Mechanical Pencil Suggestions For A Pure Math Graduate Student

[jniforat]

Hello Everyone,

 

Well, my brother just graduated with a bachelor's degree in pure math from a very well-known east coast school, and he will be starting graduate school this fall in pure math at another very well-known east coast school. I'm so proud of him!!! He works very hard, and he (like me) didn't have it easy growing up.

 

anyway, i want to get him a mechanical pencil for this fall, and I've let him know that I'm going to buy him one. I've asked for his specifications so that I could get enough information for everyone HERE to help me find one for him(!!!!!!!), and this is what he's told me thus far that he wants in a pencil:

1. it must take .5mm lead
   
2. it has to be a click pencil
   
3. it needs to be somewhat thin
   
4. it shouldn't be too short
   
5. and it needs to have a decent erases (i told him i'll buy him one of those pen-like click erasers, but he doesn't like that idea...ugh)
   

 

originally, i wanted to buy him the Twsbi mechanical pencil as I thought that would be perfect for him, or one of those rotring rapid pro pencils (i've been browsing Dave's Mechanical Pencils blog), but I guess the eraser option isn't the best on these. Of course, I could buy him a TON of extra erasers, and i may just do this.

 

so, any suggestions for a pure math grad student with the aforementioned specifications?

 

thanks so much in advance,

 

j

Edited June 20, 2011 by jniforat

[RedSox04]

I really like the Papermate Logo II (or beyond)

 

They make great pencils and have a long twisty eraser.

 

Also check out the Sakura Sumo. They also have a long twisty eraser.

 

 

I know they aren't the most expensive, but pricey pens will not have good erasers.

[jniforat]

i'm still trying to convince him about the eraser thing. ugh.

[RedSox04]

i'm still trying to convince him about the eraser thing. ugh.

 

Yeah, I would think that is a pre-req for a "nice" pencil :bonk:

 

I would love to see a lamy 2000 pencil with a long eraser.

[mathguy]

Rotring 600 like this one:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/rotring-600-Mechanical-Pencil-0-5mm-Black-/120732073294?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1c313d4e#ht_1056wt_907

[jniforat]

Rotring 600 like this one:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/rotring-600-Mechanical-Pencil-0-5mm-Black-/120732073294?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1c313d4e#ht_1056wt_907

see, I LIKE that one...but it doesn't have a good eraser, so my bro might not use it. that's definitely pen i'm considering for him though!

[lbcyclist]

I have never seen good erasers on mechanical pencils. With that said, I second the Rotring 600 recommendation, I believe it is one of the best pencils ever made.

[bones]

Rotring 600 is great. Rotring 800 (or an older 600G) if you want some extra class and a retractable tip. (Can be kind of annoying for drafting because there is a bit of play in the retraction mechanism, though.)

 

For big erasers, the only game in town I know of is the Pentel Twist Erase and its variants. Which, come to think of it, are pretty popular with the theoretical physicists I know. But, it's quite cheap looking and has a tendency of breaking. I know someone who loves the mechanism but writes with a very heavy hand so they break periodically, so he just buys boxes of the things.

 

Regardless of what you get him, also get one each of the Tombow Mono Zero erasers (recently featured on Dave's Mechanical Pencils blog) and dare him to use them. They fundamentally changed how I work on mathematical messes.

 

EDIT: Just remembered, the Twist Erase is rather thick, so that violates one of his criteria. The RR 600 is pretty thin, though. Really, I think you are going to have a very hard time satisfying both the thin and eraser requirements in one pencil that isn't on the order of the cheapo Bic things you see everywhere...

Edited June 20, 2011 by bones

[Parse Error]

I never use my pencil erasers, so that's not that big of a problem for me. For other people, it's a bad habit that they never break.

 

But the Pentel quicker clicker always seems to be a good pencil to use; I don't like it personally.

 

I use a Uni ball alpha gel shaker. There's also a click to it. Same with the Pilot Shaker.

I like the rotring 600, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone who's not careful with pencils -- the tip can get seriously damaged. The 800 seems to be a better choice, but I have yet to buy it.

[nkk]

It drives me crazy when people use my pencil erasers. I actually go so far as to force a Staedtler Mars plastic eraser (my pick for the eraser to get him....do not let him become one of those people who rubs away with a tiny junk eraser only to tear the page) into their hand if they are so unlucky as to ask me to borrow a pencil.

