Mechanical Pencil Lead Tests and Reviews

I test a wide variety of leads available at retail and online. Pentel Ain STEIN was the clear winner, in my book.
If you like what you see, consider backing me on Patreon: / clutchsituation Even just a dollar a month helps to increase the number of videos I can post!

[@Myrslokstok]

Such wonderfull nerdy subculture - love You Tube.

[@dontflipduggan3011]

Myrslokstok lol not only I like pencils I also like pens

[@CraisonBailum]

@@dontflipduggan3011 Fuuuuc !! :3

[@idylledoll]

Ohhh yes, me too! I love being a geek and finding like minded channels!

[@oreocadbury.6226]

We are all nerds talking about pencils.

[@sketchx2144]

2b or not 2b

[@mrrobert1301]

Sketch X I choose just plain B

[@seanmoist1217]

I was just gunna type that.

[@hyu5731]

I choose not 2b I like HB

[@ummrawamus]

😀 i love 2b

[@zenithchan1646]

You guys didn’t understand the joke 😭

[@lindaclark5909]

I had no idea that the mechanical pencil could have a cult following. I'm totally tickled!

[@Submersed24]

It's like a car for your hands

[@marilyngizelle724]

LOL! I never knew I was part of a mechanical pencil cult, but I am! I have to have a mechanical pencil, and it must have an eraser, retractable nib, and 0.5mm lead. I've used the PaperMate Clearpoint pencil for years because it's the only pencil I could find with a retractable nib. Color choice is important. That pencil doesn't come in pink. The 0.7mm comes in pink, but not the 0.5mm. I've had to endure (LOL!) colors like blue, black, red, and green. Yes, it's true suffering to use a blue pencil when the 0.7mm comes in pink. I've actually written to the company requesting the 0.5mm in pink. They responded and said they would take my color request under advisement. That said, I ran out of lead so I researched the best lead. I read that the Pentel Ain Stein is the best. Then I read that the HB (#2 pencil equivalent) comes in regular, soft, and hard. That's how I found this video. I want to know the difference. This video doesn't explore the HB regular, soft, and hard issue. But, the amazing news is that along the way in my lead research, I found the Kokuyo FitCurve pencil which uses 0.5mm lead, has an eraser and retractable nib, and comes in PINK! OMG! You are right! I'm part of a cult! Did I really just write a two hundred fifty reply to your comment?! I'm completely bonkers! ;-)

[@idylledoll]

@@marilyngizelle724 OMG I am totally obsessed like you!!! Also I know exactly what you mean about "enduring" the more boring colours hahaha...I prefer pinks and teals personally! Also I found this clearpoint, you can change the top barrel to pink atleast and lime green and pink look cute together!: www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Clearpoint-Mechanical-Pencil-0-5-mm-Black-1887959/product_1002804

[@oreocadbury.6226]

I recommend y'all watching JetPens too.

[@damirormonov5097]

Welcome to mechanical pencil world)))).... Thanks for video!

[@ImperiaGin]

I am a sophomore in college and I never really cared too much about lead/ pencils till my brother introduced me to Uni-ball Kuru Toga. From there I was introduced to a world of amazingness. Now I cannot use cheap lead or pencils that are just basic. Awesome video

[@leslieramirez9061]

Kuru togas are a godsend

[@SweatCookienese]

how is being a college graduate?

[@DinnerForkTongue]

I could NEVER use cheap leads, even in middle school. They're either waxy, overly, scratchy, are unevenly mixed, or some other issue. For a long time for me it was Faber-Castell or bust; now it's Pentel, Faber-Castell or bust.

[@SoulofAncient]

Same, for me it was a physics TA who showed me a Kuru Toga Roulette. I literally haven't used a wooden pencil since, let alone any cheap plastic mechanical pencils.

[@DChiru2527]

😮

[@Superoreo67]

I cannot believe I just watched -and enjoyed doing so- half an hour of someone I've never met reviewing leads for mechanical pencils. Thank you for this video.

