Gallery: Shades of Gray: Stay Sharp With These First-Class Mechanical Pencils
01introduction-9
At some point in elementary school, I graduated from standard wood pencils to mechanical pencils. The advantages were clear: no more sharpeners, a consistent lead tip, limitless refills, and they never got annoyingly short and nubby. Also, mechanical pencils looked infinitely cooler than any green and yellow Ticonderoga. Kids in class used to obsess over their mechanized pencils. Did it have a fat, rubber grip? Was it made of sleek metal or colorful plastic? How about a built-in eraser? What size lead did it use? Having the right kind of pencil could earn you some serious geek cred in our young social spheres. For general writing, most people move on from pencils to pens during high school or college. But mechanical pencils are still incredibly useful for a variety of activities, including drafting, drawing and mathematics. And thanks to their many features and components, they're super easy to geek out over. The key factors to consider when choosing a mechanical pencil aren't far from what my classmates and I discussed over our long division worksheets. Mechanical pencils have different grips to suit specific writing styles and personal preferences. For example, rubber grips tend to make extended writing more comfortable, though traditional knurled metal or textured plastic grips are also popular. A metal body versus a plastic one is a matter of weight and sturdiness. And you'll want to choose a lead sleeve that fits with your use case: Standard writing pencils tend to have conical sleeves, while thin, round sleeves are more ideal for drafting. As for lead size, most pencils come in 0.5mm, 0.7mm, and 0.9mm sizes, which are most popular for writing. You can certainly get thinner leads, usually at 0.3mm, or thicker ones more than 4mm in diameter -- great for drawing and shading. If you like to choose between specific [grades of lead](http://www.pencils.com/blog/hb-graphite-grading-scale/) -- how soft or hard it is -- you'll get the most flexibility with 0.5mm diameter. Thicker leads, however, are less likely to snap under heavy writing pressure. Finding a mechanical pencil has a lot to do with personal preference. That said, I tested seven models -- all ratchet-based with top push buttons -- on balance, comfort, build, and writing quality to find which were the best overall.
02lamy-2000
Lamy 2000 --------- Lamy's flagship 2000 fountain pen is a mainstay in writing utensils. Neil Gaiman used one to [write one of his novels](http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2003/12/manifestly-not-post-with-tee-sh irts-in.asp) and it has a permanent spot in the Museum of Modern Art. The $69 [2000 mechanical pencil](http://www.lamyusa.com/lamy_mechpencil_L101_2000.php) -- which comes in 0.5mm and 0.7mm lead -- shares the same minimalist, black-and-silver torpedo body as its ink counterpart. There's no grip, logo, or color variations, and all of the seams are nearly invisible. Only a simple clip adorns the side of the body. Made of brushed fiberglass polycarbonate and stainless steel, it has an almost wood-like quality. This is a high-end pencil with a price tag to match. The Lamy 2000 is incredibly well-made. The lack of grip doesn't make the pencil any more slippery, thanks to the slightly conical shape and textured material of the body. It's balanced and comfortable for long stretches of writing. The push button for lead is sturdy and satisfying. Like most other mechanical pencils, the Lamy 2000 comes with a built-in eraser held by a four-prong container. There's a bonus too: A cleaning needle is attached to the end of the eraser, in case you ever encounter a lead jam. While you won't be able to draft properly with this pencil due to its conical sleeve, this is an amazing pencil for a writer who's willing to splurge. __WIRED__ Elegant design. Comfortable and well-balanced. Useful cleaning rod attached to eraser holder. __TIRED__ You could buy over 250 generic no. 2's for the price. __Rating: 9 out of 10__
03pentel-kerry
