Who Else Thinks That A Mechanical Pencil Is The Next-Best Thing To A Fountain Pen?

[perfectstranger77]

Hi everyone,

 

Fountain pens and mechanical pencils have fascinated me since seeing the first of each years ago. Since then I acquired several mechanical pencils (usually inexpensive, but a few premium ones too). My father used to say I had champagne tastes and a beer budget ;-)

 

I have a black and chrome, Pilot Vanishing Point Pencil model H-1005 that I plan to sell in the Classifieds forum here. It was used occasionally and had been in the pen drawer for years.

 

Last week I took it out and loaded some Pentel 0.5 mm B grade lead for a flawless performance. Nowadays; however, my preference runs to 0.2 mm & 0.3 mm leads. Hence my decision to sell this pencil that someone else may enjoy and appreciate the truly rare treasure it is.

 

Your collective guidance as to pricing would be very helpful. I would like to request a reasonable amount to promote a quick sale.

 

Looking forward to your suggestions,

K

 

I would love to see it

 

I'm also a big MP fan because I (REALLY) hated to resharpen the regular pencils tip. For most of my life I've been a (really) small letter writer and medium points (in general) don't work for me. I used to own both original Pilot The Shaker models but recently one of them got lost so I'm looking to replace it soon. My other favorites are a Caran d'Ache 0.7 mm and a nameless 2 mm that I bought like 20 years ago because I had (and still have) a vintage metal package of those leads and just wanted to check them out.

Edited May 7, 2017 by perfectstranger77

[MYU]

I so much wanted to win this pencil, but I lost out... because it just went too freaking high in price. If I kept bidding, I might have won it at $200 USD, but that was beyond reason IMHO. I'd seen one 3 years ago sell for that price, but thankfully the one I got earlier this year was $100 (even that I thought was a bit high for a non-luxury mechanical pencil). I've searched high and low, and was never able to get a definitive model number for this one. But it's so beautifully crafted that I haven't stopped looking for a backup. I can only hope the person who won it has satisfied their need and won't be competing on the next one!

Edited December 8, 2017 by MYU

[torstar]

I very much enjoy my Faber-Catelle guilloche mechanical pencil, ebony wood.

 

It jammed the other day and while taking it apart I found another level of piecework after 10 years with it.

[dkirchge]

One of my favorite writing implements of all time is my 0.5mm Pentel Sharp Kerry mechanical pencil (with Pentel Ain Stein leads in HB, please). I prefer 0.5mm because I have small handwriting, but if I was just writing in a wide-ruled composition book, a 0.7mm would be fine too. Nothing bigger, though.

 

I also have a 2mm lead holder that I bought from Kickstarter. It was probably too expensive but I hadn't used a lead holder since mechanical drawing in high school and I got nostalgic. It's fun and works well for drawing and writing as long as I remember to bring a lead pointer with me. Even though you have to sharpen it, it's definitely harder to break a lead.

Edited December 8, 2017 by dkirchge

[gryphon1911]

I am fortunate enough to have a wife that supports my habits of both photography gear and writing implements.

 

During one of our conversations with Howard Levy of Bexley Pen Co, he told us about a clutch pen/pencil set that he used to produce but no longer does.

 

My wife, being awesome found a mint set on eBay for very little money and got it for me as a gift. I can say now, that I much prefer the clutch pen over a standard mechanical pencil or even wooden ones now.

 

It is bigger, of the 5.6mm variety, but I might look into how much a 2mm version costs and see if I like that size any better. In fountain pens, I like medium and broad nibs more than fine or extra fine....but it never hurts to experiment, right? lol

 

OK, so I did a little research out on Amazon real quick. Who makes a good 2mm holder? I see ko-i-noor, Staedtler, Faber-Castell, rotring, caran d'ache??

Edited December 8, 2017 by gryphon1911

[JaysonHarrington]

I have two 0.5 Pentel Japans.. Love them..