[@ClutchSituation]

It's ok to do what you enjoy, not what other people think you "should" enjoy.

[@twomoons0606]

Just found your channel looking for leads comparison and this helped a lot! As a leftie though, I would have loved to see how much this leads would smear when rubbing your fingers on top of them as I tend to finish classes with the side of my hand full of lead haha. I personally tend to use 2B not only because I love that it's a bit darker and softer, but also because the softness helpes me to not tense my hand so much when writing. Again, the video was really helpful, thank you so much!

[@greekveteran2715]

2B Pencil lead, is the king for writting!! Faber Castell TK-Fine Executive with their 2B leads, is just the perfect allround pencil, for any kind of job!

[@spanionneo]

Thanks for making this video. It helped me narrow my choice down to the Ain Stein 2b.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

Fantastically thorough review, thumbs up. I would be curious to see a "fracture test" of leads, particularly the thinner leads to see how strong the supposedly stronger ones really are.

[@GamerBroMX]

You are the person I needed in my life, I don't know anyone else who shares my interest in pencils

[@timeconstrained2400]

I do....me!

[@panzerkampfwagen6968]

Me

[@databug_]

Aside from the leads themselves, I appreciated your experience as a teacher who eloquently showcased everything pretty passionately. This was the first video I viewed from you, so I was surprised there was no video editing cuts. Nice job!

[@ClutchSituation]

Thanks for noticing. Teaching thrusts public speaking skills on people and I also have had the opportunity to practice public speaking through educational advocacy.

[@sylviasiguenza]

Thank you so much for doing this comparison. It’s comprehensive, detailed, and has a very clear recommendation that’s helped me decide which lead to get. It’s awesome that there are so many options out there now, but the cost of picking the right one via trial and error can add up really quickly.

[@mohdfadhil8458]

thanks for the sharing. I was sucked into this mechanical pencil's rabbit hole few years and now looking for a better lead for my mech pencils.

[@emfancyy7736]

I never even knew there were different lead types until I just recently started getting into collecting good mechanical pencils. I always just used the regular HB as it is what comes with all mechanical pencils. I like my lead to be darker so I was looking at lead when I was buying my tombow pencil. So I decided to get the tombow mono 2B pencil lead & now I will not use anything else. Thanks for doing this test.

[@dashandblast]

Appreciate the effort you put into this; it was very helpful. I probably should have watched this before ordering my Ain Stein in 4B...

[@tompov227]

Very nice and thorough video! I tested all of these leads a while ago (before I saw this video lol) and I reached the same conclusions! I was disappointed by the Neox graphite but I do think it erases really well which can be nice but it was definitely my least favorite. I use Ain STEIN in my Orenz 0.3 to this day

[@collecter3456]

I just subscribed, I like the way you do things and especially I appreciated this video. Thanks for this!

[@tach0171]

Awesome Video! Will definitely try these lead out!

[@rajpreetsehra2760]

I watched a pencil lead test for half an hour. I need to get a life.

[@ClutchSituation]

Or, accept that you like what you like and not let others dictate for you what your life should be?

[@adrianozzz]

This is the third teste in a roll that I'm watching, so... yeah... I'm kidding. I'm seeing all those videos because I'm having a hard time using the Pentel hipolymer 0.5B lead. It has a good hardness, but it's not dark enough. After watching those three videos I'm gonna try using the Ain Stein 0.5 2B, since it looks like the perfect choice for me. And watching those videos were entertaining too. I write a lot with my mechanical pencil, and I used to draw a lot when I was a child, so... embrace what you like! It's so weird to call it "mechanical pencil".. we call it (in Brazil) "lapiseira".

[@cristic767]

I am from Eastern Europe and I made a lot of searching for pure graphite leads, "old school". I found HB, B and 2B, and I bought a lot of them. Very cheap, but very hard to find anymore. Fuck polymer, I HATE THEM! :)

[@idylledoll]

but pencils are life...

