Bic Disposable Fountain Pen - A Picture Review

[Grendel]

Hi all --

 

I was picking up some 20/92 paper at Staples today when I saw an abdomination -- a BiC Disposable Fountain Pen !

 

At $5 for two I thought I'll give it a shot, they should make good giveaways for the average BiC user who wants to try a "real" pen.

 

For $2.50 a piece I'm willing to write up some impressions, leaving the judging to you.

 

Some facts:

 

- it's definately a Pilot Varsity rip-off

- seems to hold more ink than a Varsity

- it's bigger than a Varsity -- longer, thicker, and heavier

- the ink seems to be designed for cheap paper, dries fast, minor feathering

- ink is a very dark greenish-black, the green component appears to be water proof (30s warm water wash)

- I could not pull the feed out as I do on the Varsity's, barrel may be tapered

- the cap has a spring loaded inner cap just like the Varsity

 

The rest is in the pictures, not my best work -- sorry. I promise I'll take better ones for any future review of any real pen.

 

I'll try to answer any questions that may creep up.

 

Enjoy !

 

http://s3.postimage.org/21kmgx3us/PA180998.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21kt32htw/PA180999.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21kwe56tg/PA181007.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/21kzp7vt0/PA181000.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21l4ntxac/PA181001.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21l7ywm9w/PA181002.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21lb9zb9g/PA181004.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/21lg8lcqs/PA181005.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21lhw4p8k/PA181006.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21ljjo1qc/PA181008.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/21lwrytok/PA181009.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21lyfi66c/PA181012.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21m031io4/PA181010.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21m6p6wn8/PA181013.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/21mdbcamc/PA181016.jpg http://s3.postimage.org/21mgmezlw/PA181017.jpg

 

Edited: speeling...

Edited October 19, 2011 by Grendel

[saketb]

What more can one expect from a $2.50 pen. I think its a good value pen, for rugged use. Good pictures indeed!

 

Which red coloured ink is that?

[Grendel]

Thanks. The red is Noodler's Dragon's Napalm. Caveat tho, I did not color balance the pictures (for more imnportand shots I use a GretagMacbeth card...) IRL it's a tat more into orange.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Want.

 

Staples you say? Arrrghhh... I was just there....

 

Thanks for the review and pics!

[Grendel]

Addendum: There's a 3 color pack for $6.99 as well, looks like BiC is serious about this. The blue is pretty light and uneventfull, the red is more of a light pink IRL. Water resistance on these two is pathetic at best.

 

http://s1.postimage.org/sao78vle3/PA241018.jpg http://s1.postimage.org/xnd1n09aj/PA241022.jpg http://s1.postimage.org/wnrc51jij/PA241026.jpg

[AlexandraM]

Great, and not surprising. With Zebra having come out with the 301 within the last year, it makes sense that Bic would enter the marketplace also.

 

I was last at Staples a couple of weeks ago. Next time I go I will look for these, specifically the 3 pack - want to try all the colours!

[79spitfire]

I'm such a darn addict, I want to try one :embarrassed_smile: Is the nib finer than the Varsity? That really is my only grip with the Varsity, the point size.

[Grendel]

Hard to say, I don't have Varsity loaded w/ its original ink Both are labled M but I would say the BiC writes a little bit thinner.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Then these would be more similar to the V-pen (also Pilot). I have a couple, one green, one turquoise, and they write significantly finer than the Varsity. Jetpens used to sell them but they cost a good deal more than $6.99 for three.

[Mkim]

Disposable fountain pen?!

 

When I first read the subtitle-it blew my mind a bit...

 

Why would an instrument of creating personal memories need to be disposable?!?! Gahhh!

 

Having said that...Maybe I should give one a try, hehe.

[Alohamora]

Hi all --

 

I was picking up some 20/92 paper at Staples today when I saw an abdomination -- a BiC Disposable Fountain Pen !

 

At $5 for two I thought I'll give it a shot, they should make good giveaways for the average BiC user who wants to try a "real" pen.

 

For $2.50 a piece I'm willing to write up some impressions, leaving the judging to you.

 

Some facts:

 

- it's definately a Pilot Varsity rip-off

- seems to hold more ink than a Varsity

- it's bigger than a Varsity -- longer, thicker, and heavier

- the ink seems to be designed for cheap paper, dries fast, minor feathering

- ink is a very dark greenish-black, the green component appears to be water proof (30s warm water wash)

- I could not pull the feed out as I do on the Varsity's, barrel may be tapered

- the cap has a spring loaded inner cap just like the Varsity

 

The rest is in the pictures, not my best work -- sorry. I promise I'll take better ones for any future review of any real pen.

 

I'll try to answer any questions that may creep up.

 

Enjoy !

 

http://s3.postimage.org/21kmgx3us/PA180998.jpg

 

That shelf shot is interesting, with the Plumix and spots for Sheaffer Calligraphy pens, besides the varsity and Bic. Could it be that fountain pens are "coming back"?

[Safari_Camo]

Grendel, nice snapshops by the way.... which camera did you use for picts?.

[Grendel]

Hah, someone noticed the shelf shot I was surprised at that row too.

 

Camera is an Olympus E-P1 that I use for "traveling light" First two rows (& addendum) w/ a 12mm/f2 lens, last two w/ a 20mm/f1.7 lens.

[lovemy51]

IMO, it looks more attractive than the Varsity :embarrassed_smile:

 

thx for the review, grendel

[funkypeanut]

Thanks for posting the review. This is a better pen than the Zebra, which is really only good for fishing Lego pieces out of tight spaces. It's not as good as the Varsity, though, mainly because the black ink is really an unappealing greenish-grey and the section won't come out so I can fill it with better ink, as you pointed out in the review. The black doesn't look as dark on my paper as it does in the pics here. I haven't seen the other colors except in the photos posted here, but they don't look as good as the Varsity colors, and there's no purple or green. Step it up, Bic. You're late to the field and not catching up. Now where did I put that Preppy.....

[Sailor Kenshin]

Greenish-gray? Now I MUST have them.

 

I like my Zebra. The more I use it the better it writes.

[Scribblesoften]

Did anyone figure out how to turn it into and eyedropper yet?

[atypical]

Thanks for the review.

 

The BiC pen looks fairly similar to the Carrefour "FluidINK" pen.

 

http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h346/diokan/carrefour_pen.jpg

 

Feed pulls out easily. In fact, the top pen is filled with Sailor Sei Boku.

Ink is a nice dark blue. May feather a tiny bit on poor quality paper. No water resistance whatsoever. The packaging states that the ink is erasable.

Nib is marked 'A' and is comparable to a European medium.

 

Price: 2.9 EUR (4 USD) for a pack of two.

[Vulcan1066]

Maybe they are getting in some for Christmas card season....

[OrangeJoe]

Could the Bic be filled with the same vaccum trick as the Varsity? (no need to pull the feed)