Pocket mechanical pencil recommendations

[doriath19]

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm looking for recommendations for a good pocket mechanical pencil (I usually carry in my pants pocket). I have a few Rotring pencils, and I really like them. I had a Graphgear 1000, but the plastic section in the middle broke (I think because I usually carried it in my pants pocket). I'm a little hesitant to carry my Rotring Rapidpro pencils in my pocket for the same reason. They have a plastic middle section. 

 

I'm aware of the Pentel Kerry Sharp. It seems to be the right size for pocket carry, but I'm wondering if there are any other good options out there. Let me know what you think.

[ParramattaPaul]

My experience has lead to the conclusion that carrying pointed objects in one's trouser pockets is not a good plan usually resulting in holes -- at least in one's pocket.

[bsenn]

The Kerry is a great pocket pencil. High quality, durable, and comfortable. This from someone who started on a drafting board and owns (too) many mechanical pencils.

 

Brian

[doriath19]

1 hour ago, ParramattaPaul said:

My experience has lead to the conclusion that carrying pointed objects in one's trouser pockets is not a good plan usually resulting in holes -- at least in one's pocket.

True. I normally try to carry as little in my pockets as possible. However, there are times when I need a pencil in my pocket. Most normal mechanical pencils are too long to be comfortable.

[doriath19]

11 minutes ago, bsenn said:

The Kerry is a great pocket pencil. High quality, durable, and comfortable. This from someone who started on a drafting board and owns (too) many mechanical pencils.

 

Brian

Thanks, Brian! Maybe I just need to give the Kerry a try. It's a fairly cost effective option. I have been a little hesitant to purchase one because reviews seem to favor vintage Kerry's over more recent versions.

[bsenn]

32 minutes ago, doriath19 said:

Thanks, Brian! Maybe I just need to give the Kerry a try. It's a fairly cost effective option. I have been a little hesitant to purchase one because reviews seem to favor vintage Kerry's over more recent versions.

 

Mine is a bit older, I don't know about the current model. Still seems cheap enough to give it a go though.

 

Brian

 

 

[flatline]

The Kerry is simply one of the most easily recommendable pencils available today. It's 100% pocket safe, feels great to write with, very well made, and has a unique and clever design. You really should start there unless you know you don't like the Kerry for some reason.

 

If you are willing to carry a 2mm pencil, Koh-i-Noor makes the 5228 which is a 4.5 inch drop clutch style lead holder. It's an amazing little lead holder except that the tip sometimes unscrews in my rotary sharpener which is...annoying In theory, any pressure against the knock could release a sharpened lead in your pocket, but I've never had any issue whatsoever. It usually just rides straight up/down beside my wallet.

 

--flatline

 

[ISW_Kaputnik]

I'm strongly in favor of shirt pocket carry for pens and pencils, and shirts with pockets in general, so any recommendations I make would be with that in mind.  Still, I suppose you could carry these in a pants pocket if you were determined to.  Particularly if you had some sort of small case to protect them.

 

In addition to the Kerry, which I do like (I have it in 0.7 mm) there are some vintage mechanical pencils which are quite nice, although you may have to use a little ingenuity in finding suitable replacement erasers for them.  I have some twist action Parkers with 0.9 mm leads which I believe are both categorized as model 45s, although they are two different sizes.  And Esterbrook made some mechanical pencils for both 0.9 mm and 0.046 inch (roughly 1.1 mm) leads, but it may be a little dicier finding one in good working order.  I have one for the 0.046 inch size which works quite nicely, and a couple of others which are finicky; the Parkers would be a safer bet.

 

I also like Scriptos, again twist action and 1.1 mm.  They came in different sizes.  I liked the longer ones, but they made some shorter models.

[txomsy]

A number of classics make pencil-shaped mechanical pencils with retractable points, which makes them safe for pockets: no sharp points to worry about. I have a Faber-Castell and a Staedler one. Just mind retracting the point after use.

[pearlfox]

Kerry's exactly what I had in mind when I read OP's post too.  Mine's from the '80s though, dunno what might be different with current production.

 

Rotring 800 is another option, with a retractable tip which should keep it from assaulting delicate anatomy.  There's also an 800+ which includes a rubber stylus point when the pencil tip's retracted, if that's your sort of thing.

[doriath19]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! The Kerry makes a lot of good sense with the Koh-i-noor 5228 at a close second. I'll probably start there. 

 

The idea of a vintage pencil really sounds attractive especially since some of them are built well. I'll probably keep my eyes open in this area.

[flatline]

If you want the lightest possible option, there's nothing wrong with a 4 or 5 inch wooden pencil with a cap over the point. I did this for years when I was in college. Clearly not appropriate for lots of writing unless you have access to a sharpener as well. I think that's the idea behind the Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil (cap/extender with sharpener built in).

 

--flatline

[MYU]

Another alternative to pocket carry is getting yourself a good quality plastic sleeve. Tuck the pencil inside and it should be fine as long as you have a sliding pipe guide or a small fixed tip. But seriously, for pocketability, you really can't go wrong with a Pentel Kerry. Also, because it's such a hit with students, Pentel has come out with a TON of colors. So many to choose from. Plus, there are some limited editions that look pretty wild, like skeleton bodies and alternative accents.

 

[donnweinberg]

I agree.  I love the Pentel-Kerry ("PK") mechanical pencils and recently began a collection of them in different colors and trims.  As a fan of fountain pens, I particularly appreciate that the PK has a removable cap with a pocket clip.  The cap can be removed and placed on the end of the pencil's barrel and the lead advanced by clicking the end of the cap, which also hides an eraser.  The end of the pencil barrel can be removed for loading the leads and is the other means of clicking to advance the lead.  The PK mostly comes in 0.5 lead size, but there are a few 0.7 models.  A very ingenious design, and a very attractive one.

[JosephKing]

Does a short, metal, 5.6mm lead holder like a Kohinoor Hardtmuth or a Kaweco Sketch Up fit your use case?

[Mech-for-i]

OP, not sure I understand the part about the Graphgear 1000 breaking , I had a couple and they yeah had plastic section but its covered by the metal section sleeve , its kind of hard to break the metal and you really need to break the metal part before getting into the plastic innards , anyway , for pocket carry mechanical pencil the part is having either a retractable sleeve , or it had a part that protect it ..

 

The Pentel Kerry sure is a nice one , and I had a couple too , would second that ; I also tend to stuck a trio of pens on my jean's back pocket ( together with a reporter style flip up A7 note pad , These days I use the Muji ABS mechanical pencil , it does not had a retractable lead sleeve but actually it does not even had one , cause it put the lead clutch right where the lead came off the pen , what you are seeing at the tip of the pen is not a lead sleeve but the actual lead clutch , its a fairly blunt end so will not poke at the clothing , there is an older version of this pen which is less well build, this current version is pretty tough with a single thick ABS tubing for the pen body

 

Another one I usually had as pocket carry is the Mitsubishi Uni Kuru Toga Advance Metal version , this had double knock and retractable sleeve. Both of these are 0.5mm but the Kuru-Toga Advance Metal Ver. had 0.3mm just announced , finally the Mitsubishi Uni Shift Drafting Pencil is also pretty cool

 

[Aramchek]

I have to admit that when I saw the photo of the Muji pencil I assumed it was an unfamiliar Lamy model.