Bic Disposable Fountain Pen - A Picture Review

[twduffy58]

I was going to pick up a pack of these to play with and the staff at my local store thought I was loopy. They've never seen a Bic FP... Their loss of a sale, even though it would have been a small one. They all add up.

[Scribero ergo sum]

Found them at the Staples near work on the way home last night.

 

I'm impressed. I've had a few packs of Pilot Varsity's over the past few years and although they were fun, I found them too scratchy to be used all day long (notes in meetings, etc.).

 

So far these new Bic's are great. Maybe I got a package with very good nibs and the next package wouldn't be, but for now they're awfully fun for a three-pack of pens that cost seven bux.

 

I'm surprised how light the red ink is. As others noted, it's almost pink. And the black reminds me more of my daughter's waterpaints it seems so thin.

 

But thus far, I like them enough to buy them again.

[Dimitrios_P]

I'm impressed....!

[ThirdeYe]

I was very tempted to get some when I went to Staples last time. I carried them around for a while and eventually went back to my wonderful Varsities. They write so well, and I'm not convinced that the Bics can be refilled without a ton of effort.

[DRP]

To buy a BIC disposable fountain pen, consider buying anything with the Sheaffer name on it since BIC closed Sheaffer's superlative facility in Fort Madison to save money. The quality isn't there any longer even though the price point has remained high.

[doodlesinink]

Oh my gosh! I didn't know those were fountain pens! I thought they were just regular sign pens that's why I didn't give them much attention. I'm definitely going to look them up the next time I go to a bookstore.

[XKCD]

I will certainly try them out and then go back yo my TWSBI

[writebyhand]

To buy a BIC disposable fountain pen, consider buying anything with the Sheaffer name on it since BIC closed Sheaffer's superlative facility in Fort Madison to save money. The quality isn't there any longer even though the price point has remained high.

 

Too true!

[ajcoleman]

I picked up some today while I was at Staples (The wireless mouse I wanted was half off, so it was like getting pens for free!) They had on the bottom shelf below the markers the Pilot Plumix, the Bic disposable FP's (in a two pack of black and a pack of 3, 1 ea in black, blue and red) and the Sheaffer caligraphy pens in fine, medium and bold italics. That is more fountain pens then I have ever seen there. I don't know that it marks a resurgence, but it is encouraging nonetheless.

 

The bic pen itself is not too bad for the price. I like it much better than the Zebra pen. I haven't used a Varsity in ages, so I won't compare it to that. The nib is smooth, seemed well-adjusted out of the package, and seems on the fine side of medium. The black ink is not super black, but flows well, handles cheap paper OK, and seems to have at least modest water resistance. I haven't tried to pull the section out, but there is a cap on the back end of the pen that seems like it may be removable, but I am going to wait till the ink is lower before I try that.

 

Overall I am quite happy with it. It isn't going to make me put my other pens away, but it writes well enough that it holds its own with the disposable rollerballs at this price point.

[weemeng]

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

 

It most definitely can be filled using the syringe vacuum method. In all liquid ink pen designs, as ink comes out thru the nib, air must go in to take its place else after awhile, a vacuum is created and the ink wont flow to the nib.

 

The syringe vacuum method makes use of this very same air channel to send new ink into the ink chamber. The theory is to remove air from inside the ink chamber thereby creating a vacuum, then cover the air equalizer hole with ink and release the vacuum. As the vacuum is released, ink is now pulled into the chamber.

 

One difficulty with this method is finding a syringe that conveniently fits tightly over a pen's section.

 

Another challenge is guessing whether the new ink going into the pen can be mixed with the old ink in the pen. For some ink combinations, chemical reaction happens and slime is produced which jams up everthing. Or the old ink repels the new ink and prevents the new ink from going into the feed/nib.

[79spitfire]

I grabbed a three pack at Staples the other day. For a cheap pen these aren't half bad, yes the ink is a bit 'weak', the 'red' especially so (looks like a faded red stain on the paper).

 

The nib is smooth and the line is use-ably fine. I'll keep them at work for 'emergency' use.. :roflmho:

[i.like.whiskey]

Shame you can't pull out the nib/feed. This pen looks so much better than the Varsity.

[Vulcan1066]

Sailor Kenshin, I am long overdue in sending my thanks out to you for the pens. They work really nice and I am not worried about dinging them up or loosing them.

I got frustrated with the red as it was so light and just refilled it with a red to my liking, Herbin 1670. I removed the nib assembly by wrapping it in pieces of an old innertube and using my pliers to pull it straight out; just like on a pilot varsity. Filled it using a syringe and then pushed the nib back into place until I herad it click. Fully seated and no problems with leaking.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Cool! It's good to know that method works.

 

Do the BIC disposables have an ink window? I don't recall.

[79spitfire]

Cool! It's good to know that method works.

 

Do the BIC disposables have an ink window? I don't recall.

Yes they do.

[Alohamora]

Sailor Kenshin, I am long overdue in sending my thanks out to you for the pens. They work really nice and I am not worried about dinging them up or loosing them.

I got frustrated with the red as it was so light and just refilled it with a red to my liking, Herbin 1670. I removed the nib assembly by wrapping it in pieces of an old innertube and using my pliers to pull it straight out; just like on a pilot varsity. Filled it using a syringe and then pushed the nib back into place until I herad it click. Fully seated and no problems with leaking.

 

I'm happy to hear of someone being able to refill their BIC FP. The more I use mine, the more I like it. The nib shape has some character to it, slightly stubbish. The ink is not as black as I'd like, but being water-resistant and not feathering on cheap paper means it's quite still useful in many situations.

[RNHC]

Nice. It's a lot smoother than my Lamy 2000 Fine.

[inkstainedruth]

Hmm. I have never seen these at my local Staples, and when I tried to search their website for "fountain pen" just now they were not listed AFAIK (only Pilot Varsitys, and some Shaeffer and Cross pens -- ironically, the Varsitys do not seem to be found in the stores -- only online).

I tried the website's search function for all of the different numbers on the closeup of the display (model, sku, serial #) but they did not come up.

I'm wondering whether these were being test marketed in specific areas, or were something available for the holidays, since the initial posts were from last November.

I am going to look again, though, now that I have the info from the closeup of the display rack stickers (thanks to whoever posted the enlargement).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Grendel]

They are still available at the store I got them, saw them two days ago. Maybe they carry them since this is a state university town...

[79spitfire]

They were available here in Reno last I looked, about 2 wks ago.

 

I also saw them at a store in southern California, a month ago.