uni-ball Vision Elite Bold 0.8 mm Give Away

Announcing oneloneman’s Pens And Pencils first ever Give-Away! Up for grabs, courtesy of uni-ball® and Weber Shandwick Worldwide, is not one, not two, not three but all four un-ball Vision Elite Bold 0.8 mm Pens featured in my recent review of the pens. These pens are gently used, having been used solely for the review, and are in pristine condition. The colors are Red, Green, Blue and Violet and the point size is Bold, 0.8 mm. They feature uni-ball’s “Uni-Super Ink™” which is formulated to prevent check washing, a form of identity theft. The ink is also fade-resistant and water-resistant and the pens are airplane safe in that they won’t leak in flight.

But booty this bountiful is not easily won! You can’t just leave a comment on this post and expect to win! No! I’m going to make you go on a buried treasure hunt, one that could save you from years of turmoil and stress by informing you about some forms of identity theft this tax season and how you can prevent them. The rules are, though, simple, if not reader intensive. First, leave a comment on this post (please, comment per reader) then between now and Sunday, April 5th, 2009 at 12:00 midnight, EDST, got to The Painted Telephone and read the post, “THIEVES INITIATE NEW IDENTITY THEFT SCAMS IN TIME FOR TAX SEASON”. While reading count the number of times the name “uni-ball” us used in the post. Acceptable forms of the name include; uni-ball, uni-ball®, Uni-ball, uniball and UNI-BALL. Partial or incomplete forms of the name are disallowed. Hold onto the number, do not post it, you will need it later to win if your number is picked to win.

On midnight on April 5th, 2009, I will post a comment officially ending the Give-Away. I will then count the number of comments, each being assigned a number from one (1) to the total number of allowable posts, inclusive, in order of their time and date of posting. Using the True Random Number Generator at the bottom of this blog I will enter in the total number of posts and then allow the generator to generate a truly random number between one (1) and the number of allowable posts inclusive. The winner will be the reader’s post corresponding to the number generated. I will again post a comment this time announcing the winner’s name. The winner will have seven (7) days to contact me by email, theoldgeezer@live.com, with the correct number of times the name “uni-ball®” is used in the post and a valid mailing address where they would like the booty sent. If I do not have an email from the winner no later than Sunday, April 12th, 2009 then that readers comment will be disallowed, the total count will be reduce by one (1) and a new random number will be generated using the new total. The same conditions will apply to the new winner. If I have not received an email from the new winner by midnight Sunday, April 19th, 2009 the Give-Away will be considered null and void.

In any case I will announce the winner in a new post on this blog April 5th, 2009, or April 19th, 2009 or on the 29th that the contest was declared null and void.

So, get to commenting and get to that buried treasure hunt!

uni-ball Signo 207, Don't Leave Home Without It

If you've read my review of the uni-ball Vision Elite Bold 0.8 mm then you... What's that? You haven't read my review of the uni-ball Vision Elite Bold 0.8 mm rollerball? Well, shame on you! It's right below this post, so go ahead and read it, we'll wait... There, wasn't that a delightful and informative review? As I was saying, if you have read my review of the uni-ball Vision Elite Bold 0.8 mm Rollerball pen then you know that uni-ball is formulating some of their ink so that is is resistant to "check washing". The Vision Elite has it and so does the Signo 207 retractable gel pen. The same rep from Weber Shandwick that sent me the uni-ball Vision Elites also sent along 2 pair of 0.7 mm uni-ball Signo 207's. My lovely wife snagged one leaving me with only one to test and review. So I decided to toss a 207 Micro into the mix just to spice things up.


The 207 now comes in 8 colors, Light Blue, Orange, Green, Pink, Purple, Red, Blue and of course, Black, and 2 point sizes, 0.7 mm and 0.5 mm. All colors and point sizes help prevent check washing, the ink is fade resistant, water-resistant and acid free making it archival safe. That's a pretty good line up of features. I was so impressed with the first Signo 207 Micro that I bought that I went on-line and bought a dozen refills, just in case I could never find any again! Silly me! The 207 is so popular that I have no problem finding refills. That's a good thing because I have put uni-ball 207 Micro refills into other uni-ball and non uni-ball pens! That's how much that I like the Signo 207 Micro.

