Favourite mechanical pencil

[rdh]

Good grief I'm not sure what to do. So many good suggestions. I'm thinking I might buy two: If I settle with a .7mm lead sizing it opens up a lot of possibilities (vintage D400 perhaps :D); and then for my larger diameter lead sizing I was thinking about going for a 2mm clutch pencil such as;

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/CdA_0022_288.jpg

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Caran_dAche_Fixpencil_22.html#a3904

 

Yeah, the CdA pencils are really nice. The Metal Collection ones are similar to the Fix Pencils. They have the smaller lead sizes, but come in different colors and are less than 20 dollars. What's nice about them is that they are the size and shape of a wooden pencil, but feel a touch more substantial, smoother and more durable. They also have matching ballpoints, but I have never been tempted to get one of those.

 

Dave

[TWRDO]

I'm a cheap date when it comes to mechanical pencils. My Pilot Dr. Grip LTD in ice blue gets the most use. More so than my more expensive MP's like my Lamy 2000 and Rotring 600.

 

That sounds a lot like me, right down to the color. I love quicker-clickers as well, but they have to be the old style without the rubber grip.

 

I generally go for fine lead pencils, but my next buy will be a Retro 51 Tornado. I love 'em and they're not too badly priced either.

[impossiblebird]

Good grief I'm not sure what to do. So many good suggestions. I'm thinking I might buy two: If I settle with a .7mm lead sizing it opens up a lot of possibilities (vintage D400 perhaps :D); and then for my larger diameter lead sizing I was thinking about going for a 2mm clutch pencil such as;

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/CdA_0022_288.jpg

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Caran_dAche_Fixpencil_22.html#a3904

Is the C d'A Fixpencil a gravity-fed clutch, rather than a positive advance mechanical pencil?

[impossiblebird]

Good grief I'm not sure what to do. So many good suggestions. I'm thinking I might buy two: If I settle with a .7mm lead sizing it opens up a lot of possibilities (vintage D400 perhaps :D); and then for my larger diameter lead sizing I was thinking about going for a 2mm clutch pencil such as;

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/CdA_0022_288.jpg

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Caran_dAche_Fixpencil_22.html#a3904

Is the C d'A Fixpencil a gravity-fed clutch, rather than a positive advance mechanical pencil?

I meant, specifically, the 2mm...

[Steph Dale]

I must admit it depends what I'm doing as to what pencil I pick up.

 

For writing and sketching the Rotring 800 with the 2mm lead really takes some beating - unusually for a 2mm leadholder it's not a 'clutch' pencil but a proper push-propel and it has a nice bit of weight.

 

I've also got sets (0.35, 0.5, 0.7) of 500s and 600s which stay on the drawing boards and a Rotring 300 (plastic-bodied 2mm clutch pencil) which goes with me pretty much everywhere. It's so cheap I wouldn't worry too much if it got lost or damaged and it also has a built-in sharpener, which is pretty useful.

 

I use Lamy 2000 fountain pens so I wish Lamy would do a 2mm mechanical pencil in their 2000 shape - that would probably be my perfect pencil!

 

Steph

[RLTodd]

I forgot.

 

www.Pencity.com lists mechanical pencils they carry on one page with the lead size.

 

It is handy when one is looking for a pencil with a lead size larger than 0.7mm, which are getting scarce as new production these days.

[penrivers]

Well, I have a set of Cross mechanical pencil, roller ball, and fountain pen Century II, I never used them in spite

that they a superb writers. I have a Folgers red plastic can full of Ticonderogas 2,some pure color wash pentech 2,

and Sanfords and Mirado pencils. In mechanical pencils for daily use I have some clicksters 0.7mm number 2, and I

recommend a set of 10 mechanical pencils with 3 leads hb number 2, 0.7mm, at $ 1.50 dolar (for the 10) in walmart. Formidables. Greetings

The mark is inc. mechanical pencils, Peachtree Playthings, Atlanta Ga.

Edited February 8, 2010 by penrivers

[hybridspider]

The original (non-rubber) Pentel Quicker Clickers are my favorite hands down. I got through school and university on those. I clung to my old ones when they discontinued them for the clunky rubber monstrosities they sell now. I wish they were still sold in stores. I don't know what Pentel was thinking.

[galileo1225]

Pilot - The Shaker 0.5. I've had this for more than 25+ years.

[dedalian]

I personally like the Pilot shaker. It has a pointy tip but it is retractable so it wont affect the structural integrity of your pocket. My all time fav is the Pentel graphgear 1000. Its the most perfectly weighted pencil I ve ever had the pleasure of owning.

[Julio]

MB Boheme for 50 plus postage. That is a deal.

[RMN]

If you like the wider leads you should NOT look for "propelling pencil" but for "leadholder" and not look in a penshop but in artists supply shops.

 

You might look for the Staedtler Mars Technico 780C or 788C with 2mm leads. These are not posh but just functional

 

There are some penmakers that make pencils like the FaberCastell emotion and the Koh-i-Noor Toison d'Or above looks nice. There is one called a sketchy, but I can't find which company makes it

You should also look at the Lamy Scribble which comes in a .7 and a 3.15 mm version.

The Cactus by JP Lepine should have a 3mm lead.

Aurora has a LE called Europe which has 5.6mm leads

 

 

D.ick

These have a shape roughly like the Faber Emotion.

