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Although I own many mechanical pencils, just about each of them was purchased as part of a set with a fountain pen; the pencil was an afterthought for me. In the past few months, I have come to appreciate one model of mechanical pencil that I have sought for its own sake -- the Pentel Kerry P1035 and P1037 models (hereafter “PK”). As I will show you, these PK models have a fountain pen appearance, in that they have a click-on cap that covers the writing end of the pencil in a flush manner to protect shirt pockets and to give the pencil an elegant look. The PK comes in a variety of colors and trims, making it highly collectible, and it is a durable and reliable pencil. Here's a photo of three PKs (from top to bottom): posted (black); cap off (purple); cap on (green). The varieties of the PK can be distinguished in different ways. Regardless of the varieties, each is of the same dimensions and weight. Weight is approximately 20-21 grams. Length capped is approximately 12.5 cm (4.875 in), and length with the cap posted is approximately 13.5 cm (5.25 in). The internal knock mechanism that contains the lead is made of brass. The external materials vary somewhat, depending on model number, as some trim is gold-plated and some stainless steel and/or chrome-plated, and there are a few special/limited editions that feature a unique pattern and/or color on the central band of the PK. First released in 1971, there are two major logo variations on the cap that are determined by the age of the PK. The pre-2011, original line of PKs, near the bottom of the caps, features the inscription, “Pentel 5,” whereas the newer line features the inscription “Kerry, Since 1971.” Here are a new (B) and old (BNA) red models -- same color scheme but different logos on the cap. I happen to like the look of the "Pentel 5" logo, compared with the more "corporate" "Kerry, Since 1971" logo. In a few cases, the exact same color was released in an old (“Pentel 5”) and a new (“Kerry, Since 1971”) version. This is the case with the silver-chrome, black-chrome, blue-chrome, light-blue/chrome, and red-chrome versions (one old and two new versions). All but two models are numbered P1035 for 0.05 mm lead, and two numbered P1037 for 0.07 mm lead. One model using 0.05 mm lead is not numbered as a P1035; that is the “Craft Design Technology” (CDT) special edition, which is numbered as PEPH3-038W. Here are two photos of a disassembled black PK, so you can see all the parts: A very cool aspect of the PK is shown in the photo. With the cap off, the barrel’s end-piece is removable so that lead can be inserted in the rear. That end piece can be clicked to advance the lead. When the cap is posted, it has its own separate, removable end-piece which, when removed, reveals an eraser. Replacement erasers for the PK are Pentel’s Z2-1N Refill Erasers. Another feature that is found on the oldest models is shown here; the end-piece of the barrel in these oldest models feature a thin metal piece that can be placed into the point to clear away any lead stuck there. At some point, Pentel abandoned this feature. It came in handy for me when I needed to clear some stuck lead from a model that didn’t have the feature; I used an older model’s metal piece to clear the lead from the newer model’s point. I’ve only had that problem once. Now to the wide variety of colors-trims. There are two “demonstrator” models, the XNA and the ZNA, pictured below. The XNA is known as the “Gold Skeleton” and is a “Za Za City” Limited Edition. The ZNA is known as the “Silver Skeleton” and is a “Tokai Region” Limited Edition. Both pre-date 2011, as they have the “Pentel 5” logo on their caps. Continuing with the “precious metals” look, there are two other editions. The ZXKS is known as the “Silver and Gold Legend” Limited Edition. The ZKS and the ZD have a silver-and-chrome appearance, the ZKS being another “Legend” Limited Edition, and the ZD being the newer, “Kerry, Since 1971” version. Any model with a “KS” as part of its model number designates a special edition commissioned by Kitera Shouji Stationary Company in Japan. There are three models in black that are special editions. The AHZ is a one-of-a-kind black model with its own unique black center band; it is known as the "Tokyu Hands" special edition, and is hard to find. The other two black special editions are gold-plated models. The AXKS is known as the “Phantom” and is black with gold-plated center band and trim. The XAD is the newer version of the Phantom model. Other pre-2011 “Pentel 5” models are pictured below (sometimes along with their post-2011 versions, model numbers going from top to bottom in such a combined photo): Blue (I call it "medium blue" -- models C and CD) Black (models A and AD) Green (a nice, rich, medium emerald green color -- model D) Brown (some