Major Loss
The motivation for this report was the impending loss of an
old friend. OK, so that’s a bit over-dramatic, as I’m talking about the
discontinuation of a favorite product I’ve been using for years. Pentel has
discontinued their PS535 mechanical pencil! It was the only mechanical pencil I
have ever used which worked day-in and day-out and was just a pleasure to use. I
was once even willing to pay $18 for them at a local drafting shop, because
nothing else came close. The PS535 is what I call an “every-day-carry” pencil.
An every-day-carry (EDC) pencil by my definition has two
main characteristics: 1) a pocket clip and 2) the ability to retract or cover
the sharp pencil tip to prevent pocket punctures. For me, in addition to these
characteristics, the only acceptable EDC pencils are those with a sliding lead
sleeve. The benefit is that as lead is consumed, the sleeve slides up,
revealing more lead, and postponing that dreaded “fading-lines” and “you-need-to-advance-the-lead”
event.
For this test, I put all mechanical pencils into one of three
main categories: 1) EDC, 2) drafting and 3) combination. A pencil designed for
drafting has just one defining characteristic, which is a fixed lead sleeve. This
is important for drafting because when using a template or straight edge, a
sliding sleeve can catch on a template edge and slide up too far, resulting in
broken lead. For serious drafting choose a good drafting pencil. For everything
else choose a good EDC pencil.
For years after its discontinuation, I have been able to
find the PS535 on Ebay in “new old-stock” form. I recently lost the last one I
purchased and the new old-stock has apparently dried up. Major crisis! Since
some time has passed since my last endeavor to find a suitable replacement, and
faced with no alternatives, I restarted the search.
My first purchase was the Pentel Sharp Kerry P1035. I
thought because it is a top-of-the-line Pentel, it would surely intercept the
functionality of the PS535 and thus be a replacement for it. Not even close, so
on with the search.
Thinking Pentel had most of the market for mechanical
pencils (erroneously so), my next purchase was the Pentel GraphGear 1000, which
is Pentel’s top-of-the-line drafting pencil. But…. it has a fixed lead sleeve –
my bad, and a deal-breaker for me for an EDC. Back to the searching.
At this point, with major panic setting in, I found a savior
website – JetPens.com. There I found a plethora of mechanical pencils, lots of
good guidance on picking the right one for its intended use, and detailed
specification sheets on every one for comparison purposes. I picked and ordered
what I thought to be five which would best meet my needs. And then I found more
… and more. I now have 13 new mechanical pencils, all in 0.5 mm lead size. I
have tested and used them all. What follows are feature descriptions and my
assessment of each one. They are listed by major category and by increasing
price within the category. With a mechanical pencil being a long-term
investment, and with the most expensive being under the cost of a dinner out, pencil
cost was not a factor in my assessment. I have not tested long-term reliability.
I did not give any consideration for appearance of the instruments. If you are
trying to impress the Queen, you might not make the same assessments as I did.
DRAFTING PENCILS1
Zebra DelGuard -
$6.752
The Zebra DelGuard utilizes a two-part system to help
prevent lead breakage. First, a spring in the barrel of the pencil lets the
lead slide back into the pencil instead of breaking if too much vertical
pressure is applied. Second, another spring in the tip dynamically extends the
lead guard to protect the lead when too much sideways pressure is applied. I
was dubious about this claim, but it really works. It has a ribbed, hard
plastic grip which is comfortable enough at 10.4 mm. It has a pocket clip,
which gives it the appearance of an EDC pencil, but the non-retractable, fixed
lead sleeve with no provisions to cover it requires the pencil to be classified
as a drafting pencil only. The lead-protection features make this a good choice
for a drafting pencil.
Uni Kuru Toga with
Rubber Grip - $10.75
This pencil has a fixed, non-retractable sleeve. It has a unique
lead rotation mechanism that continually rotates the pencil lead as you write.
A spring-loaded clutch twists the lead incrementally as you lift the pencil
from the paper. This allows a uniform wearing of the lead to create a conical
tip shape which provides a consistent line width. I tested this feature and it
works. The grip is comfortable rubber with subtle ridges. It has perfect
balance and weighs 12 grams. For a draftsman for whom extremely uniform line
width is important, this is an excellent choice, especially if they like a
lighter instrument.
