Best Cross Pens to Engrave?

[R. A. Mitchell]

Here's a question to you pen engravers -

What are best style Cross pens to engrave? I have a customer who wants a few Cross pens engraved by the end of the week for some clients. He definitely wants it to be a Cross brand, but isn't locked into a particular model. I know I've read elsewhere that there are some Cross pens that engrave wonderfully, and others not at all. Since this guy hasn't purchased the pens yet, what would you recommend?

Thanks a million!

Rob

[R. A. Mitchell]

OK, kind of strange to answer my own question, but here's a shot -

I contacted Cross directly, and they pointed to mycrossbiz.com. There you can click on Corporate Catalog (no sign in required), and from there you can see Decoration Information. They talk about laser engraving, drag engraving and other options.

Most of the pens they say are laser engravable are chrome, which leads me to believe they aren't talking about a CO2 laser. However, their Classic Century and Century 2 black pens both look like laquer over brass, and they do say they are engravable. Moreover, their Townsend black polished pen seems to be a black lacquer pen on brass, albeit a higher quality lacquer, yet it doesn't say it's laserable. Even so, it shows an example of a pen with a signature, and I don't see how that could have been done without a laser.

So the Cross site isn't a lot of help to me. I thought I read something about Cross pens on this forum a long time ago, but I couldn't find the thread. Any guidance you guys could give would be helpful for me, and anyone looking for similar info down the road.

Thanks!

Rob

[Doug Bergstrom]

We give pens as gives to our customers almost every year. I have found that almost every Cross pen I have tried excluding their chrome models lasers very well. The red pens I did this year when engraved were a gold color. The leather looks great and even the small plastic clip model engraved nicely.
We usually pick them up at a discount store like TJ Max or Marshalls. They always have a wide variety of inexpensive Cross pens.
Good luck!