The ink is dark, not washed out or weak. The 0.5 mm ball of the Micro puts down a 0.38 mm line and is smooth for such a 0.5 mm pen, especially one that makes a sub 0.5 mm line! And the 207 is an attractive looking pen as well. It has a sleek modern design incorporating a smokey blue-gray transparent barrel, black rubber grip and chrome and black accents. The Micro has a touch of gold coloring in the digits on the pen, while the 207 sports silver colored digits. Both are equally attractive. The pens are 144 mm long and 11.5 mm in diameter at their widest. The balance point is just about at the midpoint of the pen so they are well balanced. The rubber grip makes them easy to hold and their light weight make them almost effortless to write with.


Now up until I received the 207 for review I had never used a 0.7 mm 207. I had only used the 207 Micro, which as I mentioned earlier, impressed me very much. The 207 Micro felt smooth to me, and still does, all things considered, but the 207 0.7 mm pen is very smooth indeed. It is at the very least as smooth, or smoother than the Vision Elite Bold with it's 0.8 mm tip. So once again I find that I'm impressed with the uni-ball 207, the 0.7 mm version this time. The ink appears even darker to me than the ink in the 207 Micro, but that's only due to the thinner line width!

Regular readers of Pens And Pencils know what my standard pen test entails. It entails me writing a short line with each pen on a 5 x 7 Ampad efficiency note pad, followed by a line used in the water test. I then hold the tip of the pen to the paper for 10 seconds using normal writing pressure for the bleed test. The results were of no surprise to me. Both pens wrote with smooth, almost effortless strokes and laid down nice dark black lines without feathering. The water test consists of me putting a single drop of water on each line using a cotton swap, the allow the water to air dry. Neither line feathered or lightened in any way, shape or form. Again, not a surprise.
Finally the bleed test showed that neither pen bleed through to the next page. Yawn, still no surprises. What was a surprise was that neither pen bleed through to the back side of the single sheet! I guess all pigmented ink is not the same!

I'm sold on the uni-ball Signo 207 gel ink pen. I favor the 207 Micro, but the 207 is smoother by a skosh. Both pens utilize the same parts, only the refill, wording and wording color are different. But if you want a slightly more elegant option then there is the Signo 207 Premier!

The Premier features a metal upper barrel in either Blue, Gold or Silver with a translucent gel grip. The Premier comes in either point size and is sold in the 0.5 mm size by JetPens.com. Two other metallic options are the 207 LTD and the 207 Pink Ribbon, both having upper bodies made of metallic plastic and feature a semi transparent rubber grip.

No matter which uni-ball Signo 207 Gel Pen you choose you'll be choosing one of the best gel pens available.

Uni-ball Vision Elite Bold 0.8 mm Rollerball

Recently I was approached by a rep. from Weber Shandwick, the PR firm that apparently handles the uni-ball account. She had this to say, in part:

"I see that you are a fan of uni-ball pens and thought you may be interested to know that this tax season, uni-ball has partnered with the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) and identity and security theft expert Robert Siciliano to raise awareness about identity theft and uni-ball’s specially formulated ink. Uni-Super Ink is a specially formulated ink that won’t wash out and protects against check washing. And because tax time is a key period when there is a spike in identity theft given the large amount of sensitive documents and information in circulation, an affordable solution, such as a $2 pen can help." The rep. also offered to send me some samples of some uni-ball pens with the super ink technology for consideration of doing a review of said pens.

Naturally I agreed to spread the word and to do a review of some uni-ball pens. A short time later a package arrived from Weber Shandwick with some uni-ball pens inside. Among them was a carded pack of 4 uni-ball Vision Elite Bold 0.8 mm Rollerballs in four colors, Red, Green, Blue and Violet. I wasted no time in opening the pack and having a look-see as I had never seen a uni-ball Vision Elite before. I was in unknown territory, wadding in uncharted waters, peering into the depths of the unknown... OK, enough melodrama!

When I got one of the pens into my hot little hands and removed the cap I noticed right away the textured grip. Unlike the plain clear plastic grip of the Vision Micro, the clear plastic grip of the Vision Elite is textured in a large diamond pattern. This gives the fingers a little something extra to hold onto besides the non-slip plastic. I found the grip a delight and kept running my fingers over it as I examined one of the pens. It also adds a bit of visual interest to the pen as well.


I also noticed that while neither the packaging nor the Sanford uniball web site mentions anything about the Vision Elite being refillable the entire business part of the pen, the tip, grip and ink supply are all one piece but unscrew from the body proper. I find that generally this means that for just a shade less than the cost of a new pen, a refill is available. I did not do a thorough web search for refills though. While having the pen apart I had a good look at the ink supply. It seems to be quite generous and the ink looked
to be rich and opaque, always a good sign.

