Cross Ballpoint Or Just A Cross Refill?

[Mike 59]

Hi All, This pen is part of a ballpoint and pencil gift set. The refill has dried up or is too old now to be useable, so I tried a modern standard Cross refill and it does fit into the blue adapter.

The centre band says; Hallmark Made in USA; so obviously that's the maker, but did they make pens?

Maybe it is a Cross? Or another brand maybe?

The barrel is wooden, and the chrome parts are of Cross style and quality. It was given as a gift in about 1988.

The warranty has an address of Kansas City, MO, if that helps.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Mike 59

[mbankirer]

Don't know the mfg but they were gift sets sold in Hallmark stores. Just a regular BP refill will slip into the blue 'holder'.

[WriteAway]

Contact Hallmark Customer Service. They make an adapter so you can use Cross BP refills in these pens.

[Mike 59]

Thanks for the replies both mbankirer and WriteAway, in fact the normal full sized Cross refills do fit in this blue adapter as it is, although the original old refill shown in the photo is about 0.5mm narrower in diameter than the Cross.

So I am guessing that the ballpoint refills sold for 'general purpose' ballpoints (no name types) will fit this pen.

The pen and pencil set was a gift from AC Delco to my relative, as a thanks for a few weeks work back in the late eighties, and unlike many corporate gifts, it actually handles and works very well.

The fact it was made in USA (and Delco was in the UK then also), gives me the idea that it could be made by Cross or PaperMate, and the warranty address of Kansas City might have been a clue to someone who would know more than I do, and logic says it's Hallmarks service/parts department.

[SteveE]

Back in the 1960's and 70's, Hallmark sold a line of very high quality ballpoints and mech pencils. I do not know who made them for Hallmark, but I doubt that they manufactured them in-house. Hallmark Cards' headquarters is in Kansas City, MO, thus they may have had any warranty issues sent to HQ to be re-sent to whatever manufacturer's repair center they would have used.