Uni-ball Field Lead Holder Review

Do you ever see a pen or pencil that looks cool but you have no real use for it? You justify it in your mind - "I'll figure out a way!" - and into the cart it goes. How many times did that work out well for you? Yeah, never for me too.

That is my situation with the Uni-ball Field Lead Holder. I don't own a lead holder but the bright red plastic and silver knurling screamed "BUY ME!!!" through the computer screen. And it has red lead too? Yes please!

I knew better than to order it, knowing I wouldn't know what to do with it when it arrived. Design wise, it lived up to the hype. This is a great looking and feeling lead holder. Performance wise, I guess it is good too, although I didn't do much more than write with it a few times. The lead color is lighter than I expected it would be but the reddish-orange shade photographed well.

The only drawback I can see is that there is no built-in sharpener, which some brands do provide. I imagine most hardcore lead holder users have their own favorite sharpener so that's not as much of an issue as it seems.

Are you an avid lead holder user? I'd love to hear about it in the comments section. Enlighten me!

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Pentel Sharp Mechanical Pencil - Metallic Blue Body Review

Anyone who has been a pen and pencil fan for more than a few years has certainly seen or used a Pentel Sharp Drafting Pencil. This all-time classic has been around for decades. I remember using them in the 1980’s when I would liberate them from my dad’s office, and to this day the design hasn’t changed one bit. That is, until the introduction of the Metallic Body Series.

George from My Supply Room first alerted me to this update several months ago, and I had seen them floating around on ebay as well, so I knew JetPens would come through before too long. I picked up the Blue Metallic based on looks and tradition - my first P205 was the blue one after all. They also come in Pink and Purple, and all are 0.5 mm.

What you need to know about the Metallic Pentel Sharp is that it is metallic in color only. This is not a metal barrel pencil. While that would be nice, it does stick with the traditional plastic construction. It extraordinarily lightweight and makes for a great portable pencil.

From a performance standpoint it is exactly like the original P205. The long, sleek body is comfortable to hold, and the shape of the tip and lead pipe give you plenty of sight clearance. If you have enjoyed the Pentel Sharp in the past then you will find these updated colors to your liking.

And if you haven’t, then what are you waiting for?

Midori Brass Bullet Pencil Holder Review

Have you ever lusted after a product that you know good and well you are not going to use to its fullest capacity? The Midori Brass Bullet Pencil Holder is that item for me. My friend Patrick Ng at Scription has made them look so glamorous over the years I knew I had to have one no matter how little action it might see in my arsenal.

What makes the Brass Bullet so cool in my book is the way the barrel ages over time. It starts out as a bright gold and with only moderate use it transforms into a uniquely styled vintage writing instrument. Age and wear is a huge positive for this pencil holder. Remind me to take another set of photos a year from now.

From a practicality standpoint, it gives wood case pencil fans the option of portability. That doesn’t come without scarifies though. Not all pencil stubs fit in the holder (some do, and Midori does sell their own refills), and the eraser is poor at best. But wow, this is one cool pencil holder!

The sacrifices are worth it to me, but you will have to make that call for yourself. I also wonder what TSA would think if you tried to board a plane with one? Regardless, the Midori Brass Bullet is worth checking out if you are looking for something outside the ordinary.