What Pencil Are You Using Today?

[Chthulhu]

A 1920-ish gold-filled Ingersoll Redipoint.

[a m a r g o]

 

Whoa!

Is there an 800 in there?

 

No, I just can't work it around the price and usefulness of the retractable tip in the case of the drafting pencil and the knock mechanism on the case of the lead holder, I understand that in the first case the retractable tip could be useful for travel between work and home, but I don't take the 600's with me, they're only for working at home; and in the second case it's just so annoying to extend and sharpen the lead of the 800 and then push it back...

 

... though, I don't mind doing that with the Staedtler 925-25 ( ) but it's in a total different price range and somehow that makes it tolerable.

[masterguns]

 

No, I just can't work it around the price and usefulness of the retractable tip in the case of the drafting pencil and the knock mechanism on the case of the lead holder, I understand that in the first case the retractable tip could be useful for travel between work and home, but I don't take the 600's with me, they're only for working at home; and in the second case it's just so annoying to extend and sharpen the lead of the 800 and then push it back...

 

... though, I don't mind doing that with the Staedtler 925-25 ( ) but it's in a total different price range and somehow that makes it tolerable.

 

 

 

I'm with you. The 800 is just too expensive for what it is, though I would really like to have one on standby in my bag. Both the 600 and 800 are currently on Massdrop, so I've been trying to determine which one I'd rather have. I have a black 600, but have the itch for a silver one as well.

[a m a r g o]

I'm with you. The 800 is just too expensive for what it is, though I would really like to have one on standby in my bag. Both the 600 and 800 are currently on Massdrop, so I've been trying to determine which one I'd rather have. I have a black 600, but have the itch for a silver one as well.

 

I would recommend to go for the silver 600, it feels like a totally different monster. The paint on the 600 makes it more 'grippy' and therefore a delight for drafting; the silver one, because it's 'silkier' or smoother, feels sturdier or better put together than the black ones; I found myself writing and sketching with the silver ones and drafting with the black ones...

 

When I find a proper case for the 600, they'll be joining me on travel...

 

About the 800's, I've also heard of issues with the rotating mechanism to extend the sleeve... supposedly in time the mechanism gives and you end up with a useless pencil, beautiful indeed, but useless.

[Notgatherox]

On a black Pelikan D400 now, this pencil is of high quality indeed!

 

 

~Epic

[Beechwood]

The big dark red job on the pic with a 3.2mm lead, like a 149 in pencils.

 

Must try and look out a pencil forum.

[flatline]

I've got a Dixon Ticonderoga that I've used a knife to sharpen to a wedge shape rather than a point. I initially did this to play with line variation, but then discovered that having two corners that eventually wear down towards the center to give me a point seems to let me do more writing before I need to resharpen.

 

If I still like this arrangement after a few more days of experimenting with it, I'll do the same thing to one of my nicer pencils.

 

--flatline

[masterguns]

I would recommend to go for the silver 600, it feels like a totally different monster. The paint on the 600 makes it more 'grippy' and therefore a delight for drafting; the silver one, because it's 'silkier' or smoother, feels sturdier or better put together than the black ones; I found myself writing and sketching with the silver ones and drafting with the black ones...

 

When I find a proper case for the 600, they'll be joining me on travel...

 

About the 800's, I've also heard of issues with the rotating mechanism to extend the sleeve... supposedly in time the mechanism gives and you end up with a useless pencil, beautiful indeed, but useless.

 

Good info. Thanks coppilcus.

[Chthulhu]

The big dark red job on the pic with a 3.2mm lead, like a 149 in pencils.

 

Must try and look out a pencil forum.

 

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[aawhite]

Ticonderoga #2.

[flatline]

The big dark red job on the pic with a 3.2mm lead, like a 149 in pencils.

 

Must try and look out a pencil forum.

 

Is your Staedtler Mars Technico lead holder bent? If so, how did you do that without actually breaking it?

 

--flatline

[a m a r g o]

Is your Staedtler Mars Technico lead holder bent? If so, how did you do that without actually breaking it?

 

--flatline

I noticed the same, Beechwood must use a firm grip... and also the recent makes of the staedtler lead holder comes with a quite ductile plastic, it bends really easy against the brass tube that holds the lead. It's not as sturdy as it used to be...

[Chthulhu]

And here I thought it was just lens distortion. :-)

[DaveBj]

Later today I'm going to be doing a self-test review from the College Algebra textbook that I picked up for less than a buck in our local thrift store. I will be using my old Pentel P203. The lead is either HB 0.3 or 2B 0.3; I think the latter, but it's been two or three decades since I loaded it, so I'm not sure. Need to get some 2B, just "2B" sure

[a m a r g o]

Wörther Profile and Pentel Kerry:

 

 

... I'm still getting used to the shiny middle grip, but the overall feeling is quite positive.

 

A bit of history in your hands!

[Eduardo]

My old and good Koh-I-Noor Toison d'Or 2.0 mm

[flatline]

I noticed the same, Beechwood must use a firm grip... and also the recent makes of the staedtler lead holder comes with a quite ductile plastic, it bends really easy against the brass tube that holds the lead. It's not as sturdy as it used to be...

 

Mine isn't very old but seems robust enough.

 

I was planning on picking up another since this is my favorite lead holder. I'll definitely report if the quality of the second doesn't match the quality of the first.

 

--flatline

Edited November 23, 2014 by flatline

[siopaopei]

a Parker 51 special pencil (navy gray)

 

[a m a r g o]

Staedtler and Rotring, but made in Japan...

 

 

[RyanM]

A Rotring 800+, a Lamy Safari Mechanical Pencil, and a Rotring 300.