Cross Pen Refill Guide (Step-by-Step Instructions)

By Daniel Whitehouse

person writing using pen

Cross Pen Refill Guide (Step-by-Step Instructions)

By Daniel Whitehouse

Dive into our cross pens refills guide and experience presidential quality writing.

A.T. Cross is the long-term supplier of engraved U.S presidential writing pens used to sign legislation from 1974. Consequently, Cross manufactures the quintessential writing implements for pen enthusiasts. 

Cross pens are an American staple and a favorite for both corporate and personal use.

You may have received an elegant fountain or ballpoint pen as a gift - or perhaps you’ve invested in one for yourself. 

But what happens when the pen ink runs out? With prices up to $150 for a higher-end ballpoint pen, there’s no way you’re throwing it out

The solution? Find a Cross pen refill that matches the ballpoint pen. 

It might sound easy, but with different sizes and types, you must choose the correct refills. As a result, this will ensure the highest writing quality and keep your pen in the best condition. 

Let’s guide you through the different types of pen refills, and the process of refilling the pen correctly

From Cross ballpoint pen refills to Cross fountain pen refills, keep reading to get in the know before your next refill. 

Cross Pens Refill Guide Infograph Chart

Do I Need My Own Cross Pens?

Well, yeah! If you don't have one yet, check out our wide selection of Cross pens.

These writing instruments are a favorite for pen enthusiasts and provide luxury writing. 

Indeed, they are known for being balanced, with smooth ink flow. They can also improve your writing style, making it neater. 

These writing instruments have a lifetime quality warranty, meaning you will need a consistent supply of ink, depending on your usage. 

You may use a ballpoint pen daily and a fountain pen for special occasions.

Alternatively, you could give a rollerball pen as a gift, along with the ink refill. They are easily customizable so they’re the perfect corporate or family gift. 

Whatever your usage, our cross pen refills guide will show you how these are a necessity for every Cross pen owner.  

How Do I Open and Refill a Cross Pen?

Luckily, every Cross pen—from the Calais Chrome ballpoint pen to the Century II Black and Gold Rollerball—opens the same way. Whichever type you own - ballpoint pen, fountain pen, or rollerball - these simple steps will help you open the pen safely and easily:

  1. Hold the pen half an inch from both ends. 
  2. Pull gently to remove the top half of the pen. 
  3. If it seems stuck, twist the two halves while pulling.
  4. Hold the pen straight with the pen tip facing downwards. 
  5. Turn the old refill counterclockwise to release it. 
  6. Pull the bottom half up to remove the refill from the barrel. 
  7. Make sure you have the correct refill by comparing it to the old refill.
  8. Insert the refill with the pen tip first. 
  9. Turn the refill lid clockwise to secure it. 
  10. Align the top of the pen with the bottom at the midsection.
  11. Turn the top half clockwise for half a turn.
  12. The refill should come out of the barrel of the pen.
  13. Confirm the pen is working by scribbling on a piece of paper. 

By following these steps and the information in this cross pen refills guide, you can open and refill your pen without difficulty. 

Now, what's next? Let’s look at the different types of refills.

Cross Refill Size Guide

To be sure you have the correct refill, you may need to confirm the dimensions. 

Use the simple guide below to check pen ink refills.

Pen Type
Pen Ink Refill Length
Pen Ink Refill Width
Tip Length
Cross Ballpoint Pen Refill 116mm 5.5mm 9.8mm
Cross Fountain Pen Refill 42mm 7.6mm 5.1mm
Cross Rollerball Pen Refill 111mm 6.4mm 21.7mm

Cross Ballpoint Pens Refill

Pens like the Classic Century pen (one of the best Cross ballpoint pens in my opinion), are high-quality pens and reliable and the best for daily usage. 

The ballpoint pen is one of the most popular types of pens, so a ballpoint pen refill is usually in high demand. 

Pros

Some of the pros of the ballpoint pen include:

  • No mess 
  • Low maintenance 
  • Affordable 
  • Lightweight 

Cons

A few of the ballpoint pen cons include:

  • Messy ink blobs
  • Not good for long writing sessions

So how do you go about a ballpoint pen refill? Simply make an order online for a ballpoint refill and wait for quick delivery.

