Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video](youtube.com) |
Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video](youtube.com) |
They're available on amazon for not a huge amount of money:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pipe+slide+kuro+toga (no affiliate link)
I was hesitant to post a trivial comment, but I discovered an ancient container of 0.5 pencil inserts this morning, and... I worship high quality Pentels. Built to last!
Uniball also has custom lead with a softer outside and a harder core.
I had used a combination of 0.35mm, 0.5mm and 0.7mm mechanical pencils, but they had been significantly worse than 'real' pencils.
There are also the Pentel GraphGear models, which retract / extend with push, but the build isn't as satisfying.
I think that pencils are of course nice cuz you can write things lightly and then erase stuff. But honestly, after being forced to use a pen when moving to Europe in HS after years of "you have to use a pencil for math".... just scratching things out works so well.
Pencils also are pressure sensitive, if you want to do anything like gradients...
I still like pencils for doing paper puzzles or the like, just cuz it's a bit easier to "fix" stuff, but it's definitely the minority of my usage.
Sold.
My writing looks terrible if I use a ballpoint pen so I've always used pencils where possible, if I have to write in permanent ink then I'll use a good nibbed fountain pen (I've a collection including a Waterman, Parker and a Mont Blanc but good pens are outrageously expensive - and all of them are messy so I avoid them whenever possible).
I don't know if others have this problem but the neatness of my handwriting is highly dependent on the type of implement that I'm writing with so I'm quite particular about the type of pen or pencil I use. (I've no idea why the quality of my writing is so variable and so dependent on the type writing implement that I'm using, so I've considerable envy for those who can write with just about any type of pen or pencil and that their writing always remains neat and tidy.)
For years, I've used Cross 0.5mm mechanical propelling pencils and found them good but they too are hellishly expensive especially the gold plated ones, so when one of mine broke I kept my two remaining Crosses for best (as dress pencils for my suit etc.) and I started using the very much cheaper plastic Pentel ORENZ 0.5 and 0.7mm mechanical pencils (fact that they're cheap means I can have many more of them and scatter them around everywhere without the worry of losing one. By now I must have about a dozen or more scattered around the house. The reason I've so many is that I run a selection of leads with different hardnesses, typically HB, B, 2B and 4B.
I selected the Pentel ORENZ type as they were the best of the plastic types available at my local office supplier, and I was unaware until now that there are likely to be better alternatives available in the cheaper class of pencils.
One of the problems I've always had with mechanical pencils, including the high quality Crosses, is that I press hard and write heavily thus I'm forever breaking leads (incidentally, I use Pentel leads with the exception of 4B as over the years I've found them to be the strongest and most consistent).
I can't quite say that about the Pentel ORENZ however, compared with the Cross I found that I'm breaking leads between two and three times more often. Moreover, it was even more frequent with some of these pencils. On careful inspection I found that the protective extension tube was a thou or so larger in diameter than the others and this led to the leads breaking much more frequently. In recent times this has led me to also use the next lead size up - 0.7mm (it's a bit thick but it's OK for quick and rough work).
Whilst 0.7mm leads are definitely more rugged and much less prone to break, I would still much prefer to write with 0.5mm leads (again, my writing looks much tidier when I use them).
The enhancements I've seen in the pencils in this story I've not seen previously anywhere else. Of particular interest to me are the improved lead delivery mechanism and the rotating lead arrangement so I'm particularly interested in purchasing them. (The smearing and broadening effect as the lead wears down is particularly annoying so I hope that feature works well.)
One of the major problems with the sliding sleeve arrangement is that it interferes with one's writing by rubbing on the paper. The problem isn't very noticeable with the Crosses but nevertheless it's still annoying and it's close to being objectionable on the Pentel ORENZ. Moreover, if you drop the pencil it's likely to get a burr on the tip of the sleeve which will make things worse (the sleeve will then scrape across the paper instead of sliding over it). With these new pencils I can avoid that and I should be able overcome the problems I've been having with the Pentel ORENZ.
I'm mindful however of the fact that the Pentel ORENZ is also reviewed in this collection and it was given a glowing writeup, so I'm expecting that some hype has crept into the comments on all pencils.
I now have to figure how to purchase them, for certain there'll be no one near me who stocks them.
First, Kanji signs are more detailed than the alphabet and uneven lines can make it really ugly/hard to read. Same issue with breaking lead, causes ugliness.
Second, traditionally handwriting in Japan have been seen as a way to measure one's upbringing; you can fake looks and style but if your handwriting is bad, that signals that your parents didn't raise you well. This was(and still is in some places) the reason resumes have to be handwritten.
So tools that helps your handwriting had uses beyond just utility.
(my handwriting is garbage and I'm happy IT and tech jobs doesn't check this)
I've used the Uni Kuru Toga for years and have converted a few people to it. I don't think it's necessary for everyone, but it's just a great pencil.
It's also worth investing in better than the cheapest lead you can find as well. I prefer lead that is a little softer, and writes darker, than your standard "#2" pencil lead. There are a few sites dedicated to reviewing pens and pencils that are useful, and some have added on side stores where you can buy sampler packs.