I also took a gander at the pen's tip, a 0.8 mm ball in a conical shaped tip. A bit wide for my taste but it seems that I'm in the minority when it comes to favoring fine and ultra fine tipped pens. However the Vision Elite also comes in a 0.5 mm version that I would like to try out one day.

While the set I was sent had the four afore mentioned colors the Vision Elite also comes in Black, Orange, Pink and Blue/Black. Not a bad starter set of colors I do say.

According to the packaging the ink in the Vision Elite:

• Won't leak in flight
• Helps prevent check washing
• Fade- and water - resistant ink

The ink in the Vision Elite, as in most uni-ball pens, is a pigmented ink, not a dye ink. For a good explanation of the difference go here and click on "Learn More". Also, to learn more about identity theft and what uni-ball is doing to help prevent it please see this article on my other blog, The Painted Telephone. It's informative and enlightening, a "must read" for tax time.

So just how does the Vision Elite perform? I thought that you'd never ask! I did my standard test for ink pens. Using an Ampad "efficiency" ruled note pad I first wrote a line of text. That was followed by a short line for the water resistance test. That was followed by the bleed through test which consists of me holding the pen tip to the paper for 10 seconds using writing pressure.

The Vision Elite writes with a smoothness only available from liquid ink pens, aka, rollerballs. According to uni-ball this is due to the thinness of the ink used in rollerballs, about the consistency of milk. The thinner the ink and the wider the ball, the smoother the writing experience. But since the ball is only 0.1 mm larger than a o.7 mm ball, such as is on the uni-ball Signo 207, I did not find a perceptible difference between the 2 different ball sizes when it came to how smooth they write. I guess a silly little millimeter is just not enough increase in size to be noticed tactility. However, the Vision Elite is a smooth writing pen.

However visually I am able to detect a noticeable difference in the line width between the Bold 0.8 mm Vision Elite and the Fine 0.7 mm Signo 207 (hey, what happened to medium?). The 207 lays down a slightly thinner line, but not by much. I noticed that the ink in the Vision Elite does not dry as quickly as some other liquid ink pens. This could be because of the ink formula or because of the 0.8 mm tip laying down so much ink.

The water test consists of me putting a single drop of water on each ink line, using a cotton swab, and waiting for it to dry. Once dry I check to see if the ink has bleed, or feathered, when subjected to water. In the case of the Vision Elite the ink did not feather at all. This is primarily due to the fact that the ink is pigmented.

The bleed through test was a bit more telling. Despite having to run the Blue pen through it twice, to make sure that I used the same pressure on all four pens, my results are conclusive. All four colors bled through to the next page when the tip was held to the paper under normal writing pressure, mine that is, not yours! But when the tip of the pen was rested ever so lightly upon the paper's surface a barley perceptible dot is made. So it appears that the ink needs to be in relatively strong contact with the paper in order to leave a mark. Is this a good or bad thing? I guess it all depends on your point of view.

The Vision Elite feels comfortable in my hand, especially unposted as the pen is top heavy when posted. As mentioned earlier it writes very smooth and it's free flowing, an easy writer. It makes big bold lines, easy enough for this old geezer to see with his aging eyes. The pen is quite attractive, the bright colors contrasting nicely with the white and silver gray colors of the barrel and cap. The chrome metal pocket clip adds a nice visual touch as well.

The cap snaps in place with quite the audible "snap" and presses on snugly, almost with a snap, when posting the cap. But as mentioned earlier I find writing with the Vision Elite more comfortable when the pen is unposted, something I don't normally advocate.

All in all, the Mitsubishi uni-ball Vision Elite is a nice pen delivering quality at an affordable price. Plus it comes in 7 colors plus black. So if you are interested in a bold tipped pen that not only is a pleasure to use but will also help protect you from identity theft and check fraud then get yourself a uni-ball Vision Elite or two, or four, awe heck, get all eight!

Elephant Pen

Recently, due to the gracious kindness of others, we received a monetary wedding anniversary gift which we turned into a nice digital camera! While I am still getting the hang of taking quality pics with it I gots real antsy 'bout bloggin', see? So I decided to try a little whimsy and take some test shots of my Elephant Pen and due a little write up about it. So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, may I present yo you, the Elephant Pen!

