Posts filed under Pencil Reviews

Blackwing 2X Firm Graphite Core Pencil Review

With the launch of Volume 2, Blackwing introduced an Extra Extra Firm graphite core to their product range. As a fan of all things firm, I was anxious to put this one to the test, and compare this core to the rest of their product lineup.

That lineup now consists of:

— Soft (Matte Black barrel)

— Balanced (Pearl)

— Firm (602)

— Extra Firm (Natural)

— 2X Firm (Volume 2)

Core grades, from top to bottom: Soft, Balanced, Firm, Extra Firm, 2X Firm.

The first four are available as stand-alone products outside of the limited Edition Volumes series, while - at least so far - the 2X Firm is only available in Volume 2, and not the standard offerings.

With the relaunch of the brand in 2010, the 602 took its place as the firmest in the lineup, and was instantly my favorite. In the case of the 602, “Firm” is relative to the rest of the lineup. It is dark and smooth, and has great point retention for a pencil that feels this great on the page. That said, I’d be surprised if it grades out firmer than a 2B, or maybe a B.

Given the 602’s softness as compared to graphite outside of the Blackwing lineup, the introduction of an Extra Firm core in Volume 24 (2016) was well-received. As much as I love the 602, I found my Blackwing home with the Extra Firm. This core found its way into more Volumes editions, and eventually into the stock lineup.

The 2X Firm core takes things up the hardness scale even further … and is my least favorite core they have launched so far.

Blackwing has set my expectations very high for their choice of graphite. From Soft through Extra Firm, the experience is consistently smooth and dark, and with above average point retention. I actually feel a difference when I use a Blackwing, as compared to many other brands in similar grades. The 2X Firm core feels like any other decent HB core. That’s not bad in a vacuum, but given Blackwing’s prices, I want it to feel special. It looks special on the outside, I’ll give them that, but on the inside, it’s average. I can get above average for much cheaper.

My current Blackwing Core ranking looks something like this: Extra Firm, 602, Soft, Balanced, 2X Firm. I’m not sure the 2X Firm even has a place in my wooden pencil rotation like the rest of the lineup does.

Freshly sharpened.

After writing a full page (see below,) without sharpening.

I guess the broader question for Blackwing is what are their long-term core goals? Are we eventually going to see the full stock lineup of someone like Mitsubishi or Staedtler, with ranges from 10H to 10B? Or will they stick with what they do best, and see them experiment with cores in the Volumes series? I’m glad they surprised us with the 2X Firm core, and even though it is my least favorite, this is the perfect opportunity for a test run.

What are your thoughts on the new core if you have tried it? Which end of the spectrum - softer, or harder - would you like to see them experiment with next?

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)


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Posted on March 18, 2024 and filed under Blackwing, Pencil Reviews.

Tombow Mono Graph Fine Mechanical Pencil Review

Tombow has been on quite the run with their mechanical pencil lineup for the last several years, and that run continues with the Tombow Mono Graph Fine Mechanical Pencil.

This pencil has everything I am looking for in a drafting-style pencil: a lightweight barrel with the weight balanced toward the front, good visual clearance of the tip, and a comfortable grip section. The Mono Graph Fine checks all of those boxes, and adds in Tombow’s amazing eraser - a twist eraser, at that - a solid clip, and a clean aesthetic.

What’s not to love? For me, I can’t think of a single thing.

The only question I had after unboxing this pencil was how the grip was going to feel. Would it be too smooth and slick? Is that weird depression really needed? It’s definitely not too slick. According to the product description, it is coated with a “grippy soft-touch finish,” and while I’m not sure that is the proper technical term, it is an accurate description of how it feels. I’ve had no slipping so far.

The low profile notch is nice in the fact that it doesn’t get in the way if your fingers are not seated in it perfectly at all times. Mine aren’t, and I never noticed it. I tended to start right in the middle of it, but my fingers move up and down the grip and the notch edges are so minimal it never bothered me. In fact, I never noticed it while writing at all.