call it "copper-brass-orange" -- model E) above a Bordeaux (model DB) Medium Turquoise (model CNA) above a Dark Turquoise (model DC, sometimes referred to as a "dark blue," but truly a dark teal color) Yellow (model GKS) In 2011, Pentel issued three 40th Anniversary models (from top to bottom) -- the SD (Light Blue), VD (Violet), and XD (Champagne Gold). Although one can readily find the light blue and champagne gold versions on Ebay, I have not seen a VD anywhere for sale. The shade of violet in the VD is somewhat a blue-violet, compared with a later model, the VKS, which is somewhat a red-violet. I'll show the comparison below in a bit. In 2021, Pentel issued four 50th Anniversary models, each with gold-plated band and trim (from top to bottom) -- the ANNO (Dark Taupe, but called “Traditional Grey”), ANEO (Dark Brown), ANC (“Bottle Blue,” which looks dark purple in some lighting conditions), and the AND (“Glass Green”). These are readily available from a variety of Ebay sellers, mostly in Japan. Notice that the ANNO and the ANEO feature a rose gold tint on the band and trim, whereas the ANC and AND have regular gold tint. These are gorgeous instruments, and the ANC and AND models have somewhat translucent bodies. The CDT model mentioned earlier is shown here. The CDT stands for "Craft Design Technology," and has a unique trim and band to go with its white body. Between the 40th and 50th Anniversary editions, there were other colors issued: ZD (Silver/Chrome reissue) Bronze Gold (XD2, top), compared with Champagne Gold (40th Anniversary) & Yellow (shown above) Metallic Grey (N) over Smokey Grey (ND). Some believe there is no difference, and there's only one model, but I'm not so sure, as I've purchased each from Ebay from sellers using the different model letters. CC (Navy Blue) KD (Olive Green) -- two views, lighting dependent? I have a few and their color is something in-between these photos. I would call it a "light-green-olive." KD2 (Khaki) FD (Orange) PKS (Dark Pink) PD (Light Pink) VKS (Purple) over the very rare VD (Violet) to show comparison. The VKS is a red-purple, while the VD is a blue-violet. Not shown again: XAD (the black-and-gold Phantom reissue); C (Medium Blue reissue); SD (Light Blue reissue, shown with 40th Anniversary models); A (Black reissue); and BKS and B (Red). I just saw today on Ebay a newest model, the AMKS, a model with an “Amber” color and chrome/SS trim and band. Per this photo, this looks a lot like the Bronze Gold, but it does have a different model #. I just ordered four of them, so I'll let you know. The two models taking 0.07 mm lead are the A (Black) and C (Navy Blue), both with chrome/stainless steel trim but gold lettering. Prices vary widely for the various PK models. Office supply stores, Amazon, and the like offer those models now being manufactured by Pentel (at least in the U.S.) -- the Black, Blue, Red, Light Pink, and Olive. The best prices are in the teens (USD) and are common; don’t pay more. Many of the other colors are available on other sites, particularly on Ebay, and prices vary widely. I’ve seen a wide range of prices under and over $100 for the 50th Anniversary models (one seller wants $600 for all four), and some colors you probably won’t find even there (e.g., the Violet VD and the Green D). One has to search almost every day to hope to nab the rarest models, and one may never find one. I was fortunate to get a Green D, and the only model I’m missing is the Violet VD. Here is a photo of my own collection; the top section contains one of each type I have, and the bottom section contains my duplicates. In the photos of the two sections of two rows each, the first is of my primary collection, and the second is of my duplicates. In terms of performance, I would refer you primarily to the many reviews one can view on You-Tube and read on the internet. Just about every reviewer is enthusiastic about the PK, not only from a performance standpoint, but also from an aesthetic one. The PK is a beautiful writing instrument and an efficient and durable one, in my own experience. I gave one to my daughter, and she reports that she loves it. I wish Pentel would bring back the thin metal piece, covering the lead, that can be placed into the point to clear away any lead stuck there; it's a very nice feature. I sent a message some time ago to Pentel U.S.A. asking for the history of the P1035 and P1037 models, their sequencing, and the like, but I never received a reply. There is very sketchy and incomplete information from other sources on the internet, as far as my own search revealed. This review is an effort to provide more reliable (albeit, not perfect) information about the PK models. I welcome comments from others about their experiences and impressions of the PK, plus any corrections, additions, and the like that would add to our knowledge base.