A few years ago, while at a local Arts and Craft Fair, my lovely wife and I were looking around at all the great arts and craft stuff when we came upon a booth where the man running said booth made things out of, all things, plumbers putty. This was a self hardening gray putty that he used by adding paint to to it to color it. He also added depth to some objects, like the elephant's face, by painting the surface of the putty once dry. As you can see in the close up of the elephant's face the artist did not sand down the putty once hardened. All more the charm. The eyes of the elephant are google eyes, the kind sold in craft stores. Sort of gives the fellow a certain charm about him, don't you think?

The artist, a local man, used, as most polymer clay artists due, a standard Bic round stick pen as the basis for the pen. You can see the brand name Bic right on the tip of the pen. It's a good thing
that he did because the original refill died of old age and lack of use some time ago! So let that be a lesson to you of the younger generation. Use it or lose it! I think the original ink color was blue, but the Ole Elephant writes black now! Anyway he covered the plastic barrel in putty, sort of a tanish woodish-looking color, and shaped it over the pen body, which he also failed to sand down. Maybe he was short on sand paper having spent all his money on plumber's putty and all those pretty colors of paint!

There is a lanyard loop on the back end of the pen. That's it there in bright yellow. Just above the violet bead thingy that's just above the bright hot pint coil thingy. Anyway I tried to wear it as a necklace at one time but people kept staring at me so I stopped. It doesn't do ones fragile ego any good to have people gawk at you. So I ask my lovely wife to stop! Thankfully she did. For whatever reason, some artistic thing I guess, the artist put a tiny green stone in a bed of bright blue putty right in the middle of the pen! That's it down below. Pretty, huh? I have no idea what the stone is, so don't ask.

As you can also see by the lanyard hole, that the artist wasn't too careful with the paint from the colored putty. Also I think that he must have been using his finger print ridge detail as some sort of texture tool, judging by the lovely texture on the blue mound holding the green stone! What do you think?

One of the nicest pieces on the pen is the leaf. A banana leaf, perhaps? Who knows, seeing the whimsy of the artist it could be a banana leaf! Anyway, there it is over there on the right, sort of added as an after though kinda thing. OK, OK! I had a better shot of it but I cropped it out of the pic and didn't save it! Whadda 'cpect? It's a new thing for me to be shooting and editing my own pics! I'm used to using pics from JetPens! Give me a break will ya?... What's that?... You're not complaining?!... Eh, yea! As I was saying, nice leaf, huh?

How does it write? It's a Bic for cryin' out loud! It writes like a Bic! Ya wanna know what a Bic writes like then spend a buck at WalMart for a dozen and find out for yourself! Do I have to do everything for ya?

Well I hope that you have enjoyed my little whimsy! The pics look better on the blog than they did during editing! So maybe I'm a little better at taking pics than I thought, hey? And as a final note, despite my criticism of the artists technique, The Elephant pen really is a gem and it was the only thing the man had that I could afford!

Uni-balls Fight Against Identity Theft

THIEVES INITIATE NEW IDENTITY THEFT SCAMS IN TIME FOR TAX SEASON

uni-ball® teams with Identity Theft Resource Center and Identity Theft Expert Robert Siciliano to Warn Consumers of Latest Scams and Offer Anti-Theft Solutions

Oak Brook, Ill. – March 4, 2009 – Tax time scams are at an all-time high, according to Robert Siciliano, well-known identity and security theft expert and author of the book “The Safety Minute: How to Take Control of Personal Security and Prevent Fraud.” As economic pressures continue to increase, Siciliano says criminal activities such as sophisticated, organized theft, including the number of new scams intended to trick consumers this tax season, are expected to rise as well.

“More than 155 million tax forms were filed last year,” said Siciliano, “the majority of them without incident.1 But people need to understand that thieves are inventing new ways to steal identities each and every day. And since tax time is a key period when we see a spike in identity theft, it’s crucial that we get the word out now and educate people about the latest scams.” part of the its ongoing campaign to elevate awareness about the growing threat of identity theft, uni-ball®, a leading brand of pens, many of which contain specially formulated ink that helps prevent check fraud, is working with the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) and Siciliano to help stop identity thieves in their tracks. As CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, Siciliano has seen first-hand the brute blow identity theft delivers to its victims, and has helped scores of them dig out from the financial and emotional turmoil of being scammed.

