Cross Style Cartridges

[Paco]

I'm new to pen making and have only made 4 pens so far. I've gotten my supplies from PSI and have been dissapointed in the performance of the cross style ink cartridges. They write well but seem to dry out very quickly and I have to drag the tip across the paper for an inch or so before the ink starts to flow. I don't care how nice a pen looks if I have to "jump-start it" to get it to write every time it's idle for 5 minutes. Has anyone had this problem? Is it common for this style cartridge? Advice?

 

[Tool_Addict]

Check the ball tip for a little black protective covering. I've found this on a number of kits. Just pop it off with a fingernail and you should be good to go.

 

[dubdrvrkev]

You'll find a lot of us just replace them with a Cross refill or other decent alternative before selling. I don't sell a lot of slimlines but when I do they normally get a cross in them.

 

[its_virgil]

Paco,
Actually, the cartridge in the slimlines I buy write better than the real cross brand. I usually purchase Berea kits from http://www.arizonasilhouette.com but I have also purchased PSI kits from http://www.woodturningz.com and had no problem with them either. Maybe you just received a bad batch. Have you complained to PSI...might help...I would...and see if they really wanted my future business.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Paco
<br />I'm new to pen making and have only made 4 pens so far. I've gotten my supplies from PSI and have been dissapointed in the performance of the cross style ink cartridges. They write well but seem to dry out very quickly

 

[Ryan]

I buy all mine from Craft Supply and I also think that they write better than the cross that I have. I have not had any trouble with any of them.

Ryan

 

[alamocdc]

I have three Cross brand pens and always had trouble with the refills... one of the reasons I quit carrying them. I have sold quite a few SLs (PSIs bought from Woodturningz) and so far no complaints from any recipient.

 

[Malkusr]

Im gonna have to say the same. I have woodturnigz slimlines and havent had any problems. I would take tool addict's advice and see if there is a covering on the tip. I usually forget then get horrified when the pen doesn't write. Most of the tip probably broke off at first use but there may be some residue left.

 

[Rudy Vey]

What Don said I can only confirm. I even had customers coming back to me and wanted to buy the original refills, since the brand names (Cross, Parker) are not as good as the no-name refills that came with the kits. Never had a non-working refill in the hundreds of kits I bought from Berea, and I test them all before I put them in.

 

[PenPauli]

I have had the problem with my slimline pens also. I don't know if they come in bad batches but I have had quite a few of them. I hate to sell slimlines but that is what almost all of my customers want. I have had a few family members complain about the ink and I have also had a problem with mine. I have put cross refills in them but it is just an extra cost. It really bugs me.

 

[Paco]

Thanks for everyone's input. I always appreciate the good responses I receive when I post on this forum.
My problem is not that the refils don't write, they write very well. My problem is simply getting them to start up again once they've sat idle for more than a few minutes. I have a Zebra ball-point that I use at work and it can sit with the point exposed all day long, but when you touch it to paper it writes immediatly and smoothly. The refils I've been getting with my pen kits need to be "scribbled" a bit before they get going. If I don't have any better luck maybe I'll try out the parkers. Thanks again for everyone's help!

 

[Daniel]

Paco,
This seems to be a problem that shows up from time to time.
Leaving me with the impression that it is a bad batch of refills or something. the easy solution for the already made pens is to simply replace the refill, one of the easier fixes in penmaking. one other thought I have had, but this relates to fountain pens. when I made my first couple of fountain pens I could not get any of them to write well. skipping, not writing at all after they set for just a few minutes etc. Then Anthony introduced me to a better quality ink. my fountain pen problems vanished. So it could be the ink in the refill as well. same solution though, change the refill.
ocassionaly there are group buys here for refills so you can get them in large numbers for a much better price.
My experience after making hundreds of pens with the cross style refill is that only a few behave this way.

 

[Paco]

Daniel,
Thanks for the information. Hopefully I just got hold of a few bad ones. Thanks for helping a newbie. By the way...your website is great!