This Cross Ballpoint Pen Refill fits any ballpoint pen and can be inserted using the steps above. The ballpoint pen ink color refill comes in either blue or black medium.

Cori in irmo customer review

Cross Fountain Pen Refill

A Cross fountain pen is the ultimate connoisseur’s pen. Take, for instance, the Cross Townsend Fountain Pen - the ‘pen of presidents’. It has a well-made nib, and the fountain pen ink is easy to refill.

Cross Townsend Fountain Pen details


Cross Townsend Fountain Pen

 

Pros

The pros of using a fountain include:

  • Dynamic, smooth lines 
  • High-quality & stylish 
  • Platinum-plated 

Cons 

Some cons however are:

  • Requires maintenance 
  • May leak ink on the paper

In order to refill this pen, separate the two sections as above and insert a universal fountain pen ink refill. This refill pen ink cartridge should work for most types of Cross fountain pens, in a blue and black medium.

Donald J customer review
Customer review

 Shop Now: Cross pen refills

Cross Rollerball Pen Refill

Rollerballs are a combination of a fountain pen’s smooth ink and the tip of a ballpoint pen. They are equipped with a lid instead of a click mechanism. 

One of the most popular rollerballs is the Cross Classic Century Ballpoint Pen. A timeless pen, it is both lightweight and solid, exhibiting unrivaled quality. 

Pros

Here are the pros of a rollerball pen:

  • Allows for fast & neat writing
  • Comfortable to use
  • Requires less pressure to write

Cons

The cons of this pen are:

  • May cause smudging (especially for left-handers)
  • Releases a lot of ink so will run out quickly
  • If uncapped, may bleed ink onto clothes

By following the insertion procedure, you can use generic rollerball refills that fit most pens. If you buy a pack of two, you will have a backup refill in case your ink suddenly runs out.

Ray H customer review


Customer review

These Cross pens refills are offered in blue and black; plus, you can get a discount on bulk orders at Dayspring Pens.

Cross Brand Selectip Rollerball Refills


Cross Brand Selectip Rollerball Refills

Find the Correct Cross Pens Refill

In summary, a Cross is an investment that lasts you a lifetime - if well taken care of. Unfortunately, if you try to force an incorrect refill in your pen, you may cause irreparable damage. 

Take some time to find the correct Cross pen refill and keep your pen flowing smoothly.

Shop online and order your pen refill today.

And let us know about where you found the best Cross pen refill in the comments section below!

daniel

Daniel Whitehouse is the President and CEO of Dayspring Pens. He uses his expertise with premium writing utensils to create exceptional, intentional products and craft easy-to-understand articles that help both new and experienced users learn more about their writing tools. He lives in Virginia where he and his wife are raising their four children.

To learn more about him and his insights about custom engraved gift pens, follow Daniel on LinkedIn.

23 Comments

I own a beautiful set of Cross pens, fountain, rollerball and gel rolling ball.
I cannot find a refill for the gel rolling ball pen, it is marked 0.7mm 0712
Can you suggest an alternative refill please.

Christine Heatherly

We have a cross pen and pencil set and cannot find any refills the only engravings are “cross” for the pen and " 2 3/4 thin lead" for the pencil. Any suggestions? Thanks they had to have been bought over 20 yrs ago

Park mcfarlane

We have a cross pen and pencil set and cannot find any refills the only engravings are “cross” for the pen and " 2 3/4 thin lead" for the pencil. Any suggestions? Thanks

Park mcfarlane

@Paula Sure thing! Cross ballpoints must be screwed in all the way to make sure they engage the twist mechanism. We sell Cross brand and generic Cross style ballpoint refills on our website that will definitely fit both your classic centuries.

Samantha Di Nardo

Hello, I have a classic chrome and 10k gold filled ball point pens that I am trying to find refills for. The refills I bought elsewhere do not allow the pen tip to be manipulated in and out. Both are made in USA. Please advise what I should purchase. Thanks!

Paula

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