Together, the ITRC, Siciliano and uni-ball are issuing the following warnings, asking consumers to be on high alert during tax time for these identity theft scams and more:

* Professional Thieves and Targeted Attacks. The ITRC anticipates an increase in more sophisticated ways to “mine” information, sometimes by organized crime groups. Cybercrime, which includes transporting or selling large amounts of personal information from one group both nationally and internationally, will continue and expand. Part of this trend includes “skimming” (duplicate scanning of credit cards or debit cards), and the use of fake fronts on payment scanners and ATM machines.

* Tax Preparer Scams. Most recently, there are reports of tax preparers telling clients they must pay back their 2008 stimulus payments and then pocketing the money. Not all professional tax preparers have your best interest at heart, according to the ITRC. Make sure you do research and choose your tax preparer wisely.

* Check Fraud. As it becomes more difficult to get new lines of credit, identity thieves may be increasingly drawn to commit check fraud. These crimes may take the form of stolen checks, using checks thrown into the trash by unknowing consumers, or a type of identity theft known as “check washing.” Check washing occurs when checks or other tax-related documents are stolen from the mail or by other means and the ink is erased using common household chemicals, allowing thieves to endorse checks to themselves. This is where something as simple and inexpensive as a uni-ball pen can help. Select Uni-ball pens contain specially formulated gel ink (trademarked Uni-Super Ink™) that is absorbed into the paper’s fibers and can never be washed out.

* Late Payment Scam. As people fall behind on their utilities or taxes, lists are created and available either internally or as public record. These lists can fall into the wrong hands and thieves call unassuming people to collect.

* Text Messaging Scams: Phexting. Criminal hackers have access to everything these days, including the technology that generates cell phone numbers, as well as access to mass text messaging services. Once the data is secured, they are able to send text messages that install keyloggers (a method of capturing and recording user keystrokes) or direct you to Web sites that steal personal data.

* Internet Scams: Phishing. Phony e-mails that try to trick customers into giving out personal information are the hottest, and most disturbing, new scam on the Internet. "Phishing" frauds attempt to make Internet users believe they are receiving email from a specific, trusted source, or that they are securely connected to a trusted Web site, when that is not the case. This scam is generally used as a means to convince individuals to provide personal or financial information that enables the perpetrators to commit credit card, bank fraud or other forms of identity theft.

“Identity theft is a giant octopus,” said Siciliano. “Educate yourself on the many facets of the problem and learn your options to defend yourself from each leg of this monster. Doing something as simple as paying attention to the pen you use could save you thousands of dollars and endless hours of headaches. Personally, I never write checks or sign important documents without using a uni-ball gel pen with specially formulated Uni-Super Ink.”

“Uni-ball pens with Uni-Super Ink help prevent identity theft,” said Steve Gradman, senior brand manager of uni-ball. “Our goal is to help ease the minds of individuals when writing sensitive materials – from legal and medical documents to checks and tax forms. It’s a simple, inexpensive pen, but it packs a lot of punch when it comes to identity theft prevention.

Many uni-ball pens, including the uni-ball 207 gel pen, the Jetstream, Jetstream RTand Vision Elite roller ball pens, use specially formulated inks that contain tiny color pigments. This exclusive “Super Ink™” helps prevent document and check fraud by absorbing into the paper fibers. When an individual tries to wash or lift the inked information written on the document, the ink remains “trapped" within the fibers of the paper, thereby discouraging the efforts of identity thieves.

Identity theft rose 22 percent in 2008, and Siciliano predicts it will go up again in 2009. “Now is the time to become educated in order to prevent this offensive crime,” he said.
For more information on how to protect yourself this tax season, visit http://www.uniball-na.com/

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=188359,00.html

About uni-ball®

uni-ball® is a world leader in providing an optimal writing experience, offering writing instruments with superior functionality and affordability. From the JetStream® pen’s smooth write to the intense color and superior performance of the uni-ball 207 gel pen, the brand allows one to enjoy the ultimate in writing performance coupled with a distinctive, contemporary style. Newell Rubbermaid Office Products, marketer and distributor of uni-ball® pens in North America, is a worldwide leader in the manufacturing and marketing of writing instruments, art products and office organization and technology products, including such well known brands as Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, DYMO® Parker®, Waterman®, EXPO®, uni-ball®, and Rolodex®, among others.

for more information visit http://www.uniball-na.com/

About Robert Siciliano

Robert Siciliano "The Lifesaver" is an expert on personal security and identity theft. He has 25 years of experience in self-defense, security work, martial arts and white collar crimes. An author, sought after media personality and identity theft speaker, Robert has been seen on the Today Show, CBS Early Show, CNN, MSNBC, FOX, CNBC, USA Today, Forbes, Good Housekeeping, Readers Digest, Consumer Digest, Boston Globe, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, ABC News.com, TechRepublic, Search Security, AP, UPI, Reuters, and Entrepreneur. Robert recently released his third book, “The Safety Minute: How to Take Control of Personal Security and Prevent Fraud”.

