What Pencil Are You Using Today?

[mr T.]

Ballograf Rondo Classic 0.5 in mörkblå (dark blue)

[Estycollector]

Mitsubishi 9850

[Claes]

0.5mm Kuru Toga Roulette, loaded with

a HB-Soft lead, a.k.a. HBS. 🙂

[Dblchief2]

Graf von Faber Castell pencils (brown) and a Blackwing Eras (yellow). 

 

Do you all use pencils for writing, drawing, annotating, something else? 

[MYU]

On 1/31/2024 at 7:34 PM, Surlyprof said:

Holy Cow!  That is a pretty close knock-off.

...still happy with my Scribbler, though.

I wouldn't necessarily call the MUJI ABS pencil a "Scribbler knockoff," as there's zero contour to the barrel, the clip is wrong, and it's a clutch pencil -- no lead pipe affected to the end; just the exposed clutch. 

You can see in the photo, how the clutch is exposed, whereas on the Scribble, it's inside the nose cone (more like traditional mechanical pencils). The MUJI ABS is not a bad pencil for the price. In fact, there's a little bit of a spring effect to the mechanism, creating a kind of "cushioning" to help guard against lead breakage. The in-store price might not still be the same as noted in the photo. The Amazon Japan company actually sells through Amazon USA for a small subset of their items and occasionally some mechanical pencils are included. I managed to get one for $8.50, free shipping. Sadly, the LAMY Scribble is discontinued. I don't recall how many years back it was pulled... but I managed to get the 3.15mm holder and the 0.7mm pencil. Never got lucky enough to find the ballpoint. That one was short lived and discontinued before the pencil was finished. 

 

[MYU]

22 minutes ago, Dblchief2 said:

Do you all use pencils for writing, drawing, annotating, something else? 

I used to draw fairly regularly with pencils, but fell out of practice. I used to keep a fountain pen inked up for jotting down lists and notes, but because I've come to rely upon my phone and electronic note taking, writing on paper happens less... and thus fountain pens would end up drying out from lack of use. I ink them up only if I'm going to be doing a focused writing session, like journaling. Sad about it... as I love fountain pens. There's such a nice feel to using a good quality nib. But lately it's mostly ballpoints for paper jotting and occasionally pencils. What I like about mechanical pencils is the visceral clicking to advance lead and the ease/flexibility of being able to erase.

 

But my primary focus on mechanical pencils is collecting. I have a pretty sizable vintage collection, mostly by Japanese makers. They took design to a whole new level, while American writing instrument companies were making predictable companion pieces for fountain pens or inexpensive cheap plastic pencils for students, and some nicer all steel models for higher up office workers. But the Japanese had a passion for them. The enormous range of designs produced is awesome. Not just cosmetic assortments, but also in functionality. So many ways to advance lead. My favorite has become the "body-knock". This is where the pencil is divided into 2 pieces and at the central joining point, there's a literal "joint" that allows the pencil to bend. All you do is squeeze your hand a little, the pencil bends, and lead advances. It's so incredibly easy and you don't lose finger positions or orientation of the pencil (as rotation is a pretty normal thing to do for avoiding flat spots on the lead). This is probably my favorite body-knock pencil:

[mr T.]

12 hours ago, Dblchief2 said:

Do you all use pencils for writing, drawing, annotating, something else? 

Mostly for writing and annotating. Today I use a Parker Vector 0.5 mm pencil.

[Dblchief2]

12 hours ago, MYU said:

I used to draw fairly regularly with pencils, but fell out of practice. I used to keep a fountain pen inked up for jotting down lists and notes, but because I've come to rely upon my phone and electronic note taking, writing on paper happens less... and thus fountain pens would end up drying out from lack of use. I ink them up only if I'm going to be doing a focused writing session, like journaling. Sad about it... as I love fountain pens. There's such a nice feel to using a good quality nib. But lately it's mostly ballpoints for paper jotting and occasionally pencils. What I like about mechanical pencils is the visceral clicking to advance lead and the ease/flexibility of being able to erase.

 

But my primary focus on mechanical pencils is collecting. I have a pretty sizable vintage collection, mostly by Japanese makers. They took design to a whole new level, while American writing instrument companies were making predictable companion pieces for fountain pens or inexpensive cheap plastic pencils for students, and some nicer all steel models for higher up office workers. But the Japanese had a passion for them. The enormous range of designs produced is awesome. Not just cosmetic assortments, but also in functionality. So many ways to advance lead. My favorite has become the "body-knock". This is where the pencil is divided into 2 pieces and at the central joining point, there's a literal "joint" that allows the pencil to bend. All you do is squeeze your hand a little, the pencil bends, and lead advances. It's so incredibly easy and you don't lose finger positions or orientation of the pencil (as rotation is a pretty normal thing to do for avoiding flat spots on the lead). This is probably my favorite body-knock pencil:

That’s incredible! What model is that?

[psimpson130]

For my daily crossword an el cheapo Pentel twist with a .5mm HB lead. The pencil that matches my fountain pen is a Waterman Phileas with .5mm 2H lead.

[Anne-Sophie]

On 2/9/2024 at 10:43 PM, psimpson130 said:

For my daily crossword an el cheapo Pentel twist with a .5mm HB lead. The pencil that matches my fountain pen is a Waterman Phileas with .5mm 2H lead.

