Pentel Graph PMG vs. Pentel Graph PMG Import

Pentel Graph PMG (rear) and Pentel Graph PMG Import (front)

I've had a few bloggers ask if they could submit a review of something and I've always told them OK but I'd have to screen it first and if I found anything objectionable that I'd either edit the review or not post it.  I have yet to have a published review from another blogger.  But here's a twist, George, from the blog, "My Supply Room" doesn't want me to publish one of his posts, He wants me to review one of his pencils that he wants reviewed!  You see George doesn't review anything.  He just has a lot of pens and pencils (and I do mean a lot) which he shares with the world by taking pictures of his treasures and posting them.

For some reason George, an old geezer like me, likes my blog and wants me to do a review of his Pentel Graph PMG "Import" Pencil..  Just why Pentel decided to "Import" (actually export) a pencil to non-Asian population I haven't a clue.  It may have been an attempt to test the waters in the US and European markets, or one of a thousand different reasons.

You would expect that 2 pencils that look so much alike as these two do, to be clones of one another.  However this is not the case with these 2 PMG pencils.  At a quick glance one would think that they are indeed the same pencil.  However there are some subtle differences.  For instance the non-import model (mine) is 5 mm longer than George's pencil.  The imprinting is different.  On mine it reads "0.3mm PMG".  On George's pencil it reads "0.3m/m".  The concentric rings that make up the grip area are finer on my pencil than on George's.  Finally the most obvious difference is the lead grade indicator.  On George's pencil it is gold colored and a bit thicker than mine, which is orange.  Both have the same pocket clip.  Point of note here, George's PMG came in a gift box with the pocket clip unattached.  Mine came as is in a disposable plastic sheath.

Internally they differ considerably.  They disassemble identically until one gets to the disassembled pencil. Mine (top in the above pic. which for the sake of my fingers and my sanity I will refer to from now on as the PMG and George's as the Import) has a white plastic insert where the import has a black one.  Interesting point here is that the lead reservoir and clutch mechanism is captured in the Import but in the PMG it slides almost completely out before stopping short.  The PMG has a self contained clutch that does not need any other part of the pencil in order to operate.  The Import however requires the tip be in place before it will release any lead.  The actual push button has a long clean out rod attached to it.  In the PMG there is a half circle in the rod close to the plastic push button.  On the Import the COR is straight.

The 4 remaining parts are the tip, the LGI cover, the top cap and the point shield.  The point shields are the only parts that are identical.  The tips are internally different which is why they will not work when swapped.  The LGI cover on the Import is thicker than the one on the PMG and is a different color.  Due to the difference in threads the top caps do not interchange.  These differences can be explained by the fact that these 2 pencils could have been built at different times with a design change later bringing them both up to the same specs.  Or they were purposely designed to be different for some unknown reason.  Whichever it is I prefer the PMG simply because I believe it is the newer of the 2 designs.

Stats.  Everyone wants the stats.  What would the world of pens and pencils be without the stats?...  Do you know how laborious and time consuming it is to collect the stats?...  Ah, it's nothing, really!  I've either made or bought all the equipment I need to collect them.  And though a little boring it's relatively painless and doesn't take long...  "What are you doing?..."  I'm just telling my readers that it's easy to take the stats...  "You're giving away part of your status as a reviewer!  The readers are supposed to think that a review is hard to do..."  Eh, why?  And who are you anyway...  "I'm, eh, well that doesn't matter..."  And neither do you!  So, goodbye!...  "But!..."  I said GOODBYE!

I tell you, the nerve of some figments...  The PMG is 146 mm long as opposed to the Imports 141 mm.  Both bodies are 8 mm in diameter and both grip diameters taper from 8 mm to 7 mm.  The tips are also the same length at 19 mm.  However the grip lengths differ: the PMG measures 25 mm while the Import measures 23.5 mm.  The balance point of the Import is 68 mm to the tip, making the Import a shade top heavy.  The PMG measured 73 mm, exactly in the pencils middle!  So the balance is neutral.  A rare thing indeed.  The Import weights 11.6 grams, making it the heavyweight in this comparison as the PMG weighs only 11.39 grams.   So what do all these stats mean?  Not much, unless you need to know how the pencil may feel and perform when you use it.  Often pencils with similar stats feel and perform the same. So knowing the stats of a pencil can help you compare pencils before you try them.

The pencils disassemble in the same way.  To clear a lead jam first remove the point shield from the top of the pencil and set it aside.  Next unscrew the top cap, while holding the LGI in place, and set it aside.  Next remove the LGI and set it aside. Next remove the lead from the lead reservoir so you won't spill it out while trying to juggle the pencil so as not to dump the lead (which will happen) and set it aside.  Next remove the tip.  Place the tip on a flat surface lead sleeve pointing up.  Use the Clean Out Rod on the end of the push button to clear the lead jam by easily pushing it through the lead sleeve until it stops.  Remove the COR slowly stopping about midway through.  You should feel a slight resistance when pushing in and pulling out the COR.  Release the push button.  It should stay put.  If it slides back down the LS then you are in trouble.  Remove the COR then slowly lift the tip from the table top and check what is beneath it.  If all you see is a short piece of lead and some lead dust Then things are fine.  If you see a small black "top hat" looking piece of rubber, then you have dislodged the Lead retainer.  See "All jammed UP" at the head of this blog.  Reassembly is the opposite of the disassembly.

Other useful stats about the pencils are it takes 2 clicks to extend lead from the PMG and 3 from the Import to produce enough lead from the Import.  The Import is quieter than the PGM but there is more resistance to the push button making it harder to press. Both have cavernous lead reservoirs but resist filling them up.  Most pencils work best with about a dozen or so pieces of lead.  The larger the lead diameter the fewer the number of leads it will hold.  And finally you may have noticed that neither pencil has an eraser.  instead they have a clean out rod beneath the push button.  A great idea!  To bad Pentel didn't feature this on the rest of their pencils.

As far as how they write, well...The PMG has a neutral balance point. This means that the pencil stays in my hand a lot easier that the Import.   The pencil feels lighter than the Import by more than the .21g difference between the two.  I like the way it feels and writes.  That is the pencil does not fight me, which allows for a lot of fatigue free use.  The Import is bottom heavy and it feels heavier than the .21g difference between them.  But lets face it, the differences are not that dramatic.  To the average user, there will not be that much, if any differences, but to someone like me, a pen and pencil geek, we can tell the difference, and the difference matters.

The Import, to me, is feels bottom heavy and it feels heavier than the PMG.  It's controllable, in part,
due to it being bottom heavy.   The PMG, on the other hand, feels light and easy to control.  The courser rings on the grip area of the Import feel better to me though than the finer rings on the PMG.  I have a tendency to rotate the pencil when I write, normally, with other, more standard pencils the pocket clip rarely gets in the way because it is placed higher up the pencil that the pocket clip on the PMG and the Import.  These pocket clips hit my hand right at the web and get in my way.  So rotating the pencils causes the pocket clip to irritate the web of my hand.  Yes, I could remove the pocket clip, but then I could not carry the pencil in my shirt pocket nor make use of the tip protector.

