Pens And Pencils

The Kuru Toga Roulette

2011-07-06T15:54:00.001-04:00

I now own 3 Kuru Toga pencils. The only one I don't have is the High Grade, because I do not like silicone grips. The Roulette is to me bay and large the best Kuru Toga available. It haste the overall shape of the High Grade with the advantage of being almost all metal. The only external plastic piece (save for the black tip) is the push button topper. This is on the silver model a translucent light gray plastic. The rest of the Roulette is a two-tone silver-gray metal. The upper body is a bright silver with the name in a dark gray color. The neck of the push button, pocket clip, coupling and and end cap are all chrome. The lower half of the body, which is 1-1/2 times the upper body diameter is beautiful satin gray with 4 groves designating the finely knurled grip.

The diameter of the Roulette's grip is nearly perfect for this blogger. I really like the feel of the fine knurls of the grip. It is easy to grip and slip resistant. Writing with the Roulette is a pleasure from beginning to end. The auto rotating mechanism provides a built in cushion making the writing experience quite smooth. There is a slight learning curve with any Kuru Toga, or in my case an unlearning curve. As I write with a standard drafting pencil I have trained myself to rotate the pencil automatically as I write. This helps keep the lead from ovaling out. With the Kuru Toga rotating the pencil defeats the principle of the auto rotating mechanism. So I'm having to learn to hold the pencil without letting it rotate in my hand.

I've come to like using the Kuru Toga Roulette over all my other Mechanical/Drafting pencils. I've always like the auto rotating mechanism but not the thickness of the original Kuru Toga or the grip of the High Grade. The Roulette is the culmination of all the best features of the Kura Toga Series.

The Roulette as well as the full line of Kuru Toga's are available from our friends at JetPens.com

The Case For The 0.4mm Pencil

2011-07-05T22:48:00.001-04:00

Regular readers of this blog know that I am a die hard 0.3mm drafting pencil fan, evident by my sizable collection of modern 0.3mm drafting pencils. But for some time I have been wondering about the newest lead size in the drafting pencil line-up, the 0.4mm. One can wonder if a single millimeter could make a difference. Well, it can. The chart below shows the line width of a 0.3mm, o.4mm and a 0.5mm pencil lead, all HB grade. Each line was drawn with a squared off lead at 90%. Each line measures 0.3mm, 0.4mm and 0.5mm from top to bottom (PEAK Scale Lupe, 10X power, metric scale was used to measure line width).

As one can see, there is clearly a difference in the size of the lines. While the top line, the 0.3mm is by far the thinnest of the three and the bottom, the 0.5mm it the thickest, the middle, the 0.4mm is exactly in between the other two. It's thin enough to be considered an extra fine line, unlike the 0.5mm line which, when ovaled out can become quite wide. The 0.4mm lead has the advantage of being a fine lead without being quite as fragile as the 0.3mm for the same lead grade. Of course the 0.5mm lead is, of the 3, the strongest.

I have been using the 0.4mm pencil for some months and have rarely found the need to use the 0.3mm pencil! Egad! Does this mean that I've fallen out of lust for the 0.3mm pencil!? Has the 0.4mm pencil take it's place in my heart!? Not quite! I'll always collect 0.3mm drafting pencils, for after all, they do produce the thinnest of lines (save for the 0.2mm pencil). But for practical everyday use, the 0.4mm has probably replaced the 0.3mm pencil in my book. If produces a suitable fine line while maintaining a modicum of strength.

A number of 0.4mm drafting pencils can be bought at our friends at Jetpens.com.

Rhodia dotPad

2011-07-02T11:32:00.000-04:00

Some time ago I received a small pad and 2 wooden pencils in the mail. This was not unexpected as I had been approached and ask if I would review what is called a dotPad by Rhodia as well as a Rhodia wooden pencil. I agreed. Once the package arrived I examined the contents and fully attended to do a review quickly. Well, I got sick just about that time and failed to do a quick review as promised. Time passed and my illness came and went and the review was not forgotten, just put aside. Recently the sender contacted me again about the review, I explained my situation and promised a timely review. Once again my illness befell me and the review was again put off until now. It is my hope that the sender will forgive me and accept this honest opinion of the items sent.

The dotPad I received was a 5.8" x 8.3" pad with a heavy backing. 80 sheets per pad of 21.3lb high grade vellum paper. The pad is microperforated at the top so the sheets are easily removable. The grid is composed of light lilac dots spaced 5mm apart. The 2 pencils are of Linden wood painted orange and black, the Rhodia colors, with black erasers. Surprisingly the black of the wood goes all the way through. The lead grade is HB, comparable to a #2 pencil. All in all the black covered dotPad and the orange and black pencils look striking nice! Oh, yeah, the pencils are triangular in cross section!

I do not use wooden pencils at all, having gone completely over to drafting pencils years ago. But I did find the triangular shape of the pencils afforded a comfortable grip. Like any grade HB lead, it's soft. Being soft it lays down a dark line that widens as the point dulls. No surprises here. The black erasers perform as one would expect erasing clean as long as the user isn't heavy handed. The pencils sharpened cleanly when I used a Steadtler open type metal sharpener, the kind that I use on my colored pencils (oops! I guess that I do use wooden pencils after all! Just not to write with!). All in all the Rhodia black and orange pencils are only exceptionable in their color, shape and solid construction.

The dotPad I found to be exceptional! The heavy weight vellum paper is very forgiving when erasing heavy lines. While it will smudge, it does not easily tear as lesser quality paper. It's sizing accommodates a wide variety of writing instruments from fountain pens to rollerballs to gel pens to pencils, even a 0000 rapidiograph pen! All seemed very smooth despite the fact all were fine to extra fine points. My test pencil was a 0.3mm with HB lead and it felt exceptional smooth! I really like the writing surface, especially when using a pencil.

I had a small project going when I took these pics so I used the dotPan and Rhodia pencils to do my calculations. The smoothness of the writing surface proved to be a blessing as I did all the lines freehand. I especially like that fact that unlike a standard quad pad the dots almost disappear beneath the dark lines of the pencil. With ordinary quad pads, even with the ones with light lines, the graph line often get in the way, especially when freehanding a "straight" line.

All in all I think that The uniqueness of the Rhodia triangular black and orange pencils will win over a lot of wooden pencil fans while the dotPad has already won me over! I wish all "graph" paper were like the Rhodia dotPad!

To find out how and where to purchase the entire Rhodia line of products click this link.

Pentel P203: A Review

2011-06-01T11:56:00.001-04:00

What follows is a review of the Pentel P203 that I originally did for Associated Content.

Review: Pentel 200 P203 0.3mm Automatic Pencil
Style: Drafting

Technical Data:
Length: 142.8
Diameter (Body): 9.3mm
Diameter (grip): N/A
Balance Point (From Push Button): 73mm
Weight: 11.3 grams
Lead Sleeve: 4mm, fixed
Lead size: 0.3mm

Major Components: End cap/Lead sleeve, body, clutch assembly/lead reservoir, push button, eraser with clean out rod.

Construction Type: Independent body, integral lead reservoir/clutch assembly.

Construction Materials: Plastic body, lead reservoir, metal end cap/lead sleeve, push button, clutch assembly.

Colors: Brown body, black lead reservoir, chrome pocket clip, end cap/lead sleeve, push button.

Mode Of Operation: Ratcheting push button lead advance, 3-jawed brass clutch with brass over-sleeve.

Appearance: With its tapering brown body the PG203 looks more like a typical writing pencil than a drafting pencil, but looks can be deceiving as the PG203 is a true drafting pencil. White lettering stands out on the multi-side body, which has an indentation for the pocket clip, which is set down a short distance from the top of the body. The chromed push button is the over the sleeve type and is a simple closed tube. The chrome end cap continues the pencil's taper to the lead sleeve. There is a small ringed rib at the end of the body where it contacts the end cap. Less than a centimeter up from the rib is a set of 11 equally spaced rings that makes up the grip. Simple elegance.

