Mechanical Pencil Suggestions For A Pure Math Graduate Student

[cikavac]

My absolute favorite pencil is the Uniball alpha gel Slim. It's very comfortable even after hours of writing because of the grip but doesn't scream elementary school. It's got a nice clip, is sturdy, etc. For eraser I use the Uniball E-knock. The refills are cheap and the pair goes well together.

 

When I was looking for a pencil with a substantial eraser (long search!) I found the Kokuyo Fit Curve which is pretty cheap but does have the long eraser. I didn't care for it however because I found the grip too hard. Other people seem to like it though.

[Ethereal Winter Wind]

 

Rotring collects high praise, but I use 0.3mm lead and Rotring doesn't support that size. If they made a 0.3mm 600 or RapidPro, I would be all over it!

 

 

They do! http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Rotring-600-Mechanical-Drafting-Pencil-0-3mm-Silver-/370528284528?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564534ef70

[olivier78860]

S.T. Dupont Classique in Chinese Laquer finish.

 

Switches from ballpoint to pencill by changing the refill.

 

Very light and thin. Exceptionnal writing.

 

Got two of them.

 

Waterman Expert pencil is pure joy in your hand, as Parker Sonnet too.

 

And if you're into Rotring, and need precision and like to write for a long time with your pencil, there are models which hold 0.35 mm, 0.5 and 0.7 mm simultaneously, or the Rotring esprit duo (0.5 mm + ballpoint)

Edited July 24, 2011 by olivier78860

[uzkntuocmw]

A Pilot Lucina with an F nib and Iroshizuku Kiri-Same ink. Looks just like a really fine pencil!

[H. Lime]

Somewhat off-topic, but maybe your brother should have a look at LyX (lyx.org) for note-taking purposes.

[..lol..]

I really like the most expensive version of the Uni-Ball Kuru Toga. Best IMHO

[two2tone]

My favorite is the Papermate Logo II

 

http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Mate-LOGO-Mechanical-Pencil/dp/B002XJY3DG

 

They are only $4.00 each (or 12 pack for $24).

 

When the eraser runs out, pick up the Pentel Click eraser (ZE-21), cut of a 1" length off the eraser and it will fit perfectly in the pencil's eraser end.

 

Works great and the price is right.

 

Twotone

Edited July 24, 2011 by two2tone

[japanwatch]

Pentel P205 / P207 / P209mm **I know they make .04/.03 pencils for architecture and drafting, but the part numbers escape me today....

 

Quality and cheap (under $10)

 

http://accesstotools.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/pentel-p207-pencil.jpg

 

 

**Pentel sells extra erasers #486944 (3x tubes, 9 total erasers)

 

http://static.www.odcdn.com/pictures/us/od/sk/lg/486944_sk_lg.jpg

 

Pentel Graphgear 1000 (uses the same erasers)

 

http://static1.jetpens.com/images/a/000/000/947.jpg

Edited July 28, 2011 by japanwatch

[nxn96]

First, I agree with the prior posts suggesting that the eraser that comes with the pencil should be looked upon as the emergency back-up, and not the daily user. In addition to being generally lousy, most are so small that you can go broke keeping your pencil filled with a working eraser.

 

Having spent many years in Accounting, I can say that the Pentel P205 is a great pencil and relatively inexpensive. Even better is (was?- not sure if they still make one) a Pilot retractable pencil that I still use from time to time. A bit more expensive than the Pentel P205, as I recall, but it keeps the needle-like lead sleeve from poking through your shirt. Worth checking out.

 

Another alternative is an Autopoint. More likely the modern Autopoint Company in Janesville than vintage, as the old Chicago-based Autopoint was pretty much a 1.1/0.9 mm lead pencil until a .5 was introduced late in its time. Autopoints have larger erasers than do the aforementioned Pentels and Pilots, but in my experience, it's like using fine sandpaper to erase.

 

All are good pencils, and you can't go wrong. Whichever way you go, a Pentel Clic eraser is a necessary add-on.

[Lloyd]

While I favor fountain pens (duh), I had a few classes in grad school (math) that required all submitted material be in pencil. My most important tool was an erasing shield. These allowed me to erase a superscript without removing the variables even though I used a large Hi-Polymer eraser.

[WriterProspect]

Rotring 600 fits your criteria.

It is a narrow grip much like holding a regular wood pencil.

 

[elysee]

this is what he's told me thus far that he wants in a pencil:

• it must take .5mm lead
• it has to be a click pencil
• it needs to be somewhat thin
• it shouldn't be too short
• 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)

This list is very limiting. As a Ph.D. mathematician who wrote five out of six chapters of her dissertation long-hand using a 0.9 mm Parker Duofold orange special edition pencil, I can say that having a variety of pencils of different lead sizes is beneficial for note taking as well as research.

 

If you are not in the market for a more expensive pencil, consider the Pentel Kerry which comes in both 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm versions; there are a variety of colors for the 0.5 mm Pentel Kerry pencils. These pencils have a nice lead reservoir so that you do not run out of lead; I always fill the lead reservoir without any problems. In addition, the pencil has a cap (which fits on the back of the pencil when writing) and makes it a perfect pocket pencil. In addition, it has a top push-button mechanism for advancing the lead, making it a quick, efficient writer. An added benefit is that the pencil has a solid feel; I used several Pentel Kerrys (as well as Pentel P207 and P209 pencils in addition to others) during graduate school and all of them are fully functional and still without a scratch now.

