The perfect mechanical pencil

College Confidential Community
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<p>This is going to sound silly, but I'm on a quest to find the perfect mechanical pencil. I've gone through more that I care to admit, but my current pick is the Papermate Titanium. It's weighted well, has a BIG eraser, and takes .05mm lead. The only issues are that they only hold up for about a year before the mechanisms get loose and the lead starts sliding back as you're writing and the eraser slides back as you're erasing, and they are no longer sold in stores. My last one is about to come apart, and I've yet to find anything I like as well. </p>

<p>My requirements:
Is less then $15
Takes .05mm lead
Has a decent sized eraser
The body isn't huge</p>

<p>Any one have any recommendations?</p>

2

<p>How about a pen?</p>

3

<p>Papermate PhD Ultra. Eraser is ideal -- you just rotate the top piece and it refills. Takes .05 lead, writes well, lead generally doesn't get caught. In previous years, one has lasted me all year. Cost around $7.</p>

4

<p>I currently use Pentel Twist Erase...kinda corny name, but actually a pretty good pencil. Solid body, and has the twist-eraser (as the name implies). Very good for it's price, which is around $4.</p>

5

<p>For pens, I love the uniball signo 207 series.</p>

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<p>I use the Papermate Xtend. You might not like how [url=<a href="http://img.shopping.com/cctool/PrdImg/images/pr/177X150/00/02/32/55/ab/36853163.JPG%5Dchunky%5B/url"&gt;http://img.shopping.com/cctool/PrdImg/images/pr/177X150/00/02/32/55/ab/36853163.JPG]chunky[/url&lt;/a&gt;] it is, though. I find that it's comfortable to write with, and it doesn't start to blister the side of your middle finger, because the piece of rubber is pretty thick. It uses 0.5mm lead, and the eraser is pretty big. I tend to take apart pens and pencils while I'm in class, which causes the pencils to start to break after about 4 or 5 months. They could definitely last longer if you take care fo them, though. It costs about $6 or $7 for a pack of two.</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.scribblers.co.uk/acatalog/pentel_p205_automatic_pencil.gif%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.scribblers.co.uk/acatalog/pentel_p205_automatic_pencil.gif&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I've been using the Pentel P205 (0.5mm - black) since elementary school. I own five of them at the moment. :D</p>

<p><a href="http://davesmechanicalpencils.blogspot.com/2006/05/pentel-sharp-p205-mechanical-pencil.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://davesmechanicalpencils.blogspot.com/2006/05/pentel-sharp-p205-mechanical-pencil.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>You can use the P203 if you want a sharper 0.3mm point.</p>

8

<p>I use foray mechanical pencils as my weapon of choice.</p>

9

<p>Pfft. The Pentel P205 has a 4mm non-retractable lead sleeve. Optimal for ripping holes in pockets/people.</p>

10

<p>Actually, I did give myself a pretty nasty cut when the lead sleeve on my Zebra 402 went through my back pack and my jeans. </p>

<p>I like pencils because A: I can get a finer line than with a pen, and B: they're so much better for math class notes and in my silly science class where we're in groups and everyone's papers have to match to get credit. Pens have their uses, but my writing is actually much more legible in pencil.</p>

<p>I have tried the Xtend before and found it to be off-balance. I could only find the .7mm version, so the .5mm could be different. The grip all the way down was nice, though, because I tend to hold my pencils at near the tip.</p>

<p>The Twist Erase is going on my list of ones to try. It looks remarkably like Titanium, which gets it high marks in my book! I think I can still get those locally, too!</p>

<p><em>drools over the P203</em> I think I'm going to have to find one of these, too....</p>

11

<p>Space Pen > All</p>

12

<p>They're cool, but they still aren't a pencil.</p>

13

<p>I usually use those cheapo pencils that come in packs of about 20. The erasers last about a week and a half, but they're cheap. Cheap cheap cheap. But I really do like those Papermate Xtend.</p>

14

<p>I've never had a pencil that cost more than a quarter. Most that I have are free; I find them on the ground or on a desk.</p>

15

<p>
[quote]
Most that I have are free; I find them on the ground or on a desk.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I hope you sanitize them before proceeding to use them and eat lunch w/o washing your hands!.</p>

16

<p>I can't stand 0.7mm lead. I know someone who has a pencil that uses 0.9mm lead. I can't even imagine writing with something like that.</p>

17

<p>I like Bic. Those really simple Bics in 0.7 lead, sorry rockermcr. Man, a Bic with a pencil grip on it is soo nice for my vice like pencil handling. </p>

<p>I can break a lead pencil with a 0.5 lead like nothing, without meaning to or anything.</p>

<p>One time, I tried to just use pencils, but it was a heck.</p>

18

<p>I find it funny when someone asks for a pencil sharpener.</p>

19

<p>I like normal pencils as long as the eraser is awesome enough.</p>

20

<p>Ugh. Bic's have squeaky lead. Half the girls in my science class use those, and you can hear this unified <em>squeak!</em> when they start taking notes. It drives me crazy!!!</p>

<p>Oh, and if you can break .5mm lead really easily, you're pressing too hard or using cheap lead.</p>