Back to school offer - BIC Matic Pastel 5 pack - mechanical pencil review

Another Back to School offer, from Carrefour, this time mechanical pencils from Bic the Matic Pastel. A pack of 5 Bic Matic mechanical pencils cost $ 3.5 or 2.95 € but with Back to School offer the price of the pencils was almost half the standard retail price.

The great price for the pencils, and the nice color pallet made me want to test the Bic offering.

I know the BIC pencils, I used to use them in school and they appeared several times on this blog. But in the old days they didn't came in such a variety of colors, I remember them to be reliable pencils, at a good price point but came only in white.

The package is a simple plastic sleave, with a few information on it. The little transparent window on the package allows you to see what you get, a set of nicely colored pencils.

Taking the pencils out and the pastel colors just bring a pop of color on my boring gray / brown desk. The pencils come in blue, purple and pink. With the tip a more intense color, and the body a lighter shade. The clip even though is nothing special from a clip point of view (just some plastic that doesn't offer any confidence in using it) is a nice translucent color, more saturated and more vibrant than the rest of the pencil.

 All five pencils come with 3 leads (one on the feed and two in the barrel) which is a fantastic deal for just 1.8 €.

 The entire pencil is made out of plastic. The point has little grooves to help with the grip and the point where the tip connects to the hexagonal barrel there are some vertical grooves to assist with the grip, offering a stable and secure hold over the pencil.

The clip is made compleatly out of translucent plastic, and doesn't offer to much security, it is best to be used as a roll stopper than an actual clip. On it there is the logo, BIC lead size and HB#. Quite clear that the pencil is promoted towards students.

The pencils have a eraser on top without any eraser protection, which is ok for the price of the pencil.

 

The pen is 15 cm long

10 clicks releases 14.5 mm of lead 

 

 

 

The pencil writes quite well, even though I feel it could be a bit thicker for added comfort while writing. The HB leads it comes with are of good quality, don't seem to be fragile and write well. The leads offer a smooth writing experience with some feedback, resembling the feel of traditional pencils more than the smooth glide of refillable leads.

 

 

On the plus size the lead erases well from the paper, and there is no smudging. A good choice from Bic regarding the leads used, a very practical solution for students.

Other posts with the Bic Matic

Bic Matic Mechanical Pencil 

Pencils in hotel rooms 

Back to school - supermarket fountain pens - Bic Easy Click fountain pen review

The start of the school is very near and I wanted to test out what a young child would use as a first fountain pen.

So I picked up from a supermarket what is probably a go to fountain pen for children and parents. 

I am positive that most of them don't scour trough forums, blogs or YouTube reviews before picking a fountain pen for their child.

So let's see what they are getting for 5 € / $.

I went to buy some food for the weekend in Carrefour and saw a small stand with back to school offers. Most of them were pens and pencils but there was a section of Bic fountain pens at a discount. I usually see this kind of fountain pens at 5 €/$ but now they were discounted at just 3 €/$. So I got one, let's hope it is any good.

There were several colors available. I got the pale pink with blue.

It is marketed as a pen for right hand and left hand, medium nib and a triangular shaped grip section to force you in the correct hand position.

Out of the box and the pen feels very light. The cap seems something taken from a Bic stick and expanded a little. Even though the fountain pen is a budget one the cap is not giving any reassurance that the fountain pen will not dry or it will last more than a day in the hands of a youngster.

First of all the plastic seems thin and brittle, and the clip is just unusable. The tightness should be quite good as the pen has almost like two o rings to ensure a good fit of the cap. 

 

The fountain pen has quite a unique cartridge refill mechanism, it took me a few tries before I got it open. You pull out the body, and the different colored sections separate.

After that you insert the cartridge and assemble everything back without screwing the parts. I can see the advantage this creates, being all plastic a youngster might over tighten it and crack the body in a short time. 

 

A better approach would be to make a more durable fountain pen but this I think will work well enough. Plus it offers an interesting way to recharge your fountain pen. 

 

 

The grip of the Bic fountain pen is triangular, comfortable to the touch. It feels rubberized and offers a good balance between comfort and grip.

 

The fountain pen is stocky and short measuring around 12 cm uncapped, and 13 cm with the cap on. The cap doesn't post so this is what you are working with. Because the pen is stocky it feels good in my small hands even though it is quite short. Compared with a short and small fountain pen like Jinhao 82 this feels better in the hand due to the thickness of the grip, even though it is a tad shorter than the Jinhao.

 

The nib has a interesting and unique profile, and it has the Bic logo etched on it. 

 

The most important part of a fountain pen is, how does it write.

The Bic Easy Click writes well with no skipping, no hard starts, but with a lot of feedback. It isn't scratchy per say but it isn't smooth. The flow is good and reliable.

The ink cartridge that is included in the pack has a nice blue tone. 

The fountain pen writes well upside down, putting down a consistent fine line.

