15 Best Mechanical Pencils Reviewed, Rotring, Pentel, Ohto, Graphgear, Staedtler

[@jihyoslint]

Time stamps: 3:07 Grip section differences when writing vs. drawing 5:42 Comfort 6:40 Features 7:26 Ohto Super Promecha (0.5) 14:33 Rotring section 15:28 Rotring 600 19:11 Rotring Rapid Pro 22:07 Rotring 500 24:30 Rotring Tiki 26:46 Twizby Precision 31:29 Uni Kuru Toga 36:25 Uni Shift 38:21 Pentel Graphgear 1000 47:48 Pentel P205 and Pentel P200 53:03 Pentel Orenz 1:00:17 Pentel Graphgear 500 1:03:30 Staedtler 925 25-05 1:05:37 Platinum Pro-Use 1:08:10 Remarks NOT recommended for drawing: 15:28 Rotring 600 (good but not ergonomic, hexagonal barrel, edges sharp and uncomfortable when sliding up and down on hand) 26:46 Twizby Precision (wobbly and loose, buy the fixed sleeve) 31:29 Uni Kuru Toga (wouldn't use for drawing unless architectural where he needs a constant line width, or when doing tiny up-and-down strokes constantly lifting the point on and off) 36:25 Uni Shift (comfortable but bad design)

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thank for doing that, much appreciated!

[@gaklimited]

Wow, adding timestamps for a 3-year old video (even though it's still relevant) is the pinnacle of 'I'm making notes for myself, but sharing it and the key takeaway saves atleast someone else's time even if it's this late'. Thank you.

[@CrowClouds]

I believe he also didn't recommend the Super ProMecha for drawing because the lead feed adjuster near the grip makes it uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time. He says it just before he puts it down, it's really quick but he says he only uses it for writing

[@LordWaterBottle]

​@@smoothie77drawingpaintingIf you copy and paste the chapters section of the comment into your video description it will automatically divide the video into chapters that are skipable and navigable as if a playlist.

[@hiramrichmond3341]

Gods work :D

[@sehgalvrinda]

bro said "quick review"

[@NickedError]

😭😭

[@le_blake]

for 8h a day of drawing it must be nothing

[@charchitgaur9929]

😂

[@charchitgaur9929]

Bro alsi said I quickly say 😢

[@charchitgaur9929]

0:49 0:51 0:52 0:52 0:52 0:52 0:53 0:53 0:53 0:54 0:54 0:54 0:54 0:54 0:55 0:55 0:55 0:55

[@theOGTessTickle]

I came here for the pencils, but stayed for the ASMR.

[@117_90]

This guys voice is extremely calming

[@i1pro]

Unless you watch it in x2 because the video is soooo long...

[@ihategoogle6066]

I know right, this guy could never be a driving instructor, he'd have his students falling asleep at the wheel lol. His calming voice could give Morgan Freeman a run for his money.

[@forvainee]

soothing

[@robear888]

For anyone who is curious about mechanical pencils for drawing or drafting, I highly recommend this video. Jon goes into a lot of detail that may help you in your quest to choose from a wide array of options within the market. Good luck and fun drawing!

[@snikrepak]

Been using Pentel click 0.5, looking at the rotoring

[@hasanrazaart]

49:00 totally agree with you, what a remarkable invention. I spent lots of money to find something that can surpass the feeling of P205. when you hold it, it's like you holding a katana.

[@richardwalker753]

The best detailed review of mechanical pencils for artists that I have seen in KZbin. Thank you!

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Glad it was helpful!

[@stevemurray6543]

Your first video on the subject influenced my purchases of mechanical pencils. Thank you for that video and this. Spot on. Only having a cuppa with you while we talk would make this any better. Thank you.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks Steve, I'll put the kettle on :)

[@JustinHeaverin]

Thank you for this video! So extremely helpful. Will be getting a GraphGear 1000 soon.

[@noobcoin0012]

I absolutely agree with you on the Pentel 1000. My 1000 broke after 3 years at the lead indicator because I was twisting it the bad way as you say. It snapped in half and my heart was broken. I decided to use the opportunity to try out another pencil so I bought the Rotring rapid pro. It's a nice pencil, but my lead keeps breaking in like 1 cm increments. I read up that it's the gold cover on the inside that needs to be tightened. Ive tried tightening it dozens of times and my lead still breaks. The pencil itself is fine, but it was something about that Pentel 1000 that really made me want to write. It was absolutely flawless. I want to try the Rotring 800, but I know that my heart wants to buy another Pentel 1000.

[@KnightTamila]

Maybe pentel 500 will be suitable to you

[@baebbomes2000]

Wow! This was an incredibly thorough and well done video. I'm getting back into drawing and sketching, came here to affirm my recent purchase and new found love of the Pentel GraphGear 1000. I really can't find any faults in it either. Glad to see someone with your experience raving about it! Thank you for the informative video.

[@juliocesarpetrini]

Excellent video! I’ve been drawing with so many different mechanical pencils for over 20 years and I can say that Pentel P200 is by far the best mechanical pencil I’ve ever had. A good ergonomic design with super lightweight gives you the feeling of drawing with a part of your own body. I do have other mechanical pencils with me, super good ones, but I always get back to my Pentel P203, which gives me an awesome result with absolute line control on the paper. Long live to the classic Pentel P200.