 

Phileas were made as pencils? Never knew that. 

[PPPR]

Today it's a Redipoint advertising crown top from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. It uses standard lead, which is 0.046" (1.1 mm). The advertisement is in the cap top. With advertising pencils, crown tops are my favorites.

 

 

[Surlyprof]

On 2/6/2024 at 2:05 PM, MYU said:

I wouldn't necessarily call the MUJI ABS pencil a "Scribbler knockoff," as there's zero contour to the barrel, the clip is wrong, and it's a clutch pencil -- no lead pipe affected to the end; just the exposed clutch. 

You can see in the photo, how the clutch is exposed, whereas on the Scribble, it's inside the nose cone (more like traditional mechanical pencils). The MUJI ABS is not a bad pencil for the price. In fact, there's a little bit of a spring effect to the mechanism, creating a kind of "cushioning" to help guard against lead breakage. The in-store price might not still be the same as noted in the photo. The Amazon Japan company actually sells through Amazon USA for a small subset of their items and occasionally some mechanical pencils are included. I managed to get one for $8.50, free shipping. Sadly, the LAMY Scribble is discontinued. I don't recall how many years back it was pulled... but I managed to get the 3.15mm holder and the 0.7mm pencil. Never got lucky enough to find the ballpoint. That one was short lived and discontinued before the pencil was finished. 

 

In my business, we would often refer to this as a knock-off because they made enough changes to the design to get around Lamy’s design patent (10% altered).  You are probably right.  It is more “inspired by” than a knock-off.  
 

I’m jealous you found the 3.15mm lead holder.  That one looks fun to use, and would have completed my set.  I thought I’d use the pencil more but, lately, find the ballpoint so easy to carry in a pocket that I’m using it all the time.  The Scribbles are attractive, fun and comfortable tools.  Too bad Lamy discontinued them in favor of the Pico.

[mr T.]

Today I am using a Paper Mate Profile mechanical pencil (slim, 0,5mm)

[Baka1969]

[txomsy]

A pencil holder without actual lead counts?

 

I ordered a couple of black Koh-I-Noor 5310 5.6 mm lead holders to complement the Kaweco Brass Sketch-up (which I carry with a graphite) and E+D wooden (which I carry with a sanguine). I like them because they are metal and short enough to fit in the (old cell phone) leatherpouch where I carry the other two.

 

One is loaded with Koh-i-Noor charcoal, the other with a thin Pelikan blending stump. Together with the other two, they can go in a front jeans pocket inside the pouch, so I can use them for a quick sketch at any  moment.

 

I also got a Koh-I-Noor 5353 5.6mm lead holder in a nice plastic box innerly foam padded, with 6 colored 80mm long 5.6mmØ leads (one of them inside the clutch holder, the other five in a cavity carved in the foam), but these I do not use yet (only tested -they are great-,  nor would I carry a -longer- plastic box in the jeans), but intend to use them when traveling with a backpack.

 

And I have to think now of a way to carry extra ~60mm long (I cut in two the 120mm leads so they fit in the short holders) 5.6mmØ leads (two graphites, charcoal, sanguine, white and a blurring stump) safely and discreetly in a pocket. For now I'm tending towards a metallic presentation card holder, but need an efficient way to protect them (maybe a thin foam sheet wrapped around them) from shaking/rattling and from damaging each other.

 

[PPPR]

8 hours ago, txomsy said:

A pencil holder without actual lead counts?

 

 

Nope, it doesn't count because it's only on order and not being used today.

[txomsy]

 

I asked because the blurring stomp is not a lead. And charcoal or sanguine... well, are arguable.

 

Actually the Kaweco eraser holder is basically the same as the clutch holder, it can use 5.6mm leads, of the Sketch-Up 5.6mm erasers. Which comes to show the versatility of mechanical pencils...

 

Maybe that is why the line of KIN ones are called 'Versatil'?

[PPPR]

4 hours ago, txomsy said:

 

I asked because the blurring stomp is not a lead. And charcoal or sanguine... well, are arguable.

 

[snip]

 

Maybe that is why the line of KIN ones are called 'Versatil'?

Oh geez, let's not get into what is or isn't lead. Then colored leads are on the chopping block for lacking graphite.

 

My poor attempt at humor was pointing out the pencils weren't in use.  ;0)

 

Also there's another thread for new pencil acquisitions:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/371369-i-got-this-pencil-today/#comments

[txomsy]

On 2/24/2024 at 3:38 PM, PPPR said:

My poor attempt at humor was pointing out the pencils weren't in use.  ;0)

Oh, I think I got it. I only wanted to try to explain my even lamer attempt at crappy humor

 

BTW, they are in use. I try to make a point of doing a new sketch whenever I have some spare time. It is the only way. No time enough for proper drawing, barely sufficient for sketching or doodling. That's why I favor short mechanical pencils I can carry in a pocket. Sometimes, if I have some extra time, I may take out the not-in-pocket-hence-not-readily-at-hand Kuretake brush fountain pen, but that's not for this thread.

[1nkulus]

Rotring 600 0.7 w/ 4B