Vintage Bic Cristal Bold 1.6mm Ballpoint Pen Review - Will it still write?

I found this unopened pack of Bic Cristal Bold pens at a garage sale. The package has a copyright date of 2009, but I'm not sure of the exact age of the pens, but guessing they are at least 10 years old. I've used and reviewed the Bic Cristal Bold 1.6mm pens here before, but I wanted to see if these would still write.
#ballpoint
#ballpointpen
#bicpen
#penreview
#analog
#handwriting
#cursive

[@spectaclesociety]

Thank you for review. Can't find any data about first appearance ever of 1.6mm pen on market. Fine and medium nibs was standard from the beginning of production 1950s, but 1,6mm nib is newer

[@ArthropodSpidey]

Wow, Bic wasn't kidding when they said "Writes First Time, Every Time!" Great video and an awesome blast from the past!

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Hi ArthopodSpidey - these wrote beautifully after years of sitting around. For such an inexpensive pen, I was impressed. Thanks!

[@alelvi123]

Hi there ! These are great I love their thick lines. What a bargain you got! Hope your school year is ending well ! Take care and thanks again for all 😊

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Hi Soo - hope your summer is going well! Thanks so much for all the wonderful writing instruments from Europe!!

[@ilurvemv]

I don't believe the copyright date is the same as the date of manufacture, it's probably just the latest copyright date as of the manufacture of that package of pens (I believe IP rights expire every few years so they have to be renewed).

[@JustinGuy-w8w]

Wow that pen works great considering that it's from 2009!! I was only 1 years old when those were made Those pens are amazing!

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Hi Justin - I was impressed that these still worked so well! Thanks!

[@brappatta]

I've been slowly working through a box of these I bought in 2015. I'm getting down to the last ones after 8 years. Every single one has written perfectly.

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Thanks - I'm not surprised. For inexpensive pens, they are pretty reliable.

[@HHSTT]

You can check the year on the ink tube inside. 😉

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Thanks! I'll look for a date!

[@tbayless8324]

There ya go!! I would take these over some of the other ballpoints.. They seem very reliable. But as with anything it can be hit or miss. I keep some original Cristals in my vehicle and they never fail to write even in the hot heat where I live. That was a great find. As expensive as some of the popular pens have gotten even for 1. Blows my mind for plastic. But the kids are not writing as much as they used to which drives the cost up. Your penmanship is very nice. BTW.

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Thanks, tbayless! I was amazed that these sprung to life so easily after sitting around for so many years, but I have also found the Bic Cristal to be a very reliable pen, overall. Use of pens and pencils has been on the decline for a while now as people are writing less by hand. But I'm still amazed at the expensive cost of many plastic pens.

[@tbayless8324]

@@AlwaysAnalog Yes Sir... So love BOLD pens. They are so smooth. I like to explore pens in so many ways-- I am on the trail to Fountain Pens next. And thanks for your channel.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

The little wax dab at the end sure works wonders, doesn't it? I have yet to see a pen with it still on that _doesn't_ write after years. Unless someone else said their piece about light pens becoming dark, that would be me. I think it's better explained as "the ink trace starts out light-coloured, then fades in to the normal shade". These Bolds may be writing normally because the point was sealed from contact with air by the wax dollop.

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Hi DFT - when did they start putting that little wax glob on the tip of pens? Seems like it's just been in the last decade or so. But it really does keep the ends from drying out. I like how you state the nature of some pens starting light and becoming dark after some use. Thanks!

[@DinnerForkTongue]

@@AlwaysAnalog No idea when they started. I have never purchased a Bic with these before, only Linc pens.

[@oldtimegamer2.098]

I think I do have some old pens from when I was a kid but when I did compare my pens to the new ones I do think it seem like that the older bic pens do write darker and smoother compared to the ones now I do think over the years that the bic company might have changed the ingredients for the pen

[@AlwaysAnalog]

It wouldn't surprise me if Bic has revised the ink formula over the years. I think the old pens tended to dry out faster than the new ones do, so they probably changed the formulation. Thanks!

[@Gavriilcos4pi]

I'll ask something out of the concept of the video. can anyone suggest me a way of taking notes in collage(math). I have tried everything, paper wise, and still cant find the perfect much. Do i need to try loose blank pages?

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Hi Gavriilcos - note taking is very much a personal preference. When I took notes in college (this was 100 years ago), I preferred to use a spiral bound notebook. This way my notes were always together. I would have a note book for each course. This may or may not work for you. There are also a lot of different notebooks out there, so you'd have to find one with a paper you like to write on. Thanks!

[@kmann6431]

Bic Pen quality was better in 70’s ,80’s until early 90’s

[@anactualmechanic2058]

I just opened up a box of 60 Paper Mate Write Bros. Black Medium Point (1.0mm) pens that I purchased in 2019. None of them would write. They were all dried up!

[@Adrian-ik3qf]

Try to heat them and write on cardboard,that should do the trick.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Take out the ink tubes, heat them up gently with a heat gun or hair drier, then scribble on a piece of thick paper or cardboard.

[@Friday_V7]

Interesting, I've never seen a © in Roman numerals

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Hi Friday - Roman numerals are not used very often now, because many younger people can't translate them. Years ago it was common to see them used in copyright and trademark. Thanks!

[@ilurvemv]

Cheap pen alert if you're interested: if you have a Staples in your town or near you, they're selling a box of their house brand Tru Red black ballpoint stick pens for a little over a dollar+tax for a dozen pens if you order online and pick up in store. The regular price in store is much more but these have gotten very mixed reviews so they must be trying to get rid of their stock.

[@user-mw9dg3wl5f]

How much does this pack of 10 cost you

[@AlwaysAnalog]

I found these pens at a local sale - they were only around 50 cents (US) as I recall. Thanks!

[@user-mw9dg3wl5f]

Bro iam from India and when I searched for these pens on Amazon they were too expensive as pack of 10 I can afford but by the price not at all worth it (12566 cents converted by Google)