What Pencil Are You Using Today?

[pajaro]

Parker 51 ordovan twist action 51 Vac pencil, gold filled cap.

[flatline]

I've been mostly using 2mm lead holders for the last several weeks, but today I used my Alvin Draftmatic 0.9mm fixed sleeve drafting pencil. It might be my favorite...

 

--flatline

[Retro-user]

Staedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil, 2mm. 780BK, a recent acquisition.

[flatline]

Staedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil, 2mm. 780BK, a recent acquisition.

The 780 is easily my favorite 2mm lead holder.

[Studio97]

Blackwing pencils have become a favorite for me. Received the 840 Surfing Pencil. But I found another BW with a loose ferrule in the box. I notified BW again as I have had several with a loose ferrule. Not right for the price, but I use them practically everyday.

[Winslo]

I always like mechanical pencils over traditional wood. I use the Graphgear 500 0.5mm lead.

[flatline]

I got several pencils from JetPens last week, so today I was using the Tombow 505 in 0.9mm. This is a capped mechanical pencil similar to the Pentel Sharp Kerry in that when you post the cap, you can still advance the lead. The 505 is heavy and very comfortable to write with for long writing sessions.

 

I really like it so far, maybe enough to justify getting the 0.5mm version.

[Zookie]

Today I'm using a Tombow Monograph shaker pencil with 0.5 lead.

[Estycollector]

I found a 1930's Esterbrook hard black rubber with original, petrified eraser and part of a lead refill. Got a couple sleeves of 1.1 mm Autopoint standard lead.. The lead color is more grey in tone. Pressure needed is about the same as the Mitsubishi 9850. Very nice overall experience.

Edited March 29, 2020 by Estycollector

[sandy101]

Conté à Paris Graphite B pencil - a round one. Writes and sketches rather well.

[Nokin]

Porsche Design Tec Flex, black, with Pilot Eno 2B 0.7 leads

[Zookie]

0.5 Pilot Opt

[Estycollector]

Mitsubishi 9850

[flatline]

Tombow Zoom 505 in 0.9mm.

[Anne-Sophie]

For the first time, in the many decades I have used a 2mm lead holder my Pacific Arc H-1303 has almost run out of its factory lead.

 

This is my main tracing pencil and the designated at home user, which probably explains why it ran out of lead so quickly. It has a nice sharpener button, no eraser, but a cute rotating ring that shows the most popular lead grades, I bought leads in various grades at an independent art store, years ago, they were probably on sale and are coming handy, right about now.

[vicpen123]

Pentel Techniclick 0.5 with a 2B lead.

 

More than 50 years ago I first used a Staedtler Mars 48019 Pan Technico 2mm clutch pencil as an architecture student but the constant need for sharpening (and the associated waste) drove me to 03, 0.5 and 0.7 mechanical pencils which I have used for the past nearly 40 years.

 

Unlike other pencils the Pentel Techniclick has the advance button near the base of the barrel for easier access while writing. So much better.

 

 

[EBUCKTHORN]

Thanks vicpen123

 

For some time, I've been meaning to request that folks post an image of the pencil they use, especially if it's a mechanical pencil and not one of the most common. I realize this requires an extra step (or two) but it would be helpful. THANKS!

[Estycollector]

Yesterday the KS8300 Bell System Mark Sense pencil.

[flatline]

Yesterday the KS8300 Bell System Mark Sense pencil.

That's an interesting piece. What size lead do you feed it?

 

--flatline

[Addertooth]

This arrived in the mail yesterday. Waterman Gold Filled Gothic Lady Patricia. It was described as being "empty" inside by the seller, so I assumed it was missing it's mechanism. As it turned out, it was just missing an eraser. A new eraser was put in, and a bit of polishing, and it is already back in use. It is from about Circa 1931.