Clutch pencils

[Old Hippie]

Indeed pencils are cool. If you want to go to of the line pencil you need some blackwings. My dear wife loves hers.

I was nerding out on wood pencils the other day and was thinking of getting some very nice ones. I usually temper enthusiasm with an awareness of shipping costs; I could get my $30 box of pencils for an additional $50 in shipping, which was the cheapest rate. Makes me chuckle (grimly) that I can order something from China and it takes all of $1 to ship it to me. Of course it also takes six months to get here, but I'm good with that for most things. But, international postal agreements and China doesn't go along with them.

I had another sort of chuckle today (not grim) when I discovered that most online retailers show the Kaweco raw brass 5.6 SketchUp as "sold out" but the exact same thing with an eraser insert is in stock for usually about a dollar less. Out of curiosity I compared the two, and yup all-same-same. I see on one pencil blog that the Kaweco is apparently favoured among people who highlight texts, which might be something I would find useful on occasion but frankly it'd mostly be "I can play with it in a fashion that I can rationalize."

Usually after looking at cool tech for a while I'll go take a walk. This helps keep my wallet in my pocket. See y'all in a bit...

O.H.

 

[blethenstrom]

I was nerding out on wood pencils the other day and was thinking of getting some very nice ones. I usually temper enthusiasm with an awareness of shipping costs; I could get my $30 box of pencils for an additional $50 in shipping, which was the cheapest rate. Makes me chuckle (grimly) that I can order something from China and it takes all of $1 to ship it to me. Of course it also takes six months to get here, but I'm good with that for most things. But, international postal agreements and China doesn't go along with them.

I had another sort of chuckle today (not grim) when I discovered that most online retailers show the Kaweco raw brass 5.6 SketchUp as "sold out" but the exact same thing with an eraser insert is in stock for usually about a dollar less. Out of curiosity I compared the two, and yup all-same-same. I see on one pencil blog that the Kaweco is apparently favoured among people who highlight texts, which might be something I would find useful on occasion but frankly it'd mostly be "I can play with it in a fashion that I can rationalize."

Usually after looking at cool tech for a while I'll go take a walk. This helps keep my wallet in my pocket. See y'all in a bit...

O.H.

Yeah I have seen those large lead kawecos but I am far from an artist. I could certainly use them for rough lumber marking but I think I will just stick with my time pencils for that. I have seen though that many artists like those for shading etc.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I always hated using pencils as they started to wear down when I was in construction. I got some of these (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NP16AG/) when Lee Valley used to sell them. I searched 3mm mechanical pencils at Amazon but they didn't come up... so when I found them at GoldSpot.... Ordered a couple more... I'm going to give our youngest son a couple.... He worked with me for a few years and learned a lot about the carpentry trade.

 

[Old Hippie]

Yeah I have seen those large lead kawecos but I am far from an artist. I could certainly use them for rough lumber marking but I think I will just stick with my time pencils for that. I have seen though that many artists like those for shading etc.

Three things.

1. I found Blackwings in Canada! Bit of a boutique site, but I'm guessing shipping would be more reasonable.
2. I usually refer to my woodworking as "chainsaw carpentry" even though I haven't started my chainsaw for about ten years. So yeah, a thick line isn't going to hurt.
3. I was perusing a pen/pencil blog and the author suggested using the Kaweco 5.6 with a stainless or brass Japanese Kakimori dip nib, which he found a weird idea but an entirely practical way of using the nib. (shrug) I've got a few bottles of ink around that could be used up.

It's a deferrable purchase, so I can have all kinds of fun just thinking about it. Got other pencils to play with, anyway!

O.H.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Yes you have to sharpen these which some may be opposed to to, but it is just part of the experience.

That's definitely a mental hurdle for me. I use both mechanical and wood pencils, but I view a clutch pencil as a mechanical pencil that I have to sharpen, which just seems wrong. Suffice to say it's not an avenue I have pursued.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

@blethenstrom - I have been considering purchasing some new Koh-I-Noor clutch pencils but have read mixed reports as to their current quality of materials and manufacture. As a result I am thinking of seeking out used/vintage examples. Can you or others comment on the quality of the current Koh-I-Noor range? Thank you.

