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Pilot S20 drafting pencil

Pilot S20 drafting pencil

The Pilot S20 is a very special pencil. It could be classified in many ways – as a drafting pencil, a mechanical pencil, or as a luxury pencil.

The S20 has the shape and features of a drafting pencil, and it is a drafting pencil, but it’s also perfectly usable as a general purpose mechanical pencil. The construction and finish are also at a level where a few small changes would make this pencil quite at home at upscale fountain pen shops, selling for much more.

Pilot S20 drafting pencil

The distinguishing feature is the wood casing. A rich dark brown, the wood gives the pencil a very pleasing appearance, and makes it very comfortable to hold. The wood imbues the pencil with a pleasant, warm, humane aspect.

The balance and grip are superb, in my view. There is a slight concave dip in the traditional “grip” area. You just want to keep holding and using the pencil.

Pilot S20 drafting pencil

The cap is marked with the lead diameter, and has a lead grade indicator window on the side. These two features are the ones that, if removed, might cause the pencil to be mistaken for something much more expensive.

Pilot S20 drafting pencil

The lead advances by clicking the cap. The cap can be removed to access an eraser and the lead chamber.

Pilot S20 drafting pencil

If you want a drafting style pencil that doesn’t look like it might be a medical instrument, this is a great choice.

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Red and Blue pencils II

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.

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Pantone Universe Graphite pencils

Pantone Universe Graphite pencils

Graphics professionals know the name Pantone. And the Pantone accessory they will soon be wanting is the Pantone Universe Graphite pencil.

The pencil is part of the Pantone Universe consumer product line, which includes notebooks and business accessories. The line launched in 2005, and is still introducing products.

The pencils are made for Pantone in Japan (manufacturer unknown).

Pantone Universe Graphite pencils

There are several striking aspects to the pencil. The first is that the pencil comes in a range of grades, with each pencil painted with a correspondingly dark swatch of graphite grey. The overall look is amazing – it is just like a professional colour swatch, in graphite shades, but presented on pencils.

I predict these will become very popular when they receive broader distribution.

The pencils are black and grey on white. A great scheme and idea that emphasizes the pencil’s core function, they do look fantastic.

Pantone Universe Graphite pencils

The shape is a rounded square. This makes me fear that these may be a type of novelty or promotional pencil. Yet there is a corresponding colour pencil set, and they come in a wide range of grades, which is not the norm for a novelty item. It’s also a commercial product, and I doubt that even with the great graphics, Pantone would release a non-functioning pencil.

Pantone Universe Graphite pencils

They require a different sort of grip, and I can’t say that I found them comfortable after brief use, nor would I want to put too much effort into adaptation. Yet, depending on what you’re doing and how you like to hold a pencil, they may be fine.

They are a real joy. Pantone should consider giving these away as a bonus with their more expensive products. What a collector’s item they would become!

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Mitsubishi Uni M-552 drafting pencils

Mitsubishi Uni M-552 drafting pencils

The Mitsubishi Uni M-552 is another inexpensive drafting pencil.

Lightweight at about 12.5g, they come in five lead diameters. I bought all five. I may soon regret this, as the 0.4mm pencil does not have refills available in Canada. On the other hand, it’s not too often that I’ve found myself saying that I need a 0.4mm pencil for a particular purpose.

The tip, grip, clip, and cap are metal, and the barrel is plastic.

The lead advances by clicking the cap. A thin plastic ring, the pencil’s only colourful element, is the pencil’s lead grade window.

The grip, very lightweight, screws off of the plastic barrel (see photo). Why a removable grip? I’m not sure, but if the idea was to make available a choice of grips to suit individual preferences, that would have been an excellent offering.

Mitsubishi Uni M-552 drafting pencils

The grip superficially resembles that of some expensive drafting pencils – which is probably the intent. But it doesn’t at all have the smooth feel of the Staedtler 925 95, for example. In fact, I found the 552 quite unpleasant.

It seemed to be a pencil that had a lot of attention paid to the cosmetics. Unfortunately, the looks don’t achieve much in person, and I would rate it lower than the A120 – though there is a 0.4mm version, if that is important to you.

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Craft Design Technology drafting pencil

Craft Design Technology drafting pencil

As well as woodcase pencils, the Craft Design Technology brand offers item 16, a 0.5mm drafting pencil.

The pencil is made for CDT by Pentel.

Craft Design Technology drafting pencil

The white plastic barrel is distinctive, with lettering in black. I’m not exactly sure what the tip, grip, and clip are made of. They appear to be another type of plastic, though finished to look like metal.

Craft Design Technology drafting pencil

At approximately 15.5g, it also feels substantial, and there seems to have been some effort exerted in creating a very comfortable balance and grip.

Craft Design Technology drafting pencil

The design seems much more evolved than the micro, for example, yet it’s still a usable and functional pencil. I tend to think the white will get discolored over time, but maybe not – Pentel probably knows what they are doing.

Craft Design Technology drafting pencil

At ?1,890 , there is some “design premium” in the price compared to similar plastic drafting pencils.

The lead grade window (in the cap) goes from 3H to B, but I’ve been using 2B. Who decided that 3H needed the space more than 2B? I didn’t mention it, but the 925 95 (featured last week) has a window that goes from 2H to 2B.

Craft Design Technology drafting pencil

The pencil is pleasant enough, and the design and colour scheme would be the main selling points. The pencil is packaged with a cardboard box, and could make a nice gift.

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Kokuyo Kadokeshi U700 eraser

Kokuyo Kadokeshi U700 eraser

A fascinating eraser from Japan.

This eraser is a 2 x 2 x 5 block of 10mm sided cubes, with half the cubes scooped out.

Kokuyo Kadokeshi U700 eraser

There is apparently a “big brother” U800 with 15mm cubes, and a version with a strap, for attachment to a cell phone. I’m not making that up.

It is intriguing and geometric. The many corners and edges and scoops create interesting shadows, and make it very eye catching. Yet, it remains just an eraser.

Kokuyo Kadokeshi U700 eraser

Introduced in 2003, the eraser is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection, and was featured in a 2004 exhibition, “Humble Masterpieces”.

The eraser was designed by Hideo Kanbara as an entry in a competition held by Kokuyo.

Kokuyo Kadokeshi U700 eraser

It is also a commercial success, having sold over 6.5 million erasers in the first three years after the launch.

Kokuyo Kadokeshi U700 eraser

The Kokuyo website says the eraser has 28 edges. Of course, they mean corners. External corners in particular.

I was curious about what else Hideo Kanbara has designed. While there are a few concept drawings on the web, an intriguing “plug pin” was the only other commercially offered item that I found.

Links:

Official Kadokeshi website
Kadokeshi in the Museum of Modern Art
The plug pin by Hideo Kanbara