Although I love to write using mechanical pencils, I have been using low quality ones throughout my early years either in school and when I started to work. The mechanical pencils either felt too light, the leads keep breaking or become loose when I was writing, or the tip of the lead got slanted which resulted in uneven and smeared letters. Also, some mechanical pencils got broken and stopped working after a while, and they had to be thrown away.

Later throughout the years, I got a better writing experience with a higher quality mechanical pencil with Pilot Supergrip and Flexgrip 0.5mm provided by my company. They really felt good in my hands and they seem to last very long too. So far after more than 2 years of usage, they still work fine and write very well. The leads rarely break too.

The Pilot Supergrip and Rexgrip are rather cheap, about RM3.30 for one piece, surely great value for money. And the common leads from brands such as Pilot and Buncho are very cheap too, and most importantly they are good. Having said that, I've never tried better mechanical pencils and leads, hence the purpose of this thread.

Just today out of curiosity, I've actually made an online purchase for the Staedtler 925-25, 925-35 and UnikuruToga Roulette. It's not of an impulse buy as have never owned a high quality mechanical pencil before. My question is, do the leads really matter? The Buncho and Pilot 2B polymer leads only cost RM0.60 to 0.80 around that range, but the upmarket brands of polymer lead cost up to RM12 or higher.

I just bought the Rotring Tikky polymer lead for RM12.90, and there are only 12 pieces. The Buncho leads only cost RM0.64 for 24 pieces. Big price difference.

Back to the question, does the quality of lead matter, and if yes what is usually recommended? There is a huge price difference between the Buncho / Pilot polymer leads and the boutique brands from the likes of Rotring etc.

If you want to feel the quality and heaviness, I suggest you to buy Rotring Rapid Pro. There have various lead sizes, just get the 0.5mm for common writing.

I was tried many types of mechanical pencils. Such like Pentel Orenz Nero 0.3mm, Staedtler Reg 925-85-05 (discontinued). Also the cheaper range, Uni Kuru Toga Advance, Uni Kuru Toga Roulette, standard Kuru Toga and Zebra Delguard.

In the end, I still feel that Rotring is still the best for its price to value because it has a better built quality. I like their stainless steel materials, feel heavy and solid. Rotring 600 is cheaper but its tip not retractable. Only Rotring Rapid Pro and Rotring 800/800+ have retractable tip.

Another cheaper selection is Uni Kuru Toga Advance. I prefer to this pencil because it has 2x leads rotation speed. So will keep the pencil lead always sharp during writing. Also it has retractable tip too.

For the lead selection, if you are just commonly using for writing purpose only. I recommend you to buy Pentel Ain Stein 4B or Uni NanoDia 4B. Usually Pentel Ain Stein pencil leads can be found in most bookstores such as Popular. Uni NanoDia 0.5mm 4B (green colour) is hard to find, usually I order from taobao only.

Why I only recommend 4B but not 2B. Since you know usually we are writing with that cheap Buncho 2B leads in the schools. When we switch to another brand such as Pentel Ain Stein. You will notice that the other brands 2B is lighter than Buncho 2B. That's why I suggest to use Pentel Ain Stein 4B 0.5mm only. Ain Stein leads has far more sturdy than the normal hi-polymer leads and it is not easily to break. You can search in Youtube to know more reviews about "Ain Stein".

For the writing feel between Pentel Ain Stein and Uni NanoDia. The ain stein leads feel smoother on writing comparing to NanoDia. Overall the darkness for both 4B leads have no different.

The reason why leads are keep breaking. Since lighter pencil leads is harder while darker pencil leads is softer. When we make a lead to darker such as 4B, the lead will break easily. In order to overcome this issue, so we need to stop use those cheap brand polymer leads and switch to use Ain Stein leads.





This post has been edited by junclj: Apr 15 2021, 09:51 AM

Thanks for the response which was much appreciated. I did check on the Rotring 600 but the price is almost RM150 so I disregarded it. Since you recommended the Rotring Rapid Pro, I just checked on it and the price is RM180. Wow, really high end for a mechanical to cost this much. Perhaps next time when I feel like an upgrade. It's quite a large jump from the Pilot Supergrip/Rexgrip RM3 to RM150+.

I just spent RM160 for 3 mechanical pencils. I paid RM37.50 for the Uni-Kuru Toga Roulette and RM59.70 for the Staedtler 925-25 and 925-35 each. Will see how they perform first.

As for the pencil leads, it is unfortunate I just bought the Rotring Tikky B instead of 4B. The seller only has HB and B as 2B has run out of stock. I didn't wait for the 2B stock to come next month and bought the B instead. Hopefully the blacks are not too light with B. Next time will choose 4B with other premium leads from Pentel Ain Stein.

I presume the Pentel Ain Stein 4B will have the same darkness as cheap Buncho 2B leads but smoother writing and less breakage. With regards to breakage of leads, after I used the Pilot Supergrip and Rexgrip, the leads do not break easily anymore. The leads broke a lot when they are used with really cheap mechanical pencils. The Pilot Supergrip and Regrip mechanical pencils are actually quite good for the price (RM3.30/each).

I can't wait to see how the costlier Staedtler and Uni-Kuru Toga pencils will compare to the cheap Pilot Supergrip/Rexgrip. Will likely get the shipment by next week.

Yes, 0.5mm is the best size for me as I only write with the pencils. No drawing.

For the first time I bought Staedtler 925-35 0.7mm as I wanted to try how 0.7mm will feel in the hands. I have never tried 0.7 before as I've written in 0.5 all my life.

You may also try to buy some Pentel ain stein 4B leads in the nearest bookstores. Last time I was bought mine from Popular bookstore. Besides that, Mitsubishi Uni/Uni-ball is my favourite brand. For mechanical pencils, I am still using Uni Kuru Toga for the most and pen I am using Uni-Ball Signo 0.38mm. My Rotring mechanical pencils were just bought for collections only. I rarely use them also do not put inside my pencil case. I was set shelf in my bedroom and bought many pen holders, some pen holders were looks like this with two hands rise up. So I can put all my pencil collections on it.