 

I didn't test the pen on high end paper, I used the pages from a run of the mill notebook, because most likely a young student will use regular paper, nothing fancy, on a daily basis. So I wanted to see how everything mixes up.

 

The dry time is a bit high, taking into account that the pen is advertised for right or left hand users. It takes the ink around 5 seconds to dry without smudging. 

 

 

Bleeding is not a severe problem but it is present. 

 

Size comparison between some affordable Chinese fountain pens.

(Jinhao 51A, Jinhao 80, Jinhao 82, Bic Easy Click)

Decent fountain pen, but not much more than that. I would pick up a Jinhao or a Wing sung over the Bic. Similar in price, but a better construction.

Colorful and Clicky: My Take on the rOtring Visuclick Mechanical Pencil

Rotring Visuclick is one of the cheaper mechanical pencils rOtring is offering. It comes in 4 different colors for the moment (green, blue, pink, orange) and in 2 different lead sizes (0.5 and 0.7 mm). The pencil has a lively look with intense colors and transparent barrel. 

Is this budget conscious pencil for rOtring a decent contender for EDC?

The pencil, made in China, comes with the classic rOtring red ring just above the basic plastic grip, and the barrel is marked with white paint with the rOtring logo the name of the pen and the lead thickness. The grip is triangular in shape, which might not be everyone's cup of tea. To me it seams comfortable enough, even though you won't be able to turn it as freely as you would like sometimes.

It has a retractable tip so it can be easily carried around. The clip is simple, no thrills, bent springy metal but looks and feels sturdy.

The top cap hides a small eraser and the plastic lead reservoir.

The rOtring Visuclick mechanical pencil comes in 4 different colors at this moment. Maybe if it will get enough attention rOtring might create more options, but for now, this is the only ones available.

 This is how rOtring is presenting the pencil on their site

The rOtring Visuclick is a quick click action mechanical pencil ideal for dynamic writing and sketching. Designed with a metal mechanism with retractable lead feed. The triangular grip provides a more relaxed feel when held. Loaded with high polymer leads. 

• Comfort and Durability. Designed with a metal mechanism with retractable lead feed. The triangular grip provides a more relaxed feel when held
• Colorful and Precise. For those who enjoy the satisfying precision of all rOtring products with a wider range of colors

I do not know how durable the pencil will be. The budget mechanical pencil from rOtring looks quite ok. Definitely if you pay attention to details you will see some corners which were cut to save on the cost of production (I payed 2.4 $ or 2.2 eur for this model).

The plastic feels cheaper, more brittle. It is a vague term cheaper plastic but I can feel a difference to the touch and how it looks if I compare it to the Tikky.

For example the pencil comes with only two leads inside, instead of the more standard 3.

One thing that I have to mention is that the lead advancement mechanism is made out of brass, which is a good thing. Plastic doesn't hold very well over time. This on the other hand should offer many years of precise writing.

I was mentioning some corners that were cut in order to make a budget pencil that also is appealing. The retractable tip isn't the smoothest, and the thread on the top cone that threads in the plastic of the barrel is not very precisely done. It feels very cheap and not reliable. But taking into account that I almost never get lead jams in rOtrings or in modern decent mechanical pencils, it means you will probably not need to remove it that often.

With 10 clicks the Visuclick mechanical pencil will advance 7 mm of lead.

In the end even though is not the most sophisticated pencil it will do the job and will look nice as well.

rOtring Tikky Retro (2023) Mechanical Pencil Review: Back to the Roots

rOtring has released in 2023 a new version of the iconic Tikky mechanical pencil. They are going back to the roots with the Tikky Retro.

So far the pencil is available with two led sizes 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm both versions coming in 3 colors: blue metallic, red metallic and grey metallic. The pencil is delivered with 3 2b rOtring leads.

Price of rOtring Tikky Retro is around 3 $/€

Dimensions:

length: 143.00mm and 139 with the tip retracted
diameter: 9.00mm
weight: 12.00g

10 clicks reveals 8 mm of lead

Construction

Tikky retro is an all plastic body with the classic curbed grip section, without the partial rubber coating with which we got used in the previous iteration of the model. The tip is metal with a retractable sleeve that makes it the perfect companion when you are on the go. The barrel has the waved grip similar to the Tikky II and a completely circular body. The clip is inspired or copied from the firs Tikky model. The end cap is the standard Tikky one with a hole in the back, and hides a eraser.

The clip is very strong and has embossed the rOtring logo

The mechanism is a combination of plastic with brass jaws that seem to do what they were designed for. Far from the all metal mechanism of the first generation in terms of robustness but it should do all right for most people.

The lead advance feels a bit scratchy and "hollow" for a lack of a better term to describe the feeling more on the 0.5 mm version. I do not know if the particular one I have is a bad example or this is how all 0.5 mm feel like.