I recently acquired a Yard-O-Led Perfecta Victorian pencil, presumably new old stock from the Filofax days when Yard-O-Led products were more widely distributed in the United States. It came with the 12 extra leads already in their holding tubes. Some of the extra leads slide out easily, but others are firmly stuck in their tubes. Does anyone know a way to dislodge them without surgery? Vigorous shaking hasn’t worked. It isn’t really such a big deal, but why not "go the whole one yard" if possible?

I recently saw for sale some Esterbrook "J" family mechanical pencils. The model names were given as "PJ" for one and "TJ" for another. The plastic appears like the pretty "J" fountain pens. I am aware that they take different lead sizes. My question: do the barrels of these pencils have the same diameter/thickness? Do they match the diameter/thickness of the "J" fountain pen, or of the "SJ"/"LJ" pens, or are they some other size(s)? If there's a reference for Esterbrook J-family dimensions, kindly point me at it. Thanks.

Well sometime serendipity strikes and thus this is one .. I was shopping for hand tools when this show up on the Carpentry / Construction Tools section No , not the Zebra , the other one , from Tajima Tools of Japan it's a 1.3mm mechanical pencil , clearly OEM by Pentel after their Graphgear 500 but the Mfr clearly had input and made pretty interesting and useful changes to the original pen First off it retain the single piece lead pipe / section but shorten both the section part by about half a CM and also the lead pipe , and the overall pencil length is shorten to approximate more like our regular ballpoint instead of that of a standard wooden pencil, making tool bench / field usage more comfortable and hand control better even with gloves on, the lead claw / clutch part is now ABS instead of brass , the click button part had a nice detail touch , only the black end-cap can be pull off to facilitate refilling leads the milky part on the photo is actually transparent letting one to just shake and check if there is still reserve lead inside It's a pretty decent tool but it's actually very good as a EDC mechanical pencil too , and best part - you cannot had a Graphgear ( any model ) in 1.3mm , Pentel just do not offer one but you can had this

In the spirit of a similar topic elsewhere... I added a vintage Sheaffer mechanical pencil to my watchlist. The buyer contacted me offering a lower price. I didn't need it...but pressed the "accept" button before I stopped to think. Under $10, so I'm happy.

The only 0.3mm automatic feeding mechanical pencil in Chinese mainland, made by Shanghai Writing Instrument Research Institute(SWIRI) in the 1980s, an institution subordinate to the Shanghai Pen Industry Company. Although the quality of this pencil is relatively rough, as of now, it is the most technical level of the mechanical pencils made in China.

About 7 years ago I became aware of the PILOT vanishing point mechanical pencil. By then it had already been discontinued and was sought after, prices going up rather high compared to the original prices (around $20). The only model numbers I'd heard of were H-1003 and H-1005. The last digit meant 0.3 mm or 0.5 mm. But in time I began to learn that there were more models made. Apparently a good many of them never left the JDM (Japan Domestic Market). 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 While the H-10xx series is a competent writing instrument, the H-20xx, H-21xx, and H-30xx series were a notable step up. Professional grade quality. Reputedly very solid lead holder core, despite the retracting mechanism. The H-21xx series is all black, with a more industrial looking design, reminiscent of the Rotring 600. There were also a few other models made with all stainless steel brushed or satin finish bodies, but no apparent model numbers (imprinted on the body or noted in a sticker). The only way I discovered anything about them was on Japanese websites, but even still, all they had were photos -- nothing else. Based on what little I've discovered, there weren't many of them made and unfortunately even within the Japanese marketplaces they're very much sought after. I've seen some FPN members post about owning the H-1003 or H-1005. Anybody here own other models? Btw, there is a recently manufactured Pilot Automac with retractable tip. It looks to be really well made, reminiscent of the earlier "vanishing point" models. Retail is about $50, which is considerably more reasonable than these vintage Pilot MP's. Clicky Post wrote a great review about it (HERE).

