My first fountain pen.

[EclipseRedRing]

They don't seem to get a lot of love here but this is my first fountain pen, a Cross Apogee in Titian red lacquer with an 18ct gold rhodium plated medium nib. I am using up the black cartridges that came with it then will start with the converter and bottled ink. I bought blue bottled ink as it reminds me of my school days. I have watched a few videos and just like razors it seems that light pressure is the way to go. Any more tips from other members?

 

[jar_]

Learn to write with your arm rather than your wrist.

 

[Falmike]

I initially went with converters. Now I tend to simply refill empty cartridges with the bottled ink of my choice. They hold more than and are easier to flush than converters. I use the syringe from my cleaning kit to transfer the ink.

 

[danek]

Angle. Ballpoints have taught us to write with a steep, almost vericle angle. Lower the steepness of the nib to make the best, smoothest contact between the nib slit and the paper.

 

[tankerjohn]

Nice Cross! 18k nib, eh? Heck of a starter pen. Good observation on using a light touch. Although, just like with razors, there is a time and place to add a little pressure to achieve a specific result. With the pen, it’s to put a little pizzazz in your writing. But DON’T push it too far.

Another similarity is just as the quality of a shave is a combination of the razor, blade, and lather, the quality of your writing experience is combination of nib, ink, and paper. Feel free to experiment with different ink. Samples are cheap. Get some quality paper. Rhodia is good one to start with. Have fun!

 

[Shave_Rat]

Not sure why they don't get much mention in the fountain pen community at large, but that is one great looking pen. Also, yeah, one heck of a starter pen as well!

 

[Ryanshh]

Congrats! Enjoy the journey. Like shaving, things are easier if you stick with one setup. Cleaning is easier, mental tax is easier, not spending all the money is easier. Samples are a great tip for when you branch out.

Number one tip is to practice your fast draw. You need to get your decoy ballpoint into the hands of any, "visiting pen borrower" before their hands get your pen into them. Cap your pen before standing up. If you talk with your hands, put the pen down first.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

Thank you all very much for the great advice. I am planning on not ending up with a large pen collection which I then have to thin out. Where have I heard that before?

 

[tankerjohn]

Not sure why they don't get much mention in the fountain pen community at large,

I think there’s a general perception in the enthusiast community that Cross is boring and resting on its past laurels at best, and sold out to the big box store corporate gift market at worst. In any case, Cross isn’t chasing the trends that get fountain pen bloggers and Instagramers excited, like “flex” nibs, custom grinds, colorful acrylic, seasonal “special editions”, etc. I tend to believe that one man’s “boring” is another man’s “classic”. YMMV.

 

[ajkel64]

Nice pen man. Congratulations.

 

[Doc4]

They don't seem to get a lot of love here but

You can always change that ...

 

[Shave_Rat]

I think there’s a general perception in the enthusiast community that Cross is boring and resting on its past laurels at best, and sold out to the big box store corporate gift market at worst. In any case, Cross isn’t chasing the trends that get fountain pen bloggers and Instagramers excited, like “flex” nibs, custom grinds, colorful acrylic, seasonal “special editions”, etc. I tend to believe that one man’s “boring” is another man’s “classic”. YMMV.

I just checked out the Cross website, and they have a decently varied selection of fountain pens. I did notice that even on the higher priced pens, they aren't including the cart converter, still have to order it separately.

I really wonder if it's more of their distributor not trying or failing to get their fp offerings into the retail space fountain pen people typically buy from. None of the online retailers I peruse carry the brand, I've not seen them do any pen shows, etc.. So the company also doesn't appear to really market their fountain pen line at all.

 

[nemo]

I really wonder if it's more of their distributor not trying or failing to get their fp offerings into the retail space fountain pen people typically buy from. None of the online retailers I peruse carry the brand, I've not seen them do any pen shows, etc.. So the company also doesn't appear to really market their fountain pen line at all.

They lost a lot of us when they made the decision to outsource to China and shut down the US plant.

 

[tankerjohn]

They lost a lot of us when they made the decision to outsource to China and shut down the US plant.

LOL, I was thinking that too, but didn’t want to go there. But, since you did... Here’s the thing, a lot of brands catching buzz in the pen community manufacture their pens in China (or other Asian countries that don’t start with “J”) - Esterbrook (the new one), Narwhal, Monteverde, Conklin (again, the new one), etc. Plus, many overtly Chinese brand like PenBBS and Moonman are also increasingly popular. I’m not sure why it’s such an unforgivable sin for Cross, except that maybe as an iconic American brand (which is somewhat debatable), we expect more from them. I would LOVE for Cross or Shaffer (or Parker or Waterman) to reinvest in American manufacturing. Maybe they could partner with an artisan maker like Franklin Christoph or Edison.