Disassembly: To disassemble the P203 first remove the end cap/lead sleeve. Next remove the clutch assembly/lead reservoir from in side the body. Remove the push button then the eraser with the clean out rod. Finally remove the pocket clip. Reassembly is the reverse of assembly. Note that the end cap screws onto the extended clutch assembly. The clutch assembly locks into the body via a hex nut.

Clearing A Lead Jam: Refer to this article, Clearing A Lead Jam, should clearing a lead jam be necessary.

My Opinion: The P203 feels great in my hand and writes remarkably well, feeling so well balanced in my hand. Two or 3 clicks produces enough lead to write with, about 1mm's worth. The lead advance mechanism has a distinct metallic sound and is semi loud. The P203 was my first 0.3mm drafting pencil and the one by which I hold all others up to. It is an old design but old does not mean out-of-date. While the P203 is no longer made (but still available) the design is so good that it is not only carried on in the Sharp line it has been copied by several different companies. The P203 is a rugged pencil; I've had one for over 25 years.

Last Words: While the P203 has been discontinued by the manufacturer (declining sales says the Pentel of America rep.) I fail to see why the other 3 pencils are still available. It really makes no scene to me and probably never will. Despite the fact that it has been left by the wayside by Pentel it remains one of the best drafting pencils ever made. The P203 is a pencil that should be in any collection so I suggest that you get one while you can.

March Giveaway!

2011-03-22T16:42:00.001-04:00

In July of 2009 I did a follow up review of the Staedtler Liquid Point 7 rollerball liquid ink pens. They have been sitting around in a drawer ever since! So I've decided to give them away as it looks like I'll never use them! Way too many pens to try and use them all! So some Pens And Pencils blog reader will win these beautiful German made rollerballs simply by sending me an email with something in the header about Staedtler Liquid Point 7's! That way I can tell who entered the giveaway and who didn't! Rules are simple: One entry per reader; must be an email, comments on the blog will not count (though you can leave all the comments that you wish); must be received before or on somewhere around March 31st. At some point I'll close the giveaway and let the RIG pick the winning number that corresponds to one of the entries. After that I'll contact the winner and ask for a mailing addy so I can ship them out! Simple, no?

So Pens And Pencils readers get those emails in! You never know just what number the RIG will pick!

BTW, just incase you can't find my email addy in the sidebar, in my profile, it'smailto:theoldgeezer@live.com.

The Giveaway is now closed. No more emails please! Thank you.

Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic 5633 0.3mm Automatic Pencil

2011-02-19T11:41:00.002-05:00

Hello Pen And Pencils Blog Fans... and other assorted strangers! Welcome to my humble blog and another riveting review!... OK, so maybe not so riveting, but a review none the less! I did this one for Associated Content a couple of years ago. It's in a style I no longer use, but, hey, it's a valid review no matter what Tommy Turquoise says! I've altered it here for my blog. Enjoy!

Technical Data:
Length: 142.1mm
Diameter (Body) 9.1mm
Diameter (Grip): 8.1mm
Balance Point (From Bush Button): 74.6mm
Weight: 17 grams
Lead Sleeve: 4mm, fixed
Lead Size: 0.3mm

Major Components: End cap/lead sleeve/grip, body with lead grade indicator, pocket clip, clutch assembly/lead reservoir, push button and eraser with clean out rod.

Construction Type: Independent body and clutch/lead reservoir.

Construction Materials: Plastic body, metal end cap/lead sleeve/grip, pocket clip, push button, clutch assembly and lead reservoir.

Colors: Red, body, bright chrome pocket clip, lead grade indicator, push button, end cap/lead sleeve/grip, lead reservoir.

Mode Of Operation: Ratcheting push button lead advance, 3-jawed brass clutch with brass over-sleeve.

Appearance: The bright red color of the hexagonal body with its white lettering makes a striking contrast against the bright chrome of the other components. The chrome lead grade indicator rests at the top of the body and is finely knurled. The silver lead grade characters are set against a gloss black background and include the grades H, 2H, 4H, 2B, B, HB and F. The chrome pocket clip sets just below the lead grade indicator and is embossed with the brand name and country of origin, Japan. The chrome push button is the full over-sleeve type completely covering the lead reservoir and has the lead size nicely embossed on the top. The chrome grip is nicely knurled in a diamond pattern and steps down twice to form the integral end cap, squaring off before becoming the lead sleeve.

Disassembly: To completely disassemble the 5633 first remove the grip. The clutch assembly and lead reservoir will probably come along with it. Remove the clutch assembly from the end cap. Remove the pushbutton to expose the eraser. Remove the eraser to access the clean out rod. This completes the disassembly of the 5633. Reassembly is the opposite of disassembly.

Clearing A Lead Jam: Refer to this article, "All Jammed Up?", should clearing a lead jam be necessary.

My Opinion: The Koh-I-Noor was designed as a professionals tool but it's equally at home on the desk of the average homeowner. It is a well designed and built, being a highly sought after pencil brand for years. The lead is rock solid in the lead sleeve with very little if any wobble. Three clicks of the push button produce 1 mm of lead, quite enough lead to write with. Any more and there is a risk of breakage. The chrome lead reservoir is cavernous enough to hold several tubes of lead and still have room to spare. This is a feature that I like as I like to fill the lead reservoir with as much lead as possible. The balance point of the pencil is almost at the midpoint so the pencil is only slightly bottom heavy but it doesn't feel like it. The finely knurled diamond pattern on the grip makes a good surface to hold onto and helps guide the pencil across the paper. The only thing I don't like is the lead grade indicator. I'm not fond of the top of the body type of lead grade indicators. The one on the Koh-I-Noor started out tight but after years of use it has loosened up. Also the silver characters are set against a gloss black background making them hard to read due to glare. However the 5633 is a great pencil to write with being finely crafted and well built. I like the Koh-I-Noor, it feels good in my hand and is an easily guided across the paper despite its 17 gram weight, or maybe because of it. Either way I like this German designed pencil and wish that I had more.

Last Words: The above review was of a pencil that I've had for years. It was made in Japan and is a very well built pencil, possibly as well built as the original Koh-I-Noors made in Germany. Unfortunately the line is now made in China. The Chinese version of the pencils are not quite up to the standard of the Japanese or German versions. It's for this reason that I can not recommend buying a Koh-I-Noor 5633 unless you can find one in new or good condition that was made in Japan or Germany.

Picture courtesy of... wait! I took that one! Nice pic, huh?

February Giveaway

2011-02-13T23:41:00.001-05:00

Hello blog readers, Web surfers, and passers by! Welcome to my humble blog! Take your shoes off, set a spell... on second thought, leave your shoes on!... This month I'm giving away a Pilot 2020 Super Grip 0.5mm shaker mechanical pencil in Aqua. Apparently the solid colored versions are becoming hard to find, at least a search of the Web only turned up one place that showed the solid color pencil in Aqua, and they are no longer selling them! The version that I'm giving away differs from the photo only in that the eraser cap is totally clear, there is no color at the top of the cap.

This is a cute (yes, I did say "cute") mechanical pencil and from my observation a sturdy one as compared to some other mechanical pencils. It is made mostly of plastic and rubber with a few metal parts, namely the 3 jawed lead clutch system, the lead sleeve and the shaker weight, which appears to be a tightly wound spring! The 2mm lead sleeve is of the retractable type with the lead retainer being plastic, but internal, as it should be! It is integrated with the lead sleeve. This little gem has a 3 jawed brass clutch, not a plastic 2 jawed clutch as so many mechanical pencils in it's price range have! This speaks of quality. In fact, I'm impressed with many of the features of the Pilot 2020. It has a soft rubber grip, not the squishy silicone grip the other versions have! But I personally am not a fan of rubber grips. However over all the pencil, for what it is, is a nice pencil! It has features found on much more expensive pencils!