About the ITRC

The San Diego-based Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) is a non-profit (501(c) 3) organization established in December 1999, to support victims of identity theft in resolving their cases, and to broaden public education and awareness in the understanding of identity theft. It is the on-going mission of the ITRC to assist victims, educate consumers, research identity theft and increase public and corporate awareness about this problem.

TAX TIME TIPS FROM IDENTITY THEFT EXPERT ROBERT SICILIANO AND UNI-BALL PENS:

SIGNATURE ADVICE FOR PROTECTING YOURSELF AGAINST IDENTITY THEFT

Tax time season is prime time for identity theft to occur. The documents taxpayers send and receive this time of year contain all the information identity thieves look for: your name, address, bank and financial account information, and most importantly, your Social Security Number.

To help combat this problem, identity theft expert Robert Siciliano is teaming up with uni-ball® pens and the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), to provide helpful tips to safeguard identities during the 2009 tax season.

· Secured Boxes Are Best. When it comes to mailing in your tax returns, always take them directly to your local post office location. Consider investing in a locking mailbox, one the postal carrier can make a deposit, but thieves can’t make a withdrawal. And be sure to retrieve your mail. Uncollected mail is an invitation for an identity thief.

· Secure Your Signature. As it becomes more difficult to get new lines of credit, identity thieves may be drawn more to commit check fraud. These crimes may take the form of stolen checks, using checks thrown into the trash by unknowing consumers, or a type of identity theft known as “check washing.” Check washing occurs when checks or other tax-related documents are stolen from the mail or by other means and the ink is erased using common household chemicals, allowing thieves to endorse checks to themselves. This is where something as simple and inexpensive as a uni-ball pen can help. The pen’s specially formulated gel ink (trademarked Uni-Super Ink™) is absorbed into the paper’s fibers and can never be washed out.

· Do your Research. Most recently, there have been reports of tax preparers telling their clients they have to pay back their 2008 stimulus checks and then pocketing the money. Not all professional tax preparers have your best interest at heart, according to the ITRC. If you chose to have someone help you with your taxes, do some background research before committing to your tax professional. Remember, you are providing them with lots of personal information. Seek information from organizations such as the Better Business Bureau or from trusted friends who have previously done business with them.

· Shred Throwaway Documents. Make sure to use a cross-cut or micro-cut paper shredder when disposing of old documents. The papers that may not seem important to you could be a treasure if a thief finds them.
· Protect Your Computer. Today, working online to do your taxes is a common practice. Make sure that your computer is protected by a firewall and you are using secure software. Also, the computer your children use should not be used for personal financial information, such as bookkeeping, online banking and tax reporting. Provide them with a “sandbox” PC for them to play in. As much as you might teach them otherwise, kids may download free software, music and games that can potentially infect your computer with viruses.

To learn more about safeguarding your signature this tax season, visit uniball-na.com

Pentel Graph 600 PG603 0.3 mm Drafting Pencil

When I first saw the Pentel Graph 600 I was blown away! The photo of the pencil on the JetPens web site was making me drool! I wanted one, to say the least! And not only was it not yellow but it came in 5 different colors, not one of them was yellow! When time came for me to purchase mine I chose the dark blue. It was a choice between that and the mint blue. Maybe the next one will be mint blue.

As regular readers of my reviews know one of the very first things that I do with a new drafting pencil, aside from drooling all over it, is I break it down into as many user friendly parts that I am able to. The Pentel Graph 600 was no exception. I Removed the push button and inspected it. It is the over-sleeve type (the long chrome metal sleeve fits over the metal lead reservoir tube) with a lead grade indicator on top. The lead grade indicator is two tone plastic, in this case, a dark blue outer cylinder with a rectangular window and a black inner tube with the lead grades, B, HB, H, 2H, 3H and 4H in white. On top of the push button is the lead size, .3, in white on black. The outer tube rotates around the inner tube and locks in place with the window showing the indicated lead grade. The locking feature is a very nice touch.

