Submitted 1 day ago by KoalaUnknown@lemmy.world to [deleted]
https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/0e7dee46-d59f-43f7-9b29-043d9c358a1a.png
Just hand over the regular pencil and a decent sharpener.
Bonus points for #2 being #2
If you feel they are unreliable, it may just be that you aren’t using good ones. I use 3 on a regular basis and never have issues with feeding or lead breaking; I also only have to refill it every few weeks.
I’ve had the same mechanical pencil for ten years. It’s comfortable, reliable, easy to reload, but if I had to choose one for the rest of my life, I’d still go with the traditional wood/graphite pencil. It’s cheap, it’s everywhere, it’s durable, and not a great loss if you lose it.
Same, an actual good quality, properly made and assembled mechanical pencil will just keep going and going, and if you treat it well, you never need to replace it.
Kind like a decent quality safety razor.
All you gotta do is treat it right and replace the razors/graphite, saves money after probably a month or two of decent use.
I got one because I was intrigued by its lead rotation, but I found that it really didn’t rotate the lead enough while I wrote. I kept having to rotate the barrel manually to keep a thin line like I do for every other mechanical pencil, and then would get annoyed every time the clip came around to brush my hand. I’ve been wondering if I’m doing something wrong, or if Japanese just uses more shorter strokes. Do you also like it when writing English?
On the topic of sharpeners, those battery powered pressure sharpeners are satisfying as fuck. They’re shit and invariably snap the nib, but they’re the sharpening equivalent of shoving a Q-tip in your ear and having a good rake about.
Or if you’re all about the procrastination, spending a few minutes every lesson at the classroom sharpener like this one brings back the nostalgia:
The pull out drawer for shavings is top tier.
Unreliable? I have two Staedtler Mars Micro pens I bought a good 20 years ago and they both work perfectly.
Plus a good ol Dixon Ticonderoga can write on stuff other than paper. About the only time I use a pencil is when doing carpentry and mechanical ones just snap.
When I was doing roofing the pica dry mechanical pencils made things so much better. Sure a pencil works good on wood, but what about when I have to mark gray sheet metal? You need something that comes with different colors.
Back at my school in the 90’s you just bought a 10 pack of the cheap black Bic mechanical pencils for like $3 and you were set for the year if you didn’t lose too many. They never really broke and you didn’t have to refill them if you didn’t want to. They also never clogged and if you weren’t an idiot you didn’t try to use too much lead length to where it would break off.
They were simple and easy and always sharp.
“Decent sharpener” aka box cutters.
It also always ends mid-word/stroke, and you start etching the paper with the metal end. Very annoying.
Why do I feel like I’m participating in market research
Got em guys. I took down Mr. Bic
If that were the case, I would imagine that they would have picked a website with a much larger user base.
This is the real personality tests, fuck Myers-Briggs and astrology. I need to know your choices for stationary.
I’m a pen/pencil freak who’s spent an amazing amount of money on them, and I’d choose 2.
#2
We’ve taken way too many things that don’t need to be plastic and made them plastic
made them plastic
#1 is all metal. Retractable tip. Bought one after Adam Savage reviewed them.
#2 is definitely the best long-term option, but it’s really nice not to have to constantly sharpen while you’re doing some intricate work.
Yeah but with mechanical pencils you can buy one and have it for years, only just buying the occasional pack of leads… Saves the trees ¯_(ツ)_/¯
+1
never fails
METAL KURU TOGA MY GOAT 👑 👑 👑 🐐 🐐 🐐 🔥🔥🔥
The others don’t know just how good kuru togas are
Yes! Finally bought one about a month ago, and I’ll never go back!
Reminds me of when I had to write a physics exam in university and it required a pencil for the Scantron cards. I basically never carried pencils so when my pencil tip broke I had to grab my utility knife out of my backpack and sharpen it to continue writing my exam.
That’s vietnam level shit going on there lmao.
Got in trouble in school once for using one of those way back in the day. Dad was a construction supervisor so they were frequently lying around.
Staedtler 35-05B but I guess 4 looks closest so I’ll take that
3 Kuru Toga. Every time
Best pencil i have used
Number 2 is the only one that can write effectively on wood. I may not build a lot, but when I have tried to use a mechanical pencil for marking wood, it was a total fail.
Definitely 2. Sharpening is such a nice break from writing.
This image perfectly stretches in the thread display. Incredibly satisfying.
Except they have no eraser. What good is the black tip??
5B hardness
Ja.
Also, some of these options are not pencils. For a pen I’d go for 5/6.
They all look like pencils to me.
5 literally says pencil on it.
2
Same. I press too hard to use mechanical pencils
I just like being able to use a duller point sometimes when I’m drawing.
I’m surprised nobody else has rotring… my favorite by a considerable amount. Second place goes to the Uni Kuro Toga. Both fantastic pencils, but the weight and feel of the rotring 600 just leaves everything else in the dust
The rotring is super smooth, but its so heavy. I wanted it to be my favorite, but I ended up reaching for the kuro toga far more. Doesnt help that the tip of the rotring bent and dented out on the first drop. I bent it back and it still works, as long as I don’t rotate it.
Yessss. Use a 500 daily
I have the same phone as you. I love that it’s red.
the correct answer
Damn straight. Best pencil I’ve ever had. Well, the 0.5mm. I write too small for 0.7.
That’s like an allergen for ADHD
Full metall you say? Damnn.
I didn’t know about this brand and now I have been pushed into extensive research of their whole lineup of mechanical pens.
The 800 looks amazing but I’ve heard some people complaining about the nib being a bit wobbly, is that true in your experience?
IIRC the 600 is pretty much the same pencil but with a non retractable tip. It might be better for you unless you carry it around.
2
If I’m only allowed one type of pencil it’s good old #2
Pentel.
Always.
I prefer the p20x series personally but just about every mech pencil I’ve ever used from them has been excellent
I had a pentel pen and it was just amazing. Very good for finger spinning
Anyone who picks #7 is a freak
I would suggest that the Dixon Ticonderoga is the most reliable, most cost-efficient, and easiest-to-use writing utinsil in the history of humanity.*
Each other option has more points of potential failure and additional complexities over the Ticonderoga. While more complicated tools may net you some improvement in writing style or sharpness, they are massive trade-offs in more basic areas.
This would be much the same question if it were “what car would you drive for the rest of your life” between fancy ones like Ferraris and Lambos to cheaper, more reliable ones like Corollas and Civics. Everyone likes the look of the Ferrari – but the only car for the rest of your life? It’s got to be reliable, or you’re going nowhere. You want to be able to keep driving.
The Ticonderoga guarantees you can keep writing.
*intentionally overselling it for humor. But it is a nice, simple, good-quality pencil.
#8 all the way.
If I had to do sketch design drafting with a pen or wooden pencil in college and not a 0.5 mechanical, I would have probably become a school shooter.
#3 for writing.
2
5 may not be pretty, but it’s had my back in some hard times.
Can I just use a pen?
The Pentel Graphgear 1000 is great. I love how it retracts.
Bytemeister@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
I’d rather fucking kill myself.