Cross nibs other than 14/18k

January 28, 2007

Hi! I'd like to buy my brother a Cross Century II FP (I had him on the phone, looking at all these pens online while we talked, under the guise of showing him which pens I like). He liked the Cross Century II, and I'd like to get him one in chrome or black, but I have not tried that pen myself. I have only used a Cross 18K nib. Are the other nibs (steel, plated, etc) really stiff? The materials used in the other nibs are not described very clearly, or I'm just dense. Any info would be helpful. I would be getting him an F or EF--his writing is small, like mine. My Century II 18K F is a little wide for my taste, so I might be leaning toward an EF for his pen. Thank you!

- Tricia

January 30, 2007

I have only one Cross, a Solo, with a bold steel nib. It's not flexible by any stretch of the imagination, but it's silky smooth. It was my first fountain pen purchase since college (excepting the utterly disposable Sheaffer Viewpoint) and started me down the slippery slope to my current collection of forty-two pens. If your brother's not already an addict even a Cross steel nib may push him over the edge.

January 30, 2007

I have a couple of Century IIs, both with steel nibs.

The diference in line between F and XF is quite substantial - while I find the F to be quite close to the M, the XF is very fine indeed. I like it for slightly unfriendly paper, like Moleskine or the wrong side of Paperblanks.

I find the XF steel on my CII to give just a little bit of variation with pressure - enough to add character, but nothing more - yet they are pens I don't worry about lending.

Nice pens, sturdy, take a lot of abuse, and really reliable writers. Can you tell I like them? Whatever else I'm carrying, I always have at least one of these with it.

January 30, 2007

My scanner is still boxed after a house move, so a shoddy digicam photo will have to do, I'm afraid. Also, please excuse my scrawl - my wife is the doctor in the house, yet her hand is the beautiful and pristine one!

The difference between the XF and F shows most on less FP-friendly paper. The XF is very dry, whereas the F is quite wet.

http://www.marramgrass.org.uk/fpn/samples.jpg

January 30, 2007

Boy, what a diff between XF and F! Thanks for your samples, and thank you all for replying. Looks and sounds like the steel nibs are a-okay, in any event. My brother's writing is really small, but maybe I'll go ahead and try an XF in a store first. My F nib is very wet--hard to believe the XF is very dry, and good to know. I'll have to think twice before I order an XF for myself.

Thanks again!

Tricia

p.s. And yes, I am doing my best to encourage an addiction, as even fake misery loves company!