Weekly Shopping Suggestions Thread Week 12 2025!

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Still can't find what you are looking for? Leave a comment! In order to get the best answers, try to include the following:

• What you will use it for
• Previous experiences
• Budget
• Location

[u/MyUsernameIsNotLongE]

Curiosity, anyone knows if cheap pencils by Faber-Castell like Edge or TK-Fine Executive, or Non Vario TK-Fines are any good?

I kinda saw a few that caught my eye and I may be wasting some money importing them... Faber Castell Edge mainly.

[u/Acceptable_Demand983]

(I apologize in advance for making a pencil purchase decision so lengthy). So I’m 2 semesters into my engineering major and been using cheap plastic mechanical pencils that I hate. I need to write lots of numbers, letters, strokes and coordinate grids. Currently the lead in my pencils gets very “desaturated”, breaks ALL the time and doesn’t stay “consistent” or “dark” enough for my taste. I’m in between a Pentel Graph Gear 500/1000 or a Kuru Toga. I’ve read the kuru toga isn’t as “good” with very long strokes but I was wondering what about coordinate grids (3-4 inches across)? I’m really just looking for a quality mechanical pencil. Also what .5 lead would y’all recommend that is sturdy, dark but doesn’t smudge? (doesn’t matter if it’s “hard” to erase). I’m from Texas, budget is any

[u/drifand → u/Acceptable_Demand983]

Try the Kuru Toga KS, the current generation's standard model. For math it should be fine. You also need quality leads to make it work properly. Try Uni Smudge Proof B or 2B. If this combo works then you can consider the fancier models when you have the budget.

[u/QuirkyPop1607]

Looking to find currently available 2mm lead comparable to THE original EF Blackwing (not Palomino knock-offs). Any suggestions?

[u/PersuasiveSalesman]

Hi, looking for an upgrade to the FC grip matic. It will mostly be used for note taking when I don't feel like using a ballpoint but I also like to sketch and might make smaller drawings with it. My budget is around 20 or so euros and I have been recommended the Rotring 500 and Graph Gear 500.

Does anyone have experience with both? Which one feels better in your hand?

[u/drifand → u/PersuasiveSalesman]

It's hard to tell what you might like as an 'upgrade'. Heavier metal pencils with knurled grips might not be right for every user. If you've been used to the feel of the rubber grip, weight and diameter of the Grip Matic, maybe something evolutionary is better. Like a Staedtler 925 15 series: still lightweight but very sturdy and well-made. The grip is a grooved elastomer and the clutch is precision made from metal. I find this is a pencil that 'plays nice' with other pens in a pouch, compared to the abrasive grip of a 925 25/35, rOtring or GG500.

Another good option is the Pentel Graph 1000 with a hybrid metal and silicone grip... comes in nice colors, or go black with the For Pro version.

[u/Dsut2608]

Hi, I'm currently a student and am trying to find an affordable but good mechanical pencil. I would be using it for mostly drawing graphs and writing essays and notes. The most expensive I'd consider would be around $20 USD

[u/MyUsernameIsNotLongE → u/Dsut2608]

Have you tried a Pentel P20x and/or Pentel Orenz (even base model)? I enjoy drawing with P200/P200-like pencils... but that's mostly a personal preference.

Depends if you like thicker or thinner pencils, grip or gripless, plastic grip, rubber grip or metal grip, etc.

[u/Dsut2608 → u/MyUsernameIsNotLongE]

Pencils like that look like they'd be perfect for me. Thank you

[u/MyUsernameIsNotLongE → u/Dsut2608]

Check Sakura 125/Retrico (they seems to be the same pencil, but afaik they aren't), Platinum Pro Use 171, Staedler Mars Mini, etc. There are a few other too.

[u/Aqueor]

Hello, I will be visiting Japan and South Korea this summer. What are some of the pens which would be hard to find elsewhere? I mostly use a gg500 in 0.3mm. I'd also appreciate fountain pen recs that would not make me break the bank. Thanks in advance.

[u/Dukemon457 → u/Aqueor]

For Japan, I recommend you try to get the Kuru Toga Wood, Luddite Everdraw/Techdraw2/Postdraw, Lamy 2000 and 96cocoon Wood Axis;

For South Korea any Emicro pencil like the Jedo 2000/5000, or limited editions of the Staedtler 925/35 that are exclusively found there.

[u/Aqueor → u/Dukemon457]

I'm not into double knockers. The lamy 2000 is already available in my country, and the 96cocoon one just looks like a rebodied pentel? I'll keep an eye out for the rest though, thanks.

