We use a lot of mechanical pencils in our shop in a variety of lead sizes and hardnesses. We even bicker about it! (Megan loves .5mm lead. A lot.)
One thing (I think) we agree on is that the Pentel GraphGear mechanical pencils are the most durable ones out there. They last at least five times as long as any other brand.
Why? Well the bodies are all-metal, of course. That helps. But what really helps is the way the tip of the pencil prairie dogs back into the body of the pencil when it’s not in use.
This remarkable feature makes a satisfying “click” and prevents the pencil’s lead sleeve from getting bent. If you use mechanical pencils in the workshop, then you know that the quickest way to destroy one is to bend the sleeve even the tiniest bit. And they are typically as fragile as a strand of angel hair pasta.
The GraphGears are widely available and, to date, undefeated in terms of toughness by any other mechanical pencil we’ve tried.
— Christopher Schwarz
To read previous entries in the gift guide, click here.
They are excellent pencils. I prefer .7 for most things, but the .5 are best for filling in knife lines, as in dovetails.
Gee….. I wonder which one belongs to Megan.
Do you have a recommendation on lead? I’ve yet to find any that I’m happy with.
I bought myself a set (0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 mm) of Pentel Graphgears based on Chris’s blog post on them from 2019; in the comments to that post, Mike Cashman provided a link to a mechanical pencil enthusiast blog, that not only writes about the pencils, but also about the leads. After perusal of some of the lead tests and reviews there, not least the results of the Lead Cup Finals, I decided to try the Pentel Ain Stein leads, in HB and 2B, and have so far been very happy with them, both for blackness of line and strength of lead – I have yet to have one snap on me, which is a bit of a first.
Please note that I claim no expertise or authority in the matter – I just went with what seemed a good choice from reading that blog for a bit, and have been happy with the results.
By the way, I also very much second the recommendation of the Graphgears! In addition to all the good things about them already mentioned by Chris, I would add that I find their feed rate (i.e. how much lead is propelled forwards by a single clic) to be excellent! Previous mechanical pensils that I’d tried had a too high feed rate, with frequently snapped lead as a result, to the point of my pretty much giving up on them. As already mentioned, I yet to experience a snappeed lead in one the Graphgears.
Pentel 2b / 4b leads. I think they were about £3-£4 on amazon when last ordered.
If not, can always with the time proven solution Rotring 😁
Hmmm, I have never bent a sleeve, and I have used Pentel pencils for decades. I have them scattered around the house and shop. Yes, 0.5 is the best. I do have larger caliber pencils for rougher work.
It’s odd how touchy some people are about their writing instruments.
My brother and I almost came to blows over which lead is best for layout of cut line highlighting.
My wife will lock me out of the bedroom if I dare to borrow and not return her favorite pen or mechanical pencil.
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.
Where to buy?
If you are heavy handed with mechanical pencils and are always snapping the lead then get the .9mm -solid as a regular pencil for every day marking tasks. I also use the .4mm when filling in dovetail scribes. You’ll still snap the lead with the .4mm but usually when tracing a scribe line I’m being careful in the first place.
My Favorite, just wish they would have a “find me” feature…
they do have a “find me” feature. to access visit https://a.co/d/7gPRPHk then click “buy now.” 2 days later it will show up on your door freshly polished and returned to its original packaging!
Just a word of warning only the ‘1000 model’ seems to have the retractable tip.
The Pentel Twist Erase GT has the lead sleeve that retracts as well, and they’re around $5 for a 3 pack.
My personal favorite general use mechanical pencil is the Pentel Sharp drafting pencils with the P2xx model numbers.
Looks like it has a spring loaded clip? Perfect companion for the Lost Art Press pocket protector
Nice initiative !
I still maintain that the Pentel Sharp series are the best shop pencils. According to a lot of the Amazon reviews, the style here often doesn’t survive a drop off your workbench.
I have bought several in 7mm and 5mm. So far two have shot craps as they won’t extend the lead. I’ve used a fine wire to insert and make sure no broken pieces are causing an issue, but they still will not extend lead. I’ve disassembled as far as I can and no sign of any issues.
They have not been dropped and I use my tools properly. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!
I’ve been using Rotring (red ring) all metal pens and pencils for 30 years in 0.7 mm for writing on paper and 2 mm for writing on wood. Love them both. I used to use .5 mm but found I break the leads too frequently by pressing down to hard and the .7 mm is thin enough.
Rotring 600 does not have the retractable tip but the 800 does. But it also has gold accents and costs a lot more.
I had a $25 rewards credit at OfficeMax and ordered two Graph Gear 1000’s. 5mm and 7mm. $11.32 delivered. I need more pencils (of any size) like a hole in the head.
First, thanks for the gift guide. I’ve been using mechanical pencils for years. The Graphgears are tough and reliable, everything that the gift guide states. My 14-year-old son discovered a “new” pencil design by Zebra called the DelGuard. They have become my new go to pencil. Although they are plastic, the tip has been engineered with a spring shock. No more broken lead – it’s amazing technology.
I’ve been using PicaDry pencils for carpentry work for about a year now and absolutely love them. They just recently came out with a finer lead—.9mm instead of 2.8mm—which I haven’t gotten yet but it’s next on the list!
Don’t forget that each pencil is also (a) color-coded by lead diameter, and (b) has a little rotating “lead hardness” indicator. (You can just see the yellow one set to “HB” in the top photo.)
That’s maybe more useful at a drafting desk, where you might want to have a lot of variations, but if you’ve got more than one person working in a shop, and they each have their personal preference, that’s got to be another bonus.
I bought one of these last year, and bent the sleeve the second day of use. 🙁 Oh well.