President Obama's Pen

[Bradley]

Thank you, Mrs. Palmer. I have never had good luck with the search engine here, so the fact that your reply included the appropriate link was much appreciated.

[ExcaliburZ]

The Official signing pen is Cross Townsend black lacquer rolling-ball

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=91752 we have already been talking about it

 

[Mrs Palmer]

I tried to post three different links, but it didn't seem to work out that way.

Sorry.

I had to try three or four different search terms before I sorted it out myself. No worries.

[GreenVelvet]

Can I just tangent-ify for a minute and say how thrilled the phrase "President Obama" still makes me?

 

(Sorry. I don't hang out in chatter and I'm sure there's been talk of this there.) :embarrassed_smile:

[minemap]

The front page of the New York Times Late Edition this morning was of a picture of 3 photographs all standing around taking a picture of the pen that signed his first executive order. It was a Cross ballpoint

[Sallent]

Can I just tangent-ify for a minute and say how thrilled the phrase "President Obama" still makes me?

 

(Sorry. I don't hang out in chatter and I'm sure there's been talk of this there.) :embarrassed_smile:

 

Do I need to bring back from retirement my picture of the coolaid man? :roflmho:

 

Anyway, am not surpised that Obama would be using a Cross, after all, they have to use American pens. However, it is ironic that his Cross pen was probably made in China

[scribbler77]

I wonder what paper and ink are chosen for important Presidential documents.

 

Treaties are signed on special archival treaty paper stocked by the State Department legal division.

[CountryMouse]

What kind of fountain pen is it that President Obama is using? I have no idea, although it's a black customized one, with his signature on the barrel. I'd really like to know!

 

Thanks!

 

CountryMouse

[ExcaliburZ]

What kind of fountain pen is it that President Obama is using? I have no idea, although it's a black customized one, with his signature on the barrel. I'd really like to know!

 

Thanks!

 

CountryMouse

 

You mean the pen he is using for the signing? I haven't heard anything about the pen he uses normally.

[OcalaFlGuy]

I spoke with my favorite Cross Customer Service person Friday.

 

The presidential Cross Townsend rollerballs are assembled in China but the presidential seal and

his signature are added in Rhode Island.

 

Since it's obvious that Cross has some sort of contact with "his people" I thought I might could score

the CS girl some brownie points and mention something to her to let the Cross people know about.

 

Obama got pretty flummoxed with the pens when he was doing the Guantanamo bay signings. The

pens were given to him posted and he unposted and capped them afterwards. At least he did the

first pen. He had quite the time uncapping the Townsend and I had to chuckle as being a Townsend

owner they DO post VERY Securely like that though they loosen up a bit after use. He was kind of

gingerly trying to uncap it and that just won't do with a new Townsend. I told the Cross CS lady

they need to inform his people the Townsend is the Abrams M1-A1 tank of the Cross line and the

President would really have to work at damaging it. Just give that cap a good yank there Mr. President!

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[yachtsilverswan]

I spoke with my favorite Cross Customer Service person Friday.

 

The presidential Cross Townsend rollerballs are assembled in China but the presidential seal and

his signature are added in Rhode Island...

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

If anyone has contacts with President Obama's staff, perhaps the President would prefer a pen actually made in America, rather than China.

 

Bexley pens are entirely made in Ohio - the swing state that cemented President Obama's landslide Electoral College victory.

 

Otherwise, I foresee an upcoming news story about the new President using a pen made in China, and all the bad things that symbolizes - the loss of our US manufacturing base to China, the incalculable national debt that China is financing, and on, and on, and on...

 

 

[RevAaron]

Bexley pens are entirely made in Ohio - the swing state that cemented President Obama's landslide Electoral College victory.

 

Bexley's bodies are turned and assembled in Ohio. Isn't that the extent of it? The nibs are made in German (gold) or somewhere else (steel?). The converters aren't likely made in the US, nor are the bits to the integrated fillers. Except that LE with a Vacumatic filler. I imagine the clips and other trim are made in China, but I'd be happy to be corrected on that.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not belittling Bexley or its pens, but it simply isn't something "entirely made in Ohio." Maybe entirely assembled in Ohio, but that's not much better than the gold cross pens which are assembled (and more, from what I understand) in Rhode Island.

 

Otherwise, I foresee an upcoming news story about the new President using a pen made in China, and all the bad things that symbolizes - the loss of our US manufacturing base to China, the incalculable national debt that China is financing, and on, and on, and on...

 

Not to be Debbie downer, but I rather doubt it. Cross is the brand of pens that Bush used as well. Regardless of the intent of any non-partisan intent in pushing such a story that fact would likely negate the chances of it actually being "news" in the minds of many.

 

It'd be pretty cool if Obama used an actually entirely American made pen, but he'd have to source pen refills that are entirely made in the USA- is not the refill the heart of a BP/RB? A whole different debate, I suppose.