Ok thanks for the tip on getting Pentel Ain Stein 4B leads at the nearest bookstores. I rarely go to shopping malls these days and usually purchase on Shopee. Will keep that in mind.

It is interesting you brought up about getting Rotring mechanical pencils only as collection. Similarly, I question myself why I need to buy better mechanical pencils when I already enjoy writing on the cheap Pilot Supergrip and Rexgrip pencils. They are adequately high quality to me at just a price of RM3.30. I guess sometimes we just want higher quality, to experience the slight uniqueness of these pencils, either the better build quality(metal body, retractable/non-retractable tip etc.) or slightly improved writing experience. I hope after I get the Staedtler and Uni-Kuru Toga Roulette pencils, they don't end up in the drawer or box as collection. This story reminds me of Bill Gates. He once mentioned he has many expensive cars in his garage, but he uses the Ford Focus the most as his daily drive.

Nice design of the mini holder for the most expensive mechanical pencils. Will check out the other available designs.

I just bought the newly released Pilot S30 pencil. It's not cheap, but really built nicely.

Wooden body, auto advance mechanism

Just checked on the Pilot S30. Cannot find it anywhere in Malaysia, not sold in Malaysia. So I guess this must be a high end product. So I checked on the price and found that it is selling at USD150. After conversion it is RM450+. Wow, at that price I think I will put it in a nice display box and keep it as collection rather than use it for writing. 😝

Lol. I don't know about all these high quality expensive pencils. I have only been using my trusty Pilot shaker mechanical pencil since standard 5 all the way till now. Those cheap normal Pilot / Staedler / Faber Castell leads are good enough for me.

RM450+ is definitely on the really high side. I got it in SG for SGD55. So still a price that can be considered for writing with

I had one of the original shakers, the H-515. but my parents couldn't remember where they put it after I moved out of home

OOOoooohhh...
Thread for mechanical pencils.
Wait tomorrow i come back to spam my collection.

I found a pencil/pen holder in Shopee which is more to my taste. However, the price is too high at RM50+ for one piece so I won't be getting it yet. The pen holders which you posted above are much value for money but it is a bit too small and cute for my preference.







https://www.google.com/url?q=https://shopee...33rUkerEzJYLDlQ

this is mine, photo of 3 years ago. I've now no longer buy new mechanical pencils. Now I am deciding to buy lego instead, to decorate my shelves.

Stainless steel mechanical pencil got pental and parker.

Not bad.

These 3 are my most frequent used mechanical pencils. I only pick 3 mechanical pencils to put into my pencil case, the rest just put to shelf for display only. lol



This post has been edited by junclj: Apr 15 2021, 05:31 PM

Staedler for me.
Stole mine from my niece's pencil case

Quick one. Since you are experienced and have given good advice, I need your help again. Others can advise too if you have experience with the mechanical pencils as mentioned below.

Long story short, somehow I need to get another pencil. Won't get into the details.

I have ordered the below, shipment on the way :
1. Uni Kuru Toga Roulette (0.5mm)
2. Staedtler 925-25 (0.5mm)
3. Staedtler 925-35 (0.7mm)

If given a choice, which one will you pick to add to the collection of 3 pencils above? Pick one only.
1. Zebra Delguard standard (0.5mm) RM26.70
2. Zebra Delguard ER (0.5mm) RM37.70
3. Zebra Delguard LX (0.5mm) RM39.70
4. Zebra Delguard LX Limited Edition (0.5mm) RM69.70 picture below

5. Uni Kuru Toga Advance standard (0.5mm) RM27.70 picture below

6. Uni Kuru Toga Advance (0.7mm) RM34.70 picture below

7. Uni Kuru Toga Advance Upgrade model (0.5mm) RM57.90 picture below

Before anyone recommend Rotring 600 or Rapid Pro, I would like to leave this out at the moment as it's RM150+ a piece which is above the budget I m willing to spend. Right now I just want to try few samples below RM80.

You may try Uni Kuru Toga Advance or Advance Upgrade Model. If you want to see the rotation clutch inside then go for Kuru Toga Advance, if not then upgrade model. I was watched a mechanical pencil review in a Youtube video. Uni Kuru Toga has unbelievable better leads anti break protection by comparing to the Zebra Delguard. I personally just suggest to buy the 0.5mm for usual writting, unless you are writing bigger wording and need a 0.7mm mechanical pencil.

For the rOtring collections, of course I have both rotring 600 and rotring rapid pro (only kids make selections, lol kidding). Both are heavy and solid. However, due to the tip of roting 600 is not retractable. Some people may do not mind in this but I am more preferable to rotring rapid pro because of its tip is retractable.

Besides, you may try Pentel Orenz too. This mechanical pencil also great in leads anti break protection.

This post has been edited by junclj: Apr 19 2021, 01:34 PM

Thanks for the response. Will likely go with the Uni Kuru Toga Advance although the Pentel Orenz was recommended since the Pentel Orenz is only available in 0.2mm and 0.3mm. If 0.5mm, it is only available in Pentel Orenz Nero version, and this Nero 0.5mm costs RM187.00 which is close to RM200, even more expensive than the Rotring 600 and Rapid Pro.

Let me warm up with the cheaper mechanical pencils first. After few months then maybe I will try the models costing above RM100 up to RM200.

The Zebra Delguard LX Limited Edition which costs RM69.70 looks good although it is 2 times the price of the cheaper Zebra Delguard LX and other models. There is no difference in the functions and it's just the more elegant metal body of the Limited Edition that adds to the price. IN other words, we are just paying a higher price for the looks only, no difference in terms of function and features. The Zebra Delguard will need to wait next round..



This post has been edited by ryder_78: Apr 19 2021, 12:14 PM

OK just placed order for the Uni Kuru Toga Advance model and not the Upgrade model since I wanted the rotation clutch to be visible.

