Pc Matic Review
Faustina Bartsch
Thanks for this review. The translucent version isn't sold here in Holland. You can buy the opaque version (Blue, red, green etc) as a blister pack in almost every supermarket. I prefer a normal pencil, but these Bic's do have their merits. They are cheap, and the quality isn't bad. The eraser is bad indeed.
Best,
Johan
You get all types of colors of these in the Good ole USA. They sell these in 20+ packs for 5.00 or something the reasoning I think they break easil,,, I think they come in .9mm along with the .7mm but I never seen a .5mm one.
Break easily? Not my experience! Perhaps there is a difference, because the Dutch Bic's are produced in France.
You can refill the pencil quite easily; just shove the new leads up the front. I never use a pink one; toooo feminine :)
I find that the BicMatics are hard to fix when they're jammed; I just can't unscrew the parts of the pencil to see what's the problem! (Except for the eraser, of course). So I just get real annoyed, and hence I don't use those pencils anymore. Now I'm sticking to my good ol' Dr. Grips.
;D Cheers,
Monica
pretty several versions of this have been mad eover the years. i remember using one back in 5th grade or so? i could be mistaken, however. 0.5mm was available, as that is what i used almost exclusively. A damn cheap pencil, but oddly enough, they don't write all that bad.
I don't think that the BIC Matic is actually made for being refilled. I would rather say that it is intended as a reasonable alternative to wooden pencils, just like the Kreuzer Blift 30+ years ago, the EFAmatic and probably the Dixon Ticonderoga Sensematic.
I used to use only mechanical pencils in my art, but I switched over (mostly) to Tombow Mono Homograph pencils. I still use mechanical pencils to draw some fine hairs, eyelashes and eyebrows. I'm pretty picky about mechanical pencils, too. I can't stand it if the graphite is waxy/greasy in texture.
I found your blog very interesting and I just posted about it on my art blog.
Hello Darla
Thanks for your comment and link. You may have have aleardy seen it, but if not, you might like to check out this on Tombow and other Japanese premium woodcase pencils.
-the-top-japanese-pencils
I said most of what i had to say about this in my PR review but I will add that the erasers used to be almost as good as the mars plastic I carry around with me. sometime in the last few years they started making them with a slightly different eraser that is not as good (but one would presume cheaper to produce.) I have several of the .5's but have never encountered a .9. most common is .7. they are made in at least four countries and you can never be sure which one you will get. (i even have some made in the USA) overall still a very good pencil but since they changed the eraser i've been using Pentels exclusively
Hello Matt. Good to hear from you. Glad you are still reading the blog. Have you noticed this problem of the lead pushing back up inside the tip? Strange you should about the eraser declining in quality - I thought it had improved, even though its still pretty B-grade. Could well be the source of manufacture though. I have never seen anything other than Mexican production.
I have not encountered that problem but then again that might also have to do with the source of manufacture. I believe the last batch I bought was from China but I noticed that the ones made in France always seemed to work best. I dont know what country the current stock is made in as I havent purchased any fresh ones in about a year.
I went looking for cheap disposable mechanical pencils and came out of the local (midwest USA) Walmart with some .9mm Bics. The package doesn't say Bic Matic, just BIC #2 pencils, but they look similar, having the same shape but a different color scheme. They have transparent hex shape outer barrels, various bright inner barrel colors, translucent white clip and pointy end. Nearly invisible is the "MEXICO" molded into the side of the clip.
The mechanism has a surprisingly smooth feel with a solid and satisfying "click" sound. I have no complaint about the eraser, it gets the job done. Lines are fat and dark as one would expect from a .9mm #2, but the writing feel of the lead just isn't as smooth as the Pentel leads I've become used too.
They'll get the intended job done, but I'm not tempted in the slightest to replace any of my Pentels with them.
I personally carry around a pencil case with these four writing implements in it...
1. Pentel Sharp .5mm
2. Pentel Techniclick II .7mm
3. Bic Pencil #2 .7mm
4. Pentel Clic Eraser
I have had the pencil for not that long but have found that while it CANNOT replace the Pentels, it can still write better for a really long time than the Pentels...Maybe I'm just used to the feel of wood pencils; after all, thats all I used back in middle school! It has a really useless eraser, but that's OK because the pencil is an old favorite, been using it on and off since I found my first one on the floor in first grade.
