Mechanical pencil recommendations?

[Andy Block]

I’m hoping some folks who regularly use mechanical pencils for marking up stock will share preferred makes and models. I’m optimistic that good quality pencils that take refills, rather than disposables, are out there. So far my search has turned up reviews that were disappointing.

Thanks in advance
Andy

[Chris Schoenthal]

Depending on what kind of marking you are trying to do, different sizes of lead are better than others.
James, at Stumpy Nubs, has an excellent video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSBaxIzRwb0&ab_channel=StumpyNubs) about marking options.

[Pat Rice]

This is my go to mechanical pencil, I own several of them 467493

[Curt Harms]

I use mechanical pencils I find in Staples or Walmart. BIC is refillable, other brands may be as well. I have 3 different sized leads, .5 mm, .7 mm and .9 mm. I could do without the .7 mm but .5mm makes a fine line and .9 mm is thick enough to not break too easily. An advantage of mechanical pencils is that the line doesn't get thicker as the tip wears and they don't have to be sharpened. Even the .9 mm isn't as strong as the old wood carpenter's pencil but i find them strong enough for most uses. Don't extend the lead more than necessary.

[Derek Meyer]

This is my go to mechanical pencil, I own several of them 467493

I bought several of this exact pencil a couple of years ago and it's been a good one. I got the 0.7mm one as I like the bigger lead.

I have some 32 year old mechanical pencils that I got when I was in college that were made by Berol. I have 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9mm ones. I like the 0.9 because the lead doesn't bread as often. The pencils have been flawless and the all work great even after so many years. I wish they still made that one.

[Edwin Santos]

Get the Zebra DelGuard and you won't be sorry

[Charlie Velasquez]

I have some of these. No reason, it was just what I saw in the catalog. Well, actually it was yellow and I thought it would be easier to find on my cluttered bench. My only requirement was 0.9 mm.
https://www.amazon.com/PENTEL-Mechanical-Drafting-Pencil-P209BP2K6/dp/B002VKWSYI


I supplied all my students with pencils. Originally I bought the pop-a-point type, but later went with 0.9mm mechanicals. Then purchased a case of replacement leads. When I was cleaning up my classroom for the last time upon retirement I discovered I had a lifetime’s supply, welllll,... maybe many people’s lifetime’s supply of pencils and leads stored in various places in the classroom. Those student pencils were Bic, bought in bulk.
https://www.amazon.com/BIC-Xtra-Strong-Mechanical-Colorful-Assorted/dp/B08P23KSXL/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=bif+mevhanical+pencil+.9mm&qid=1636065247&qsid=133-4847933-5198731&s=office-products&sr=1-1&sres=B08P23KSXL%2CB07XMPTDMJ%2CB01MZE2FY8%2CB08RZ4 NPMB%2CB003VNSNO8%2CB00OQQ05JA%2CB0147GDMT8%2CB004 7CP6SI%2CB002JG10GG%2CB07JM8HF56%2CB089V4R63S%2CB0 7R1318T5%2CB002S72L50%2CB0723C869R%2CB00260XD1K%2C B0007L1VN2%2CB08MS44XJT%2CB0006HXQXA%2CB08MQRQTKJ% 2CB08GL31GNZ&srpt=WRITING_INSTRUMENT.
They work fine, also

[Keith Outten]

When you purchase lead for a mechanical pencil you need to not only select the diameter but the lead hardness as well. Lead for a 0.9 mm pencil may still be fragile if it is a soft lead (normally darker), basically you have similar choices as you do with wooden pencils.

[Kev Williams]

If Staedtler still makes 'em like they use to, I'll highly recommend-
Found some leftover 2mm leads of my dads, I'll wager these are at least 60 years old...
467573

Can't locate any of the pencils or sharpeners, but what I see online are similar, and the pencils at least are still made in Germany--
467574
THIS type, good, 2mm lead and a spring loaded collet style lead holder...
All of the 'click' type pencils I've ever used with the .7mm lead and just a hole for lead to come out, I kept breaking the leads just using them.


sharpener for these:
467575
The ones my dad had were shorter and bigger around, but they work the same way, stick the pencil in and spin it round and round a few times ;)

[Dan Friedrichs]

Rotring 800
https://www.rotring.com/en/stylus/346-rotring-800plus-0350117900181.html

The entire tip mechanism retracts with a twist, making it much more useful in the shop (where the fine tip of a regular mechanical pencil would always seem to be getting bent or beat up)

[Paul F Franklin]

This is my go to mechanical pencil, I own several of them 467493

I have a half dozen or so of these (.5mm) and like them a lot. The retracting tip makes them more resistant to breaking the leads when stuffed in an apron pocket or thrown in a drawer (provided you take a second to press the retract).

[Ken Fitzgerald]

This is my go to mechanical pencil, I own several of them 467493


I bought several of this exact pencil a couple of years ago and it's been a good one. I got the 0.7mm one as I like the bigger lead.

I have some 32 year old mechanical pencils that I got when I was in college that were made by Berol. I have 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9mm ones. I like the 0.9 because the lead doesn't bread as often. The pencils have been flawless and the all work great even after so many years. I wish they still made that one.

I buy very similar 0.9 mm Pentels on Amazon. I have 3 of them floating around between the shop and the house. Great pencils!

[Jim Koepke]

[edited]
Can't locate any of the pencils or sharpeners, but what I see online are similar, and the pencils at least are still made in Germany--
467574
THIS type, good, 2mm lead and a spring loaded collet style lead holder...



Staedtler is also my favorite lead holder. All of mine have a removable lead pointer in the top. A long long time ago in a drafting supply store far far away they sold leads with a replacement cap that was a different color for each lead hardness.

My electric eraser is a Staedtler and has an optional lead pointer on the top of the tube for the eraser stock.

