red and blue pencils – pencil talk | pencil reviews and discussion

There is a notable new post over at the uncomfortable chair.

A vintage L. & C. Hardtmuth No. 43B leadholder is featured. One end holds a red lead, and the other a blue lead.

Though unusual, there are other examples of this category. Leadholder.com shows a 1948 red and blue Caran d’Ache Fixpencil 33 at the bottom of this page. The book Pencils has a two page spread on double-ended red and blue leadholders. And, Autopoint in the US continues to make double-ended red and blue mechanical pencils, as previously featured.

Still, the 43B appears to be unique in supporting wide diameter leads. (5.8mm is cited.)

Are there any other such mechanical pencils or leadholders out there, whether new or vintage?

Red and Blue pencils

With thanks to Gunther, I now have two more red and blue pencils.

The new pencils are the Koh-I-Noor Hardmuth AG “Bürofarbstift” 62 SM, made in Austria, and the 8742 Stabilo Schwan-Stabilo, made in Germany.

Red and Blue pencils

A quick overview of the five red and blue pencils:

Manufacturer	Model	Shape	Core
Koh-I-Noor	Bürofarbstift 62	Hexagonal	2mm
Musgrave	Hermitage Thin 525	Hexagonal	2mm
Musgrave	Harvest Thick 725	Round	4mm
Prismacolor	Verithin 748	Round	2mm
Schwan-Stabilo	Stabilo 8742	Hexagonal	2mm

I have done some further testing on the colour properties of the five pencils:

Red and Blue pencils

On the blue side, the Bürofarbstift 62 uses a lighter shade. The other four pencils offer very similar dark blues.

The red choices show more variation, with each vendor offering something different. Both European pencils makes lines that are more on the orange side, while the Musgraves offer a subdued red, and Verithin, a richer, more vibrant red.

Tag: red and blue pencils

A great red and blue leadholder at the uncomfortable chair

Red and Blue pencils II