[lurcho]

One of my favorite writing implements of all time is my 0.5mm Pentel Sharp Kerry mechanical pencil (with Pentel Ain Stein leads in HB, please). I prefer 0.5mm because I have small handwriting, but if I was just writing in a wide-ruled composition book, a 0.7mm would be fine too. Nothing bigger, though.

 

I also have a 2mm lead holder that I bought from Kickstarter. It was probably too expensive but I hadn't used a lead holder since mechanical drawing in high school and I got nostalgic. It's fun and works well for drawing and writing as long as I remember to bring a lead pointer with me. Even though you have to sharpen it, it's definitely harder to break a lead.

 

The Kerry with Ain Stein leads is my next-favourite after the P205.

[MYU]

 

Beautifully done. Luxurious feel. When you twist the body, the clip section extends a little and the lead feeder tip protrudes from the section opening, putting the pencil from locked to unlocked mode. Pressing on the clip section expels the lead. Twisting counter clockwise, the lead feeder retracts and the clip section shifts to closed position.

 

I'd picked up the ballpoint version first... on a lark. It just looked like it might be a quality writing instrument. And it is. Like the pencil, it twists to extend/retract the point. The ballpoint takes the short Pilot refill, BRFN-10 or BRFN-30. It's a nice writing refill, but it's like 30% smaller than a G2.

 

 

I don't have the mechanical pencil in hand just yet (will take a couple of weeks), but I'm eager to see how the mechanism works. Knowing PILOT quality, I'm sure it'll be smooth and be free of wobble (something the double-knock pens from other brands sometimes suffer).

[AL01]

Where do you get these obscure Japanese pens/pencils from?

 

They are AMAZIN'!

 

(But seriously... I.E: I can't find a 3776 vintage on the Pirate Bay...)

[MYU]

Where do you get these obscure Japanese pens/pencils from?

 

They are AMAZIN'!

 

Thanks! Well, it's not easy... as one has to scour Yahoo Japan, an auction site that does not offer any labels or content in English. You can't even buy directly. You need to use a 3rd party proxy buying service. Thankfully there are many available now (unlike how it was just about 5 years ago), but a good many are confusing to use at first. But even still, there's the challenge of searching. You can't effectively search using English words. And even though "PILOT" as search criteria for example will bring up auction listing results, a good many auctions will omit the English variant (just Kanji). If your criteria is too general, you have to weed through hundreds of listings (painful and time consuming). If it's too specific, then you're likely to miss auctions you would have wanted to bid on.

 

All in all, it takes a lot of patience and practice to get the hang of things. Yet, as each month goes by, more and more people start exploring Yahoo Japan and thus there's more bidding competition. Pens and pencil closing auctions have been going up in value. I've seen some that you could grab for under 5,000 JPY maybe 5 years ago are now going for double or even triple. The major bargain years are over. However, just like eBay, occasionally there are sellers who do a poor job of listing and will post an auction that many will miss (due to a keyword omitted or misspelled).

[AL01]

Cool.

 

That's just how things work out...........

 

Or we could go to Japan...

 

[MYU]

Cool.

 

That's just how things work out...........

 

Or we could go to Japan...

 

 

Or, find someone in Japan who can hunt for you... or buy on your behalf. I've seen some folks talk about that in their quest for fountain pens in Japan. Some lucky to have a Japanese spouse with family there who will help. Of course, you have to be fortunate to know someone. The good thing is that a majority of Japanese sellers are trustworthy. They tend to exaggerate wear and defects with used items, so there's no surprises.

 

Going back about 8 years ago or so, I was told you could walk through the streets of a city in Japan, like Kyoto or Tokyo, and find all kinds of little stationery shops with old pen/pencil stock in the stock rooms. You would just ask politely and see what they've got. The way things worked for shop owners was that they'd have excess inventory over time that is discontinued or superseded by other inventory... and it goes into the back-room. They don't send it off anywhere, as there was no policy on returning old inventory. They would just sit on it, hoping one day someone asks for it. A few enterprising people who live in large Japanese cities started scouring those shops and to their delight, found many long lost and coveted pens just sitting around in boxes on back room shelves, with the sellers more than happy to sell at sticker price. Then those guys would take their scoured pen loot and flip everything on eBay for many times the price they paid. Those days are apparently over, for the most part... for the more coveted writing instruments (like MYU and Murex), as they've been exhausted from those shops. Who knows... there may be a few still floating around, a shop owner having another little box somewhere that they forgot about.

