed at a lower price point market and the Cross name was conspicuously omitted.

 

The discontinued Bill Blass Line was sold at the factory store for $10.00 for two sets of a pen and pencil.

[cimmerian]

It's made by Cross but it fits standard int'l cartridges, right? So it won't fit Cross cartridges/converters.

 

Sorry for the dumb question, but I'd like to be sure.

[Drone]

It's made by Cross but it fits standard int'l cartridges, right? So it won't fit Cross cartridges/converters.

 

Sorry for the dumb question, but I'd like to be sure.

 

Supposedly some Franklin Covey pens take International carts/converters (the Freemont and the Lexington are mentioned in-particular), others take Cross proprietary. See here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/264827-franklin-covey-ink-cartridges/

Edited June 26, 2017 by Drone

[cimmerian]

Thanks, Drone!

[KellyMcJ]

well,

 

1) that is the least Cross looking Cross pen I have yet seen, and they have been going quite far afield of late,

 

2) tieing the Cross name with a $20 pen is not good business if they are trying to build up into the luxury brand market nice. (What would you think of the Rolex brand if they started selling a $35 OEM out of China watch?)

 

I've seen actual Cross branded fountain pens at Staples in the $20-25 price range lately.

 

I have one of these Franklin Covey pens. I'm not thrilled with it. I'm happy enough with it- after I put a Noodler's Charlie nib in it! I wouldn't buy one again. For $20 I can get a much nicer more reliable pen. And have done so. Multiple times.

 

Actually, the Franklin Covey pen experience has soured me to Cross brand pens entirely. Which may be unfair but they brought that on themselves in my opinion.

[Mike 59]

I bought one of these F.P. in Staples in the UK about 4 or 5 years ago.

Never too sure about chrome grip sections, but this one seems to work well.

It did write 'out of the box' but it wrote very dryly and 'fine', so I decided that the tine gap was too tight, and spent some time and several attempts with smoothing and 'gapping' to get it working well.

Now, it's a really reliable 'fine' nib, there is a quality to it which I like, for me it was a good buy.