Leadholders or clutch pencil

[Latro21]

i like the staedtler mars 2mm, but i dont own one yet, i have only tried one. i plan to buy one soon. i also really like leadholders/mech pencils that adjust from stiff to cushioned writing or drawing.

 

since i only use pencils for drawing, i usually like to use a .5mm or .7mm lead [mostly .5mm], in which case i just zebra m-301 mechanical pencils. the reason for those is that the erasers are really nice, small for detail work, and very cheap to refill. they also feel pretty good in the hand, and theyre cheap.

 

most of the time i use wooden pencils in a range of 9b-9h, and then the finer mech pencils for details or on the go use. i also have a range of leads for the .5mm mech from 4b-4h.

 

really though, it depends on what i am drawing, and whether i am on the go or at home.

Edited March 23, 2007 by Latro21

[anywho3]

Hi Latro

 

have you looked at the faber castell TK Fine Vario pencil. That one can also be adjusted to soft or hard!

 

Personally I really like it. I bought it for my niece. Also at the bottom you can adjust it to say whether your writing with a HB, 2B or whatever type of lead!

 

http://www.faber-castell.us/

 

have a look at it although te website doesn't do the pencil justice!

 

 

 

[Latro21]

QUOTE (anywho3 @ Mar 25 2007, 06:58 AM)

Hi Latro have you looked at the faber castell TK Fine Vario pencil. That one can also be adjusted to soft or hard! Personally I really like it. I bought it for my niece. Also at the bottom you can adjust it to say whether your writing with a HB, 2B or whatever type of lead! http://www.faber-castell.us/ have a look at it although te website doesn't do the pencil justice!

thanks for the info-ill keep an eye out for it in stores once im in the market for a new pencil.

[Titivillus]

QUOTE (BillTheEditor @ Mar 22 2007, 03:33 PM)

I have a few mechanical pencils here, but I really prefer wood-cased pencils. Much more comfortable, and it's not a tragedy if one gets lost. PencilThings.com is my favorite supplier online. If you want a wooden pencil, no matter what manufacturer or what specialty type, he's got it. Also sharpeners, clips, point protectors, boxes, and a nice selection of mechanical pencils. I've been a customer since the day they opened up (maybe even a day or two before), thanks to the late lamented Pencil Revolution weblog.

I got a Gessner by Clio Screibnit [sic] from them. It's a 400 year old design for a lead holder that is turned out of cherry wood. it's all wood and of a pleasant shape. They had the best price on the net and I got a dozen extra leads.

 

My son lost the collar and an email to them (pencilthings.com) provided a quick personal reply that showed great customer service.

 

 

The lead is 5mm but a readily available large pencil sharpener does a great job at pointing it.

 

 

Kurt

[anywho3]

QUOTE (Latro21 @ Mar 25 2007, 07:56 PM)

thanks for the info-ill keep an eye out for it in stores once im in the market for a new pencil.

Hell thats never stopped me!

 

Why not have one for HB leads and another pencil for 2B leads?

[Latro21]

QUOTE (anywho3 @ Mar 27 2007, 10:32 AM)

QUOTE (Latro21 @ Mar 25 2007, 07:56 PM) thanks for the info-ill keep an eye out for it in stores once im in the market for a new pencil. Hell thats never stopped me!   Why not have one for HB leads and another pencil for 2B leads? no money, not to mention the 20 or so mech pencils i have, most of which have different leads in them. thats on top of the 9H-9B wood pencil set i have, plus another 20 or so HB wood pencils.   you dont even want to know how many pens i have [regular pens, not fountain pens].

[anywho3]

QUOTE (Latro21 @ Mar 27 2007, 07:28 PM)

QUOTE (anywho3 @ Mar 27 2007, 10:32 AM) QUOTE (Latro21 @ Mar 25 2007, 07:56 PM) thanks for the info-ill keep an eye out for it in stores once im in the market for a new pencil. Hell thats never stopped me!   Why not have one for HB leads and another pencil for 2B leads? no money, not to mention the 20 or so mech pencils i have, most of which have different leads in them. thats on top of the 9H-9B wood pencil set i have, plus another 20 or so HB wood pencils.   you dont even want to know how many pens i have [regular pens, not fountain pens]. Remember the golden rule     You can never have too many pens!

[pigpogm]

My answer changed just recently. Until a week or so ago, it would have been the Staedtler 780C - I've had one of those for a long time, and bought a second one recently because I'd lost the clip on the first. The balance of them is just perfect for me - light at the top, but a bit of solidity near the tip - and I love the knurled metal grip. The looks probably aren't to everyone's taste, but I can't resist the retro-geek styling.

