Which mechanical pencil is the best mechanical pencil?

Ooh, I like the Pentel Orenz. That sliding tube system looks pretty impressive. Do you get any feedback if/when the tube drags/catches on the paper?

It sounds crazy, but the normal Muji mechanical pencils seem to chop your lead up into little bits always giving you a sharp edge, and made out of metal so a nice feel Should give it a try

And, just to clarify, you like it BECAUSE it chops the lead up into little bits? I can kinda see how that would be a benefit, since you can bulk buy average quality lead really cheap. I'm just wondering how frustrating that might be over many pages of notes.

I love pretty much every variation of the Kuru Toga pencil by Uni-Ball. I've got the Kuru Toga Roulette in my desk top collection and I have the basic plastic Kuru Togas dotted around the place. I like them because of their single gimmick where the lead rotates as you write, always presenting you with a sharp point.

However, they are far from perfect. For example, the erasers are tiny. I consider them to be for emergency use only and tend to carry a separate eraser around with me. If I want a bigger eraser, then the Pentel Twist-Erase GT gives me nearly 2 inches of extending rubber to erase with. However, it's a plastic pencil, so it feels cheap. Also, the lead doesn't rotate, often leading to a chisel edge.

If I want something that presents with a feel of quality, then the Pentel Graphgear 1000 is a joy to hold. It has an all metal construction and feels perfectly balanced. It also has a 4mm metal sleeve, which retracts when the clip on the side is pressed, thus making it pocket friendly (the Twist-Erase GT also has a retracting tip but the action isn't as smooth). It also just feels like it will last a lifetime. However, the eraser is tiny and the lead does not rotate.

If it weren't for the fact that Kuru Toga invented this rotating lead thing, it'd be tempting to just stock up on Bic Matics. If you shop around on Amazon and buy them 12+ at a time, then you can get them for around 30-40p each.

What does everyone else think?

This thread is incredibly gripping.

I know! I was worried that I may have started a thread about a niche topic that would generate little interest.

It took a while for the first reply and then, BOOM!

Glad you're enjoying it. So, what's your favourite mechanical pencil?

Your mum. BOOM! Now it is interesting.

Oh dear, you silly thing. We are talking about mechanical pencils. Not naming family members.

You know the type of pencil where you just click the cap to advance the lead, rather that using a sharpening device to remove wood shavings, revealing a sharper point. That's what we're talking about.

Have you tried a Bic?

Graf Von Faber ftw

#bodna

Ooh, excellent choice. Some of the cheaper Faber-Castell pencils are worth a look too. Have you used any of the ones where the lead advances automatically?

Rotring and Faber Castell