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How the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen became ubiquitous
- Bluestein 1y agoLove BIC! From pens to ChatGPT. What a ride.-
- loloquwowndueo 1y agoIt’s a service not a product.
- arccy 1y agoEvery feature Google / Apple releases gets millions of users in days. ChatGPT is but a fad that has no moat.
- Bluestein 1y agoA fad valuated in the billions ...
- stockerta 1y agoFor now...
- loloquwowndueo 1y agoPlenty of overvalued fads during bubbles (see the dotcom bubble).
- bgnn 1y agoCurrent valuation is not relevant in the context of history, yet.
- Traubenfuchs 1y ago...Apple sold less than a million Apple Visions.
- loloquwowndueo 1y agoAh, I see you edited your original comment which read something like “ChatGPT might be the most successful product, millions of users in only a few days”.
- Traubenfuchs 1y agoIt's not very comfortable, its hard edges are unpleasant for the fingers and it feels too thin. The flimsy cap gets lost easy and there is an endless amount of ballpoint pens you can click, that don't even need a cap in the first place. Average clicking ballpoint pens have a plastic that's more comfortable to suck, lick and bite. I always hated them.
- dmd 1y agoagreed, agreed, … wait what
- TeMPOraL 1y agoYou never bit on your pen? Especially back in the school days? Ballpoint pens are the OG stress relief / concentration / "fidget spinner" toys. Except the BIC ones, those would easily shatter; suddenly finding your mouth to be full of sharp, orange or translucent shards of plastic, is the opposite of calm and focus.
- ziml77 1y agoI've never done that because pens end up in the dirtiest places. People aren't washing their hands before using them, they gets tossed in a bag and sit in the crevices alongside all sorts of dust and dirt, they get set on dirty desks and will even hit the floor sometimes. All-in-all, super gross.
- SeanDav 1y ago100 Billion sales means there are some things to like ...
- garbagewoman 1y agoOk, and? Coke bottles have sold more than that
- southernplaces7 1y ago
- ndsipa_pomu 1y agoAlso useful for picking some tubular locks https://postureinfohub.com/how-to-pick-a-tubular-lock-with-a-ballpoint-pen/ https://postureinfohub.com/how-to-pick-a-tubular-lock-with-a...
- crtasm 1y agoYes, though this link is AI slop.
- randomcarbloke 1y agoand for disassembling the gamecube (in the days before easy access to non-standard screwdrivers)
- roelschroeven 1y agoAnd for rewinding cassette tapes.
- codedokode 1y agoI use gel pens, because they leave thinner and more black trace. I think ballpoint pen belongs to history.
- kreco 1y agoI don't think ballpoint pen belongs to history only because you don't use them. I use BIC ballpoint because they are the only ones who don't die when I carry them in my backpack. All others just cease to function for unknown reason or leak.
- abtinf 1y agoTry 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.
- thaumasiotes 1y ago> 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.
- jackstraw14 1y agoJetstreams come in a lot of forms, including 0.5mm and 0.38mm I believe.
- thaumasiotes 1y agoNot according to Uniball's official website they don't. https://www.unibrands.co/collections/jetstream?filter.v.option.point+size=0.5+mm https://www.unibrands.co/collections/jetstream?filter.v.opti...
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- pmg101 1y agoIt's the perfect product. I pick it up, I use it, it functions perfectly without thought. It's a lifelong mission to find any such tech product.
- WillAdams 1y agoMy Newton MessagePad was like that --- just the friction of charging/replacing the batteries and the physical friction of the resistive stylus got to be too much for me --- I'd give a lot for its functionality on my (stylus-equipped) phone.
- Bluestein 1y agoI used to have one of those - so so way ahead of its time.- PS Also, the handwriting recognition was way ahead of the game.-
- loloquwowndueo 1y agoNewtons were enormous, having to lug it around was awkward, so I stopped bringing mine everywhere.