 

Recently, though, I've been doing quite a bit of work on The Cult Pens Guide to Mechanical Pencils (plug, plug ), and handled a couple of Faber-Castell e-Motions. I fell for the black wood version, and ended up buying one.

 

The 1.4mm lead is a bit thinner, but still strong enough to withstand being dropped on its tip without snapping it. The whole thing is shorter and wider, which I like, and the twist-advance mechanism is really nice. You even get a fairly decent eraser under the cap, though they're a bit expensive to replace.

 

It's quite a bit more expensive than the 780, so might not be worth it to everyone, and if you want a range of lead hardnesses, look elsewhere. Faber-Castell seem to be the only people making 1.4mm lead (at least making it available in the UK), and they only do B grade.

 

 

A couple of people have mentioned the Caran d'Ache Fixpencil. We just got the 2mm ones in at work, so I've had a look at one. It's very light - lighter than the 780. Although there's no grip area, the surface isn't at all slippery, so I found it comfortable to hold. There's a sharpener hidden in the cap, just like with the 780 (though I haven't tried it out), and they take the same 2mm leads. Personally, I like the 780 better, still, but I think some people will prefer the Fixpencil. the styling is much more 'normal', and the weight (what little there is of it) is evenly distributed. It feels much more like a wood pencil to hold.

[Latro21]

QUOTE (anywho3 @ Mar 28 2007, 05:23 AM)

QUOTE (Latro21 @ Mar 27 2007, 07:28 PM) QUOTE (anywho3 @ Mar 27 2007, 10:32 AM) QUOTE (Latro21 @ Mar 25 2007, 07:56 PM) thanks for the info-ill keep an eye out for it in stores once im in the market for a new pencil. Hell thats never stopped me!   Why not have one for HB leads and another pencil for 2B leads? no money, not to mention the 20 or so mech pencils i have, most of which have different leads in them. thats on top of the 9H-9B wood pencil set i have, plus another 20 or so HB wood pencils.   you dont even want to know how many pens i have [regular pens, not fountain pens]. Remember the golden rule     You can never have too many pens! i can, and do.

[anywho3]

QUOTE (pigpogm @ Apr 1 2007, 06:41 PM)

Recently, though, I've been doing quite a bit of work on The Cult Pens Guide to Mechanical Pencils (plug, plug  ), and handled a couple of Faber-Castell e-Motions.  I fell for the black wood version, and ended up buying one. The 1.4mm lead is a bit thinner, but still strong enough to withstand being dropped on its tip without snapping it.  The whole thing is shorter and wider, which I like, and the twist-advance mechanism is really nice.  You even get a fairly decent eraser under the cap, though they're a bit expensive to replace. It's quite a bit more expensive than the 780, so might not be worth it to everyone, and if you want a range of lead hardnesses, look elsewhere.  Faber-Castell seem to be the only people making 1.4mm lead (at least making it available in the UK), and they only do B grade. Caran d'Ache Fixpencil.  We just got the 2mm ones in at work, so I've had a look at one.  It's very light - lighter than the 780.  Although there's no grip area, the surface isn't at all slippery, so I found it comfortable to hold.  There's a sharpener hidden in the cap, just like with the 780 (though I haven't tried it out), and they take the same 2mm leads.

Hi

 

I do like the 780 with its weight and the metal grip. But I want a bit of variety.

 

The Faber Castell Emotion is very good looking however I worry about the lead size of 1.4mm because no other pencil uses that size of lead so if they decide to stop production you would be buggered. But the Alvin Draphtmatic pencil that has been pictured on this particular thread got the same sort of looks but its hard to find in the UK.

 

if you want a website where they are having a sale on try these guys

 

http://www.theofficecollection.co.uk/erol.html#1X0

 

They are quite good. Also the lack of lead hardness is a bit of a worry because I bought my Faber Castell TK 4600 and I wanted a darker lead.

 

Recently Cultpens have started the to sell the Caran d'Ache fixpencil but they are a bit pricey at just under £10 so maybe if the price drops a little I would consider getting it.

 

There is this art shop that has got a square pencil! Yes you heard me square and other leadholder but we're talking fatter than 5mm

 

Anyway here is the website. Enjoy

 

http://heatoncooper.co.uk/

Edited April 4, 2007 by anywho3

[BillTheEditor]

QUOTE (Tytyvyllus @ Mar 25 2007, 03:05 PM)

