What Pencil Are You Using Today?

[sandy101]

Paid a visit to the pub with a moleskin to work on some ideas for NaNoWriMo.

 

I had a Aspara Platinum Extra Dark, a Blackwing 602, a Tombow Mono 100 Hb and a Mistuishi Hi-Uni 2B - I had a KUM long point sharpener on me.

 

I filled out two and a half pages of freewriting (bleep) using all 4 pencils and the same sharpener.

 

Notes on the 4 - the Aspara gave a much broader line than the other pencils. The pencil would not come to a sharp point - but rather a rounded point which did last for a long time, but gave a much broader line than other pencils. Fine if you are writing for yourself (which I was) but if you want to make something neater or more impressive - try elsewhere.

 

The 602 had a similar issue. It came to a long round point rather than a sharp one. It was sharper than the Aspara, but not pointedly sharp.

 

The tombow was the best of the 4. The HB came to a sharp needle point that stayed for a long time - also the Tombow laid down a darker line than most other pencils. I got a much thinner line - and the pencil retained a much sharper point for longer.

 

The Mistubishi was the smoothest writing experience. The 2B lanes down a nice line, but I could feel the pencil melting as I wrote. It was the nicest, and creamiest of the 4 to write with, but it was the one that lost its point the quickest.

 

So, of the 4 I used - with the sharpener I had, the Tombow Mono HB came top. A separate lead sharpener would allow me to get the Aspara and the 602 to much sharper points - but the tools you have are the tools you have.

 

All the pencils were useable, they all wrote, but were not all equal.

[Liuna]

Back in school, I used to write with a bright light blue Stabilo mechanical pencil, can't remember the exact type at the moment. It was good and comfortable, but after a lot of usage its gray rubber "holder" became loose and moves on the pencil's body a bit by now, which is a bit disturbing.

I didn't really use mechanical pencils since high school but while reorganizing the pens/pencils etc. I found some Parker mechanical pencils (two black Jotters with BP bodies and a dark red Parker 45 with BP body also), I decided to use that one. It fits my hand well and the plastic barrel is perfect for long term holding.

(Also, I rediscovered two original Rotring Tikkys (so called first generation), a white 0,3 and a silver 0,5 one, they are my mother's. She said she used the silver one back at the university for architecture drawings in the 70s Now for reason the 0,3 doesn't work, the leads won't come out no matter how many times I click it...)

[reduziert]

Today I am using a Blackwing MMX from the old series along with a Tomboy Mono 100 4B and a Ito-ya Helvetica in red.

 

All used in a Field Notes Two River and a Field Notes Dime Novel.

[Donald2]

I'm using my yellow General's Semi-Hex 498 #1 today to write my school assignment.

[sandy101]

I used a Blackwing Pearl, and a Caran D'Ache 348 today. (I visited Choosing Keeping in London and managd to buy one of each).

 

The Blackwing Pearl is close to a 2B Japanese Pencil It gives lovely creamy lines, but you can feel the point melt as you write with it. A beautiful pencil, not as hard as the 602 - but nice. I'm certainly up for getting a box. It reminded me of the delicious creaminess of the Tombow/Mitsubishi 2B.

 

The C'DA 348 is the opposite. it is a hard HB pencil - it is not as dark as other HBs (such as the Tombow and Mitsubishi HB pencils) but it does retain its point for a long time - so it required less sharpening. I suspect it is a pencil that will last for a very long time.

[Mister5]

Palomino Blackwing 602

Edited October 30, 2017 by Mister5

[sdbruder]

Today I’ve used one of my newest arrivals, a Bulow X450 that came with some ink with Robert Oster Fire and Ice and my trusty old TWSBI Eco with Diamine Red Dragon.

 

—

stopped counting at 20 pens.

[fluctuations]

Started this thread 5 years back! wow time flies...

 

Faber-Castell HB SV 1111

[Zookie]

Tionderoga Black #2

[Stef]

Always used to write with an ordinary Pentel P207.

 

I now use a Caran d'Ache Madison (first edition, with pushknob) with Uni 0.5 mm HB Nano Dia leads.

[fountainpagan]

Paid a visit to the pub with a moleskin to work on some ideas for NaNoWriMo.

 

I had a Aspara Platinum Extra Dark, a Blackwing 602, a Tombow Mono 100 Hb and a Mistuishi Hi-Uni 2B - I had a KUM long point sharpener on me.

 

I filled out two and a half pages of freewriting (bleep) using all 4 pencils and the same sharpener.

 

Notes on the 4 - the Aspara gave a much broader line than the other pencils. The pencil would not come to a sharp point - but rather a rounded point which did last for a long time, but gave a much broader line than other pencils. Fine if you are writing for yourself (which I was) but if you want to make something neater or more impressive - try elsewhere.

 

The 602 had a similar issue. It came to a long round point rather than a sharp one. It was sharper than the Aspara, but not pointedly sharp.

 

The tombow was the best of the 4. The HB came to a sharp needle point that stayed for a long time - also the Tombow laid down a darker line than most other pencils. I got a much thinner line - and the pencil retained a much sharper point for longer.

 

The Mistubishi was the smoothest writing experience. The 2B lanes down a nice line, but I could feel the pencil melting as I wrote. It was the nicest, and creamiest of the 4 to write with, but it was the one that lost its point the quickest.

 

So, of the 4 I used - with the sharpener I had, the Tombow Mono HB came top. A separate lead sharpener would allow me to get the Aspara and the 602 to much sharper points - but the tools you have are the tools you have.

 

All the pencils were useable, they all wrote, but were not all equal.

 

Notice that Kum Long Point sharpener does not make points as sharpen as the Kum Masterpiece. Maybe with the Masterpiece those pencils would have had a sharper point.

 

Just my two cents.

[dan in montreal]

Papermate Mirado US made Woodtone HB. I bought a bunch of these a few years back and they're not too bad.

[dkirchge]

NaNoWriMo and the computer have taken a toll on my shoulders and wrists this month, so I broke out the Pentel Sharp Kerry 0.5mm and a composition book today for a change of pace.

[mallymal1]

Ticonderoga 2

[aderoy]

KOH-I-NOOR Rapidomatic 0.7mm 5637 with 2B lead

[a m a r g o]

Lamy 2000 0.5mm with Ain Stein HB Soft lead...

 

[Zookie]

Very nice!

[Donald2]

I use from my HUUUUUUUGE selection of pencils. They can be anything from Portuguese to Swiss or German to American pencils. I literally own thousands of pencils that will last someone many lifetimes. My favorite are the darker HB, B and 2B graphite writers. A few that comes into mind right now are the Swiss Caran D'ACHE jumbo, the Tri-conderoga HB, the Viarco B and the Mitsubishi B.

[Le Vieux]

I am using a black Pelikan 100 (Auch) pencil, an all-time favorite of mine.

[Studio97]

For doodling, office depot #2 pencil. They were selling them for .14 per bx of 12. Bought 6 boxes. Yes.. its crazy. Otherwise using a Mitsu-bishi Hi Uni 3B in my Moleskine.