Posts filed under Pencil Reviews

Uni Mitsubishi 9000 3H Pencil Review

I had the pleasure of joining the Erasable Podcast crew last week to discuss my recent fascination with wooden pencils. This led to a lot of great conversation around the stationery discovery process, like when I realized fountain pens would work for me and my writing style.

That discovery process went something like this:

I have no use for fountain pens. They can’t write how I like to write.
They are messy - who wants to deal with that?
Wow, that ink color is neat. Look how fine that line is!
I should buy one to try.
That was ok, but not perfect for me. Let me research more.
Japanese Extra Fine! And orange ink!

For wooden pencils, the process was shockingly similar:

I have no use for wooden pencils. They can’t write how I like to write.
They are messy - who wants to deal with that?
Wow, that pencil barrel is cool. Look how sharp that point is!
I should buy one to try.
That was ok, but not perfect for me. Let me research more.
I understand the hardness scale! And rarely have to sharpen!

This is why The Pen Addict exists in the first place. My journey to find the best micro-tip gel ink pen is what got this blog started all of those years ago, and the discovery process never ends. I’m always on the lookout for great pens, pencils, inks, and paper. And, I am willing to step outside of my traditional comfort zone to see what else is out there that could be better for me than what I have been using.

Sometimes it is a $200 fountain pen with a unique nib. Other times, like this one, it is a $1 pencil that fits me and my writing style perfectly.

The Uni Mitsubishi 9000 Pencil in 3H was a random cart add at JetPens at some point in time. I know I’ve had it for a while because it is no longer available in that grade. That’s too bad because LOOK AT MY HANDWRITING!

That’s how I know I’ve found a good one - when even I am impressed with my own handwriting. Luckily, and one of the reasons I have a newfound love for pencils, there are many choices that give me this kind of quality output. I find the 9000 to be one of the best.

My fawning over a $1 pencil begins with its paint job. The green on green coating with gold stamping is nearly perfect. The only visual flaw is the unfortunate presence of the bar code - something many individually sold pencils are plagued with. I can overlook it, and should sharpen past it soon enough. Or not, because I rarely have to sharpen a pencil this firm. That is a big item in the plus column for me.

The preponderance of random marketing quotes on pencils fascinates me, and the 9000 has one of the best: “Made by elaborate process.” Does this add to the performance of the pencil? Of course not. Does it make me giggle every time I say it out loud in my most serious “this is a $1 pencil” voice? Absolutely.

When I recommend fountain pens I am careful to differentiate what works best for me with what I think will work best for most people. For example, I buy Japanese EF nibs whenever I have the option. I recommend others start with F nibs if they don’t have any experience or baseline. With pencils, the same idea holds true. 3H works great for me. You may want to start with H or 2H lead grades to see if you even like writing with a pencil that feels like a nail. I do. You may not.

The Uni Mitsubishi 9000 3H pencil is a prime example of why I love doing what I do for a living. This is a journey - a lifelong discovery process if you will - and if I can get this amped up about a $1 pencil then I know I am in the right place. And I’m glad to share this journey with you.

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

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!

Posted on March 12, 2018 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Uni, Mitsubishi, Pencil Reviews.

Faber-Castell TK-Fine Vario L 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.)

Over the past year, I haven’t been using many mechanical pencils. For me, I’m enjoying woodcase pencils much more at the moment, but I’m always happy to try something new to see how it stacks up against the rest. In the case of the Faber-Castell TK-Fine Vario L mechanical pencil, it sports some features that you’ll find on other mechanical pencils, but not with the same combination.

On the outside, the TK-Fine Vario L (we’re going to call it the Vario from now on) looks like most other drafting pencils. It’s a bit long, has a metal grip, plastic body, and long lead pipe at the end. It doesn’t look like a premium Rotring pencil, but it also doesn’t cost as much as one either. The dark green plastic and gold type does add a bit of class to an otherwise unassuming pencil, and the shiny grip section definitely catches my eye every time I glance in its direction. The clip is nice and strong and can be removed. One thing to consider about this pencil is that the 4mm lead guard pipe does not retract into the tip of the pencil, so beware of your pockets and bags. These pipes are really good at poking holes in fabric.

One thing that I think would improve the overall look of the pencil is a simple eraser cap at the top of the pencil. To me, it looks like it’s missing a cap of some sort, but it certainly does not come with one from the factory. I’m guessing Faber Castell assumed those caps are only a nuisance when you need to use the eraser, but I disagree. I’d prefer a cap in almost every case. To advance the lead, simply click the top of the pencil (which happens to be the eraser).