The Pilot 2020 is 148mm long, 11mm wide at the grip, weighs a scant 11 grams. The balance point is approximately 74mm from the tip of the pencil making it almost perfectly balanced! It feels nice in the hand and is easy to use. The grip affords plenty of gripping power, but gets dirty easily! There is a usable (almost) eraser under the clear cap that serves as a push button. It does not come with a clean out rod, but I've provided one under the eraser. The lead reservoir is small, holding about a 1/2 dozen leads max! It comes with 2 leads, but I made it an even 1/2 dozen.

To operate the pencil one can use the push button, or just shake the pencil a couple of times in order to advance the lead. But be careful when shaking the pencil to advance the lead as it is easy to advance too much lead!

Well, there you have it. An impromptu review of the Pilot 2020 Super Grip Shaker mechanical pencil. So if I have whet your appetite for the Pilot 2020 and you would like a chance to win this one then just drop me an email (theoldgeezer@live.com) with the words, Pilot 2020 Giveaway, in the subject line. That's all there is to it! Please just one email per person! The giveaway will remain open until sometime Saturday the 26th of this month. At that time I'll pick a winner using the RIG at the bottom of this blog. So get your emails in! Times a wastin'!

The photo is courtesy of our friends at Jetpens.

Stop the presses! We have a winner!

January Giveaway

2011-01-24T14:05:00.003-05:00

"Good morning America, how are ya! Don't cha ya know me I'm your native son..." Arlo Guthrie! How did you get on my blog!? Well, the nerve of some people!... Anyway it's time for my January giveaway.

This month up for grabs is a brand new set of uni-ball Signo Erasable gel pens in 0.5 mm point size. They come in 8 colors, black, red, orange, green, blue, violet, pink and aqua and come in their own handy carry case. These are similar to the uni-ball Signo UM-100 gel pens only they are erasable. They each have their own color coordinated eraser atop the cap. They are one of the smoothest erasable gel pens available.

If you would like a chance to win this nicely packaged set of erasable gel pens then all you have to do is send me an email. In the subject line of the email write Pens And Pencils January Giveaway and if you wish you can put some nice comment about how great an old geezer I am for giving away such nice things... or not! Hey! So what! I'm soliciting compliments!... I mean, it's not like a get a lot of them from friends and family, ya know! Yeah! I have feelings! I like to be appreciated! I'd feel a lot better about myself if a certain few individuals would pay a bit more attention to me from time to time... Eh, oh my! A-hum! Please excuse me! I've... I've been sick, yeah, that's it! I've been sick!...

At any rate get your email in because you can't win if you don't enter! I'll give you until sometime Monday, the 31st. Just exactly when on Saturday I don't know. I don't keep a regular schedule and I'm up at odd hours, asleep during the day and night, so I'll close the giveaway at my whim! But not before I've collected all the emails and posted that the giveaway is closed! Once closed I'll use the Random Integer Generator at the bottom of my blog to generate a number between 1 and the total number of eligible emails received. Emails are numbered in the order in which they are received, earliest first.

So, ladies and germs (I told you I've been sick) get those emails in! Just in case you can't find my email addy on my blog there on the left as part of my profile, it's theoldgeezer@live.com.

The giveaway is and has been officially closed!

Pentel Graphgear 500 PG523 Drafting Pencil: A Review

2010-12-12T23:45:00.003-05:00

What follows is my review of the Pentel GraphGear PG523 0.3mm drafting pencil. This review was original published at Assocciated Content.

Review: Pentel GraphGear 500 PG523 0.3mm Automatic Pencil
Style: Drafting
Technical Data
Length: 141mm
Diameter (Body): 8.3mm across points of hex
Diameter (Grip): 9.2mm
Balance Point (From Push Button): 82.5mm
Weight: 14.2grams
Lead Sleeve: 4mm, fixed
Lead Size: 0.3mm

Major Components: Integral end cap/lead sleeve/grip, push button, pocket clip, eraser, integral body/lead reservoir/clutch assembly.

Construction Type: Integral body/lead reservoir/clutch assembly.

Construction Materials: Plastic body. Metal end cap/lead sleeve/grip, push button, pocket clip, lead reservoir and clutch assembly.

Colors: Brown body, bright chrome end cap/lead sleeve/grip, pocket clip, push button and lead reservoir.

Mode Of Operation: Ratcheting push button lead advance, 3-jawed brass clutch with brass over-sleeve.

Appearance: The PG-523 appears odd to me in that the grip is much larger than the body and takes up almost 1/3rd of the pencils length. The grip is finely knurled in a diamond pattern with 4 evenly spaced parallel rings on the lower part of the grip. There is a deep grove, then a short, tapered un-knurled portion before a long tapering section that steps down in a short taper to the lead sleeve. The body is hexagonal with white lettering along one side. The pocket clip is removable and has the Company name and country of origin stamped on to the rim of the clip. It rests at the top of the pencil. The push button is the full over-sleeve type completely covering the lead reservoir. It is odd in appearance it that it is flared out at the top as if it has been pounded upon.

Disassembly: To take down the PG523 first unscrew the grip and remove it. Next remove the push button by sliding it off the lead reservoir. Pull the eraser free from inside the mouth of the lead reservoir (note that there is no clean out rod). The pocket clip is removed by pushing up on it until it is free of the body. This is as far as the user can disassemble the pencil. Reassembly is the opposite of disassembly.

Clearing A Lead Jam: Refer to this article, Clearing A Lead Jam, should clearing a lead jam be necessary.

My Opinion: Despite its ungainly appearance the PG-523 is an excellent writing instrument. Its large and heavy grip sleeve makes the pencil bottom heavy. This along with the pencils weigh makes it a pleasure to write with. It seems to glide across the paper effortlessly, almost doing the writing for me. The finely knurled grip offers a good surface on which to hold the pencil while writing being neither too sharp nor too dull. Four clicks of the push button will produce 1mm of lead, enough to write with comfortably. The mechanism is on the quiet side and requires only a short stroke to produce lead. The lead reservoir is cavernous enough to hold several tubes of lead and still have room for more, a feature that I like. While functional I have never been fond of the integral lead sleeve/end cap/grip as it is too much to have to remove in order to clear a lead jam.

Last Words: The PG-523 was designed as a fine drafting tool and serves this purpose well. But it also makes a fine writing instrument as well. It's a rugged pencil that will probably outlast newer models. If you are in need of a quality drafting pencil or just want a good all around writing pencil then consider buying a Pentel GraphfGear 500 PG-523. You won't be sorry.

Due to a glitch comments were not enabled on this post. If you would like to leave a comment please do so at my Guest Book. Just mention the pencil by name.

Last Minute Giveaway

2010-12-12T23:26:00.001-05:00

Hello faithful readrs and passers-by! I have a last minute give away for you! I have up for grabs 23 tubes of Pentel Super Polymer grade B lead! That's 132 pieces of lead, folks! 132 pieces! Wow!... OK, so maybe it's not such a great giveaway! Especially if you don't have a 0.9mm pencil!... Anyway... If you want to have a chance to win this bountyful supply of lead, then just send me an email at theoldgeezer@live.com with the words Last Minute Giveaway in the headder! That's it! Please note posting a comment to this posting WILL NOT ENTER YOU INTO THE CONTEST! I must have an e-mail so I can notify the winner and ask for a mailing addy! Contestants have until midnight, Thersday, the 16th of Decenber to shoot me an e-mail. After that I'll pick a winner in the usual way and notify them via e-mail. So hurry up and send in those e-mails.

