Comments on: Koh-I-Noor 2.0mm leadholders and colour leads

By: Rob't

Rob't — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:34:26 +0000

Anyone know of a standalone lead pointer that will work with the 5905? I’d love to use this pencil more but it doesn’t fit in my Dahle!

-Thanks!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:34:12 +0000

The Toison d’Or 5905 model fits all lead from 2mm to 2.5mm and the odd colored lead sizes could be the reason why KIN has such a clutch pencil in its stable. Otherwise it is exactly the same pencil as the one in the photo. Andrey’s stocks them. Agree about the clip which is very thin and poor quality.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:15:35 +0000

Thank you so much for these photos! I recognized my missing pencil the second I saw them. I was looking for exactly this pencil for over one year and i am very happy that I know the right name now, I just ordered it again – twice. This is by far the best pencil I personally ever wrote with.
Cheers!

By: Liam

Liam — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:01:58 +0000

I use the Koh-i-Noor coloured leads quite a lot and love them, granted they are not suited to any auto-advance leadholders I’ve tried but I use mine in Caran d’Ache fixpencil 22s and I would really recommend the combo.

By: lovemy51

lovemy51 — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:09:45 +0000

i have the 5900, which i like, but i have to say: i think i would like the grip of the 5608 more. i hadn’t seen this one before -thanks for reviewing it!

By: Jordan

Jordan — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:59:30 +0000

I own Versatil 5201 and 5900. I bought them recently and they are unchanged compared to Versatiles I have used as a child in school. Unfortunately I lost my old Versatils, as 0.5 mechanical pencils became fashionable at that time. For me all-metal 5201 and 5900 are indestructable lead holders with simple and robust construction. Old fashion engineering and production makes them also vintage-looking, which is highly admirable according to me :)

By: chhayanat

chhayanat — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:21:42 +0000

Ed Bagenal’s helpful suggestion about bending the jaws of the clutch to fit the lead better applies only to the 5900 Toison d’Or leadholder; the 5608 automatic pencil has a different locking collar of brass which is not amenable to bending. The 5900 leadholder is made of a light metal alloy. It is one of four all-metal 2mm leadholders(i.e. metal body and mechanism)listed in Koh-i-noor Hardtmuth’s catalogue: 5900 Toison d’Or in black; 5201 Versatil in yellow; 5216 Versatil in 10 colours; 5217 Versatil in a set of 5 colours. All these leadholders are very similar indeed, differing only in the colour of the enamel. BrianL’s comment on the durability of the 5900 is reassuring. It was selling for approximately $3.75 in Eastern Europe.

By: BrianL

BrianL — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 13:14:15 +0000

Just happened on this thread while surfing and thought I’d drop a thumbs up for the 5900. I have 3 of these and a Staedtler 780 and the 5900 shows old time machine quality and construction that leaves the 780 in the dust. While the 5900 does not have the sculpting and finger grip of the 780 having, instead, a straight body that is finished in gloss that can require repositioning of the hand over time as I use the pen.

I too can not quite tell if the body is a dense plastic or metal but I tend to think a resin as if you look at the end there appears to be a metal insert where the internal assembly screws into the body. Also, the colors are applied and one of mine has been used enough to have worn through the black to some kind of a primer. Nice patina is developing. Whichever it is, the body is substantial and I do not think in other than very abusive use will it break.

The guts where it really counts is all metal, no plastic tubes here. You can see where the pusher and point end are clearly machine turned. Even the pointer shows thought went into the design and execution of the holder.

The 780 by contrast is a more modern execution and shows it. Not that it is a bad holder, it is quite good but compared to the 5900, it is an economized execution of a fairly nice design. It has less heft and is not as well balanced as the 5900. My son who holds his pencils quite close to the lead finds the 780 less comfortable.

I use Staedtler leads in both as this is what is locally available. Both grip the lead about equally well. I find I grab the 5900 when I am working (I do accounting and tax so, columner pads are a way of life) and lead control is more important while I grab the 780 for writing.

Most surprising for me was when I first bought my 780 and 5900 which I did at the same time, the 780 was 2x the price. I expected the 780 to be a clear winner but after more than a decade with them, they are too close to call though I tend to prefer the 5900 other than the stupid afterthought pocket clip that can rip a shirt up. Happily it is a slide on and I’ve intentionally lost them all. If I had tolive with only one, it would be a 5900.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:01:34 +0000

i actually own some Koh-I-Noor woodless colored pencils. Some of the greatest colored pencils I have ever owned to be honest.

By: Chhayanat

Chhayanat — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:11:11 +0000

Blue 2mm lead from Hardtmuth also jammed a Koh-i-noor 5900 pencil which I use. It also jammed a very basic Venus leadholder from the 1950s. Sad to hear the mismatch between lead and leadholder is the probable cause. I also had trouble with Atlas 1.1mm green leads which jammed a 1ate 1920s Parker Duofold mechanical pencil. HB graphite leads from the same company work quite well in the Parker pencil. Is there something about coloured leads in general, in addition to the mismatch in sizes?

By: range

range — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:30:17 +0000

I’ve been using the Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatics for about 18 years now, ever since I started university. I had 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1mm. Of the four, I always come back to the 0.7, as it’s perfectly balanced for my penmanship. The leads rarely break if pressure is exceeded. The 0.3 and 0.5 had a tendency to break off.

By: edd bagenal

edd bagenal — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:55:02 +0000

I have a lovely set of enameled metal body Koh-i-noor pencils with different body colours to match the coloured 2mm leads I get from Andrey’s on ebay. The clutch on these (and the pencil featured) is machined whilst fully retracted and so when opened slightly to accommodate the lead the resulting angle causes only a single part of the interior clutch face to contact the lead. This make it impossible to use the sharpener tool, as the lead is not properly gripped and also causes the lead to snap often as it is held at such a small singular collar of pressure by the jaws of the clutch. This can be resolved by extending the jaws of the clutch and gently bending them inward a fraction, so that their whole inside concave face contacts a sufficient portion of the lead to grip it, holding it during sharpening and preventing breakage. This is ridiculously geeky, I know, but I love their pencils and as an industrial designer I had to share.