[@greekveteran2715]

Nice pencil but it can't much the Graphgear 500 in performance and precision. It's too light designed to work with stencils and rulers all day without fatigue. The weight and balance thus the control and precision you get out of the Graphgear 500,is the best compared to any drawing pencil.

[@richeart8217]

​​​@@greekveteran2715il Graphgear 500 potrà essere migliore per il disegno tecnico grazie a peso maggiore, grip in metallo e la caratteristica punta “a scalini” che contraddistingue proprio i portamine da architettura, ma per il disegno di artistico è più adatta la P200, la quale racchiude tutte le qualità della classica matita in legno ossia peso piuma e punta a cono sottile.

[@Momo-bb2fn]

6:41 ohto super promecha -lead hardness indicator cap that locks -lead jam tool -pocket clip screws off -turning the grip allows you to set guide pipe length, one of the strongest retractable lead sleeves he’s seen, can’t even tell it’s retractable. -can adjust lead length that comes out in each click 14:33 Rotring 600 -excellent quality but edges are too sharp to be viable for him for drawing (feels like holding a bolt) -lead indicator 19:14 Rotring Rapid Pro -very comfortable -great grip -no lead indicator -strong lead sleeve 22:07 Rotring 500 -plastic body -metal grip -most comfortable, in his opinion, out of the Rotrings -inexpensive 24:30 Rotring Tiki -inexpensive Twizby precision 26:53 Pentel p205 48:55

[@michaelvincent7655]

Bro just condensed 99% of the information of a 1:11:06 of review into 104 words lol

[@Wesleyfrl]

thank you for actually taking your time for this fr

[@Momo-bb2fn]

@@Wesleyfrl thank you, i wanted to do the whole thing but never got around to it

[@Momo-bb2fn]

​@@michaelvincent7655 more like the first 24 minutes lol, i wanted to do the whole thing but didn't get around to it also, did u word count that ??

[@rosak.j5944]

absolute legend

[@user-wh4di1xm3s]

I have the Rotring 600 and I absolutely love it. I draw with it everyday and I don’t think it’s uncomfortable at all. When I am concentrated I really don’t lose a thought about the way the pencil feels in my hand. The Build quality is amazing. Very nice video anyway :)

[@greekveteran2715]

Even Graphgear 500 is better in terms of performance. Rotrings are neither practical nor comfortable compared to Pentel. Their graphite also sucks,when Pentel makes the best graphite for mechanical pencils by far.

[@robear888]

You've inspired me to do my own test across my meager pencil set. Based on what I have in my kit and what you have recommended, I'll be upgrading my mechanical pencils for sure. I love the Pentel p200s as well and will be implementing a similar system that you have suggested. Thank you as always Jon!

[@Jurtango]

Hey man I just wanted to say thank you for the great advice on the Pentel 205, just when I thought my Orenz that I bought last week was amazing, tonight I sat down and drew with the P-205 for an hour and was blown away how it was even more precise than the Orenz, also have a Staedler 925 25 coming in the mail next week, looking forward to seeing how I like it, thanks again on dispelling the expensive pencil myth!

[@saoirseart.portraits]

In love with your voice. And yes my favorite is graphgear 1000 too.

[@collapsev]

I bought a rotring 500 and a pentel p205 two days ago. They are really nice. Both of them are perfect. It surprised me how comfortable p205 was, cuz I was horrified at the exterior design (since I preferred and prefer straighter and thinner looks, like a traditional wooden pencil, in stead of a pointy pencil such as this pentel p205). But there were soooOooo much love and adoration for this pencil, so many good comments and reviews out there. So I bought it. And now, ironically, I'm loving the p205 more than the rotring 500. Although, rotring 500's tightness in its construction and design are still unbeatable (I love how sleek the this magnificent, gorgeous pencil looks!). I chose the 500 over 300 for its construction quality, and over the 600 for its light weight and price point. All that said, your comment on how it was uncomfortable to hold the 600 because of the sharp corners further reassured my decision to go with the 500. So thank you for taking the time to record this review.

[@kenangedik3678]

It’s so weird. I bought the rotring rapid pro because the reviews were all great. I love the look and feel of it but it’s just not great for writing. My hand fatigues quickly and my writing looks worse. My favorite pencil so far is the pentel graphgear 500 surprisingly. I love the lightweight back end, the higher grit knurled grip, and the super long head. Rotring will last your whole life but you won’t enjoy using it very much I guess

[@greekveteran2715]

Pencils are like cars, you can't drive a Porsche (Rotring) everyday to work, you want a TOYOTA Corolla for an everyday car (Pentel P205).