Time to rest for a while before I try the costlier mechanical pencils later, maybe closer to year end. 4 pencils will ship together. Good to compare all these "upmarket" mechanical pencils to my current RM3 Pilot Rextrip and Supergril models just to have a feel of the higher quality pencils first.

I've had a few Kuru Toga over the years, but the ones I still hang on to are the High Grade and the Rubber Grip (the clipless one). Hated the standard one that you can find in local bookstores now, and also the Roulette

Ok, a short update. Received the Staedtler 925 35 07 and Uni Kuru Toga Roulette yesterday and tested and compared the pencils to my cheap cheap Pilot Rexgrip and Supergrip (RM3 each). I'll make it short so that you guys won't get bored.

Firstly, the Staedtler and Uni Kuru Toga all come with original leads, 3 leads included inside the pencils. I asked the seller if the leads are HB, B, 2B, and the seller responded by saying most likely it is HB. I find the original lead inside the pencils to be hard and slightly light in the shade, not as dark as 2B lead from Buncho. Also, when writing on paper, the harder HB lead is not as smooth as 2B Buncho as there is slight friction on the paper when the lead rubs against the paper.

In summary, even though the original leads which are included in the Staedtler and Uni Kuru Toga pencils are high quality, they are not confortable to write on and the shade is too light for my preference. So I took out all the original HB leads and replaced them with cheap Buncho 2B. Much better!! Smoother writing experience with the softer lead of 2B and also darker shade.

OK. Now the quality of the pencils. In short, I find the Uni Kuru Toga Roulette to provide the best writing experience after comparing it to both Staedtler 925 35 07 and cheap Pilot Rexgrip/Supergrip. The rotating mechanism inside the Uni Kuru Toga really works. The lines always stay sharp on the paper and do not become thicker after writing for a while. Consistent thickness of the lines with the Uni Kuru Toga. I can feel the mechanism rotating the lead when I was writing as the rotated lead caused a slightly higher friction on the paper. Nevertheless, it is not really noticeable after getting used to it for a while. The writing experience is still smooth with the Uni Kuru Toga although the lead is rotating all the time. I know the mechanism is working because the lines always stayed sharp and consistent and didn't smear or become thicker.

Now, going to the Staedtler 925 35 07. This is a 0.7mm version compared to Uni Kuru Toga Roulette 0.5mm. The weight of the metal pencil feels good in the hands as I think this pencil is the heaviest when compared to Uni Kuru Toga Roulette and Pilot. After trying both Staedtler and Uni Kuru Toga, the cheap Pilot pencils which are made of plastic feel too light, like a toy. Although the Staedtler feels good to hold and has even smoother writing experience than the Uni Kuru Toga (as it doesn't have any rotating mechanism), the lines do not stay consistent. Just like the cheap Pilot, the lines will go from 0.7mm to 0.9mm or maybe 1.0mm on the paper after writing for a while, then I would have to manually rotate the pencil to get 0.3mm from the sharp tip of the slanted lead, then the lines will slowly go wider from 0.3mm, 0.4.m, 0.5mm to 0.9mm c before the pencil is manually rotated by the user again.

Personally I prefer writing on the Uni Kuru Toga a lot more than the Staedtler as the lines always stay consistently sharp without me having to manually rotate the pencil.

Also, I am lucky the seller didn't ship the other Staedtler 925 25 05 to me in the first shipment (I ordered 2 Staedtler 925). For this reason I have exchanged this Staedtler 925 25 05 to the Zebra Delguard.





I don't think I'll be using the Staedtler 925 35 07 a lot but it is fine since I can use it as display. It looks beautiful and solid in dark blue.

My cheap Pilot, not worth showing here so they are hidden.


This post has been edited by ryder_78: Apr 21 2021, 02:00 PM

*gasp* I never thought I'd see a topic in /k about mechanical pencils, let alone any writing instrument!

nice choice, I'm a user of the Kuru Toga Roulette too.

the only thing that bums me out is that it doesn't lend itself too well for cursive/fast writing as you literally need to lift the tip of the lead clear off the paper for the lead to rotate. so mine's pretty much restricted to making markups on drawings where I will write slowly.

In summary,

The Pilot at RM3 a piece still writes great and value for money at its price point. The writing experience is almost the same as the Staedtler when it comes to the lead getting out of shape, causing the lines to become wider and smeared after a while before the pencil is required to be manually rotated to maintain the required thickness of the lines. However, the Pilot feels a lot lighter than both Staedtler and Uni Kuru Toga.

The cheap Pilots will be great for those who like very light pencils which are still great to right on. At RM3+ a piece, you cannot complain much.

Moving up to the Staedtler 925, this one feels a lot heavier and solid in the hands due to the metal body. It not only feels good in the hands but looks better too. Writing experience, not much to talk about as there is nothing unique about this pencil other than the high build quality. Just like the Pilot, the lines don't stay the same after you write on it for a while, as the words will become thicker or smeared. Imagine the lead is 0.5mm but after writing for a while, the lines will not stay 0.5mm but change to 0.7mm or maybe 0.9mm depending on the angle of the tip.

LASTLY, Uni Kuru Toga provides the best writing experience to me. It really maintains the thickness of the lines and you don't need to manually rotate the pencil while you write. The feel in the hands is also good.

The weight of the metal body Staedtler and Uni Kuru Toga is just right as these pencils don't feel too heavy in my hands. They are still comfortable to write on.

The Pilot pencil now feels like a toy. Although it is still comfortable due to the light weight, it now feels too light. Just like a toy pencil. Still good though and as I said earlier, at RM3 you can't complain.

That's all for today. Will be receiving the Uni Kuru Toga Advance and Zebra Delguard soon. I don't think I'll be disappointed with either these pencils as the Roulette and Staedtler have met my expectations.

I originally posted this thread on the Hobby and Collectible section but it was moved to Kopitiam by the moderator.

Kuru Toga Roulette is a good pencil. Surprisingly the cheap Buncho 2B leads work well on this pencil too. Will explore the higher quality leads next time but don't think will spend much money on expensive leads.

