Staedtler 925-27 Color Series Drafting Pencil Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

A lot of us got our start in fine-tuned stationery with precise drafting pencils. These were fairly easy to find in big box office supply stores, and even easier to find in college bookstores, art stores, and crafting supply stores. The specifications and features on these pencils went beyond the generic "0.5mm mechanical pencil" description, and that was deeply attractive to those of us that craved more precise control of our writing instruments and the ability to fine-tune our writing experience.

Drafting pencils have always held a special place in my heart. I would ransack my dad's supply in his oak roll-top desk when he wasn't home and explore all the old relics from his days as a drafting student in engineering school. Drafting pencils first introduced me to the concept that other lead sizes and lead holders existed outside of the 0.5mm and 0.7mm varieties we had access to during back to school shopping season. It was a fascinating and lasting glimpse into another world where it was obvious that people took these instruments very seriously, and that really resonated with me.

Fast forward a couple decades, and here we are. I have more pens and pencils than I'd rather count, and I'm aware of a vast majority of writing instruments and endless customization options. Even though my interests and preferences have expanded, I always remember the humble beginnings of the drafting pencil with great fondness. And that's why the Staedtler 925-75 drafting pencil is an interesting product that is worthy of attention.

The Staedtler 925-75 has a very boring name, but the color options are very exciting in a world of black, gray, and silver writing instruments. Drafting pencils are usually very business-centric instruments, but the playful color options of this Staedtler line is refreshing. I have the purple option here, and it really does add a nice pop of color to my desk amidst the many other pens and pencils that frequent the desk space. With pastel color options that include green, purple, yellow, pink, blue, and white, you can definitely find something that fits your palette preference.

Aside from the fun colors, these are actually solid drafting pencils. While they only offer a lead size of 0.5mm, the plastic construction is solid and lightweight, while also keeping costs down. On top of that, there's a small lead grade indicator ring on top of the pencil to help you keep track of what type of lead is in the pencil.

In concept, it's a great pencil at a great price, and I'm sure that it will work well for many. For me, the grip is just uncomfortable no matter how I hold it. As far as cheap drafting pencils go, I've always been very partial to the Pentel line — particularly the similarly-priced Sharp drafting pencils and the slightly more premium Pentel 120 A3DX pencils. At under six bucks for any of these, you can't go wrong. I just happen to prefer the grips on both of the Pentel models that I have.

The Staedtler pencil functions perfectly. The mechanical pencil mechanism is precise and crisp, and the material quality is top notch. The 4mm lead pipe provides excellent visibility and a nice solid piece to hold against a straight-edge when needed. It even includes the gratuitous (and mostly unusable) tiny eraser that doubles as the lead stopper. The inclusion of a lead grade ring indicator is nice, but it's too loose for me to trust. A slight bump of the ring is enough to move the indicator to a different lead type, which is annoying if you really rely on it. Comparing that to the Rotring 600 isn't fair given the price difference, but the Rotring lead grade ring has a good amount of friction that makes it really difficult to accidentally adjust it, while also being easy to adjust when you mean to.

At just over four bucks, it's hard to complain about such a great pencil. I really am splitting hairs when it comes to the Staedtler 925-75 line, and it mostly comes down to personal comfort and how the grip feels in my hand. It's an excellent pencil that ticks all the boxes in terms of how it performs as a mechanical pencil, and the price is really hard to beat for a drafting pencil!

If you like the colors of these pencils and need a good 0.5mm drafting pencil (or even a few for different lead grades), then give the Staedtler 925-27 a shot! It's a great pencil that will serve you well assuming you can agree with the grip.

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

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Pilot Birdy Switch Multi Pen(cil) Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Over the past few months, I've been trying out a collection of extremely small mechanical pencils. Earlier this year, I started this experiment with the adorable Zebra Techo TS-3, and was mostly happy with it as long as I threw in a couple of (pretty large) caveats:

Ultimately, I still like the Zebra Techo TS-3 strictly as a backup utilitarian option. It's not the first thing you reach for, and possibly not the second. But when all other options have failed or aren't nearby, it gets the job done.

When I started using the Pilot Birdy Switch, my opinion was almost identical, but the added length of the Pilot, along with the additional hidden ballpoint pen, push it further down the line of utility. The Pilot Birdy is about the same diameter as the Zebra, which means it's not comfortable for long writing stints. This is certainly still in the "backup/last resort" category of writing instrument, but it's marginally more comfortable to use given the extra length.

