Pentech "Liquaphite" pencil

January 16, 2006

While walking through WalMart today, I noticed a package of 2 Pentech mechanical pencils. What really caught my eye was the big "LIQUID GRAPHITE" on the package. Remebering that Parker made "Liquid Lead" ballpoint pencils in the 1950s, I was instantly intrigued. I've never used a Parker ballpoint pencil, and I understand most don't work anymore, so I decided to buy these Pentech pencils.

They are in fact ballpoint pencils. They're definitely not high quality, and the fit and finish is horrible, but that's to be expected from Pentech. I'm not impressed by the way they write, it's just too much like a balpoint pen, but it does erase easily and they will definitely serve my purpose. I'm rough on my pencils at work, and most mechanical pencils wind up with tiny pieces of broken lead.

I'm suddenly very curious about the vintage Parkers. Has anyone here used an old Parker Liquid Lead pencil? How did they write? I wonder if the refills for the new Pentechs will fit (or can be adapted to fit) the vintage Parkers.

Tom

January 17, 2006

In my experience, at the same advertised level of "hardness" (HB or No. 2), marks on paper by leads from wooden pencils don't smudge very much, while marks from the leads of mechanical pencils smudge like charcoal (very annoying!).

Smudginess seems to be the price of complete erasability.

I'd like to know, Tom: how do marks from this "new" liquid lead smudge after they dry?

I easily break mechanical leads of 0.7 mm width or narrower, whether or not the pencil has a shock absorbing mechanism. My mechanical pencil takes 0.9 mm leads, which don't break on me and which also force me to write larger and therefore more clearly.

Can anyone tell me how marks from HB/#2 leads in "drop lead" pencils smudge?

January 17, 2006

Steve,

The smudges are another aspect of mechanical pencils I don't like. The Liquaphite takes quite a bit of aggressive rubbing to smudge, at least on my AmPad Gold Fibre paper. It really is much better than my 0.7mm mechanical pencils, with the very fragile lead sticks.

Tom

January 18, 2006

I'm suddenly very curious about the vintage Parkers. Has anyone here used an old Parker Liquid Lead pencil? How did they write? I wonder if the refills for the new Pentechs will fit (or can be adapted to fit) the vintage Parkers.

Tom

Hello Tom,

I have a vintage Parker Liquid Lead pencil, and there is nothing to brag about how it writes. I really don't know how it should have worked when new, but about all you can get out of it is a light line. I have heard others say that there is not much else to expect from them. As for Pentech refill fitting them, I have not tried one in it. My vintage Esterbrook mechanical pencils are my favorite users when I need a pencil.

January 18, 2006

Hmmm... I never heard of those before. :blink:

January 18, 2006

Papermate has been making the Ingenuity liquid lead pencil for a couple of years now, they are usually available at Office Depot. When I first heard about them I was so intrigued I ran out and bought two packs. Unfortunately they were a bit of a disappointment. They wrote very light and skipped a lot, and once a line was written it would not erase completely. Don't know if I got some bad ones or maybe they've updated their fomula.

I'm curious if these Pentech ones are better...

February 1, 2006

I bought a package of three Pentech liquid pencils (the only brand of liquid pencil on the shelf) at the neighborhood Office Depot this week for about $3 USD. The casing is wood-pencil casing. They come with removable erasers of the "add to your pencil" eraser type.

Marks from this pencil are light, but acceptable for me.

Marks from this pencil can be completely erased, although the point leaves a slight, engraved track in the paper.

The engraved track gives a benefit: rubbing the paper with another piece of paper does not smudge the line!

Passing a fingertip or the "heel" or side of my hand along the line does not smudge the line either!

In order "to test to failure," I pushed hard with my fingertip. That smudged the line instantly to illegibility. This situation does not happen in my normal course of using a pencil.

There is one drawback, besides the price: the required writing angle is too high for the way I prefer to hold a writing instrument, so this pencil is not comfortable for me to use.

October 20, 2007

The Staedtler Mars -780 is a perfect "leaded" writing instrument. Its a mechanical pencil. It does not smudge or break. I use the 2H lead for writing. I use the HB lead for underlining, because it is darker. I slide the clip on the "HB pencil" in a lower position for easy recognition. Other writers might choose different shades. If possible, experiment with the Staedltler drafting pencils to determine the shades you prefer. The leads are rather hefty, 2.0mm, I think , and require a "pointer", that grinds the lead to a point. This requires a little practice to determine how much point you require. The pencils cost about three to four dollars a piece. The pointer come in two types; a free standing model, and a "desk fixable model". Perhaps ten to twenty dollars, respectively. I bought mine a long time ago, and do not recall the exact prices. Both of them still work perfectly. As well, another option; package, Staedtler offers, for the Mars-780, contains a mechanical pencial, along with the metal shaver; that effectively shaves the lead to a point. I bought this combination package at Staples. Further, some stationary stores sell plastic "shavers" for as little as a dollar. The mechanical pencil and metal shaver package , cost me about ten dollars. The Staedtler Mars-780 pencil does not have an eraser, therefore you must buy one. They are fairly cheap, retractable, pen like erasers, that last for years, before replacing the long eraser. Generally, there is not need to replace the holder, I've had mine for about ten years. Of course, if you choose, you can use another eraser. Yes, there is an the initial cost to get started. You can purchase the "combo package", and the eraser for less than fifteen dollars. If you require the "HB pencil", or whatever shade you prefer, your looking at an additional three or for dollars. Personally, I prefer the pointer for home use. When I was in school, the "shaver" worked out fine. Depending upon you needs and likes the Staedtler Mars-780 and accessories might suit you. I would not be without them. Additional, non-Staedtler leads may not represent the exact shades, relative to the same coding. Further, college stores sometime sell Staedtler leads in smaller, affordable container, which are great for carrying in a pencil bag. These leads, used in the Mars-780 last a very long time. If you write as much as I do, I can assure you this is a worthy investment, and far superior to the "liquid lead' options I have tried.

Edited October 20, 2007 by johnbrandy

October 20, 2007

You don't NEED a pointer, the cap IS a pointer

March 14, 2010

I'm suddenly very curious about the vintage Parkers. Has anyone here used an old Parker Liquid Lead pencil? How did they write? I wonder if the refills for the new Pentechs will fit (or can be adapted to fit) the vintage Parkers.

The PenTech pens are PaperMate refill format, and are interchangeable with PaperMate ballpoint pens.