My great-grandmother gave me this set a few years ago and am trying to find a matching fountain pen to purchase. The issue is, I don’t know the model name. If anyone could help me with this I would really appreciate it! Thank you in advance, William

I have bought a lot Eversharp mechanical pencils. And I think one is a "Coronet" pencil. It looks like silver (or rhodium) plated. The imprint reads simply "EVERSHARP" and "MADE IN USA". Another one is gold filled and is a propelling pencil. It is "made in England". Can anyone give me more information please?

Can anyone tell me more or point me in a direction that will give me more information about a recent purchase? They came as bonuses with a Pilot Custom Black Stripe FP and I'm curious if there is a dating system and if the dark one is also a "Black Stripe" model. Thanks!

Hello guys, I am a mechanical pencil collector from China. It's my first time posting here in FPN. I have been seeking for a PILOT Automatic H-5005 Vanishing Point Mechanical Pencil for 5 years, and this is the 6th year. I think many of you have heard of it. It's very rare, and I already looked over ALL the websites that have a keyword "PILOT AUTOMATIC H-5005" that I can find on Google. I did see some auctions in Japan for it during the past few years, but I missed it because of many reasons. I have talked to many pencil collectors outside of China. I don't think it had been sold officially by PILOT in outside Japan, but what surprised me is that I heard some collectors from North and South America owned this pencil before. It has been a problem that not only me but also many of my friends (also pencil collectors) have the money to buy it for a really high price, but we cannot find even a single piece. Under such a situation, one of my friend suggested me to ask for help here since FPN is probably the most widespread forum in which I can find collectors who have been collecting pens or pencils for several decades. To complete my collection of Pilot Vanishing Point mechanical pencil, I will need this H-5005 eventually. But I will also need some other pencils to complete my whole collection. Here I listed some below: Sakura Free Matic ES1000A Sakura Archi Y2 Sakura AT matic ATS3000 (I have the blue barrel one, looking for a black version) Faber-Castell Alpha-matic (silver version. I have the 230th gold version, executive, titanium, bronze and the plastic versions, need a silver one) I really appreciate that if someone can help me. I prefer buying directly, however exchange with pencil/fountain pens is also possible. I attach the photo of H-5005 below. Thanks and have a great day!

I've got quite a collection of mechanical pencils, most of them of the drafting-kind. But lately I've been veering off towards more all-around pencils with a solid build. Find them much more pleasurable to carry out when visiting clients or going for a sketch session outside. So I spotted this Caran d'Ache 844 pencil in bright red over on a local stationary supply chain with a sweet 30% discount. Obviously, couldn't refrain from buying it. Even thou it is basically the same design as that of the 849 ballpoint (which I also own), and the Fixpencil 3mm lead holder (also own too), I find the mechanical pencil version a bit more satisfying than those. It is light, but sturdy since the body is also made out of aluminum. The clip is safe for carrying it on your shirt pocket and the 0.7mm lead size, makes it a great pencil for writing and sketching. The clicker works in a more satisfying way than that of the 849 ballpoint, and the overall build quality seems build to last. The red paint, looks deep and bright. Lastly, the lead the pencil came outfitted with, is lovingly smooth. A trademark of most Caran pencils I own, but something I wasn't expecting, since I have a quite a lot of experience with other lead brands such as Pilot Neox, Uni NanoDia, Hi-Uni GCRT, Tombow, and other Japanese leads with quite a nice quality and smooth feel. I must definitely need to order a spare pack. Do any of you have this pencil? What are your thoughts about it?

I found a gold mechanical pencil in my stash today and had no idea what it might be.The only marking was on the clip PAT NO 422767. I did a little research and I have found a few pictures of it...but no information. Can anyone help me out with identification and details? I take back what I just said. after I took my pictures, my tired old eyes noticed that the cap did have markings" Yard O Led Rolled Gold and Made In England MIchael Little Phoenix, Arizona

I'm wondering if I should buy a 0.2mm or 0.3mm (or even 0.5mm) Mechanical Pencil for practicing Spencerian Script... It is suggested in several places that when practicing Spencerian Script I should use a writing utensil that produces as thin a line as possible. However, I'm wondering if 0.2mm or even 0.3mm lines are simply too thin? By the way, if anyone was wondering, this is the pencil I'm going to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Mechanical-Pencil-ORENZ-PP3003/dp/B06VWNYHY3?th=1 The reason I'm using a pencil and not a pen is because I want to use super cheap paper and I don't want to get any feathering, bleed-through, etc. What do you guys think?

