Does Anyone Here Actually Use A Bic Cristal* As Their Daily Pen?

[sciumbasci]

Cross owns Bic Corporation. What did Bic do in Fort Madison that you are disappointed about?

Cross owns Sheaffer.

Bic is owned by Bich family.

[Astronymus]

Never liked them. Too thin. Awfull to carry around. People always lose the caps and leave an open pen on your table. And there nothing I can't stand more than an open or extended ballpoint lying around. This makes me very³ upset.

[Tasmith]

Always preferred Pentel RSVP over Bic Cristal's prior to converting to fountain pens. If I need to use a ballpoint, it's now a Parker Jotter with a Fisher refill.

[Corona688]

It's kind of like arguing about what glass the best kind of water comes in.

[TranquilTrout]

I cannot stand ballpoints. They just don't write. They'll grind for 5 minutes before deigning to leave ink, which seems to have little to do with how full or empty, new or old they are. It's just a design flaw - due to the high pressure required to make them roll, the pen gets stuck in the ridge it made, to the point the ball can't reach the bottom.

 

I've rarely had this issue with the ballpoints I've used. The only time it happens to me is when the ballpoint is either super old and dried up, just about empty, or just a really crappy ballpoint (far worse than anything Bic or Papermate makes).

[usk15]

Not as daily user, but as back-up I have a modified Sharpie with BIC/PaperMate InkJoy refill:

 

http://i68.tinypic.com/2ypbv2c.jpg

 

http://i64.tinypic.com/hta3q0.jpg

[TranquilTrout]

Not as daily user, but as back-up I have a modified Sharpie with BIC/PaperMate InkJoy refill:

*

*

 

That is so odd but kinda cool at the same time. What made you think of doing this?

[milkb0at]

What's 1.6mm about it?

 

The ball will be 1.6mm in diameter but the ink line (from the part of the ball that actually touches the paper) is narrower than that.

[usk15]

 

That is so odd but kinda cool at the same time. What made you think of doing this?

 

I find the stick pens being too thin! Sharpie gives you a decent grip.

[RazorJack]

I still have a couple if BIC clic ballpoint pens lying around. Pretty sure I wrote most of my exams and (draft) thesis with them. In all fairness I do like that slightly darker-than-average blue ink that BIC uses for their blue pens :-)

[TranquilTrout]

 

I find the stick pens being too thin! Sharpie gives you a decent grip.

Makes sense. Did you have to make any additional modifications beyond just removing the felt and ink from the sharpie?

[usk15]

Makes sense. Did you have to make any additional modifications beyond just removing the felt and ink from the sharpie?

 

If I remember correctly I just enlarge a bit the inner diameter, by the tip when plug new BIC/InkJoy refill

[torstar]

 

I find the stick pens being too thin! Sharpie gives you a decent grip.

 

Cristals, not stick pens....

[usk15]

 

Cristals, not stick pens....

 

My bad.

[torstar]

 

My bad.

 

It's a thicker barrel with ridges for great grip.

 

Not sure what the OP was getting at if asking and then not bothering to see responses....

[Viseguy]

For my ballpoint needs, I carry a hand-turned bolt-action pen (maxmadco or Tactile Turn) with an Itoya Parker-style 0.7mm black refill. The pens are nice in the hand, and the refills, although they don't last terribly long, write very nicely. I suppose that Bic Cristals are iconic in their way, but ....

[torstar]

For my ballpoint needs, I carry a hand-turned bolt-action pen (maxmadco or Tactile Turn) with an Itoya Parker-style 0.7mm black refill. The pens are nice in the hand, and the refills, although they don't last terribly long, write very nicely. I suppose that Bic Cristals are iconic in their way, but ....

 

You are gloating over your brilliance with your fancy little ballpoint pen there.

 

I appreciate the three levels of irony, deeply...

[Snowyfox]

Torstar and Corona, you guys are a bit hostile over this. It's a pretty casual thread.

 

Not sure what the OP was getting at if asking and then not bothering to see responses....

 

I watched this thread for a week after posting it; it grinded to a halt after the 4th reply, so I considered it over. Only now have I decided to check FPN again and find it weirdly populated.

 

For my ballpoint needs, I carry a hand-turned bolt-action pen (maxmadco or Tactile Turn) with an Itoya Parker-style 0.7mm black refill. The pens are nice in the hand, and the refills, although they don't last terribly long, write very nicely. I suppose that Bic Cristals are iconic in their way, but ....

 

How much did it cost for the whole setup? And is the bolt-action as easy to use as a clicker? Bolt-actions have been the trend for a while.

 

And have you tried other cheap pens aside from the Cristal?

 

----

 

Thanks for the replies so far. Also, looks like you guys find the Bic Bold 1.6mm good. The Cristal Xtra Smooth does feel oddly smooth for a biro of its size, so I'm guessing the Bic Bold is even smoother. Will pick some up sometime.

Edited March 14, 2018 by Snowyfox

[Snowyfox]

Cristals, not stick pens....

The Sharpie and the refill he's using is within the Cristal's price range, so it's fine. And stick pens are generally really cheap anyways.

 

Indeed, though, we've genericised this thread quite a bit; it was about Cristals and pens in that price bracket, not fancier and more popular biros. xD

 

Let's stay on track. Many have already said or implied that they wouldn't accept using a pen as cheap as a Cristal, though.

 

Always preferred Pentel RSVP over Bic Cristal's prior to converting to fountain pens. If I need to use a ballpoint, it's now a Parker Jotter with a Fisher refill.

The Pentel RSVP is almost literally 10x the cost of a Cristal, though. I'd be surprised if you DIDN'T prefer it.

Edited March 14, 2018 by Snowyfox

[Viseguy]

How much did it cost for the whole setup? And is the bolt-action as easy to use as a clicker? Bolt-actions have been the trend for a while.

 

And have you tried other cheap pens aside from the Cristal?

 

Oh, I've tried them all. The Cristal is brilliant in its way, I just don't find it comfortable to write with. But it's a sight better than many other cheap pens, I'll grant you. And iconic!

 

Yes, bolt-action pens are trendy. They are easy to use, but just hard enough so that you're not inclined to click them obsessively -- which is a good thing in my book. As for cost, I could have had several hundred Cristals for the price of my four bolt-action pens, for sure. The allure for me was the choice of materials, the craftsmanship involved, and the writing experience. But really, it's apples and oranges.