This post has been edited by ryder_78: Apr 21 2021, 02:19 PM

have you tried the Uni Nano Dia blended leads? Compared to the Buncho, it doesn't glide as smooth but it's less prone to breakage.

personally I like that sort of feedback. I don't use the Buncho after I discovered it.

Appreciate your review. It was very comprehensive and well done. Should tie it up (complete it) with a review on 2B/4B STEIN leads as well, comparing it to the benchmark (0.5 2B buncho).

Unfortunately I have not tried the Uni Nano or any other lead yet. I just received the Rotring Tikky 0.5mm B lead but have not tried it on the pencils. I wanted to get the 2B but it is out of stock and the seller will only receive the new batch by next month.

So far I haven't experienced any breakage with Buncho 2B yet. Will likely try the much recommended Pentel Ain Stein 2B (3B or 4B if available) or the Uni Nano when the time comes. I don't know what to expect with these costlier leads which cost more than 10X the Buncho leads. If it is smoother(softer) and darker in shade than the cheap Buncho, it would be good.

The original HB lead inside the new pencils does not feel good. The hard lead causes more friction when it rubs on the paper, and the shade is also considerably lighter than 2B. To me, I think minimum B would be necessary, 2B ideal. No experience with 3B or 4B but these are quite rare I think.

This post has been edited by ryder_78: Apr 21 2021, 08:29 PM

Thanks. I do not have the Pentel Ain Stein leads as the seller didn't have 0.5mm 2B for sale. Only the Ain Stein 0.2mm and 0.4mm 2B are available.

Will try the Ain Stein 0.5mm 2B once the stock is available. At the meantime, the Buncho 0.5mm 2B works well enough for me. Not sure what to expect with Ain Stein 0.5mm 2B.

This. TS reminded me i have 2 mech pencil still not yet unbox...long time ago bought from aeon renovation sales.

Why did you hate the roulette? Was thinking of getting a Kuru Toga. What's the diff btwn the pipe slide, advance vs roulette?

I have never seen such a high interest discussion on a very mundane subject like mechanical pencils before. Good for you. I prefer fountain pens.

hooo that's a whole 'nother rabbit hole that goes very deep...

especially when Mr Lai from PenGallery posts his occasional treasure finds. poison mang

I'm lazy to switch to 2 different pen and pencil hence I got myself the Zebra DelGuard+2C. The weight is not too heavy and not too light.
I'm actually eyeing the Zebra Sharbo but it's more expensive that the DelGuard+2C.

I would expect STEIN to be:
1) less breakage
2) smoother writing

And if I have to choose one, I'd also get the 4B stein rather than the 2B stein, because it should also be darker too (for the same price). But, that's just me. I have tried 8B pencil before (for drawing).

Also had a rotring mechanical about 2 decades back. I believe it was a green and brown colour with a metal clip. It lasted ages given the abuse. Apart from its durability, nothing fancy that I could recall. Had their pen/fineliner too. Nothing much to recall there either. But, I was young and probably didn't notice much. Had the Parker mech too... nothing special there either.

Anyway, the roulette is metal and has some heft to it right? Why are you getting the advance?

Tried them LAMYs, and Pilots, nothing expensive. Works great with nice cursive writing. My default ink was Pilot Blue Black. Never really got hooked on it though. Too much trouble for daily use. For heavy usage, the ink drains too quickly, then you have to go through the hassle of refilling, cleaning the nib, don't spill, etc. Have to watch out for the paper quality too, and also watch out for pausing on paper causing blotting. Have also experienced and seen people with fountain pen (FP) borrowing pens due to ink ran out.

Eventually, gel pens are easier. That said, FP is more of a brush stroke, no pressure. Pros and cons there too... bad on carbon copies, gentle on the hand. FP are less likely to go missing too (the cheaper ones), but, be prepared for people asking for it as a keepsake/souvenir. I think the ladies have something with the LAMYs. Anyway, people tend to remember the FP person.

Why they still use fountain pens if so bad? So many decades but the technology haven't improve. But i still see a number of people using fountain pens too

Going off topic a bit, my apologies

Please don't get me wrong. I was merely pointing out the pros and cons from my limited experience. I wasn't bashing FP. I like them, but, it's just not for me/my usage. Maybe more suitable for a different people/usage.

It is what I would categorize as the finer things in life. You get to a certain stage of your life and have the luxury to appreciate and enjoy those finer details. It is somewhat quite similar to that of a quartz vs automatic watch. One is better than the other at timekeeping.

I am not sure about the technology in FP and if any improvement can be made. I have yet to try a FP in a varying pressure environment either, heard that it will leak?

All in all, not my cup of tea doesn't mean it is not yours or others. Don't overlook the pros of FP too.

Looks good. Still new and unopened..

The price indicated on the price tag is almost the same as the selling price today. I guess you got a 50% off the price, or more during the close-out sale making the purchase a bargain.

Horses for courses. I did try a fountain pen about 30 years ago when I was in Form 2 or 3, bought by my parents of course. Didn't really like it and I think I made a mess out of the inks during refill. I actually prefer to write on quality ball point pens rather than fountain pens.

I have always preferred to use mechanical pencils wherever possible even with the cheap Pilots although the pen is mainly used for work purposes. I'm glad I tried the high quality mechanical pencils although the experience was a bit late for me. Better late than never though.

Good to hear the Pentel Ain Stein will be even smoother with less breakage when compared to Buncho 2B..Will try the Ain Stein 4B sometime.

Yes, the Uni Kuru Toga Roulette is metal but it really is quite light, not heavy. It is lightweight, slightly lighter than the Staedtler 925 and feels quite good in the hands. I'm getting the Uni Kuru Toga Advance as I wanted to try or own most of the good mechanical pencil models as all are different. The rotation speed of the mechanism in the Advance is 2 times quicker than the standard Uni Kuru Toga models which include the Roulette, so the writing experience between the Advance and Roulette will likely be different.

The knurled grip on the Roulette wasn't for me. Luckily I think I managed to unload it on Carousell, so yeah.