The tip protector is a unique item.  It is an unpolished cone of punched sheet metal.  I am assuming that the crudeness of the surface of the cone is for easy gripping.  The surface is exceptionally suited for this.  If it were chromed or polished then one would have a hard time removing it as it snaps in place rather strongly.  The idea behind the cone is to protect the tip of the pencil from sticking the user when the pencil is carried in the breast pocket.  Manufacturers of drafting and mechanical pencils have been trying just about every way possible to provide this protection.  I can see the reasoning behind it, but to me it's a mute point as I use a pocket protector.  In it I keep a 0.3 mm pencil, a refillable stick eraser, a ballpoint pen with a touch screen pad, a click type fine point gel pen, affine point permanent marker a twin tipped screwdriver and a small  expendable magnet.  I used to carry an X-Acto knife as well but I lost it.  My lovely wife calls it my "Geek Stuff:.

The Import seems to be a bit weighty and wants to slip out of my hand if I loosen my grip in the slightest.  Not so much the PMG, which seems to require a little more looseness before slipping away from me.  The Import also feels heavier than the PMG, while it is heavier by a few tenths of a gram, it feels much heavier.  I think this is due in part to it's balancing point, which is well below center.  Combined with it's heavier the weight causes the pencil to feel heavier.  Either that or I'm as crazy as a Loon!  Which is quite possible.

Bottom line is I like the PMG over the Import for the above reason as well as the fact that it just seems to fit me better than the Import.  However as a collector I would very much like to be able to talk George out of his Import as they, along with the entire series, are no longer made and have become very rare.  This is due in part to the probable fact that fewer Imports were produced than the PMG and that collectors are holding onto them, driving up the value.  Whether you would like the Import or the PMG you will have to go to places like eBay in order to find them.  The PMG will be considerably less than the Import and much easier to find.

In fact the entire series of Graph, Slimline pencils are now out of production.  One, the PG7, has been out of production since the 70's while the others have been out of production since the late 90's and early 2000's and some have become very rare and hard to find like the PG7.  One the original Graph Pencil, in 0.5 mm was made apparently only in 1969.  It is a little different in appearance than the others and is probably the rarest and most expensive.  The others in the series are the PG2 0.2 mm, PMG, 0.3 mm, PG4, 0.4 mm, PG5, 0.5 mm and the PG7, 0.7 mm.  There is no 0.9 mm.  To see pictures of the entire series follow this link to the page on the web site "Leadholder".  Thanks to Dennis B. Smith for the information on his site, "Leadholder".

And of course much thanks to George of  "My Supply Room" for the loan of the Import and the original idea of reviewing it.  Hang in there, George.

Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro vs. Pentel Graph 1000 CS in 0.3 mm

                                                                                                                                                                    

Some years back I thought that I saw a pencil that looked just like a black Pentel Graph sell for over $100.00.  It was in fact a Pentel.  But it was so long ago that I can't find the thing on the Net.  I was a bit surprised a short while later when I saw the Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro at jetpens.com . I really liked the look of the pencil so eventually I bought one in 0.3 mm, my favorite lead size.

Apparently the pencil is extremely popular because Pentel began producing Limited Editions of the pencil in colors.  Originally the series was produced in limited lead sizes. Unfortunately I was unable at the time to purchase one.  Later they came out with another Limited Edition series, and again another Limited Edition series.  I don't know the order in which they came, but there seems to have been a series in metallic colors with black accents, a series in pastel colors with chrome accents and a series of primary colors with chrome accents called the X Stein series.  The latest Limited Edition series is the CS or Creator's Style series.  This series comes in 3 colors for the 0.5 mm lead size and 2 colors for the 0.3 mm lead size.

The only difference between any of these pencils is their appearance.  And the fact that not every series was made in all 5 lead sizes.  So why make so may different configurations of the same pencil?  Because we are a consumer world and we buy pretty things, even when we don't need them.  Like me.  I would like to have one 0.3 mm pencil from each series.  I can find some of them on eBay and when funds come available, I shall purchase them (if they are still available) and I shall blog about them.

OK, enough philosophy.  I am getting of my soap box and getting down to what you came here to read.  My review of the Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro and the Pentel Graph 1000 CS, in 0.3 mm.  Both pencils share the same stats, of course.  They are made by the same methods and in the same factory with the same tools.  The only real differences are cosmetic.  So lets talk about the way they look, shall we?

The Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro, in all lead sizes, is all black with 3 exceptions.  The push button end cap is a black cylinder covering colored lead grade indicator which has a narrow ring of color at the base and on the top there is a plug of color with the lead size stamped in white.  The color indicator for the 0.3 mm for the Pro is brown.   The LGI lettering is white against the brown.  The third exception is of course the stainless steel lead sleeve.  The lettering on the pencil is a light gray giving the pencil a ghostly appearance.

The pushbuttons of the Pro and CS

 The bush button of the CS is the same as the cap for the Pro only the secondary color is white for the 0.3 mm  The lettering is black.  The lettering on the body is silver, standing out more than the Pro.

 

Both pencils have black upper bodies, but the CS looks a little shinier.  The Pro has a black grip with 18 black obround rubber inserts.  The CS has a satin chrome grip with the same 18 rubber inserts. The tip of the Pro is black with the lead sleeve of stainless steel.  The tip of the CS is bright chrome with a stainless steel lead sleeve.  The pocket clip of the Pro is black, the pocket clip on the CS is bright chrome.  Both pencils are attractive in there own way.  The Pro looks stealthy while the CS looks like it's going to a party.

 

Now for the stats.  The stats are the same for both pencils.  They are 147 mm long over all.  The balance point is 73 mm from the tip of the pencils making the pencils perfectly balanced.They each weigh 11 grams making them light weights.  The body diameter is 7.5 mm and the grip diameter of each pencil is 8 mm.  The grips measure 37 mm in length and the tip (including the lead sleeve) measures 21 mm.

 

The Graph 1000 is easily broken down.

 

The break down of the pencils is pretty much straight forward.  Unscrew the tip, and slide off the grip, remove the push button and remove the eraser and you're done.  Though I did not remove the erasers fro the pic, there is a clean out rod stuck into the eraser.  For some reason the CS is made of white plastic on the interior while the Pro is made of black.  In order to change the lead grade the push button, which is also the lead grade indicator, the push button has to be removed so you can hold the long chrome neck as you rotate the outer shell of the LGI.  There re detents in the LGI which lock the window in place preventing accidental changing of the LGI.

 

How do they perform?  That's a good question!  Remember this before I answer the question.  The stats are hard facts.  They are objective, I just make the measurements and report the data.  But the rest of the review is subjective.  It is based on my experiences with the pencils and my conclusions  will not be the definitive truth about the pencils.  It will be my opinion of the pencils based on my experiences with them and my past experiences with mechanical pencils in general.  So having once again to step down off my soap box, here are my thoughts about my experiences with the pencils.

 

I like these pencils, though they do have a few short comings.  I like the light weight feel of them because they feel almost weightless.  However their slider diameter make them a little harder to hold than slightly fatter pencils.  Also the silicone inserts are a little slippery feeling.  When I removed the insert from the CS model I had an easier time holding the pencil as the holes made a better gripping surface.  The Pro model was easier to hold than the CS model but I found that with just a little tightening of my grip solved the problem.  I did find the pencils easy to control and write with as they are so well balanced.  0.3 mm pencils can easily break lead but because there seems to be very little if any wobble of the lead in the lead sleeve in both pencils they seemed to feel like writing with a 0.5 mm pencil.  The lead seems to flow across the paper.  Of course I only had a small amount of lead showing.  This helps any pencil when it comes to lead breakage.  Also the lead in the Pro seems softer than the lead in the CS.  It may be grade B.  Grade HB is in the CS.

