Dad's Cross 2106-M, Gray - NIB

[FoolishMortal]

My mother just dropped off, among other things, a Cross 2106-M Gray fountain pen that was my dad's. She said he never used it and it certainly looks new. It's still in the case (with the outer box) and has the booklet and accessories, including a little ink and a converter.

I'll likely start using it alongside my daily driver, which is a TWSBI Eco Clear 1.1 pen with Pelikan (mostly) or Diamine ink. I looked it up and saw very little other than some listings for $80+. There's also one for sale at $400, but that seems especially optimistic. In any case, I don't need the money, so I'm not giving up my dad's pen, even if it didn't mean much to him.

Is there anything I should know about what inks to use or avoid in this pen?

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

I have no idea what ink, other than Waterman’s or Noodler’s. But that pen is a beauty. Given that you dad may have used it, I can see why you would keep it.

Very nice.

 

[tankerjohn]

Wow, beautiful pen! I have a particular fondness for gray pens. The nib looks steel. If it isn’t stamped “14k” or “18K”, it’s steel. If that’s the case, you won’t want to use iron gall ink. Other than that, you shouldn’t have any ink restrictions. Enjoy the pen!

 

[dojpros]

When I first started with FPs, I would have defaulted to Parker ink as that is a Parker pen.

I then became a big fan of Pelikan in Black. It is well behaved in a wide variety of pens on a wide variety of papers.

Lately, I have taken a hard pivot to Lamy simply because of value, performance, bottle design with both an integrated "teet" molded in the bottle such that you can get every drop out with ease and the included role of blotter paper to keep things neat post refill etc.

 

[FoolishMortal]

Well, in a fit of...I don't know what, I filled the pen with Noodler's Polar Blue. The color is lighter than I like and I'm not sure that it's flowing well in the pen; I have to press a little harder to get it to flow consistently. Might be the nib, might be the ink.

I'll work with it for a bit longer. If it doesn't improve, I'll flush it and go with Pelikan Black or Blue, or Diamine Bilberry.

In any case, the 2106 - that model name really rolls off the tongue, right? err, no - feels good in my hand. It's definitely a keeper.

 

[BigFoot]

If it is brand new and never been filled it could still need a flushing before filling it up. I have had several new pens that did not write decent until I cleaned them.

 

[FoolishMortal]

If it is brand new and never been filled it could still need a flushing before filling it up. I have had several new pens that did not write decent until I cleaned them.

Fair point, and one I hadn't considered. Thank you.

 

[Zig the Pirate]

I can't offer advice on ink (I'm new to fountain pens) but I wanted to say...

That's a beautiful pen, man