JetPens has a whole guide on these, so knock yourselves out here.

Just received the final 2 pencils to wrap it up.

Uni Kuru Toga Advance
Zebra Delguard Lx Limited Edition

The 4 mechanical pencils I have now should be quite complete. Thanks to all who responded especially junclj.



I haven't tried the Zebra Delguard yet but based on my limited experience with Uni Kuru Toga and Staedtler, the Uni Kuru Toga should be the one to get if anyone desires to own a good quality mechanical pencil. To me, the Staedtler 925 doesn't have the winning edge and feels inferior to the Uni Kuru Toga in terms of writing experience. Build quality of Staedtler is high and it looks quite elegant but that is where the good story ends.

Yet to try the Zebra Delguard but based on the online reviews and YouTube reviews, the pencil should be quite good for heavy handed users.

Should try a TWSBI if you're worried about running out of ink. it's a piston filler, with a huge tank, and being a demonstrator means you can see how much ink you've got left too.

And yeah.. paper quality does matter, but then again, hunting for good paper is part of the fun too. And it does not need to be expensive either, just need to hunt around a bit. I've seen notebooks being sold at Daiso, which are made by Kokuyo

The Pilot S30 that I mentioned earlier in this thread

thanks for the post. now i know i am not the only person who like mechanical pencil
My Lamy mechanical pencil at hometown atm...



This post has been edited by teckyuan: Apr 22 2021, 10:51 PM

Which one u reach for the most?

kurotoga . cause i scare my pencil fall to the ground by accident . i scare my lead sleeve skew haha..other pencil i just keep it in my closet . hardly used.

I initially ordered the Staedtler 925 25 05 and 925 35 07 but after receiving the latter, I cancelled the 925 25 05 and requested to exchange it with a Zebra Delguard after I found the Uni Kuru Toga to write much better than the Staedtler. Luckily the seller didn't post out the 925 25 05 together with the 925 35 07. Otherwise I would end up with 2 Staedtler pencils which will likely end up in the drawer most of the time.

Perhaps the 925 25 0.5mm writes better than the 925 35 0.7mm, I'm not sure but it didn't impress me too much when compared to the Uni Kuru Toga. I've now spent a bit of time comparing the Uni Kuru Toga Roulette and Staedtler 925 35 to the Advance and Zebra Delguard LX Limited Edition and will post my impressions in a short while.

A black Rotring 800+ had been a very worthwhile buy for me.

They sent me a Rotring 800 (silver) by mistake, and when I complained, they sent me the correct one, with a message to just keep the first one they sent to me, as it'll be too much of a hassle for it to be sent back to them.

Ok folks, would like to share my brief impressions after spending some time with few quality mechanical pencils which are considered as an upgrade to the RM3.00 Pilot pencils sold in your neighbourhood stationery stores.

Photo below shows from Top to Bottom ;
Uni Kuru Toga Roulette
Uni Kuru Toga Advance
Zebra Delguard Lx Limited Edition
Staedtler 925 35 07


Firstly, as seen here in this thread, it is down to personal preference as the pencil which I feel is comfortable may be considered as uncomfortable to another person. For instance, Synical found the Uni Kuru Toga Roulette to be uncomfortable but I find it fairly comfortable.

Comfort and looks are based on personal preference which is subjective. However, some aspects of the pencil such as the technology incorporated into it and the writing experience are objective so most people would be able to come to an agreement.

Ok straight to the point. To me, if you want something that is truly special and different, the Uni Kuru Toga would be it. After comparing all the pencils which include the Zebra Delguard with its patented unbreakable lead technology, the Uni Kuru Toga still remains as the best mechanical pencil to me in terms of writing experience. As mentioned earlier, the rotating mechanism inside the Uni Kuru Toga really works in keeping the lines sharp all the time as the lead is constantly rotated by the pencil. All other pencils which include Staedtler and Zebra Delguard write the same as the cheap Pilot, or any other pencil for that matter. The lines don't stay consistent and sharp as they get smeared and go wider after you write for a while. As a result of the thicker or wider lines due to the excessive slanted tip of the lead, the shade also gets lighter and not as dark.

As for the unbreakable lead technology of the Zebra Delguard, personally I don't find it unique as I don't usually break the leads with all pencils which I write on these days, even the cheap Pilot. Perhaps useful for people who are heavy handed who exert a lot of force on the pencil when writing on paper. I only break the leads when writing on REALLY cheap mechanical pencils, maybe those costing RM0.50 or 1.00 a piece. That was way back in time when I was in school.

In summary, for me the Uni Kuru Toga is the best pencil for writing as it maintains the thickness of the lines. With other pencils. If you want to maintain the thickness of the lines, you need to rotate the pencil 90 to 180 degrees with your fingers. Otherwise, you just continue to write with thicker and smeared lines ie. Instead of 0.5mm, you get 0.7 or 0.8mm thick lines, and with lighter shade.

Uni Kuru Toga ADVANCE vs. ROULETTE
Between the Advance and Roulette, I find that there is no difference in the function as both pencils maintain the line thickness very well. One is not better than the other although the rotation speed in the ADVANCE is 2 times that in the ROULETTE. Perhaps other more experienced users may be able to explain the advantage of the higher rotation speed in the Advance model. To me, there is no difference.

However there is a difference where the Roulette with slower rotation speed writes slightly smoother on the paper when compared to Advance. Just a small difference. It is likely the higher rotation speed which causes the lead to rotate quicker ultimately induces more friction on the paper when the lead is rotating at higher speed.

Comfort
All pencils feel comfortable to me but if I were to rank them in order, from most comfortable to least comfortable as follows;
1. Zebra Delguard and Uni Kuru Toga Advance (tie)
2. Staedtler 925 35 07 and Uni Kuru Toga Roulette (tie)

The larger diameter and smooth grip area of the Zebra Delguard and Uni Kuru Toga Advance contributed to the added comfort. The smaller diameter and textured surface of the grip area of both Staedtler and Uni Kuru Toga Roulette brought down the comfort levels a little, but overall they are still fairly comfortable to write on. No complaints.