Review: Alvin Draft/Matic DM03 0.3mm Automatic Pencil

2010-12-10T06:12:00.005-05:00

What follows is my review of the Alvin Draft/Matic 0.3mm Drafting Pencil. It was originally published at Associated Content. I have edited the content for this posting. I hope that it's not to dry for anyone!

Technical Data
Length: 142.4mm
Diameter (Body): 8. mm
Diameter (Grip): 8.5mm
Balance Point (From Push Button): 82.5mm
Weight: 17 grams
Lead Sleeve: 4mm, fixed
Lead Size: 0.3mm

Major Components: End cap/lead sleeve/grip, body with lead grade indicator, pocket clip, push button, eraser and the clutch assembly/lead reservoir sub-assembly.
Clutch assembly/lead reservoir sub assembly: Clutch assembly, lead reservoir, eraser holder/reservoir plug, end cap/body coupler and clutch-retaining spring.

Construction Type: Independent clutch assembly/lead reservoir and body.

Construction Materials: Plastic body, clear plastic lead reservoir. Metal clutch assembly, push button, pocket clip, lead grade indicator, end cap/lead sleeve/grip, eraser holder/reservoir plug, end cap/body coupler and the clutch retaining spring.

Colors: Yellow body, bright chrome lead grade indicator, pocket clip, push button, eraser holder/reservoir plug, end cap/body coupler, clutch-retaining spring.

Mode Of Operation: Ratcheting push button lead advance, 3-jawed brass clutch with brass over-sleeve.

Appearance: The DM03 is an attractive pencil with very clean lines. The bright yellow body has black imprinting which is very legible. The lead grade indicator is knurled and at the top of the body. The lead grade indicator window is rectangular showing the silver over gloss black lead grades which are H, 2H, 4H, 2B, B, HB and F. The bright chrome push button is the full over-sleeve type, which fully hides the chrome eraser holder. The bright chrome pocket clip rests below the lead grade indicator and is stamped with the country of origin, Japan. The chrome grip is nicely knurled in a diamond pattern and steps down twice to form the integral end cap/lead sleeve, squaring off before becoming the lead sleeve. The end cap/body coupler is seen only as a ring between the grip and the body.

Disassembly: Complete take down of the DM03 is not quite as simple as with other pencils and is NOT recommended. To fill the lead reservoir first remove the chrome push button, then the eraser from the reservoir tube. Drop in a few pieces of lead the put the eraser... Awe, come on! You know the rest! If you have to clear a lead jam you will have to remove the grip. Simply unscrew the grip and slide it off the end of the pencil.

Clearing A Lead Jam: Refer to this article, Clearing A Lead Jam, should clearing a lead jam be necessary. The link is on the front page of this blog.

My Opinion (for what it's worth): The Alvin is a heavyweight of a pencil with its balancing point being 82.5mm from the top of the pencil. This makes the Alvin bottom heavy, which helps it rest comfortably in my hand. The finely knurled diamond pattern on the chromed grip affords my fingers a good hold. Both features help make writing with the Alvin a delight to write with, it almost writes for me. Three clicks of the push button produces enough lead to write or draw with, a comfortable 1 mm. The lead reservoir is not cavernous, being small in diameter, but it will hold a couple of dozen leads. The lead grade indicator at the top of the body spins to freely and can move during normal handling. The bright silver characters of the lead grades are set against a gloss black background making them hard to read due to glare. However the push button can be replaced and the eraser used without causing lead projection.

Last Words: The Alvin Draft/Matic DM03 was designed as a drafting tool but serves well as a freehand drawing tool or as a fine writing instrument. Its balance and feel make it suitable for anyone who wishes to use it in either respect. So if you are in the market for a high quality writing or drawing tool keep the Alvin DM03 in mind as you shop.

Due to a glitch comments were not enabled on this post. If you would like to leave a comment please do so at my Guest Book. Just mention the pencil by name.

November/December Givaway

2010-11-25T03:56:00.002-05:00

Welcome one and all to my humble blog! Up for grabs this time is a brand new never used Ohto Super Promecha PM 1505P drafting pencil. For those of you who are familiar with the Ohto brand of all metal drafting pencils will recognize this as being the latest iteration of the 0.5 mm version of the top of the line Ohto Super Promechas! The PM 1505P features a variable length lead sleeve, a lead projection adjustment, a removable pocket clip, a lead grade indicator and an all metal exterior construction! It is in top condition because it's been sitting around safe in it's plastic case awaiting it's turn at being given away! It's wait is almost over! I'm giving away this pencil just in time for Christmas!

And all any one has to do is to have a chance at winning this great example of a drafting pencil is to send me, the Old Geezer, an e-mail containing somewhere in the body of the e-mail the words - Ohto Super Promecha Giveaway. That's it! Once the giveaway is closed I will use the random integer generator to generate a random integer between 0 and the number of e-mails I have received. The e-mails will be numbered in the order they are received (dated and time stamped). No comments to this post will be accepted as entries to the giveaway. You must send me an e-mail. If you are the winner I will contact you via e-mail and ask for your mailing address. You don't even have to check back after the contest ends to see if you've won! The contest will remain open until midnight Friday, December 10th. Shortly after closing I will pick the winner!

But wait, there's more! Along with the pencil I'm giving away 19 tubes of grade B lead! That's right! 19 tubes! That's 288 pieces of Pentel Super Hi- polymer grade B lead! There is one full box of 12 tubes plus 7 tubes in a partially filled box! Plus the pencil is already filled with 12 pieces of lead! That's a total of 300 pieces of Grade B lead! Wow! Am I a great guy or what!? (don't you dare say "or what")!

So, times a waitin'! Get to sending me e-mails!

UPDATE: We have a winner. Congrats to Dave who had the winning slot!

October Giveaway

2010-10-06T14:50:00.001-04:00

Click to see larger image

Greetings Pens And Pencils Blog fans! The Old geezer here with this months giveaway! Yeah! We all love giveaways! So here is your chance to win this brand new never used Ohto Super Promecha PM 1057P (here's a link to the JetPens page which will describe some of the many features of this pencil). This is the latest Ohto Super Promecha in 0.7 mm lead size. This is a great pencil especially if you like the 0.7mm lead size. Unfortunately it's belly is empty! So in addition to the pencil I'm also giving away one box of 12 tubes of grade B lead with 12 pieces of lead per tube! That's 144 pieces of lead!

Wow! What a deal, huh? And what do you have to do in order to have a chance of winning this great pencil? Simple really, but the rules of the past have changed. Due to some problems I have been having with spam and other things simply leaving a comment about how great a guy The Old geezer is for giving away such a great pencil is no longer enough. Along with your comment I am requesting that you send an email to theoldgeezer@live.com containing the comment that you left at this post. This ensures me that I will be able to contact the winner regardless of circumstances. Any comments without the accompanying email will be disregarded. Any emails without the accompanying comment will also be disregarded. Please, one comment per person.

I'll leave the giveaway open until Saturday, the 16 of the month. Once the giveaway is closed I'll use the random number generator on this blog to pick a winner. You won't have to check back to see if you are the winner because I'll notify you asking for a shipping addy.

So get to posting and emailing! I'd like to see a lot of comments and emails on this one!

The Givaway is now offically closed! No more comments or email please! Thank you!

Zebra Color Flight 0.3 mm Mechanical Pencil

2010-10-06T12:55:00.000-04:00

"Hey, Tommy! What's ya got there?"

"Hello, Geezer! I've got your Zebra Color Flight 0.3mm Mechanical Pencil. Remember, the one you should have reviewed months ago!"

"Oh, Yeah! I remember! I guess I should review it, Huh!?"

"Ya think!?"

"Yeah..."