Design

The Rotring Tikky retro is a reinterpretation of the first two generations of the rotring Tikky, borrowing desing elements from both of them. The pencil manages to capture the design that made the Tikky the cult pencil it is today.

For the moment the pencil comes in few colors, all metallic, but I suspect others will be introduced if the pencil is a success. The colors have a satin feel and look., especially the red one is translucent in the right light.

Pentel Graphgear 500 review

Pentel is a big name in the industry but not so common over here, so I am exited to test one of their drafting mechanical pencils. I picked the middle of the range, the Graphgear 500 in 0.5 mm thickness. It is an utilitarian design, with knurled grip and plastic body, with the color of the body being color coded to the thickness of the lead. It feels like a very serious pencil ready to do some drafting. 

The Pentel Graphgear 500 is the quintessential classic designer's best friend, with a fixed 4 mm sleeve for accurate lines, knurled grip for great feel in the hand and the body color coded in the side of the led, so you can pick the correct tool from the arsenal.

The Pentel Graphgear 500 is made in Japan.

The pencil sits well in the hand. The weight feels good, even if the pen is a little bit tip heavy. The balance point of the pencil is just at the end of the grip section. The knurling is fine, grips well without being uncomfortable for longer writing sessions. Due to it's fixed sleeve and long tip the pencil is perfect for precision work, lines with rulers but it can be just as good for writing with it.

The body is made out of plastic with hexagonal shape, while the clip is friction fitted to it. It is a very simple and unrefined clip, rather short and unappealing, but strong and robust offering you the confidence that you will not lose it while clipped.

On the side of the clip it stamped Japan and Pentel. It is a nice touch that sometimes it is missing from more expensive pencils. 

One of the facets of the body is written in white paint Graphgear 500 PG525 0.5 2h.

The cap has a unique look, with it's top part being extruded offering a flat top with a bevel around it. It feels a lot opportunity to use the space available to display with text or in color code the thickness of the pencil. A feature that is very useful for drafting especially when you have several lead sizes.

With the cap removed the small eraser encased is a metal holder is revealed .

Because it's a drafting pencil it doesn't have a retractable sleeve making it more difficult to carry it around without a case. The long expose sleeve might get damaged in a pocket. Also be careful when handling it, the pen is tip heavy due to the metal grip and the plastic body. I managed drop it on the first week of ownership on it's tip. I was lucky that the band wasn't severe and I could restore it to its original state more or less. I mean the pencil is functional and working just fine, even if there might be a slight bend to the tip.

The mechanism is robust, with the jaws made from bronze or some alloy from what I can tell. The clicks are very satisfying and precise.

10 click will advance the lead almost 6 mm (something like 5.7 - 5.8 mm). The pencil has a length of 14 cm, and a 9,6 mm grip width, with a weight of 15 grams. The sleeve is a very standard 4 mm in leangth.

Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen review

There is a lot of talk about a cheap and very good fountain pen, the Pilot Metropolitan. So I decided to try it out as it was a good deal online. I ordered it and the packaging was a nice surprise. I usually don't care much about the way the fountain pen is presented, and the boxes usually are put to storage in a drawer but, for an affordable pen it was surprising to receive it like this.

The box came in a nice gift bag with Pilot name on it and some creepy animals. 

My box came with a brown snake print which is not the print and color of the fountain pen. This is a small minus, and I do not know if this happens because of the retailer or Pilot not match the box to the fountain pen theme. 

I also saw these fountain pens coming in plastic see trough cases.

I bought the leopard blue / purple fountain pen (more purple than blue). The color and finish are nice, even though I am not a big fan of animal patterns. But this makes an interesting combination between a classic shape and a more bold design.

The body and the cap are made out of metal and feel nice to the touch. The nib section is made out of plastic and has a tapered shape.
The nice and fine lines of the body are interrupted in the middle by the print and a chromed ring that delimits the cap from the body. Pilot Japan is printed right above the ring.
The cap is a pop fit and I find it secure enough. Though the pop is not very satisfying.

The thing that might put off people is the steep step between the grip section and the barrel. In certain hand positions, it might be problematic, but this wasn't the case for me.

I do not like to cap fountain pens but if you do then don't worry as it caps very nice and secure.

This version takes international standard cartridges, which is a plus (proprietary is a no-no).

The nib is not very decorated, just Pilot Japan and the letter M. The Medium nib writes very fine and it is smooth. I didn't do anything to it, just as it came it writes well. You can get it with a fine as well.

I appreciate that Pilot created a fountain pen that is affordable without cutting too many corners. The Metropolitan writes well, it has a classic shape that appeals to many people but with a twist of modern prints colors and designs, a body made out of metal and, this version at least takes international cartridges. A small drawback is the fact that it only comes in two nib sizes, Fine and Medium. But because the fountain pen is for general use "entry level", I consider it to be just fine.
More recently I have seen a very big price increase of the fountain pen locally. Probably people are more interested in Pilot's Metropolitan Fountain pen.