[@beratsamil]

I've been searching some pencil stuff since i decided(2 days ago) to get a new one because mine is broken...

[@jacoba191]

Great video. I really enjoy your reviews. Looking forward to your thoughts on Staedtler 925.

[@timz9862]

H or 2H is good for laying down a light under drawing that you can paint over with watercolor or gouache. Anything softer and darker will smudge.

[@nmssis]

The comfort of writing is as important as a comfortable pair of shorts...seriously. been a fan of rotring since i've used my wife's vintage pencil...amazing!

[@timeconstrained2400]

Neox Graphite also comes in F grade. Thanks v/much for your time and effort.

[@kailalynch1223]

Oh my goodness you sound like you're a science teacher and its great! Thanks for the review!

[@secueyecolor]

This video was way more informative than I thought !! It was time worth watching this video ..Awesome!!

[@HHSTT]

My preference is 0.7mm in 2B or 3B. The softer the better. I got my first mp some 37-38 years ago. A Rotring 0.5 and I still have it. ❤️

[@abhabh6896]

how do you not get smudges? Literally every time I try to write on the other side of the paper, the letters from other side keep being pressed onto the other pages....

[@reginaldforthright805]

None of these Japanese .07 leads come in 3b, but their 2b is darker than western 3b

[@THEEnfantTerrible]

I know this video is 7y old but thank you for the video!

[@vwood2]

Thank you - a great review and very informative! I hate it when leads suddenly go scratchy and leave residue that's hard to erase. It seems all of the ones you reviewed offered a smooth writing experience, which is great to know.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Of all my leads, only the Pentels are consistent in hardness. I've had clay/polymer hard spots in all other brands, especially Linc.

[@jackybidbid]

Awesome review! I learned a lot!

[@Shishizurui]

i've been drawing for 16+ years with intent to improve and the .7 pentel P207 has become my go to mechanical pencil. its weight its feel smoothness people think i'm crazy that i drove 20 miles to the art store 40 minutes away just for a mechanical pencil because i wanted that specific one. I've used all kinds of pencils - i think most the time people overthink things I did find i eventually perfer .7 lately I've been trying to find a scratchier lead that doesn't feel all wet n soft

[@areeffauzan1136]

Suggest for me please, which is better between 0.5 or 0.7 fok sketching

[@fredh8733]

you can still get up to 4H hardness with Pentel leads, in the older style box type plastic containers. all the other manufacturers only go up to 2H hardness (as far as i know)

[@Blakbox92]

I use colour lead quite a bit as an artist, and have sort of become an accidental collector of mechanical pencils so just throwing my two cents in: The Pentel coloured lead is pretty brittle and hard, it'll snap very easily if you try to use it with a heavy hand, I don't know if I got a bad pack or what, but it's not that great. The ColorEno is much better HOWEVER, if you're expecting to use it for writing, using bright colours like orange or yellow is a *really* bad idea, I have cyan, purple and blue, all three - even the cyan - show up pretty well if you're just writing something (and I tend to be a little more heavy handed when writing than drawing)... but fully erasing the darker colours unless you write super light is practically impossible

[@NathanYu]

I love how geek you are with mechanical pencils. 👍👍

[@LarsLondian]

Thanks for sharing I mostly use 2.0mm and 3.15mm clutches, but in a 0.5mm I prefer the Faber-Castell 2b graphite, followed by the Pilot Neox Graphite in a 4b. The ease of erasing with the neox even on something like newspaper that tears easily or you can remove other inked lines with excessive erasing/rubbing. Take Care.

[@AleksKo89]

Oh, thanks. Very useful video.

[@brandonescobarnavarro3498]

TY BRO ! exactly what i was looking for! again, thank u very much!

[@SabotPottery]

Coloured lead was mainly use in the drafting industry on film or tracing paper. The main problem people have is when they try to draw with it on common paper which is much more course than the film.