Hi, Few rare Paper Mate PhD Mechanical Pencils - 0.5 mm - Black Body (Made in Japan) are now available at www.kiwipens.com Please see the link below: https://www.kiwipens.com/products/paper-mate-phd-mechanical-pencil-0-5-mm-black-body-made-in-japan?_pos=1&_sid=297725434&_ss=r -saji

Hello, new member here. Although I do use fountain pens regularly, mainly a Lamy 2000 with a Fine nib, I'm more fond of mechanical pencils, specially the ones with interesting mechanisms and "quirks and features" as Doug DeMuro would say. I'll start uploading here if anyone's interested, and, if you'd like to see more photos, I post regularly on my Instagram focused on stationery (@mchpncl). Here's my beat up 800. I've been using it on a daily basis for around 4 years now, and I'm always carrying it in my pocket. I hope you guys enjoy the macro photos!

A long time ago, maybe back about 7 years ago, I had a beautiful Pelikan 400NN fountain pen. I loved the brown tortoise shell body. Just exquisite. For me, it was the quintessential Pelikan. Anyway, to make a long story short, I traded it away for a different fountain pen. At the time, I had my sights set on a replacement for it (the 400N, with squared off ends, versus torpedo ends), but the deal fell through. Actually, I'd always had a weak spot for the 500, which featured a rolled gold cap in place of the plain dark brown or black cap. But those are much more expensive. Fast forward, I had a chance to pick up the mechanical pencil companion to the 500. So this enabled me to capture the aesthetic of the fountain pen without the exorbitant cost. This one had a clip problem--it was bent outward--and the seller hadn't a clue how to fix it. Plus she thought the pencil was broken since the clutch was sticking out of the front end (that's actually normal, as this has a nose-forward clutch) and there didn't seem to be any way to get access to the lead inside. The rear plug was stuck because of lead dust, so I was able to pull it out and clean it. There was plenty of lead inside! The only bummer is that the eraser, which is cleverly inside the rear plug (you just unscrew it), has desiccated. Not sure how to get a replacement for it. But... my main question is this: How does the rolled gold cap separate from the tortoise shell celluloid body? I tried applying some force to unscrew it and to pull on it (presuming it's a friction fit), but it doesn't want to budge. I'm afraid of doing something wrong and breaking this pencil, which is actually working just fine. But the pen steward in me is itching to disassemble this pencil so I can thoroughly examine it and clean if necessary. The nose cone will unscrew, but that doesn't appear to help much.Any idea how to take this apart?

I found this mechanical pencil a couple years ago , tried to look into it and found nothing . Last week i saw it in my drawer and decided to investigate , noticed it had 4 slots for lead and it has D.R.P inscripition near the tip and Eberhard Faber on the top, the top also unscrews to reveal an eraser . I wanted to know where to get lead reffils (i think its 1.8mm not sure) and how much it would go for. Thank you very much

Hi everyone! I recently picked up this mechanical pencil that I believe to be from the civil war era. It is a slide pencil, has a screwable jewel top, and the name "Ezra C. Dean" engraved on it. The mechanical mechanism slides in and out, the jewel top comes off, and the hook loop on it also slides. I'm looking for more information on this such as who made it, when was it made, what is it exactly, what is its worth, that sort of thing. Any and all help is much appreciated. Thank you! Pictures can be found here because they are too big/too many to upload https://drive.google.com/open?id=1y0mBbdECrPOceGDBoCoLkEj-yrhHq12v

Some time ago I acquired a 1959 Parker 51 fountain pen that came with a matching mechanical pencil. The pencil works fine. By pressing the rear end I can move a pencil down and keep writing. The spring action seems to be OK. However I can't seem to open up this pencil at the rear. Which part is supposed to be detachable in order to re-fill the compartment with pencil sticks? Everything is super-tight and I don't want to damage anything. Thanks!