 

[tankerjohn]

I just checked out the Cross website, and they have a decently varied selection of fountain pens. I did notice that even on the higher priced pens, they aren't including the cart converter, still have to order it separately.

I really wonder if it's more of their distributor not trying or failing to get their fp offerings into the retail space fountain pen people typically buy from. None of the online retailers I peruse carry the brand, I've not seen them do any pen shows, etc.. So the company also doesn't appear to really market their fountain pen line at all.

100%. Which goes to my point that Cross is more focused on the office supply/gift/corporate side of the pen world than the hobbyist/artistic side, which is where the energy is right now. Incidentally, most of the online interest in Cross I’ve seen revolves around their Star Wars themed pens. That’s an IP they could probably do more with. Something like Retro 51’s aircraft and spacecraft themed pens, but done with X-Wing fighters and speeder bikes, would be really cool.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I have been using the Cross Apogee for a couple of weeks and enjoy using it very much. I like the weight of the pen and it feels like a quality item in the hand. My only gripe is that when posted, the cap does not fit snugly but instead is loose and so can move or rotate when writing. For this reason I use the Cross unposted which the length of the pen permits. I have since also acquired a Pelikan Souveran M600 in black with a 14ct fine nib which will be a very familiar pen to the members here and to me it again feels like a well made and quality item. I was surprised though at the very light weight of the Pelikan (19gm) compared to the Cross (41gm). For some reason the heavier weight of the Cross suggests to me that it is better quality but that is of course not based on anything meaningful. The Pelikan cap twists off with a half turn which I prefer compared to the Cross snap on cap. The cap also fits snugly on the Pelikan when posted and I prefer to use it this way especially as it is slightly shorter than the Cross. From my initial tests I enjoy using both pens and to my mind the nib of the Pelikan is smoother on the paper than the Cross. Both however are fine pens that I am happy to recommend.

 

[nemo]

... I was surprised though at the very light weight of the Pelikan (19gm) compared to the Cross (41gm). For some reason the heavier weight of the Cross suggests to me that it is better quality but that is of course not based on anything meaningful.

With a pen, at least for me, heavier isn't always better. I like a nice light pen, it doesn't weigh down my shirt pocket and is more comfortable to write with in extended sessions.

Think of it like a racing bicycle -- lightness is something you will cherish -- and for which you usually end up paying extra.

Nice second pen by the way!

 

[tankerjohn]

Beautiful Pelikan @EclipseRedRing! Nothing quite as classy as a black and gold German pen.

 

[Invicta]

They don't seem to get a lot of love here but this is my first fountain pen, a Cross Apogee in Titian red lacquer with an 18ct gold rhodium plated medium nib. I am using up the black cartridges that came with it then will start with the converter and bottled ink. I bought blue bottled ink as it reminds me of my school days. I have watched a few videos and just like razors it seems that light pressure is the way to go. Any more tips from other members?

Nice first fountain pen. How is the writing coming after 6 weeks? Light pressure is the way to go and a different experience from a biro. The paper you use makes a big difference. Lots of tips on Youtube
All my pens are Sheaffer, the oldest being ~ 45 years. Sheaffer is now owned by Cross and similarly, now manufactured in China.

I have since also acquired a Pelikan Souveran M600 in black with a 14ct fine nib which will be a very familiar pen to the members here and to me it again feels like a well made and quality item.

Now you are starting a hobby. That pen has good following.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

Nice first fountain pen. How is the writing coming after 6 weeks? Light pressure is the way to go and a different experience from a biro. The paper you use makes a big difference. Lots of tips on Youtube
All my pens are Sheaffer, the oldest being ~ 45 years. Sheaffer is now owned by Cross and similarly, now manufactured in China.

Now you are starting a hobby. That pen has good following.

Hi, I am enjoying both pens and light pressure is certainly beneficial. Having used both for a few weeks I prefer the Pelikan, it is much lighter and feels a more precision tool compared to the Cross. Initially the greater weight of the Cross made it feel, to my inexperienced hand at least, like a more quality instrument. But, to use a razor analogy the Pelikan is a refined and nimble Gillette Single Ring, and the Cross is an overweight clumsy Fatboy; both are nice, quality instruments but I prefer the Single Ring. I also prefer the fine nib compared to the medium but watching Youtube videos I see that broader nibs allow more character to writing. So I am naturally choosing the Pelikan over the Cross but am persevering with both and trying to improve my writing style. Thankfully, I am not falling into the trap of wanting any more pens, at least not yet.