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I will respect your right to disagree with what I have to say about Pens and Pencils as long as you respect the fact that I am an Old Geezer.




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All Jammed Up?

If you need detailed instructions on how to clear a lead jam from a mechanical pencil then click this link, "All Jammed Up?" or the link in the pages header.



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Please enjoy your stay at my humble blog. Please feel free to leave a comment about any article that you read
. Also please notice that there are four reactions at the bottom of each article. If you find any article funny, interesting, cool or helpful please so indicate. Thank you for visiting my blog.

The Old Geezer
Please Excuse My Absence

I have not blogged since July of 2015 due to the fact that my Lovely Wife was diagnosed with 2 types of cancer. A new case of breast cancer which has metastasized and gone to her bones, mainly her back. She had a mastectomy of her left breast which showed the type of cancer that was in her bones. She has been taking an oral med. every day and she has a port under her skin to receive a liquid med. She has gone through one round of radiation treatments to stop some pain in her back. That gave her GERD and the med for that was nasty tasting. The bone cancer has caused the vertebra in her lower back to pinch her left sciatic nerve causing her pain, numbness and foot drag. She also has skin cancer that has only been partly addressed.

I have been busy taking care of her as the treatments have left her weak and sickly. She can not drive so I have to drive her to her appointments and treatments. I also have to do all the cooking and most of what cleaning we do. So I do not have a lot of time for blogging. However the installment of the review of the Schaeffer Ultrafine 0.3mm pencil marks what I hope will be a new review every month. However some of my future reviews may seem familiar as they may be a review of a pencil or pen that I have reviewed before just in another size due to my limited collection of writing instruments and the economic state of our nation.

I am grateful to George Fox for wanting me to do a review of another one of his pencils. I think that as a reader of my humble blog, may fine of interest as the Schaeffer Ultra Fine is a very unusual pencil.

So please excuse my absence and as a reader of my humble blog I hope that you enjoy the review of this unique pencil.

Coming Soon...

Thank you,

The Old Geezer.




Saturday, July 4, 2009

Staedtler REG 925 85 03 Regulator or Zedragon Checks In

(Buzz!... Buzz!... Buzz!...) Oh, I think that I've got a call on the ole Intergalactic View Screen!...












Ladies and Gentlemen... I do believe that we are getting an image...












Yes! We are definitely getting an image!... And it looks like!... Yes, it is!...


It's Zedragon the Zefoid from the planet Zetta 1! Welcome, Zed! What brings you to my humble Intergalactic View Screen?

"Gerrtery humnnbdyyei burjueeerg..."

Oh, wait! I forgot to turn on the Intergalactic Translator!... (click)... There, now! As you were saying, Zed!

"I was just saying, Geezer, that the reason I've called is to share with your readers my review of the Staedtler REG 925 85 03 Regulator Drafting Pencil".

Oh, cool, Zed!... Eh, I didn't know that you could get Earth made items on Zetta 1, considering the vast distance involved!

"Oh, well, the delivery service is a little slow! That's why I came to Earth last week and bought one myself!".

You came to Earth and you didn't stop in and say 'Hello'!? Zed, I'm crushed!

"Sorry, Geezer, but I was on a tight schedule! I had the wife and little Zefoids along! It was a side trip! We were on a weekend trip to the Outer Rim and really didn't have the time for a social visit! Maybe next time?".

Well, in that case... Why don't you share your review with us, Zed! I'm dying to hear all about it!

"Well, alright then, Geezer, I will!".

"When I first saw the Staedtler REG 925 85 03 Regulator I wanted one! Not only is it an attractive pencil with an interstellar look to it it's a well designed and made pencil. It is also one of the few pencils out there that offers the user a way to regulate the amount of lead projected with each push of the push button. This is a feature that I really like as too many pencils nowadays project either too much lead or too little. It's nice to have the ability to set the amount of lead you want projected".


"The amount of lead projected is controlled by the Adjustment Wheel located just below the push button. Turning the wheel to the right, or clockwise as viewed from the top of the pencil, will reduce the amount of lead projected while turning it to the left, or counter clockwise, will increase the amount of lead projected. The user can see the setting via a window on the side of the pencil just below the pocket clip".

"The statistics of the pencil are thus: It is 140.3 mm long minimum to 141.9 mm maximum depending on how you have the lead projection set. The grip measures 9.1 mm in diameter while the body measures 8.9 mm in diameter. The balance point will vary from 74.6 mm from the push button to 76.2 mm. This makes the REG slightly top heavy. The pencil weighs a whopping 22.5 grams making it a heavyweight! This is due to it being made almost entirely of metal. Something we Zefoids appreciate. The lead reservoir is large enough for several containers of lead and still have room to operate. And just in case you get a lead jam there is a clean out rod beneath the eraser. Two thumbs up for Staedtler for including a clean out rod with the REG!".

"The REG is one of those complex pencils that requires special tools and/or knowledge to be able to break it down any further than what is required to refill the lead reservoir, adjust the lead grade indicator or to clear a lead jam. To fill the lead reservoir first remove the push button then the eraser. After filling the lead reservoir replace the eraser then the push button".

