Whats Your Choice Of Mechanical Pencil?

[BT-7274]

Another vintage pencil user here. Sheaffer Snorkel Valiant pencil, with 2B .9mm leads.

[adallak]

When it comes to lead holders, I can recommend metal Koh-I-Noor. It is just such a pleasure to use it!

[RobertP]

Has anyone tried one of these: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Koh-I-Noor-5340-Clutch-Pencil.html#a26867

or one of these: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Koh-I-Noor-5359-Clutch-Pencil.html

 

I am wondering about trying the 5.6mm route...

[Dillo]

Has anyone tried one of these: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Koh-I-Noor-5340-Clutch-Pencil.html#a26867

or one of these: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Koh-I-Noor-5359-Clutch-Pencil.html

 

I am wondering about trying the 5.6mm route...

It's good to know I'm not the only one who went looking at clutch pencils at Cultpens just now. They have this force field of sorts that makes me compulsively add stuff to my basket. Personally, I happen to like the resin or wood-bodied clutch pencils a lot more. In my experience, the aluminium tends to be quite slippery in comparison to chrome. After a while, I also find myself getting tired of holding heavier pens and pencils, so I tend to like the wood and resin more. The E+M might be a good choice for this. I've been thinking though of getting something like the Aurora Optima version so that I can have a pair for my fountain pen or the Montblanc Leonardo Sketch pencil which is now available in platinum trim and now accepts leads up to 5.7 mm. Those are two expensive options though.

 

Dillon

[RobertP]

It's good to know I'm not the only one who went looking at clutch pencils at Cultpens just now. They have this force field of sorts that makes me compulsively add stuff to my basket. Personally, I happen to like the resin or wood-bodied clutch pencils a lot more. In my experience, the aluminium tends to be quite slippery in comparison to chrome. After a while, I also find myself getting tired of holding heavier pens and pencils, so I tend to like the wood and resin more. The E+M might be a good choice for this. I've been thinking though of getting something like the Aurora Optima version so that I can have a pair for my fountain pen or the Montblanc Leonardo Sketch pencil which is now available in platinum trim and now accepts leads up to 5.7 mm. Those are two expensive options though.

 

Dillon

 

I have put clutch pencils in my CultPens basket so many times over the last months. And then wondered if that was the right thing to do or not.

 

I have been looking at the e+m Workman long too. But the Koh-I-Noor just seem to have that special "something" in the pictures. In real life, they may be nasty to hold, though. That is why I am still in the umming and aahing stage. They are all only around a tenner, but my desk is cluttered enough as it is!

[Bo Bo Olson]

WoW!

I have a few MP's: a vintage fancy silver 1900 +- (in a live auction pen lot), a German Parker clone of the early '30's, a couple very pretty mottled German ones (+one a designer piece) from the early '50's (from the original inherited pens from the back of the drawer that started me onto fountain pens) and my Parker lead cartridge for my P-75 BP/MP.

 

I don't use them, which is a shame, but they are too nice, because of the era or pretty to sell.

Realistically I should, so those who really appreciate them could have them.

 

On the first page, I found out how very ignorant I was. Thanks.

[Chthulhu]

Has anyone tried one of these: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Koh-I-Noor-5340-Clutch-Pencil.html#a26867

I am wondering about trying the 5.6mm route...

I have a Standardgraph 571506 that is identical in appearance to the Koh-I-Noor 5340. It's a fat, heavy thing, well suited to large, expressive sketching (doing anything small with a 5.6 mm lead is a waste of graphite!). The barrel is octagonal and quite comfortable to hold and use.

 

Bonus: the clutch is just the right size to hold a dip pen nib securely.

[MisterBoll]

Has anyone tried one of these: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Koh-I-Noor-5340-Clutch-Pencil.html#a26867

or one of these: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Koh-I-Noor-5359-Clutch-Pencil.html

 

I am wondering about trying the 5.6mm route...

 

5.6 pencils are wonderful. I use them for taking notes, drawing, etc. You can also get many types of leads.

[Dillo]

 

I have put clutch pencils in my CultPens basket so many times over the last months. And then wondered if that was the right thing to do or not.