I next removed the white, token, eraser and was delighted to find a clean out rod stuck into the bottom of the eraser. A Pentel rep. had informed me that Pentel was not going to supply clean out rods with their pencils any longer, so I was expecting not to see one! This is the same rep. who informed me that Pentel was no longer manufacturing the P203 0.3 mm pencil. However I see that they are for sale as a regular item on at least one UK web site.

I then removed the end cap/lead sleeve. This beautifully chromed metal end cap steps down twice before tapering down to the stainless steel lead sleeve, which is 4 mm long and fixed. The end cap is beautifully machined both outside and inside, a sigh of quality craftsmanship. Beneath the end cap lies the brass 3-jawed clutch with it’s brass chuck ring. This is imbedded in the plastic that makes up the body of the pencil. The body of the pencil is hexagonal in shape with the metal grip being cylindrical in shape.

I next tried to remove the grip but it is not made to be removed by the user. That’s no problem but just a little unusual as every other pencil that I have seen that has a plastic body and metal grip the grip has been removable, even some pencils with composite plastic/rubber grips and some with rubber grips the grips have been removable. There is no real reason for the grip to be removable by the end user. Usually the reason that the grip is removable is that it of a different material than the pencils body, or for ease of manufacturer. In any case the non removable metal grip on the Graph 600 was a bit of a surprise.

Time for some numbers and some glowing descriptions! The pencil is 147.8 mm’s long for push button to lead sleeve. The diameter of the grip is 9.2 mm’s. The distance across the flats of the pencil is 7.8 mm’s. The balancing point of the pencil is 84.1 mm’s from the push button, making the Graph 600 a little bottom heavy, just the way I like a drafting pencil. The grip is satin finished which makes a beautiful contrast between it and the bright chromed finish of the end cap. It’s 32.6 mm’s long and segmented by 15-0.5mm groves and one 0.5mm step. The resultant rings are 1.5 mm’s in width. The combination of rings, grooves and satin finish make the grips surface very graspable! On the side of the body near the top of the pencil in white lettering is: GRAPH600 PG603 Pentel 0.3. The pocket clip is satin finished chrome and has “Pentel” stamped on one side of the top clamping ring and “Japan” on the other. Over all the look of the Pentel graph 600 is very attractive.

The pencil balances well in my hand, being bottom heavy as I’ve already mentioned. It glides effortlessly across the paper, will turn on a dime and give you 9 cents change! One of the most outstanding features of the Pentel drafting pencils is the small incremental lead advance. It takes four clicks of the push button in order to produce enough lead to write with. This is a feature that I like a lot as I have a habit of advancing lead often while using a drafting pencil. By having the lead advance in such small increments I’m far less likely to over advance the lead and break it off while writing.

Bottom line, the Pentel Graph 600 is a very attractive, well made quality instrument that is equally at home on the writer’s desk or the draftsman's table. It’s light weight of only 11.3 grams makes it a pencil that I can write with all day long. It’s well designed grip is easy to grasp giving me very good control over the pencil. Small incremental lead advances mean less lead breakage and it’s over all balance helps the pencil glide across the paper. So, if you are after a good drafting pencil for just about any purpose then mosey on over to JetPens and check out the entire line of Pentel Graph 600 Drafting pencils. You’ll be glad you did!

Many thanks to JetPens for the use of the photo.

Clearing A Lead Jam From An Ohto Super Promecha PM-1503P Drafting Pencil

The Ohto Super Promecha PM-1503P Automatic Drafting pencil is what appears to me to be a 3rd generation Super Promecha. It's by far the best looking and the best designed of the series. The 2 predecessors that I'm aware of, the PM-1000S and the PM-1500S (see fig. 2) both have the unique feature of being able to set the maximum lead sleeve exposure length via a spring loaded threaded adjustment tubular wheel in the end cap of the pencil.

The PM-1500P Series lacks this feature and for a good reason. It was redundant (and probably costly to make) so it was unnecessary. The threaded tube sets the maximum length of the lead sleeve that is exposed when the lead sleeve is exposed regardless. The lead sleeve is exposed or hidden by turning the grip. With the grip all the up the lead sleeve is fully exposed, within the limits set by the adjustment in the end cap. With the grip all the way down the lead sleeve is completely hidden. But the grip can stop and expose only a portion of the lead sleeve any where along it's length of travel. Starting to get the picture? There were 2 devises that could do the same job, but in slightly different ways, so why keep both? So the lead sleeve length adjustment in the pencils end cap was finally drooped on the current model. So while this article focuses on the current model Super Promecha, it can easily be applied to the other 2 models with a slight variation.