[@sydneygonzales211]

You nailed it!!! The length totally makes a difference!!! Thank you ❤

[@miroslavdimitrov81]

Hi! First of all thanks for making the video - by far the most comprehensive and relevant video for mechanicl pencils! I am a professional car/industrial designer by trade and education and I've used a lot of pens and mechanical pencils over the years. First one that I recall ever (since I was a small boy with interest in drawing) was the brown Pentel P203 that my father had up on the shelves and never allowed me to use fearing I am going to bend the sleeve :D Funny enough....I inherited that brown P203 and it's probably 30+ years old now and I use it daily. It's still going stroing although the internals have turned a bit green-ish because they oxidated, but you don't know that until you open the pencil. I also have the rest of the range (with two spare sets each in case they stop making them). That being said.. I have the rOtring 600, 800 and Rapid Pro and I completely agree with you. Lovely, beautifully made pens that just ooze quality, again...as a professional designer I know and see why people like them - for the same reason I like them and bought them. But to use, and make a design sketch to win a project or just doodle around - Pentel P200. Best ergonomy, clean nice and elegant - even if a bit retro. Out of all the rOtrings I have (including some old Tikky Mark.1, 2 & 3) I would chose the Rapid Pro too - because of the transition between the hexagonal barrel to the grip section. The flat and sharper edges on the rOtring 600 are not as nice in your hand as the ones on the Rapid Pro that are more curved and with softer radius. 600/800 are more for posing, Pentel P200 are for work! I'll give a try to the Pentel Grapgear 1000, really interested to se what's like :) All the best!

[@AL_1547]

If Pentel stops making the P200 series they will have a riot on their hands. Way too many people swear by them (myself included). It’s been over a decade since I was in college, but I would say at least half of the engineering students I had classes with used them almost exclusively.

[@jpolar394]

Great review. Appreciate you taking the time to explain each pencil. Thanks for your time and effort for posting and be safe.

[@jasonhead8892]

I am so glad I came across this video. I have quite a few if not all of the pencils you reviewed. I watched this as I am looking for something that has a majority of the lead sizes from .3-.9 that I could set up each with different lead weights. My Graphgear 1000 Is one of my favorites but I purchased two in the .3mm so I don't use it that much. I find myself almost always with one of my p207 or 205 in my hand. I was about to buy another Rotring pro as I gave mine away to a friend Who has always wanted a good mechanical pencil for writing, But now have decided to go the route of getting the Graphgear 1000 in .5,.7,.9 so I have a complete set as well as creating a setup similar to your with the p200's with color as indicators for hardness. I really enjoyed this video. I look forward to any more videos you may produce on drawing and equipment. Thank you!!!!!

[@CalTN]

I am a 35 year old multi craft industrial maintenance guy who has had to teach myself machining and fabrication and would like to comment on the sharp knurling. Running some fine grit (400-600) emery cloth along the knurling will make it less aggressive. I've treated my budget barbell knurling and it really took the bite off. Just go VERY light on pressure or else it may score it. Great commentary. You are a convincing graphite Jedi as far as I'm concerned.

[@KW-ol1nu]

Good points of view. If you wanna add to your collection based on the info you gave I’d have to say you’d like the Pentel Graph 1000 for pro (not to be confused with with the Pentel graphgear 1000). Extraordinary pen. Another good comfortable pencil is the Pentel Smash. Both are my favorite’s. Thanks for your time

[@samlatin8933]

im ordering both lmao and its coming this saturday

[@adhithyasodhi3203]

Spot on about the 500 vs the full metal versions [Kuru Toga too]. The Ohto and classic Rotrings are [perfect] technical drafting tools first, sketching & writing very much secondary. P200s are the all time classic pencil range imo though, perfect industrial design

[@Ur_Local_Guitard]

Thanks for the great review, came here for a review of a metal mechanical pencil and went for your favorite pick, the graphgear 1000. Hope i get as much pleasure from it as you have and still after a year of posting this video it's still helpfull👌

[@alfonsovegaiii]

That Kuru Toga design is great, it’s a nice pencil but for art I absolutely hated it for the same reasons you stated. I went right back to my Pentel Graphgear 1000 which for art I think it works great.

[@FabledFrame]

I remember your last review, from which i then bought a Staedtler 925 25-05. Thanks for that!

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

You're welcome Dom, its a great pencil,

[@Steve-xp6zo]

Hi Dom, I'm really looking at getting one of these but just want to make sure, is it still all metal? is the inner tube brass? Also, do you think you could use a pencil top eraser on it?

[@evannussbaum1863]

Steve it has an eraser under the top cap

[@gcalvaro]

@@Steve-xp6zo Good point. The Staedtler Silver 925 25-XX series weigh less than the competition from other brands (Rotring, Ohto, etc), and I wonder why, where in its design are they "saving" those grams. Many say that this series certainly weigh little for what they should and I don't like that, I do like mechanical pencils to weigh as much as they can, it's a sign of solidity/robustness and the use of good quality materials, giving an exceptional feel in hand. I guess that, at least in part, it's due to the material used for its construction. As far as I know, the Rotring 600/800 series use brass for the entire body (then covered by a silver or black coating), whereas the Staedtler Silver 925 25-XX series use aluminum for the upper part and I presume stainless steel for the grip (both materials lighter than brass, especially the aluminum.) But also other pens are partially made in aluminum and still weigh more than these Staedtlers...

[@yccccccccccc]

I have 5 out of the 15 pencils here and your comment about the P205 made me so curious so decided to order one, little did I know it turned out to be my favourite and I’ve been using it ever since. Pentel orenz .2 came close as 2nd cuz I really like the accuracy lvl I can achieve with a .2 lead.

