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Post by flatline on Aug 29, 2014 9:44:58 GMT -8
Over the years, I've noticed that the Pentel Sharp (P203, P205, P207, or P209) seems to be regarded with near reverence by enthusiasts across the internet.
I'm trying to understand why that is.
My P209 is a perfectly functional pencil that doesn't break the lead, holds the lead firmly, and feeds reliably, but nothing about it endears itself to me. In fact, I don't find it comfortable to write with at all since it is relatively top-heavy and the narrow, tapered, not particularly grippy grip makes me feel like I need to grip it harder than I like.
Is the appeal partly nostalgic? Was this the pencil that a whole generation of engineers used through school? Or am I simply an outlier who doesn't like a pencil that pretty much everyone else likes?
On a side note, Pentel has another drafting pencil in the same price range, the Pentel 120 A3DX, that suffers from none of my complaints and is one of my favorite pencils. Unfortunately, it no longer appears on Pentel's site, so perhaps they no longer make it.
--flatline
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Post by chthulhu on Aug 30, 2014 5:13:01 GMT -8
Drafting pencils require a grip that holds the pencil perpendicular to the paper, which makes them uncomfortable for casual writing.
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Post by flatline on Aug 30, 2014 18:10:32 GMT -8
Drafting pencils require a grip that holds the pencil perpendicular to the paper, which makes them uncomfortable for casual writing. Do you find drafting pencils to be uncomfortable for casual writing? I typically find drafting pencils to be very comfortable for general use. This is part of the reason why I'm so baffled at the popularity of the Pentel Sharp since it is one of the few drafting pencils that I actually find to be uncomfortable to write with. From what I've seen, the Pentel Sharp is kind of a rarity in the world of drafting pencils in that it's grip section gets narrower as it approaches the tip. I'm convinced that this is the primary source of my dislike for it. --flatline
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Post by rr4u on Aug 31, 2014 9:26:44 GMT -8
Over the years, I've noticed that the Pentel Sharp (P203, P205, P207, or P209) seems to be regarded with near reverence by enthusiasts across the internet. I'm trying to understand why that is. --flatline Good question. In fact, Pentel P200's have been regarded as the reference for ALL thin lead dmp's! Why? Well, Pentel was the inventor of Polymer leads and micro sizes such as .2/.3/.4/.5 and .7 (not really sure on .7, Faber-Castell released their first .7's in 1970 and I think .9 was already available in the 50's). So the very first thin lead drafting mechanical pencils where Pentels. As precision tools they were not meant for everyone, they had a very specific clientele and weren't all that common. A few years later, descending directly from those very first pencils, the P200 series changed the paradigm. A mass production, very well engineered, good quality and affordable product for everyone. The new design was also much more appealing. I think that is why they are so well regarded, they are an iconic piece of industrial design! That doesn't necessarily mean they are the best... R. PS 0.5mm leads were introduced the year I was born, quite a coincidence hum!?
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Post by flatline on Aug 31, 2014 18:22:23 GMT -8
Ah, that's kind of what I was expecting to hear. If it was the first quality drafting pencil accessible to the masses, then I can understand why it might be a special pencil to some.
--flatline
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Post by DerekVerbrugge on Aug 31, 2014 22:20:21 GMT -8
Most drafting pencils are defined as being pencils with a 4mm guide pipe. The P200s have that, and they have a very sturdy metal mechanism too. Otherwise, they are at the bottom of Pentel's drafting range and have no real special features. They are often the cheapest drafting pencils available in general office stores which makes them an excellent choice for someone that just needs some drafting pencil to get the job done or for someone that's worried about the expense of a new pencil. The P200 is often the first decent pencil an average person is exposed to. Pentel also has a grip on pencil enthusiasts, which often collect an entire range of drafting pencils. The P200 is a very decent pencil, considering it is at the bottom of the Pentel range. Compare it to other $5 pencils, and you will find the range of decent drafting pencils that compare doesn't really exist. To an enthusiast, the ability to say every pencil that Pentel makes is dependable is a big deal. The P200 will be a favorite for those many reasons, despite it's ugly molding, dorky clip, and unpleasant grip, for a long time to come.