- Al-Khwarizmi 1y agoEver tried writing a few pages with it? It requires too much pressure compared with gel pens, rollerball pens, let alone fountain pens (although the latter are not for everyone). It soon creates fatigue. And at least in my case I also make uglier handwriting with them that with gel pens, rollerball pens, let alone fountain pens. It's an extremely reliable product to do what it does, as well as extremely cheap, but far from perfect IMO. I see it more as a last resort if nothing else is available.
- Spartan-S63 1y agoSo true. I hated using BIC ballpoint pens for this reason. I found the Pilot Rollerballs are my favorites to use. The 0.5mm size writes really smoothly. I picked up a couple bolt action pens for some more heft and put the Pilot rollerball fillers into the pen to get a really pleasant writing experience.
- WillAdams 1y agoTwo articles on it (which probably were part of the source for this one): - https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2016/1/17/bic-cristal-ballpoint-pen-review https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2016/1/17/bic-cristal-ballpoi... - https://www.jetpens.com/blog/How-the-Ballpoint-Pen-Changed-the-Way-We-Write/pt/999 https://www.jetpens.com/blog/How-the-Ballpoint-Pen-Changed-t... a book which has a bit on the usage of this and similar Bic models is: https://www.paulshawletterdesign.com/2012/12/blue-pencil-no-21-zapfiana-no-2-what-our-lettering-needs/ https://www.paulshawletterdesign.com/2012/12/blue-pencil-no-... (ob. discl., I received a copy (which I gave to my daughter) to write the review: http://ftp.tug.org/TUGboat/tb34-2/tb107reviews-zapfhallmark.pdf http://ftp.tug.org/TUGboat/tb34-2/tb107reviews-zapfhallmark....) which has the line: > Some such details are very humbling, such as the exquisitely beautiful design study for Zapfino-like capitals intended for use with Firenze shown with the 49 cent Deluxe Fine Point Bic ballpoint pen used to render the letters (pg. 43).
- lionkor 1y agoI 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.
- jwagenet 1y agoI’m not sure I can get behind buying 100 of a disposable pen as “buy it for life”.
- dehugger 1y agoBuy them for life?
- lionkor 1y agoThe box (with its contents) will probably outlast me, and I've only ever thrown away, like, maybe one of them?
- nancyminusone 1y agoThey are only disposable if you throw them away.
- imtringued 1y agoI didn't use it for exams, but I once went to a regional clothing store known for being extremely cheap and poor quality and I bought a 1€ mechanical pencil there. Surprisingly, that mechanical pencil had an amazingly well engineered metal collet instead of the usual plastic ones. I've used that pencil for years and my only complaint is that if you don't tighten it enough, it'll unscrew itself and snap your lead.
- xyzzy123 1y agoThe bic clic (not cristal) is the iconic pen of my childhood. It's hard to explain how popular they were in NZ, if you asked kids to draw a pen that's what they'd draw.
- Aaron2222 1y agoCame here to say the same thing. BIC Cristals are quite uncommon in my (also NZ) experience, but the BIC Clics are everywhere. EDIT: Apparently also referred to as the BIC M10. Not to be confused with the BIC Clic Stic they apparently sell in the US. Images for reference: - https://i.redd.it/j0yd36jxfr5e1.jpeg https://i.redd.it/j0yd36jxfr5e1.jpeg - https://imgur.com/lLPyqqF https://imgur.com/lLPyqqF - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A6xZLNzBYE&t=531s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A6xZLNzBYE&t=531s
- Anarch157a 1y agoIt'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.
- luismedel 1y agoThe clip is also a superb stress-reliever by biting it :-)
- cogogo 1y agoNever tried myself but I know they were used to defeat older U locks for bikes.
- creaturemachine 1y agoFor that job you needed one of the opaque round ones with a more flexible plastic. It had to friction fit over the centre of the keyway so it could deliver some torque as you were working the tumblers.