 

[Phoenixkh]

@blethenstrom - I have been considering purchasing some new Koh-I-Noor clutch pencils but have read mixed reports as to their current quality of materials and manufacture. As a result I am thinking of seeking out used/vintage examples. Can you or others comment on the quality of the current Koh-I-Noor range? Thank you.

The Amazon link I posted for the Caran D'ache Fixpencil seem to be gone.... replaced by a more expensive option.

They are $19 at Goldspot.com. The lead is cheaper there too.

I'll be interested to see if their quality is the same. I bought the ones I have now 20 years ago or so...

​

 

[linty1]

Love mechanical pencils (my fav recently was lifted from me.. ) and while my clutch doesn't get much use (its a koh i noor versatil with the... I wanna say 5.6mm lead? I do adore it quite. It even comes with the sharpener right in the cap.

More mp threads please.

 

[blethenstrom]

@blethenstrom - I have been considering purchasing some new Koh-I-Noor clutch pencils but have read mixed reports as to their current quality of materials and manufacture. As a result I am thinking of seeking out used/vintage examples. Can you or others comment on the quality of the current Koh-I-Noor range? Thank you.

I own only one koh-i-noor clutch pencil and it is their short pocket clutch pencil. It is OK but just OK. I cannot speak for their other clutch pencils though. Faber Castell tk9400 is a solid clutch pencil. If you want to go higher end you can do rotring. The 300 is quite affordable or you can go to the 600 which is their higher end one. Also don't forget about the steadler 780, which is a solid choice as well.

 

[blethenstrom]

That's definitely a mental hurdle for me. I use both mechanical and wood pencils, but I view a clutch pencil as a mechanical pencil that I have to sharpen, which just seems wrong. Suffice to say it's not an avenue I have pursued.

I can see your point here. Maybe it is just nostalgia for me. Who knows? I just like them. One thing though is the different hardness of the lead. You can get wooden pencils from 9B - 9H and you can get 2mm lead in all of those as well. However the 2mm less is more affordable. Mechanical pencil leads do not come in all those hardesses. I think that is why artists use wooden or clutch pencils. I'm certainly no artist. I just like them.

 

[njpaddy]

Always something new to learn on B&B. I never heard of clutch pencils before. Upon retiring, I switched from wood to this mechanical pencil.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Always something new to learn on B&B. I never heard of clutch pencils before. Upon retiring, I switched from wood to this mechanical pencil.

I didn’t know they were called clutch pencils until I read this thread. But I’ve been using a 3mm one for well over 25 years. I posted them above. They worked much better than “carpenter pencils”. Swiss quality, though I’ll know if that still means anything when I get the new ones I just ordered.

 

[shave/brush]

Because of this thread, I ordered a Rotring Rapid Pro 2.0 mm. It just came in yesterday and I love it. What a nice writing instrument. Looks really classy too.

 

[m949]

A classy pencil needs a classy eraser. This is the best one I have ever had. It comes in this small cardboard box and has a small metal holder at the bottom to avoid breaking the eraser as it is quite soft. This is a real natural rubber eraser, nothing else. It erases everything and I mean everything, even the deep lead deposits along the line. It erases reliably everything from 4B to 2H leads.

The eraser shavings behave interestingly. They accumulate in long rubber fibers rather than rubber particles and dust, which is quite easy to clean. It's not cheap for "just" a pencil eraser at around $6, but I can only recommend it. It's a very pleasant experience compared to a plastic eraser and it is just a beautiful little product which would look good on any desk.

 

[blethenstrom]

View attachment 1773665
A classy pencil needs a classy eraser. This is the best one I have ever had. It comes in this small cardboard box and has a small metal holder at the bottom to avoid breaking the eraser as it is quite soft. This is a real natural rubber eraser, nothing else. It erases everything and I mean everything, even the deep lead deposits along the line. It erases reliably everything from 4B to 2H leads.

The eraser shavings behave interestingly. They accumulate in long rubber fibers rather than rubber particles and dust, which is quite easy to clean. It's not cheap for "just" a pencil eraser at around $6, but I can only recommend it. It's a very pleasant experience compared to a plastic eraser and it is just a beautiful little product which would look good on any desk.

I agree. You need a good eraser, especially if you use leads like 2B, 3B, 4B or softer.