[@figfang]

Thanks very much, you've answered most of my questions about the difference between some of the models reviewed! Would have saved a minute or 2 of the watching time by not repeating again and again that Rotring ain't that bad in fear of dislikes :D

[@ImHereForYourArtStream]

I'm a new subscriber and very happy I found you. This was a great video and very useful, well at least for me..lol Thank you so much for all the video's you upload, they have been keeping me busy for along time.

[@deutzel7]

Hi I’m not an artist and can’t draw anything so these pencils are probably too overqualified for my everyday writing needs, but I felt compelled to comment because I very much appreciate your honest, no bs review, and how you’re not rating these pencils by how expensive or hyped up they are. It’s so refreshing to hear so thank you for that. 😊 A question though, seeing the lineup, are you just not drawn to pencils with rubbery/gel grips because that doesn’t work with drawing? Or do you just think that those grips are inferior to these harder grips?

[@eddyyau6789]

Pentel Graph Gear 1000 and P200 are also my all time favorites! I've been using them for casual doodling since I was a kid, for 20-30 years already. Totally love them, especially Graph Gear 1000, just love everything about it! (Maybe not the huge clip...). As for your comment about Rotring, I can't agree more... I purchased a Roting 800 a few years ago, the design and build quality is certainly top notch, but it just doesn't feel right to me... It's a very good looking thing to play around or use as a gift, but I just can't enjoy using it... Again, nice review! Love it!

[@iriswoodhead6132]

Great video, thank you, I do have lots of pencils and sometimes I get frustrated so it’s lovely to hear other views especially as an artist, so now I’ve ordered a couple more for my sets, very helpful, thank you 👍

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

You’re welcome 😊

[@Raw799]

"Procision Graphite Jedi...." love your review! Thinking about buying Pentel GraphGear 1000 set...appreciate your take on it

[@TheGregdavid]

Quick FYI: You can transfer the clean out pin from a used up eraser of one brand & lead size pencil to an another brand's same lead size eraser w/o a pin. So with all your pencils and high usage, no reason whatsoever to have one w/o a pin. And if you need to make a new custom pin of hardened steel, sewing needles come in a wide variety of sizes, all of different diameters. With a little trial & error, or using a measuring caliper, you can find one just the right gauge. I then use a dremel cutoff disc to lop off the needle's eye & square off that end. I then insert the needle's remaining pointed tip into the bottom of the eraser. Voila, new custom cleaning pin that's even better than OEM.

[@greggregson1365]

Not a big fan of mechanical pencils, but I do believe in quality stationary instead of cheap, disposable stationary. Nice video.

[@trambly611]

The only vid I needed to make the perfect choice

[@patkelly6361]

Thanks for the review. You are feeding my addiction to mechanical pencils again Smoothie 😂. Just bought another Pentel Orenz!

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Lol Pat, there's no help for any of us when it comes to buying pencils, I've got my eye on a few new ones :)

[@Crazytesseract]

@@smoothie77drawingpainting Im glad i stopped buying after i got 6 pencils. The culprit was Clutch Situation (have you watched his channel?).

[@diego___1801]

Thanks for this vid I’ve been trying to look for a new mechanical pencil to draw with because mine is a stadler 0.2 that I had for a long time and I need a new one because it’s just not getting the job done anymore and I’ve been looking for so long and this video at least gave me some choices 🤗🤗

[@greekveteran2715]

You may not feel the wobble of the tip,on a retractable tip design,however,you lose precision,which is supposed to be the main benefit of a mechanical pencil in 1st place.That means inaccurate drawing and bad looking writing. Pentel Graphgear 500,Faber Castell TK 4600 and Koh-I-nNoo 5340,are the best pencils I'd suggest for drawing/sketching. TK4600 for technical or free drawing. Kohinoor for edc general use pencil,that is a dream to sketch with,plus its the most versatile and precise pencil I know of! Pentel Gg500 is also great for similar reasons!!

[@iamcoffeerepublic]

The feel and weight of the Pentel Graphgear 1000 is perfect for me when I'm drawing. Top quality mechanical pencil. Decided to buy it when I saw legendary comic artist Jim Lee using it. If the top pros are using it, that means something.

[@slurp3194]

Its a great pencil for sure but a very flawed one. From pentel by far their best pencil is the p 200 series. Its one of the best mechanical pencil. The mechanism is insanely good and alot of artist use it. But other then that I would pick 600 over graph gear 1000.

[@jaz8235]

mahi zen hey it seems like you have a lot of experience with pencil i have a question would you have any pencils in mind which are metal and have a heavy feeling and is cheap thank you for seeing this :)

[@zenithchan1646]

@@jaz8235 ?

[@larryconkoljr.8915]

I do like my Graphgear 1000 however when fine details need to be done I grab my Pentel p205, p207 or p209. With Pentel leads of course. Second choice is Staedtler 925 (plastic), all the rest of my mechanicals collect dust. Just my personal opinion. Good post Smothie77, it is apprciated.

