Cross Ballpoint Pens

[shikou]

I use my Cross ballpoint pen on a day to day basis at work and have grown to love it quite a bit, while I have tried Parker

and Waterman I still enjoy my Cross one the best

[elysee]

 

Lapis Lazuli Townsend , lucky you. I like the Lapis Jade too.

 

: )

 

[elysee]

How about the Pinnacle?

[elysee]

When it comes to ballpoint pens, I think Cross is still the best!

 

 

Cross has a wonderful broad ballpoint pen refill -- it is beautifully smooth.

 

I wish that there was a broad option for the gel ink rollerball refill and the selectip ballpoint refill.

Edited July 3, 2013 by elysee

[RMN]

 

: )

 

nice set, but where's the FP.....

 

D.ick

[elysee]

nice set, but where's the FP.....

 

D.ick

 

Sadly, I have never been able to buy one. But, I figure, three out of four of the Cross Lapis Lazuli pieces is better than none. ; )

 

 

But, truth be told, I much prefer the Cross Pinnacle nib section to the Cross Townsend nib section.

 

Edited July 4, 2013 by elysee

[Leftytoo]

What is the fix for that condition? I have that problem with one of my Cross ballpoints now.

Good to remember that Cross has an unconditional guarantee - no time limit, no proof of purchase needed. I have a 47 year old Century, recently repaired by Cross - the feed had developed some slack. Truly a great pen. After 45 years use in the field (I'm a geologist) the gold finish is still perfect.

Bob

[FountainPenCowgirl]

My ultimate pride and joy (well, of the pen variety...): my Lapis Lazuli and its jade rollerball cousin. Also had a sienna brow bp and a 10k gold bp. Fortunately, I had an employee discount (our office sold them. Customized w/ school logo on clips.). I sold an article to a magazine, for the exact cost of the lapis. Meant to be!

 

http://flic.kr/p/f2LAnS

[max dog]

 

: )

 

 

 

 

Sadly, I have never been able to buy one. But, I figure, three out of four of the Cross Lapis Lazuli pieces is better than none. ; )

 

 

But, truth be told, I much prefer the Cross Pinnacle nib section to the Cross Townsend nib section.

 

Those are absolutely gorgeous pens!!! This is Cross at it's best.

Thanks for sharing

[NedC]

My first 'quality' ballpoint was a Cross Century in chrome I received for my high school graduation, Never liked it, a Fisher type refill helped a bit but it still had the silly twist mechanism. I'd take a Bic crystal over a Cross ballpoint any day, but nothing compares to Caran d'Ache or Ballograf ballpoints.

[max dog]

My first 'quality' ballpoint was a Cross Century in chrome I received for my high school graduation, Never liked it, a Fisher type refill helped a bit but it still had the silly twist mechanism. I'd take a Bic crystal over a Cross ballpoint any day, but nothing compares to Caran d'Ache or Ballograf ballpoints.

good luck finding refills for those.

[pajaro]

I bought a pen on ebay and a Caran d'Ache rollerball came along with it. It has a Cross jumbo ballpoint refill in it. It is one heavy pen.

[WriteAway]

good luck finding refills for those.

 

Actually, Caran d'Ache Goliath refills are widely available online, according to a Google search.

 

And everything Ballograf can be ordered through the distributor NordMark here: http://www.nord-mark.com/

 

Both brands are very high quality and affordable.

[max dog]

I'm sure refills for all pens being made can be purchased on line, but try finding it at your local stationary store when you need to get a new refill in a hurry. At least with Cross, you dont have to order it on line and then wait for it in the mail, but instead can be purchased at any Staples/Office depot etc, when you need it. Cross ballpoint doesn't wiggle around in the barrel when you write like the majority of other manufacturers ball points do that rely on a spring to keep the ball point cartridge in place. The Cross is a screw in so the ballpoint is secured rock solid.

Edited July 12, 2013 by max dog

[WriteAway]

I have the luxury of being able to wait for online refill orders for any of my pens. I have a large number of Cross ballpoints at hand, so I rarely even visit the local Staples or OfficeMax except to shop for new pens. (My most recent Staples buy was a Cross Click gel/rollerball). When one Cross BP runs dry, I just grab another pen and get back to work. And, since much of my writing is done on the computer, or with my FPs, I do not go through BP refills rapidly to begin with.

 

Never had much issue with clattering BP refills, except for really inexpensive pens. I try not to let the little things bother me if I'm on a creative roll. Of course, as you point out, the Cross refill design eliminates rattles.

 

Recent Cross Solos:

 

 

 

[NedC]

I'm sure refills for all pens being made can be purchased on line, but try finding it at your local stationary store when you need to get a new refill in a hurry. At least with Cross, you dont have to order it on line and then wait for it in the mail, but instead can be purchased at any Staples/Office depot etc, when you need it. Cross ballpoint doesn't wiggle around in the barrel when you write like the majority of other manufacturers ball points do that rely on a spring to keep the ball point cartridge in place. The Cross is a screw in so the ballpoint is secured rock solid.

I rarely notice any 'wiggling' in my ballpoints whilst writing. I have a very light hand. Perhaps you use excessive pressure or are just extremely 'wiggle sensitive'.