For most woodworking my pencil is either a #1. A half gross of these were purchased online a few years back. Otherwise it is a carpenter's pencil. These can be sharpened a few ways. For thin lines sharpen to a chisel edge. There are sharpeners made for carpenter's pencils that will give them a round point.

There was a video on line by a woman woodworker who shows the advantages of four different ways to shape the lead.

jtk

[George Yetka]

Now this is my thread
Rotring600/800
Uni kuru-togo(cool rotating system that rotates the lead)
Twsbi has a nice solid one(i only have .5 from them so I havent tried in the garage)

Pentel PG5 for cheap options
Pentel graphgear pretty nice for a semi cheap option

[Tom Stenzel]

When you want a pencil for marking up stock I'm not sure what you really need. Do you want a fine line pencil, a lead holder that holds a 2mm lead, or something like a china marker that's refillable? Would a soapstone holder be appropriate for what you need? I'd like some clarification on what you'd like these for.

Everybody else has written about what they like to use so I'll chime in with my pencils preferences even though they're completely useless for the OP's needs.

For writing I like my Pentel P205 (.5mm) but it tends to tear newsprint. So for crossword puzzles I use a Pentel P209 (.9mm). For the shop I use the wood case pencils I find by the high school near my house. I've got a lifetime supply of those. The kids must have some big holes in their pockets. Wish they'd put money in those pockets instead of stationary.

BTW, I like the Pentel lead. I've tried to refill the Bic pencils with it but found the clutch can't quite grab it. The lead is too slippery.

Edit: Is this something they would use? It's nothing I've ever used but might be appropriate:

https://www.amazon.com/Listo-1620-Markers-Pencils-Marking/dp/B000DZEABC/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=china+marker&qid=1636161474&sr=8-12

-Tom

[Alex Walter]

For Mechanical Pencil, absolutely, 100% the Uni Kurutoga Roulette (https://www.amazon.com/Uni-Mechanical-Kurutoga-Roulette-M510171P-43/dp/B004OHNTVC/ref=sr_1_1?pldnSite=1&th=1) , specifically (https://digital-planner.com/life/planner/dark) the one with the metal body. It has great feel, and the fact that the graphite constantly gets rotated means the point stays sharper longer and the graphite lasts a bit longer too.


For pens, I like the Uni Jetstream (https://www.amazon.com/Jetstream-Retractable--0-7mm-black-Ink-value-Description/dp/B00X8YUT9M/ref=sr_1_3?pldnSite=1), it doesn't run, it's soft and comfortable. The 0.7 is nice for stuff that you want big, solid, etc. The 0.5 or the 0.38 is better if you write small.

[George Yetka]

When you want a pencil for marking up stock I'm not sure what you really need. Do you want a fine line pencil, a lead holder that holds a 2mm lead, or something like a china marker that's refillable? Would a soapstone holder be appropriate for what you need? I'd like some clarification on what you'd like these for.

Everybody else has written about what they like to use so I'll chime in with my pencils preferences even though they're completely useless for the OP's needs.

For writing I like my Pentel P205 (.5mm) but it tends to tear newsprint. So for crossword puzzles I use a Pentel P209 (.9mm). For the shop I use the wood case pencils I find by the high school near my house. I've got a lifetime supply of those. The kids must have some big holes in their pockets. Wish they'd put money in those pockets instead of stationary.

BTW, I like the Pentel lead. I've tried to refill the Bic pencils with it but found the clutch can't quite grab it. The lead is too slippery.

Edit: Is this something they would use? It's nothing I've ever used but might be appropriate:

https://www.amazon.com/Listo-1620-Markers-Pencils-Marking/dp/B000DZEABC/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=china+marker&qid=1636161474&sr=8-12

-Tom

.5 is good against a straight edge with light pressure. .7 or .9 is better if it in a tool like some of woodpeckers where you drag the pencil. Smaller the better for accuracy

[Jeff Bartley]

I think the ones I use are Pentels but the labels have all worn off. I like 0.7 and 0.9. A few years back I bought some 0.7 lead called Gorilla lead…..it was the best. Now I’ve used it all and I can’t find it. Has anyone seen that lead?

[Dan Hunkele]

Walmart has these

https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Write-Dudes-Gorilla-Lead-Edge-Mechanical-Pencil-1-8mm-2-Pack/44933641

[Jim Koepke]

Walmart has these

https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Write-Dudes-Gorilla-Lead-Edge-Mechanical-Pencil-1-8mm-2-Pack/44933641

They don't have them now. Just below the price it says "Out of Stock."

BTW, one of my favorite mechanical pencils isn't used for marking wood. It was purchased years ago. It has a push button on the side to advance the lead.

Search for the > pentel quicker clicker < All the URLs are way long and the prices are all over the place.

jtk

[Rob Luter]

I use Lead Holders aka Chuck Pencils. I've had these since I started as a draftsman 40+ years ago. I've had the K&E pointer all this time too. I found the Tru-Point in an antique shop for cheap with the original box and paperwork. I like being able to use different grades (and colors) of lead to suit the wood I'm working with. For rough work I use the tried and true carpenter's pencil. I grabbed a handful at the homebuilders show last time I went and I'm set for life.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51679247563_ac4e08cbb6_b.jpg

[Bill McNiel]

Rotring 800
https://www.rotring.com/en/stylus/346-rotring-800plus-0350117900181.html

The entire tip mechanism retracts with a twist, making it much more useful in the shop (where the fine tip of a regular mechanical pencil would always seem to be getting bent or beat up)

J'accord 100%, I still draw by hand (I find the process much more satisfying than using a computer) and this is the best I've ever used for sketching, drawing and fine woodworking layout.

[Tom Bender]

For precision, first sand the wood