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How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

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Re: How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

#51

Post by pickledoyster »

southernplaces7 wrote: post #43
garbagewoman wrote: post #38

Such a crappy pen design, guess it proves mediocre designs sometimes prevail. The logical backflips that people use to justify its success are a little annoying though

Care to specify what makes this thing that sold 100 billion copies and is instantly, reliably usable in nearly any conceivable context so crappy? Why not also explain your superior design that you think would work so much better.

Other comments note how it creates fatigue within an hour of writing, which is also my experience. Whether that's a result of low quality ink holders, tips that force overgripping, weight or something else, I do not know.

I have a pen cup for when I need to jot something quickly and can't be bothered to get my primary pen from another room, and I've noticed that I rarely, if ever, choose the Cristal. Granted, it is far from being the worst pen out there, but I wince at the thought of using it as my daily pen.

Furthermore, I don't think that selling 100 billion copies of a thing is a sign of quality, e.g., see Microsoft's product line.

As for superior design in a similar price category (i.e., get it free at every conference room), hands down, it's the Schneider K15. Solid ink holders, comfortable tip, a nice weight balance (albeit I find it too light overall), with an imo beautiful modernist design as a cherry on top.

Re: How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

#52

Post by wffurr »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #35
abtinf wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try a Uni-Ball Jetsream, especially the capped version. It’s a ballpoint, with all of the advantages, that writes smoother than any gel. There is a bit of a learning curve as it glides so freely across paper.

> It’s a ballpoint, with all of the advantages, that writes smoother than any gel. Gel pens are ballpoints. What do you mean by "ballpoint" here? > Try a Uni-Ball Jetsream I would never choose to use one of those, since they aren't available in 0.5mm. 0.7mm is too thick.

0.5mm: https://www.jetpens.com/Uni-Jetstream-Lite-Touch-Ink-Ballpoi...

“Gel pens” are technically ballpoints, true, but when one says “ballpoint” it’s usually taken to refer to an oil based ballpoint like a Bic, whereas gel ink writes quite differently.

Re: How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

#53

Post by dist-epoch »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #46

What's the proper name for that other, arguably even more well-recognized, BIC pen, that looks like Cristal except its main body is opaque orange, and is generally cheap garbage that breaks in your hand if you squeeze it it too hard, and doesn't even write half the time? (And yeah, I remember the taste of it, too. I've "eaten" through my share of these pens as a kid. It's the one pen you can't bite on, unless you lik…

BIC Orange fine.

https://www.amazon.com/BIC-Orange-Original-Ballpoint-Point/d...

Re: How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

#54

Post by [deleted] »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #46

What's the proper name for that other, arguably even more well-recognized, BIC pen, that looks like Cristal except its main body is opaque orange, and is generally cheap garbage that breaks in your hand if you squeeze it it too hard, and doesn't even write half the time? (And yeah, I remember the taste of it, too. I've "eaten" through my share of these pens as a kid. It's the one pen you can't bite on, unless you lik…

[deleted]

Re: How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

#55

Post by Tsiklon »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #46

What's the proper name for that other, arguably even more well-recognized, BIC pen, that looks like Cristal except its main body is opaque orange, and is generally cheap garbage that breaks in your hand if you squeeze it it too hard, and doesn't even write half the time? (And yeah, I remember the taste of it, too. I've "eaten" through my share of these pens as a kid. It's the one pen you can't bite on, unless you lik…

This is the orange Bic Cristal.

Re: How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

#56

Post by dale_glass »

southernplaces7 wrote: post #43
garbagewoman wrote: post #38

Such a crappy pen design, guess it proves mediocre designs sometimes prevail. The logical backflips that people use to justify its success are a little annoying though

Care to specify what makes this thing that sold 100 billion copies and is instantly, reliably usable in nearly any conceivable context so crappy? Why not also explain your superior design that you think would work so much better.

I've had a few of those leak ink over a bunch of my school stuff over the years.

I think it's just not very solidly built, and in some set of circumstances (certainly not always) it's prone to making a mess.

Re: How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

#57

Post by jwagenet »

lionkor wrote: post #26

I bought a pack of 100 of them for super cheap a few years ago, and a pack of 200 or so pencils with erasers from amazon basics. They carried me through all my exams in university, I have some in every backpack, purse, everywhere. Never had to worry about not having a pen ready, or a replacement if I lost one the morning before the exam. That is truly a buy-it-for-life level investment.

I’m not sure I can get behind buying 100 of a disposable pen as “buy it for life”.

Re: How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

#58

Post by cogogo »

Anarch157a wrote: post #29

It's such a versatile product. I bet everyone here who's older than 45/50 have at least once used a Bic pen to rewind a cassete tape. I also used the plastic clip as a stapler remover. There were many other uses for it, for sure.

Never tried myself but I know they were used to defeat older U locks for bikes.

Re: How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous

#59

Post by FridayoLeary »

It really is great at being a pen. It writes well and doesn't break. Shout out to the bic which has 4 colours (rgb&b) for being so useful and high quality.

But if you want to know what the best cheap writing pen, it's the clear pilot pen. Everyone around me uses it. There is also the opaque pilot v5 which was the gold standard when i was in school.

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