[@TimeHorror]

Great that this is still a thing in 2020

[@ZZz-kf4oy]

Is this the holy grail of mechanical pencil lead reviews?

[@hermilo9613]

Thanks for the upload!

[@pejmandadari9969]

Very helpful video! Thanks I choose UNI NANO DIA 0.5mm 2B

[@donaldgoerig6171]

Love the comparison! Thank you

[@ianccc3725]

Great vid! Thanks for this!

[@gabrielasandoval6994]

I never knew this is what I was missing in life.. I have always been very picky with my pencils and mechanical pencils but never could pinpoint what exactly bothered me... I only knew I was very nitpicky with the hardness of the lead (I prefer harder lead because it helps with having a more consistent/compact handwriting) but now I have a frame of reference and actual terms that I can use to test and compare the pencils I use and will purchase in the future! Currently have my eye on the AinSTEIN HB lead.. Thanks a lot for the video!

[@DinnerForkTongue]

I've purchased all sizes of Ain Stein HB except for 0.2mm. It's my go-to nowadays. I like it even better than Hi-Polymer 2B.

[@-a13x-75]

Amazon is the best place I've found to buy the Pentel Ain Stein in HB or 2B. It's around $5-$6 for a pack of 3.

[@vestibulandaaos4077]

One big problem for 2B leads is how they get dull, specially in 0.5 and 0.7 sizes. Kuru Toga solved it. Always a sharp tip ready to go! I use Kuru Togas 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 in 2B and Pentel Orenz in B, same sizes, plus 0.2. It's sort of a mechanical pencil heaven here 😆

[@user-ow9ct6nt8k]

Wud u suggest . 3 or. 4 for sketching n shading n in b or 2b?

[@DinnerForkTongue]

There's an Orenz in 0.7?

[@MattWithTheCat4541]

Ain Stein 2B is my jam. Best selling lead on Amazon Japan right now, and for good reason. I didn't have any room left in my cart because of the €150 limit before customs charges, but I'll probably stock up on my next order.

[@edisonsiew5450]

I subbed! This is the best pen channel in the world!

[@ClutchSituation]

LOL. I don't know about that. But thank you.

[@edisonsiew5450]

+Clutch Situation :p

[@edisonsiew5450]

+Clutch Situation I'm just getting into mechanical pencil collection and I started with a kuru toga pipe slide and you are very helpful for me as I can learn new brands and start my very own collection

[@arthurclef4339]

great information. I used to use uni 202ND series all the time, until i found a manufacturer provide bulk supply of leads for export purpose(0.5kg/box, around 20,000 0.5mm lead, definitely guaranteed more than my life supply). I think it must be less good than uni/pilot in some way because it‘s not branded. But i failed to distinguish the quality of it from other leads made by uni/pilot in a blind situation(i have dozens of filled pencil and i can't remember which kind of leads are in it). I'm happy that i don't need to buy any lead in the future, but maybe I'm missing something subtle lol

[@hbrhodes1s]

The Pentel Orenz really excels with colored leads because of the sliding guide pipe!!!

[@junktube4000]

The Pilot Neox leads are very interesting leads. Their lines are way more matte (less shine) than the Uni and Pentel leads which give of a lot of shine. The Pilot lead lines are less dark, but maybe the smoothest of the bunch, and maybe the most prone to smudging. I've been liking them, shine sucks.

[@noam65]

This was an excellent review. It may not be "scientific", but from a layman point of view, it was far more useful. By the way, it WAS scientific, in that the methodology you used was definitely a product of the scientific method, which any of us could use to try to replicate the results. What it lacked, which you labeled as scientific, was precision, as to pressure and so forth. The layman doesn't require it, but a manufacturer would, for quality control, for example. Well done!