[AL01]

Some day....

 

Some day....

[gryphon1911]

Since I didn't get any responses to my questions, I did a little more research on my own.

 

I settled on the staedtler 925 in silver. Much nicer writer than the 5.6mm and plenty big enough to be a nice smooth writing experience.

[MYU]

Since I didn't get any responses to my questions, I did a little more research on my own.

 

I settled on the staedtler 925 in silver. Much nicer writer than the 5.6mm and plenty big enough to be a nice smooth writing experience.

 

Sorry I couldn't help -- I don't own any recent Staedtler mechanical pencils. But the brand is solid, like rOtring. You can't go wrong with the 925. Many variants in that series... hard to know how they differ!

[Joban]

As an accountant I have always used a mechanical pencil and fountain pens just because they were different. I just picked up a Faber-Castell Snakewood Mechanical Pencil to replace my Montblanc that looked out of place where I currently work. I could not believe that the other accountants here do not use either a pencil or fountain pen. Instead they use the disposal pens you get as promotional items. Oh well one day they may learn that these items make the job more interesting.

[Crobe]

I enjoy wooden pencils, but for many years my favorite pencil is the Pentel P209 (.9mm lead). I use it all the time at work. I have lost a good many of them over the years since at work I am constantly changing locations, so I have the "working" pencil in my pocket and a spare in my car.

 

My main writing is always with a fountain pen.

 

I do have my grandfather's Parker Duofold MP (hard rubber) which didn't work when I got it. I'd use it if I could get it working.

 

Mike

Edited February 14, 2018 by Crobe

[Corona688]

I got a Staedtler 2mm lead-holder at a garage sale for two bucks, and fidgeted with it for seven years trying to get a good point on it with nail files and pen knives. Then someone pointed out it's got a sharpener in the cap. Oops. Now it's my favorite pencil.

 

Alas that the lead is so expensive. But it came with a hard lead which should last a few years if I'm careful. Then we will see if they still want the price of a box of pencils for one pencil core.

Edited February 14, 2018 by Corona688

[MYU]

I got a Staedtler 2mm lead-holder at a garage sale for two bucks, and fidgeted with it for seven years trying to get a good point on it with nail files and pen knives. Then someone pointed out it's got a sharpener in the cap. Oops. Now it's my favorite pencil.

 

Alas that the lead is so expensive. But it came with a hard lead which should last a few years if I'm careful. Then we will see if they still want the price of a box of pencils for one pencil core.

 

There are some inexpensive 2mm lead holders on Amazon and some come with an ample lead supply. I remembered seeing one, the Stebcece Lead Holder that comes with 12 leads, for under $4 USD (LINK). Alternatively, you could go with Staedtler branded leads, 12 for about $8 USD. Keep in mind that a single lead lasts many times longer than traditional 0.5mm lead.

 

I enjoy wooden pencils, but for many years my favorite pencil is the Pentel P209 (.9mm lead). I use it all the time at work. I have lost a good many of them over the years since at work I am constantly changing locations, so I have the "working" pencil in my pocket and a spare in my car.

 

My main writing is always with a fountain pen.

 

I do have my grandfather's Parker Duofold MP (hard rubber) which didn't work when I got it. I'd use it if I could get it working.

 

Mike

 

You may want to keep an eye out for a Duofold MP on the used market that is badly beat up, and then cannibalize it for the mechanism to get yours working.

[RoyalBlueNotebooks]

Mechanical pencils / lead holders for life!

Seriously, I don't have the patience to fiddle with pencil holders anymore. I'm so glad I bought my first mechanical pencil in middle school. Saved me much frustration.

The same with fountain pens, I didn't have to press down as much anymore.

Blessed moments in my school life.