 

In conclusion, I will say that the Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro and the CS are winners, even if they do a quirk or 2...  or is it me that has the quirks?   Anyway you can find the Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro and the Pentel Graph 1000 CS on-line at jetpens.com.

Pentel GraphGear 1000, "The Hunchback" in 0.3mm

For the longest time I avoided buying this pencil because I did not like the look of the pocket clip. It reminds me of Quasimodo, the hunchback in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Not that hunchbacks can't be beautiful people. They can. I even have a figment that's a hunchback and he's, eh, bad example. Let's just say that it looked odd to me and let it go at that. (Man! You've got to be "politically correct" about everything now-a-days or you'll offend somebody somewhere!). I thought that it was made as it is so that the user could clip the pencil to a notebook full of paper or onto a jeans pocket, you know, something thick. While it can do this it is not the pocket clips main purpose. More about that later.

One thing I noticed about the Pentel GraphGear 1000 it that the exterior is metal while the interior is mostly plastic. Most pencils that are called "all-metal" are made from brass because brass is easy to machine. It is also strong enough to be used in the making of a drafting pencil. The actual lead sleeve is usually made of stainless steel because a brass tube that small would easily crush and bend. It is also softer thus prone to wear. However the Pentel GraphGear 1000s exterior is made of steel or stainless steel! I'm starting to be impressed.

The advantage of using steel/stainless steel in a drafting pencils construction is that steel is stronger than brass or aluminum. It takes a lot more pressure to bend a small tube of steel/stainless steel than it does of brass or aluminum. You can also make the skin of a pencil thinner. The trade off may be that the pencil is now heavier than one made of brass or aluminum, but not always. The GraphGear 1000 weighs 20.6 grams approximately while a rotring 600, which is made almost entirely of brass, weighs 22.7 grams approximately. The weight savings is achieved by using a plastic inner core for most of the pencil.

Steel and some stainless steels are magnetic. About the only metal parts of the GraphGear 1000 that are not magnetic are the push button, the lead reservoir (interior) and the lead sleeve (interior and exterior). These parts are most likely stainless steel with a low or no carbon content. The pocket clip is high carbon steel chrome plated. All the steel/stainless steel parts have been coated or plated to achieve the desired finish and for durability. I'm even more impressed now.

Now, about that pocket clip... The pencil is designed so that the lead sleeve is retractable. The obvious benefit of this is that the 4.5mm lead sleeve won't be poking you in the chest and/or ruining your good shirts (dried blood is hard to get out of some fabrics). The designers of the GraphGear 1000 decided to spring load the lead reservoir, of which the lead sleeve is attached, wrap a big coil spring around it and use the spring loaded pocket clip as a stop and release button.

There are 2 cutouts in the body of the pencil, near the top. The pocket clip has a leaf spring attached to it which extends down into the top cutout. The end is attached to a short metal tube which is held in place by the stepped ring just above the pocket clip. The other end of the pocket clip rests on a short plastic tube surrounding the metal lead reservoir. As the push button atop the pencil is pressed the entire lead reservoir is moved down pushing the leas sleeve out the tip of the pencil. When the end of the pocket clip slips over the end of the short plastic tube it locks the lead reservoir in place, with the lead sleeve extended. Further presses of the push button simply extend more lead.

Parts of the Pentel GraphGear 1000

To release the lead reservoir and retract the lead sleeve all one does is press the top of the pocket clip towards the pencil.  The plastic tube inside is released and the lead sleeve is retracted with a snap.  Not a bad way to extend and hide the lead sleeve.  It is certainly quicker than the twist/screw system of the Ohto Super Promechas.  The weak point in this design is the leaf spring in the top of the pocket clip.  Heavy usage of the pencil over a long, long, long time could cause the leaf spring to fail.  But I don't think that if I were a young man of 20 again and I used the pencil every day for long periods I think that now that I am a man of advanced years the pencil would still be going strong.

So, what are some of the other features of this nice pencil?  Well, there is a lead grade indicator window in the grip.  To set the desired lead grade (as long as the grade of lead you are using is 2H, H, HB, B or 2B, the full range of available lead grades on the circumference of the pencil) all you have to do is to hold the pencil at the colored band between the grip and the body.  Next loosen the tip just a little.  Now turn the grip until the window is showing the lead grade of choice.  Then hold the pencil as before and tighten the tip.  Simple, no?  The grip features some almost useless knurling, useless because it has very little grip.  The silicone ovals serve a little better of a grip surface.  In my opinion the knurling needs to be a bit sharper and the silicone ovals larger and perhaps protrude a little more.  I'm not so impressed with the grip.

The overall appearance of the pencil is pleasing, except for the pocket clip.  The lettering on the barrel and push button is crisp and clean.  However the lettering on the lead grade indicator is not.  It appears smudged.  The satin tip and grainy barrel are a nice contrast with the light catching knurling being in between.  The pocket clip, stepped collar and the push button are bright chrome.  I would say that it's a pretty pencil except for that hunchback appearance.

One long push of the push button extends the lead sleeve.  Two more presses extend enough lead to use.  The mechanism is noisy, the initial press of the push button and the release of the lead sleeve are especially loud and the pressing of the push button to extend lead is very clanky and mechanical sounding.

The GraphGear 1000 brakes down further than most drafting pencils.  But I do not recommend that the average user strip the pencil as far as it will go as putting it back together could result is breakage.  However in order to clear a lead jam you will have to take off the tip as well as the lead sleeve.  To do this, initially hold the pencil as described in the section on adjusting the lead grade indicator.  Once the tip is loose hold the body only as the grip now turns freely.  Once the tip and grip have been removed remove the lead sleeve by unscrewing it.  Surprisingly Pentel has included a clean out rod attached to the underside of the eraser.  It is accessed by removing the push button.  Remember to replace the push button before tiling up the pencil or you will spill out the lead.  Once the lead jam has been cleared (see the section of my blog on how to clear a lead jam) reassemble the pencil.

Breakdown of the GraphGear 1000 for Claring a Lead Jam

Stats.  Where would we be without the stats?  The pencil is 148.5 mm extended, 149 mm retracted. The balance point is 79 mm from the end of the lead sleeve (I did not measure it retracted as what difference does it make?).  The grip is 43.5 mm in length and the end of the pencil is 20.5 mm extended and 16 mm retracted.  The body is 8.5 mm across and the grip 9.5 mm across.  As stated before the weight is 20.6 grams (all measurements are approximate).  It's a nice medium length, middle weight pencil.

My experience writing with the pencil is less than satisfactory.  The reason being is that I could not get a good grip on the thing.  As I wrote my hand actually slipped down the grip!  I only purchased this pencil because I received a gift certificate from JetPens.com, the best Internet store for the purchase of Japanese stationary and art items, including drafting and mechanical pencils.  It is a very rare thing for me to write that while the Pentel GrafGear 1000 has some nice features they do not out weigh, in my opinion, the negatives the pencil has.  So I can not recommend the purchase of this particular pencil.

But hey, it's only my opinion and what do I know?...

This and many other fine Japanese stationary items can be found at jetpens.com.  Why not pay them a visit right now?

Thanks for reading my blog.