The 0.3 mm pencil has long been strictly a drafting pencil. Just why I'm not sure. It probably has something to do with the fact the lead tends to break easily and the fact that it produces such a thin line. But by far it has been my favorite lead size for over 40 years. The fact that it was only offered in a more expensive (generally) drafting pencil instead of a mechanical pencil (there are subtle differences between the 2) was OK by me. Then a few years ago I saw a 0.3mm mechanical pencil advertised. I was unable at the time to obtain one so I never got to examine one. I don't even know who made it! But when I saw the Zebra Color Flight 03 at JetPens a few of months ago I had to get one.

I got mine in Sky Blue. The first thing that I noticed was that there was this piece of translucent plastic between the lead sleeve and the end cap! Upon closer inspection I see that this is actually acting as the internal lead restraint found in drafting pencils and most mechanical pencils of the ratcheting type. More about this later.

The pencil breaks down into 3 major components: the lead sleeve/end cap; the body; and the push button/eraser. Not much to blog about there! So, moving on...

The lead reservoir is cavernous! being nearly the entire inside diameter of the pencil! It will certainly hold several tubes of lead with lots of room to spare!

The eraser is kind of funky and to me a bit more complicated to use than it could be. There is a bright, shinny chrome metal sleeve around the plastic holder. This makes it a bit hard for me to get a grip on. But once I do get a grip on it it twists out, clockwise. The best way to extend the eraser is to hold the tube and turn the pencil! There is a locking clip at the end of the translucent plastic square shaped screw shaft that the sleeve rides on. This clip locks the eraser's tube onto the lead reservoir tube so that it doesn't fall out, enables the tube to twist and act as a push button. Like I wrote, a bit more complicated than it needs to be!

Stats! Everybody likes stats! So, here are some stats on the Zebra Color Flight 03 Mechanical Pencil. It's 144.52 mm long making it of average length for a mechanical pencil. It is 8.55 mm across the flats of it's hexagonal body. It weighs a mere 9.6 grams making it an ultralight! So if you like the thin and light you'll like this one! It's balance point is approximately 75.17 mm from the tip making it imperceptively bottom heavy. 2 clicks is all it takes to produce enough lead to write with. That's it for stats!... Well, there's not much to report about the stats! So, moving on...

So, how does it feel and write? The hexagonal body feel nice in my hand. I like it's size. The push button is easy to operate, the spring tension being just about perfect. However (yep, here it comes) the pencil is far too light for me. I'm used to and like a heavier pencil. I found that I was breaking lead a lot more often than I do with my other 0.3 mm pencils! I am using an Ohto Super Promecha PM 1503P 0.3mm pencil which weighs twice the weight of the Color Flight and I rarely break lead when using it. But I discovered that the problem wasn't so much the weight of the pencil but that funky piece of plastic at the tip of the pencil (told you there would be more about that later)!

Most mechanical/drafting pencils of the ratcheting type have an internal lead keeper or restraint. The purpose is to keep the lead from riding back up inside the pencil or from falling out the pencil as the ratcheting action monetarily releases the lead before once again securing it enabling the user to use the pencil. However the Zebra Color Flight has this restraint on the exterior of the pencil! Because of the design the lead sleeve is secured not to the end cap via metal to metal contact but by the the plactic lead restraint! This allows too much deflectio of the lead sleeve causing lead breakage. If you are a heavy handed writer then you'd break lead too often to make practical use of the pencil.

However (yeah, there's another 'however'), if I only use one click to extend the lead, producing about .5mm's worth of lead instead of the 1mm's worth that 2 clicks produce then I find that I don't break lead, but I do have to extend the lead much more often. I can also feel the lead sleeve drag across the paper as I write.

Bottom line: I have mixed feelings about the Zebra Color Flight 03 Mechanical Pencil. I want to like it, but it has so many quirks that I don't believe that it would make a good every day mechanical pencil. I don't like it's ultralight status as I mentioned before, I like heavier pencils, middleweights to heavyweights. While I think for a little more money one can do better in picking a 0.3mm pencil (many drafting pencils sell for under $10.00 and are much better pencils) for someone who wants a 0.3mm mechcanical pencil for under $5.00 that has an external eraser, as long as you can put up with the quirks, then try a Zebra Color Flight 03 Mechanical Pencil, available from our frinds at JetPens.

June/July Giveaway Revised Ended

2010-08-05T03:29:00.000-04:00

The new winner of the Jun/July Giveaway is M.. M you have until midnight August 14th to notify me by email (theoldgeezer@live.com) in order to claim your pencil. Thank all of you for participating in my Giveaway.

The Old Geezer.

Giveaway Scout

2010-07-26T23:59:00.003-04:00

Hey everybody, check this out! Now there is a place that you can go to to learn about giveaways on the web. It's called Giveaway Scout and it's really neat. So use the link and check it out!

June/July Giveaway Revised

2010-07-20T12:09:00.001-04:00

Since Harnett ddi not respond in the specified time I've decided to reopen the giveaway until the end of July. Everyone, except Harnett, who has left a comment on the earlier post is still in the running and should not leave any additional comments. However anyone else who wishes to enter the giveaway may do so by leaving a comment to this post by the end of July, Saturday, the 31st. After Saturday, as quickly as I can, I will pick a new winner using the random number generator at the bottom of the blog. So get to posting comments, please! And check back after the 31t to see if you have won.

June/July Giveaway

2010-06-27T23:56:00.001-04:00

Well, hello Miss Tussy Pink! I heard that you had joined the staff here at Pens And Pencils! You are a most welcome addition to our staff!

"Hello, Geezer. Thank you for that adorable welcome!"

What's you got there, Tussy?

"Well, Geezer, this was supposed to be Junes giveaway but seeing as how June is almost over..."

Awe! That's right! I've been out of touch for so long that I'd almost forgotten all about it! So I guess we'll just have to make it June/July's giveaway, won't we?

"That looks like the only thing you can do, Geezer!"

Well, Tussy, you just stand there looking pretty and I'll tell the readers about the Ohto pencil that your holding!

"Oh, Geezer! You're so charming!"

OK, readers, up for grabs this time is a gently used out of production Ohto Promecha 1000/07, OP-1007, 0.7 mm drafting pencil. This pencil features an adjustable length 4 mm lead sleeve, a rubber grip, lead grade indicator and an all black finish. The pencil is in great condition except in one area. There is a gouge on the rubber grip as shown in the photo.

I don't know if there is a replacement for the rubber grip available however the thin rubber grip can be removed, if with a little effort. So, if a replacement can be found or a substitute, such as black heat shrink, used the rubber grip can be removed. But other than that the pencil is in great shape! It eve has the original sticker still attached.

The Ohto weights 20.2 grams and is 148.66mm long. It is 7.56mm in diameter st the body and 10.35mm at the grip. There is a clean out rod under the eraser however being 0.7mm I doubt that it will ever be needed.

The two photos show the lead sleeve in both the extended and retracted positions.

But that's not all! The lead reservoir is filled with 12 pieces of grade B lead. I'm also including three 12 piece tubes of grade B lead as well! That's 48 pieces of lead!

So, how do you enter the giveaway? Simple, just leave a comment to this post before midnight July 9th, 2010. That simple. Only if you sign in as Anonymous, then please, in the body of your comment, leave some name or handle that you can be ID'd from so, if you win, I can identify you!

That's it. Check back after midnight July 9th (which is actually the 10th) to see if you've won!

Survey Finds Office Pilfering is Abundant

2010-06-10T13:04:00.002-04:00

According to the new OfficeMax Workplace Uncovered Survey, working Americans say missing office supplies are the norm in today’s office environment. In fact, many admit to being “Supply-Jackers” who pilfer supplies from the office to use at home and admit to borrowing supplies from coworkers never to return them. Some keep supplies as revenge because they believe their coworkers have done the same while others confess they simply forgot. Either way, when their favorite supplies go missing, working Americans say their productivity suffers, and many fanatically go to great lengths to protect their supplies – from labeling to hiding items to buying reserves.