Lead jams are not as common as they once were. This is due in part to better quality pencils as well as better quality lead. They also occur more readily in the smaller diameter lead sizes, mainly the 0.3 mm size. Despite this some pencil manufacturers have decided to leave clean out rods out out their pencils. Ohto is not one of them. So if you do experience a lead jam and have to clear the lead sleeve you'll have the proper tool to do the job. When lead jams do occur they can stop up a pencil instantly and the only thing that will get it working again is to clear the jam.

To clear a lead jam from the PM-1503S (and any other 1500S series pencil) follow these simple instructions. First remove the push button to expose the eraser. Remove the eraser and beneath it will be a very small diameter length of wire called a clean out rod. Keep the eraser and clean out rod out but replace the push button before proceeding or else you'll dump the lead from the pencil! Next rotate the grip counter clockwise, lowering the grip and hiding the lead sleeve (see fig. 2).

Once the grip is all the way down, remove the end cap. Be very careful
at this point as the end cap is under spring tension from a large spring housed inside the grip. This spring is what allows the grip to stop at any point in its length of travel and maintain its position. To remove the end cap tightly grasp the grip in one hand while grasping the end cap in the other and twist the end cap counter clockwise to unscrew it from the grip. Make sure that you do not lose the grip spring (see fig. 3)! The grip spring may stay in the grip or come out with the end cap, either way remove it and secure it and the end cap somewhere safe for a short period (see fig. 3A).




The lead sleeve is now partially exposed . To fully expose the lead sleeve reverse the direction of the grip, stopping just short of fully removing it from the threads (see fig. 4).

Now you are ready to remove the lead sleeve. Be careful here as well as the lead sleeve is also under tension by a small spring that sets tension for the tubular wheel that sets the max. length of lead exposed per click. To remove the lead sleeve, which is polished stainless steel, you may need something to give you added grip, such as a rubber jar lid opener, as the lead sleeve is on extremely tight. Grasp the body tube with one had, right where the rubber "O" rings are positioned (I used to think that these rubber "O" rings were purely decoration, but I've since learned that they serve a purpose. They are the grip used to help the user remove the lead sleeve). While grasping the lead sleeve in the other hand turn it counter clockwise to remove it (see fig. 5). Once the lead sleeve is free of the pencil, remove the spring and secure both in a safe place (see fig. 5A).


At this stage any further handling of the pencil proper will probably cause changes in the setting for the max. lead length per click as the tension has been removed from the tubular wheel that controls the setting. Secure the rest of the pencil in a safe place.

Next, take the lead sleeve and place it large end down on a hard surface like a desk or counter top. Hold it there with one hand and while using the eraser as a handle, insert the clean out rod into the mouth of the lead sleeve with the other hand and push down. You should feel some resistance as the clean out rod encounters the lead jam. Push past this resistance, it shouldn't take much force at all to clear the lead jam. When pulling the clean out rod out of the lead sleeve you should feel the resistance of the rubber lead retainer on the clean out rod suddenly give way. That's fine and should be expected. If you feel no resistance at all while removing the clean out rod then check the debris under the lead sleeve for a small black "top hat" looking device. Without the lead retainer the pencil will not work.

Should you find that the unlikely has happened and the lead retainer has become dislodged, click on this link to find out how to replace it.

Should all go well, and it should, retrieve all the pencil parts and reassemble the pencil simply by reversing the steps for disassembly. Once assembled the pencil should now be in working order. You may have to reset the amount of lead exposed per click as the disassembly and reassembly procedures may have disturbed this setting.

For the 2 older models that I have mentioned in this article the procedure will be very much the same with the following exceptions: There is a tubular wheel that controls the max. length lead sleeve espouser in the end cap of the 2 pencils along with a spring, visible through the opening in the end cap. Use caution when removing the end cap as the spring in the end cap slides inside the spring that is inside the grip. The 2 springs can become entangled, pulling the smaller spring from the end cap. It could therefore get lost causing the lead sleeve espouser function to become non functional. This part of the pencil will not work without the spring; The lead sleeve is not under spring tension as in the newest model and does not have as wide a base. Take extra care when pushing the clean out rod into the mouth of the lead sleeve as the lead sleeve can easily move and the thin wire of the clean out rod easily punctures skin.

For the full line of Ohto Drafting Pencils please visit our friends at JetPens.com.