Any Cross enthusiasts?

[WriteAway]

Hello,

I happen to be a big fan of American-made Cross pens, both fountain and ballpoint.

With a collection of close to 40 Century I, II, 2000, Townsend, ATX, Solo, Radiance and Metropolis models, I appreciate that they are all well-constructed, and nice writers. And the few made in China Cross pens I use are not noticeably different in build or writing quality. In general, Cross makes solid, not terribly glamorous, working pens that never let me down, which is what I need.

Does anyone else have a real appreciation for Cross? Which are your favorites? And why do you appreciate them?

WriteAway

[fountainpenkid]

I own two cross pens-an ATX and a Aventura. The ATX is a piece of bad design in my opinion ( see THIS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owYOI...3&feature=plcp), but the aventura is actually quite cool for the money--a smooth nib and a cool cap. My grandpa has a lot of cross FP's ( the nice ones like the Townsend, century..) , and I've tried them and really like their designs, but they are all C/C pens! I don't have a huge thing against cartridge pens, but for a $500+ pen like the gold Townsends, I don't think a little piece of plastic for ink is fitting. I still do like cross pens though--especially the aventura.

Just my rant,

Will

[WriteAway]

C/C is my preferred feed system. Say the piston feed breaks on your pen... you're basically out of luck until it's fixed. With a cart/converter, just pop in a new one and get back to writing. I don't buy my pens to fiddle with, just to work and get my thoughts on paper (or computer screen). That is what any Cross pen does well. Their classic models are a bit bland, but that's why they are "classic".

On build quality, the majority of my Cross pens are USA-made models. No ATX clip issues with my 2 BPs, (or with any of my Cross) but it's good to know the clip is a potential trouble spot to watch for. Cross changed construction materials and techniques to save costs when production left the US, at the expense of long term reliability/durability, IMO.

[manoeuver]

hmm. I have an ion somewhere. I quit using it though, the ink was always skippy. haven't used any of their fountain pens. I guess I find them kinda bland too.

[WriteAway]

Just picked up a NOS Ruby Townsend rollerball to convert to FP once I order a suitable nib. I've also added 3 Century I's, and a Century II, all NOS BP, for my work use.

[gordyt]

I have a Cross Verve Selenium that is pretty interesting. Now that I think about it, it's been a while since that has been in my daily rotation.

[pencils+pens]

I have a Cross Solo set. I got it years ago. I bought an expensive suit and the suit came with a coupon to get the Cross Solo set for free after paying S&H. The set is a fountain pen and ballpoint pen. I have always liked the pens except for one thing. The fountain pen does not post. If I try, the cap goes flying off the back. When I cull the accumulation it will probably be sold for that reason.

I bought a Cross Century II fountain pen on eBay about a year ago. I got it for under $20 and it writes like a dream. It is a keeper.


I have five Cross Classic Century (ballpoint) pen and pencil sets, three in their original boxes. Those belonged to my father and father-in-law. My wife didn't want her set and gave it to me. I don't remember where I got the two loose sets from. I own a red Cross Century II mechanical pencil. I own a Cross Classic Century ballpoint with my employer's logo on it. I found that in the desk I was assigned, about 4 years ago.

I own ten Cross Classic Century ballpoints: chrome, gold-filled, black, white, dark green, bright red, navy blue, gray, light brown/tan and dark brown. I own very few non-Cross ballpoints. The few that I do own came as part of fountain pen/ballpoint pen sets.

The Cross Solo also introduced me to Cross Blue ink, which is one of my favorite blues. I read somewhere that inks are rebranded Pelikan inks. I don't know if that is true or not.

[KrazyIvan]

I had a chance to get a Cross Century II fountain pen (made in Ireland) back to writing condition for a coworker. It was a nice pen and I considered looking for one for myself. I just keep forgetting about it.

[cwent2]

Used to have A.T. Cross pens before my fountain pen addict, er hobby.

Last cross I bought was after the sale of A.T. Cross and the rename Cross and they are shipping most of their manufacturing out of Rhode Island to overseas, fell apart - in all the years I had a A.T. Cross pen - they never fell apart..

Er, Quick answer -- NO.

[fountainpenkid]

I have an ATX medalist. It is an O.K writer, but the clip is attached horribly and the inner cap is cheap soft injection molded plastic. Not my type of pen, for sure. That said, the Verve (now no longer in production) and the Apogee are possibilities for me.

[da vinci]

I was surprised to find a number of cross pens in my ownership

2 Townsends - 1 black laquer and 1 sterling silver
A year of the dragon in red
A giraffe sauvage
A verve
I think a century (smaller thinner version of the Townsend?)

All the nibs are medium or broad and are excellent writers.

The sterling silver Townsend is a magnificent pen.

[UK Mike]

I have a Cross Solo set. I got it years ago. I bought an expensive suit and the suit came with a coupon to get the Cross Solo set for free after paying S&H. The set is a fountain pen and ballpoint pen. I have always liked the pens except for one thing. The fountain pen does not post. If I try, the cap goes flying off the back. When I cull the accumulation it will probably be sold for that reason.