SUMMARY

I may sound like a broken record by now, but I would surely recommend the Uni Kuru Toga if you want a different and better writing experience from your RM1.00 to 3.00+ mechanical pencils found in your common stationery stores. I feel the basic models instead of the Roulette will be good enough. Perhaps the rubber grip or Gel grip version of the Uni Kuru Toga.

Zebra Delguard and Staedtler don't really feel too special in terms of writing experience but they are well made and look pretty good (metal body, beautiful design etc.). But in terms of comfort and particularly heavy handed users, the Zebra Delguard will be a good choice.

This post has been edited by ryder_78: Apr 23 2021, 10:56 AM

im amazed by this thread, i cant even remember when was the last time im writing. (im in IT line, photo/video as sides, rarely write anything)

Aha, Rotring, maybe later by end of the year or next year. Read a lot of good things about the Rotring and will try at least one model sometime in the near future. As for now, I'm happy with the Uni Kuru Toga.

Any recommendations on a lead to be used with Kuru Togas? I've used the basic one and the Roulette sometime back, stopped using because I could never find back the original lead or any lead suitable for it. I mainly use it for just note taking and writing (as you would with a pen).

Sorry, I only use the Buncho 2B with Uni Kuru Toga and all other pencils. I haven't tried the "upmarket" leads with the pencils yet.

I'm not sure about the original lead for the Kuru Togas. All the pencils came with original leads inside but I have replaced all the original leads with the Buncho 2B as I find the original leads to be too hard and light in shade. According to the seller, the original leads inside the pencils are likely HB grade which may explain the light shade and higher friction on paper.

I suppose you can use the Pentel AIN Stein 4B with the Uni Kuru Toga? The Ain Stein 4B was highly recommended in several reviews on YouTube and also 2 users here on this thread. I will try the Ain Stein 4B in due time but at the meantime the cheap Buncho 2B works well for me, surely better than the original lead(HB grade?) which came together with the pencils.

Just curious, what do you like about the original leads of the Uni Kuru Toga and how is it better than the Pentel Ain Stein 4B or Buncho 2B? Can these original leads for the Kuru Toga be purchased off the shelf?

mechanical pencil is where you go if you draft alot , but if you type a lot go get a get Cherry Mx brown keyboard . Recommend the brown switch if you type a lot . i come from blue to brown switch and find that brown is is better.

I still wonder how to define a high quality mechanical pencil is?

the smooth of writing ? that is depend on the lead you use right?

the mechanical mechanism? fast response? easy press? no stuck?

the precision of mechanical ? If 0.5mm mean can not offset even 0.01mm ?

the feeling on hand while writing? Completely solid feel ? or soft comfort feel? This one really personal prefer. Full metal vs plastic?

3 pages. Still no classify on what kind requirement of that so call high quality.

Deleted, duplicate

This post has been edited by ryder_78: Apr 25 2021, 09:01 AM

Does anybody know if there are fake Pentel Ain Stein leads being sold in the market? I just went to Shopee and found out that the price of the Pentel Ain Stein leads vary significantly between different sellers.

The cheapest tube of Ain Stein lead which consists of 40 leads cost RM2.00. It gave me a shock as it is a lot cheaper that I had expected. The most expensive same Ain Stein lead sold by another seller costs RM27.00.

0.5mm 2B most common, followed by 4B and 3B. For the same Pentel Ain Stein 0.5mm 2B/3B/4B lead(40 leads per tube), the price on Shopee varies with different sellers as follows;

RM2.00
RM3.75
RM4.90
RM5.23
RM5.50
RM12.90 *
RM16.00
RM16.50
RM17.00
RM20.35
RM22.00
RM27.00

* the seller whom I bought the mechanical pencils from (Japanstationery) also sells the Pentel Ain Stein leads but I didn't buy from him previously as the lead only comes in 0.2mm and 0.4mm. The 0.5mm is not available. The price sold by this seller is RM12.90. I also bought a Rotring Tikky 0.5mm B lead at RM12.90 from this seller.

Surprisingly there are few buyers who bought the Ain Stein from the higher priced items and left reviews. So the question, why there is such a big difference in price between the sellers for Ain Stein leads!?? I was expecting above RM12.90 for a tube but was shocked few people are selling at RM2.00 to RM5.23.

Are the pencils great for drawing and sketching as well?

I only use the pencils for writing.

I know of those who uses them for this purpose. alternates between nibs of different sizes and softness depending on what they're doing.

I bought rotring 600 from Amazon US ship to singapore .
Cost me about Sgd30 include shipping .
Cheaper than malaysia.

A short update on the comfort of the mechanical pencils after spending a considerable period of time writing on them. I have written earlier that the Zebra Delguard and Uni Kuru Toga Advance are more comfortable than the Staedtler 925 and Uni Kuru Toga Roulette earlier due to the larger diameter. That isn't true anymore.

I now find the Uni Kuru Toga Roulette to be the most comfortable pencil to write on in comparison to all the other pencils I have. After some investigation on my own as well as a Youtube video comparison (by a Japanese) which happens to coincide with my thoughts, here are my observations. The comfort of the pencils depends on several aspects. It's not only the weight of the pencil but the grip diameter of the pencil, the portion where you hold the pencil. And lastly, the feel of the pencil when you write with it - this is largely dependent on the quality or mechanism of the pencil such as the control of the lead at the tip.

In summary, personally I find the ideal shaft/grip diameter of the pencil to be not more than 10.0mm for it to be comfortable. This is personal as others may not feel the same. There will be less control on the pencil if the diameter of the pencil is larger. For more accurate or fine writing, a smaller diameter pencil will be better than a larger diameter pencil. The large diameter pencil will be useful for taking quick notes or scribble where accuracy is not important. I find the 10.4mm diameter of the Zebra Delguard Limited Edition and 10.7mm diameter Uni Kuru Toga Advance to feel a bit clumsy in my hands in comparison to the 9.9mm diameter Uni Kuru Toga Roulette which I prefer.