Editors note:  I have seen where the style of pocket clip as featured on my pencil has broken.  The new style has a hinge system in its place.  If you purchase one of these in any lead sixe be sure it has the newer hinge style pocket clip.　　

Pentel Orenz

From time to time I look at the Mechanical Pencils at jetpens.com just for fun.  I guess that I should look at them more often because this is where I found the Pentel Orenz mechanical pencil.  I almost missed this on...  Ah who am I kidding!  I did miss this one as it seems to have been around a couple of years.  But better late than never I say.

The Orenz is a very handsome little pencil is Sky Blue.  I'm fond of blue, so I really don't mind that when I went to purchase mine they were all out of black.  But color does not make a pencil good or bad, but it does go a long way towards out perception of a pencil, or any other object for that matter.  If we don't like the color then we may not like the object.  So our perception of an object, based on color, shape, size, what have you, goes a long way towards how we feel or think about an object.  I like the Blue.  A business person probably would like the black one, a doctor might like the white one, a young lady, perhaps the pink one and a monkey might go bananas for the yellow one.  But a pencil by another color will write the same.

An writing is just what the Orenz was designed to do.  Pentel took a page from their PG2 drafting pencil and went one better.  Like the PG2 the Orenz is made in 0.2 mm!  That's right!  0.2 mm!  The PG2 is a partial sliding sleeve design.  The lead sleeve slides about 1/2 way up the length of the sleeve then stops.  The sleeve of the Orenz will slide all the way to the tip of the pencil, though I don't recommend that you do that very often.  While the PG2 uses a more ore less conventional system for the lead sleeve the Orenz incorporates a new, innovative system.  Pentel calls it the "Lead Support System".  It's a very simple system.  So simple I wonder why no one has come out with something like it before!

The heart of the "Lead Support System" is a unique weighted lead sleeve/lead retainer system.  The lead sleeve is attached to a brass cone that holds the lead in place and keeps it from falling straight through the pencil.  This device rides the lead and maintains it's position on the lead inside the pencil.  When the push button atop the pencil is pressed the lead is once more extended.  However because the cone is struck as the clutch is pressed down and opened, the cone pulls the lead down and holds the lead inside it in place so when the lead sleeve is extended the lead stays flush with the tip of the lead sleeve.  As you write the lead is used up and the lead sleeve/cone rides up the lead inside the pencil.  When the pushbutton is pressed the cone maintains the length of lead within the sleeve so no lead protrudes beyond the tip of the lead sleeve.

The pencil comes preloaded with lead and is ready to use with a single push of the button.  As you write the lead sleeve actually rides the edge of the paper and because of this it feels a tiny bit scratchy at certain angles.  As the lead is used up the free floating lead sleeve rides back up into the pencil cone.  A single press of the push button extends the lead sleeve and the lead inside it with out pushing the lead beyond the end of the lead sleeve so writing can continue.  As long as the system is feed a continues stream of lead there is no reason to ever press the push button more than once. When at the end of the writing experience you wish to retire the pencil for the day all you have to do to reset the pencil is to press the push button and hold it then press the tip of the lead sleeve against a hard surface, or use your finger, while simultaneously releasing the bush button.  This will drive the lead sleeve up into the pencil once more and will reset the system.

If you ever have to refill the pencil with lead or when a piece of lead is so short that the system no longer holds onto it or for whatever reason that you have to restart the system you will have to press the bush button enough time to expose lead out the end of the lead sleeve.  Next just follow the above instructions on retracting the lead sleeve.  When you need to use the pencil, simply press the push button once and begin writing.

Figure 1

Figure 1 (above) shows the relationship of the tip, lead sleeve and the clutch (housed in the main body).  Figure 2 (below) shows the lead sleeve extended (top) and retracted bottom).

Figure 2

Now for some of those "boring" stats.  The Orenz weighs 10.1 grams, making it a light weight.  It is 142 mm retracted and 145 mm extended, making it of average length.  The grip length is 43 mm long and the tip is 18 mm long.  The balance point is 71 mm from the tip of the lead sleeve making it almost perfectly balanced. The diameter of the grip area is 9.5 mm at the pencil and 8 mm at the tip. 

The over all look of the pencil is attractive with it's stainless steel tip, chrome pocket clip and push button cap contrasting nicely with the sky blue of the one piece body.  As far as how the Orenz writes, well, my copy feels a little scratchy from time to time, depending on the angle I held the pencil.  The closer I approached the vertical the scratchier it felt.  So I took a bit of 4 zero steel wool to the tip, genteelly, which seems to have helped  However I DO NOT recommend that if your Orenz is scratchy that you put steel wool, or any abrasive, to the delicate tip unless you know exactly what you are doing.

 

The Pentel Orenz is available in Black, White, Sky Blue, Yellow and Pink and are available from our friends at jetpens.com

 

The Pentel Orenz used in this review us solely or in part made possible by a gift certificate a from our friends at jetpens.com

The Pentel Sharp Kerry and the Mad Mathematician

Miss Tussy Pink
Click to enlarge...  On second thought, don't...

Miss Tussy!  Well I haven't seen you in some time!  You sure are looking good, Tussy!, Eh, but where are my manners?  Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Tussy Pink!

 

"Oh, Geezer!  You sharp tongued fox you!  I've missed you!"

 

Well, Tussy, I've missed you, and Tommy and Zedragon the Zefoid? 

How are they, by the way? 

 

"Oh, they are doing just fine, Geezer.  Tommy and I are officially engaged!"

 

Well this is wonderful news!  When's the wedding?

 

"Oh, we've not set a date just yet."

 

Well, will I be invited to the wedding?

 

"Of course, Geezer!  I couldn't get married if you aren't there!  I want you to give me away!"

 

Tussy!  I'm honored!  I'd be happy to give you away!

 

"Thank you, Geezer!  You know how much you mean to me!"

 

No problem, Tussy.  By the way, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?  Oh!  I see!  You have the Mad Mathematician's gift to me, the Pentel Sharp Kerry!  I guess this means that you want me to give my review of the pencil?

 

"Geezer, you are so astute."

 

Tussy, you flatter me.



Miss Tussy Pink and my
Pentel Sharp Kerry
Click to enlarge

 

"By the way, Geezer, who's this Mad Mathematician you refer to?"

 

Oh, that would be Tim McLarnan.

He's some crazy pencil-loving math professor form Indiana who read most of my blog in one sitting!  He e-mailed me one day asking if I'd do a review of the Pentel Sharp Kerry.  When I informed him that I didn't own one he was gracious enough to send me one of his!  Nice guy, huh?

 

"He sounds like a very nice man indeed, Geezer!  I'll bet he and I could crunch some numbers together!"

 

TUSSY!  This is a G-rated blog,

remember?  Besides, didn't you just tell me that you and Tommy Turquoise just got engaged? 

"I'm so sorry, Geezer!  I don't know what came over me!...  I... I feel a little woozy!" 

 

Are you alright, Tussy?

 

"Yes, yes!...  Perhaps I'll go and lie down in my room."

 

Well, alright, Tussy.  I'll check in on you later.

 

"Thank you, Geezer, but there's really no need.  Tommy will be by shortly."

 

Alright, Tussy.  Take care.

 

"Thank you, Geezer.  I surely will.  Bye, for now."

 

Goodbye, Tussy.