"The push button is also the lead grade indicator and is composed of 3 parts. The first part is the end cap/nut which has a sticker insert with the lead size printed on it. Next is the lead grade indicator ring. Lastly is the the bottom of the push button which incorporates the lead grade indications in light gray on a silver background. To my eyes, all six of them, the markings are much too light for the silver background. They would be much easier to see if they had been darker or had the background been darker. To set the lead grade indicator all that is necessary is to loosen the top of the push button, move the indicator ring window to the appropriate setting, then tighten the nut once more".

"Should it become necessary to clear a lead jam the end cap/lead sleeve will have to be removed. To do this first use the regulating wheel to set the lead projection to it's fullest. This will ease the tension on the coil spring that is under the end cap! The spring helps keep the lead projection setting in place. Slowly unscrew the end cap and remove it. Be careful not to lose the coil spring! Either leave it in place or secure it safely away before proceeding. Next remove the push button then the eraser and clean out rod and then replace the push button so as not to loose the lead in the reservoir. Using the eraser as a handle guide the clean out rod to the tip of the lead sleeve and push it into the lead sleeve as far as it will go. This will dislodge the jammed lead piece. Remove the clean out rod and reassemble the pencil".

The Staedtler REG 925 85 03 Regulator is a stylishly good looking pencil. It's weight is due to the fact that it's made almost entirely of metal, brass, aluminum and steel. The lead sleeve is stainless steel while the tapered end cap is satin chromed brass. The finely knurled grip appears to be satin chromed brass as well. There is a black metal ring between the grip and satin finished upper aluminum body. On the side of the body in dark pigment is the Staedtler logo then the Staedtler name, in all caps, then in italic dot matrix style letters are the letters "REG" followed by the pencils designation. Below the regulator window is the word "regulator". The stylish pocket clip appears to be satin finished steel with the Staedtler logo embossed on the front of it, near the open end. On the side of the clip is the country of manufacturer, "JAPAN". Above the pocket clip and end of the upper body is the satin finished brass regulator wheel. Above that is the mushroom style 3 piece brass and aluminum push button/lead indicator. In this reviewers mind the REG is a very good looking pencil".

"The REG is also a very nice writing pencil. The weight of the pencil feels good in my hand. It feels solid and of great value, substantial and well made. In fact the REG is very well designed and made. This is where German engineering meets Japanese manufacturing! An almost unbeatable combination! The balance of the pencil does not feel top heavy in the least when in use. In fact it feels very well balanced despite it's slight top heaviness! The pencil almost writes itself. It's weight is no hindrance to a smooth writing experience and in fact may aid in the pencils movements. A definite aid to controlling the pencil is the finely cut grip. It feels smooth while at the same time offering the user a solid grip surface. The ratcheting mechanism is modestly loud but less metallic than it could be due to being dampened by the plastic lead reservoir".

"So, considering all things together I give the Staedtler REG 925 85 03 Regulator 0.3 mm Drafting Pencil 5 Super Novas out of 5".

Well, Zed, thank you for that very inspiring review! Just remember, next time you're on Earth, stop by for a visit!

"Will do, Geezer! Well, the wife and little Zefoids are waiting for me to take them all out for a glimus cone so this is Zedragon signing off!". (click)

Well, that was unexpected! But I'm always happy to see ole Zed! Especially when he has such nice toys to share with us. So if you want an elegant writing or drawing instrument or just a piece of German engineering/Japanese art then pick up a Steadtler REG 925 85 03 Regulator. You don't have to travel across the universe to find one, just surf the Internet!

7 comments:

Kiwi-d said...

Zed, thanks for bringing this pencil to our attention. If you happen to also possess some Ohto Super Promecha's or relatives I'd be keen to convince you to do a little comparison of their components with a view to confirming or denying that they come from the same factory.

The Old Geezer said...

While the method for regulating the amount of lead projected is very similar between pencils I see nothing to indicate that the pencils were made in the same factory! On the other hand I can see nothing that indicates that they weren't, either!

Anonymous said...

does the pencil rattle?

117 said...

I want to get this pencil .. But could some one explain how the adjustable degree indicator works? .. I have to use like 4 pencils to draw and I want to invest in this especially since its all metal .. Please email me at Rwredwine@Gmail.com .. I really want to know how this works.. Thank you .

Anonymous said...

I bought the 925 85 because of glowing reviews...but i wish i didn't. The push button mechanism and the lead regulator rattle terribly. Its enough to put me off this pencil completely - my cheap and nasty MP's have far less wobble than this.

virens said...

@Anonymous said...

I bought the 925 85 because of glowing reviews...but i wish i didn't. The push button mechanism and the lead regulator rattle terribly.

Hmm... Anonymous, I can't agree with that. It is true that the push-button rattles slightly, but not terribly. Bought mine just recently from cultpens.com, works great. On the other hand, the Pentel GraphGear 1000 is rock-solid and without any rattle.

Other thing about this pencil: it is lighter than I imagined it to be. The leads with that pencil were very hard, but I have my sweet 2B's :-)

Alberto P. said...

I know this is a rather old post, but I thought you might help me get an answer. I also collect pencils and this one (but model 925 85-07) is one of my favorites. However, I think that one of the main flaws of this pencil is the way in which the push button is built. The cap that is screwed into the push button and that keeps the grade of the lead markings tight comes loose by itself and in my case, it fell and I just lost it. Now the pencil has no push button or at least is disassembled. Do you know if spare parts can be found for this pencil somewhere? I know that there are pencils made in Germany and other pencils made in Japan. If you know of a way to repair the pencil, your help would be greatly appreciated.
Greetings