- brunoarueira 1y agoI'm not that older, but I had learned this trick, mainly when the device goes wrong and we need to fix the tape :)
- QuercusMax 1y agoI always just used a pencil.
- TeMPOraL 1y agoI usually had neither on me when needed, so I just used my pinkie.
- QuercusMax 1y agoThat worked too, was just a bit more uncomfortable.
- christophilus 1y agoThere are some amazing drawings done with blue Bics. https://mymodernmet.com/paulus-architect-ballpoint-pen-drawing/ https://mymodernmet.com/paulus-architect-ballpoint-pen-drawi...
- glimshe 1y ago[flagged]
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- garbagewoman 1y agoSuch 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
- southernplaces7 1y agoCare 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.
- stockerta 1y agoI guess compared to a "high end" pen its crap, but its like saying that the Citroen 2cv is crap compared to a semi truck if we talk about cargo capacity.
- pickledoyster 1y agoOther 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.
- serf 1y ago> Other comments note how it creates fatigue within an hour of writing I don't care about pens, but if this argument was made elsewhere it'd be argued that the ergonomics and fatigue support the concept of seeking rest rather than finding a pen that allows for longer work hours. Example : if I said I was getting fatigued at the keyboard in some HN thread I would get 30 replies that told me to time my exposure and seek RSI breaks..
- TeMPOraL 1y agoWhat'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 like having shards of orange plastic everywhere.) It's also magical in a big way - it's almost as if it were enchanted with a "handwriting: -10" debuff, because that's what happens when you try writing with it, relative to anything else (including pencils and crayons). To this day, I occasionally wonder, how did they manage to achieve that distinct effect. In my circles, BIC as a brand is basically the stuff you don't buy unless as a last resort, whether that's ballpoints or razors or anything else.
- dist-epoch 1y agoBIC Orange fine. https://www.amazon.com/BIC-Orange-Original-Ballpoint-Point/dp/B000071LUF https://www.amazon.com/BIC-Orange-Original-Ballpoint-Point/d...
- williamdclt 1y ago> made to last with enough ink to write for an average of 3,5 km measuring ink capacity in km makes total sense but I find it hilarious
- jiscariot 1y agoThe skilcraft US government pen, was spec'd to write 5k in -40F to 160F and is also manufactured by the blind. I've got a box of them spread out anywhere I need a pen. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/17/AR2010041701297.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/0...
- wildzzz 1y agoMy grandfather had a skillcraft stick pen (the cheapest one they make) from his last job before retiring. I'm pretty sure that same pen sat in a cup in his kitchen for like 30 years and was used daily. Never ran out.
- ubermonkey 1y agoThe Cristal is the front-runner in my brain for "most iconic consumer product of the 20th century." That said, it's weird how they've completely vanished from my personal landscape. The opaque white Biros are more common now. But I think I'll go seek out a Cristal later today, just for nostalgia's sake.
- FridayoLeary 1y agoIt 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.
- rsynnott 1y agoMy favourite thing about Bic's origins: > Marcel Bich bought the patent for the ballpoint pen from Hungarian – Argentine inventor László Bíró Presumably beating his rivals John Pencil and Wolfgang von Fountain-Pen to it...
- dcminter 1y agoI remember a skit in a (terrible) British sketch show a zillion years ago where Biro tells the details of his secret invention to someone with an aside that there was nobody else in the house except "the butler Bic, the housekeeper Pentel, and the chauffeur Platignum" :)
- shawabawa3 1y agothe word "biro" didn't exist until Biro invented the ballpoint pen, which came to be known after its inventor
- fodkodrasz 1y agoNot in English, but the word bíró means judge in Hungarian language. The earliest written memory of the word is from the year 1306, from a land ownership certificate issued that year.
- somewhereoutth 1y agoMy thinking tool, along with a ream of 80gsm blank white printer paper. As well as being ubiquitous, reliable and cheap, you can also vary the line weight it produces with pressure. This makes it great for sketches and diagrams, as well as straight writing.
