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Mechanical Pencils With Big Eraser?


Craigtbone

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As much as I love my fountain pens, as an engineer, my primary writing tool at work is a pencil.

 

The advantage of a pencil is, of course, the ability to erase. And so it seems that I need to erase quite a bit. :blush:

 

The mechanical pencil that I use is the Pentel Twist-Erase. The feature that I appreciate so much is the large diameter, long eraser that can be extended or retracted by twisting the cap. The large diameter makes the eraser stable when erasing. Often the very small diameter erasers used in most mechanical pencils bend over and pull out of socket when doing any "real" erasing. They work fine for erasing a letter or two but I find them totally inadequate for anything more than that.

 

Pulling the little cap off a small eraser, holding on to it while erasing, not dropping and loosing it, and putting the cap back on is also an annoying and distracting activity.

 

Then when the small eraser is worn down to the metal or plastic ferrule, it scrapes the paper. Pulling the eraser out and pushing the ferrule down so more eraser is exposed is another time consuming, delicate and distracting activity. I could just replace the eraser but I would use up many erasers doing that.

 

Of course I could (and do) just keep a "big old eraser" on my desk. This works fairly well at my desk but when in a meeting or helping a colleague at his/her desk I do not want to hold a pencil and a separate eraser.

 

The Twist-Erase advances the lead in a typical manner, by pressing the cap (not just a button on top). The lead advance mechanism works well.

 

My only complaint about the Twist-Erase pencils is that the cap pulls off too easily, exposing the lead holding tube and allowing the leads to fall out. When stored in a pen sleeve in my briefcase, the friction of the grip will often hold it in the sleeve when I pull the cap to remove the pencil for use.

 

For what it is worth, I mostly use .7mm lead. Sometimes .5mm and .9mm.

 

Sorry for the long description. So here are my questions...

 

Are there any other mechanical pencils with large erasers? Or maybe small diameter but long eraser might be ok?

 

I would especially love to have a metal version of this pencil that was more durable and more classy looking. So far I have not found any but I am most certainly not the most knowledgeable about mechanical pencils.

 

Any thoughts and assistance is most appreciated.

 

Craig T.

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I would especially love to have a metal version of this pencil that was more durable and more classy looking.

 

I am looking for the same thing--for ALL the same reasons.

 

The Retro 51mechanical pencil is pretty good but any real erasing and the eraser falls out--it is a big eraser though.

 

I like this Kaweco but one of those tiny ANNOYING erasers.

 

I wish Pentel would make the twist erase in a higher end{better made} classer version--with no "grip" section.

 

Maybe there is one out there we do not know of.

 

 

We need Speedy of TWISBI to design and make one!!!!!!

www.stevelightart.com

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- For .9mm, Autopoint is a classic. I bought a couple on eBay.

 

- Try the Pentel Qucker Clicker. I used the originals back in the early '80s as the perfect programmer's pencil. .7mm and .5mm, large fixed eraser. It will advance the lead when you push a long slide fitted down the center of the pencil. Key design difference from the stiletto-like pencils that advance lead when you press the eraser.

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I really like mechanical pencils but have yet to find a pencil I like that also has a decent eraser. My current favorite is the Pentel Kerry Sharp but it has a useless eraser. The solution I have come up with is to bring along a separate eraser, the Tombow Mono Zero stick eraser: Tombow Eraser This solution does mean you have to carry something besides your pencil with you but at least you can clip it to a pocket.

 

I don't know why mechanical pencil manufacturers these days seem to consider the eraser non-essential or an after thought. Isn't one of the reasons we use pencils is because we need to be able to easily correct mistakes or make changes? For mechanical pencils with a robust eraser you have to buy vintage I think, and hope that replacement erasers are still available.

 

Holly

Edited by OakIris
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These are in my collection and they might suit your needs.

 

Pentel Jolt. Large black exposed eraser. Shake mechanism.

 

Pentel Quicker Clicker. Already mentioned. I also prefer the older model. Large white eraser. Depending on model the eraser may be exposed or covered by an easily removable plastic cap.

 

Pentel Quick Dock. Long medium width white eraser on twist mechanism. Most of the eraser can be screwed back in the cartridge. This pencil has an interesting feature. You refill it by pulling a cartridge out of the top of the pencil. The cartridge contains the lead and the eraser. You replace the entire cartridge. If you erase a lot, you can replace just the eraser.