Below are some highlights from the survey along with links to the survey report and news release.
· View news release: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/officemax/44541/
· View survey report: http://tiny.cc/WorkplaceSurvey
· Twitter hashtag: #SupplyJackers

HIGHLIGHTS – WORKPLACE UNCOVERED SURVEY

Disappearing Act – There seems to be a lot of dwindling workspaces popping up across the nation. Eighty-one percent of employed Americans who report missing supplies from their work area say that pens, pencils, or highlighters go M.I.A. most often. Other disappearing goods include paper products (35%), paper clips or binder clips (28%), staplers (22%), and scissors (20%).

Coworkers Confess – Perhaps it’s the people working closest to you who are responsible. More than four in ten (42%) confess they’ve borrowed supplies from a colleague and never returned it. The most popular loot 82 percent of them have taken are pens, pencils or highlighters.

Behind the Borrowing – 84 percent of those who come clean as to why they’ve held onto their colleague’s goods confess they simply forgot to return the product. Others (26%) say they just didn’t think their coworker would miss it. Close to a quarter (23%) take revenge on coworkers saying they chose not to return the supplies because their colleague had done the same to them!

Homeward Bound – This obsessive behavior isn’t restricted to the workplace. In fact, employed Americans are so attached to some office products that close to six in ten (56%) have taken products from work to use at home.

Always an Excuse – For those who aren’t afraid to admit why they did this, they sure have their reasons. Three in ten (30%) say they considered it an act of borrowing and planned to bring the supplies back, while 25 percent just didn’t think their employer would miss it. Others admit they pilfered products because it was easier to take the supply from the office then purchase it on their own (27%) or because they didn’t have the time to get it outside of work (24%).

Run and Hide – So it’s not surprising that a majority (68%) of working Americans have taken matters into their own hands by finding ways to ensure their favorite provisions don’t go missing. Some keep their much-loved office paraphernalia in a special designated drawer (59%) or in a secret space in their work area (45%). Others order additional quantities of certain products to make certain they’re never low (51%) or label their supplies with their contact information (31%). More employed women than men (73% vs. 63%) report they’ve taken steps to ensure their office products don’t go missing.

Quality Matters – So why do Americans go to such great lengths to protect their supplies? Perhaps it’s because close to half (46%) think that having quality office equipment plays a critical role in being successful on the job.

Picky Fingers – They are so influenced by their beloved products that 34 percent sometimes bring their own stash to work if what is available doesn’t meet their requirements. And there are plenty of goods they need to have at work to perform efficiently. Seventy percent of employed Americans willing to weigh in say it’s impossible to work without their favorite brand, type, or model of pens, pencils, or highlighters. Others say they can’t work if they aren’t able to get their hands on paper products (41%) or printer ink (40%) in their favorite brand, type or model.

A Few of My Favorite Things. So what makes a product so amazing? Close to seven in ten (69%) say the functionality or performance of an office product can make or break how special they consider it to be. Quality (66%), value (47%), innovation (41%), and aesthetics (25%) also influence why working Americans are so particular about their products.

Can You Identify Me?

2010-01-31T21:28:00.003-05:00

Click on pic so see larger image

I am a rotring pencil of unknow era and unknown model. If you know just what my model name is PLEASE contact The Old Geezer at theoldgeezer@live.com as Geezer has a loyal reader who has the need to know! He has ask Geezer for help, unfornately Geezer has no idea what model I am but is sure that some loyal reader of Pens And Pencilsa does. So, can you indedify me. please?

Top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas From The Old Geezer And A JetPens Giveaway

2009-11-30T00:48:00.009-05:00

JetPens has ask me to do a top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas article. I was flattered! Of course I said yes! But there's more! Not only do I get to inform others as to what I think is cool for Christmas but you, my readers, get a chance to win a $10 gift certificate from JetPens! Now, how cool is that? But more on that later. For now, in on particular order, are

My Top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas

The Staedtler 925-85-03 REG Drafting pencil. This is an elegant drafting/writing pencil for just about everyone who wants a nice, well balance metal drafting pencil. This pencil has the added adjustment that allows the user to set the amount of amount lead projected with each press of the push button! This would make an excellent gift for any pencil freak, eh, aficionado.

For my review of the Staedtler 925-85-03 follow this link.

The 925-85 series is available from our friends at JetPens.

Another fine metal drafting pencil is the rotring (red ring) 600. Due to it's heft and balance it is one of my favorite drafting pencils. Unfortunately the 600 (and it's related siblings) is no longer in manufacturer. However there seem to be a goodly number of the popping up on eBay and a few other sites, so it can still be found. Be prepared to pay a hefty price for one thought! But for me, it was worth it.

For my review of the rotring 600 follow this link.

I'm rather new to fountain pen use. I've come to appreciate them very much in the months since I've rediscovered them. I've gone from owning one old plastic fountain pen to owning over 20 and over 8 bottles of ink in just 6 months! I especially like extra fine (EF) nib pens as I like very thin line as I often write small. The Pilot Penmanship is an inexpensive pen with and excellent EF nib and is my favorite fountain pen to date. It is cartridge fed and comes in clear or black.

For my review of the Pilot Penmanship Follow this link.

The Penmanship can be purchased from our friends at JetPens. Photo courtesy of JetPens.

What good is a fountain pen with out ink? And there are fewer inks available for the price better than Noodler's Ink. Noodler's in made in America of the best ingredients available. The colors are rich and vibrant, transparent inks transparent and the opaque inks opaque. They even have "Bulletproof" inks that are resistant to check washing! And the "Bulletproof" black ink is b-l-a-c-k!

I have not done a review of a bottle of Noodler's Ink, but trust me on this, it's good ink.

Noodler's ink is available from our friends at JetPens. Photo courtesy of JetPens

The Platinum Pro Use 03 MSD 1000A is an all metal drafting pencil with good balance and light weight, a rare combo in a metal drafting pencil. The bulbous grip may look a little funny but the surface is excellent for gripping! I have fondness for metal drafting pencils but for some time was leery of buying one. But Platinum came through with one in exchange for a review! I should not have been so leery! It is an excellent drafting pencil and a fine addition to my collection!

For my review of the Platinum Pro Use 03 MSD 1000A follow this link.

The Platinum Pro Use 03 MSD is available at our friends at JetPens.

Another drafting pencil that I was leery of was the Pilot S10 03. Now just why I was so leery I can't remember. I do know that despite it's funky appearance it is one of the finest dratting pencils I own! The top half is plastic while the bottom is all metal and makes the pencil pleasingly bottom heavy! It really is a pleasure to write with and would make an excellent gift for Christmas or any other time!

For my review of the Pilot S10 03 follow this link.

The Pilot S10 03 is available from our friends at JetPens.

Drafting pencil manufactures have been trying to develop a way to keep the lead sleeve from poking users in the chest when the put one in their pocket as well as keeping it from bending and breaking if dropped when not in use. Mitsubishi uni ball came up with this little beauty, the Shift! The grip moves up and down to either expose or hide the lead sleeve. It locks in either position. Unique! It is a fine dratting pencil worthy of such a fine company!

For my review of the Mitsubishi uni ball Shift follow this link.

The Mitsubishi uni ball Shift is available from our friends at JetPens. Photo courtesy of JetPens.

Zebra is a name that I have come to trust for making nice, rugged, inexpensive, nice writing ball point pens. They also make a fine line of mechanical pencils as well. An excellent example of both is the F-402 pen and pencil set. The pen uses Zebra's F refill and the pencil comes in 0.5 mm. The set comes with some extras such as a tube of lead, an F refill and a blister pack of eraser refills! All for a very reasonable price! Both instruments are great and the stainless and black finish make for a very handsome set! It will look nice in a shirt or jacket pocket.