 

Boy, she can be a handful sometime!  But at least she did bring me the Pentel Sharp Kerry that MathProfMan sent me, (don't ask).  So, I guess it's about time that I did my review...

 

It's rare that I get a request to review a certain item but when I do it is always to do a review of an item the requester already has!  Such is the case with the Pentel Sharp Kerry.  I get an e-mail form this guy who has a couple of requests concerning the stats that I provide.  Then he proceeds to school me in a grammar lesson!  And yes, I did need it!  By the professional tone of his e-mail I figured him for at the least an English teacher.  Nope.  He's a Math Professor from Indiana.  He must be a speed reader because at the very beginning of his e-mail he confesses to reading most of my entire blog in one night!  Wow!  Now that's a compliment!

 

He had several requests the most significant being that he wanted me to do a review of the Pentel Sharp Kerry.  As I told Tussy I told him that I didn't have one so he graciously decided to send me one of his!  But not just any Sharp Kerry, but one that has historical significance.  According to Tim, "...I read somewhere that they’re called Sharp Kerry because (a) “sharp” just means mechanical pencil in Japanese, and (b) the black ones were the original design, and they reminded the designer of the black Kerry cattle he had seen in Ireland.  So I’m sending you the most historically significant kind".  Cool!  So for all you Pentel Sharp Kerry fans, especially the Mad Mathematician, her is my review of the Pentel Sharp Kerry, finally.

 

I am a fan of the slender drafting pencils in 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm.  They are a bit scratchy when used, but that's the price one pays for super fine lines.  So normally I shy away from the "mechanical" pencil with few exceptions, the Mitsubishi/Uni Kuru Toga line of autorotation mechanical pencils being the most outstanding.  So under normal circumstances I would never would have considered  a Pentel Sharp Kerry as one that I would enjoy using.  That was a mistake.

Pentel Sharp Kerry
Click to enlarge

The Pentel Sharp Kerry is a very unique pencil with unique features.  At first one might easily mistake the Sharp Kerry for an elegant fountain pen or other fine pen because of it's design.  It is one of only 2 pencils, that I am aware of (which doesn't say much), that has to be "posted" in order to work properly!  That is the cap is removed from the pencil and posted on the back in order for the pencil's ratchet mechanism to function properly and for the pencil to be balanced and fit comfortably in the hand.

 

The pencil has 2 push buttons.  An inner and an outie, eh, outer.  The inner push button connects directly to the lead reservoir/clutch system.  When the pencil is not posted you can push the button to advance lead but it's sort of clumsy due to the pencils short length.  When posted, as intended by the designers, the outer, self contained, push button activates the inner push button.  This is quite the innovation, considering.  But apparently either not a very popular one, like the Shaker, or Pentel holds the patented on this and almost all variations.  Either way the Pentel Kerry stands out as a misunderstood and under appreciated mechanical pencil.  For the design lends itself to one very unique characteristic.  It can easily help prevent ovaling. 

 

Ovaling is where the lead from any pencil (except the Kuru Toga) goes from making a sharp, rounded mark to a wide oval one.  This is due to how we, as humans, write (chimps may write differently, but I don't know any chips so I can't ask).  We hold out writing instruments at an angle to the paper as opposed to perpendicular.  We don't normally twist the pencil in our hand, as some in the drafting/architectural  field are taught, but rather grasp it firmly in hand in a static position and grind away until our writing is illegible due to the fact that we write very small and our pencil now writes very big! 

 

By turning the pencil a quarter turn every few line of text we can keep the lead from a mechanical pencil from ovaling-out.  But turning a normal mechanical/drafting pencil a quarter turn means that at least one in 4 turns the pocket clip is in an awkward, even painful position pressed up against the web of the hand.  But what I have discovered with the Sharp Kerry is that in order to turn it one quarter turn is to turn the pencil down into my fist and turn the cap in either direction (hopefully the same direction every time) before returning it to a writing position.  With use this can become almost automatic.

 

I'll bet you didn't know that, MathProfMan!

 

Well, I've managed to fill up more space than my usual post and given you all very little useful information.  So with out further ado...  The Stats!

 

The Pentel Sharp Kerry is 123 mm long, closed, 131 mm long posted.  The diameter at the center is 11 mm tapering to 9.5 mm at the end of the grip.  The grip is 24 mm long and the tip, including lead sleeve, is 19 mm long.  The main body of the pencil is 104.5 mm long.  The diameter of the cap is 11.5 mm at the widest tapering to 7mm at the push button and is 64 mm long.  The pencil weighs 21.6 grams and the balance point, posted, is 63.5 mm from the pencil tip, making the balance of the pencil a scooch.bottom heavy, but hey, can you feel a scooch?

 

I was quite pleasantly surprised at the Sharp Kerry.  It is well balanced, making it easy to maneuver, the plastic grip, which is unadorned, is a good grip surface and the width of the 0.5 mm led make the pencil very smooth writer.  It's a little on the short side for my personal tastes but that doesn't seem to be a problem, the length of the pencil, bot my personal taste.  The pencil nestles in my hand well and is a genuine pleasure to write with.  Because the lead sleeve is only 2 mm long it would be hard pressed to use as a drafting pencil, but well suited for freehand drawing.

 

The pencil is not at all unattractive, except maybe the inner push button.  The indented rings make the inner push button look odd, but they serve a very good purpose.  They are needed as grips in order to get the push button off in order to fill the lead reservoir with lead.  Under the outer push button is the obligatory eraser, no clean out rod though (so what else is new?).  The glass black finish of the

Pentel Sharp Kerry Disassembled
Click to enlarge

plastic parts contrast well with the bright chrome of the metal parts for a very pleasing appearance.  The only slight mar to this is the satin finish on the tip of the pencil,  Why did they not just keep the look going with a bright finish on the tip is a question to ask Pentel (if you could actually contact someone who knew).  To me it would have made for a nice looking pencil...  Yes, Tussy, it would

have been prettier.

 

The Sharp Kerry is unusual in another way.  It easily, with minimal effort, breaks down into 9 separate components.  From left to right, back row, of the pic above they are the: tip with 4 mm lead sleeve; grip; connector; upper body; cap with attached pocket clip; eraser, which resides under the outer cap in the cap; outer push button cap; inner push button cap; and in the front row the all metal lead reservoir and ratcheting clutch system.  The Sharp Kerry follows the Sharp Series (P203 - P209) in that the reservoir and clutch are one unit with a captive spring.  An over sized hex just above the clutch aligns and keeps the clutch system spinning so that the tip can be screwed onto the clutch thus holding the system together..  However there is no interchangeability of this unit between the 2 pencils.

 

Unlike a lot of mechanical pencils of it's price range, and some above it, the reservoir and mechanism are made entirely (as far as I could see) of metal.  The lead reservoir is a bright chrome and substantial enough to withstand the rigors of years and years of lead advancement.  It's also big enough to hold a dozen leads.  However don't put any more than 1/2 a dozen leads in the pencil, this pencil, or any other mechanical pencil.  The reason being that to many leads can prevent one from aligning with the mouth of the feed tube inside the reservoir.  To access the reservoir the pencil must be un-posted.  The rings in the cap allow you to use a fingernail to pull up on it thus removing it.  To access the eraser (Please don't!  Buy a good stick style eraser like the Uni E-Knock, from jetpens.com), the pencil has to be posted so the inner push button can push the outer one up enough to grasp.  The fake here is that since eraser does not fit in the reservoir, the pencil can be turned upside down without lead spilling out!