 

PaperMate Apex. Long thin twist twist eraser.

 

Faber-Castell TK Fine Vario. Long thin twist eraser.

 

The Auto Points have also been mentioned.

 

I tend not to use the erasers on my mechanical pencils. I use a Pentel Clic-Eraser.

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I have never used any erasers attached to the hundreds of mechanical, or other, pencils I have used over the years, they are inconvenient or inadequate.

The Staedtler MarsPlastic 528 50 eraser holder is inexpensive, and works perfectly for graphic art/drafting. The only trick is to keep the eraser clean by rubbing on coarse cloth, usually my jeans.

Couple of outlets below.

http://www.pixiemall.com/product/staedtler-528-50-mars-plastic-stick-eraser-holder

http://www.tigerpens.co.uk/acatalog/Mars_Plastic_Eraser_Holder_528_50.html

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http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o7wXKMFjVIk/TQO7ymLBCaI/AAAAAAAAAA8/CEzCRScdvjE/s1600/fc%2Bgrip%2Bmatic%2B1320-1321.jpg

 

I use a Faber Castell GripMatic 0.5 or 0.7mm mechanical pencil

 

It's eraser is larger so I can replace it anytime (which I did) with a high quality PENTEL art eraser.

The eraser that comes with it is no good.

Leaves ghosting marks.

 

I carry a 2mm lead holder at work.

It carries a 5B lead so it needs a very soft eraser.

(everyone is amused when I whip out an eraser from my pants pocket.)

It's a very strange thing to carry , someone once said.

 

http://best-b2b.com/Products/1093/1095-2/4b-eraser_588314.html

Edited by TMLee

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Thank you all for all this good info.

 

The long thin eraser might just work fine.

 

So many more possibilities than I thought.

 

More research...

 

Craig T.

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Though the company is now defunct, the Sensa pencil has a nice chunky eraser on the top. It uses the Pental PDE-1 erasers, which are cheap and easy to find. There is a small chrome cap that you can place over the eraser, but it's unnecessary. The gel grip on the Sensa seems polarize opinions, but the pencil itself is nice quality with 50/50 weight distribution.

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http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o7wXKMFjVIk/TQO7ymLBCaI/AAAAAAAAAA8/CEzCRScdvjE/s1600/fc%2Bgrip%2Bmatic%2B1320-1321.jpg

 

I use a Faber Castell GripMatic 0.5 or 0.7mm mechanical pencil

 

It's eraser is larger so I can replace it anytime (which I did) with a high quality PENTEL art eraser.

The eraser that comes with it is no good.

Leaves ghosting marks.

 

I carry a 2mm lead holder at work.

It carries a 5B lead so it needs a very soft eraser.

(everyone is amused when I whip out an eraser from my pants pocket.)

It's a very strange thing to carry , someone once said.

 

http://best-b2b.com/Products/1093/1095-2/4b-eraser_588314.html

 

 

Yep, that is exactly the pencil I was thinking of when I read the original post.

Faber-Castell has a long tradition in pencil making and is probably the manufacturer with one of the broadest range of pencils going along with their fountain pens, rollerballs and ballpoint.

 

As far as pencils are concerned, you can't really go wrong with this brand and among others their mechanical and drop pencils were standard issue in engineering school in the 70s.

Edited by beluga
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Forgot, I do use an eraser that came with a mechanical pencil.

As mentioned by stevlight, it's my stainless steel version of the Retro 1951 Tornado, a nice little twist action pencil with a large eraser.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Retro-51-VRP-1301-Tornado-Pencil/dp/B005FLXHEU

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Retro-51-VRP-1315-Lacquered-Stainless-Tornado-Pencil-/290510811301

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Have you thought of using a separate stick eraser such as the Rotring Tikky eraser, the Pentel Clic eraser, or the Pentel Ain Triangular eraser (listed on JetPens as the Pentel Ain Clic and on Amazon as the Pentel Tri-Eraser)? I always use a separate eraser (the Rotring Tikky sometimes and the Pentel Ain Triangular eraser most of the time due to its nice edges) since

  • there is more control when using a stick eraser,
  • the separate eraser lasts longer than any eraser that comes with any mechanical pencil,
  • stick erasers are easy to refill and replace, and
  • using the separate eraser allows me to use any of my beautiful pencils -- no limitations due to a pencil's useless eraser.