I have yet to do a review of this set so please keep checking back for the up coming review.

You will have to do a web search for the Zebra F-402 Pen and Pencil Set in order to find the best price.

Still another offering from Zebra is the Tect 2Way and Tect 2Way 1000 drafting pencil. The former being made of plastic and the latter metal. This pencil in unusual because it's called a "shaker". The pencil has a metal weight in the lower half that is used to advance lead by shaking the pencil. It can also be used in the normal fashion by pressing the push button atop the pencil. The weight can be locked so only the push button can advance lead. A very unusual pencil that writes well. Something for the guy or gal that "has them all"!

I have yet to review this pencil so keep checking back to see the up coming review.

The Zebra Tect 2Way and Tect 2Way 1000 are available from our friends at JetPens. Photo courtesy of JetPens.

My last offering is the Pilot Plumix. The Plumix is actually a music pen, that is the nib is squared off as a calligraphy pen is only it is designed to be pushed as well as pulled, unlike a calligraphy pen nib which will chatter and spit ink if pushed. Even though originally designed for the musision to write music with the Plumix makes an excellent elegant writing pen if used correctly!

For my review of the Pilot Plumix follow this link.

The Plumix is available from our friends at JetPens. Photo courtesy of JetPens.

The Givaway

Now for the good part! In order to have a chance to win a $10.00 gift certificate from JetPens all you need to do is leave a comment to this posting. One comment per reader, please! If you leave a comment as "Anonymous" , please leave some other identifier so that I can tell you from the other anonymous commenters. The comment must be posted no later than midnight December the 11th. I will pick a winner via the Random Interger Generator at the bottom of the blog. The winner will be posted here in the comments section so please check back on the 12th to see if you are a winner! The winner will have until midnight on the 13th to email me thier name and valid email address! The winner will receive their $10.00 gift certificate by email. That's all there is too it!

IMPORTANT NEWS

There was a problem with my blog. A setting was changed. That setting changed they way that I moderated the comments people left on my blog. Somehow the setting was changed from the normal never moderate the comments to always moderate the comments. I don't know how this was changed but it was and apparently for some months. I apologize for all the trouble this may have caused anyone who left a comment. The problem has been corrected and the winner of the contest has been listed below. I have extended the deadline for the winner to get in touch with me. That deadline is NOON on Friday the 18th. Once the winner contacts me with their name and email addy I will email them the gift certificate number ASAP. Again I apologize for any hardships this glitch may have caused anybody!

And the winner is... number 19 which corresponds to the comment left by Christmas Gifts! Congratulations! Please send me an email at theoldgeezer@live.com by noon on the 18th to claim your gift certificate!

Since Christmas Gifts seems to be an on-line store, I have disqualified them. The new winner is gh1. So will gh1 please send me an e-mail!? I'll give you until noon on Monday the 21st to reply. Thank you.

August Giveaway: Pentel Sharp P207 0.7 mm Drafting Pencil

2009-08-24T02:03:00.004-04:00

Man, I’m beat!… I’m ready for the ole waterbed!… I sure hope that there’s nothing happening for the next 15 minutes! At top of the hour I can get out of here!…

Zed!?… What are you doing here at this hour!?… You know, it’s almost quitting time and I…

“Ghdye mjhtdff mgjoo…”

Wait!… Sorry, Zed! I had already turned off the Universal Translator! Like I said, it’s almost quitting time…!

“I know, Geezer, but it’s well past the first of the month and you’ve not had the Pens And Pencils August Giveaway, yet!”

That’s right, Zed! I’d almost forgotten all about it! Thanks for reminding me! And if I’m not mistaken, that’s the Pentel Sharp P207 0.7 mm Drafting Pencil that I’m giving away!

“Right you are, Geezer! So why don’t you take a few minutes and get this giveaway off the ground!?”

Well…. OK, Zed!… Sleep’s over rated anyway!

“That’s the spirit, Geezer!”

I have not reviewed this particular pencil, but I have reviewed it’s sibling, the P203, on Associated Content. If you are unfamiliar with the Pentel Sharp P200 series of Drafting Pencils then checkout my review of the P203.

The P207 is a brand new, never used pencil that I purchased especially for this giveaway. I’ve added 10 sticks of HB lead to the reservoir, bringing the total to 12 sticks. I’ve also added a clean out rod, of the proper diameter, to the underside of the eraser as Pentel is living up to their proclamation of discontinuing the practice of including a clean out rod with their pencils.

So, how does one go about entering the Pen And Pencils August Giveaway? Simple! Just post a single comment to this article telling Zed how handsome he is, or isn’t, before midnight, EST, August 30th. If you post anonymously PLEASE include either an email addy in the body of your comment (one that you would not mind others knowing) or include a handle/screen name that you commonly use elsewhere on the Net! I can not giveaway the prize to someone whom I can’t identify! If you wish to make a general comment about the pencil or about my blog or about anything else, then please sign my Guest Book and leave your comment there!

The contest ends a nano second after the clock strikes midnight August 30th and becomes the morning of August 31st! Sometime after midnight August 30th and midnight August 31st I’ll count up the total number of eligible entries, assigning each entry a number in order in which the comments were posted. All comments/entries after midnight August 30th are automatically ineligible.

Once all the eligible entries have been assigned a number I’ll use the Random Integer Generator at the bottom of this blog to generate a random integer between 1 and the total number of eligible entries, inclusive, received. I’ll post the winner in the comments section of the post, so start checking back to see if you’re the winner, around 12:35 AM August 31st. The winner will have 3 days, until midnight, September 3rd, to claim their prize by dropping me an email @: theoldgeezer@live.com identifying themselves and giving me a valid shipping/mailing addy! Once I have an addy I’ll mail the pencil to them ASAP!

So, thanks for reading my blog and for entering my August Giveaway! Please return often as I will be posting more reviews shortly!

Cow Print Pencil Display Box

2009-08-09T15:09:00.014-04:00

I have a fondness for old wooden boxes, cigar boxes especially. My favorite thing to do with them is to convert them to pencil boxes. Not just an empty box in which to toss pencils into, but a box with pull out trays that hold the pencils in elastic, separating them and thus keeping them safe. I like to do something similar with nylon covered CD wallets and similar type cases. It's fun to create something, rewarding too, especially when I can do it for a lot less that I can buying similar items from eBay.

Some time ago I was gifted a broken down wooden cigar box. The top was split and the sides had come loose and the bottom was split. Both the hinges and clasp were in bad shape as well. So I glued the box back together intending to make a pencil box out of it. I replaced the clasp, but really wasn't happy with it. But I decided to go ahead and make the inserts that hold the pencils. The first incarnation were 2 panels that fit inside the bottom of the box that held 13 pencils each. They were made of corrugated cardboard, 1 ply thick, black cloth and some black elastic. This is how the box stayed for months. But I was never very happy with it.

The second incarnation came about when I bought some cow print fabric that I intended to use to cover some panels for another project. I used some translucent plastic sticky back shelf lining material as a template and traced out the cow print pattern onto it then cut it out with an X-acto knife. I then painted the box flat white. Once it had dried I placed the template onto the box and spray painted the black patches using flat black paint. Once it had dried I sprayed it with a gloss clear finish. The gloss finish soon was covered by a clear flat finish. I replaced the brass hinges and clasp with stainless steel ones. upgrading both as I did. The inserts remained the same until recently.

The third incarnation of the box occurred a few days go. I decided to remake the panels and cover them with the cow print fabric and to use thin round elastic instead of 3/4" elastic. But for some reason I cut the cardboard just a tad to little leaving the panels a bit loose inside the box. This is on no real consequence because the panels both fit into the bottom of the box. The box holds 24 pencils.