 

To advance enough lead to write with, once the clutch has been fed, simply push down on the push button twice.  Now you're ready to write (or draw, or doodle, or whatever you do with a mechanical pencil)....  What I mean by, "once the clutch has been fed...", is once lead has been advanced to the point of exiting the pencil it is pushed back flush with the end of the lead sleeve with the finger tip or table top or the back of your little brother's head.  The clutch has now been fed and the end of the lead rests at the tip of the lead sleeve.  From this position each press of the push button to advance the lead should advance an equal amount,  So now you can tell how many "clicks" it will take to produce enough lead to write with from a cold start.

 

The Pentel Sharp Kerry comes in only 2 lead sizes, 0,7 mm and 0.5 mm, two of the most popular lead sizes for general use.  I would prefer to have had one in 0.3 mm but they don't make them in 0.3 mm.  In a way that's a good thing.  0.3 mm pencils tend to be scratchy due to the fine lead.  The lead also breaks easily.  But the 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm diameter leads are the most popular sizes for general writing and freehand drawing.  When I wrote with the pencil I found it to be a very smooth and well behaved pencil.  By well behaved I mean I did not have to push or drag it across the paper.  It is so well balanced and light it is a down right pleasure to write with!  If it came in any finer a lead it would not perform quite as well.  The sharp pointed 0.3 mm lead would drag and scratch, unless a soft grade of lead was used.  But anything softer than grade HB (closest to a #2 pencil lead) would smudge easily.

 

Bottom line?  Well I'll have to eat crow and admit that I really like the Pentel Sharp Kerry in 0.5 mm HB.  It feels good in the hand, it's easy to write with, delivering a smooth performance.  I especially like the way that I can turn it a quarter turn with one hand in order to keep the lead sharp.  It's an elegant looking pencil as well as being a solidly, well built and designed.  Believe it or not, the pencil has been around for 43 years!  Amazing, isn't it?

 

Well, if you want one of your own you'll have to find your own crazy pencil-loving Math Professor to con one out of, eh, I mean to manipulate into giving you one.... NO!  No!  That's not what I meant at all, eh, gee whiz, I've really gone and put my foot in it now...

Seriously, you can find plenty of Pentel Sharp Kerry's at our friends at jetpens.com in 6 different colors and 2 lead sizes (not all colors available in both lead sizes).

Well, I hope that you, the reader, has enjoyed my "review" of the Mad Mathematician's (now my) Pentel Sharp Kerry.  Please feel free to leave a comment, check a box and/or e-mail me and tell me what you thought of both the pencil and my review.

To the left shows the Sharp Kerry about to be posted and then posted.
This additional information is at the request of one of my readers.  It shows the relationship of the 2 pushbuttons.  As you can see the outer pushbutton is not fully extended until the cap is posted, making firm contact with the inner pushbutton.  I hope that this clarifies the relationship between the 2 pushbuttons.

Thank you for reading my humble blog.






                                                                              

Pacific Arc DP-03 0.3 mm Drafting Pencil

The regular readers of my blog know that I have a fondness for 0.3 mm drafting pencils.  I have a particularly keenness for the Pentel 0.3 mm P203, which some years back I discovered was discontinued... "Discontinue!  No discontinue, Stephenie!".  Pardon my "Short Circuit" parody, bit I just couldn't help it!...  Well I could help it, I just didn't!  When I inquired about why the response from Pentel was that it was being discontinued due to a lack of sales!  What?  A lack of sales?  I did not believe it then and I do not believe it now!  The pencil sold for about $4.00back then, now they are $10.00, when you can find them!  As far as I am concerned Pentel made one of the biggest mistakes the company has ever made when they discontinued the P203!  The P200 series pencils have been one of the most copied and cloned and modified mechanical pencils in history!  Case in point the Pacific Arc DP-03, 0.3 mm Mechanical Pencil.

When I saw the pencil I was intrigued.  A P203 clone or copy (clone - all parts are interchangeable with a Pentel P200 series pencil.  Copy - they are not all interchangeable, though some might).  The DP-03 0.3 mm mechanical is a copy.  I discovered this when I disassembled the pencil, along with a P203 and tried to interchange some of the parts! The tips, erasers and push buttons exchange but the non-tapered Pentel mechanism would not fit into the Pacific Arc body, though the Pacific Arc mechanism did fit the Pentel body.  The parts look similar but there are subtle differences such as the shape of the metal tip.

The 2 pencils are very close in size and balance, but the Pentel is slightly heavier at 11 grams verses 9 grams for the Pacific Arc.  The feel of the Pacific Arc is also different due to the slight difference and slightly more forward balance.  It also sounds less solid, more clunky when the push button is used to advance lead.  Lockup of the lead is as solid as with any such pencil but there were 2 things I didn't like about the Pacific Arc DP-03.  One is that a single 'click' does not quite advance enough lead to write with, for me any way, but a second advances too much!  With the Pentel the advancements are in very small increments which means it takes at least 3 'clicks' to advance enough lead to write with.

The second is that the the lead protruding from the tip of the Pacific Arc pencil has considerable lead shake.  That means that the interior of the lead sleeve is slightly over sized inside the tube.  Thus the lead does not fight as tightly in the tube as does the Pentel!  This, along with the over extended lead meant that there was considerable lead breakage when I used the pencil.  Now I was using the Pacific Arc lead at the time, so I replaced it with Pentel lead and got about the same amount of breakage!  The Pacific Arc lead is a high polymer and comes 24 pieces per tube. 2 tubes per package, for only $2.00 as of Saturday, February 1, 2011, from Hobby Lobby.  While I like the price what I don't like is that the pour spout is recessed into the mouth of the cap so it has to be removed by hand and inserted into the lead reservoir.  No direct pouring of lead into the lead reservoir from the container!

I had high hopes for the Pacific Arc DP-03.  I was hoping that I had found a low cost ($3) alternative  to the Pentel P203.  While I did find a bargain in the lead, the pencil is another matter.  Aside from the lead breakage/enlarged lead sleeve the product seems to be more cheaply made than I thought!  As I was disassembling the pencil for photographic reasons, the lead retainer fell out of the tip!  This is never good!  Now I have some experience replacing lead retainers so I tried to replace it.  Dang if I somehow didn't loose it!  I don't know how, but when I went to see if it was in the tip, it wasn't!

For most people this would be a lost cause and no matter how little or how much (I've had a similar problem with an $80.00 pencil) the pencil cost, it would now be rendered useless.  Without a lead retainer the lead falls straight through the pencil when you try and advance the lead!  But for me, it proved a challenge, nothing more.  After some searching I found a piece of small gage wire where the sheath was an adequate substitute.  With some work I got the pencil to function properly once more.  Hooray for me!

But the bottom line is, while I really like the shape and feel of the pencil, I can not and do not recommend the pencil for any reason.  Yeah, it's only $3.00, but one can do better by buying a different style pencil from jetpens.com.  Or if you must have a Pentel P203, than $10.00 on the net.  So my advice is to avoid the Pacific Arc DP-03 0.3 mm pencil, at least for now.  However the lead is another story.  It seems of good quality and the price is unbeatable.

