What a week to be a Pen Addict! Kaweco goofed up something silly, Pilot attempted a “Special Edition,” and Kaoru dunked all over everyone with the release of Dandelion. Lots of smiles in this one.
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(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Some of the oldest mechanical pencils in my collection are from Pentel, which is a testament to how robust and useful they are. But that doesn't mean there's no room left to expand the collection. I'm always interested in what these companies are doing in the modern decade, and the Q1005 (styled as Smash) mechanical drafting pencil is a unique and interesting option in this crowded space.
The Pentel Q1005 is a lightweight and well-built mechanical drafting pencil that feels great in the hand and does a great job. There aren't many frills, but the extra features are tasteful and well done. My favorite feature by far is how Pentel implemented the lead grade indicator dial. In a lot of cases, it's easy to accidentally nudge the dial, which defeats the purpose of using it in the first place. With the Pentel Smash, this is fixed by using notches in the dial that keep it in place while the pencil is in use. If you want to change the dial, you have to unscrew the grip section from the pencil a few turns, pull the dial out a bit, and then rotate it to the appropriate setting before screwing the grip section back in place. It's a simple but great solution to this problem as opposed to just relying on friction.
Another feature of this pencil is the grip section. While it's not my favorite grip, it sure is comfortable. The grip and cone is one piece of plastic, which makes it smooth to grip and also means you can't accidentally unscrew the nose cone when using the pencil. There's also a separate rubber pieces that protrudes through the plastic grip in a grid pattern to provide some really unique feel when using the pencil. Since the rubber pads are under the plastic, they move a little bit while using the pencil. This felt weird to me at first in a way that shook my confidence in the pencil and the accuracy of the marks I was making, but my fingers quickly grew accustomed to the unique feel. I like using it now, but my only real gripe is that the two-part system is a magnet for dust and lint. So many tiny grooves and spaces for stuff to collect.
The clip on the pencil is fairly strong, but not overly so. It's easy to operate and also keeps the pencil secure wherever you clip it. The clip doesn't need to be that strong since the pencil is lightweight.
Even though the pencil is lightweight, it's still weighted in the right places — namely toward the grip and cone. This low center of gravity means the pencil is easier to control when making precise marks.
I have no idea if this is correct, but I'm guessing that the namesake of the pencil comes from the fun rubber piece that covers the lead advance button. This accordion-like rubber material is so much fun to mash down over and over again. I'm not sure if it offers and real functional benefit, but it sure is fun to play with. Underneath the cap / click button, you'll find an obligatory emergency eraser that tops off the lead refill tube. Pretty standard stuff for a mechanical pencil.
Pentel has done something different in bringing the Smash to the US market by opening a Pentel-branded Amazon Shop, which is the only place you will find (for now) the four new colors of the new Pentel Katakana Smash Special Edition (both links are affiliate links). At $17, they are more expensive than the traditional Black Smash, which you can find at JetPens for $12.50, which is a great value for such a well-made and unique mechanical drafting pencil.
(Pentel of America provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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If you snoozed, you loozed! Ok, that’s not a word, but I’m going with it anyway. Just like you are going to enter this giveaway for the amazing, and no longer available, Vintage Writing Paper Pad from The Well-Appointed Desk. Ana dropped these a few weeks ago in a couple of batches, and they went fast! This is your notice to follow her site for more cool stationery goodness (such as “The Deliverator”). But for now, I have two of these pads to give away, so get to entering!