To make removing the panels easier I attached a strip of double folded black satin 1/2" ribbon to act as a pull. The bottom of the top panel is backed by a sheet of craft foam sheeting. This protects the pencils beneath the top tray! The bottom tray is backed by a thin sheet of card stock. Since there is nothing to protect beneath it, this is all that is necessary.

However. I was dissatisfied with the loss of 2 pencil spaces so on the last incarnation I redid the existing panels so now each panel holds 13 pencils for a total of 26. (Not shown).

It was easy converting the cigar box to a pencil display box and a lot of fun to boot! All you need is a wooden box, a few materials, a few tools, time, and enough skill to carry out the project!

If you are interested in making your own pencil display box send me an email asking for the instructions.

Tommy And The Platinum Pro-Use 03 MSD-1000A

2009-07-30T19:57:00.021-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, it's Tommy Turquoise! What have you got there, Tommy!?

"Thank you, Geezer! I have your Platinum Pro-Use 03 MSD-1000A Drafting Pencil! It's time that you reviewed it"

You are so right, Tommy! Thanks for the reminder!

"You're welcome, Geezer!"

The Platinum Pro-Use 03 MSD-1000A is a pencil that I have been looking at for a long time. I own 2 other Platinum 0.3 mm pencils, the Pro-Use MSD-300A , and the Pro-Use MSD-500A. I like both of these pencils a lot but they are either plastic or partially plastic on the exterior. The MSD-1000A is an all metal pencil on the exterior. I find that I have come to like all metal pencils. I'm not sure if it's the silver color that they usually come in or the weight that an all metal pencil has or the feel of the metal surface or a combination of all 3! Maybe it's the luxury of having a more expensive pencil in my hand. Even though most companies, like Platinum, put as much quality into their less expensive pencils as they do their higher end pencils, an all metal pencil just speaks to me of quality and luxury!

The Pro-Use MSD-1000A is a quality pencil. It's designed and built by the Japanese so the engineering and manufacturing are superb. The shape of the 1000A is a little unusual in that it suddenly flares out at the grip, emerging from a slender cylinder. The grip has 9 evenly spaced grooves, concentric the the body of the pencil, giving rise to 7 evenly spaced ridges and 2 unevenly spaced ones. The end cap, which contains the lead sleeve, is flat where it meets the grip but quickly rounds over instead of being angular. It inverse curves to a short straight shaft before tapering to the lead sleeve. The color is a stain chrome. Behind the grip, in line with the body, is the lead grade indicator. The sleeve is a bright chrome with a rectangular window. The characters are silver upon a black background. The straight shaft of the body, like the grip, is a silvery gray with the words "PRO-USE" in hollow, gray outlined, backward slanting letters, the numerals "03" in solid gray and the words "PLATINUM JAPAN" in thin gray letters. The satin silver pocket clip is unadorned but the blade is slightly curved downward at the hilt then again at the end. The push button is of the over-the-shaft mushroom type that is reflective in shape to the grip only with 2 evenly spaced groves. Atop the broad top of the push button is the lead size in the same gray characters as on the side of the pencil. All in all a very lovely pencil to look at.

And now for the stats: The pencil is 143.3 mm long, 9.4 mm in diameter at the grip, weighs 16.1 grams and has a balance point 69.3 mm from the tip of the pencil, making it 2.3 mm top heavy, but you won't notice it! The 1000A feels perfectly balanced in the hand. The lead reservoir is cavernous enough to hold a couple of dozen leads but the eraser does not have a clean out rod, which is typical of Platinum pencils. It only takes two clicks to produce adequate lead to write or draw with. This is very nice in helping to eliminate lead breakage. The 1000A is a ratcheting style pencil with an all brass chuck and chuck ring. Being all metal the end cap is secured from accidental loosening by a rubber O-ring. In order to adjust the lead grade indicator it is necessary to loosen the grip from the body just a tad.

While the pencil body is thin the grip is robust enough to grip comfortably. The satin finish on the grip combined with the grooves make for a nice gripping surface. It's very easy to hold onto and to write with. It feels balanced in the hand and easy to control. The broad head of the push button makes the ratcheting mechanism feel softer than it really is. The ratcheting mechanism has a metallic sound to it but it's quieter than one might expect from an all metal pencil. The lack of a clean out rod is typical of the Platinum pencils. This is a little disturbing. The average person who would buy this pencil may never need the missing clean out rod, but when the need arises, the average person is stuck with a broken pencil as 0.35 mm wire is not a common household item! With the other lead sizes common items can be found that will act as clean out rods.

The bottom line, despite the lack of a clean out rod, Platinum has a winner in the Platinum Pro-Use 03 MSD-1000A. It not only is it an attractive pencil (now tell me, does anyone really want an ugly pencil?) it is an easy pencil to use. Disassembly, should it become necessary, is easy and straight forward, as is reassembly. It is well designed and built pencil, a true quality instrument. If you are on the hunt for a quality 0.3 mm pencil then you should definitely consider the Platinum Pro-Use 03 MSD-1000A.

The Platinum Pro-Use 03 MSD-1000A can be purchased from our friends at JetPens.

I'd like thank the Platinum Pen Co. of Japan, and the Customer Service Department, for the pencil reviewed in this article.

Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper

2009-07-30T19:49:00.000-04:00

It’s time for something new! Introducing the Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper, which will kick off here at Notebook Stories on Tuesday, August 4th. Future editions will be hosted by The Pen Addict on September 8th , Office Supply Geek on October 6th, and other blogs yet to be determined.

If you are a blogger and want to submit a post for the inaugural edition, the deadline is Sunday, August 2nd at 5pm Eastern time. Read below for all the details.

What is the Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper? Will there be cotton candy and rides?

The Carnival is a monthly collection of the best blog posts about notebooks, journals, pens, pencils, paper products and other related topics, appearing at a different blog the first Tuesday of every month. Any unhealthy foods and unnatural G-force levels will be purely virtual.

How can I get one of my posts into the Carnival? How are the posts selected?

Any blogger can submit a post by filling out a simple form at this link. The carnival host will then be responsible for selecting submissions to be included at his or her discretion. One post per submitting blog per carnival. Spam, off-topic posts and inappropriate material will be rejected.

What is the best kind of post to submit?

Please submit a recent post (within the past week or two). Posts should be your own original content. The most interesting posts reflect the point of view of the writer, such as a review of a pen, or an explanation of your paper-based organization system, or examples of artwork from your sketchbook with some commentary. Photos of gorgeous notebooks and pens are always a big plus!

Are there any other requirements for bloggers submitting posts?

Bloggers whose posts are selected should write a post linking back to that edition of the carnival after it is published, as well as the carnival home page. Tweets and Facebook updates are also appreciated. Toot your own horn a bit!

How can I host a future edition of the carnival?

Contact the organizer to apply. Hosts are expected to weed out spam and post the carnival by 9am the first Tuesday of the month in order to ensure maximum exposure for all participants. It’s also preferred that the host select a few “editor’s choice” posts to highlight. The host should help publicize the carnival by posting, tweeting, etc. The organizer reserves the right to limit hosting to established, active, on-topic blogs.

What is the point of all this? Why should I want to participate?

If you like reading about notebooks, pens, etc., the carnival is a great way to discover new bloggers and make sure you haven’t missed some of the best recent posts from blogs you may already know.
If you are a blogger who writes about notebooks and pens, either as a main topic or just occasionally in relation to other topics such as writing, organization, art, creativity, etc, then the carnival is a chance to showcase your work, find new readers, and gain more incoming links to your blog.
We hope all notebook, pen and pencil fans will find this a fun way to learn more about and interact with a large and growing community of like-minded souls! Please pass the word!--

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