 

I have been looking at the e+m Workman long too. But the Koh-I-Noor just seem to have that special "something" in the pictures. In real life, they may be nasty to hold, though. That is why I am still in the umming and aahing stage. They are all only around a tenner, but my desk is cluttered enough as it is!

There's definitely that special something about the Koh-I-Noors. The e+m pencils are very minimalist. The Koh-I-Noors both look more interesting. Sometimes I wish I could just try them out before committing.

 

Dillon

[g1yph]

Personal fan of the Pentel Graphgear 1000. After surviving 2 field camps and a number of weekends of abuse out camping I couldn't be any happier with it.

[JotterAddict62]

I use any vintage Parker .7mm or .9mm that I place in rotation for work

each week, Jotter, P21, P51 & Vac. I will never use a pencil with a .5mm

lead [ TOO Thin ( Breaks too easy )]. I gave my Sister a P21 pencil for

her work. She tells me she is the CAT'S MEOW, some of her co-workers

think that is a cool pencil. I already fixed the pencil once. She kept playing

with the clip screw and lost it. I told her I want to see the pencil in 20 years

after she's done working in a machine shop to see how the pencil looks.

[NedC]

Has anyone tried one of these: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Koh-I-Noor-5340-Clutch-Pencil.html#a26867

or one of these: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Koh-I-Noor-5359-Clutch-Pencil.html

 

I am wondering about trying the 5.6mm route...

I have the Koh-I-Noor 5311 and it's really nice! Solid and comfortable to hold and it has a cool steampunk aesthetic too. I also like the Pilot Croquis 3.8mm sketch pencils too.

[Sandy Fry]

I use any vintage Parker .7mm or .9mm that I place in rotation for work

each week, Jotter, P21, P51 & Vac. I will never use a pencil with a .5mm

lead [ TOO Thin ( Breaks too easy )]. I gave my Sister a P21 pencil for

her work. She tells me she is the CAT'S MEOW, some of her co-workers

think that is a cool pencil. I already fixed the pencil once. She kept playing

with the clip screw and lost it. I told her I want to see the pencil in 20 years

after she's done working in a machine shop to see how the pencil looks.

You should try the Uni Kuru Toga...5mm. I have had mine a few months and have not had a lead break yet. The mechanism rotates the lead each time you click it so that you dont wear down one side ( which usually is the cause for breakage ) and it seems to work perfectly.

 

David

[whitedot]

There's definitely that special something about the Koh-I-Noors. The e+m pencils are very minimalist. The Koh-I-Noors both look more interesting. Sometimes I wish I could just try them out before committing.

 

Dillon

 

I handled the e+m line at a B&M, and wasn't impressed.

 

Like RobertP, I have been putting clutches into and taking them out of my Cult Pens basket for a while now......

[Nick13]

I would agree with some of the other recommendations. I personally really like the rOtring 800, but it might be a little heavy for some. Other wise, it is a well built, sturdy mechanical pencil.

 

 

 

 

 

Nick

[mercurius]

When I was young I was given a sliver plated Yard-O-Led as a present. I used it at school to annotate books until one day, somehow, it got nicked.

 

Not that long ago I discovered Yard-O-Leds on eBay and bought myself one and again am very fond of it. I like the weight of it and how it fits in my hand. It's good to be re-united with this type of pencil after all these years. What other mechanical pencils do you use and recommend for book annotation and drawing little diagrams (as opposed to technical drawing or sketching)?

[MisterBoll]

You say you want a revolution.............

[Dillo]

 

I handled the e+m line at a B&M, and wasn't impressed.

 

Like RobertP, I have been putting clutches into and taking them out of my Cult Pens basket for a while now......

That's good to know. I usually like to hold the pencils in my hand and see how they feel or balance. The next time I get a haul from cultpens, I'll let you know my thoughts on what I get.

 

Dillon

[whitedot]

That's good to know. I usually like to hold the pencils in my hand and see how they feel or balance. The next time I get a haul from cultpens, I'll let you know my thoughts on what I get.

 

Dillon

 

Cheers.

 

Yes, the stock photos are very flattering. They felt imbalanced and looked very cheap in person.

[joshmcgown]

While not a "fine" writing instrument, I second the great attributes of the Kuru Toga. I have a couple of the .5's for everyday use and they are well built, feel decent in hand, and are very inexpensive for the quality.