Vintage Sanford Digit 0.7mm Mechanical Pencil Review

[@ma-mo]

Looks very similar (not identical) to the Berol Eagle 0.9 I found and reviewed a while back. Of course that makes sense, as Berol/Eagle was acquired by Sanford/Newell in the 1990s. Another fun and interesting review.

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Thanks, MAMO! Yes, it does remind me of that Berol Eagle of yours. Probably cousins in the great corporate acquisition and take-over days! Thanks!

[@salliemorrill2671]

Sanford designed a wonderful mechanical pencil! Today, I would gladly switch back to them & surrender my Pentel. I always that it was an American company, but I honestly don't know. I remember seeing a fair number of them floating around the different offices on the Navy bases my dad worked at between Pensacola & New Orleans. I used to beg him to bring me a couple few standardized tests, so I didn't have to sharpen my pencils. I always preferred wooden pencils for drawing however. I need to research this company. Would be interested in learning about it. Great review.

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Thanks, Sallie! Sanford was an American company, but these were made in Japan, perhaps by some other company and branded a Sanford, I'm not sure. Sanford owned Paper Mate and a few other brands (Pink Pearl) at one time. Thanks!

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Thing is, Sallie, for this made-in-Japan Sanford, you can safely bet that it has a Pentel mechanism inside. Them's the breaks with outsourcing. So there'd be no practical reason to make the switch other than the Sanford's feel in the hand compared to the P200 Sharp line - which admittedly is a very valid point of contention.

[@raccoon874]

9:49 *that Mars eraser is a consistent high-performer*

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Hi raccoon - I agree. It always does a nice job.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

The Staedtler erasers are all excellent. My only gripe with the Mars is how resistant it is to being dragged on the paper, it's REALLY grippy.

[@emberberryart]

What a nice find!

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Thanks, Ember!

[@LouiesWorkshop]

Sanford is probably my favorite iteration of the EF, Berol, and Eagle pencil brand. I have some magic rub erasers by Sanford and they are some of the best erasers I have. I also have one from the ~1960s made by Faber Castell (when it was still AW Faber Castell) and that also works very well. It seems like the latex free or artificial rubber erasers are the ones that age really poorly as I also have a bunch of Staedtler Mars from the 70s to the 80s that all work very well

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Hi Louie - when Sanford was making the Magic Rub I thought they were one of the best erasers around. They have since changed the formulation and they aren't the same (same for the Pink Pearl). Thanks!

[@JohnSurf5]

Great review. I often do a quick eBay search for ads for a product when trying to date them. I did this on your pencil and new in the box old stock red version dated 1991 popped up. I remember in the late 80s early 90s mechanical pencils were popular. And I remember the smaller size millimeter of .05 being a big deal when that came out. Yours might be the previous high standard at .07

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Thanks, John! I really think this pencil is from the 90's, but I can't remember when I bought it. I seem to recall I needed a pencil that didn't require sharpening for some reason, so I picked this up. As I get older the memories get a little fuzzy! LOL! Thanks for researching!

[@ElaineMarieHill]

Made in Japan, Pentel similar: the only pencils we had in house for years Wedgewood blue body P207 …. Never could find the tubes of refill. Auto Cad ruined some industries I believe . Granddaughter prefers for her art . Love this KZbin

[@AlwaysAnalog]

Thanks, Linette. I haven't seen the Wedgewood blue model in a long time!