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I have never used any erasers attached to the hundreds of mechanical, or other, pencils I have used over the years, they are inconvenient or inadequate.

The Staedtler MarsPlastic 528 50 eraser holder is inexpensive, and works perfectly for graphic art/drafting. The only trick is to keep the eraser clean by rubbing on coarse cloth, usually my jeans.

 

I won't say never, but it is very rare that I use the attached eraser in any of my pencils. I carry one of several eraser holders similar to this Staedtler one, or various block erasers.

 

I don't think I've ever cleaned the eraser. I just use them to erase and it always works. :)

 

I just looked and I do have a Mars 528 50, marked Radett.

 

For a block eraser, my favorite right now is the Pentel Ain Black. I think my favorite holder is an older Koh-i-noor holder that uses the same eraser sticks that the electric drafting erasers use. (My koh-i-noor is not electric though.) The electric ones are like this:

 

 

 

http://static.www.odcdn.com/pictures/us/od/sk/lg/831131_sk_lg.jpg

 

 

 

 

Then there's the Tim the Tool Man version, with the 200 HP motor...

 

BTW, I have also used the Pentel Clic-erase erasers from time to time, because that's why my employer buys. I like the erasing material itself, but the holder is kind of awkward.

Edited by stuartk
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BTW, I have also used the Pentel Clic-erase erasers from time to time, because that's why my employer buys. I like the erasing material itself, but the holder is kind of awkward.

The biggest problem I have with the Clic-Erase erasers is that the clip tends to break after a year or so of use since you have to push the clip itself up and down to extend and retract the eraser. The automatic ones (Tikky and Ain) probably have less of a problem with this.

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BTW, I have also used the Pentel Clic-erase erasers from time to time, because that's why my employer buys. I like the erasing material itself, but the holder is kind of awkward.

The biggest problem I have with the Clic-Erase erasers is that the clip tends to break after a year or so of use since you have to push the clip itself up and down to extend and retract the eraser. The automatic ones (Tikky and Ain) probably have less of a problem with this.

 

I've had the clip break several times on these. That's another reason I don't buy them for my own use.

 

I just looked at a pic of the Tikky eraser, and I have a couple of erasers like that, but with other brand names. I don't remember those names right off hand though. They're definitely better than the Clic-erase, but I think I stopped using them because I couldn't find refills. I'll have to pick up some Tikky refills and see what they're like.

Edited by stuartk
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  • 11 months later...

Ok, this thread hasn't seen any activity in a year but I'd be remiss not to chime in.

I hate having to carry a separate eraser all the time and switch to it constantly. I do illustration so being able to pull out a pencil and sketchbook, capture an idea and put them away is a constant thing for me. a separate eraser is just another thing to remember and be cumbersome.

The Papermate Logo II is my favorite pencil w/ an extendable twist eraser and has been really good for a long time. I had more but, of course, I lost them. They come in .7 and .5 and use a standard 1/4 inch eraser.

The really nice thing is that, unlike other extendable eraser pencils, the twist is fairly firm. One of the biggest problems I've had with others has been that they twist to easily and any amount of pressure on the eraser itself causes it to twist back up into the pencil. I've been looking for a metal version but haven't been able to find one. I have found a Lamy Logo stainless steel pencil but it doesn't appear to have the eraser

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What about the old traditional eraser? Recently Office Depot began carrying "arrowhead" erasers made of the newer synthetic material rather than the traditional rubber. They're good because they actually stretch to fit over the top of my Bicmatic automatic pencils without splitting. They mar paper less than the old rubber ones did. The item number is 206-503. They call their version of arrowhead erasers "eraser caps."

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  • 5 months later...

I somehow missed the additions last year.

 

Mumblyjoe"s comments are why I am on the lookout for a mechanical pencil with an extendable eraser.

 

So far I have used two MPs that have extendable erasers that work well: Pentel Twist-Erase II and Papermate ProTouch II. The Twist-Erase has a large diameter eraser while the ProTouch has a small diameter eraser. Both seem firm enough so as to not retract while erasing. I would prefer the larger eraser but the smaller would be acceptable.

 

Craig T.

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