Though the pencil is truly a cheapo throwaway, I think it is really worth a try, esp. if you have small children who really want to use that "cool pencil that looks like a pen." A very tough, reliable pencil...
I recently took the Professional Engineers exam in California administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). The pencil they provide is the infamous BIC Bicmatic Grip Mechanical Pencil. No, you are not allowed to bring your pencils or erasers for the 8 hour exam, for exam security reasons.
The lead frequently breaks and as you try to erase the lead advances. Wonderful problem during an 8 hour exam. I think this could rate as one of the worst pencils in the market. Why they won't charge an additional $10 and provide a decent Pentel is beyond me.
Out of curiosity, are there refill erasers for this pencil? To me, this pencil has always been the disposable MP... I pretty much stopped using the pencil once the eraser runs out. Meh, but that's just me though.
It's because of this pencil that I landed here! In our corporate office supply cabinet there are boxes and boxes of BicMatic grip 0.5mm pencils. After one day of using this pencil and the horrible rough gray standard issue lined notebook, I realize that my life would be better with an upgrade in writing materials!! This weekend I will make a visit to the art supply materials and try out some of your recommendations on the Top 5 list. Thanks for your helpful reviews - they are fun and informative! My only request is that you link the reviews on the Top 5 list to the actual articles.
Recently decided to try some economy pencils from BIC
1. The above classic but the transparent white clip labelled BIC Pencil #2 0.7mm. In sparkly violet with white end cone. Eraser average but acceptable. Don't like the final squared off end sleeve design and dosen't look good when using. Lead quality average (3 * 90mm leads) - just replace it with AIN 'B'. Quite like the hexagonal barrel to mimic a wood pencil. No actual grip area and thats fine by me.
2. Hang sell pack of 2 BIC Atlantis 0.7mm pencils with 2 joined tubes of 5 erasers and a supply of HB leads. Hard rubber grip that works although I still can't work out why rubber grips have to flare out in the middle - I much prefer a stick design where the grip is the same diameter as the barrel. The barrel is transparent with the labeling - BIC ATLANTIS PENCIL 0.7. Excellent eraser (with clear eraser cap)right up there with the best Ive tried - I just hope the 5 spares are the same quality.I like the final conical metal end sleeve on this pencil with its nice taper. Very thin pocket clip which may not last although is quite grippy. Again, lead seems to provide too much resistance on the paper and can only be fixed by changing to AIN 'B'. Good value though with the extras and Made in France to boot. Can recommend.
2 1/2p
2 1/2p
I have some of those Brown/beige Bics (In fact I have one right on my computer keyboard at the moment.) This one is around 20 years old. I remember seeing them pop up around 1986 or 87. Back in the dark ages when there were three kinds of mechanical pencils. KwikerKlickers from Pentel, clutch drafting pencils, and those old twisty Scriptos ;) I've always liked the older "Bicmatics", the newer ones aren't quite as good. I still think they were designed with "disposible" in mind, but I'd manage to refill mine.
The older bicmatics must have used a thicker outer case or a less brittle type of plastic. I remember in middle school we would tear the front of of these and tape elastic bands from the eraser on the back to the front sides. Then we would pull the eraser back, stretching out the elastic and put a projectile(usually a paper ball) in the 'barrel' and release. They had really good range. There was a big crack down on them when someone used one to lob BB pellets across the cafeteria one day.
Not that long ago I tried to make one again but the pencil cracked and shattered where the eraser holder hit the pencil. They only last a few shots before completely falling apart now.
Picked up a 36 pack of these a few weeks ago I had some .7mm from years ago and have a few lying around that say made in France. The newer ones are made in Mexico I find the lead in these tends to break easily not sure if it's the plastic advancing mechanism or the lead it'self.
I don't like these for drawing they are too lite but work great for writing (since you don't have to apply much pressure) in a notebook or pad of looseleaf paper in a binder.
i have a question do they still sell the bic classics with the white grey black and greenish blush color clip?, because i have quiet a few of these and i want to find out if they still produce them. also does any one notice how the color on the clips of the new matic are faded compared to the older ones? ty
The cheap bics are what I used all through high school. My mom wouldn't buy me anything more expensive than that! So I got used to them. Your right about the lead going back in when the button is let go. A lot of times I had to re-advance the lead numerous times to get it to the right length. But I kind of like that (or at least I did). It's kinda like this old computer I had. It froze all the time and acted funny, but I got to know it's tics and I got used to it.
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