[@BCfightan]

I'm so happy you mentioned the P205 Sharp pencils. These are by far my current favorite, but they're so overshadowed by the really fancy stuff that nobody ever mentions them. I tried the Graphgear 500, and while it felt nice, the big fat metal grip started to get to me. I kept using it anyways, and didn't realize how much I didn't like it until I broke it (my fault not the pencil's), and went back to the Sharp. HOLY MOLY, the sharp felt so good that I didn't think I'd ever switch again. The only reason I'm looking at others now is because I need more lead, and figured "Why not?". Despite not liking the big/metal grip on the Graphgear 500, you've convinced me to try the 1000. So I'll order that and the regular Pentel Graph (not gear) 1000, and see how it goes. Thanks for the video! I saw the length and didn't expect to watch it all but here I am.

[@greekveteran2715]

The Graphgear 1000 is not an upgrade to the 500, it's the opposite! and the 500 isn't an upgrade to P205 either! When it comes to Pencils, the more simple. the better!

[@JustGaming117]

Not listed in this video, but I would recommend the Pentel Smash to anyone. I own and use most of the pencils listed, and similarly sing the praises of the GraphGear, but the Smash is quite a good pencil as well. Very unique looking, and very unique feeling.

[@Emil_m]

So true on the wearing down lead evenly, I often make it sharper on purpose and rotating would mess it up. I thought of that first time I heard about this tech. Really cool idea for writing though.

[@the_flushjackson]

Thanks for the review! the Uni Kuru Toga Alpha Gels are great (can get various gel hardness, shaker mode and even a new mechanism to toggle the auto-rotation). However, I like the various Pentel GraphGears (300, 500, 1000), Smash, Orenz for 0.2mm and the Staedtler 925’s. However, I know artists that use your standard Bic mechanical pencils so…..

[@WindMills_]

Thank you for in depth review. Nice to have a real long time user review of those pencils.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

You're welcome, thank you the comment.

[@WindMills_]

@@smoothie77drawingpainting Thank you for your in depth review. Your reviews really helped me a lot on what to choose. My sister got me the Graphgear 500. It's really good drawing pencil. Now binge watching your other content too :)

[@Cyriljayant]

Nice review and this had been very helpful to add some pencils to my lot!! Thank you very much!

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Glad it was helpful!

[@myimorata7678]

Smoothie 77 is the ONLY placed to come for advice on these matters.

[@axelmalm2642]

Been using the rotering 500 for about a year now in school for writing. Has not failed me yet

[@musclegeek1991]

They are sold out and it’s unclear if they will ever restock, but you might love Tactile Turn’s mechanical pencil. Their pens and pencils have a great grip texture on the ENTIRE thing. All the way to the back. If money is no object you might be able to find one on the secondary market

[@Leptospirosi]

I really enjoy those Stedler: as an architect I used to have all lead size and I must say the 0.9 is by far the most comfortable to draw. Expensive but worth. I agree completely about the Rotting 600: a beautiful object but odd to use and mostly form over substance.

[@Treehouse0]

Faber-Castell 1345 Soft Grip (before the grip rework) is never mentioned in these kind of videos but holy moly it deserves some attention. Quality-price balance is simply insane and the only dealbreaker could be that the plastic cracks after a year or two when used daily. However being that cheap one could easily buy a bunch at once.

[@marctestarossa]

I didn't know they redesigned the grip section. I have had mine for many, many years now and I still love it. Super light, usable clip, retractable tip so I can actually keep it in my pocket without stabbing myself, an extensive eraser that you can even get replacements for and it's very affordable and available everywhere. I think I might get another one just to see what they did to the grip. The only downside after all those years is, that the rubber grip slowly but surely develops this typical sticky surface. But we are talking about 10 years +

[@brittaperry7994]

it really isn't a drawing pencil. i used them for years and years for writing but since they are not so heavy, i wouldn't call them drawing pencils. you can write with them just fine but i miss the old grip design.

[@marctestarossa]

@@brittaperry7994 I actually prefer my drawing utensils to be as light as possible. This gives me the most control over the applied force. I tried to get used to bigger lead holders like the Kaweco ones but they are so heavy that they put a very heavy line down just by their own weight.

[@brittaperry7994]

@@marctestarossa i understand. sometimes i need lightweighted pencils too and i use wooden pencils instead of mechanical plastic pencils because the wooden ones are always a bit lighter and better to grip since they have a straighter grip than the plastic mechanical ones. other than that, i actually like using their own weight and just lightly applying the pressure. everyone is different, i guess.

[@deutzel7]

Hi I’m not an artist and can’t draw anything (only use pencils for everyday writing), but I wanted to comment because I very much appreciate your honest, no bs review, and how you’re not rating these pencils by how expensive or hyped up they are. It’s so refreshing to hear so thank you for that. 😊 A question though, seeing the lineup, are you just not drawn to pencils with rubbery/gel grips because that doesn’t work with drawing? Or do you just think that those grips are inferior to these harder grips?

[@stubbsmusic543]

Paper Mate Clearpoint Elite .05 - hands-down. Completely retractable tip, so no getting stabbed. Side button for lead advance. Long lasting inch and a half eraser that screws in and out. Wouldn’t be without one.

[@swingking338]

I would recommend you have a look at the Platinum Pro-Use 171

[@kleineoOoStern]

It is a really good pencil but fragile, the sleeve mechanism broke after 6month of use but my graphgear 1000 is still intact after a few years of intensive drawing. I draw and write all day long for my job and my mechanical pencils come with me everywhere and I’m always on the road, the sleeve and sleeve mechanism need to be really sturdy with me.

