Pentel GraphGear 1000 Mechanical Pencil, (0.5mm) Point Size, Black Barrel, 1 Each (PG1015A)

I've bought 3 of these so far on separate occasions (all the 0.9 mm yellow version). One was a gift for my 10 yo son, who kept borrowing mine, and won't write with anything else now.I love how this pencil feels in my hand and while writing. It is very well engineered, nicely balanced, and has a smooth mechanism. The auto-retracting mechanism when you clip in on you pocket is a nice touch. All around great design. I've only purchased the yellow one (0.9mm, HB lead) because I planned on mostly using it for marking wood for my woodworking projects and so needed the stronger/thicker lead, but I find myself writing with it all the time. It's just that pleasant to use.I had a problem with one of them (it broke at the yellow plastic part), and I contacted the Pantel warranty department since it was well past the 30 day Amazon return. It took them a while to respond (7-10 days, I forget) so I was initially concerned, but they responded saying they would send a new one and a label for me to return the broken one. Which they did, no questions, no hassle. Top marks for their customer service. Very happy.There are two things that could be better:1) There is one plastic piece in an otherwise all metal product. It is a weak point, and in fact where one of my pencils broke. But the customer service/warranty department has been great, so I guess if they continue like that (it has a lifetime warranty!), I can't complain too much.2) The clip is just folded metal and could be a bit sharp on clothes. This is actually a pretty common construction for clips on pencils and pens alike, but for $20+ I was hoping for better. I carry one of them with me pretty much at all times, so I'm a bit concerned the clip eventually will cut into the cloth. So far it hasn't, so I my concern might not be justified. Time will tell and I will try to update in 6+ months either way.Also, one thing I wish they had communicated more clearly: In order to set the handy lead hardness indicator, first loosen the conical end piece part. The indicator part should then spin feely. Make your selection and tighten it back up. (Finger tight is sufficient.)I got all of mine on sale around $13-$16. At that price you really can't beat the value. Full price is $23+, which might seem pricey for a pencil, but if you don't lose it, it should last you a very long time. I think it's well worth it even at full price if you value an affordable, quality writing/drafting pencil. (If you're prone to losing pencils, though, then your experience might vary. :-) )I highly recommend this pencil. (And seeing as I've bought this on 3 occasions, it goes without saying that I'd buy it again.)

The GraphicGear1000 is a superb mechanical pencil, especially for fountain pen users. I write with a fountain pen most of the time because I like a light touch with a firm fine line and the feel of quality workmanship in my writing hand. I load my GraphicGear1000 with Pentel AIN 0.5 4B leads. It writes as smoothly and lightly as a good fountain pen. In addition, the clever clip mechanism withdraws the fragile lead tube when pocketing the device. This has two benefits: those lead tubes tend to get caught in pocket fabric and are easily damaged. Care is still required, as one would expect with any fine instrument, but this pencil is more robust than most.

Been buying these for many years. Very durable and the retractable point ALWAYS works. It has a nice heft to it as well.

This is the first review I've ever written about a pencil, something I never thought I'd be doing. But here goes.For the past few years I've carried a Moleskin notebook with me, and something to write in it, which was one form or another of mechanical pencil. They all had the same drawbacks – the lead would easily break off in my pocket, the plastic parts could get damaged, and the points would either poke holes in the pockets (not nice when it's a leather jacket), or poke holes in me when I reached in to get them. In the past couple months, I've had two other pencils get damaged, and one no longer works, while the other had to have some repairs done. I needed something sturdier.I saw this one had a lot of reviews, but what really attracted me was the metal body, and the price. So, I sprung for this, while also ordering a pair of other pencils (also from Pentel). They all arrived together.This one was packaged in a simple plastic bag; there was no box or blister pack, so, basically, you're not paying for excessive packaging here.I took it out, and it felt nice in the hands. The grip can be turned to change the dial that shows the lead hardness; something I've seen on more expensive technical pencils before. I pressed the button a few times and the lead slid out nicely. Now, here's where things get a bit strange, in a very good way.With other pencils, if you hold the button down, you can press the lead back up into the barrel. You cannot do that with this one; the lead is one way only. I tried all sorts of ways, and that lead will not slide back in. Seems like a design flaw, but not really. The pocket clip on the side is also a hinged lock When you press on the top, it will open and unlock the barrel mechanism, which will shoot back inside the pencil tip. While this is unlocked, the lead itself can be pushed back into the barrel if needed. And since the barrel is now tucked up safely inside the tip, there's no sharp point sticking out that can cause damage, or be damaged; the tip is essentially as blunt as the button on the eraser end. You can see this in the product photos, as well as my own. Pressing the button again will extend the barrel once more and the clip will lock it into place.The button pulls off to reveal a small white eraser. That can also be pulled out to open the lead chamber for refilling.As I stated, this comes in bare minimum packaging, and without any instructions, which explains why there are customer questions about it.I've used this a bit and compared to some other more expensive – Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic – pencils I've used in the past, this is much more comfortable to use. I still like the Rapidomatic, but I have had one break because of the plastic body it has. The GraphGear feels a lot more solid. Plus, it has some gel grip pads on the knurled barrel for more comfort.