I'm a mechanical pencil freak. Have been since I was in grade school. I got all kinds of clutch pencils and mechanical pencils in my collection. I usually get a few unusual pencils a year, I decided to give this one a shot. Though, suffice to say, I'm a .9mm guy, it was a pencil I "gotta" have in my collection.
It does hold up to it's name with it's name to claim. Up to 3 clicks, the lead will not break. A few times I got it up to 4 clicks and the lead didn't break. But with 1, 2, or 3 clicks, you can press really hard and it just retracts back in, then when you release, it pops back out. Pretty neat design if you ask me.
Only downside is, there is too much plastic. I prefer metal pencils. Like out of aluminum or brass, made with metal components. There are only a few left that use all metal parts. But you are looking at spending some cash.
However, it appears if the pencil is well made, and the components are engineered in such a way that it should last several years. Longer if only used at a desk.
Zebra gives you extra pencil leads, in HB (#2) grade hardness. I did notice they seemed more like a H hardness, more than a HB. Maybe just a quality HB lead? Not sure. I'd have to do more analysis on the lead composition. Just by the faintness of how it was writing compared to my Pentel HB, and my Nano Dia HB leads of the same thickness. I have a feeling there is more clay in the lead making it stronger, more like in the middle ground of H and HB.
I need to try some of my Pentel colored leads in it. They are a LOT more brittle than regular pencil lead. Curious to see if the DelGuard system will protect against broken colored leads. As that was one of the reasons I was looking into this pencil. Whenever I get around to it, I'll come back and report my findings.
All in all, it's a great pencil for the money. It goes up similar to my Mitsubishi/Uni Kuru Toga with the rotating lead mechanism.
| Manufacturer | Zebra Pen |
|---|---|
| Brand | Zebra |
| Item Weight | 0.32 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 7.6 x 2.3 x 0.88 inches |
| Item model number | 58611 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Color | Black Barrel |
| Closure | Retractable |
| Grip Type | Contoured |
| Pencil Lead Degree (Hardness) | HB |
| Material Type | Plastic |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Size | 1 Count (Pack of 1) |
| Point Type | Fine |
| Line Size | 0.5 |
| Ink Color | Black |
| Tip Type | fine point |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 58611 |