 

I have not found any mechanical pencils with an adequate on/in-pencil eraser. I strongly recommend a separate stick eraser such as the Pentel Tri Eraser, Berol QuickErase, Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth eraser; there are others. Each of these is refillable and they take white rather than pink erasers; the white erasers are far better than the pink erasers. Having a separate stick eraser allows for fine as well as larger-area erasing. The Pentel Tri Erasers are particularly nice as they are triangular; the edges are helpful for fine erasing. The Uni TouchMatic Eraser has a smaller-diameter eraser which is nice for fine erasing as well.

 

One thing to consider is that a pencil with greater weight is more helpful for writing during long exams (such as qualifying exams). I found that the light-weight pencils are not as enjoyable with which to write when writing for a longer period of time.

 

Out of curiosity, has your brother ever tried using a pencil which takes 0.7 mm or 0.9 mm lead? I have found each of these better for use during exams than 0.5 mm pencils as 0.5 mm lead breaks more frequently than either 0.7 mm lead or 0.9 mm lead.

Edited August 20, 2016 by elysee

[dgcom]

I have to give another + for Pentel Kerry - that's probably the most unique pencil out there - cap makes it really portable/pocketable and it really feels as an expensive pen when writing with it.

[RMN]

This list is very limiting. As a Ph.D. mathematician who wrote five out of six chapters of her dissertation long-hand using a 0.9 mm Parker Duofold orange special edition pencil, I can say that having a variety of pencils of different lead sizes is beneficial for note taking as well as research.

 

If you are not in the market for a more expensive pencil, consider the Pentel Kerry which comes in both 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm versions; there are a variety of colors for the 0.5 mm Pentel Kerry pencils. These pencils have a nice lead reservoir so that you do not run out of lead; I always fill the lead reservoir without any problems. In addition, the pencil has a cap (which fits on the back of the pencil when writing) and makes it a perfect pocket pencil. In addition, it has a top push-button mechanism for advancing the lead, making it a quick, efficient writer. An added benefit is that the pencil has a solid feel; I used several Pentel Kerrys (as well as Pentel P207 and P209 pencils in addition to others) during graduate school and all of them are fully functional and still without a scratch now.

 

I have not found any mechanical pencils with an adequate on/in-pencil eraser. I strongly recommend a separate stick eraser such as the Pentel Tri Eraser, Berol QuickErase, Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth eraser; there are others. Each of these is refillable and they take white rather than pink erasers; the white erasers are far better than the pink erasers. Having a separate stick eraser allows for fine as well as larger-area erasing. The Pentel Tri Erasers are particularly nice as they are triangular; the edges are helpful for fine erasing. The Uni TouchMatic Eraser has a smaller-diameter eraser which is nice for fine erasing as well.

 

One thing to consider is that a pencil with greater weight is more helpful for writing during long exams (such as qualifying exams). I found that the light-weight pencils are not as enjoyable with which to write when writing for a longer period of time.

 

Out of curiosity, has your brother ever tried using a pencil which takes 0.7 mm or 0.9 mm lead? I have found each of these better for use during exams than 0.5 mm pencils as 0.5 mm lead breaks more frequently than either 0.7 mm lead or 0.9 mm lead.

 

You do realise, I hope, you are answering a 5 year old question to a member who hasn't been active for about 4 yrs?

 

D.ick

[elysee]

You do realise, I hope, you are answering a 5 year old question to a member who hasn't been active for about 4 yrs?

 

D.ick

You may not realize it but that most folks take more than four or five years to complete a post Bachelors Ph.D. in Mathematics.

 

Even if that person never comes back, there are many new members who are in college or graduate school. So, whether you thought of it or not, my reply could be helpful to them.

 

Keep in mind that folks come and go. New folks read old postings as well as new postings. In addition, the fun of FPN is the conversation. I am continuing this conversation. : )

[RMN]

You may not realize it but that most folks take more than four or five years to complete a post Bachelors Ph.D. in Mathematics.

 

Even if that person never comes back, there are many new members who are in college or graduate school. So, whether you thought of it or not, my reply could be helpful to them.

 

Keep in mind that folks come and go. New folks read old postings as well as new postings. In addition, the fun of FPN is the conversation. I am continuing this conversation. : )

 

That's OK, I just wondered if you realised that.

 

Nothing wrong with your answers in themselves.

 

 

D.ick

[stuck-in-time]

Just adding more to the discussion bowl, perhaps a Faber-Castell TK Fine Vario L?

 

 

I rarely see this popping up anywhere, but I think it does fit the original brief of a technical looking pencil with and eraser that's more than just a stump.

 

 

I don't personally own one, so I can't give my opinion on it's performace, but looks-wise I think they're good. Are there any particular reason these aren't mentioned nearly as often of the, say, various lines of Pentel drafting pencils?

Edited August 22, 2016 by stuck-in-time