The billion dollar space pen ...

I think Fisher Space pens are great, I always have one in my desk. And
an interesting bit of history here too.

The billion-dollar space pen
---
One of the enduring urban legends of the space program is that NASA
spent millions, if not billions, of dollars developing a space pen,
while the Russians simply used a pencil. Dwayne Day explores the
origins of this myth and how NASA really came around to using a space
pen.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/613/1

Letter from NASA to the Fisher Space Pen Company
http://www.thespacereview.com/archive/613c.pdf


Chris
http://amateureconblog.blogspot.com/

I've tried this pen and have gone through about 3 or 4 refills. Each
story is the same; a great beginning (dark, smooth lines with no gaps)
but a terrible ending (gray, line drags across the paper and is filled
with gaps in my loops).

I am absolutely convinced that the best ballpoint pen on the market
today is the new BIC Ultra Round Stic Grip (in black, naturally). Zero
strokes required to get the first line of the day (week, month or
straight out of the box) which glides across the page in a way that
puts more expensive pens to utter shame. At about 30 cents per unit,
you're not lost when you lose one and you can give them away without
care.

JC

Current BICs are the smoothest ballpoints in production anywhere.
Giovanni

"JChapman" wrote in message
oups.com...
today is the new BIC Ultra Round Stic Grip (in black, naturally).

On 4 May 2006 07:42:36 -0700, "JChapman"
wrote:

I am absolutely convinced that the best ballpoint pen on the market
today is the new BIC Ultra Round Stic Grip (in black, naturally). Zero
strokes required to get the first line of the day (week, month or
straight out of the box) which glides across the page in a way that
puts more expensive pens to utter shame. At about 30 cents per unit,
you're not lost when you lose one and you can give them away without
care.

I could not agree mo I got a couple of those as a promotional
freebie when I ordered some DVDs and I love them -- smooth,
lightweight and totally reliable.

Edo

"Edo" wrote in message
...
On 4 May 2006 07:42:36 -0700, "JChapman"
wrote:

I am absolutely convinced that the best ballpoint pen on the
market
today is the new BIC Ultra Round Stic Grip (in black, naturally).
Zero
strokes required to get the first line of the day (week, month or
straight out of the box) which glides across the page in a way
that
puts more expensive pens to utter shame. At about 30 cents per
unit,
you're not lost when you lose one and you can give them away
without
care.

I could not agree mo I got a couple of those as a promotional
freebie when I ordered some DVDs and I love them -- smooth,
lightweight and totally reliable.

Edo

For years I've been supplying my office with the plain BIC Round Stic
med/black because it seemed the best way back when. How does the Ultra
version compare to the one's we have been using. What improvement and
changes have come with the update?

It is even smoother than the plain stic.
It really is the best ballpoint on the market, bar none.


For years I've been supplying my office with the plain BIC Round Stic
med/black because it seemed the best way back when. How does the Ultra
version compare to the one's we have been using. What improvement and
changes have come with the update?

In article ,
-Moonstone- wrote:

"Edo" wrote in message
.. .
On 4 May 2006 07:42:36 -0700, "JChapman"
wrote:

I am absolutely convinced that the best ballpoint pen on the
market
today is the new BIC Ultra Round Stic Grip (in black, naturally).
Zero
strokes required to get the first line of the day (week, month or
straight out of the box) which glides across the page in a way
that
puts more expensive pens to utter shame. At about 30 cents per
unit,
you're not lost when you lose one and you can give them away
without
care.

I could not agree mo I got a couple of those as a promotional
freebie when I ordered some DVDs and I love them -- smooth,
lightweight and totally reliable.

Edo

For years I've been supplying my office with the plain BIC Round Stic
med/black because it seemed the best way back when. How does the Ultra
version compare to the one's we have been using. What improvement and
changes have come with the update?

The smoothest, blackest disposable ballpoint I've ever tried was a no-name
freebie that was furnished (with a ruled pad) as part of a set of
conference materials I once received. I have searched high and low for
more of these, but can't come up with anything even showing a familial
resemblance. There are no markings that even hint as to the manufacturer.

It has a translucent blue barrel (which may be fluted if I recall), a
refill with a conical steel tip of the same diameter as the plastic ink
barrel (i.e. there is no shoulder or straight metal barrel; the tip begins
to taper immediately after it emerges from the plastic). The cap is bright
blue plastic with 3 scooped-out holes that look like air intakes on the
side of a jet engine. The end cap is plain (BIC-style) of the same bright
blue plastic, and says simply: "ITALY".

If I dig it out again, I might take a quick digicam photo and post it
somewhere.

Does this description ring any bells for anythone here?

Probably made by Universal of Settimo Torinese. Universal is a manufacturer
of very high quality stick pens. It is the italian equivalent of BIC.
Great pens.
Giovanni
PS: other manufacturers of promotional pens like Lecce Pen, Stilus, etc...
also source their refill from Universal.

In article ,
Giovanni Abrate wrote:
Probably made by Universal of Settimo Torinese. Universal is a manufacturer
of very high quality stick pens. It is the italian equivalent of BIC.
Great pens.
Giovanni
PS: other manufacturers of promotional pens like Lecce Pen, Stilus, etc...
also source their refill from Universal.

Thank you! I received this pen in here in the US, so obviously someone
must be importing them - although perhaps not for consumer sale. At least
this gives me something to keep an eye out for.

In article ,
Giovanni Abrate wrote:
Probably made by Universal of Settimo Torinese. Universal is a manufacturer
of very high quality stick pens. It is the italian equivalent of BIC.
Great pens.
Giovanni
PS: other manufacturers of promotional pens like Lecce Pen, Stilus, etc...
also source their refill from Universal.

Follow-up. I checked the Universal Writing Instruments web site
(www.carioca.it) and the pen is, indeed, the Corvina stick pen. Now, to
see if I can get these in the US. Thanks again!