Staedtler 925 Drafting Pencil 0.9 mm Review

What is the master of the micro tip doing reviewing an 0.9mm pencil? I thought the same thing when I ordered the Staedtler 925 Drafting Pencil, but sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone a little bit to realize there are some really great products out there. This Staedtler is one of them.

I hedged a little bit by going with the plastic barrel 925 as opposed to the more expensive 925-25 and 925-35 aluminum body pencils. I wanted to get a feel for the 0.9mm lead more than anything, and as it turns out, I really like it.

The base 925 model has a black plastic barrel, rubber grip, and a different colored lead grade indicator for each lead width (orange for 0.9mm). The eraser is standard drafting pencil fare, which is why I always recommend a stand alone eraser for this type of pencil - something like the Uni-Ball Boxy.

I found out quickly that I like the 0.9mm lead width when taking notes. It feels weird to compare a pencil to a pen, but the output to me is similar to that of the Sharpie Pen. Wide, bold lines, but very sharp and controllable. I don't think I would want to design the next Guggenheim Bilbao with it, but the lead width is great for sketching and wireframes.

Does anyone have much experience with 0.9mm lead widths? I would love to hear what your uses are, so let me know in the comments section.

Sun-Star W Knock Mechanical Pencil Review

The Sun-Star W Knock mechanical pencil caught my eye at first with its nice barrel design and cool barrel colors. It was only after I decided that I liked how the pencil looked that I saw the price:  $1.80. Really? Is that a typo? It doesn't appear so, but but never having heard of or used the Sun-Star line, I figured this was a $3-4 pencil on looks alone. Maybe that is just what I am used to these days. :)

So, now that the price is clear, the immediate question that comes to mind next is "Is this a cheap pencil?" I can safely say it is not. It isn't perfect by any stretch, but it is a good value. The key design feature of this pencil is that the tip fully retracts back into the barrel. This protects the lead sleeve from damage, and also protects you from poking yourself in the chest or leg when you put the pencil in your pocket.

When fully extended for writing, the pencil tip does not quite flush up against the barrel opening. This causes a little wiggle to happen when writing, but I didn't even notice it at first, so it isn't too extreme. What is extreme is the eraser wiggle. It is all over the place when I try to erase, so I would definitely recommend a stand alone eraser when using this pencil. Then again, I recommend a stand alone eraser for all mechanical pencils.

So, despite some minor issues, this is a nice overall package for the price. At just $1.80 each, you could buy different barrel colors and match them up with colored leads pretty easily. They certainly make for a nice student pencil or back to school pencil.

Uni-Ball Shift Pipe Lock Drafting Pencil Review

It has been a recurring theme of late, but I am a sucker for cool looking pens and pencils. Drating style pencils especially get me to take a second glance. I'm not sure if it is the long sleek design, or the extra long pipe usually found on these pencils, but something always grabs me. The Uni-Ball Shift Pipe Lock takes the design a step further by allowing you to retract the tip of the pencil for protection by a simple twist - or shift - of the barrel. That aspect of the pencil works like a champ.

On top of that, this pencil is nice to hold, and comfortable to write with. Any writing instrument with a knurled grip is a friend of mine. If there is one thing I would change about the Uni-Ball Shift Pipe Lock is that I would like to see an aluminum barrel as opposed to the plastic barrel it has. From a drafting perspective, this is a plus, because you want your pencil to have a lower center of gravity, but this pencil is so nice looking I think it would benefit even more from an aluminum barrel.

This is the 0.5mm version, which is noted by the writing on the barrel, as well as the blue colored accents. Each of the five widths is denoted by a different color accent. The 0.5mm model also comes in three different barrels colors - black, red, and white. Yes, the Uni-Ball Kuru Toga is still my favorite pencil, but the Shift Pipe Lock drafting pencil is another nice option.

Click here for the XL review.