Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Automatic Drafting Pencil, 0.7mm Lead Size, Blue Barrel, 1 Each (PG1017C)

like other longtime mechanical pencil users here, I've used almost all pencils, my favorites being the Rotring 600/Koh-i-Noor Rapidomatic (God, how i loved it, i felt like i was using a scalpel), the Staedtler 925 (the all-metal version is fantastic, the plastic version is garbage), and the Pentel P205 (because it was ubiquitous and pretty damn good for the price). along the way, I've used many other pencils, but none stick out in my mind as well as these.my last pencil before getting this one was my trusty Pentel P205 which had after about 5 years of constant abuse (including dropping it lots of times) had finally given out.i then decided to order this pencil for two reasons: i liked the Rotring-like sharp tip (it simply feels more precise when i write, since i like to write my formulas extra small), and its all-metal design (all metal pencils simply feel more sturdy than plastic, even though the pentel P205 with its bakelite-hard composition comes close). when i got the pencil, i began to use it and found Pentel really did all their homework. for starters, the retractable point is a design that ALL manufacturers of long-sleeve pencils should adopt! i can't tell you how many Koh-i-Noors and Rotrings i've killed after dropping them (we're all clumsy sometimes and our pencils should be built to deal with this). Not to mention the fact it won't poke through your shirt or injure someone if you accidentally drop it on them (something that the Koh-I-Noor regularly risked doing). The feel, as is expected in an all-metal pencil is superb and feels like its gonna last a while as compared with plastic pencils that felt like cheap imitations. the little rubber oval points inside the metal knurlings are a tradeoff for those who felt the knurls were a bit like a nail file; the result is a good tradeoff that feels secure in your hand without feeling too rough. the pushbutton mechanism advances the lead a little less than normal, but i noticed that my leads broke less often as a result (though some say buying top quality leads solves that, though lead breakage is at least partly the fault of a sloppy mechanism, and this one's mechanism is NOT sloppy). so writing with the pencil, even feverishly copying down physics notes onto multiple sheets of paper for a couple hours at a time (something i do regularly) is quite comfortable and enjoyable... not to mention the fact the pencil looks nice and i get asked about it occasionally. the eraser, well, unfortunately, i've come to expect that the eraser is simply not that important (yes, i'd like to find a pencil with a great eraser, but haven't yet), so for now, i simply use the tiny eraser when i don't carry my large one. the price is also great as it is in the same ballpark as the nicer pencils while offering the extra help. all in all, i'd get one again as it seems like the best of both worlds (sharp long sleeve, good reliable daily writer pencil).

I like this pencil so much, I purchased all 5 sizes this time: 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9. My favorite lead is 2B. It's softer and much darker than the standard HB. H=Hard. The lead range is 4H, 3H...to HB, B...3B, 4B. When I'm checking construction sites, I use 0.9 to write erasable info on wood, walls, and other materials, wet or dry, regardless of temperatures. Not so with Sharpies and wax pencils. In the office, I use 0.5 and 0.7 for paperwork, blueprints, etc. The British all-time favorite is 0.4. I use the 0.3 for adding tiny details to building drawings and it matches my love for 0.38 gel-ink (ultra-fine) pens.GraphGear 1000s are great mechanical pencils. The only ones with fully retractable pencil points. I use Pentel Clicking erasers instead of the endcaps. It seems like too much work to stop writing, pull-off the endcap, erase, then put it back on. In half that time, I've grabbed an eraser and done. I had the same problem with the 0.7 pencil breaking like a couple of other Amazon reviewers. That blue ring in the middle of the pencil is plastic, which I didn't know until I found my pencil broken. Easy fix though. I put the two pieces back together and taped it super tight with black electrical tape - the good stuff (3M Temflex). Temflex is very durable, stretches a little, resistant to both water and extreme temperatures. 4 weeks later, my pencil still works like new and looks good. I kind of like the black tape. It's one more way of knowing which pencils are mine. Electrical tape comes in many colors. I plan to tape my other pencils too. So far, my new replacement 0.7 is not needed.NOTE: The price of lead refills varies a lot across Amazon. Also, Pentel has two sources. Ain Pentel is from Japan. I'm guessing the other is from China. ROtring, Staedtler, and Mars are brands well-known by engineers, architects, and draftsmen. Faber-Castell is well-known in the art world. Presently, I trying Mr. Pen because I really like their gel highlighters and lower prices. So far, no complaints. But I have both Ain Pentel and Pentel waiting in the wings. Also, I don't care about the little bar code sticker on all my pencils because my hands never touch it except during lead refilling. Buy the GraphGear 1000. It's pricey but worth it if you write with pencil a lot.