 

As for the actual pencil, a price range would be nice.

 

Pentel Kerry is a very good one, but more everyday use than drafting/math/engineering.

My choice for math is a Graphgear 1000. ~$12-20, built well, sturdy, and easy to hold.

 

As an engineering/phyiscs student, I do a lot of math. I am betting your brother does more proof-ish things whereas I do applicable math, but the concept is the same. The Graphgear is great.

 

Also consider a staedtler 925 25-xx. A bit different from the pentel in use, but looks and general feeling are about the same.

 

Nkk

[streeton]

Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro (Not Graphgear 1000). Forget about the idea of thin drafting pencil and large eraser in the same package - it just ain't gonna happen.

[Ethereal Winter Wind]

It drives me crazy when people use my pencil erasers. I actually go so far as to force a Staedtler Mars plastic eraser (my pick for the eraser to get him....do not let him become one of those people who rubs away with a tiny junk eraser only to tear the page) into their hand if they are so unlucky as to ask me to borrow a pencil.

 

As for the actual pencil, a price range would be nice.

 

Pentel Kerry is a very good one, but more everyday use than drafting/math/engineering.

My choice for math is a Graphgear 1000. ~$12-20, built well, sturdy, and easy to hold.

 

As an engineering/phyiscs student, I do a lot of math. I am betting your brother does more proof-ish things whereas I do applicable math, but the concept is the same. The Graphgear is great.

 

Also consider a staedtler 925 25-xx. A bit different from the pentel in use, but looks and general feeling are about the same.

 

Nkk

 

I agree completely with what they said^

 

 

Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro (Not Graphgear 1000). Forget about the idea of thin drafting pencil and large eraser in the same package - it just ain't gonna happen.

 

Why not the graphgear 1000?

[streeton]

 

Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro (Not Graphgear 1000). Forget about the idea of thin drafting pencil and large eraser in the same package - it just ain't gonna happen.

 

Why not the graphgear 1000?

 

EWW - Misunderstanding (as I thought there might be when I wrote it) - I was simply pointing out the difference between the two pencils as a lot of people confuse the two models because of the similar names. I have both models in my armory and I like them both.

[Woliaj]

I have the kuro toga (uniball that rotates lead), and for maths its perfect, the blance is good, the grip is good, it takes 0.5 leads, and the rotating means you have a sharp lead always. Because you cant write in maths in joint, and you always take your pencil up, the rotating mechanism works like a dream... Its GREAT

[..lol..]

KURU TOGA!!! maybe the most expensive version which is more comfortable

[lovemy51]

Rotring 600 like this one:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/rotring-600-Mechanical-Pencil-0-5mm-Black-/120732073294?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1c313d4e#ht_1056wt_907

+1, or the R500

[Woliaj]

yeh get the most expensive kuru toga, (15 dollars from jetpens no affiliation etc.) its in my opinion the perfect pencil

[AVITWeb]

I like the steadtlers. Call me biased (architect by retaining.) they have always been rugged and they have always written ( and drawn) very well...jet pens has several nice ones.

[Wolverine1]

One of my friends here is a pot-doc scholar at the Univ of Michigan's Math Dept. he got his PhD from one of the 2 schools in Cambridge, Mass. You know, the one with a 3 letter name?

 

Anyways, he uses an Alvin Draftmatic mechanical pencil in o.5mm, and he says he doesnt use the built-in eraser, becasue the erasers arent any good. He just carries one of those white Staedler erasers in his pencil bag.

These Alvin mechanical pencils are about $10 or $11 apiece.

These pencils have a knurled metal grip area, and the body is also made of a metal tube with a rubberized coating. it is a very well made pencil

 

Alvin Draftmatic Pencil in 0.5mm, from Amazon

 

Amazon is charging about $12.00, but you can buy these Alvin pencils in most college or art book and supply stores for a buck or two less. I think I paid $9.95 for mine in 0.9mm a year or so back.

 

Another good pencil is the Pilot Shaker pencil in 0.5mm, Ithink Jetpens carries them.

Edited June 21, 2011 by Wolverine1

[Marko Kloos]

The best mechanical pencil that's widely available is the Zebra M-301. Metal barrel, on the thin side, polymer eraser, takes 0.5mm leads, and costs $3 for a pair of them at WallyWorld or Staples.

 

For a more expensive MP, I like the new retractable Rotring 800, or the non-retractable Rotring 600.