Pentel Graph Gear
1000 - $11.50
This is Pentel's top-of-the-line drafting pencil. What I
like: 1) Spring-loaded tip retraction, comfortable combination
knurled/rubber-dots grip, and 3) long lead tube. Rather than having to push the
writing tip against a flat surface to retract it, a press of the pocket clips snaps
the lead tube back into the body. It is comfortable to use and appears to be of
highest-quality construction. Of lesser significance to me is the lead grade
scale, which is settable among 5 settings. I always use HB, but for draftsmen,
I can see the need for multiple pencils having different grades of lead. This
is a reasonably priced, quality drafting instrument which you won’t go wrong
purchasing.
Zebra DelGuard
Type-ER - $11.75
The Type-ER employs the same two lead breakage protection means as the former
DelGuard. This upscale version also
features a clever eraser that extends from the top cap automatically whenever
you turn the pencil upside down. The eraser locks into place and stays put while
you use it, then almost magically drops back into the cap when you turn the
pencil over again – no cover caps to loose. The pencil has one of the most
comfortable grips I tested. It is rubber and 11.6 mm in diameter. The larger grip
diameter is more comfortable than smaller ones, and especially so for those
with arthritis in the hand. It is a very nice, well-balanced pencil, especially
if you prefer a lighter one.
Uni Alpha Gel Kuru
Toga - $14.00
The Alpha Gel has the same lead rotation mechanism as the
Uni Kuru Toga with Rubber Grip. The grip is a very comfortable soft gel
measuring 11.3 mm. Weight is 20 grams, which along with the Pilot Double Knock
are the two heaviest ones tested. The Alpha Gel has a pocket clip, but since
there is no means to protect pockets from the un-retractable, sharp writing
tip, it seems a waste. Aside from that perplexity, this is a very nice drafting
pencil. But the only reason I can see for choosing it over any of the other, less-expensive
drafting pencils tested would be the feel of the pencil, which of course comes
down to personal preference.
EVERY-DAY-CARRY PENCILS
Platinum OLEeNU
Shield - $3.30
The Platinum OLEeNU Shield can clutch a lead core until the
very last 0.5 mm which yields almost 20% more writing out of a typical 60 mm
long lead. It has a sliding, retractable sleeve. When retracted, a fairly
blunt, pocket-friendly tip is left exposed. It has a very-comfortable, 11.0 mm
rubber grip. There is a lot to like about this pencil and really not much to
dislike. Those who prefer a heavier pencil may give it a black mark for
weighing only 9 grams. But at $3.30, this EDC pencil offers the best value of
any I tested.
Kokuyo FitCurve -
$4.55
The FitCurve has a comfortable, 12.2 mm rubber grip, the
largest tested. It also has a large barrel. A quick twist of a top ring extends
the eraser, which is a useful size, unlike the tiny erasers on most of these
pencils. The pencil has perfect balance, and weighs in at 19 grams. The FitCurve
is a very nice pencil with excellent value, and would be a good choice over the
Shield for those who prefer a heavier pencil.
Pentel Orenz - $7.00
This pencil has a sliding, retractable sleeve. With the
lead/sleeve fully retracted, the tip is still sharp enough to puncture a
pocket. The entire body, including the grip, is hard plastic. These two factors
make the pencil a poor choice for an EDC pencil, and the two previous EDC
pencils are better.
Uni Kuru Toga Advance
- $7.75
This pencil has a sliding, retractable sleeve. Retracted, it
leaves a fairly blunt, pocket-safe tip. It has the same lead rotation mechanism
as its Uni Kuru Toga with Rubber Grip and the Alpha Gel drafting siblings. The
grip is hard plastic with concentric ridges. While not as comfortable as a
rubber grip, it is pleasant enough. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be
an EDC version of this pencil with rubber grip. But the desire for the uniform
line width this pencil provides may prevail over the lack of a rubber grip.