Pentel Graph PG2 0.2mm Drafting Pencil

When is small too small?  I am a big fan of 0.3 mm drafting pencils and I own a few!  I like the very thin line that the lead produces, albeit at a cost - lead breakage!  So in order to use a 03. mm pencil I have had to train myself to write with a light hand.  If, like now, I use some other lead size, like a 0.5 mm lead sized pencil, such as the Kuru Toga Rouletta, then I have to retrain my self when I go back to a 0.3 mm lead size!  I like the Kuru Toga because I can use a pencil with the stronger 0.5 mm lead size yet get a near 0.3 mm line.  Lately I have been using a 0.3 mm Kuru Toga because it produces a sum 0.3 mm line!  But lead breakage is still a problem.

Then comes the Pentel Graph PG2 0.2 mm Drafting Pencil.  No, it's not a typo!  Not 2 mm but 0.2 mm!  Now that's a thin line (for a pencil)!  The pencils has been around for a while, since the late 70's, but I didn't notice it until a few years ago.  With my propensity for thin line lead pencils had I known of it's existence back then, I would have had several by now!  Or would!?

The lead grade indicator has 2 readings, HB and B and that's all the lead grades the 0.2 mm currently comes in!  Oddly enough the lead is also made by Pentel.  The Pentel Graph PG2 may be the only 0.2mm pencil made!  A quick search of the Internet provided some proof of my claim as the only 0.2 mm pencil that came up was indeed the Pentel Garph PG2!  And there may be good reason for this!

But before I get into this  lets dive into some stats!  Now who doesn't like to read about the stats of a fine drafting pencil (not a word out of you, Tommy Turquoise)?  All the mumblers tossed out at this point have been rounded to the nearest whole digit.  The PG2 is approximately 146 mm long making it of average length.  it is approximately 8 mm in diameter making it a slim pencil.  It's balance point is approximately 68 mm from the tip making it a little top heavy but you'd hardly notice and it weighs approximately 10 grams making it a feather weight!  It almost feels like there is nothing in my hand!

The grip area of the pencil is a set of concentric close set rings approximately 14 mm long.  They are smooth to the touch, probably rounded instead of square, providing a good non-slip grip with out a sharp bite.  The chromed metal pocket grip appear to be of the same type if not the same one used on the P200 series Pentel drafting pencils.  The good grip area along with the light weight and good balance would make the PG2 easy to control and fatigue free, except for one fact.  More on that later.

The construction of the PG2 is as what would be expected from Pentel, a leader in the world of fine and affordable drafting pencils.  It's solid, well made and easily torn down.  The body is plastic, along with the lead reservoir retainer/ lead grade indicator body and clean out rod handle.  The pocket clip, tip of the pencil, entire clutch and lead reservoir assembly and the but stock are metal.

The pencil can be torn down into 7 major pieces/ submersibles.  The body and removable pocket clip, the tip, the clutch/reservoir assembly, the clutch/reservoir retainer/lead indicator body, the lead indicator window, the clean out rod and holder/push button assembly and the tail stock.

 

To disassemble the PG2 into it's major components first unscrew the tip, which screws to the clutch assembly.  Unscrew the tail stock, lead grade indicator window and the clutch/reservoir retainer then pull the clutch/reservoir free from the pencil then pull the clean-out-rod holder/push button free. Reassembly is just the opposite.  due to the potential of losing an important part of the pencil, I recommend the average user do not break down the PG2 this far.  In order to clear a led jam all you have to do is remove the tip, tail stock and clean out rod/push button assembly.

The PG2 is a sliding sleeve retracts with the lead as it is used up, but only about 1/2 the distance to the base of the tip.  In my humble opinion the pencil would have been better if the sliding sleeve would have retracted all the way to the tip!  This would have given the pencil a little more versatility.

Now at the beginning of this review I ask the question, "When is small too small?"  The answer to that question, in this bloggerss mind, is when small become impracticable.  To me a 0.2 mm lead size is impracticable, which is maybe why there is only one pencil made in that lead size.  An extremely light hand must be used in conjunction with a slow, fluid writing style in order to prevent lead breakage.  But a light hand, even with HB lead, produces a light line.  This lightness combined with sheer 0.2 mm line width makes the writing/drawing produced with such a fine width extremely hard to discern by many people.  Even with the sliding sleeve the instrument is impracticable because the tip of the lead sleeve contacting the paper scratches and drags and one day will wear out.

While I do not recommend this pencil to anyone with out who does not have the lightest of hands and the keenest eyesight, does not mean that I don't like the pencil!  I do like it.  I like it's looks, light weight, balance, etc.  I just don't like using it.  A softer lead, like grade 'B' would be more practical, offering a dark line with less lead breakage.

Bottom line, for all practical purposes the Pentel PG2 is not for every one and certainly not for every day use.  It even has limited use as a drafting pencil.   It is however an elegant and beautiful pencil and it looks good in my pencil case.

Pentel P203: A Review

What follows is a review of the Pentel P203 that I originally did for Associated Content.

Review: Pentel 200 P203 0.3mm Automatic Pencil
Style: Drafting

Technical Data:
Length: 142.8
Diameter (Body): 9.3mm
Diameter (grip): N/A
Balance Point (From Push Button): 73mm
Weight: 11.3 grams
Lead Sleeve: 4mm, fixed
Lead size: 0.3mm


Major Components: End cap/Lead sleeve, body, clutch assembly/lead reservoir, push button, eraser with clean out rod.

Construction Type: Independent body, integral lead reservoir/clutch assembly.

Construction Materials: Plastic body, lead reservoir, metal end cap/lead sleeve, push button, clutch assembly.

Colors: Brown body, black lead reservoir, chrome pocket clip, end cap/lead sleeve, push button.

Mode Of Operation: Ratcheting push button lead advance, 3-jawed brass clutch with brass over-sleeve.

Appearance: With its tapering brown body the PG203 looks more like a typical writing pencil than a drafting pencil, but looks can be deceiving as the PG203 is a true drafting pencil. White lettering stands out on the multi-side body, which has an indentation for the pocket clip, which is set down a short distance from the top of the body. The chromed push button is the over the sleeve type and is a simple closed tube. The chrome end cap continues the pencil's taper to the lead sleeve. There is a small ringed rib at the end of the body where it contacts the end cap. Less than a centimeter up from the rib is a set of 11 equally spaced rings that makes up the grip. Simple elegance.

Disassembly: To disassemble the P203 first remove the end cap/lead sleeve. Next remove the clutch assembly/lead reservoir from in side the body. Remove the push button then the eraser with the clean out rod. Finally remove the pocket clip. Reassembly is the reverse of assembly. Note that the end cap screws onto the extended clutch assembly. The clutch assembly locks into the body via a hex nut.

Clearing A Lead Jam: Refer to this article, Clearing A Lead Jam, should clearing a lead jam be necessary.

My Opinion: The P203 feels great in my hand and writes remarkably well, feeling so well balanced in my hand. Two or 3 clicks produces enough lead to write with, about 1mm's worth. The lead advance mechanism has a distinct metallic sound and is semi loud. The P203 was my first 0.3mm drafting pencil and the one by which I hold all others up to. It is an old design but old does not mean out-of-date. While the P203 is no longer made (but still available) the design is so good that it is not only carried on in the Sharp line it has been copied by several different companies. The P203 is a rugged pencil; I've had one for over 25 years.