Edited January 25, 2009 by RevAaron

[yachtsilverswan]

Bexley pens are entirely made in Ohio - the swing state that cemented President Obama's landslide Electoral College victory.

 

Bexley's bodies are turned and assembled in Ohio. Isn't that the extent of it? The nibs are made in German (gold) or somewhere else (steel?). The converters aren't likely made in the US, nor are the bits to the integrated fillers. Except that LE with a Vacumatic filler. I imagine the clips and other trim are made in China, but I'd be happy to be corrected on that.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not belittling Bexley or its pens, but it simply isn't something "entirely made in Ohio." Maybe entirely assembled in Ohio, but that's not much better than the gold cross pens which are assembled (and more, from what I understand) in Rhode Island.

 

 

From Bexley's website www.bexleypen.com -

 

The Bexley Pen Company was founded in 1993 by a handful of vintage pen enthusiasts. After decades of admiring, collecting, and restoring vintage writing instruments, we wanted to use modem technology to create American classic designs reminiscent of the Golden Age of Fountain Pens. Bexley manufactures high quality writing instruments in Columbus, Ohio, USA and distributes them to dealers around the world...

 

We take great care to make distinctive writing instruments for the discerning customer. We use computer controlled equipment, and decades of precision manufacturing experience, to produce components to exacting specifications. Our skilled craftsmen carefully hand assemble and polish each pen. We produce American classic designs of impeccable quality.

 

We hope that you can share our enthusiasm for fine writing instruments with the Bexley of your choice.

 

Howard Levy

President Bexley Pen Company

2840-B Fisher Road

Columbus, Ohio 43204 USA

(614) 351-9988

 

That seems better than a Cross product manufactured, assembled, and boxed in China. Only the President's engraved signature and seal were added in Rhode Island.

 

But the President has not telephoned me recently for advice. (nor is he likely to do so)

[mstone]

That seems better than a Cross product manufactured, assembled, and boxed in China. Only the President's engraved signature and seal were added in Rhode Island.

Well, it doesn't seem better to many people who think about it for a while. The president is going to use a BP or RB, not a FP. I don't know of anyone (including Bexley) who uses domestic refills--which are the only real functional components in a BP/RB. The president is not going to use a cracked ice or other exotic pen, and bexley has a very limited collection of simple black pens. Of the simple black pens they do have, I see two models, both priced 2-4x as much as the cross. Remember, this is a pen that will be used once and then given away. The next question is whether Bexley can deal with enough volume to keep the gift shops stocked; I'm not sure what the answer is to that one. I'm also not convinced that a lot of hand polishing and assembling goes into bexley's bottom-tier models.

[tawanda]

He's a southpaw!!! A leftie overwriter !!! Yipeeeee....

[Pensee]

He's a southpaw!!! A leftie overwriter !!! Yipeeeee....

Ha! I can almost hear the nutters on talk radio.

 

Left handed commie pinko! :ltcapd:

 

OK, that was lame.

 

Seriously tho, you just can't escape globalization.

 

I mean look what's happening with "Air Force One".

 

Read in LA Times story this morning that our air force is looking at the larger Air Bus-A380 (as well as Boeing 747-8) to replace its aging couple of "Air Force One" planes.

 

If you're an aviation buff, following is interesting link: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/sys...ircraft/par.htm

 

And that's too bad about Cross.

 

My first fountain pen as high school graduation present was a Cross. What a shame.

 

--Bruce

[satrap]

He's a southpaw!!! A leftie overwriter !!! Yipeeeee....

 

AND he likes Starbucks!!

http://www.tech-faq.com/emoticons/animated-emoticons/smiley_45.gif

 

[ilvecchio]

A friend sent me pictures of the inauguration and this photo was included. Apologies if it has already been posted.

[jsroe]

Cross Townsend black lacquer rolling ball pen

 

This is what Obama will be using tomorrow. Not a fountain pen.

 

 

http://www.turnto10.com/jar/news/local/loc..._r.i._pen/9259/

 

Hopefully it will be an American made Cross pen and not one that was "made in China".....

 

 

I would think that, given the current state of employment in America(China is a target for a chunk of the blame among many people), it would be quite a mistake for A.T. Cross to deliver anything that wasn't made in the USA. I would be willing to wager that even the refill is American made and packaged.

 

I think it was a wise move by Cross to move manufacture overseas to keep costs down and continue to survive in these economics hard times. Otherwise they would end up like GM and Chrysler needing government bail out to survive. The Chinese made Cross Pens seem every bit as good quality as the USA made ones. Now Cross can continue to make a profit with lower manufacturing costs and stay in business. Cross is still headquartered in the USA, so the product is still US as it always has been and will continue to. Welcome to reality.

[BarryLee]

 

Forgive me for getting off topic, but anyone know what kind of watch he wears?