Secondly, the weight of the pencil. Light pencils may be more comfortable but too light does not feel good to me. As I mentioned earlier, the light Pilot Supergrip/Rextrip felt like a toy pencil. I just checked the weight and it's 9.2g. The Uni Kuru Toga Advance is also quite a light pencil, coming in at 11.8g. After writing with the Uni Kuru Toga Advance a while and comparing it to the heavier pencils such as Roulette (15.1g) and Staedtler 925(17.0g), the Advance feels too light. I prefer the heavier Uni Kuru Toga Roulette.

With my limited experience, I have narrowed down the criteria of future pencils that I will be purchasing in the near future;
1. The shaft/grip diamater of the pencils will need to be about 10.0mm or lower. 10.5mm and above feels less comfortable to me.
2. The weight of the pencil will need to be approximately 15.0g or higher.

I have shortlisted the Pentel Orenz Metal Grip which falls within this criteria as the next pencil to purchase (Shaft diam. = 9.5mm ; Weight = 14.0g). Perhaps get another Uni Kuru Toga Roulette in black although it may be silly to have 2 same pencils.

The Rotring 600's shaft diameter is only 8.1mm which will greatly aid accuracy. And at 23.0g it's heavier than the rest too. Surely something to look forward to. I can imagine the Rotring 600 to feel solid in the hands.

And lastly, on the Uni Kuru Toga Advance (2x rotation speed) vs Uni Kuru Toga Roulette (1x rotation speed), personally I feel the 1X rotation speed of the Roulette is good enough. The quicker 2X rotation speed of the Advance model creates a slight friction as you can feel the tip of the lead to be slightly loose when writing. There's slight movement or rattling with the lead when you write due to the mechanism in the Advance, and for this, it feels less comfortable than the Roulette. The Youtube video by a Japanese comparing the Advance and basic model of the Uni Kuru Toga also find the Roulette to write better than the Advance and for this reason, recommend the Roulette instead of Advance.

This post has been edited by ryder_78: Apr 30 2021, 10:02 PM

So you are in Singapore. Nice. SGD30 is cheaper than the local price here (RM149.70). How does it feel in comparison to the other pencils you tried? I presume the small diameter (8.1mm) contributes greatly to accuracy and fine writing while the heavier weight(23.0g) in comparison to most pencils makes it feel solid in your hands. The Rotring 600 is almost 3X heavier than the Pilot Supergrip/Rexgrip.

Based on my experience doing fine line drawing, sketches and writing..., YES, A good mechanical pencil is a great tool. Too lazy to sharpen pencils all the time and 0.5 lead usually breaks if I wanna do a very dark section or bold lines, so I started using Mechs with 0.7 2B lead.

Frankly it Does everything I need to, from sketches to writing, as long as u can manage the pressure n stroke. Tried quite a few and lost too many, including from the usual 3 (rotring/faber castell/lamy). Ended up using a more economical yet sturdy pentel. Still very good service to the day and grip size works for me. Retractable or not, big or small grip, depends how careful you are with it, and how it feels in your hands.

If I can share one advice, just go to a good stationery store (or a few, depends on what they offer) and try it in your hands first, you’ll always know which one works best for you. Can buy online if there’s good offers after. Simply because, you can always switch the lead , but a good mechanical pencil will be the more important investment first. Here’s my ever trustworthy, beaten up, yet favourite one for now.


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Where did you get your case from?[COLOR=red]

Since I am not a draughter or artist and only use a mechanical pencil to write notes, Buncho 2B lead is good enough for me. Compared to other brands I find it softer and darker, even with a certain "give" whereas other lead e.g. Faber-Castell seems more brittle.

But let me shill my favourite pencil for a moment. Back in my schooldays I tried so many brands looking for a good quality pencil but when I found this model, I stuck to it for life: Pentel Caplet.

It is small, slim, short and lightweight so it can be easily held in any position for writing or drawing, and makes shading and scribbling a pleasure. Some people like thick and heavy pencils; I personally prefer slim and light, so this is the pencil for me.

Unlike many budget pencils, the nose is strongly and finely constructed, and the mechanism is built to more precise specs. I have had other mechanisms break or go out of alignment, but this pencil can easily last a decade in regular use.

The cap can be removed or clipped on top. Leaving it off makes the pencil extremely lightweight, clipping it on gives a nice counterbalance. Totally situational and preferential.

TS this website has a great write-up/reviews on different mech. pens.

davesmechanicalpencils.blogspot.com

Used to have a Ballograf Rondo Mechanical Pencil, its a true tank. Made in Sweden. It was gifted to me by a pal from there when I was studying. Lost it when I left it somewhere. It was all metal, which I liked as many of the pens/pencils I've used that had rubber/synthetic keep breaking down due to bodily oil absorbtion or by oxidation.

Found a BICs copy of it - BIC bought Ballograf




Currently using a Faber-Castle TK-Fine 9717 0.7mm. Feels great to write for me and build quality is commendable whilst the price is still obtainable. While I really like Buncho for the deep blacks and effortlessness. Though it's more prone to breakage in which the FC doesn't help as its mechanism is quite simple (outdated)

Frankly speaking . i dont think there is much difference compare to 925 other than the more heavy and more solid build (less plastic part around ).I still prefer the Kurotoga because of the rotating lead mechanism .
The reason i bought this pencil is because i just want to try some more quality pencil . In fact i get my kurutoga after i bought rotring . I am no promoting rotring has a better writing experience than other here but in case you looking for one . can consider to get one from amazon sg because the price is cheaper .Actually last time i try to check if i can get one in malaysia , but dont see any seller selling rotring brand .that's why i go look for amazon and luckily i found one .

Just checked on Pentel Caplet. It costs RM2.40 which is cheaper than the Pilot Supergrip/Rexgrip. Nice to know when you have found a pencil you can stick for life. My current favourite is the Uni Kuru Toga Roulette.

Similarly Buncho 2B is good enough for me but I'll be trying some Pentel Ain Stein soon, in all 2B, 3B and 4B before I call it a day.