Last Words: While the P203 has been discontinued by the manufacturer (declining sales says the Pentel of America rep.) I fail to see why the other 3 pencils are still available. It really makes no scene to me and probably never will. Despite the fact that it has been left by the wayside by Pentel it remains one of the best drafting pencils ever made. The P203 is a pencil that should be in any collection so I suggest that you get one while you can.

Pentel Graphgear 500 PG523 Drafting Pencil: A Review

What follows is my review of the Pentel GraphGear PG523 0.3mm drafting pencil.  This review was original published at Assocciated Content.

Review: Pentel GraphGear 500 PG523 0.3mm Automatic Pencil
Style: Drafting
Technical Data
Length: 141mm
Diameter (Body): 8.3mm across points of hex
Diameter (Grip): 9.2mm
Balance Point (From Push Button): 82.5mm
Weight: 14.2grams
Lead Sleeve: 4mm, fixed
Lead Size: 0.3mm

Major Components: Integral end cap/lead sleeve/grip, push button, pocket clip, eraser, integral body/lead reservoir/clutch assembly.

Construction Type: Integral body/lead reservoir/clutch assembly.

Construction Materials: Plastic body. Metal end cap/lead sleeve/grip, push button, pocket clip, lead reservoir and clutch assembly.

Colors: Brown body, bright chrome end cap/lead sleeve/grip, pocket clip, push button and lead reservoir.

Mode Of Operation: Ratcheting push button lead advance, 3-jawed brass clutch with brass over-sleeve.

Appearance: The PG-523 appears odd to me in that the grip is much larger than the body and takes up almost 1/3rd of the pencils length. The grip is finely knurled in a diamond pattern with 4 evenly spaced parallel rings on the lower part of the grip. There is a deep grove, then a short, tapered un-knurled portion before a long tapering section that steps down in a short taper to the lead sleeve. The body is hexagonal with white lettering along one side. The pocket clip is removable and has the Company name and country of origin stamped on to the rim of the clip. It rests at the top of the pencil. The push button is the full over-sleeve type completely covering the lead reservoir. It is odd in appearance it that it is flared out at the top as if it has been pounded upon.

Disassembly: To take down the PG523 first unscrew the grip and remove it. Next remove the push button by sliding it off the lead reservoir. Pull the eraser free from inside the mouth of the lead reservoir (note that there is no clean out rod). The pocket clip is removed by pushing up on it until it is free of the body. This is as far as the user can disassemble the pencil. Reassembly is the opposite of disassembly.

Clearing A Lead Jam: Refer to this article, Clearing A Lead Jam, should clearing a lead jam be necessary.

My Opinion: Despite its ungainly appearance the PG-523 is an excellent writing instrument. Its large and heavy grip sleeve makes the pencil bottom heavy. This along with the pencils weigh makes it a pleasure to write with. It seems to glide across the paper effortlessly, almost doing the writing for me. The finely knurled grip offers a good surface on which to hold the pencil while writing being neither too sharp nor too dull. Four clicks of the push button will produce 1mm of lead, enough to write with comfortably. The mechanism is on the quiet side and requires only a short stroke to produce lead. The lead reservoir is cavernous enough to hold several tubes of lead and still have room for more, a feature that I like. While functional I have never been fond of the integral lead sleeve/end cap/grip as it is too much to have to remove in order to clear a lead jam.

Last Words: The PG-523 was designed as a fine drafting tool and serves this purpose well. But it also makes a fine writing instrument as well. It's a rugged pencil that will probably outlast newer models. If you are in need of a quality drafting pencil or just want a good all around writing pencil then consider buying a Pentel GraphfGear 500 PG-523. You won't be sorry.

Due to a glitch comments were not enabled on this post.  If you would like to leave a comment please do so at my Guest Book.  Just mention the pencil by name.

November/December Givaway

Welcome one and all to my humble blog!  Up for grabs this time is a brand new never used Ohto Super Promecha PM 1505P drafting pencil.  For those of you who are familiar with the Ohto brand of all metal drafting pencils will recognize this as being the latest iteration of the 0.5 mm version of the top of the line Ohto Super Promechas!  The PM 1505P features a variable length lead sleeve, a lead projection adjustment, a removable pocket clip, a lead grade indicator and an all metal exterior construction!   It is in top condition because it's been sitting around safe in it's plastic case awaiting it's turn at being given away!  It's wait is almost over!  I'm giving away this pencil just in time for Christmas! 

And all any one has to do is to have a chance at winning this great example of a drafting pencil is to send me, the Old Geezer, an e-mail containing somewhere in the body of the e-mail the words -  Ohto Super Promecha Giveaway.  That's it!  Once the giveaway is closed I will use the random integer generator to generate a random integer between 0 and the number of e-mails I have received.  The e-mails will be numbered in the order they are received (dated and time stamped).  No comments to this post will be accepted as entries to the giveaway.  You must send me an e-mail.  If you are the winner I will contact you via e-mail and ask for your mailing address.  You don't even have to check back after the contest ends to see if you've won!  The contest will remain open until midnight Friday, December 10th.  Shortly after closing I will pick the winner! 

But wait, there's more!  Along with the pencil I'm giving away 19 tubes of grade B lead!  That's right!  19 tubes!  That's 288 pieces of Pentel Super Hi- polymer grade B lead!  There is one full box of 12 tubes plus 7 tubes in a partially filled box!  Plus the pencil is already filled with 12 pieces of lead!  That's a total of 300 pieces of Grade B lead!  Wow!  Am I a great guy or what!? (don't you dare say "or what")!

So, times a waitin'!  Get to sending me e-mails!

UPDATE: We have a winner. Congrats to Dave who had the winning slot!

Pen And Pencils July Giveaway

Hello, Tommy!

"Hello, Geezer!"

Hey, everybody! It's Tommy Turquoise!... Say, Tommy, what have you got there?

"It's a Pentel EnerGel 0.7 mm Needle Point Liquid Gel Ink Pen."

Oh, one of the ones I reviewed recently.

"Not exactly, Geezer. It's the unused pen that was in the package, remember? They came two to a pack and you only used one in the review."

Sure, I remember. What are you doing with that one?

"Well, I thought that it might be a good candidate for the Pen And Pencils July Giveaway, Geezer."

That's a great idea, Tommy! Why don't you tell the folks how to enter the giveaway.

"Gladly, Geezer! To enter this months giveaway and have a chance to win a brand new Pentel EnerGel 0.7 mm Needle Point Liquid Gel Ink Pen all you have to do is is leave a comment to this post, please, one comment per person, telling us what you think of me, Tommy Turquoise! The contest will stay open until midnight on July 5th when it will be closed. Between midnight and 1:00 AM on July 6th The Old Geezer will use the Random Integer Generator to generate a random integer between one and the total number of comments made, inclusive. The winner will be announced in the comments section to this post after 1:00 AM on July 6th so be sure to check back then."

"The rules are simple, just one entry per person. Duplicate comments by the same person will be ignored. If you sign in anonymously, please leave either a screen name that you use elsewhere or an email address (one that you don't mind the public seeing) so if you are the winner you can be identified! The prize can't be sent to an unknown person. Once a winner has been chosen they will have 3 days in which to contact The Old Geezer via email at theoldgeezer@live.com with a name and mailing address. If the first round winner has not contacted Geezer by midnight, July 8th then the count will be reduced by one and another winner will be chosen."

Thanks, Tommy, that was great!.. So hurry up and post your comment! Times a wastin'!