Bye Bye Bic Biro's

[Andrew_A]

Something strange is going on with Bic.

I love Bic Biro's, I do a lot of writing in journals and on paper and haven't found anything that has the feel of the Bic Cristal M biro.

I used to be able to use them until the ink had almost run out, now I have found that the quality of the ink appears to have changed. The brightness of the ink fades quickly and I have to change pens often.

Any suggestions for a suitable alternative amongst pens?

 

[Brenda Irwin]

I like Paper Mate Gel Roller II but they are so good they run out of ink pretty quick.

Staedler would be my second choice in the Stick 430M.

Unless of course I go to a seminar where ppl leave all those free pens sitting on the tables after the seminar is over. Always score a few of those.

 

[steveadl]

Funny you should say that - I'm actually coming to the end of the ink in a Bic biro at work now. I've only noticed that, because I've never run out of ink before in a normal biro (Bic or any other), it always stuffs up way before that - usually with half the ink left in it. The only pens I've ever run out of ink on were the Parker's.

 

[Rixter]

Any suggestions for a suitable alternative amongst pens?

Yeah, use a secretary to take dictations works for me

 

[Dave Hooper]

What's a pen?

Is it anything like my MacBook Pro?

 

[ianvestor]

Unless of course I go to a seminar where ppl leave all those free pens sitting on the tables after the seminar is over. Always score a few of those.

Haha, I can't remember the last time I actually bought a pen. It's literally been years and years, maybe 10. Too many free ones around the place. i.e. hotels, seminars, planes, etc.

On the subject, I was in a jewelery store in Paris recently and like to try to find the most expensive stuff just to stare and say "wow" and found a pen there for around $80,000. Who buys these pens?! I can't imagine doing that even as a billionaire.

I wonder how many Bic Biros you could buy for $80,000.

 

[AlmostBob]

On the subject, I was in a jewelery store in Paris recently and like to try to find the most expensive stuff just to stare and say "wow" and found a pen there for around $80,000. Who buys these pens?! I can't imagine doing that even as a billionaire.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein

Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped. - Elbert Hubbard

I’m also not very analytical. You know I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things. - George W. Bush

Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything. - Frank Dane

It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid. - George Bernard Shaw

It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt. - Mark Twain

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions? - Scott Adams

Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped. - Elbert Hubbard

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change. - Confucius

Strange as it seems, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and higher education positively fortifies it. - Stephen Vizinczey

Quitters never win, winners never quit, but those who never win and never quit are idiots. - Anonymous​

There appears to be a large amount of opinion and none of it excludes wealth as an indicator of stupidity.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

I agree Parker pens are the most reliable, the ones with the refill.
I've been using them for 30+ years.

The best disposable I have used over the last 15 years is a
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] S18011050[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Papermate Flexigrip Ultra Retractable Medium

I still have to make a lot of written notes when with clients, in black, so it can be photocopied well for lawyers to read if I am litigated against

BTW, I am one of those guys in the office when picking up a pen that doesn't work after a few tries, tosses it in the bin. Why can't some people throw away pens that don't work immediately?


[/FONT]

 

[wylie]

I am with you Winston. My mother buys bic pens in bulk and many of them don't work. She puts them back in the box .

If I am at her place and pick up a pen that is not working well, I throw it straight away.

 

[Minxdamanx]

Bic Softfeel Medium - the clicky ones - never patchy and you never have to warm them up to get them going.

Love 'em.

 

[Perp]

Is it anything like my MacBook Pro?

I think it's like a PDA stylus with an inbuilt mini-printer.

 

[GreatPig]

I use any old cheap pen that will take a Parker refill. That way you get good writing without paying a premium for the pen.

In fact, most of my pens seem to be business promotional ones that didn't cost me a cent.

GP

 

[Dave Hooper]

I think it's like a PDA stylus with an inbuilt mini-printer.

Ahh thankyou, now I understand

 

[Strannik]

[
Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped. - Elbert Hubbard

You've got this line twice

 

[AlmostBob]

You've got this line twice

Thus proving the adage

 

[Davidr]

There was a study a few years ago that proved conclusively that the biro was the pupae form of the wire coat hanger.

This solved the mystery behind the problems faced by many.

Most people can never find a biro when they need one.

Most people find wire coathangers in prolific proportions in their cuppboards even though they never remember purchasing them

 

[Andrew_A]

Interesting replies. I will try the Parker option one time.

Also I have this problem of writing notes in bed, gravity makes it hard to write as the bic dries up if the ink isn't flowing down. I could find some special pen perhaps, at the moment I'm just using the Russian solution of using a pencil.

 

[Perp]

I've been thinking of getting a Fisher space pen. Has anybody used one?

As well as writing upside-down, they apparently write on any surface. One problem that I am frequently frustrated by is that the pen won't work as I move down the page because I've made the paper too oily or something whilst leaning on it with the side of my hand. Anybody else have this problem, or do I just have oily skin?

 

[WinstonWolfe]

I've been thinking of getting a Fisher space pen. Has anybody used one?

where'd you hear about this pen Tracey? Sounds good.

re sweaty hands, if it is really bad, there's a medical condition which I presume you have looked into. I occasionally have the same problem because I am a molly dooker and the lateral aspect of my palmar surface drags behind the pen tip.....lefties do it tough sometimes

Andrew, I have preferred using a 2B pencil in various circumstances through the years. The ones with the retractable lead refills and rubbered ends were de rigeur when I was doing a lot of study....good to leave beside the phone.great for maths, revision when studying, conceptualizing graphics, flow charts, etc.

 

[Perp]

where'd you hear about this pen Tracey?

It's one of those brands that I've known about for so long I have no idea where I first heard about it. They really were developed for the space program - I probably learnt about it from "Simon Townsend's Wonder World"

re sweaty hands, if it is really bad, there's a medical condition which I presume you have looked into.

I'm not aware of any sweaty hands problem - they feel dry to the touch but still leave (invisible) skin cells or oils or something that stop most pens in their tracks. At least I'm assuming that's what's going on, as it gets worse as I go down the page.

And no, I'm not making money out of referrals , but I see they also sell refills that you can use in nearly any brand of pen. In fact, I've just bought one, so I'll let you know how I get on. justwrite.com.au have a HUGE range of Fisher pens and refills.