You saw this coming, right? The Pilot S20 is a mechanical pencil not just for mechanical pencil lovers, but for stationery lovers as a whole. I have one 0.5 mm in Brown to give away, so read the rules below and enter away!
Pilot S20 Drafting Pencil Review
I’ve wanted the Pilot S20 Drafting Pencil for ages. I, for one, cannot resist the style of this pencil, or any of Pilot’s wooden writing instrument designs. The S20 is a prime example of a classic Pilot design that is as good today as when it was first launched.
When exactly was that? I honestly can’t say. I’ve tried to hunt that information down, but to no avail. Decades? I think so, but with frequent lineup changes it was difficult to sort out. Regardless of whether it launched last century or last week, it is a near-perfect design that any mechanical pencil owner should consider owning.
Most pencils with “Drafting” in the name take on a very technical exterior. Metal barrels, aggressive grips, all the bells and whistles that make for a good option for a technical pencil. Pilot strips all of that away in the S20, using a warm birch wood barrel with subtle curves and matte finish hardware. It looks just as home on a writing desk as it does a drafting table.
Those curves are what I love the most about the S20. Combined with the lightweight wooden barrel, the slightly concave grip section molds right into your grip. The barrel taper towards the top as well, allowing it to fit into the cusp or your hand comfortably. The design cues are subtle, but important of the overall feel of the pencil.
The barrel is made from “resin-infused birch wood” with a Mahogany color on my S20. Pilot is well-known for this range of “stains,” which also includes Brown, Dark Brown, Deep Red, and Black. Mahogany is in the mid-range of darkness, allowing the wood grain to be visible. The grain connects well between the hardware as well, for those who prefer everything to line up cleanly.
From a feel perspective, I cannot praise this pencil enough. It is lightweight, but has enough density to retain precision control. The wood grip warms to the touch, with added tackiness with continued use. Over time, I imagine there will be some wearing in in this area, so I’ll have to pay attention if it begins to smooth out. I doubt that will present any issue.
The Pilot S20 is $25. For a mechanical pencil, that falls into the premium price range. For me, it is well worth that price, and worth the difference in feel and quality over pencils that are $10-$15 cheaper. It is that good.
The real question, which I’ve successfully avoided up until now, is how it compares to the upgraded - and even more expensive - Pilot S30 Drafting Pencil. More on that one soon!
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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Misfill, State of Pens Edition
Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:
— My 2021 State of Pens (Leigh Reyes. My Life As a Verb.)
— Best Wishes for 2022, and My Own Wishes for this Community (The Gentleman Stationer)
— “Why are you selling this pen when you said it was perfect?” Five reasons I part with greatness (UK fountain pens)
— A State of Reflection (Comfortable Shoes Studio)
— Hobonichi 5-year (Mai-bun)
— Strolling into week four of the inkvent challenge (mnmlscholar)
— Ink Review #1715: Vinta Kayangan (Mountain of Ink)
— Year of the Tiger (Traveler’s Diary)
— Woody Guthrie’s New Year’s Resolutions from 1943. “Wake up and fight” (Twitter)
— Fountain Pen Quest Trail Log – January 2, 2022 (Fountain Pen Quest)
— Japan pen trends in 2021 (fudefan)
— Why I Wrote My Latest Book By Hand | MONTECRISTO (The Cramped)
— My top 12 inks and project review 2021 (Nick Stewart)
— Greatest of All Time Fountain Pens 2021 (SBREBrown)
— Ink Comparison: Kin Mokusei vs Apricot (The Well-Appointed Desk)
— A Pen Man in a Strange Land; Quick Update (The Poor Penman)
— Stitched Scenes of Everyday Life in LA’s Boyle Heights (Hyperallergic)
— Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki on Clairefontaine Triomphe (Inkcredible Colours)
— The KUM long point pencil sharpener (Stationery 🍕)
— 2021: Some of my fountain pen highlights. (Fountain pen blog)
— Edelweiss in the Alps // BENU Talisman Fountain Pen (Weirdoforest Pens)
— Eagle Chemi-Sealed / Super Bonded / Electronic Graphite pencils (Pencil Fodder)
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