[@harshalrajput5333]

This deserves more views and likes even in artists community

[@MerKittiez]

Excellent review, always enjoy your input about all the products you use, the one pencil I would suggest, I don't know if you own one, is the Pilot S20, it has a wooden body and great ergonomics which makes it really comfortable to hold for a long period of time while drawing, it has been my favorite pencil for sketching and drawing for a while, looking forward to your next video, cheers.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks Geo, I will check out the Pilot S20, much appreciated.

[@Myocardium1039]

Came across this video, looking for inspiration on what to gift my brother for Christmas. He’s an upcoming landscape engineer, and apparently good pencils are essential😅 Thank you very much✌🏻

[@christineb9022]

I have had five of those pentel orenz pencils to use with a very fine 0.2 lead and only one of them works properly. I thought it would be good to help protect the fragility of such a fine lead.. However on all but one (I sent them back) the sleeve does not always grip the lead and the lead disappears inside as soon as you put pressure on it to draw or write. Great idea but very poor on performance in my experience.

[@gnostie]

This is a very interesting video. I too tried a number of pencils, but what I end up using all the time are the P200. All-metal options can be as good as they like, but in the long run I found them to be too heavy and uncomfortable for constant use. Also I strongly agree with the thought expressed in the video about the shape of the P200, that it's conducive to freedom and creativity. That's exactly how I felt pretty much the moment I got hold of that pencil.

[@ainiahmadtarmizi3738]

Hi there John (hope i got your name right). Thanks for this video, even if it was 2 years ago, it is still relevant. I'm in search of good mechanical pencils for drawing, but i dont have the budget to go through of trial and errors. As much as i love stationaries, i try to keep down my addiction, hence, i'm only wish to purchase something that might be right for me, that i will use on regular basis and not having super huge collection on mechanical pencils alone. Your guide really helps, and i truly thank you for that❤️ My takeaway on this is that, if a pencil is comfortable enough for drawing, it should be comfortable for writing as well, as writing seems like needing less requirements than drawing. I'm not someone with high budget, but i would really love to own the best without having to go through a trials and errors with a lot of pencils and ended up not liking and never using them again (I hate this so much with basicly everything, own something that i dont like and never use it). You save me on that, and i thank you! Have a wonderful day.

[@axelmorisson]

Hi! A lot of interesting info and a lot of interesting pencils! I too am a die-hard Rotring fan.. and I will recommend something very strange: the 300 line. Imagine the 500- without any metal apart from the very sleeve and clip- and much much lighter and much much cheaper. The shape is the same, but this time, the grip section on a 300 is the same as the body. And the whole thing is so light, I would compare to the Pentel 205, but would like to point out the different geometry- and it is a little slimmer too. But it is the greatest surprise after trying the 800, the 600 , the pros, and finding the perfect balance in 500s too, some 20 years ago I had a...drafting class. And I forgot my nice set...so a quick trip to the university's own corner shop (with the lunch pocket money no less) brought me a complete set of..300s. The 2mm is also nice. And from that day on, I always carry a 300 in some sort of form. Drawing or writing, or..whatever- it is cheap , light and nice. And about the 600 /800- yes they come from a different era and had a very different use- they are drafting pencils, through and through. They were made with rulers and stencils in mind (that is why you get that stepped tip, to follow lettering stencils easily)-and their balance and grip position and knurling, and the presence of lead indicators came from a time where a professional draughtsman had maybe a dozen of these things laden with different grades for light hashes or contours and had to know which is which at a glance.They were the "crown jewel" in a top draughtsman arsenal- and I longed for them for more than 30 years. Nowadays we can get them virtually anywhere but they're a bit out of place- artistic drawing has different requirements, sure- and the grip is not what one needs, etc- the balance is wrong and the pen is too heavy and thin at the same time. But remember stencils? Keep it vertical and precisely control it around really intricate stencils and then lay it down on the table - that is usually tilted...it does not slip down- that dreadful edgy body just sits on one edge and does not roll down... It's a matter of horses for courses.. now I personally know all these things as I witnessed its proper use in professional environment as a kid as I visited my parent's workplace and instantly fell in love with them.. but I draw with and carry them around for personal reasons- surely there's plenty of more appropriate tools for the job for both writing and drawing. It is a case of extreme specialization- nowadays in the era of computer aided design these things are not current anymore and we can't make anything out of their specs, but it's just like a dune buggy- very nice on sand, pretty useless on roads and hard to understand if you never... Anyhow, I get the anti-hype the 600 is getting when folks expect different things from a highly specialized, yesterday's design used as a general purpose or even drawing pencil. It is what it ..was...and the rapid pro is the new improved and "road worthy" 600. But please do give the 300 a chance. It's nothing like the 600 or even 500- it's much cheaper lighter and different ergonomics. The story of the 300 line is ..cheap student version "trainer" for the 600 and the like but because it's built differently it feels very differently. And for me the looks of the 800/600/500 and 300 series are a big plus (personal history reasons).....Basically a 6 year old kid learns to draw from a professional draftsman taking a break at work. Of course we used the Rotrings.. It was top of my Christmas list for a long time until we could get them here on the open market..

