Pentel Sharp Kerry

[watch_art]

Pentel Kerry. Is "sharp" supposed to be in there? Hell, I dunno. Oh wait, yeah it is. Thanks, Jetpens.

 

What this is, is my very first nice mechanical pencil and I love it. I should have bought a 0.7mm, but if I had, I would be saying that I really need a 0.5. So later on when I can, I'll be buying a 0.7 pencil, probably the Lamy Scribble. Until then, I picked up a cheap Pentel from Office Depot to draw on my blocks with.

 

Anyway, back to this. I first read about this little guy on Dave's Mechanical Pencil blog after seeing it on Jetpens. He has it listed as one of the top pencils in this price range, so I thought I'd give it a go. So far I've been very happy with it.

 

BUILD.

It's a tough and very well made little guy. I've used it at school nearly everyday since I bought it a few months ago and have dropped it a dozen or more times. That's just sad, I know, but there's not a mark on it. Nothing to show how clumsy I can be. Made from good plastics and metals bits. Everything fits together really well.

 

 

 

 

The cap posts with a click, and the lead advance can be clicked even while posted, which is just really cool. THere's a spring loaded thing inside the cap that fits over the clicker on the pencil. Using the eraser won't advance lead unless you just erase super hard.

 

WEIGHT.

It's a light little pencil (little) and even after long periods drawing my hand doesn't tire. Writing this review is the only writing I've ever done with it, and I don't like it for this purpose. Drawing is fine, but my hand gets tired after writing with a light little pencil after a few paragraphs. I think some of that is due to me pushing down a bit so I could see my marks. HB lead on this shiny paper doesn't work out so well. But I'd like a bit more heft.

 

SIZE.

Small. Maybe too small. I'd love something bigger and chunkier.

 

 

TIP

This kid has one of those fixed tips and seems like it would be okay for drafting. I dunno. Maybe not. It works well enough for me with the little bit I use squares and french curves and rulers in my work.

 

CAP

This thing has a cap!! At first it was a big deal and quite the novelty, but now it's just another thing I have to do before I can draw with it or show one of my students something at school. Meh. No more capped pencils for me. It is really nice though. I've forgotten to cap the pencil a few different times before I put it in my shirt, and have poked myself in the chest because of it. Oh well. Nothing too bad.

 

FILLING

This thing takes 0.5 leads and holds a ton of extras. I've discovered that I prefer HB in a mechanical pencil, NOT 4B. 4B wears down too quickly for a mechanical pencil and I end up drawing with the tip. Urgh. Not fun.

 

 

Overall a great little pencil. My students love it and always ask about it. But they always say the same thing, "I thought you liked fountain pens."

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2011 by watch_art

[rockydoggy]

Great review of one of my favorite mechanical pencils.

[SHK]

Have been reading a couple of your reviews but at all I like the character of your handwriting.

 

Regards

Sascha

[watch_art]

thanks!

 

I can't believe I'm starting to get compliments on my handwriting! When I first joined FPN I used to get chided for it. I knew it was awful, and it took many months, maybe a year, to get it cleaned up. I'm still figuring out how to draw certain letters to my own satisfaction.

[gregamckinney]

These are great pencils. I had a red one MANY moons (like 20+ years) ago.

I just wish they'd make an orange one- not that I need any more MP's, but that doesn't usually stop me.

 

Regards, greg

[RLTodd]

I've used them for over twenty years and have been quite satisfied with it.

 

Well, more than one, the first one broke where the bottom section joins the center section, one drop too many I guess. Like the brown ones, bought a spare which looks like it was a good idea. I don't see it as a listed color any more.

[LexieS]

I love this pencil! I use it to take attendance at school. I am not usually fond of pencils (I only own this one and a Kuru Toga), but this one is super easy to clip to my lanyard and not worry about it poking a hole in my shirt :|

[jniforat]

just ordered one based off of this review. black, .5mm lead.

[watch_art]

YAAY!!

[jniforat]

i love this pencil, but it didn't come with an eraser am i missing it??? where is it?

[jniforat]

is it in the cap? cuz i haven't checked there yet... will check soon! either way, this thing is ONE SWEET PENCIL!

[Lloyd]

The eraser is in the cap. When you post the pencil, the cover of the eraser (at the end of the cap) protrudes for easy removal.

[jniforat]

The eraser is in the cap. When you post the pencil, the cover of the eraser (at the end of the cap) protrudes for easy removal.

thanks, Lloyd! found it! i like the size. very nice!

[stevlight]

One of my favorites.

[Elite Fear]

Nice review

Might I ask - how did you manage to take off the tip? I've had mine for about a month now and I have only dropped it 3 or 4 times, and only once or twice on a hard surface, but the lead mechanism stopped functioning. I am hoping that it is just jammed but I can't disassemble it fully without taking off the tip.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Elite Fear

[watch_art]

Just unscrew it. I used a bit of bicycle rubber inner tube to get a good grip on it.

[Elite Fear]

Just unscrew it. I used a bit of bicycle rubber inner tube to get a good grip on it.

 

Ahh, thanks, I feel rather dull now... haha. It was just a jam and I fixed it, was beginning to worry cause I really liked that pencil.

[watch_art]

Yeah I love mine. I dropped the green one and the cap button is ruined. It falls down into the cap when closed, but works fine when posted for use. I don't know what the heck happened. So i just don't use it anymore. I like the .7mm better anyhow - so it's not too bad.

[wastelanded]

Great review! I've had one of these, a black one, for I don't know how many years, at least ten. Yes, it's a pain in the ass with the cap and all, but it's got class. The Kerry can hang with the FPs in the roll with head held high.

[callamint]

Yeah I love mine. I dropped the green one and the cap button is ruined. It falls down into the cap when closed, but works fine when posted for use. I don't know what the heck happened. So i just don't use it anymore. I like the .7mm better anyhow - so it's not too bad.

My cap button came like that. D:

 

But I love it regardless.

It's almost always posted for me.

 

The green color is lovely!