 

[Phoenixkh]

View attachment 1773665
A classy pencil needs a classy eraser. This is the best one I have ever had. It comes in this small cardboard box and has a small metal holder at the bottom to avoid breaking the eraser as it is quite soft. This is a real natural rubber eraser, nothing else. It erases everything and I mean everything, even the deep lead deposits along the line. It erases reliably everything from 4B to 2H leads.

The eraser shavings behave interestingly. They accumulate in long rubber fibers rather than rubber particles and dust, which is quite easy to clean. It's not cheap for "just" a pencil eraser at around $6, but I can only recommend it. It's a very pleasant experience compared to a plastic eraser and it is just a beautiful little product which would look good on any desk.

I searched a couple places and didn't find one..... Any suggestions for people living in the States?

Edit: This was an interesting read... and they sell Seed Super Gold Erasers as well:

The Best Erasers | JetPens

Everyone makes mistakes, but choosing a poor eraser doesn't have to be one of them. We evaluated every eraser we carry to find the best all around eraser and make specific picks for students, artists, and more.

www.jetpens.com

 

[blethenstrom]

I searched a couple places and didn't find one..... Any suggestions for people living in the States?

Edit: This was an interesting read... and they sell Seed Super Gold Erasers as well:

The Best Erasers | JetPens

Everyone makes mistakes, but choosing a poor eraser doesn't have to be one of them. We evaluated every eraser we carry to find the best all around eraser and make specific picks for students, artists, and more.

www.jetpens.com

Yes JetPens does a great job in evaluating things. I have the Sakura Arch erasers and they are really good. I have not tried the Sakura Sumo though.

 

[Duggo]

At this point, I can't draw to save my life. But by the same token, I bought Steadtler Mars 780 Clutch holders, to hold the leads. The reason? Unlike a wooden pencil, a clutch holder, will always stay the same length. Leads: 4H, 2H, HB, 2B, and 4B. I bought the 5 pack...

 

[StuMcB]

I use a brass kaweco sketch up. Its 5.6mm leads, its in use for quick on hoof note taking and alike.

 

[Old Hippie]

Although I was kind of looking for a Koh-I-Noor like the one I had 40 (Golly!) years ago, I picked up a couple of well-regarded brands recently. One is the Staedtler 780 Mars Technico 2mm, which to all intents and purposes should be the only clutch pencil in 2mm that I need. Notice that clever little qualification? It is good quality, well balanced and of reasonable price. Although it was kind of an impulse, I'm happy with it. I'll also say that Staedtler's model 502 2mm lead pointer is aces.

In my wanderings among the pencil offerings, I encountered Pacific Arc. I'm not too sure about their antecedents yet, but they appear to be well recommended. Topping up for free shipping is just so seductive, isn't it? The Pacific Arc H-1305 is essentially similar to the Staedtler 780. There are differences; the grip section is longer on the PA, but the Staedtler grip section is grippier. Staedtler carries the collet a little deeper in the barrel but there's no real significance to that. Both hold leads well and both fit the pointer. Both have included pointers under the button, neither one of which I've used yet.

Since I mostly write, and less often sketch up various projects or draw cut lines on things I tend to gravitate toward the 2mm leads in HB degree. The Staedtler came with some 2H leads; great for drafting I suppose but I last sat at a drafting table in...wow...1974. For my usual writing a 2H lead isn't dark enough to suit me. Getting into the softer B degrees is too far the other way so I usually go with HB. (And yes, I believe "vanilla" is an actual flavour...)

While it is a clutch/collet design and it does constitute a "pencil" the Staedtler 900 25 pencil holder is only useful if you actually put a real pencil into it. It's more of a high-class version of the "pencil extenders" that artists use to hold stubs of drawing pencils. All aluminum, with a screw-collet instead of a push-button collet and a lovely crank-up eraser this is an entirely engaging little tool.

Mostly I have it to make use of those tag ends that accumulate in desk drawers and pencil cups on desktops. At the moment it's loaded with the stub of a Staedtler Lumograph HB, which is a very smooth writer in this degree. The real advantage comes in being able to drop the pencil out, reverse it, and intall it point upward in the barrel for safe clean carriage. The collet ferrule is nicely grippy and of slightly larger diameter; feels good in my hands.

O.H.