The Cristal will never flow as heavily as the low-viscosity pens from India and China BUT there's a trade-off for smudging and splotching. The thinner the ink, the more blobs you get at the end of lines. It's a very fine line to walk between an ink thick enough to not do this and thin enough to flow well but not too fast. Bic has always leaned towards not blobbing.
Hi Alexander - ink formulation is always a bit of a trick. Overall, I thought these pens were alright, although there was some minor issues with blobbing. The Bics I've used certainly seem to blob less frequently. Thanks!
I always thought that clear stuff at the end of the ink fill was something like petroleum jelly. I am sure it helps keep air away from the ink and preserves it. I'm surprised Bic has never done this.
Hi Alexander - I'm almost tempted to cut into one of these ink tubes and see exactly what that stuff is at the end - it's really hard to tell. I'm just afraid I'd find myself with ink all over me and my desk! Thanks!
Hi Kevin, the Ink Follower Piston for a pen has quite a few functions in a pen. The invention relates to a follower piston of the pen ink as well as an embodiment procedure of a piston of this type. This type of piston comprises an element gelled, which optionally contains a solid element and more particularly intended to be used in combination with a ink of viscosity between 10 and 30,000 mPa.s (or that it has reofluidifying properties), placed in a tank equipped at one end of a writing tip. The range of inks for pens can break down into three main groups that include: - low viscosity liquid aqueous inks, used in writing articles whose flow regulation is secured by a tangle system or deposit fibrous, - High viscosity inks in phase solvent, used in tubular tanks that feed directly the tip; the flow rate of the pens being adjusted modifying the viscosity of the ink, - medium viscosity aqueous inks, used in tubular tanks that directly feed the tip. In this last group, it is necessary to avoid ink spill from the back of the reservoir cartridge placing a follower piston above the ink column. This piston, insoluble in the ink and generally constituted of a grease plug, also allows to limit the evaporation of volatile solvents contained in the ink (water in particular), and to a certain extent to regulate the flow rate of the pen. For another side, during the use of the pen, the piston follows the column of ink in the tube, from which the follower rating, thus avoiding residual ink deposits on the walls of the Deposit. patents.google.com/patent/ES2207342T3/es@@AlwaysAnalog
Hi BMan - My preference is really for traditional ballpoint pens, when I use pens. I've never been a big fan of rollerballs or gel pens. I see why they are so popular, but I like the ballpoints. Thanks!
@@AlwaysAnalogYou should review the Zebra Sarasa some time. As I mentioned under another video, they're great for lefties and they have similar performance to a ballpoint pen.
Living in Mexico, I have gotten my hands on these new Azor ballpoint pens (fine, medium and medium-bold) and they write so smoothly. These pens you used should sell over here as well.
Did you see any other Tru Red pens there on clearance? They're always clearancing out and discontinuing their pens - I bought a pack of 24 fine point gel pens on clearance for around $7. They've been discontinued but the medium point 24-pack is now on clearance for a little over $4. I do prefer fine point though because they dry more quickly. They make rollerball pens too but I've never tried those.
Hi ilurvemv - I only saw these pens but I didn't look around the entire store. I think there is a section of clearance items in the back but I always forget to look there. They were putting out all the back to school supplies when I was there. Thanks!
@@AlwaysAnalog looks like Staples has finally stopped the free shipping with no minimum order - they'd been doing it since the pandemic and must've finally realized they can't keep doing it. Too bad since my local Staples closed.
Glad you got out the Write Bros as I assumed these pens were basically the same pens in a different package. The Write Bros are no where on shelves here in the SE of the USA. So I'd rather get these pens then order Write Bros online because you run the risk of getting dried out Write Bros (which happened to me once and is a common negative review on Amazon). And no shipping on these! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Joe - these are probably every bit as good - if not better - than the Write Bros. pens. I don't know if they are still on sale, but at 99 cents a box they are a pretty good deal. I wonder why the Write Bros pens aren't in stock in your part of the country. They are everywhere here in Michigan. Thanks!
Looks like you missed my notes on these pens in previous comment sections - you can buy these online (free shipping with no minimum) and that way you can get blue instead of black and the non-gripped version are better than the gripped version (but they're a little more expensive too). If you ever come across them, I recommend getting these same pens in blue with no grip - I got a box of those and they were much better than these same pens you're reviewing. ETA: the substance at the end of the ink is probably silicone paste - many pen makers put that at the end to keep the ink from drying out. The Pilot G-2 pens for instance have always had that at the end of their ink - it sometimes looks yellow if the pen is old.