[@krzysztof6123]

Rotrings just have the look, hope they work as good as they present themself

[@NotAppIicabIe]

I need this I still use the same set of disposable bics I've probably had for over 5 years.. And my thick lead papermates on occasion.. I have no idea about artist quality pencils.

[@georginabird9354]

Just found you , and have just started drawing , so will save up and get that best pencil of yours but I couldn’t make out what leads you said you used , but thanks for such an in-depth look and review of pencils ,have liked and will follow xx❤

[@santicaropreso228]

Very well explained and very interesting. It is the best guide on youtube for mechanical pencils, very complete and detailed. Could you do a review of leadholders? I usually use 2mm leads and it would be very useful for me. I love this channel.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Leadholder/clutch pencil video is already in the planning, I've been asked a lot about it :) coming soon....

[@SevenDeMagnus]

@@smoothie77drawingpainting Hi. May I recommend the Cretacolor with wood body, it has different color 5.7mm graphite (including regular graphite) God bless

[@SpecterNeverSpectator]

Hi, I know this is a year late, but I want to say thank you anyways, I want to learn how to draw, both landscape and other stuff like people and such, and for me at least a big thing that demotivates me is that the pencils I use feel hard to use and knowing there are better options there makes it worse, so I've been thinking of buying a better mechanical pencil to finally put an end to it and start practicing more, once I actually do more solid drawing I will pick one of my own, this video saves me a ton of money and really helps me take all of that "I have to pick quickly" out of my head.

[@Raj-xb5vy]

I use Sakura's mechanical pencil. They're super light (good plastic). These look good to but look very heavy to be honest.

[@greekveteran2715]

Graphgears,with some easy mods,to eliminate the tip wobble,are the best drawing pencils you can get!!!

[@umitdolap1733]

I've got the rOtring 600, the Staedtler Mars Technica and Pentel P200. have a set from P203 up to P209 and I just love to use them. Thank you for this review.

[@simonced]

Great video, very informative and detailed! Loved it! Just a little correction, I think the last pencil brand is "Platinum" and the model is "Pro use".

[@Drumaier]

cool review! Some i have that seem ok are pilot the shaker h1010, pilot h-327 and steadler mars micro. I like all but most of all the Pilots.

[@kamehouseboxing7142]

I love the graph gear it helps my creative process. I have a complete set even the .4❤

[@yisongyang5164]

5 dollar pentel .5 is my favorite, even though i have range from 1-200 dollar mechanical pencils. that 5 dollar one is just legend, cant say anymore, totally worth it, and high quality

[@johnf5752]

Exactly the video I was looking for. Thanks

[@MichaelOConnor-xo5ci]

Couldn’t agree with you more. I own a dozen rotring 600s. If you want to get a piece of art and get compliments, they are great. However, I have bent more nibs than you can count. They are not travel pens. They are a no go for travel or drawing. I find them way too heavy as well. I have 5 sets (.3,.4,.5,.7, .9) graphgear 1000s and love them. I honestly love the Staedtler 925s and have several sets from .3 to 2.0. I also can’t figure out why I don’t use that that much. The one I find myself using more now is the graphgear 500s. I go back and forth with the 1000s. If I leave my desk, it’s 1000 only due to the retractable tip. Lastly, I also have the p2000 in yellow, black and blue, and it is really hard to find fault. They are as light as a feather. If I could only pick one, I also would choose the 1000. The ability to retract the tip and still have a rock solid feel, as well as protecting the pencil and myself is the reason. BTW My surname is Irish, but my mom was born in Nottingham.

[@Diorphe]

You might already try it, but the pentel s20 and s30 are really cool and light, those are my favorites.

[@jacob.munkhammar]

Thank you! Very interesting and informative! This and your clutch pencil review too. Do you have any plans on doing a review of different leads? I, at least, would be very interested.

[@dastrio8435]

This is such a great video, i really appreciate the insight and aplaude the ability to talk with such a clear train of thought for more that an hour in only one take. I've got to say, I got the same Uni Shift about o a month ago and the sleeve is quite solid when locked, although if I grab it from the back it does have a lot of play. This is no issue for me because I mainly use my pencils for drawing woodworking plans and I don't move the pencil in my hand very much. I also think the GraphGear 1000 is the best pencil around, but despite your comments on comfort I'll still buy a Rotring, holding something that feels like a bolt actually sounds attractive to me. Have you used the retractable sleeve version? I believe it's the Rotring 800. Thanks again for the video.

[@Hawk_Bro]

Something I recommend if the rOtring 600 is too uncomfortable is getting a koh-i-noor rapidomatic 5639. It's basically the same pencil. But the shaft is made with a strong plastic instead of a metal which is slightly less durable but still has the metal grip and everything else, which in turn makes it more comfortable to hold at well

[@xnooknooknook]

So I grabbed a GG1000, a 205 and a Orenz 0.2 on this vids recommendation and I'm highly pleased! Thanks for this review. I'm going to have to get a set of 0.5s Orenzes for my ever so fragile 0.5 colored leads. What a cool feeding system. I'd never even heard of them before this vid. I love doing linework and these are very inspirational to work with.