I have two Cross Solo pens - both black with gold plated fittings. On both pens, if you give a firm push, the cap posts very firmly with a click. I'm not sure it was ever finally confirmed but the general belief is that the Solo was manufactured for Cross by Pilot in Japan.

As for the rest of the range, there is no doubt that the general quality suffered when factories in USA and Ireland were closed.

I have 4 Centurys - Chrome, 2 matte black and one 10k gold with 14k nib. All are nice pens, the 10k gold one being particularly nice.
However, there is a known fault with the feed of the Century that may result in the nib and feed separating from the converter inlet and spinning freely. Parts are no longer available to repair these.
To honour the lifetime guarantee, Cross returned my Chrome Century unrepaired and supplied a chrome Century II as a free alternative. The Century II is quite horrible in comparison - decent chrome but a cheap feeling front section, poor feed and a very badly performing nib which has resisted all attempts at alignment and smoothing, by people far more skilled than myself.

I was left with the impression that the Cross "golden years" are now behind it and it is no longer a brand I would trust or seek out.


EDIT: I should point out that I believe from other people's experiences that the Townsends are still nice pens and I continue to use my Centurys. I have no experience of the ATX/Verve etc.

[caribbean_skye]

My first fountain pens were Cross. Although I can't figure out whether they were Century or Townsend (this would have been in the 80's). One was silver and the other was a matte black. Unfortunately they were both stolen from me in middle and high school.

[bigevilgrape]

I have an ATX, a Beverly, and a cheap piece of junk made for staples pen that wasn't worth the $5 I spent on it out of the clearance rack. I like the ATX quite a bit, and got it at their outlet store for a decent price. The beverly is a nice writer and it was also cheap on the staples clearance rack.

[pencils+pens]

I have a Cross Solo set. I got it years ago. I bought an expensive suit and the suit came with a coupon to get the Cross Solo set for free after paying S&H. The set is a fountain pen and ballpoint pen. I have always liked the pens except for one thing. The fountain pen does not post. If I try, the cap goes flying off the back. When I cull the accumulation it will probably be sold for that reason.

I have two Cross Solo pens - both black with gold plated fittings. On both pens, if you give a firm push, the cap posts very firmly with a click. I'm not sure it was ever finally confirmed but the general belief is that the Solo was manufactured for Cross by Pilot in Japan.

Thanks for the tip. I pulled the pen from the cull pile and tried that. It worked. I never pushed on the cap that firmly before. So the Cross Solo is back in the rotation. I always liked the way it wrote.

[ac12]

I just got my first Cross FP, one of the original Century models probably from the 70s and 80s.
It has a F nib, but it writes like a XF.
Anyone else have similar experience with the tips of their Cross FP?
I'm thinking that I need to get a Cross M tip to get back up to what I normally use a Parker F tip.

[kaisnowbird]

My first fountain pens were Cross. Although I can't figure out whether they were Century or Townsend (this would have been in the 80's). One was silver and the other was a matte black. Unfortunately they were both stolen from me in middle and high school.

Sorry to hear that... it really sucks!

I have two Cross pens:
- a gold filled/plated Century ballpoint that was a gift for my father from his old high school mate, I'm its 'keeper'; and
- a less flashy Century II fp I bought last month, custom ground to a fat stub, which I quite enjoy. Very juicy.

[Jerome Tarshis]

After some initial reluctance, I've become a Cross FP fan. For what are considered the more classic models: the original Century, which came out in the middle 1980s, and the Townsend. My one Radiance is an excellent writer for what was originally a rather inexpensive pen. My Century II, which came to me when I foolishly returned a Century to Cross for repair and didn't ask to have the old pen returned, actually writes well but its design doesn't impress me favorably, so I prefer the other three models to look at.

My initial reluctance arose from thinking of Cross FPs and BPs as the sort of object that is given out as a free perk to people who attend business and professional conferences. True enough, and that is far from being my world, but I changed my mind about wanting one when I realized how well my first one wrote. And how its design offered a pleasant reminder of the Art Deco period in design. I truly don't need the six Century FPs I own: a few would suffice. But I came to love that pen, and there was a lunatic time when I'd reflexively buy one on eBay when the price was right.

My Townsends strike me as genuinely good pens although too heavy for me to use one often. Others will have the opposite opinion of heavy pens. Writing with a Townsend unposted seems to be the way to go, as a compromise. So, yes, I do not endorse very much that I associate with the run-up to the financial debacle of 1987, but I've made an exception for the Cross Classic Century fountain pen.

[Newjelan]

I have a Cross ATX (White Pearlescent). It's an elegant pen and the clip seems securely attached. I like the pen, it's not a favourite, but it writes well and looks nice.

[WriteAway]

Since I started this thread a while back, it's great to see that there are a few who enjoy using Cross pens. My most recent FPs are these two Chinese Townsends converted from rollerball pens a while ago. While they are not my favored US models, they are very nice, and the F and M nibs (also from China) are nice wet writers with rock solid reliability.

Most of my other pens are BPs, as noted in my original post, so I won't bother showing those here. Apologies for the terrible photographs...