Hi ilurvemv - OK, thanks. These were in the store when I was there and while I would have preferred blue, these black ones were decent pens. I didn't mind the grip. Looking at the Staples website, the gripped and non-gripped version of this pen appear to have identical tips and I would assume use the same ink, so I'm not sure how different they would be other than the feel of holding the pens. For the price, these were pretty good. Thanks for letting me know about silicone paste. I couldn't tell what that substance could possibly be.
@@AlwaysAnalog yeah I can't explain it either but I swear to you the blue non-gripped pens wrote much better than the black gripped ones I got. In fact, even my father commented on it and said how much better the blue ones are! They're different ink colors so perhaps the blue ink is a slightly different formula that writes more fluidly? Just a very wild guess on my part though.
Seems pretty acceptable for a cheap pen. Though, even if I prefer the Tru Red's ink shade better, I'd probably stick to the Cristal because of the whole blotching and smudging deal - I'm a messy writer with fluid inks and I know it. You sound hoarse, Kevin. Did the summer cold bug bite you too?
Hi DFT - yes, these were OK for an inexpensive pen, but I'll stick with my Bics. Right now I can pick up a pack of Bic Cristals for a dollar because everyone is having back-to-school promotions. I always stock up at this time. Yes, I had a terrible summer cold that lingered for a couple of weeks. Happy to report I'm feeling much better now! Thanks!
Hey there, nothing to do with the pens, but I would like to see a review of hand held pencil sharpeners, there's a really great brand called Apsara that makes a long point sharpener, I think you get like 20 of them for under $10
Hi Josh - I have reviewed a few different hand held sharpeners over the years, but haven't done the Apsara. I do use an Apsara sharpener often on camera when I am hand sharpening pencils, and I do like their sharpeners. Thanks!
I know nothing about it, but choose to view because i love the ASMR value of it, and obviously i Love Cavalcade x You sound poorly on here, hoping its just hayfever and nothing worse
The Cristal will never flow as heavily as the low-viscosity pens from India and China BUT there's a trade-off for smudging and splotching. The thinner the ink, the more blobs you get at the end of lines. It's a very fine line to walk between an ink thick enough to not do this and thin enough to flow well but not too fast. Bic has always leaned towards not blobbing.
Hi Alexander - ink formulation is always a bit of a trick. Overall, I thought these pens were alright, although there was some minor issues with blobbing. The Bics I've used certainly seem to blob less frequently. Thanks!
I always thought that clear stuff at the end of the ink fill was something like petroleum jelly. I am sure it helps keep air away from the ink and preserves it. I'm surprised Bic has never done this.
Hi Alexander - I'm almost tempted to cut into one of these ink tubes and see exactly what that stuff is at the end - it's really hard to tell. I'm just afraid I'd find myself with ink all over me and my desk! Thanks!
Hi Kevin, the Ink Follower Piston for a pen has quite a few functions in a pen.
The invention relates to a follower piston of the pen ink as well as an embodiment procedure of a piston of this type.
This type of piston comprises an element gelled, which optionally contains a solid element and more particularly intended to be used in combination with a ink of viscosity between 10 and 30,000 mPa.s (or that it has reofluidifying properties), placed in a tank equipped at one end of a writing tip.
The range of inks for pens can break down into three main groups that include:
- low viscosity liquid aqueous inks, used in writing articles whose flow regulation is secured by a tangle system or deposit fibrous,
- High viscosity inks in phase solvent, used in tubular tanks that feed directly the tip; the flow rate of the pens being adjusted modifying the viscosity of the ink,
- medium viscosity aqueous inks, used in tubular tanks that directly feed the tip.
In this last group, it is necessary to avoid ink spill from the back of the reservoir cartridge placing a follower piston above the ink column. This piston, insoluble in the ink and generally constituted of a grease plug, also allows to limit the evaporation of volatile solvents contained in the ink (water in particular), and to a certain extent to regulate the flow rate of the pen. For another side, during the use of the pen, the piston follows the column of ink in the tube, from which the follower rating, thus avoiding residual ink deposits on the walls of the Deposit.
patents.google.com/patent/ES2207342T3/es@@AlwaysAnalog
Time to get some rollerball pens going on here, wouldn't mind seeing some of those on review.
Hi BMan - My preference is really for traditional ballpoint pens, when I use pens. I've never been a big fan of rollerballs or gel pens. I see why they are so popular, but I like the ballpoints. Thanks!
@@AlwaysAnalogYou should review the Zebra Sarasa some time. As I mentioned under another video, they're great for lefties and they have similar performance to a ballpoint pen.
Living in Mexico, I have gotten my hands on these new Azor ballpoint pens (fine, medium and medium-bold) and they write so smoothly. These pens you used should sell over here as well.
