GraphGear 1000 Mechanical Pencil, (0.5mm) Point Size, Black Barrel, 1 Each (PG1015A)

Best mechanical pencil I've used. I got this when I started graduate school and it's been a reliable tool for 2 years. It's saved me a ton of money on disposable pencils. Lead refills are cheap and last years. It feels premium and smooth. Only negative is the eraser head is tiny and if bent at all has a hard time fitting back in; it runs out quick and refills are a must. I usually just have a large eraser on the side and only use the eraser head for small errors. Buying another after 2 years. RIP my old one. Do NOT use for carpentry. xD

I've bought 3 of these so far on separate occasions (all the 0.9 mm yellow version). One was a gift for my 10 yo son, who kept borrowing mine, and won't write with anything else now. I love how this pencil feels in my hand and while writing. It is very well engineered, nicely balanced, and has a smooth mechanism. The auto-retracting mechanism when you clip in on you pocket is a nice touch. All around great design. I've only purchased the yellow one (0.9mm, HB lead) because I planned on mostly using it for marking wood for my woodworking projects and so needed the stronger/thicker lead, but I find myself writing with it all the time. It's just that pleasant to use. I had a problem with one of them (it broke at the yellow plastic part), and I contacted the Pantel warranty department since it was well past the 30 day Amazon return. It took them a while to respond (7-10 days, I forget) so I was initially concerned, but they responded saying they would send a new one and a label for me to return the broken one. Which they did, no questions, no hassle. Top marks for their customer service. Very happy. There are two things that could be better: 1) There is one plastic piece in an otherwise all metal product. It is a weak point, and in fact where one of my pencils broke. But the customer service/warranty department has been great, so I guess if they continue like that (it has a lifetime warranty!), I can't complain too much. 2) The clip is just folded metal and could be a bit sharp on clothes. This is actually a pretty common construction for clips on pencils and pens alike, but for $20+ I was hoping for better. I carry one of them with me pretty much at all times, so I'm a bit concerned the clip eventually will cut into the cloth. So far it hasn't, so I my concern might not be justified. Time will tell and I will try to update in 6+ months either way. Also, one thing I wish they had communicated more clearly: In order to set the handy lead hardness indicator, first loosen the conical end piece part. The indicator part should then spin feely. Make your selection and tighten it back up. (Finger tight is sufficient.) I got all of mine on sale around $13-$16. At that price you really can't beat the value. Full price is $23+, which might seem pricey for a pencil, but if you don't lose it, it should last you a very long time. I think it's well worth it even at full price if you value an affordable, quality writing/drafting pencil. (If you're prone to losing pencils, though, then your experience might vary. :-) ) I highly recommend this pencil. (And seeing as I've bought this on 3 occasions, it goes without saying that I'd buy it again.)

I got this pencil as a treat for myself. I really like the design and the durability of the pencil. It writes and draws very well and is one of the cheaper sides when it comes to quality mechanical pencils. But the pencil grip is a bit too small for my hands, which makes drawing for prolonged periods of time a bit difficult to do. This can be overlooked, though, since I can just get a pencil grip. Overall, this is a lovely pencil, and I recommend it to other artists as well. - B.N

This is quite possibly the best pencil I've ever used. The balance and weight are perfect, the retraction mechanism is incredibly satisfying and a great fidget, and the pencil is quite sturdy. The lead is thick enough to not break as long as it's set at a reasonable length (<5mm), and thin enough to make precise drawings and write very small. The eraser under the back cap (which just pulls off) is great for precision erasing, but I would recommend having a separate, larger eraser as well.

Got this Pentel GraphGear 1000 (0.3mm) for my teen son, and he absolutely loves it. The build quality is amazing—solid, professional, and feels great in the hand. The fine 0.3mm lead is perfect for his detailed schoolwork and drawing, and the retractable tip is a huge plus for backpack survival. It’s quickly become his favorite pencil, and honestly… I’m impressed enough to want one too!

This pencil feels really solid and well-made, it has a comfortable metal grip and the 0.5mm lead comes out perfectly clean for writing. The rectangle tip is nice touch for carrying it around safety. It's a bit heavier than most pencil and costs a but more. I think overall though the quality is worth it and definitely a solid daily-use mechanical pencil.

Writes very well. There is an eraser included, nice grip, looks professional. Worth the price IMO

This is the first review I've ever written about a pencil, something I never thought I'd be doing. But here goes. For the past few years I've carried a Moleskin notebook with me, and something to write in it, which was one form or another of mechanical pencil. They all had the same drawbacks – the lead would easily break off in my pocket, the plastic parts could get damaged, and the points would either poke holes in the pockets (not nice when it's a leather jacket), or poke holes in me when I reached in to get them. In the past couple months, I've had two other pencils get damaged, and one no longer works, while the other had to have some repairs done. I needed something sturdier. I saw this one had a lot of reviews, but what really attracted me was the metal body, and the price. So, I sprung for this, while also ordering a pair of other pencils (also from Pentel). They all arrived together. This one was packaged in a simple plastic bag; there was no box or blister pack, so, basically, you're not paying for excessive packaging here. I took it out, and it felt nice in the hands. The grip can be turned to change the dial that shows the lead hardness; something I've seen on more expensive technical pencils before. I pressed the button a few times and the lead slid out nicely. Now, here's where things get a bit strange, in a very good way. With other pencils, if you hold the button down, you can press the lead back up into the barrel. You cannot do that with this one; the lead is one way only. I tried all sorts of ways, and that lead will not slide back in. Seems like a design flaw, but not really. The pocket clip on the side is also a hinged lock When you press on the top, it will open and unlock the barrel mechanism, which will shoot back inside the pencil tip. While this is unlocked, the lead itself can be pushed back into the barrel if needed. And since the barrel is now tucked up safely inside the tip, there's no sharp point sticking out that can cause damage, or be damaged; the tip is essentially as blunt as the button on the eraser end. You can see this in the product photos, as well as my own. Pressing the button again will extend the barrel once more and the clip will lock it into place. The button pulls off to reveal a small white eraser. That can also be pulled out to open the lead chamber for refilling. As I stated, this comes in bare minimum packaging, and without any instructions, which explains why there are customer questions about it. I've used this a bit and compared to some other more expensive – Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic – pencils I've used in the past, this is much more comfortable to use. I still like the Rapidomatic, but I have had one break because of the plastic body it has. The GraphGear feels a lot more solid. Plus, it has some gel grip pads on the knurled barrel for more comfort.