Zebra DelGuard 0.3 mm Mechanical Pencil Review

There is no getting around the fact that 0.3 mm lead is fragile. It’s my preferred lead width when available, and I accept that it is going to break more often than wider diameter lead. The Zebra DelGuard proposes to fix that issue with a special internal mechanism to prevent breakage, and it works like a champ.

I previously reviewed the 0.5 mm Zebra DelGuard and found the same thing - the mechanism worked as advertised. But I don’t have a breakage problem with 0.5 mm lead to begin with. So yes, the mechanism worked fine in the 0.5 mm, but it wasn’t the best test. 0.3 mm lead, on the other hand, is very fragile and needs the added benefit of what the DelGuard offers.

I haven’t written novel-length notes with the 0.3 mm DelGuard yet, but in the time I have used it, I haven’t broken the lead one time. With my previous favorite 0.3 mm mechanical pencil - the Alvin Draft-Matic - breaking the lead every now and then was the price of admission, and I accepted it. I don’t have to accept that as fact anymore with the DelGuard.

The Pentel Orenz 0.2 mm Mechanical Pencil solved this problem a different way by having an extended pipe where the lead barely poked out, but the look and feel of writing with metal as opposed to graphite didn’t work for me. The DelGuard does it in a more traditional style and functional manner.

As far as negatives go I only have minor design quibbles. Why have a white clip with gold writing when the rest of the pencil has a black and silver style? It’s not egregious and doesn’t keep me from using the pencil, but that’s one of those things I find odd. I’m guessing the clip color is to designate between the 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm sizes. Otherwise, it is a comfortable pencil to write with, and the eraser is actually works. If you like the plastic barrel Uni-ball Kuru Toga then you will like the DelGuard as well.

Innovation in basic writing instruments is a challenge for most companies, so it’s nice to see brands try things like this from time to time. Especially when it solves a problem and works this well.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Uni Kuru Toga Disney Mechanical Pencil

Japanese stationery manufacturers are the best in the world at product tie-ins, and no one does it better than Uni-ball. Their latest collaboration features one of the best mechanical pencils in the world - the Uni Kuru Toga - and one of the world's favorite entertainment companies in Disney.

This latest Kuru Toga drop features three character pencils - Mickey, Minnie, and Donald - plus three mouse ear pattern barrels in black, blue, and pink. There are even matching spare lead holders in black, white, and pink.

I went with a one of each approach, grabbing the Mickey Glove pencil, Blue Mouse Ear pencil, and Disney White lead holder. While they are all wonderfully designed - I expect no less from Uni and Disney - the character pencils are the real standout.

For example, the Mickey Glove pencil features a two tone black and red barrel with white accents to match Mickeys famous look. The black section contains a single image of Mickey's white glove, and the red section a single yellow shoe. It is a simple, clean design that doesn't scream DISNEY PENCIL!!! But is classic and cool. The Minnie and Donald pencils are designed in the same fashion.

The Mouse Ear patterned pencils are excellent in their own right, with small ears and polka dots in a repeating pattern up and down the barrel. The pink and blue barrels have a little extra shine as well. The lead holders are done in a similar fashion with a couple of additional colors mixed in.

The one downside with this - and most - branded merchandise is that you are going to pay a premium. Two dollars more than the standard Kuru Toga (more if you can find basic black at an office supply store), and an equal amount for the lead holders. But Disney fans and stationery fans alike are happy to pay the price to see their favorite characters on one of their favorite writing instruments. I know I was excited to get my hands on these and my kids are excited as well, knowing they get them as soon as this review is done.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

First Look: Titanium Mechanical Pencil

I have had the Titanium Mechanical Pencil in my hands for a few weeks now thanks to the team at Cogent Industries, and have found this pencil to be extremely hard to review. It’s not because it isn’t a good pencil, it’s engineered to very high standards, but there are a few things that are keeping me from backing this pencil myself.

There is no doubt this is a high quality titanium pencil. The manufacturing quality is as nice as I have seen on any Kickstarter project, and Magnus Macdonald, the project creator, clearly knows what he is doing. The design is clean, the tolerances are tight, and the finishing is perfect. It’s extremely well done.

That said, I can’t use it regularly. The primary issue is with the clip. First off, there is a sizeable gap between the clip end and the barrel. That may allow it to clip well on thick fabric like jeans, but shirts and thinner materials are a no go. It slides all over. You are going to have a hard time bending the thick titanium too. The Titanium Pen Magnus offers uses the same design, so this is a design choice.

Secondly, and the more serious issue, is that the clip bulge hits your hand in an uncomfortable way. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t twist the pencil in their hand when writing (aside from the Kuru Toga of course), and when you rotate the Titanium Menchanical Pencil you are going to run into the protruding clip frequently. It’s a completely different pencil when the clip is in the top position as opposed to the bottom position digging into your hand. You can get away with this on a pen, but not on a mechanical pencil.

I’m not a huge fan of the short end cap in use on this design either. Aesthtically it is fine, but functionally, like when removing it to add lead, it is hard to grip and pull off. Luckily, you don’t have to change lead that often.

If you can overlook these issues, the is one final hurdle to clear: The price. $129 is too much for me to pay for a pencil that isn’t a game changer. The Titanium Mechanical Pencil is not for me, but 433 backers at the time of this writing are all aboard. Give me the Rotring 600 for 1/4th the price every time.

(Cogent Industries provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)