[@powertymer2748]

Pentel graph gear 1000 and g2 pilot are my go to pencils in 0.7

[@soyboymia136]

power tymer I like Kuru Togas

[@siloentertainment9487]

Tell me why I tried to pull the lid from the top and spent 20 minutes thinking to myself, “how badly did they glue this?” Turns out that you had to TWIST the lid to take out the lead which is very ergonomic…

[@shahmabdulnafeaw.j.7268]

Thank you for this video 🙂

[@Korone-sama]

"I think my dog ate my Uni Kuru Toga pipeslide" me:*facepalm* XD

[@johnrobinson1020]

Good comparison tests but if you want to get straight to the testing go to 10;47 My preference is 2B leads as the HB is too scratchy and feint for me. I love the darker line of the 2B lead and the smoothness on the paper when writing. This is particularly true if using the 0.5 leads although I do use 0.7 with 2B leads usually for writing. The 0.5 lead is the one I use when using my incra rule which has small increment hole measurements in which you insert your pencil in and draw the line, the holes in the ruler are too small for the 0.7 leads.

[@mtheoryx83]

Leads go up to 9H on the hard end of the scale, too!

[@Jose-qk9rs]

This might be a bit of a stretch but which one would you say has the best box? I saw you mention that one of them had a lid that slides to the side. Is that the best one? (Yes, I'm at that point where I want my lead containers to be cool and fancy) Cool video btw, I told myself I would skip most of it and I still ended up watching the whole thing. That's some passion and dedication right there.

[@ClutchSituation]

I prefer the box for the Pilot. Secure lid but easier to open the Pentel.

[@MarkVsharK]

On the lead hardnesses, I believe Uni makes a woodcase pencil that runs 10H through 10B maybe it's the Hi Uni pencil. Pentel produced super hi polymer 6H through 4B (F included). Ain Stein, Nano Dia, and Neox run 4H through 4B (F included) with Ain Stein also having HB soft and HB hard. 0.5mm is by far the best choice for variety of hardnesses. Thought I'd just expand on that. Keep up the good work

[@ClutchSituation]

You are correct on all counts. 10B and 10H are rare but DO exist. Thanks for the added information! My kind of commenter! :D

[@David.Buckheister]

Thanks for the video, it's clear that it took a lot of time and effort. I have mainly stuck to Pentel Hi polymer leads in the past and have been wondering if it was worth it to try Ain STEIN more. Going to have to give that Ain STEIN 2B a look.

[@ClutchSituation]

Yeah, I don't think there is much point in collecting multiple brands and types of leads, from a practical standpoint. I'm happy to "take one for the team" in that regard. Ain STEIN is the clear winner to me...by a hair. I don't think many people would be unhappy with any of them.

[@destinyburnette6596]

My favorite is the softscript pencils.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

My go-to is Ain Stein mostly because of the plastic case. It's much better and more secure than the Hi-Polymer's press fit cap case, that tends to work itself loose in my bag and gets my leads broken. Price is comparable to the Hi-Polymer, so I'll take the better case.

[@idylledoll]

My favourite mechanical pencil to date is still the uber cheap Papermate Clear Point in 0.7 and 0.9 and the Sumogrip 0.9. I love the leads that aren't too hard that they cut my paper but also soft enought to be smooth and super dark! I cannot stand light payoff for writing. I have to check out some of your recommendations but unfortunately I am so picky when it comes to aesthetics too so even if a pencil is amazing to write with, if I don't like the way it looks or feels then I won't use it. Do you like paper too? I really love the moleskine notebooks because it totally is a game changer to how writing feels as opposed to regular paper. I'm super obsessed with stationary.

[@ClutchSituation]

I do like paper. I mostly use Rhodia as the default. I am not a fan of Clearpoint. Don't search for my video of that if you like it. ;) Note that I support whatever you like.