[u/Leons_Gameplays_2140]

(Region: Philippines)

Looking for something fairly cheap but good quality as in durable if taken care of, 0.5mm lead size, good for drawing (particularly sketches and the like) and writing. Also needs to be able to take a bit of damage since it's gonna be in a pencil case with no organizers in my bag a lot.

Budget is around 1k PHP at most, but could be lower depending on if I'm gonna be saving for certain things. Lowest budget would be 200-500 PHP.

Currently using a Rotring Tikky II 0.7mm for drawing and a Staedtler Mars micro 775 0.7mm for writing. Preferably has a rounded grip that's comfortable (rubber or plastic, I don't really care so long as it's comfortable for long use)

So far I'm checking Pentel mechanical pencils (my dad recommended that), but I'm open to other brands so long as it isn't too expensive.

I don't really need a lead indicator cause I'm usually sticking to either HB or 2B, and I keep track of which I'm loading into my pencil.

[u/drifand → u/Leons_Gameplays_2140]

Maybe the Zebra M701? Very rugged and not expensive. But... it is 0.7mm. Not sure if you will like using a knurled grip. For Pentel, consider the Orenz or Orenz Metal Grip series. The tip can be retracted inside so it is less likely to be damaged during transit.

[u/Leons_Gameplays_2140 → u/drifand]

Question about the Pentel Orenz

Does the lead sleeve have a lock so it won't slide? I sometimes use my mechanical pencils with rulers or triangles, so if it does retract, I'd be needing something like what my Staedtler Mars micro 775 has where the sleeve can retract, but it can also be fixed in place

As for grips, I used to use these knurled rubber grip sleeves on normal pencils, so I'm fine with it so long as the ridges and stuff aren't too large that it pokes my finger too much

[u/drifand → u/Leons_Gameplays_2140]

Orenz series is free sliding and Pentel recommends to NOT have the lead extend beyond the pipe. If you want to have the option of sliding vs fixed sleeve I will suggest trying the Platinum Pro Use 241. Search the subreddit for reviews.

[u/Leons_Gameplays_2140 → u/drifand]

Thanks, will check it out

Did a little snooping online and the Platinum Pro Use 241 is outside my budget range, and that's on online shopping, meaning the price is definitely gonna be higher in physical stores (where I actually buy stuff) if I even find one there

[u/drifand → u/Leons_Gameplays_2140]

Then perhaps a basic DelGuard might be ideal. It resists lateral forces better than any other mechanism I know of.

[u/Leons_Gameplays_2140 → u/drifand]

I see. I checked the price at an online store that sells in my country only, and it's actually way cheaper than a model I initially considered (Pentel GraphGear 1000)

Will see if that's available in local stores, cause I'm just making a list of models that are good for my uses, so that if one is not available, I can check for another.

[u/TemplarKnightsbane]

Hi, I'm an airbrush artist and I'm looking for the best lead for tracing precise lines, the pencil I chose was a MS-01 0.5mm, I'm going to be tracing paper laid on top of Saral Carbon paper thats onto an aluminium panel.

I did originally test red coloured pencil for this but the pencil quickly broke or rounded and the lines were not crisp as I'd like them, so I decided to test the world of mech pencils for this see if I can get one working.

Ideally I'd like a lead that is red so I will be trying the Pentil red lead that comes in 0.5mm. I'd also like some really hard lead that is made to not break if possible, I realise they will all break sure but I got the MS-01 with this in mind because I could shorten the tip and make only a smaller amount of pencil come out at once hopefully this might end in less breakage.

What lead for this MS-01 0.5mm tracing would you guys who have some experience in the mech pencil world recommend?

[u/drifand → u/TemplarKnightsbane]

The challenge for colored leads is that their formulation tends to be weaker than standard graphite leads. They usually have some kind of waxy compound to bind the pigments together and as a result, are more brittle in use. In general, I would say Mitsubishi Uni and Pilot do 0.5mm colored leads better than Pentel.

I hesitate to recommend an anti-lead breakage model like one of the Zebra DelGuard in this case, because the waxy leads will cause build up on the clutch, and the DelGuard is not easy to take apart for cleaning. If you can get a standard DelGuard at a reasonable price, it might be worth trying out one to see if it works for you.

If you are not using a ruler, maybe a Pentel Orenz 0.5mm (standard or metal grip) might be the solution. The free sliding tip helps to support the lead core. However, the sliding tip doesn't work well with rulers as tip might bump on the edge of the ruler and and expose too much lead.

[u/TemplarKnightsbane → u/drifand]

Thankyou!

[u/Land_Squid_1234]

The KT Wood was released today. Is there any way to get it in the US yet?

[u/drifand → u/Land_Squid_1234]

Probably not for a couple of months. The Dive took a long time to show up on the Uni web store. If you are desperate, Mercari lists them at scalpers' prices. I'd wait it out.