GraphGear Pencil
A tiny drafting pencil with an unnecessarily serious metal mechanism, which is precisely why people keep buying it.
For a mechanical pencil, this is remarkably over-engineered, and that is mostly the point. The retractable tip makes it less annoying to carry around, the metal clip feels substantially better than the disposable plastic clips on cheaper pencils, and the 0.3 mm lead suits precise writing and technical drawing. It is still a pencil. Humanity has somehow turned that into a product category worth arguing about.
Students, designers, engineers and anyone who prefers precise 0.3 mm mechanical pencils for writing or drafting.
You press hard when writing or just need a cheap pencil for occasional notes. A thicker lead will be more forgiving.
The Pentel GraphGear 1000 is a 0.3 mm mechanical drafting pencil with a metal clip, retractable mechanism and dual metal-and-rubber grip. The combination gives it the feel of a drafting instrument without requiring a drafting table and a suspicious amount of tracing paper.
- Retractable mechanism protects the 0.3 mm tip when carrying it
- Metal clip and dual metal-and-rubber grip feel substantial
- 0.3 mm lead works well for precise writing and drafting
- 0.3 mm lead is less forgiving of heavy pressure
- More expensive than a basic mechanical pencil
- The metal-heavy construction adds weight for such a small tool