[@franciscocastro4017]

Regarding color leads, another issue is the color stability. I've tested the pentel 0.5mm ain stein red and blue, and both provide a pretty satured and stable color but they are somewhat hard to erase. Then I've also tested the somewhat rarer "uni COLOR" 消せる (erasable) 0.5mm in "orange" and "mint blue", these two are really erasable like any normal graphite lead; however in these cases while the "mint blue" ones remained pretty stable, the "orange" ones became kind of invisible after a few months. Be careful! In summary, while the "0.5mm uni COLOR 消せる mint blue" is an excelent lead, avoid using the "0.5mm uni COLOR 消せる orange"!

[@naomikwan3569]

Francisco Castro hey where do you get it colour one from ? I would love to try

[@franciscocastro4017]

I bought them in a random stationery in tokyo (however I don't remember exactly where) :S In any case, they're being sold in amazon: www.amazon.co.jp/%E4%B8%89%E8%8F%B1%E9%89%9B%E7%AD%86-%E6%B6%88%E3%81%97%E3%82%B4%E3%83%A0%E3%81%A7%E6%B6%88%E3%81%9B%E3%82%8B%E3%82%AB%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC%E8%8A%AF0-5mm-%E3%83%9F%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%83%96%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BC-10%E6%9C%AC%E5%85%A5%E3%82%8A/dp/B001VBEQQG/ref=sr_1_2

[@ArtSense247]

Helps a lot! Thanks!!

[@anuragdey_]

Science teacher who is a nerd. That's icing on the cake.

[@mauriciolacruz]

Are Pentel Ain Stein HB Soft and HB Hard leads graded between HB/B and HB/H respectively? Or...?

[@usoy16]

Fine Job! Thank You!!

[@2005henson]

yea you gave me my fix on ever writing again lol. very good on the explanation by the way

[@n3bie]

Cool video, love your channel. If you want to increase the utility of this video, since it's one of the only videos like it on KZbin, a list in the description of the leads you review with timestamps would be clutch.

[@ClutchSituation]

I see what you did there.

[@phantomolui]

Thanks for the detail review. Perhaps you can consider smearing as another criteria.

[@ClutchSituation]

Good suggestion. In that vein, Pilot Neox Graphite smears the most.

[@phillip7853]

Great info for those of us learning about the newer lead types. It doesn't matter which brand you use for any pencil as long as you're using the right size, right? The old pentel leads, Ain STEIN, Uni Nano, whatever Rotring's lead is called...nothing is specific to certain brands or models, right?

[@ClutchSituation]

Correct.

[@phillip7853]

Thanks!

[@princess7jasmine]

Do you have any thoughts on Faber Castell's lead refills? They weren't mentioned here

[@Limegreen_-mi6uz]

WOW THANKS that was a really helpful video. But o don't get it so the uni kuru toga lead is worth buying or just use the hi polymer lead.

[@ClutchSituation]

Any of the ones I noticed are probably a slight step up from the Hi-Polymer, but none of them are bad. So, the lesson is pick the one you like and then there really isn't any reason to buy another brand unless you're curious.

[@garfieldhwa8957]

great job!!!

[@laptech3767]

Hey while I was studying in china i saw people use leds that unerasable like pen , there blue and red. Anywere to buy those ?

[@dk780]

Do find 2b leads break easier? I think of switching from HB. I am color blind so HB is hard focus on for me.

[@cristic767]

Clutch Situation, I would like to send you some leads to review, something we use in Eastern Europe. Where do I send them? :) In Romania I found real graphite leads, 25 cents for 12 pieces, 2B, and I love them.

[@ClutchSituation]

Send an email to [e-mail].

[@AbidKhan-lr5wb]

@Clutch Situation Hello there.I write a lot on my books as i am a physician by profession.I want darker lines BUT at the same time i want the lead to be resistant to breakage. So what should i get: Pentel Ain stein (0.5mm) 2B OR/vs Pentel Ain stein (0.5mm) 4B leads??? Pls i'd appreciate a prompt reply as i need them urgently.Best regards.

[@ClutchSituation]

Either should work for your goals. 4B darker.