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Post by rr4u on Sept 1, 2014 9:58:29 GMT -8
Compare it to other $5 pencils, and you will find the range of decent drafting pencils that compare doesn't really exist. I am sorry, but I must say I don't agree with you. There are many current production drafting pencils in the P200 price range/category out there. Not to mention a great number of discontinued models still on sale. In my opinion most of them are better than the Pentels, which I think are nice pencils by the way. Just to name a few; Japanese brands: - Mitsubishi Uni M550 series (includes a .4) - Ohto Promecha SP-500P series (All metal, includes a .4) - Pilot H320 series - Pilot H220 series - Pilot S3 series (includes a .4) - Pilot S5 series (includes a .4) - Platinum Pro Use Original series - Sakura 120 series - Zebra Drafix European brands: - Aristo Geo-Pen (made in Japan) - Aristo D1 (made in Japan) - Aristo DK2 series (made in Japan) - Faber-Castell TK fine 9710 series - Faber-Castell FE 3000 (Japan) - Koh-I-Noor Mephisto Profi series (made in Japan, same pencil as the Aristo D1) - r Otring Tikky series - r Otring 300 series - Staedtler Marsmicro 775 series - Staedtler 925 series - Staedtler 925 65 (Staedtler Japan)
R. PS Note that prices do vary a lot, Pentel P200's can go up to $11.30 in Europe, that's €8.60 (Euros).
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Post by flatline on Sept 1, 2014 16:05:46 GMT -8
When I look around my local Office Max or Office Depot, the only drafting pencils I see are the P200 series (.5, .7. and .9) (2 for $11), Graphgear 500 (.5 and .7) ($5), and the Graphgear 1000 (.5 only) ($20ish).
Edit: One of the stores also has helix pencils in .5 and .7, but I don't remember how much they were.
So while I agree that there are lots of decent drafting pencils in the <$6 range, most of those pencils aren't available locally.
Edit: forgot that the Staedtler 925 is often available in the local office supply stores in .5 and .7. Staples sometimes has the 0.3.
--flatline
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Post by chthulhu on Sept 6, 2014 14:47:52 GMT -8
Hereabouts it's the P20n series and a bunch of all-plastic, non-art and non-drafting junk. No actual art supply shops closer than 30 miles, and no local drafting supply at all that I've seen for at least 25 years. On-line or nothing.
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Post by flatline on Sept 6, 2014 15:45:52 GMT -8
Hereabouts it's the P20n series and a bunch of all-plastic, non-art and non-drafting junk. No actual art supply shops closer than 30 miles, and no local drafting supply at all that I've seen for at least 25 years. On-line or nothing. There's an art store downtown that carries some Alvin pencils and maybe some pencils by other brands. I think I've been there maybe 3 times in the last decade. Perhaps it's time to come up with an excuse to go by there again. --flatline
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Post by DerekVerbrugge on Sept 11, 2014 15:31:22 GMT -8
My local art store sells the Graphgear 500, but I go there for the .3 lead they supply. I can't find it locally anywhere else. Otherwise it's P200s or Pentel Twist Erase IIIs. However, on my college campus (where I live half the time) they have Rotring 300s & 500s as well as Pentel Graph 1000s in the special edition colors, which is extremely cool. They don't, however, sell the green Graph 1000s. I have a green one and everyone wants to steal it...
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Post by flatline on Sept 11, 2014 17:58:12 GMT -8
I keep meaning to get a Rotring 500 0.3mm...I know I like it because a friend of mine has one, but I just can't seem to pull the trigger on it since I fully expect it to go unused while I use my Pilot s10. I've pretty much quit using my other 0.3mm pencils unless I make myself grab one instead of the s10.
--flatline
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