Vintage Paper Mate Write Bros. Medium Black Pen Review circa 2002 

Thanks - I have heard that from a number of other viewers.

@@AlwaysAnalog I still don't understand why they up and decided to ditch the old design but oh well.

Thanks for letting me know! Perhaps these are still in production in other parts of the world. Glad you like the videos!

Hi Delaney - that is a good idea for a video. Although my storage method is fairly basic. I'll try to do a video on it in the future. Thank you for subscribing!

Thanks! I have had mixed results trying to get old ballpoints to write. It probably depends in part on how and where they are stored.

How interesting - I thought they discontinued the design altogether but apparently they've just stopped making them for the US customers, boo! The Europe markets always get the better pens and designs.

​@@ilurvemvI feel the same way. Cars too. Station wagons are still a thing in Europe. I'd prefer an Accord or Camry wagon over a bloated suv, anyday!

thanks, dcuk5! Another viewer told me about the Kilometrico pens - I didn't realize these are still in production elsewhere. I don't know why they discontinued them in the US. I've heard from many who preferred the slender design.

If your son is willing to exercise his brain a bit, you could tell him to practice writing letters in cursive, and words from there. That'll very quickly instill a familiarity with them in his mind. (I did that for Japanese script, and a key for my limited-but-present ability to read words is due to writing pages upon pages of their syllable characters.) Just an idea. You never know where and when a hobbyist could show up with the proper incentive.

Hi Nancy! I'm with you on Bic being my favorite disposable ballpoint. I've tried a lot of alternatives over the years, and I always come back to some version of the Bic Cristal. Sorry that your son struggles with cursive - and when you are unable to write in cursive you are also challenged to be able to easily read cursive. I have two cups on all my desks (work, home, studio). One contains pencils, the other pens. The cups only contain the writing instruments that I enjoy using in any writing application. I don't have a specific rotation, but with the pencils I use one until the point has worn blunt, and it goes into a "sharpen cup." Once all the pencils have been used and worn and moved to the sharpen cup, I sharpen them all and start all over again. Thanks for being such a loyal listener to the Cavalcade Radio Hour! Unfortunately, after 52 episodes the show didn't manage to find an audience locally, so I stopped producing it. Hoping to find a new home for the program in the new year! Thanks!!

I've seen those Pen + Bear pens on the Walmart website but never realized they're triangular, the pictures make it look like they're round. Maybe Always Analog should review these next (but they only come in black, not blue). ETA: according to a Walmart reviewer, these are the Cello Tri-Mate ballpoint pens rebranded as Pen + Gear to sell to the American audiences but the exact same pens.

Hi lincmerc - thanks for letting me know! I've not noticed the Pen+Gear pens, I'll have to look for them next time I'm at Walmart.

If you cannot find them, let me know. I can send you a couple to review.

It is up to the family to teach the children. Stop relying on the government.

@@RoastBeefSandwich I agree 100%. I also believe public schools should be shut down. They are completely out of hand.

Hi Johnny - I have heard from a number of parents who were upset that their children were not being taught cursive in school and so they began home lessons. Unfortunately, if you aren't able to write in cursive, you will struggle to read cursive. Thanks!

Thanks for letting me know!

I prefer Bic pens for writing with ink at all situations that demand it (i.e. signing or writing something that MUST be indellible), but if I can get away with it I'll also use a pencil. Not the least reason being graphite will last *_far_* longer than any ballpoint ink so far invented, without eating through the paper like iron gall ink will do eventually.

RBS - I also have always preferred a Bic pen but my default is always to grab a pencil. Thanks!

There were never a favorite of mine, either. I often found them to be blotchy and the barrels were a bit too thin for my comfort. Thanks!

LOL! Thanks, Jeb!

Hi DFT - I know you're not alone in your dislike for larger writing instruments. When Paper Mate changed the design of this pen to a wider barrel, many people were upset. They loved the thinness of these pens (even though there were many other options that wrote better, but were a bit wider). Cursive will never again be the prominent form or handwriting that it once was. Actually, what I'm seeing in many students is a decline in good printing in addition to the inability to write in cursive. We are likely heading towards a dominant digital writing culture, where writing by hand in any style will be a niche interest. But there will always be some of us who will hold on to the analog means of communication and celebrate it. Thanks!

@@AlwaysAnalog Digital writing only works as long as the battery doesn't run out or at least the grid is powered to charge said battery. All I'm gonna say.

Hi Carlos - I remember those blue body Paper Mate pens. I believe they also made black ones. I haven't seen one in many years! Thanks!

I believe they are but these are no longer available in the US.

Hi Alessio! Thank you - I did a review of the Staedtler Noris in the past. Here's the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3F8j_5ipSwM.htmlsi=kNCQml-H_keGQX9u

Blue has always been my preferred color of ink, too. Thanks!

Hi Neel - that is very kind of you. Thank you! The mailing address is: Always Analog P.O. Box 124 Croswell, MI 48422 USA

@@AlwaysAnalog I just saw your reply to this question while rewatching this video. Is there a way you'd recommend packing the pens so they don't arrive with the box smashed and the pens broken? And I assume we include a note saying what they're for so you don't wonder why some rando is mailing you pens? 😂

Yet another involution in the Western education system.

Hi RBS - your observations are correct, unfortunately.

Hi Robert - funny, many products have gotten larger over the past 30 years. Thanks!