pen 121: bic mark it super duty 4x4 grip

today's pen is the robust bic mark it super duty 4x4 grip (tank) permanent marker. i don't remember exactly when and where i bought this, i know it was while i was living in san francisco while i was in college, and i think i might have gotten it at a walgreens or rite-aid as they were two of the closest stores to that apartment. as for how much i spent on it, again, i don't remember, but i can't see myself spending more than $6. what i do remember is that i loved this pen, i loved i so much that, while it lasted a good six years, at the time of this review, i basically ran it into the ground. sadly, this pen is dead.

i have looked for this pen off and on over the years and have yet to find another, the only reason that i don't think that it was discontinued is that it lists the pen as available on the bic website. i have tried amazon and, well amazon and was able to find only one for sale, and that was used... and green.

so, the body is incredibly tough, it's made from a solid plastic body, covered with a thick rubber grip, it comes in two different tip types, bullet and chisel. the years of heavy use eventually took their toll, the tip was more or less a mop like brush  than a bullet, but then i consider all of the things that i had done with it, writing on cardboard, textured walls, textured canvas, on acrylics, and i'm pretty sure that this was the pen that Brian K. Vaughn used to sign my backpack and deodorant... there was a lot of drinking involved in that story.  anyway, i cant complain about the tip wear, i'm pretty sure lesser pens would have been exiled to the trash bin years before. 

the ink is dark, fully saturated black, with no real range of value, it's another one of those: "all or nothing" pens that i seem to gravitate towards, and it will write on pretty much anything. this pen is suited for heavy duty jobs, marking lumber, sheet metal, labeling things like moving boxes or drawing phallic shapes and dirty words on your friends faces when they pass out at parties. seriously though this pen is a workhorse. i've used it on canvas, news print, bristol board and many other things and every time it has gotten the job done, and the pen is permanent... it will not fade away anytime soon.

the only down side to this pen is that it doesn't seem be sold anywhere, at least around where i live, anymore. the thought occurred to me that they might carry these pens at home depot or lowes - ill be visiting those stores this weekend in search for a replacement to that valiant pen that served its purpose and then some. 

rest easy my kind and faithful friend, i will see you on the other side.

pricing: around $6? (1 pen)

website:
www.bicworld.com



what they say:

The permanent marker for the user who demands superior performance

Built tough for any situation! Neat, consistent lines: first time, every time.

Features:

• Full-length grip for maximum comfort and control
• “Tool like” barrel design
• Permanent alcohol-based ink. Fade and water-resistant ink
• Available in bullet nib (line width 2.4mm) and chisel tip (line width 3mm/5.7mm)
• Alligator clip helps the marker stay secure when attached to clothing, clip boards, etc.
• Quick drying

This product is available in:
Europe, North America, Oceania, Central America and Asia