Bics Wite-Out Shake'n Squeeze Correction Pens

Working in an office 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, one is likely to run into about 10to 15 mistakes in that time frame. This is almost certainly, why my boss has a box load of Bics Wite-Out Shake'n Squeeze Correction Pens. However I'm assuming he's never actually used them himself; otherwise this would no longer be the brand of choice here in the office.

Before I tell you about my experiences with this wite-out pen, I figured I may as well go ahead and let you know how to use this nifty device.

This was copied directly from the wite-out pen itself:

1) Shake well before use
2) Remove Cap
3) Push Down Firmly on tip and squeeze on barrel
4) Use just like a pen
5) Recap after each use

Also squeezed on the side of the in bold print are some warnings about the product. All in my opinion make this pen a little scary to want to use.

CAUTION: FLAMMABLE (This is in Bold Small Print)
- KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE OF FLAME
- KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN
- DO NOT SWALLOW OR INHALE
- WARNING: Intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating or inhaling contents can be harmful or fatal

They forgot a few warnings actually, but I will get into that at the very end of this review.

So lets get into how well Bic wite-out shake and squeeze worked for me.

For one, every now and then after shaking, and squeezing, with all your might, the pens tip sometimes doesn't allow any wite-out to flow.

This led me at one point, or another into thinking that the wite-out was empty. However, when I shook the pen, it was clear it was a fully loaded pen.

Secondly, one squeeze either fixes it, or ruins it for good.
If you haven't used this product before, don't just assume you can shake this pen, and then just easily squeeze the wite-out onto your mistake, and it will be all fixed.

The first squeeze you take will ALWAYS squirt out some clear liquid, almost bird poo looking type substance onto your paper. It's a mess that can't be fixed. You may as well start all over again.

So my warning is, ALWAYS squeeze the first squeeze out onto an old piece of paper you don't need, to get the gooshy bird poo liquid phlegm out first.

-Mind you, even if you used the pen 2 hours prior, always do the bird poo test on another piece of paper. The clear runny liquid comes out every time. Even if you may think you got it all out in the first squeeze, odds are, you didn't.

Probability: 8 out of every 10 squeezes.

Third on my list of warnings is the bubbles. This is why you should never just squeeze this wite-out onto your document. Bubbles sometimes spray out in gag loads. Again ruining your paper worse than it was before. Probability 6 out of every 10 shots.

Lets move onto the wite-outs visibility. Now if you got a good squeeze in, with no bubbles, or runny bird dookie type substances. It does not happen often, but on a rare occasion it does. The wite-out itself will cover the entire mistake with a nice perfect white color, and you have a nice well finished coat that you can now write on once it is dry.

Probability: 1 out of every 30 squeezes.

-If you let the wite-out dry with bubbles, the document looks ruined, and the mistake will still be visible.

-If you let the white out dry with the clear gooey phlegm on it, the mistake will be very visible, and the wite-out color will dry a cloudy grayish type color.

With all of this said, even if you do happen to get a nice smooth coat on top of your mistake, good luck writing on it later.
Dry time for me has always ranged from 4 to 7 minutes, depending on how large a squeeze squirted out.

Once your wite-out is dry, you can now write in pen over the error, and fix it. Or so one would think.

This is the big warning the pen forgot to include. ONCE YOU USE THIS PRODUCT, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT WRITING ON TOP OF IT!

That’s right people, if you don't believe me, test it for yourself, if you're willing to loose a few bucks, that is.

Once you try writing on top of the dried out wite-out it will crack, and scratch off almost 99% of the time. Making your finished piece look like garbage.
So if anyone ever hands you a bic wite-out shake'n squeeze pen, throw it away, once you use it, that’s where your document is going anyway, right to the trash.
If you made a mistake, and this is all you have available, you may as well just start all over again.

Another grudge I have on this wite-out pen is how the tip where the wite-out flows from sometimes drys out.
There are a few methods you could use to get it working again, I'm sure. (Just don't take a lighter to the tip, like some people do with pens- this stuff is flammable) But when you're sitting at your desk, do you really want to get up, go find soap, and a dish rag, to wipe it clean? Of course not. You're going to wipe it off with your fingers. Be careful though not to squeeze while your doing this. Now if you manage to get the tip to work again, congratulations! That does not happen often, give yourself a pat on the back. Most of the time the tip is so clogged up, and dried out, you will have to throw the whole thing away. Regardless of how full it is.
-Keep in mind, this STILL happens even if your a super neat freak, and never leave the cap off of it, except for when you're using it.

Overall I would have to say that I do not use this anymore, even though the boss continues to buy it in box loads. I just wish he'd see for himself that this stuff is junk, and perhaps switch brands. Until then, I'll let the pens grow dust on them in my bottom draw.