QUOTE (BillTheEditor @ Mar 22 2007, 03:33 PM) I have a few mechanical pencils here, but I really prefer wood-cased pencils. Much more comfortable, and it's not a tragedy if one gets lost. PencilThings.com is my favorite supplier online. If you want a wooden pencil, no matter what manufacturer or what specialty type, he's got it. Also sharpeners, clips, point protectors, boxes, and a nice selection of mechanical pencils. I've been a customer since the day they opened up (maybe even a day or two before), thanks to the late lamented Pencil Revolution weblog. I got a Gessner by Clio Screibnit [sic] from them. It's a 400 year old design for a lead holder that is turned out of cherry wood. it's all wood and of a pleasant shape. They had the best price on the net and I got a dozen extra leads.   My son lost the collar and an email to them (pencilthings.com) provided a quick personal reply that showed great customer service.     The lead is 5mm but a readily available large pencil sharpener does a great job at pointing it.     Kurt Don at PencilThings is great! His business has really grown over the last year as word has spread about it.   I've looked at the Gessner, and it is very nice. I have a handful of lead holders from various manufacturers and can't justify buying another one -- don't use them all now.   Don carries the Gedess lead pointer, too. I'm thinking I need one ...   http://www.pencilthings.com/catalog/DX3260.jpg

[tjwarren]

anywho3 --

 

If you really like the look of the Alvin, see if you can find a Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic. My local art store carries them, and they look exactly like the DraftMatics. (I have not personally tried one, though)

 

 

http://www.rexart.com/koh5637_info.html

 

[Titivillus]

QUOTE (tjwarren @ Apr 4 2007, 06:57 PM)

anywho3 -- If you really like the look of the Alvin, see if you can find a Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic. My local art store carries them, and they look exactly like the DraftMatics. (I have not personally tried one, though) http://www.rexart.com/koh5637_info.html

I had a Kohinoor crack right where at the section threads. I guess it might be the way I hold a pencil but it kept me from buying another. I've moved to Rotring 600 and a Kerry for daily use.

 

Kurt \

 

[TMLee]

Clutch pencils I like , some cheapo 2mm plastic clutch pencil . Lightweight.

I had the Faber Castell 2mm clutch but now lost , it was a real old version. so sad. Then the steadtler 2mm clutch I find too heavy during skteching.

 

My other clutch is called a 'Shorty' , Ii think 4.3mm lead ? I use this one for big sketches.

 

Mechanical pencils - haven't found one I like. Any recommendations?

[tjwarren]

QUOTE (Tytyvyllus @ Apr 4 2007, 08:19 PM)

I had a Kohinoor crack right where at the section threads. I guess it might be the way I hold a pencil but it kept me from buying another.

If the Koh-I-Noor cracked on you, then they must be made to only look the same. I see no possible way for the Alvin to crack at the section, unless you're REALLY strong -- it's metal on metal, and definitely sturdy.

 

 

 

 

Since there's been all this discussion on lead-holders, I decided to try one out; I picked up a Steadtler 980 at my local Staples. Pretty nice! I can't really see using it for everyday writing, I think the Alvin's are nicer for writing. For drafting, though, I can definitely see the appeal. For anything involving marking a line with a straightedge, the heft of the big 2.0mm lead is a nice improvement over the delicacy of the 0.5mm lead.

 

[Titivillus]

QUOTE (tjwarren @ Apr 4 2007, 08:51 PM)

If the Koh-I-Noor cracked on you, then they must be made to only look the same. I see no possible way for the Alvin to crack at the section, unless you're REALLY strong -- it's metal on metal, and definitely sturdy.

The Koh was plastic body with metal section and it cracked.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I find the Caran D'ache fixpencils to be quite good. I have four of them and they are quite light--lighter than most leadholders and quite well designed. I have both the 3 MM ones and the 2 MM ones.

 

I got my fixpencils at www.wetpaintart.com. It's a nice store and I recommend it highly.

 

Dillon

[TMLee]

I lost my oldfaithful cheapo clutch pencil "Criterium" ... sob ....

 

So this is the replacement ... a Rotring 2mm clutch pencil (not on your polling list) ... I chose this over the common available Steadtler and the Kohl ....

 

The balance is exellent. It has a lead indicator (not clever enough ! pretty much useless).

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/rotringclutch.jpg

 

The cap is a sharpener. VERY useful !

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/rotringclutchcap.jpg

 

Sob.... this was my last pencil sketch with the faithful old "Criterium" clutch now lost.... A quik sketch following step by step instructions, then grey watercolor pencil and finally wash with water from my new waterbrush (quite a nifty invention)... On my new CIAK blank notebook...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/elephantsketch.jpg

 

Anyone here seen or own a Faber Castell clutch pencil?

Edited June 30, 2007 by TMLee

[George]

Kooh i Nor or something like that clutch for the 60-70's

 

They are always worn (the paint) so I take the paint off and polish the metal. They look nice!

[sheafferkid]

EEK! I can't vote either! My favorites are definitely the clutch pencils made by Sheaffer's. Have to be the best designed pencils I've ever used. The weight is nice, and the .9mm lead is good for school. Erasers are easy for me to size to fit too.

 

Evan