- pansa2 1y ago> Cristal became ubiquitous around the world Not quite; in New Zealand they're surprisingly rare. I've never seen them for sale there, even though they're common in Australia.
- jhoechtl 1y agoMy favourite is actually the BIC M10. Fell totally.out of fashion but I dislike the idea of detachable cap which gets lost all to easy. https://fr.bic.com/fr/bic-m10-original-stylos-bille-retractables-pointe-moyenne-1-0-mm-noir-blister-de-10.html https://fr.bic.com/fr/bic-m10-original-stylos-bille-retracta...
- Aaron2222 1y agoThey're still very common in NZ.
- ashton314 1y agoThere's an old article from The Atlantic [1] that makes the case that the ballpoint pen killed cursive: they require much more pressure to write with compared to rollerball or fountain pens. Like the author, I started using a fountain pen and it makes so much more sense why you would write in cursive with that thing. If you like taking analog notes, I highly recommend getting yourself a starter fountain pen and some good paper (emphatically not Moleskin—those work best with pencils; too much bleed with fountain pen ink) and enjoy hand writing as it was meant to be. ;) [1]: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/08/ballpoint-pens-object-lesson-history-handwriting/402205/ https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/08/ballp...
- thequux 1y agoI second your recommendation for trying fountain pens. I suffer from some form of arthritis, and fountain pens let me write again. There are a variety of cheap ones available; I'm fond of the Platinum Preppy. They're cheap as chips, write nicely, and have a fine version that actually lives up to its name. The Lamy Safari is also popular, but I found it too chunky to be comfortable.
- ashton314 1y agoVery nice! I know a lot of people like the Platinum Preppy. I typically use a LAMY Al-Star, but I never post the cap on the end of the pen while writing—the pen has much better balance when the cap is on the table. I also really like my Pilot Metropolitan.
- cafard 1y agoHandwriting is meant to be legible. My impressions is that those who can write legibly with a ballpoint pen can write legibly with a fountain pen and vice-versa. I say this as one who took up typing as soon as he could.
- jerlam 1y agoThey last for so long that it's almost an accomplishment to have one run out of ink before they get lost, stolen, or broken. They could have half the ink capacity and most people would barely notice.
- jjice 1y agoI used these a lot as a kid and always disliked them. Pens and pencils are strange because there's su ch a wide range of preferences for such a simple thing. Something about them always irked me and I honestly don't know what it is. The BIC Round Stic, however, I love. I bought a box of sixth like a decade ago and still have like thirty left. Super simple, super cheap, and just great for me.
- dustbunny 1y agoJust signed a contract with a lawyers pen which was too heavy on ink so I got ink all over my hands. Was a pain to put my hat on after without getting ink on it. Seriously considered bringing my own pen before hand. Guess I will next time. Not only is this pen ubiquitous, but it's ink flow is usually pretty light, which makes it not smear on your hands or the page.
- euroderf 1y agoI'll tell ya why they took over. IIRC in the late 70s they sold for nineteen cents each (NE USA). Ya couldn't beat that with a stick.
- keane 1y agoThe BIC Cristal pen was listed by Jerry Seinfeld as one of his 10 essential items that he can't live without in an interview with GQ. He says he always finishes the pens, never loses them, and that he called BIC to (successfully) find out why the cap has a hole in it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL2sr99Sv18&t=157s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL2sr99Sv18&t=157s He claims the BIC has quintessence, a quality he says he has been devotedly tracking since reading the 1983 book Quintessence : The Quality of Having It by Betty Cornfeld and Owen Edwards: https://archive.org/details/quintessence00bett https://archive.org/details/quintessence00bett
- cafard 1y agoThere should be a mention of pocket protectors in here somewhere. Am I the only one who discarded the end cap and stained his shirt?