[@davidsherrington59]

You also want to try a Tombow Zoom 707 mechanical pencil. Really good for drawing. Just like holding a paint brush. Only downside is no lead indicator 👍

[@zeRo-ub8wv]

Calm Voice 💜

[@JenkemFactory]

I stand by my rotring 600, but i did sand those corners right after getting it! They are too sharp out the box. Fortunately it's a 2 minute fix and then you have the king of precision pencils. I also, always, remove the clip. Super uncomfortable against the hand for me..

[@SpudKai]

51:34 looks like The Pentel p200 series can be called 'Sharp' instead but you can still see p20X written on it.

[@CustardBustard]

Very easy to fine tune the wobble on a graphgear 1000 with a little bit of thin ptfe tape (thread seal) on the part that slides into the tip cone. You can completely eliminate it without any hindrance to the mechanism.

[@jcookie9448]

I love this video! I've re watched it several times since it was uploaded (my memory could be better!). One thing I've wondered for quite some time now is if there is much of a difference with the lead in-between brands. Like for example if an HB lead from faber castell the same as Pentel's. Same with the clutch (2-3mm) leads. Thanks once again for the review!

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Pentel are darker and smoother than most leads I've used, I like them the best.

[@tjs9876]

The pentel graphgear i bought had a lead pin. I agree it is a perfect pencil

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

You are lucky, I didn't :(

[@tjs9876]

update on the graphgear 1000. The plastic lead indicator snapped like another commenter mentioned, and im quite careful with my belongings. Im trying the pentel p203 as it's a simpler design Edit: Oops I just saw your video on breaking the gg1000. I still think the lead indicator moved too easily which bugged me, I could've adjusted the proper way to avoid cutting through the plastic

[@mmarjisr]

i purchased the graphgear 1000 all 5 of them back in Nov 2019 and I love it, I tried a few mechanical pencils in the past without knowing too much about them this time I googled them all and the graphgear 1000 is my favorite one

[@BT-yx5mr]

Am I just going to watch this man talk about pencils for an hour? Yessss siiiir

[@cmxnnil0164]

I like using mechanical pencils for writing and drawing. Something that always throws me off is how easy most leads break and it is so annoying so I’ve been looking for a smooth, fancy looking, comfortable mechanical pencil with a thick lead. BTW nice review :) 👍🏼👉🏼👈🏼🙃

[@phthora_xnobys]

Love the video! I just wanted to share that I recently discovered that the Papermate Advanced is an excellent and inexpensive mechanical pencil for drawing. Its unique feature is that the grip section runs the entire length of the barrel, allowing for a huge range of options for holding the pencil. Build isn't top-tier, but it does impress for how cheap it is. Anyway, thanks for the in-depth reviews!

[@Bunny-zf8tw]

Ordered pentel graph gear 1000 will get it next week 😁😁

[@3alfaomega]

Very good review 👍

[@Raj-xb5vy]

I spoke a little early .rotring 500 looks pretty good.

[@focusonthefocus]

Have you tried the Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic variety? I am very curious how it feel compared to the Pental GraphGear 500, which I am very much enjoying.

[@rocioaraki5939]

the uni kurutoga is a mechanical pencil meant for writing Japanese characters! when you write kanji you constantly have to lift the pen and make small strokes to draw the characters. it is not meant for cursive writing or drawing because if you write one word without lifting the pencil, it really defeats the point. the same goes for drawing, if you need to draw long lines or shade in a drawing, you won't be using that mechanical pencil as it is meant to be used. In general, the japanese stationary market tends to offer smaller tip sizes in both pens and mechanical pencils, as the writing can get very muddled if you write small with a broad-ish tip, and you also need very crisp lines for it to be readable. i really love my kurutoga but it is something i wouldn't recommend to everybody. On the other hand the pentel graph gear 1000 is my favorite mechanical pencil for drawing, i have had mine for over ten years and it looks as if it was in mint condition. and it is so affordable too, that one i do recommend everyone to try out.

[@rocioaraki5939]

i was actually wondering if you have heard about the pentel multi 8. it holds 8 2mm leads, well actually coloured leads, but i believe it could be modified to hold just different lead grades which would be very cool. it is pricey and i have not tried it, but it could be a nice addittion to your collection. another one which could be a good mechanical pencil for you to try out is the uni color 3, which holds 3 0.5mm leads. it is also meant to be used with coloured leads, and it is a very cheap one. it is definitely not a technical mechanical pencil but it could also be another good option to have different lead types all in one pencil.

[@fanofpencils-cleo774]

I enjoyed your videos and your respectful yet honest opinions a lot :) Have you ever tried Pilot S3? It's a plastic yet sturdy pencil, it has also very long grip. I bought S3 and S20, then a haul of other pencils but when it comes to draw, I always pick up my S3, it fits my hand perfectly. I'm not an artist, just enjoy drawing sometimes. Hence I'd like to know whether a professional artist would feels the same😊

[@SocksAndPuppets]

Have you tried the Uni Kuru Toga High Grade or Kuru Toga Advance? They're... super interesting. I hate them for drawing with, but I love them for writing with.

[@MichaelOConnor-xo5ci]

I use them for detail drawing work. Great to write with. I like the Advance.