Pilot Vanishing Point Retractable Mechanical Pencils

[MYU]

Interesting to note is that the H-200x and H-300x series was originally sold with a nice hard plastic PILOT presentation box and a folded paper manual. You very rarely see these appear, as such things tend to end up lost or thrown away over the years. Well, one finally appeared with box+papers and I was set to bid a 75% premium over the going rate of the pencil alone (in very good condition but without sticker)... However, my plans were foiled by a fairly recent YJP bidder who has appeared on the scene, scooping up rare and collectible mechanical pencils (I've spotted their ID winning a number of them in recent months). Unfortunately this one caught their eye. We had a bid war to the end and they won. I just wasn't willing to shell out nearly double the cost of the usual closing price for this H-2005 model. I saw them pick up an original PILOT Automatic 0.5mm pencil NOS for 80,000 JPY, so it's hard to compete with that kind of bidding power.

 

So here it is. A rare treat to see!

[MYU]

I created a visual to show the pencil model numbers with associated images.

 

[inotrym]

Thanks for that! I never knew about the H-210x.

I wish they would re-release these pencils.

[Lloyd]

I had a 1005 for about 20 years before accidentally breaking it.

[MYU]

Thanks for that! I never knew about the H-210x.

I wish they would re-release these pencils.

 

You're welcome. I also wish Pilot would re-release these. The "Automac" is fairly close in design to the brushed steel bodied models. About the closest you can get to the black H-2105 is with a rOtring 800 in black. It uses a twist mechanism rather than a "double-push". The "plus" version (800+) has a black rubber front end piece that can be used as a stylus on something like an iPad.

 

I had a 1005 for about 20 years before accidentally breaking it.

 

Sorry to hear it. Yeah, it's tough to face something like that when the resale price of this discontinued pencil is so much higher than the original price. I've not been hunting down the H-1005 recently, but on occasional searches seeing them turn up, prices are about $50 USD and up for ones that show definite signs of use. Mint ones are closer to $100 USD. And original price was $15 USD! But keeping in mind, at 1990's dollar value.

[MYU]

CORRECTION:

 

Sorry for the flaw in the first page, but I am unable to correct it due to editing limitations on FPN. The H-2007, H-2107, and H-3007 models never existed. It was only the H-1007 in this series that came in 0.7 mm lead size.

[WLSpec]

Caught this thread just in time... I have an Automac that I haven't used in a while. It is a wonderful pencil! Highly recommend it. Because I've been reminded of this mp here, I might have to start using it more often!

Edited January 31, 2019 by WLSpec

[MYU]

TO THE MODERATOR of "It Writes, But It Is Not A Fountain Pen", could you please edit the original post? It is in error and there's no way for me to change it now.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

H-10xx

H-1003 - All black plastic body, with chromed metal parts, lead size 0.3mm

H-1005 - Same as H-1003, with lead size 0.5m

 

H-20xx

H-2003 - Partial black plastic body, all metal section, brushed metal parts and metal grip with small black accents, lead size 0.3mm

H-2005 - Same as H-2003, metal grip with black rectangular accents, lead size 0.5m

 

H-21xx

H-2103 - Partial black plastic body, with brushed metal parts and knurled black metal grip, lead size 0.3mm

H-2105 - Same as H-2103, lead size 0.5m

 

H-30xx

H-3003 - Partial black plastic body, all metal section, brushed metal accents and metal grip with paired rectangular accents, lead size 0.3mm

H-3005 - Same as H-3003, lead size 0.5m

 

H-50xx

H-5005 - Very rare retractable tip titanium body with etched lines. Very few were made and it's nearly impossible to obtain today without spending thousands!

 

PLEASE NOTE: There was never any 0.7mm lead size offering for any of these models

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

THANK YOU very much!

[agentdaffy007]

MYU: Thank you for posting this. It brings me back to my childhood and elementary school back in the 1980's/1990's.

 

I remember seeing my grade 2 teacher using the H1005. I had to have it. By the time I could afford the pencil, I was in grade 6. I remember finding this pen in a small pen shop for $15 CAD.

 

I bought 2 of them. First one was the best because the click mechanism was smoother and less mechanical and the retractable mechanism was slower as well.

 

Ended up dropping both pens and breaking them.

 

I can say for sure that because of that teacher, I like nice pens. Crazy how people can influence you.

 

I was talking to my daughter the other day about these pens and went on eBay. I could not believe the going rate for this. The price of nostalgia is sometimes very expensive. Ended up getting my 5 YO daughter a Pentel at $30 CAD. Good enough for her. LoL

[SF Susan]

15 hours ago, agentdaffy007 said:

I was talking to my daughter the other day about these pens and went on eBay. I could not believe the going rate for this. The price of nostalgia is sometimes very expensive. Ended up getting my 5 YO daughter a Pentel at $30 CAD. Good enough for her. LoL

I just saw one on eBay with a starting bid of $90 US or "Buy it now" for $125!  When I bought mine in the 1980s, it was my first high quality mechanical pencil. I loved it so much that when it developed a crack in the upper portion, I bought a new one. I bring it out of my collection and use it occasionally. The clicking mechanism and retractable point is still the best.

[MYU]

On 3/22/2021 at 6:07 AM, agentdaffy007 said:

MYU: Thank you for posting this. It brings me back to my childhood and elementary school back in the 1980's/1990's.