Pentel Kerry ------------ With their sharp tips, mechanical pencils can poke holes through pockets or scratch precious gadgets. But thanks to its cap, the $21 [Pentel Kerry](http://www.pentel.com/store/sharp-kerry-mechanical-pencil) won’t be inadvertently assaulting fabrics or other gear. When capped, the Kerry looks like a preppy fountain pen. Once removed, the cap attaches to the back of the pencil and serves as a push button to advance lead. It works beautifully, though it doesn't have the most satisfying click. Adding the cap also makes the pencil far more balanced -- the Kerry feels too short and light without it. A metal trim separates the cap from the rest of the body when in use. Strangely, the cap is made of metal, while the body of the pencil (minus the embellishments) is made of plastic. It's only noticeable on close inspection, but it does cheapen the pencil a bit. There's no special grip and the plastic is really smooth, but it didn't adversely affect my writing. The long lead sleeve makes the Kerry a good candidate for writing and drafting. You'll find a built-in eraser within the cap and the lead feed in the body of the pencil. This separation is great because even if you whittle the eraser down to nothing, you won't have to dig it out in order to refill the lead. __WIRED__ Pocketable. Unique and clever capped design. Very satisfying click when attaching the cap. Balanced and easy to write with (as long as cap is attached). __TIRED__ Losing the cap would leave you with an unsatisfactory pencil. Body made of plastic. __Rating: 8 out of 10__
04sakura-xs12
Sakura XS12 ----------- Simplicity pays off in the $5 [Sakura XS12 series](http://www.sakuraofamerica.com/pencils-mechanical). A thin black plastic body with metal sleeve, push button, and clip is all it takes to make writing enjoyable. The pencil is inexpensive and lightweight, but still sturdy thanks to the minimal pieces. You aren't going to have to worry about dropping the XS12 multiple times. The 12-sided grooved grip makes it easy to hold onto the featherweight tool. An eraser is held in place with a three-pronged container beneath the push button. Eraser containers are incredibly helpful, because even if you flatten the eraser with extensive use (not recommended), you can still pull it out to refill the lead. The XS12 has a really satisfying ratchet mechanism click, and the dual conical lead sleeve make it a great multi-purpose pencil for writing, drafting, and drawing. __WIRED__ Not much to it: thin, lightweight, and simple. Super satisfying push button click. __TIRED__ A bit too thin for larger hands. __Rating: 8 out of 10__
05rotring-800
Rotring 800 ----------- I have never held a pencil as heavy and as strong as a Rotring. The company's [800 model](http://www.rotring.com/en/74-rOtring-600-800-Mechanical-Pencils) is no exception. The all-metal brass body is adorned with gold and red trim, and a classic knurled grip with a twist top to match. You see, the $67 Rotring 800 has a retractable tip -- just twist the top clockwise and the 4mm lead sleeve comes out; twist it counter-clockwise and it retreats back into the pencil -- perfect for pockets. Of all the pencils, the Rotring 800 looks the most like it belongs in an engineer's toolkit, resembling a mini robot. Beyond the circular grip, it has a hexagonal shape, much like a thicker, metal version of a traditional wooden pencil. Though this is a heavy pencil, you don't notice the weight much when writing, since most of it resides in the top of the pencil. (For me, that part rests partly on my hand.) The tip retracts easily, and the push button releases lead without problem. Because of the retractable tip, the pencil doesn't have a great clicking ratchet sound. Overall, the Rotring 800 is a very professional looking drafting pencil that is also great to write with. __WIRED__ Retractable tip is smooth to release. Incredibly sturdy and strong build; it would win most mechanical pencil sword fights. Though heavy, it is balanced for writing. __TIRED__ Expensive. Some user reviews report that retractable tip mechanism breaks over time. __Rating: 8 out of 10__
06uniball-kuru-toga