Hi Lucius - never heard of Azor pens. I don't know if they are sold here in the US. thanks!
Did you see any other Tru Red pens there on clearance? They're always clearancing out and discontinuing their pens - I bought a pack of 24 fine point gel pens on clearance for around $7. They've been discontinued but the medium point 24-pack is now on clearance for a little over $4. I do prefer fine point though because they dry more quickly. They make rollerball pens too but I've never tried those.
Hi ilurvemv - I only saw these pens but I didn't look around the entire store. I think there is a section of clearance items in the back but I always forget to look there. They were putting out all the back to school supplies when I was there. Thanks!
@@AlwaysAnalog looks like Staples has finally stopped the free shipping with no minimum order - they'd been doing it since the pandemic and must've finally realized they can't keep doing it. Too bad since my local Staples closed.
Glad you got out the Write Bros as I assumed these pens were basically the same pens in a different package. The Write Bros are no where on shelves here in the SE of the USA. So I'd rather get these pens then order Write Bros online because you run the risk of getting dried out Write Bros (which happened to me once and is a common negative review on Amazon).
And no shipping on these!
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Joe - these are probably every bit as good - if not better - than the Write Bros. pens. I don't know if they are still on sale, but at 99 cents a box they are a pretty good deal. I wonder why the Write Bros pens aren't in stock in your part of the country. They are everywhere here in Michigan. Thanks!
I have the blue version and they are amazing
Thanks for letting me know, VArailfan!
You're welcome!
This looks like the Linc Pentonic.
Hi lincmerc - it does resemble a Lin pen. Thanks!
Looks like you missed my notes on these pens in previous comment sections - you can buy these online (free shipping with no minimum) and that way you can get blue instead of black and the non-gripped version are better than the gripped version (but they're a little more expensive too). If you ever come across them, I recommend getting these same pens in blue with no grip - I got a box of those and they were much better than these same pens you're reviewing.
ETA: the substance at the end of the ink is probably silicone paste - many pen makers put that at the end to keep the ink from drying out. The Pilot G-2 pens for instance have always had that at the end of their ink - it sometimes looks yellow if the pen is old.
Hi ilurvemv - OK, thanks. These were in the store when I was there and while I would have preferred blue, these black ones were decent pens. I didn't mind the grip. Looking at the Staples website, the gripped and non-gripped version of this pen appear to have identical tips and I would assume use the same ink, so I'm not sure how different they would be other than the feel of holding the pens. For the price, these were pretty good. Thanks for letting me know about silicone paste. I couldn't tell what that substance could possibly be.
@@AlwaysAnalog yeah I can't explain it either but I swear to you the blue non-gripped pens wrote much better than the black gripped ones I got. In fact, even my father commented on it and said how much better the blue ones are! They're different ink colors so perhaps the blue ink is a slightly different formula that writes more fluidly? Just a very wild guess on my part though.
Writes as smooth as a hybrid ink Zebra (Z-Grip), but the ink dries much faster.
Thanks, Lucius!
Have you tried the BIC Velocity in 1.6mm?
Hi asfasfd - I have not tried them. I use the Bic Cristal 1.6mm all the time and love them. Thanks!
Do you prefer blue or black ink?
I prefer blue ink. Thanks!
Seems pretty acceptable for a cheap pen. Though, even if I prefer the Tru Red's ink shade better, I'd probably stick to the Cristal because of the whole blotching and smudging deal - I'm a messy writer with fluid inks and I know it.
You sound hoarse, Kevin. Did the summer cold bug bite you too?
Hi DFT - yes, these were OK for an inexpensive pen, but I'll stick with my Bics. Right now I can pick up a pack of Bic Cristals for a dollar because everyone is having back-to-school promotions. I always stock up at this time. Yes, I had a terrible summer cold that lingered for a couple of weeks. Happy to report I'm feeling much better now! Thanks!
Hey there, nothing to do with the pens, but I would like to see a review of hand held pencil sharpeners, there's a really great brand called Apsara that makes a long point sharpener, I think you get like 20 of them for under $10
Hi Josh - I have reviewed a few different hand held sharpeners over the years, but haven't done the Apsara. I do use an Apsara sharpener often on camera when I am hand sharpening pencils, and I do like their sharpeners. Thanks!
I know nothing about it, but choose to view because i love the ASMR value of it, and obviously i Love Cavalcade x
You sound poorly on here, hoping its just hayfever and nothing worse
Hi Lauren - thanks for watching! I was struggling with a bad summer cold when I recorded this one. Back to feeling good now!