[@AbidKhan-lr5wb]

thanks alot for prompt reply :)...Are 4B more fragile compared to 2B or more or less the same? I'd use them for writing.Currently,i am using uni kurutoga HB leads. kind regards.

[@ClutchSituation]

About the same. There is really no lead that is the perfect combination of softness and durability. When you increase softness you lose durability and vice versa. Lead would be less likely to break if you could increase lead thickness.

[@AbidKhan-lr5wb]

thanks alot for all help.It means that i should go with 4B as it'd be darker than 2B right...only confounding element was relative fragility.If they have equal strength,then i think i should go with 4B rather than 2B? isn't it?felt highly indebted for your prompt replies.thanks alot.best regards.

[@ClutchSituation]

If darkness of the mark is important to you, go 4B.

[@gecko1223]

I'm from Japan and I use an uni kuru toga mechanical pencil and I use the B led I find it the smoothest

[@dallydog8968]

I’m trying to decide if I should use Ain Stein or High Polymer Lead for my kurutoga advance in 0.3 mm. I usually use high polymer since it’s the most readily available but since .3 is already hard to come but I was just going to order the lead. But I’m not sure which lead would be better. Would the Ain Stein be a little big stronger? And will it still rotate okay? I know the feeling of the high polymer lead so I know it works fine but I’m curios about the Ain Stein lead for my pencils. Thanks😇

[@ClutchSituation]

How big of a factor is cost for you? How easy is it for you to obtain Ain Stein?

[@dallydog8968]

I’d be ring it from Amazon or Jet pens. Which isn’t t a big deal for me

[@adrianozzz]

I didn't think I'd ever say that, but I think that the Ain Stein 2B lead is too soft for writing. I was specting a darker lead with the hardness from B or, even, HB. I feel like the lead "don't want to leave" the paper, so my writing speed got slower. Do you recomend any dark and hard lead?

[@ClutchSituation]

The rule is that the darker the lead, the softer it is. If you find lead that is both hard and dark, let us know.

[@adrianozzz]

Yeah, I know it, but I thought the construction of the lead in the Ain Stein series would differ them from the hi-polymers ones in hardness. It's certainly more resistant (way more); I thought there was a direct relation between resistance and hardness...

[@olin_7]

I have the same pencil at the bottom in the beginning

[@rickcroucher]

Do you know where I can find a 4B lead for a 0.9mm pencil?

[@ClutchSituation]

You usually can't get 4B for 0.9 mm. 2B is probably as dark as they go. If they don't have a certain lead on jetpens.com or tokyopenshop.com, that usually means it isn't available at all.

[@Marina-vu2vi]

Please do another one with Staedtler leads and faber-castell leads

[@rrn7769]

For long writing I use 0,7 f or HB.

[@sharronc610]

I love all led

[@mohammedmoin625]

What the difference between the P205 Sharp And A Normal P205

[@moppiebop]

All my life I've only been getting hb leads because it's equivalent to the number 2 pencil. But I'm no longer taking exams and don't need to stick with hb leads. Which is the best for general writing of numbers?

[@ClutchSituation]

It actually isn't true that #2 is necessary for exams. Virtually any dark mark (yes, even pen) will register on modern scan tron sheets. The "best" depends on whether you want a smoother applying darker line (4B/2B) or a scratchier feeling lighter line (B/F/2F)

[@weskernorway]

I like 2b, its very black. You can try Mitsubishi Hi-uni, they are 0.3 and 0.5mm only . very very smooth. but expensive. You collect very more refill lead. great. By the way, I try STAEDTLER lead,but I think Japanese more smooth and more cost. German's only 12 leads tube,Japan 40 leads tube. My English not good,sorry about this.

[@stevesloan5935]

Based on your own test, I give it to Uni Nano Dia for line darkness/quality. JetPens agrees w/me, so I must be right. 😉

[@orangeorange2744]

Well...it can have diamonds Diamonds can be made from graphite by using a very high pressure But they wont be as clear as a normal one Also stein means rock in german

[@ChinZu]

How about the Rotring tikky hi-polymer, I think it's also a good lead.