Uni-ball Kuru Toga ------------------ Of all the pencils, Uni-ball's $6 [Kuru Toga](http://www.uniball-na.com/Pages/products.aspx) has the coolest mechanical perk -- a lead auto-rotation feature that ensures you always have a sharp point. One of the main benefits of using a mechanical pencil instead of a wood pencil is that you don't need to sharpen it. But even the super-thin 0.5mm and 0.7mm lead can get dull. Have you ever noticed that you rotate a mechanical pencil so you can write on the sharper edge? The Kuru Toga essentially does that for you. Every time the lead hits the paper, an internal mechanism turns the lead ever so slightly. The result is consistently crisp writing. Uni-ball also uses a special "diamond infused lead" that is supposedly stronger, so even aggressive writers won't break it. In my testing, I didn't break any lead, so I can't say that the Kuru Toga's was significantly better than others. It did, however, have a more solid, dark look than some of the other leads. One drawback to the Kuru Toga is that it produces a scratching sound and sensation when writing. It probably won't bother most people, but it was noticeable. But most bothersome is the super-short eraser that could easily get in the way of refilling lead should you use it until it's flat. There's just no way to get it out if you use it up. You'd end up needing to feed lead through the tip, or buy a new one since they are so inexpensive ($6 for pencil, lead refill and two eraser refills). __WIRED__ Auto lead rotation. Transparent plastic body lets you look inside to see all the moving pieces... __TIRED__ Plastic clip could break off easily. Need to use a separate eraser. __Rating: 7 out of 10__
07zebra-m-701
Zebra M-701 ----------- The $6 [Zebra M-701](http://www.zebrapen.com/products/pen/m-701) looks great with its stainless steel body and traditional knurled grip. It's the kind of pencil that any student would love to show off. (Yes, I used to do that with Zebra pencils.) Unfortunately, the pencil does have a few flaws. Most noticeable is the quality of lead that comes with the pencil. It was significantly softer and lighter than all of the other pencils I tried out. It's a minor quibble since you can always refill the pencil with your own lead, and some people might actually prefer the light marking. More annoying was the noise coming from the push button cap. The cap isn't fixed in place tightly enough, so when you're writing it tends to wiggle around making a slight shaking noise that gets worse the faster you write. Also strange: Zebra markets the pencil as "stainless steel from tip to clip." That description is totally accurate because right beyond the clip, you see a black plastic trim around the eraser. It just seems like an odd choice for an almost entirely steel pencil, when other pencils seem to be adding metal embellishments to plastic pencils, this did the opposite. Beyond these bumps, the Zebra M-701 performs just as well as you'd want a regular mechanical pencil to perform. __WIRED__ Satisfactory clicking sounds and sensation when advancing lead. Sturdy stainless steel body. Grippy grip. Balanced. __TIRED__ Noisy push button cap. Comes with mediocre lead and only in a 0.7mm model. Plastic embellishments on a stainless steel pencil. __Rating: 6 out of 10__
08pilot-dr-grip
Pilot Dr. Grip Center of Gravity -------------------------------- The $10 [Pilot Dr. Grip](http://www.pilotpen.us/ProductGroup/48-Dr-Grip-COG-Pencil.aspx) is known for its thick rubber grip, and has even won an award from the Arthritis Foundation. The Center of Gravity model claims that the weight of the pencil is distributed in a way that makes writing most comfortable. In my testing, however, it didn't feel any more balanced than the other pencils. In fact the Dr. Grip, which is made of mostly plastic with a metal lead sleeve and clip, is very light for such a thick body. Writing with the pencil got annoying quick, mostly because of an incessant rattling of the cap and what sounded like something loose inside the body of the pencil. Writing gently didn't help. Another problem: The lead advances much less with each click of the top button than any other pencil I used. A single click doesn't even get the lead out of its sleeve. Yes, the grip was comfortable, but it also had a natural knack for grabbing dust and fuzz and looked dirty within a day of use. If you really want a pencil with a thick rubber grip, this one is fine. You just have to be OK with it making a racket, too. __WIRED__ Comfortable rubber grip. Well-balanced. __TIRED__ Doubles as a maraca. You'll have to click twice as many times for lead to come out. __Rating: 5 out of 10__
