Who Makes A Nice 0.5Mm Pencil?

[Accidental Rorschach]

Hi all,

 

So at work I use a pencil as much as a pen. The thing is, most of the nicer pen manufacturers make their pencils in 0.7mm lead, which is a bit thick for the things I need it for. Does anyone make a nice pencil in 0.5mm lead? Thus far the best I've found is some of the (now discontinued) Parkers.

 

Thanks all,

 

Tom

[SallyLyn]

The Parkers I have as part of a set with the ballpoint Jotters are nice and work well. Pentel makes an inexpensive workhorse pencil in various thicknesses. Models are based on the size so there is 209, 207, 205 (one you want) and a thinner 203. I look at eBay, Jetpens, Amazon to find best price. There are a few colors. Think for a single pencil 5.99 is an ok price.

 

There are nice metal drawing pencils but I find them too heavy for long use and they can be more expensive. For their price I can have the Pentels or Parkers at work, in the cars, bunch of places at home.

 

Check Jetpens article on lead options. You might enjoy harder or softer, darker leads for different uses, maybe drawing. Drawing even if you are not very artful is, like writing by hand, good for the brain.

[NinthSphere]

The Uni Kuru Toga has a good rep.

 

http://www.jetpens.com/blog/kuru-toga-a-comprehensive-guide/pt/706

 

I'm looking at picking up a Roulette in the near future.

[blINK]

The Rotring 600 is nice and comes in 0.5mm.

[KBeezie]

Another vote for the Kuru Toga, I use their gunmetal one for 0.5, the cheaper plastic one (around $4 at walmart) for the 0.7.

 

Got my 'high grade' one from JStationery http://www.jstationery.com/mechanical-pencil/uni-kuru-toga-2/uni-kuru-toga-high-grade

 

The Standard ones can be found in 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 http://www.jstationery.com/mechanical-pencil/uni-kuru-toga-2/uni-kuru-toga

 

And they also have the rubber grip one in 0.5 http://www.jstationery.com/mechanical-pencil/uni-kuru-toga-2/uni-kuru-toga-rubber-grip

Edited July 19, 2015 by KBeezie

[lvda]

I was pleasantly surprised by the TWSBI pencil I got. It feels very well made and I like the balance & weight (but that's of course a personal thing). The model I have is the http://thewritingdesk.co.uk/showproduct.php?id=11196

 

[Chiro75]

Rotring 600 is the king of (mechanical) pencils.

[Accidental Rorschach]

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. I must admit, the Kuru Toga High Grade and the Rotring 600 both look really good! I suspect I'll end up getting both of them. I might try the Kuru Toga in 0.3mm though. I've never had a 0.3 before!

 

Tom

[rollerboy]

I might try the Kuru Toga in 0.3mm though. I've never had a 0.3 before!

 

Tom

 

Just keep in mind that the Kuru Togas are always "on point" and hence tend to write thinner than a regular non-auto-lead-rotation mechanical pencil.

 

I've tried a few Kuru Togas. I find the grip of the High Grade a bit slippery. The Roulette grip is better and it's probably the best looking IMO. From a comfort standpoint I've been happiest with the rubber grip version or the Alpha Gel Kuru Toga.

[Drawing61]

Another vote for Rotring.

[DaveBj]

I was pleasantly surprised by the TWSBI pencil I got. It feels very well made and I like the balance & weight (but that's of course a personal thing). The model I have is the http://thewritingdesk.co.uk/showproduct.php?id=11196

 

 

I have the same pencil in black, with the retractable pipe. I bought it on the recommendation of another FPN denizen, and it is my go-to pencil.

[Sergio 46]

Another vote for Kuru Toga and for Rotring 600, two excellent choices!

[public alias]

The Faber Castell TK-Fine Vario is very nice, I just got to try one of those out and it felt very solid. I also just purchased a Platinum Pro Use 2 in 0.5mm - at first I thought it looked a bit funky, but I have quickly fallen in love with both the feel and appearance.

 

On the cheaper side, the Alvin Draf-Tec Retrac has been an EDC of mine for years thanks to the retractable tip.

[BCastle]

Lamy 2000 - available in both .5 and .7

[Chudgins50]

Any rotring

[christof]

Rotring 600. Best mechanical Pencil ever.

http://static.jetpens.com/images/a/000/020/20158.JPG

[attika89]

Make sure you check out the Pilot S20 as well! Amazing pencil! I might(!) even choose it over the Rotring 600, which I adore!

http://d15bv9e9f3al6i.cloudfront.net/imgs/products/cp/950_constW/PL23034-ZZZ~Pilot-S20-Mechanical-Pencil_P1.jpg

[Azura]

I am using a rotring 500 0.5mm, lighter and cheaper than 600.

[TrinityTam]

If you can find one on ebay (because it is no longer manufactured), my favorite pencil is the Rotring Trio-Pencil. Like the rest of the Rotring Trio series, it uses a clever gravity click method to switch between three different writing implements. But what makes the Trio-Pencil awesome is that all 3 options are pencils: .3, .5, and .7 widths all in one mechanical body!

[thatotherguy1]

I'm a fan of Pentel for mechanical pencils... they probably aren't the nicest in the world, but they work reliably, last very well, are made well, have lifetime warranties, are inexpensive and are easy to find pretty much anywhere. My first nice mechanical pencil (other than the Papermate Rotring Tikky knockoff) was a Pentel Graphgear 500 in 0.5. It's still in the rotation, though I do tend to prefer larger diameter leads now...

 

Oh, and the Sharp Kerry is a fantastic pencil. Plus it has a cap. How's that for pocket safe?

 

 

Off topic note- Accidental Rorschach, I love your username. Very clever