Cross vs Mont Blanc

[Iskender]

I own neither Cross pens nor Mont Blancs. But it is difficult to imagine that the reputation of a pen could be based simply on advertising alone.

[Pen2009]

I would use a Cross pen for a loaner when someone asks me to borrow my pen. My cross ballpoint pen is filling that function. I am sure I would assign the same duty to a Cross fountain pen if I bought one. This is nothing to denigrate Cross pens; I won't hand out a bic pen when I am using a better quality fountain pen myself.

Edited July 19, 2009 by Pen2009

[Silvermink]

Kind of an apples-and-oranges comparison, I think. The two companies make very different pens. Cross also sells low-end pens, though, which MB doesn't, so their cachet value (imo) is distinctly less.

[MidnightBlue]

This like comparing an Astin Martin DB9 with my Toyota

Thanks

[PeterBeoworld]

I have a Cross Townsend Titanium and a MB146 amongst a number of pens in my collection. The MB is not one of my favourites - I find it a little lacking in soul somehow - but it always seems to be in my pocket -I suppose because it is totally reliable. The Cross, although I love the finish, never seems to find its way into the daily rotation - I think it is probably that it is just too heavy and the nib is not as smooth. Today I have an MB146 and a vintage Onoto Magna!

[LDB415]

Cross is an inexpensive to reasonably priced line of pens that are good quality and give dependable daily service. They don't have the marketing hype and they haven't captured the minds (and souls if they had any) of every lawyer in America. Mont Blanc is in inexpensive pen very unreasonably priced at high prices because they have that little white inlay on the cap and Madison Avenue has fooled every lawyer in America along with lots of others into thinking that white cap means something. You can pay for a handful of Cross pens or a (as in one) Mont Blanc pen.

[LouisA]

  Iskender said:

...it is difficult to imagine that the reputation of a pen could be based simply on advertising alone.

 

Yes you would think, but there it is.

 

[adamselene]

This is an impression, but I suspect it is true to some extent. Cross has more prestige outside the US than in the US.

 

Any opinions?

[Uncial]

Not so sure to be honest. They've always been seen as a luxury pen alright but very definitely in the mid to low range price bracket - until recently of course, the prices have shot up by a very large percentage in the last few years. They aren't bad pens. I have an old ballpoint that I never use. It's been sitting knocking about in a mug on my desk for almost fifteen years now. It is still like new, so the finishes are good quality. The only issue I have with Cross is that I just can't get over how boring they are.

[dadbar]

I travel on business a lot and often take my Cross Townsend Titanium and my black Montblanc 147, both of which are really nice writers, but NEITHER pen commands the attention of my sterling silver Parker 75 Cisele. The Parker always generates more interest. The Montblanc and the Cross are very familiar silouhettes to most people.

[sandy101]

They are different writing experiences.

 

Cross (in my experience) offers a reliable writing experience. The 18k nib on the Cross Townsend is one of the hardest nibs in my collection. It offers a consistent line and a reliable writing experience. You don't get much in the way of line variation, or shading because the objective is a consistent variable line.

 

The MB146 is a piston filler. It writes for longer without the need to refill. The 14k nib is softer, and does offer some shading and a touch more line variation. The 146 has a thicker grip, but is much lighter. Personally I find the MB a bit more comfortable to write with than the Cross.

 

That said, the MB does not leave the house, and I keep a Cross in my desk at work. I need a consistent line, so that the text does not vanish when it is photocopied and this is something all my Cross pens seem to offer. Also the blue/black ink is rather nice.

 

I love the finish of my Blue Quartz Townsend, and its all metal exterior makes it a good, rugged candidate for carrying about. The MB has a great finish, but I'm not so sure that it will withstand the general knocks.

[pajaro]

I bought Monttblancs in the eearly 1980s and 1990s. The Montblanc 144s and 146s with resin pistons are lighter than most of my Cross Century and ATX pens, certainly lighter than my Townsend. The Solos are also a light Cross, though. The weight and differing reputations are the biggest differences between Montblanc and Cross.

[max dog]

  On 10/24/2016 at 7:32 AM, adamselene said:

This is an impression, but I suspect it is true to some extent. Cross has more prestige outside the US than in the US.

 

Any opinions?

A few decades ago, prior to early 1990s, Cross use to be more prestigeous than Montblanc in North America.

 

Travelled in Asia recently and noticed a lot of Cross pens being sold there, more so than in NA. For example at a high end department store in Taipei, the luxury pen section had mostly Montblanc and Cross pens. I think Cross is making a push these days in the Asian markets.

Edited October 29, 2016 by max dog

[sandy101]

Having accidently stepped on a Cross Townsend, I can say that it survived unscathed.

 

I don;'t think I could have said the same of a resin MB.

 

And no, I wouldn't recommend stepping on either.

[DrDebG]

In the late 70's and 80's I owned more Cross pens than any other. I love my plain old chrome Cross ballpoint. And I loved the simple lines of my Cross fountain pen.

 

About 6 months ago, a friend of mine was given a Cross Townsend. She had never used a fountain pen before so I got the chance to teach her about fountain pens. In doing so, she loaded me the pen for a month while she was away on a trip. It was nice, but didn't compare with some of my other fountain pens. And it did not compare favorably at all with my old Cross fountain pen. I was glad my friend liked it, but realized that it wasn't the pen for me.

 

Then, about 6 weeks ago, my brother found a Montblanc 144 in an estate sale. He called me and told me they wanted $50 for it. I told him to buy it. What a treasure this pen is! It is in perfect condition. It had only been used once for a signature on an important document, then stored away. This little Montblanc 144 is almost flawless and writes even better. It has become one of my very favorite pens. I would not call it my "grail pen", but it is awfully close.

[pajaro]

I have several MB 144s. They are my favorites, along with Parker 51.

 

I have one Townsend, no doubt a low end one, chrome with gold plated nib. None of the original Century pens I have, from chrome plated to black to gold filled with 14k nib, are as awesome a pen as the Townsend.

[maus930]

I have been into fountain pens for almost 60 years -fountain pen collection- over 600 fountain pens only - This series of posts are the first time i ever knew that Cross pen were more than boxed sets for Graduation presents --. Interesting

[Bill Wood]

3 Townsends and fantastic nibs. Haven't tried MB but understand they're terrific too.

[deepak23]

Have a Cross Metropolis, which is a higher end pen. Looks very grand and shiny and stand out. But as with all things Cross, the pen is thin and more unforgivably a dry pain in the back. It is very stingy with its ink and grudgingly lays down a thin line. Rarely used, it rests in is glory in my pen roll.

 

Recently bought an MB145 Chopin. This is longer than the 144 but thinner than the 146. The M nib lays down a good wet line. The balance of the pen is also good and even though the section diameter is comparable to the cross, is much more comfortable to write with.

 

Cross (at least here) had a reputation 25 years ago that MB pens have today - that of a status symbol for the high flying executive. In the 80s a Cross BP told the world that you'd arrived. The same is the case with an MB today.

 

In conclusion for me the Cross BP and the MB FP deserve their fans, being good pens. The Cross FP based on a highly significant sample size of one, is not in the same class...

[pajaro]

  On 10/29/2016 at 9:13 PM, max dog said:

A few decades ago, prior to early 1990s, Cross use to be more prestigeous than Montblanc in North America.

 

 

I don't think so. I first saw a Cross fountain pen in a store in 1980, and, while a decent pen, the Century 10K pen with 14K nib had no rep at that time, where I had been hearing of MB for years. If you are talking about ballpoints, maybe so.