[@zo3l368]

Best Video on the yr for me I just subbef

[@predragdjokic3761]

One question is there any other brand then Pentel that has range 3B and 4b in 0.5mm and that is also produces deep black lines???Like Super Polymer Pentel mines 4B and 3B?

[@dejandjokic5919]

Ja nisam nigde u SR video 3B "olovo"

[@CaribbeanNW]

Hello Mr. Clutch Situation, thank you for your great video. Which would you recommend .9mm or 1.3mm pencil for my 6 year old 1st grader? Do you think a kid this age applies to much pressure to the pencil or would smudge the paper using a 2B lead? I'm undecided in between 2B or B for him. I don't like HB. What grade do you teach? Greetings from Puerto Rico.

[@ClutchSituation]

My wife and I are headed to Puerto Rico in December! I teach high schoolers and a graduate class in education. Since pencils are pretty inexpensive, I'd suggest maybe getting a "trial" .9 and 1.3 and see which works best for them. 1.3 isn't likely to come in anything but HB. Smearing is a concern for B or 2B lead. However, it will depend upon how your child holds their pencil in relation to the paper. Are they left or right handed? Do they hold pencils at an acute angle to the paper or more vertical? Finally, don't forget to ask their teacher what they would recommend. I don't teach handwriting, so I would always suggest getting the input of an experienced elementary teacher who does so. One final thought: you know your child best, but kids have a tendency to lose things. Consider the possibility that they may lose anything that you work hard to set up for them anyway. ;) Of course, you know your child's responsibility best. I think it is wonderful that you are so invested in your child's schooling.

[@31leoceara]

Is the Pentel Ain Stein that good? I needed blue leads and bought some Pentel Ain Hi Polymer (blue and red), and completely hated them. They are awful!

[@ClutchSituation]

They are. Colored leads do not have the sturdiness of conventional lead. That has nothing to do with it being Pentel Ain. All colored leads, regardless of manufacturer, are fragile.

[@31leoceara]

The biggest problem I had with them was not so much that they are fragile, but that they have a weird, "plastic" consistence. They do not glide over the paper, they drag in a very unpleasant way. The lines are not consistent either, and to top it all, they erase terribly. Pentel is one of my favorite brands, I was quite surprised their Pentel Ain Hi Polymer line was of such low quality.

[@hengsreypich2407]

31leoceara lead 0.8

[@ethereallily3419]

why did you not test rotring lead? I have used it and it is the best IMO. I know it's extremely pricey, especially if not from rotrings website, but it honestly has the best feel and feels amazing with rotring products.

[@ClutchSituation]

I do not have unlimited funds.

[@jonas3543]

Here in Germany it costs 1,30€ from the Rotring website for a pack of 12. I just compared it to the AinSTEIN and I would say the Rotring writes a bit smoother but looks really similar on paper

[@aanali794]

Do you know if the 0.5 b is a good in between hb and 2b for the ain STEIN , or uni nanodia

[@jamesbattista1466]

A Andrea I love the B leads myself. This seems to be the sweet spot as the hb is a little light, and the 2B is a little dark (soft) for my tastes.

[@ThomasForrester]

Mundane yet highly worthwhile topic, and a very well done review. Thanks.

[@metinkurt4874]

Can you examine the flour nano dia 4b 0.5 pencil lead?

[@Korone-sama]

What makes you enjoy collecting and writing with a mechanical pencil, and what makes you started to collecting mechanical pencil, thx :-D

[@ClutchSituation]

It's a precision instrument that solves something annoying about writing. In addition, after 20 years of immersion with high tech I've felt a calling back to old fashioned means. I retain and understand things better when I handwrite.

[@arcitekk]

i thought "Ain Stein" was just a reference to Albert Einstein lmao