[mackthepen]

Good grief I'm not sure what to do. So many good suggestions. I'm thinking I might buy two: If I settle with a .7mm lead sizing it opens up a lot of possibilities (vintage D400 perhaps :D); and then for my larger diameter lead sizing I was thinking about going for a 2mm clutch pencil such as;

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/CdA_0022_288.jpg

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Caran_dAche_Fixpencil_22.html#a3904

 

This is my daily pencil and I am very happy with it - I have it filled with rather soft leads of preference (I also have blue, green, and red ones with the matching leads). I also have the Staedtler 1.3mm which is a good writer, but rather unattractive, a Rotring 600 0.7mm which is both attractive and functional (both of these two have retracting metal tips so are pocket safe) and some vintage Parkers (Duofold and 51) and Yard o Leds (these can be picked up for only a few pounds on ebay), both with leads in the 1 - 1.1mm size. All of these are good pencils to use, but fit different purposes and moods. I do have a Caran D'Ache 0.7mm which only came last week. I like the feel in the hand, but the tip doesn't retract, and I don't like the lead that came with it. When I replace the lead I think that I shall like this pencil a lot too, even though it's not pocket friendly.

 

Andrew

[Parse Error]

My all time favorite -- Pilot 1010 (I had two, but both were stolen. From my bag. When it was under my desk. During Class.)

Now I'm using

2 UNI a gel black shakers, one black on black, the rarest to find, one black on green, which is the second rarest to find.

Pentel Graphgear 1000 in .7, .9 -- I use the .7 more often, but I have already run through three after losing them one by one in robotics tournaments.

Pentel QC -- I gone through 4, and I have started using them when I was 4. It became my main pencil through kindergarten (My mom actually let me use mechanical pencils in Kindergarten!), 1st grade, 2nd grade, 4th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade. I still have the one that I used in 8th grade.

Point of failure for the Quicker Clickers -- destroyed the clicker, lost, lost, grip disintegrated. (All of them were PD247 new styles.)

BICs -- nearly disposable, ran through a lot of them really quickly.

Pilot 2020s -- these are popular, but the shaking mechanism doesn't feel very good.

 

What I really want is a Pilot 1010 (The shaker) filled with 3B lead for smooth dark lines... and a lot of shaking. Anybody know where to find it in a major retailer, especially in Silicon Valley?

[Bo Bo Olson]

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/PencilF-C.jpg

 

I have a Kawaco, a Farber Castell Tekagraph 9603, a 1950's designer piece that vaguely looks like a dip pen. I was very surprised at the $100 buy now some one wanted for it on the Bay.

I have a nice looking "no" name that looks like one of the Parker Doufold mechanical pencils, and a fine mottled blue one from the early '50s.

 

I have a Parker silver hatched "75", mechanical pencil that took me decades to find a German "Parker" style BP that fit it and made it a Ball Point too. I still have the Parker pencil cartridge. Parker BP cartridges that I tried in it did not work.

 

I really don't have any "favorite" in that I don't use pencils; the Tekagraph and the "Duofold" are in display in my pen holder box, because they look good.

I have a letter opener two BP holders (where I put my mechanical pencils) brass and mahogany box, with two different sized little boxes that I put my fountain pens in. I can put 7-8 pens in there standing up.

 

No. the Tekagraph is not missing parts, that is the way it is supposed to look.

Edited May 3, 2010 by Bo Bo Olson

[ImolaS3]

Graphgear 1000

 

After looking around for a while, these have been my favourite for ages - they are nice and solid and heavier than most (metal pencil) and the nib retracts right into the pencil for carrying

 

 

Pencil link

[bird101]

i'm for 2mm and .7, i don't use .5

 

Caran D'Ache .7

Stadetler 788 and 780 for 2mm

[Torque]

Rotring of course... I also loved their fountain pen. Too bad it's out of production.

[jsroe]

Cross Century mechanical pencil. The fact they are still making them since 1946 says something about how good they are.

[galileo1225]

My all time favorite -- Pilot 1010 (I had two, but both were stolen. From my bag. When it was under my desk. During Class.)

Now I'm using

2 UNI a gel black shakers, one black on black, the rarest to find, one black on green, which is the second rarest to find.

Pentel Graphgear 1000 in .7, .9 -- I use the .7 more often, but I have already run through three after losing them one by one in robotics tournaments.

Pentel QC -- I gone through 4, and I have started using them when I was 4. It became my main pencil through kindergarten (My mom actually let me use mechanical pencils in Kindergarten!), 1st grade, 2nd grade, 4th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade. I still have the one that I used in 8th grade.

Point of failure for the Quicker Clickers -- destroyed the clicker, lost, lost, grip disintegrated. (All of them were PD247 new styles.)

BICs -- nearly disposable, ran through a lot of them really quickly.

Pilot 2020s -- these are popular, but the shaking mechanism doesn't feel very good.

 

What I really want is a Pilot 1010 (The shaker) filled with 3B lead for smooth dark lines... and a lot of shaking. Anybody know where to find it in a major retailer, especially in Silicon Valley?

 

Is this what you are looking for? It does not come with 3B lead. You have to buy that separately.

 

http://www.pilotpen-store.com/product_detail.asp?T1=PIL%20H1010%20BLK

 

I have this, and I like the shaking too.