But, the slim profile and relative short length still give it some major advantages in terms of where you can store it. Sliding this pen into between two pages of a notebook is easy and allows the notebook to still close without much of a bump or gap. And, the aluminum construction make it resilient enough to be stuffed and crammed into tight spaces that may exert a lot of pressure on the pencil. It handles these situations with ease. Like the Fisher Bullet, it just takes whatever you throw at it. Unlike the Fisher, the Pilot can definitely get a little stabby in your pocket if it is oriented the wrong way, so beware.

The main function of the Pilot Birdy Switch is a 0.5mm mechanical pencil. The pencil works great, and I haven't had any issues with it. I'm guessing it's the same mechanism that Pilot uses in their other multi pens, and I've always been happy with those. This one is just wrapped in a thin aluminum shell that makes it seem like you're writing with a long, bare multi pen refill instead of a real pen. But, that's what affords it the transport and utility points. To extend lead, click the cap. To retract it, hold down the cap and push the lead back into the tip. Unlike a lot of mechanical pencils, this one does not sport a tiny eraser or lead clog remover.

Instead, removing the cap reveals a tiny ballpoint pen. Honestly, I picked this pencil up in a JetPens order without fully reading the description. I just bought it because I was on a mini mechanical pencil kick, and all I needed to know was that it was a mechanical pencil. It wasn't until I got the pen, used it for a while, and then became curious how much lead was in the reservoir that I actually removed the cap. I was stunned to find the ballpoint tip! What a pleasant surprise. Of course, I tried writing with it and discovered that it's pretty smooth. I don't know for sure if it uses the same ink formula, but it feels a lot like the Pilot Acroball 0.7mm refill. This thing is tiny! Unfortunately, it only comes in black, but you can at least pick up refills.

Even more, I realized that the cap can post on top of the mechanical pencil component. When using the pen, the only thing that looks odd is the clip on the wrong end. This is such a simple and clever design. If you've ever written with a Vanishing Point, then you know whether or not you can comfortably use a pen with a clip next to your fingers, but the Birdy is obviously less comfortable given the size.

Still, having a pen of this size with both a pencil and a ballpoint pen is a great tool to have when you're in a pinch. The size makes it great for squeezing into a checkbook, wallet, purse, bag, notebook, and other small spaces. Like I said in the Zebra Techo TS-3 review, it's definitely not a workhorse writing instrument, but it's a great backup option. And at just $8.25, the Pilot Birdy Switch won't break the bank either.

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

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Zebra DelGuard Limited Edition Mechanical Pencil Review

The Zebra DelGuard mechanism is pretty effective and ingenious, and I can't figure out why they've put it on an otherwise sub-par pencil. The trick of the mechanism is that there are springs inside that will retract the lead if too much vertical pressure is applied, or extend the nose tip if too much diagonal pressure is applied. This is meant to reduce lead breakage. I tried to break the lead on this pencil and couldn't do it. If you're a heavy-handed pencil user and frequent lead-breaker, this pencil may solve your problems.

The pencil body is made of lightweight plastic. The bottom third of it is clear, and the top two thirds are decorated with a pretty limited edition color gradient. There are other color gradients available, as well as some more plain colors, and some adorable Ghibli character prints, like Totoro and Kiki. I fully admit I would use a Totoro pencil no matter what the quality of the build, but in general this model has enough strikes against it for me that I don't see it finding a spot in my rotation.

My primary issue with the pencil is the uncomfortable grip. It has a lot of inexplicable bumps and grooves and I can't find a spot on it where it feels like my fingers should rest. The plastic is also slippery, and the ridges--numerous though they are--don't aid in grip at all. It's the worst of both worlds.

Another issue is the itty bitty eraser that also doesn't do a very good job erasing. I don't care for the minuscule erasers that seem to top so many mechanical pencils. And what's with the wee metal hat for it? I'm amazed I managed to keep track of that piece for the duration of the review period. I'm sure I'll soon lose it, but perhaps not before I run out of this sliver of eraser.

The lead that comes with this pencil is quite hard and draws a very pale line. It takes quite a bit of pressure to make a darker line, which works okay, since the lead hasn't ever broken for me. I'd be curious to try this mechanism with a softer lead. It can take any .5mm lead, so it should always be easy and convenient to find refills for it.

One nice thing about the build is that it has a sturdy but flexible clip. It can easily clip onto a stack of pages and it doesn't feel like it's going to snap or warp.

For me, for $8, this pencil isn't quite worth the cost. There are other models of the DelGuard that have cushioned grips that might be worth further inspection, though they're also a bit more expensive. I think the overall idea is fantastic, I just don't think it has been effectively executed. Which does not dissuade me in any way from ordering the Totoro one.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!