I also recommend Paper Mate Flair felt tip marker pens for ink writing, especially if you've ever struggled with keeping legible notes.
https://writing-daiko.com/tegaki/service/rirekisho/index.htm...
I think the tone behind that word is more about being impressed by the thoughtfulness, and not at all derisive dismissal. If anything, I might detect a note of self-consciousness in the video's title-writer, perhaps a little embarrassment about being so impressed.
Sounds incredibly easy to cheat, but also not something Japanese would do, would they?
List an undergrad at a more prestigious university while your graduate degree is accurate. There’s a high chance outside of government few will verify. Hell, lie about it all. I know for a fact my last big tech employer never verified education.
My point is finding edge cases where a person with a certain set of antisocial traits will abuse the system doesn’t mean there isn’t value in it. The majority of people won’t take the risk to their professional reputation and will be honest.
Not if they make you write something when you come for the interview. It's not uncommon to have to fill out a questionnaire, even in Western companies.
Cultures differ :p
Cool fact to know though. Makes sense like being 'read' is what is valued more in the west.
This is elitist evil.
It’s so nice to see someone doing something well. Really well.
I have no connection to them other than I spent $500 with them last Christmas on gifts for my entire family.
Are these pencils common where you live? Here in Germany, they are known, but rather seldomly used...
Most people I can remember then using "mechanical pencils" had those where there was a stack of maybe 8 pencil tips (lead + plastic casing around it) going down the hollow plastic body, and when the piece broke or wore down too far, you would remove it from the stack and push it back in the top of the pencil to make the next tip available. I hated using them, they always broke, felt bad to use, and if you put it in your pocket the wrong direction you'd stab your hand when you went to grab something.
While exploring downtown on Blue Street (which had a mosaic of blue pebbles mixed into the road itself) we found a huge stationary store where the entire second floor was devoted to writing utensils. I went straight for the pencils section, more specifically, because I'm the kind of person who now uses hackernews, for the mechanical pencils section.
It blew my mind.
This store had everything. Metal pencils, plastic pencils, cheap pencils, expensive pencils, auto rotating lead, shake lead, with grips made of all kinds of materials. I don't remember if I even bought anything then, but what stuck with me was the fact they existed at all.
Later in high school I pissed off my parents by doubling my school supplies cost by making a JetPens account, the online embodiment of that stationary store on Blue St.
I tried a few different brands at first, but eventually the Tombow Zoom 505 Mechanical Pencil (0.5 mm) took the crown as my favorite. There's still one on my desk today.
I almost felt like a different person writing with that pencil. I also started only buying 8.5x11 lined paper because my calc teacher required it, but that added to the experience. I was no longer handing in crumpled pages from a spiral notebook with broken pencil marks all over it, but professional products on crisp full size paper with perfect text.
This started something for me, because ever since I've put a higher priority on what tools I use to make work. I have an happy hacker keyboard, a color graded BenQ photography monitor, and soon planning on upgrading to a stupidly expensive mirrorless camera.
Maybe I'm just making "buying expensive high quality things" into more than it really is, but at least for me it makes a noticeable mental difference when I'm making things and can feel the engineering that went into the tools I'm using.
Thanks for posting this! Brought up a lot of memories obviously lol
It may be over engineered and overpriced, but damn if it's not one beautiful item of stationary.
[0] https://wingback.co.uk/collections/mechanical-pencil/product...
I just started taking notes to learn a new programming language. Writing the code with a red pen and my own notes in blue makes for a fantastic contrast.
I, for one, have loved my Kuru Toga pencil (the rotating lead one) since the day I got it a few years ago.
If you don't lose a pencil, it lasts for decades and the cost is trivial.
Many years ago I really hoped the Kura Toga would be as revolutionary as the Quicker Clicker was back in the mid-90s, but it always felt like I was fighting the lead orientation. I have eventually settled on the rOtring and draftmatics because I enjoy their aggressive knurling.
I would really like a heavy, aggressively knurled side advance (preferably lower than the Pentel’s). I really miss the transparent barrel that displayed the action of the Quicker Clicker, but like the ergonomics of the fatter, tackier rubber grip.
I found the QC and the Pilot Precise V5, around the same time and nearly 30 years later they are still among my favorites. I mostly use the V5RT these days, but gladly grab a V5 (in blue or green) when I can.
(I also have a Sharp calculator from the same era that is still working just fine. The Japanese really built things to last in the 80s.)
It got me interested in stationary ever since then, and I've always loved JetPens. I've gone through phases where I really like mechanical pencils, although I mostly write with Uni Signo UM-151 0.38mm gel pens. Super smooth with a crisp, fine line.
JetPens is a great site with a very cool niche. Check out Kinokuniya too. There's one in Little Tokyo in LA. Lots of pens, pencils, notebooks, and all sorts of books and manga.
Unfortunately, the pretty colors have been discontinued, but if you're looking for a multipen and don't mind putting up some money, they're great.
