Bic Cristal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Bic Cristal, also known as the Bic Stic, is an inexpensive, mass-produced ballpoint pen. It is so ubiquitous that, for many people in the western world, it is the archetypal ballpoint pen. Many people would simply call it a Biro pen. Marcel Bich secured the patent rights to the ballpoint pen, invented by Ladislao Biro and in 1950 gave the world the Bic pen. He chose the name Bic as a shorter variation of his own name. Over time, from what was once seen as a disposable, humdrum, writing implement it has, in some circles become an industrial design classic. Its honesty of form and material, its functionallity and reliability, and in many ways its ubiquity have all helped it achieve its classic status. The Bic Cristal pen forms part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

1 Trivia
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Trivia

This article contains a trivia section.
Content in this section should be integrated into other appropriate areas of the article or removed, and the trivia section removed.

It was designed by the Décolletage Plastique Design Team.
It is made from polystyrene (transparent barrel), polypropylene (cap), tungsten carbide (ball) and brass/nickel silver (tip).
The EAN for a blue bic is 3 086123 001060
The pen's lid has for the past few decades had a small hole in it to prevent choking if accidentally swallowed.
The point size is one millimetre and it will write for a distance of between two to three kilometres
Invention of the four-way Bic ballpoint pen is credited to German dictator Adolf Hitler, who found the ease with which one may switch colours helpful in his administrative work.
It comes in four colors: blue, black, red and green.
In countries like the UK, a Bic Medium variation is sold where there are a few minor differences: different lid, different nib, logo is Bic Medium in white letters rather than the engraved 'Bic' and the end cap is fixed in and non-removable with engraved letters 'Bic Medium' circled around it. In the U.S., this design is known as the NS.
Bic suggests the use of hair spray as a good ballpoint ink remover.
They have been used to lockpick older Kryptonite locks.