On the tip of the Vario between the cone and the grip is a lead type indicator. Most drafting pencils have a small barrel that allows you to select the type of lead you have inside the pencil, but they’re normally located at the top of the pencil close to the click mechanism and eraser. In this case, the indicator is right under the grip. The type ranges from 2B to 4H (2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, and 4H), but I find myself accidentally moving the indicator while writing if my fingers happen to slip down from the grip a tad. It’s not a huge issue, but certainly an annoyance that could easily be resolved with a better design decision.

The grip section is hit and miss for me. I love how it looks, but I’m not a big fan of how it feels when writing. The flange as the base of the grip looks cool and also adds some helpful weight at the low center of gravity to improve the level of control you have while writing, but it’s really slippery. The grooves along the upper part of the grip don’t add much in terms of grip. If you use a "normal" grip on your pencils, your mileage will vary. For me, my fingers start slipping almost immediately under normal, non-sweaty conditions. You’ll likely already know exactly what you think about this type of grip based on past experience. I had a pretty good idea that I wouldn’t enjoy the grip very much due to the slick metal and narrow grip, and I was right. But, you might also be on the other side of the fence and really enjoy this grip. It’s definitely not a "one size fits all" situation.

Like most pencils in this price range, the Vario boasts a special feature: the ability to vary a lead clutch from "soft" to "hard." All this really does is allow you to control how tightly the lead is clutched when in use. "Soft" means that the lead will automatically retract under pressure, protecting it from breakage. "Hard" means that the lead will not retract under pressure, which gives you more control but also means it’s more likely to snap the lead. According to the diagrams on the box, "soft" is for writing and "hard" is for drafting. This can be useful in some circumstances, and I’ve found the two settings to do exactly what they promise.

At the end of the day, writing with the Vario isn’t a great experience for me. I’m not a drafter by any means, and I have noticed that using this pencil for drawing and sketching is more comfortable depending on what angle I hold the lead. It’s also great for using with a straight-edge for drawing lines due to the long pipe. The long pipe also makes it easy to see what you’re doing.

Despite my own reservations due to personal taste and usage, this is a great pencil. At the $20 mark, the Faber-Castell Vario does have a fair bit of competition, but I think it offers enough unique attributes to hold its own. If this grip doesn’t scare you away, then it’s a great pencil to try out. It’s available in 0.35mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm, and 1.0mm lead sizes, but the only color is dark green.

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

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

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Faber-Castell, Mechanical Pencil, Pencil Reviews.

Tombow Mono Zero Eraser Review

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

The Tombow Mono Zero eraser is a delightful little tool that packs quite a punch when it comes to removing errors. I have several different retractable erasers, but this one actually looks professional. The classy aluminum finish paired with a rectangular body make it both visually pleasing and easy to handle.

Retractable erasers aren't known for being classy and stylish — in most cases, they're just stuffed into an art case or pencil bag for correcting the inevitable graphite mistake. I wasn't even aware I wanted a stylish eraser until I saw this thing. For less than ten bucks, you get a clean, classy eraser that actually does a great job of erasing.

Given the small rectangular shape of this eraser, you can use the 2.5mm sides or the 5mm sides to tackle different sized problems. Or, if you need an even more precise edge, use one of the four corners of the eraser for that fine-tuned erasing.

One of the first things I look for in a retractable eraser is how well the eraser core stays put when actually erasing. Poorly-designed erasers can be difficult to use because they tend to retract while erasing due to a lack of friction. In the case of the Mono Zero, it has no problems staying put while erasing. This is due to both the low tolerance between the eraser core and the body and the advancing mechanism. The "eraser advancer" operates similarly to a mechanical pencil. Instead of relying solely on a clutch system to advance, retract, and hold the eraser, this eraser uses a plastic rod on the interior to manage these operations. In practice, it works really well.

Each full click advances the eraser by about 2mm, but you can also half-click to advance the eraser by 1mm. The clip on the eraser is much stronger than it looks, and due to the light weight of the tool, it has no problem staying attached to anything to which you clip it. And, since the clip is so strong, you can clip this to the cover of a notebook. The slim profile of the eraser makes this an ideal (and probably intended?) carry option.

As far as branding goes, the Tombow logo and name are printed on only one of the four sides of the eraser body.

I've been really impressed by this little eraser. It's not the most exciting stationery tool one can purchase, but it fulfills its purpose while also looking elgant and classy. If silver isn't your jam, you have a few other color options like black, pink, and blue.

At just under $10, this is a great deal for a retractable eraser that uses metal parts. And, you can also pick up extra eraser cores for just a couple bucks (two erasers per pack), making this eraser sustainable as well.

If you need a retractable eraser that looks great and performs well, look no further. The Tombow Mono Zero is an excellent option.

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

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