I too just write with mechanical pencils no drawing or sketches. Based on my limited experience with 0.7mm pencils where I only have the Staedtler 925-35 0.7mm, the only disadvantage with this 0.7mm pencil is the lines become thicker after you write for a while. The lines do not stay sharp, and since it is in 0.7mm, the smeared lines are more prominent than 0.5mm. It is unfortunate Uni Kuru Toga doesn't have a pencil which come in 0.7mm. Otherwise I would buy it.

Pentel Graphgear in the photo. I've not given in a serious look yet but will do later.

Just checked on Davemechanicalpencils blogspot. Quite good. I noticed the author doesn't like the tip of the Zebra Delguard too, just like me. BIC Ballograph, I just did a quick check and it is not sold here in Malaysia.

THanks for the post which is useful. Now I will forget about the Rotring 600 and won't be getting it. The price is not exactly cheap at about RM150.

Good to know you also prefer the Uni Kuru Toga than the rest of the mechanical pencils. I really like writing on the Roulette.

Regarding the Staedtler 925-25 0.5mm that you have, do you have the 925-35 0.7mm as well? I was just wondering if the 925-25-05 writes better than the 925-35-07. As you might have known, I bought the 925-35-07. Although it feels comfortable in the hands and writes very smoothly, even smoother than Uni Kuru Toga since it doesn't have any rotating mechanism built into it, the lines become thicker after you write for a while. Smeared lines. Personally I don't prefer the lines to get thicker and smeared after writing, and for this reason I prefer the Uni Kuru Toga over the rest of the pencils.

I was thinking perhaps the 925-25 0.5mm writes a bit better than the 0.7mm 925-35 due to the thinner lead. I like the feel of the Staedtler 925-35 in my hands, and the smoothness is even better than Uni Kuru Toga, but the major drawback is as said above. Whenever I wanted to write, I will always pick up the Uni Kuru Toga Roulette. The Staedtler was rarely used and inside the sleeve.

Just got to know the Uni Kuru Toga Roulette is the most popular model which received the highest sales. The snapshot of the store which I bought the mechanical pencils from. The Roulette is at the top with more than 1000 sold.





Roulette - >1000 sold
Pipe Slide - 611 sold
Advance 0.5mm - 472 sold
Disney Edition - 359 sold
Basic - 192 sold
Advance 0.7mm - 120 sold
Alpha Gel - 90 sold
Advance Upgrade - 60 sold
Advance 0.3mm - 54 sold
Basic 0.7mm - 34 sold
Rubber Grip - 31 sold
Doraemon limited edition - 24 sold
Advance Puma limited edition - 8 sold

sorry . no comment on the 925 0.7 on writing perspective even though i have the choice to choose between the 3 .I bought 0.5 that from kino without considering the 2 .i never use any pencil with lead size other than 0.5 .actually i only use buncho 0.5 never try other lead from other brand .I saw some lead can cost as high as RM10 for a tube .Will try out one day after i finish my buncho .

Die lor ... terkena racun tim.

Just tried comparing the premium Rotring Tikky Hi-Polymer lead to Buncho lead. Although a big price difference between the 2 leads, unfortunately the writing feel, smoothness and darkness are almost the same to me. The Rotring is 0.5mm B while the Buncho is 0.5mm 2B.



Rotring Hi-Polymer lead 0.5mm B - RM12.90 for 12 pcs
Buncho Hi-Polymer lead 0.5mm 2B - RM0.85 for 24 pcs

1 piece of Rotring lead costs RM1.075 while 1 piece of Buncho lead costs RM0.035 which is more than 30X cheaper.

After this I will order some Pentel Ain Stein 2B, 3B and 4B lead to try.. Hopefully there's a noticeable difference. I'm not asking for a big difference, just an appreciable difference will do. Otherwise, I would stick with Buncho. Save me money which is a good thing.

This post has been edited by ryder_78: May 2 2021, 03:10 PM

By the way, I'm ordering my last batch of pencils (hopefully) to try before I call it quits. Any experience with any of the mechanical pencils which I shortlisted below?

1. Pentel Smash (likely get one of this, quite expensive this one)
2. Pentel Orenz Metal grip
3. Pentel Graphgear 1000
4. Faber Castell Tk Fine
5. Faber Castell Apollo (cheap, below RM10)

Also, will get another Uni Kuru Toga Roulette in black colour to accompany the silver to complete the collection. I really like the Roulette.

I just tried comparing the Buncho 2B (RM0.85) to Rotring Tikky B (RM12.90). Unfortunately both write and feel the same to me. The darkness is also almost the same although the grade is different, B and 2B. I really wanted the Rotring to feel different after paying a considerably high price for it, but it didn't happen.

Will try Pentel Ain Stein after this. Hopefully there will be a difference this time. I too use 0.5mm most of the time. All my mechanical pencils are in 0.5mm. Only the Staedtler 925 is in 0.7mm

this is the reason why i would rather spend money on pencil than lead itself.thanks ts for sharing your experience!

Yes, same here. Money better spent on pencils. As silly as it sounds, I'm getting another same pencil in different colour since I enjoy the quality and performance of the design. (UKT Roulette).

The Pentel Ain Stein leads vary in price from RM2 to above RM22. Think I'll get 3 boxes at RM5+ each and compare to Buncho before I retire experimenting and playing around. To be frank, the Buncho 2B is good enough already even before I try the better ones. At below RM1 for a box, you cannot ask for more. Surely value for money.

Currently using no.4 in 0.7mm config. I like the feel of it, quite balanced in my hand. They actually sell a newer version called TK Fine Vario but yet to be introduced in our market.

On your write up for the lead, Buncho has come a long way perfecting it

Oot but what pens do you use? I'm using Faner Castell Grip X7 but they suck after i dropped them a couple of times.

My collection.

Pretty new, haven’t tried all the leads I bought yet. Haven’t been writing much.

I still keep the Pilot Super Grip gifted to me by my late ex.