 

 

The Cross refills have a much lower ink capacity (I'd estimate a third to a fifth the capacity) than the Parker style, Fisher, Caran d'Ache Goliath or Ballograf refills so it's good that they are more widely available. Current C d'A and Ballograf pens can accept Fisher and in some cases Parker style refills without modification in case you do run out.

 

The Cross ballpoints I've seen are very well made pens, I just prefer other makers refills and push action ballpoints to rotary mechanisms.

[max dog]

I rarely notice any 'wiggling' in my ballpoints whilst writing. I have a very light hand. Perhaps you use excessive pressure or are just extremely 'wiggle sensitive'.

 

 

The Cross refills have a much lower ink capacity (I'd estimate a third to a fifth the capacity) than the Parker style, Fisher, Caran d'Ache Goliath or Ballograf refills so it's good that they are more widely available. Current C d'A and Ballograf pens can accept Fisher and in some cases Parker style refills without modification in case you do run out.

 

The Cross ballpoints I've seen are very well made pens, I just prefer other makers refills and push action ballpoints to rotary mechanisms.

The Parker type cartridge has a wider mid section, whereas the Cross cartridge is signficantly longer. I haven't seen any definitive ink capacity comparison specs between the Cross vs Parker type cartridges. If the ink runs right up the full length of the Cross cartridge, than the Cross capacity look to be quite close to the Parker. I dont think the difference is going to be that much if any.

 

The Caran D'Ache and Ballograf uses a Parker cartridge? I would be dissapointed they dont have their own original design like Cross.

 

I think the push action ballpoint mechanism is designed to eventually wear out and fail due to the reliance on a spring, and a mechanical friction acutation mechanism to propel and repel the ballpoint. The twist propel/repel mechanism in the Cross dont have a spring or mechanical acutation mechanism to fail and therefore can last decades or a century without issues. The only issue after decades of use you hear about is some times the twist mechanism could get stiff requiring lubricating, but that is about it. None of mine have developed stiffness after decades. A superior design!

 

I've always associated the twist propel/repel mechanism characteristic of higher end pens than the push button type which are prevalent in the cheap ballpoints and jotters.

 

My wife prefer the push button ballpoints because they can be actuated with one hand more easily. I can easily propel/repel the Cross with one hand grasping the pen in my palms and turning the barrel with my index finger and thumb, but I do concede for single hand action the push button is a little easier.

Edited July 14, 2013 by max dog

[Chthulhu]

I recently acquired a somewhat battered but (now) functional gold-filled Century BP+MP set that I'd like to date a bit more closely than I've so far managed. Century ballpoint = post 1953 (according to Cross), and the old-style RCA logo attached to the clip = pre-1968. This set has "Century" engraved above the clip in script. I know I've seen or read *somewhere* about when the various imprint styles were used, but I am having no luck in relocating that information. Can anyone help me out?

The set is personalized for a "W. T. Reed" who *might* be the "WT Reed" who co-published with transistor pioneer William Bradford Shockley, but at this point, who knows? :-)

 

Here's a shot of the imprint:

 

Edited July 29, 2013 by Chthulhu

[Chthulhu]

To add to the confusion a bit, I checked all the Century ballpoints and pencils in my collection, and found this:

 

Gold-filled BP+MP set, "RCA" emblem clip (no imprint),"CENTURY" in script above clip.
Gold-filled MP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip,"CENTURY" in script above clip.
Chrome MP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip,"CROSS" in block letters and "CENTURY" in script above clip.
Chrome MP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip,"CROSS" in block letters and "CENTURY" in script above clip.
Sterling MP, "CROSS" in script on clip, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Gold-filled MP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in small italics above clip.
Chrome BP+MP set, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Chrome BP+MP set, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Gold-filled MP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Chrome BP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Chrome BP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Chrome MP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Chrome BP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in narrow italics above clip.
Chrome BP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in narrow italics above clip.
Chrome MP, emblem clip - emblem missing, "CROSS" in narrow italics above clip.
Chrome MP, emblem clip - unidentified emblem, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Chrome MP, emblem clip - unidentified emblem, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Chrome MP, emblem clip - unidentified emblem, "CROSS" in italics above clip.
Chrome BP+MP purse set, clipless, "CROSS" in small italics above clip.
Gold-filled BP+MP purse set, clipless, "CROSS" in small block letters above.
Gold-filled BP+MP desk set, clipless, "CROSS" in small block letters above.
Gold-filled BP desk pen, clipless, "CROSS" in small block letters above.
Chrome BP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in small block letters above clip.
Stainless steel MP, "CROSS" in block letters on clip, "CROSS" in small block letters above clip.

The last is also marked "IRELAND" and the rest "MADE IN USA" or simply "USA." Surely there must be a key to this mess out there somewhere. :-)

[Harlequin]

I will say that the I have only had my eye on two BPs/RBs recently, both of which were Cross. I have the first one, a Cross Edge RB. But the other one I would LOVE to have is the Masquerade. I LOVE the style and aesthetic of that pen. Too bad it's only available as a BP, instead of all three formats.