 

I remember seeing my grade 2 teacher using the H1005. I had to have it. By the time I could afford the pencil, I was in grade 6. I remember finding this pen in a small pen shop for $15 CAD.

 

I bought 2 of them. First one was the best because the click mechanism was smoother and less mechanical and the retractable mechanism was slower as well.

 

Ended up dropping both pens and breaking them.

 

I can say for sure that because of that teacher, I like nice pens. Crazy how people can influence you.

 

I was talking to my daughter the other day about these pens and went on eBay. I could not believe the going rate for this. The price of nostalgia is sometimes very expensive. Ended up getting my 5 YO daughter a Pentel at $30 CAD. Good enough for her. LoL

You're welcome. The PILOT H-1005 & H-1003 are very nicely done, but the 2nd version used a cheaper plastic that tends to crack. You can tell the difference as the original has a slight "wood grain" texture while the 2nd release is totally smooth.

 

But the going rate for a H-1005 can vary quite a bit. I've seen some used examples go for around $40, while even a NOS one as cheap as $85. I would rather buy a Pentel PSD5. This one is superior not only by having a metal grip, but also has metal screw threads in the barrel, so it's never having plastic on metal screw stresses. No cracks.

[agentdaffy007]

6 hours ago, MYU said:

You're welcome. The PILOT H-1005 & H-1003 are very nicely done, but the 2nd version used a cheaper plastic that tends to crack. You can tell the difference as the original has a slight "wood grain" texture while the 2nd release is totally smooth.

 

But the going rate for a H-1005 can vary quite a bit. I've seen some used examples go for around $40, while even a NOS one as cheap as $85. I would rather buy a Pentel PSD5. This one is superior not only by having a metal grip, but also has metal screw threads in the barrel, so it's never having plastic on metal screw stresses. No cracks.

 

The Pentel PSD5 looks almost identical to the Pilot H1005. I wonder which version came out first.

 

In any case, I have an incoming Rotring 600 MP. Can't wait to try it out.

[MYU]

13 hours ago, agentdaffy007 said:

The Pentel PSD5 looks almost identical to the Pilot H1005. I wonder which version came out first.

In any case, I have an incoming Rotring 600 MP. Can't wait to try it out.

Actually, it would be more accurate to say the Pentel PSD5 looks almost identical to the H-2005, as it has a metal grip (the H-1005 does not). The rOtring 600 is a fine mechanical pencil. It's rather heavy though, comparatively speaking. The one major drawback to the weight is tip vulnerability. There are many mechanical pencils you can drop a few feet from a hard surface and not worry about bending the pipe guide. Not so with the 600. It very often ends up bending, because of the mass of the pencil. Just keep that in mind. I put a BiC ballpoint cap on it for protection.

[SF Susan]

MYU said: "The PILOT H-1005 & H-1003 are very nicely done, but the 2nd version used a cheaper plastic that tends to crack. You can tell the difference as the original has a slight "wood grain" texture while the 2nd release is totally smooth.”
 

I had the wood-grained version back in the 1980s and it cracked after I had used it heavily for probably a year. I immediately replaced it and still have it, although I seldom use it.

Edited April 4, 2021 by SF Susan
Edited because I accidentally deleted the original quote.

[MYU]

3 hours ago, SF Susan said:

MYU said: "The PILOT H-1005 & H-1003 are very nicely done, but the 2nd version used a cheaper plastic that tends to crack. You can tell the difference as the original has a slight "wood grain" texture while the 2nd release is totally smooth.”
 

I had the wood-grained version back in the 1980s and it cracked after I had used it heavily for probably a year. I immediately replaced it and still have it, although I seldom use it.

Interesting. Did you change the lead indicator much? I'd heard that overtightening the body can make it prone to cracks. In any case, on the used market I've seen most of the cracked examples show up in the smooth plastic version.

[SF Susan]

On 4/4/2021 at 12:47 PM, MYU said:

Interesting. Did you change the lead indicator much? I'd heard that overtightening the body can make it prone to cracks. In any case, on the used market I've seen most of the cracked examples show up in the smooth plastic version.

It’s been decades, but I may have changed it a lot since I tended to switch between HB and F leads. I bought a replacement for it, but haven’t used it for years. If I bring it out again, I’ll definitely be careful not to overtighten it.

[MrPacman]

I didn't realize there was such a cult following for this pencil. I bought one of these while I was in university here in Canada at the local Staples or Office Depot (it was a long time ago and don't remember now) for around $13.  Seemed expensive for a pencil for a poor student at the time but I used that pencil all through university, my wife then used it for the remainder of her engineering degree and then she used it to write the 3 exams to get her CFA designation.

 

 I had forgotten about it until I noticed my 10 year old daughter using it for her math homework not too long ago and she kept complaining that the leads were breaking too easily.  I gave her a 0.9 Dr Grip mechanical pencil which is much easier for her to grip properly and stronger leads which is much better for her.  

 

I've got a drawer full of pens that I'm no longer using and once I get some time I'll take some pictures and post them up for sale and will most likely include this pencil as well. While it's cool, I prefer to use my mustard yellow Pentel 0.9 pencil on the rare occasions I use one and it's probably better in the hands of someone that will use it. It's too bad they stopped making it as it's was nice to be able to retract the tip in case you ever dropped it.

 

 

 

 

[agentdaffy007]

I think people buy it out of nostalgia.  It would be the case for me. I bought a Rotring 600 lead pusher a year ago. I am not even using it. 😒