One design decision companies make at this price point is to use a metal grip section in combination with a plastic upper barrel, and that’s what Tombow has done here. This gives the pencil that front-weighted feel that technical pencils need for good line control. You know, for all of the engineering I do. Still, this is expectation for this design, and it feels great in hand.

As someone who is eraser agnostic when it comes to any type of pencil, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how fantastic Tombow’s erasers are. I used this one more than I hoped, and it performed brilliantly. Most, if not all, of the graphite was removed from the page, and no eraser dust was left behind to brush off - it sticks to the eraser.

Top to bottom: Rotring 600, Tombow Mono Graph Fine, Pentel Sharp P205, Spoke Model 6.

Like with many of their other pencils, the eraser is part of a twist mechanism to extend and retract as needed. A feature of the Mono Graph Fine is that when the eraser is extended, the pencil knock locks in place so you don’t accidentally extend the lead when erasing. Does anyone press down that hard with their eraser to have this problem? Chalk this feature up to marketing, not necessity.

The final piece of the puzzle is price, an area that Tombow is extremely competitive in. The Mono Graph Fine is $13.75, which positions it perfectly against the competition. While I’d go as far as saying their other pencils such as the Mono Graph Grip Shaker and Mono Graph Lite are underpriced, this model is bang on price-wise. And, like those other two pencils, it would make a great addition to your mechanical pencil collection.

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


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Posted on February 19, 2024 and filed under Tombow, Mechanical Pencil, Pencil Reviews.

Namisu Pulsar Polycarbonate Mechanical Pencil Review

In the stationery space, Namisu has been known mostly for their fountain pens. I’ve backed several of their Kickstarter campaigns, and have always been happy with the end result. With the launch of the Pulsar, Namisu took that fountain pen aesthetic and applied it to a fresh mechanical pencil design. Successfully, I might add.

As is the norm with Namisu, choosing the style of your writing instrument poses the biggest challenge. The Pulsar comes in three different barrel materials - Aluminum, Titanium, and Polycarbonate - with each featuring different colors and finishes. How could I choose? Well, just have a look:

The Polycarbonate barrel with Steel grip and Petrol finish stood out to me, and would bring a different style to my writing library compared to my other mechanical pencils. Little did I know how different it would feel in hand, as well.

The best way I can describe how the Pulsar Polycarbonate feels is “different.” Not different bad, or different good, just different. I’m used to metal grips and acrylic/plastic barrels in pens and pencils, and even prefer that setup in many cases. I like it in the Pulsar as well, but I’ve yet to stop thinking about the feel of it in my hand.

The Polycarbonate barrel has a thick wall, and combined with the bolt mechanism in the last quarter of the barrel, the balance shifts towards the rear. Not terribly, but enough that I keep thinking about it.

Mechanical pencils, even more so than most types of pens, need to feel one of two ways for my needs: weighted towards the front, or ultralight. Most mechanical pencils are designed around tip control for detailed writing or drawing. The Namisu Pulsar is designed for regular writing.

Being designed for writing is perfectly fine in my book, which is why I enjoy the Pulsar. But I think of it more as a pen than a pencil, given its more stout design, and pipe-less tip. I also have it loaded up with the 0.7 mm mechanism, which leads to more of a writing style. I have’t tried to swap in the 0.5 mm - I think the wider size suits the barrel better, but it is a nice option to have.

Pentel Sharp P205 comparison.

I also wonder if the aluminum model feels different, and more front balanced. It has a 23g total weight, versus 31g for the Polycarbonate model, so it’s likely. The Titanium model checks in at 33g, for reference. Aluminum may be the choice if you prefer 0.5 mm lines.

The Pulsar Polycarbonate looks amazing and feels great. It is built well, too, which is a Namisu staple. My only hangup is when do I choose to use it over any of my other favorite mechanical pencils?

Nesting boxes.

During the Kickstarter campaign, I paid around $42 for this model. It is currently $58, with the Aluminum Pulsar at $55, and Titanium at $85. If the style is something you like, I would have no hesitation recommending this pencil. Just be sure to consider how you will use it to ensure that it is a good fit for your graphite writing needs.


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Posted on January 23, 2024 and filed under Namisu, Mechanical Pencil, Pencil Reviews.