Kokuyo Enpitsu 1.3 mm Mechanical Pencil Review

Stepping out of my comfort zone is part of the deal when reviewing products here at The Pen Addict. There are so many products on the market and only a subset of them make my regular rotation. That doesn't mean the rest of the goods don't warrant any attention though. Products like the Kokuyo Enpitsu are exactly why I write this blog.

By all appearances the Enpitsu is a simple pencil but it has a couple of added features that set it apart. First of all, the lead pipe retracts for protection when not in use. This is always a welcome feature in mechanical pencils to help prevent damage if dropped, or to prevent stabbing yourself if you get a little clumsy.

Secondly - and I'm not sure how I feel about this - the cap is fixed with a hole on top to insert lead through (I discount the fact there is no eraser. I assume most serious pencil users have seperate erasers anyway.). This sounds like a good idea in priciple and assumedly in practice too. It saves you from removing the cap and losing it while allowing you to drop the lead straight in (Forgive my ignorance in the image above. It was late.). I'm not sure of any other pencils designed this way.

Design wise, the rubber coated barrel provides an excellent grip surface, and the overall look of the pencil is great. The 1.3 mm lead was a pleasant surprise too. It was soft, dark, and smooth.

While I'm not a prime candidate to put this pencil through the rigors of everyday use, I see artists, sketchers, and even students as a good fit for the Kokuyo Enpitsu. It is comfortable, built well, and appears ready to handle anything you can throw at it.

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

Palomino Blackwing Pearl Review

Mechanical pencils? Yes.

Drafting pencils? Absolutely.

Wooden pencils? Almost never.

Why is that? These are obviously beloved writing instruments with traditions carried through the centuries. I like writing and tradition, so why no love for wooden pencils?

I think for me it boiled down to portability and convenience, plus the inability to write the super-fine lines that I love. But change, it is a comin'. I think my relatively new love for fountain pens has changed my perspective a bit. What started as a strict adherence to extra-fine nibs has branched out as far as 1.5 mm stub nibs. I had no idea what I was missing!

That may be the case too with pencils. There are some great products on the market that I am missing out on. I reviewed the Blackwing 602 in late 2011 and enjoyed it. So much so, I vowed to continue using it regularly. I didn't. Now that I have the new Blackwing Pearl in hand I'm starting to realize how much I am missing out.

The Pearl is a fun pencil to use. It is beautifully designed with a pearlescent sheen and gold accoutrements. I would have preferred a pink eraser over the black, and luckily you can make that happen if you so desire (there are even orange erasers!)

Comparing the Pearl and the 602 directly, the Pearl is softer and slightly darker. I actually prefer the firmness of the 602 over the Pearl, especially since it is close in darkness. Both are super smooth with points holding longer that you would expect.

I hope I find a way to work these Blackwings into my regular rotation. I also want to try out other wooden pencils. What do you recommend?

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

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.)