Hi folks, I am not affiliated with this eBay supplier, I am just a satisfied customer. Just took delivery of two of these wonderful, retractable pencils, made in Japan, all metal outer, almost all metal inner, in new Rotring boxes. Amazing pencils - perfect size and now I can wear gloves w/my smartphone These do not exhibit any looseness or pencil feed jitter that some folks were reporting with the 800. The lowest price I have seen is $48 - remember this is the 800+ that gets you a really smooth tipped stylus in the shape of a mini doughnut. It works well for digital writing. I even use mine with UNI nano red colored lead for markup. Here's the listing!

Hello guys, I am a mechanical pencil collector from China. It's my first time posting here in FPN. I have been seeking for a PILOT Automatic H-5005 Vanishing Point Mechanical Pencil for 5 years, and this is the 6th year. I think many of you have heard of it. It's very rare, and I already looked over ALL the websites that have a keyword "PILOT AUTOMATIC H-5005" that I can find on Google. I did see some auctions in Japan for it during the past few years, but I missed it because of many reasons. I have talked to many pencil collectors outside of China. I don't think it had been sold officially by PILOT in outside Japan, but what surprised me is that I heard some collectors from North and South America owned this pencil before. It has been a problem that not only me but also many of my friends (also pencil collectors) have the money to buy it for a really high price, but we cannot find even a single piece. Under such a situation, one of my friend suggested me to ask for help here since FPN is probably the most widespread forum in which I can find collectors who have been collecting pens or pencils for several decades. To complete my collection of Pilot Vanishing Point mechanical pencil, I will need this H-5005 eventually. But I will also need some other pencils to complete my whole collection. Here I listed some below: Sakura Free Matic ES1000A Sakura Archi Y2 Sakura AT matic ATS3000 (I have the blue barrel one, looking for a black version) Faber-Castell Alpha-matic (silver version. I have the 230th gold version, executive, titanium, bronze and the plastic versions, need a silver one) I really appreciate that if someone can help me. I prefer buying directly, however exchange with pencil/fountain pens is also possible. I attach the photo of H-5005 below.

I bought an cross mechanical pencil yesterday confident I could make it work and turns out I uses a lead cassette (I didnt know they existed) and it came empty. Is there really no way to refill these with loose lead?

The erasers mounted in mechanical pencils aren't the glorious part of the writing instrument. Certainly the lead takes center stage. But eraser width varies rather wildly from model to model and brand to brand. It seems that several "standards" were attempted here and there, but none really universally agreed upon. So... if the particular model of a mechanical pencil you have has been discontinued, it's possible the manufacturer might not even be making the eraser refill any longer. I was searching for quite a while and very frustrated because many times eraser refills are sold only with a mechanical pencil model number or name... so you have no idea what is the eraser diameter. That's essential information if you're looking for compatibility. Thankfully JetPens made the effort to include that information [LINK], so when browsing their eraser listings, click on "specifications" and most of the time you'll see the diameter info. Here's a list of some popular refills and their sizes: Pentel PPE-2: 4.0mmPentel LCE-5: 4.1mmPentel Z2: 4.2mmPilot HERF: 4.5mmPilot HERFN: 4.6mmPilot HERFNS: 4.7mmPilot HERF-10BK: 7.5mmPilot MS-10: 4.3mmPlatinum 100ZL: 3.8mmPlatinum A1: 4.1mmPlatinum BN: 4.0mmPlatinum CA: 3.1mmPlatinum AA: 4.2mmPlatinum LA: 3.8mmPlatinum CN: 4.5mmPlatinum G: 5.6mmPlatinum Z: 6.8mmrOtring 600: 4.2mmrOtring 800: 3.4mmSheaffer Type G: 5.0mmTombow Monograph: 5.4mmTombow Mono Air Touch: 6.7mmTombow Mono Graph Zero: 2.3mmUni Size S: 4.5mmUni Size C: 3.3mmZebra DelGuard Z: 4.7mm The size indicated here is the eraser diameter, not including the metal sheath. TIP: One nice thing I discovered is that you can take a spare metal sheath and slide it around an eraser that already has a sheath to enlarge the diameter. This way you can avoid having to buy another eraser refill of a different diameter, and potentially save you a lot of money. Another thing you can do, is if you happen to have an eraser that's just a little too wide, remove the sheath and then wrap it with a small amount of aluminum tape. This will work as a "pseudo" replacement sheath, as with the pliability of the tape it's easy to conform it to fit.