Since that experience I've become a devoted fan of Zebra's line of pens, and I always carry an F-301 or F-402 in my pocket, have huge stacks of them in my pen drawer, and discovered the entire world of Japanese stationary. I now buy almost all of my stationary products from Japanese companies, except ironically mechanical pencils. My favorite mechanical pencil is the Rotring 800, which is made by a German company. For a fit of double-irony, they no longer manufacturer them in Germany and they are instead made in Japan under license by Holbein (who also makes amazing pencils for art use).
Between Jet Pens and Goulet Pens, I've spent a small fortune on stationary products over the years, but it creates a visceral experience that can't be replicated electronically (I've tried). My writing has improved, I take more notes, I write with more eloquence, and I've found using good stationary and writing well is so rare now that it becomes a nice symbolic touch that gets remembered.
On the downside, I probably own 500 or so pens and pencils of all variety, plus a requisite number of over-engineered pencil cases.
The habit extends beyond JetPens into somewhat exotic materials, like the pens from Tactile Turn out of Texas. It’s easy to spend $400+ on a pen there. It makes a fun conversation piece but very few understand the “cool pen” impulse some have.
[1] https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/pilot-id-shaker-mecha...
During my school years we had all kinds of discussions and comparisons for best pencils, best pens, best erasers.
As for erasers - do you recall anything that beats out the Pentel Hi-Polymer block eraser for the overwhelming vast majority of use cases?
I seriously couldn’t gear over just how bad Staedtler block eraser performed when I’d seen so many rave about it. I haven’t tried much other than it & the Pentel when it comes to erasers tho.
If you're interested in more details and how the mechanism actually works, here is a good link: https://stationery.wiki/Auto-Advance_mechanism
I currently use a pilot G2 and it's decent but I feel like a weighted pen body could feel better.
To me this exhibits the very best of the engineering craft: small, measurable improvements anchored in real issues faced by the consumer/client.
I use the Uni Kuru Toga in its fancy aluminium variant for both Dutch (mostly random notes and DIY measurements) and Japanese (I'm Dutch, but proficient in Japanese). For writing kanji, the self-rotating core just can't be beat. The line thickness remains a very neat 0.3mm with 0.5mm pencil lead due to the cone at the writing end staying, well, a cone.
Fortunately, these pencils can be ordered worldwide these days via various resellers. In Japan you get the luxury of just being able to walk into a 文房具屋 (a stationary shop) and buy one starting from ¥500 or so.
At 0.2mm it’s great for a math, especially with the number of super and subscripts I find myself ending up with.
The redesigned clutch on the one pencil is a Kevin good idea I wish all pencils have. Being able to write till the last 0.5mm of lead instead of wasting 10mm.
10mm doesn’t sound like a lot, but standard lead is only 60mm long, so we’re talking about wasting 16% of the lead. It gets even worse if it happens to break into shorter pieces.
In my experience in the US (Texas), most school students only use mechanical pencils for regular work. It's more convenient (no sharpener), and cheaper than a regular pencil.
Im amazed these aren't common here.
I guess in Germany you can buy some stuff from Müller. Whenever I visit Majorca (I know, sometimes it feels you're not in Spain but in a small länder) I go to the stationery section in the Müller located in Plaza de España.
Now I just use a standard #2 pencil.
There is also a new "Multifunction pen" (Black+Red+0.5mm) in three colours. It is slightly longer than the Mechanical pencil[2].
Finally, the Pentel Kerry makes a very good companion to the Zoom 505.
They are still in production. Problem is they are plastic and the brand and model fades after using it heavily, which makes hard to guess which @#$! lead size you need (I use Staedler leads because the case has feeding mechanism that feeds the lead into the pencil without having to touch the leads with your hand. Neat and tidy).
Today, lead pencils contain a mix of graphite and clay, in ratios chosen to produce varying "darkness" of the marks. Higher graphite content is softer, darker, and wears more quickly.
The traditional classification scale runs from 9B ('B' for blackness) down to 1B, HB, F (for fine, or firm, but not meaningful really), 1H, and up to 9H ('H' for hardness). HB is the US-typical "#2 pencil".
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1860-0616-...
Really looks like modern (graphite) pencil, doesn't it? (Unless I've misunderstood which parts are lead and which aren't -- but I think I've interpreted it right).
edit: Here's a technical article about how you can positively identify lead (Pb) in medieval drawings, and distinguish it from silver and other metals. (In case anyone was still skeptical). They show a variety of other examples.
https://sci-hub.se/10.1179/sic.2009.54.2.106 ("A Note on the Examination of Silverpoint Drawings by Near-Infrared Reflectography")
Anecdote: In ~5th grade science class, we had a folded sheet of metallic lead that was passed around for students to handle. I suspect this practice has been discontinued!
At the time, I thought pencils contained real lead (Pb), so I tried to use the lead sheet to mark paper. It worked well! But not as well as (and had different marking characteristics from) a regular pencil. I assumed the improvements were part of the productization, but that the pencil still used real lead.
Wikipedia says, on the discovery of naturally-occurring graphite:
> Chemistry was in its infancy and the substance was thought to be a form of lead. Consequently, it was called plumbago (Latin for "lead ore").
It's funny how names stick. 500 years and counting on this one.
Just because other practices are also elitist doesn't make this virtuous.
Let's learn from mistakes of the past instead of repeating them out of laziness or tribalism.