Platinum OLEeNU High
Grade Lead Breakage Prevention - $16.50
This is a high-end version of the Platinum OLEeNU Shield, which
also includes the lead saving feature. It also has a sliding, retractable lead
sleeve, and a comfortable rubber grip. Where it differs from its lower-cost
sibling: It has more metal and less plastic in its construction. It weighs 50%
more. Its balance point is about 1/3 from the writing tip, which is perfect
balance (versus 1/2 for the Shield). It looks more expensive, and it is. Is it
worth five times its functionally-similar sibling? You be the judge.
COMBINATION PENCILS
Combination pencils meet the requirements of both drafting
and EDC pencils.
Pilot Delful Double
Knock - $8.25
With a funny name, this pencil has a fixed sleeve allowing
it to qualify as a drafting pencil. But the sleeve is retractable, allowing it
to qualify as an EDC, even if the fixed sleeve is undesirable in an
every-day-carry application. When the tip is extended, you can shake the pencil
to extend lead. Clicking the cap lightly will also advance the lead. Pressing the
cap firmly retracts the tip for pocket carry, and another firm press extends it.
I didn’t think I would like the shake-to-advance feature, but I’m pleasantly-surprised.
It allows advancing the lead without changing grip, making the fixed sleeve much
more tolerable. The grip is a comfortable, 11.5 mm, rubber one. It weighs 20
grams and has good balance. This is an excellent drafting pencil with the side
benefit of pocket carry, and a decent EDC pencil as well. As a portable
drafting pencil, it is a great value at $8.25.
Pentel Sharp Kerry
P1035 - $14.50
As I said in the opening, this is a top-of-the-line Pentel.
Because it has a fixed sleeve, it qualifies as a drafting pencil. And because
it has a pocket clip and the top portion of the barrel can be removed and
placed on the business end to form a cover over the non-retractable tip, it
meets the definition for EDC. Making this swap takes about ten times as long as
retracting a tip on other pencils. It is for sure a well-made pencil, has good
reviews and should last a long time. But in trying to meet the needs of both
EDC and drafting, its designers seriously-compromised it for either
application. For over six dollars less, the Pilot Delful Double Knock is a much
better combination pencil.
https://www.jetpens.com/Pentel-Sharp-Kerry-Mechanical-Pencil-0.5-mm-Black-Body/pd/1334
https://www.jetpens.com/Pentel-Sharp-Kerry-Mechanical-Pencil-0.5-mm-Black-Body/pd/1334
Ohto Conception -
$17.50
This pencil satisfies my definition of both an EDC pencil
and a drafting pencil. Grasping the grip and turning the barrel three turns
converts it between the two modes. In EDC mode, the lead sleeve becomes a
sliding sleeve that retracts as the lead wears. In drafting mode, the lead
sleeve is fixed for template use. It has a pocket clip for pocket carry. The
grip is a softly-etched metal and is comfortable to hold. The balance point is
about 1/3 up from the tip, which is perfect. There is a knurled sleeve at the
top of the body, which when turned will adjust the lead feed rate to suit the
user's preference, unique among all those I tested. The feed rate is
continuously-adjustable. This is a valuable feature, because it allows the user
to set the initial lead extension with one click to just clear a template. Because
it meets the requirements of both EDC and drafting, because of its useful features,
and because of its construction quality, the Ohto Conception is the best
drafting pencil of all those tested. It comes as no surprise that it is also
the most expensive.
As a side point, it is interesting that all the pencils I
found are made in Japan. China seems to be taking over everything else, but I
didn’t find any Chinese mechanical pencils. And secondly, why did Pentel
discontinue such a great pencil?
If you are looking for a new mechanical pencil, I hope this
report has been helpful.
References and notes:
- Credit for some of the functional descriptions goes to JetPens.com.
- https://www.jetpens.com
- Photos courtesy of JetPens.com.
- I am not an employee of JetPens, nor have I received any compensation from JetPens for this report. I can add that I received a couple of pencils which were jammed when received, and I was unable to free them up. JetPens quickly replaced them both and didn’t require me to return the defective ones. I appreciated that.
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