A stickered Uni MP I'd like to know a little more about

[Leonov]

Greetings Knockologists!

Once again, here I am, at the top of the bottomless knowledge well which is this forum, looking for information about a pencil I bought years ago at a flea market. It came together with the Sailor demonstrator I was asking about here, but it is a completely different item.

This is the MP: a straightforward, black plastic, knock-advance drafting pencil in 0.5, by Mitsubishi Uni:

Notable features are: the octagonal barrel, the knurled grip with an integrated lead indicator (the tiny window with a shiny red & silver imprint can rotate to reveal other hardness levels, ranging from 4H to 2B), the two different knurling patterns (coarser in the plastic grip section, finer in the metal end of the body), the overall good balance, and the sticker — something I typically do not find that attractive on a pencil, and yet in this case I found no good reason to peel it off.

A few closeups:

What I’d like to know is whether the code on the sticker (376016) under the “¥500” is indeed the “name” of the pencil, or it sports a form of colloquial name, nickname, or market name i can identify this pencil by.

The overall construction seems to suggest it is a rather common specimen, and a lower-end everyday item, but I don’t remember having seen it that frequently, hence my request for a tiny identification help. Any expert willing to provide some hints? Thank you in advance!

PS: final comprehensive shot (I think the pencil originally came with a clip, which has ended up in my clip cup; if you happen to have a picture with the clip installed, I can try to locate the original clip, and rejoin the two separated pieces — but I plan to use the pencil “naked” nonetheless, as it better suits my writing style):

[drifand]

This is the Mx-551 series. AFAIK, it was made in 0.3 and 0.5, and it came in 3 colors: blue, black and maroon-brown. I believe it was featured in the photo spread for Mitsubishi’s 100th Anniversary, i.e. it was contemporaneous to 1986. I really hoped for 0.7 but I have never seen one.

[Pdunc67]

376016 may be the JIS code for Mitsubishi?

[Leonov]

@drifand

This is the Mx-551 series

Excellent @drifand , thank you! I find 0.7 a bit too large a diameter for my needs, but I reckon that a triple of 0.3/0.35, 0.5 and 0.7 is indeed what I’d consider today a “minimally complete set” for any series of MP. It is true, however, that many egregious lineups only have 0.3 and 0.5 (Pentel Mechanica and Hi-Uni 5050, just to give a couple of celebrated names), and maybe at the time the 0.7 was not so common in the area of drafting MP’s, or at least on the Japanese market.

@Pdunc67

376016 may be the JIS code for Mitsubishi?

Interesting question @Pdunc67 ; must definitely look into it…

[First_Sail]

Since the experts have spoken, I have to say (without detriment to the thread) that this pencil is an absolute beauty.

[Leonov]

@First_Sail

this pencil is an absolute beauty.

Indeed it is, @First_Sail ; I am currently reviewing and re-testing my entire collection, to restrict my EDC to a more manageable number, and possibly find the items I have long neglected which may deserve more use and relevance (also, to select those I can most definitely let go, for trade or for sale), and this efficient little pencil is gradually crawling up the ladder.

What might be a con during writing (the steep separation between writing tip and grip area, where my index fingers tend to sit) is instead an advantage when drafting, and many other essential elements (balance, pleasantness of the grip knurling, responsiveness) are quite high in terms of relative score.

[cytherian]

I find it fascinating to see how mechanical pencil makers try out various grip schemes in different pencil lines. This is interesting, how there’s that short segment of knurling on the cap, and then a generous segment of ribbing on the plastic body. Looks like the design is well thought out for a ¥500 priced model.

Did you see the latest Platinum Pro use 241? @drifand just posted a great review of it, HERE. It also features that knurled base to the nose cone, but in this case the entire grip area is knurled metal.

[Gunther]

@Leonov Thank you for showing this amazing pencil!

@First_Sail

this pencil is an absolute beauty

Indeed!

@cytherian

there’s that short segment of knurling on the cap, and then a generous segment of ribbing on the plastic body

This reminds me of the first generation STAEDTLER 925 0x.

@drifand

it came in 3 colors: blue, black and maroon-brown

Here’s mine in maroon-brown, uni’s signature colour:

I hope to find one in 0.3 mm some day.

[cytherian]

@Leonov

PS: final comprehensive shot (I think the pencil originally came with a clip, which has ended up in my clip cup; if you happen to have a picture with the clip installed, I can try to locate the original clip, and rejoin the two separated pieces — but I plan to use the pencil “naked” nonetheless, as it better suits my writing style):

Well, here’s your answer. Looks like the clip fits on that narrow segment just below the eraser cap. Shouldn’t be too hard to find the clip with this shape.

@Gunther

uni_M5-5511400×656 200 KB

[nimrodd]

That sounds about right. Pentel’s JIS Permit # was 375127.

[Leonov]

@cytherian

Did you see the latest Platinum Pro use 241?

Yes @cytherian , I saw it! I was about to get there and comment, when I was dragged elsewhere to tidy a part of my study/hobby room I had promised to take care of. Now I can add a few things there.

@Gunther

Here’s mine in maroon-brown, uni’s signature colour:

The one and only @Gunther delivers flawlessly as usual, and provides me with the picture I need to find the pocket clip. Thank you for the image! Also, thanks to @nimrodd for the information about the JIS code!

[First_Sail]

@Leonov

I am currently reviewing and re-testing my entire collection, to restrict my EDC to a more manageable number, and possibly find the items I have long neglected which may deserve more use and relevance (also, to select those I can most definitely let go, for trade or for sale)

Yesterday and today I have been doing the same, the solution I found was to get a bigger bag, so when I leave the house I carry 9 pencils and three fountain pens. The one who won with this review was my younger sister, since to make room in my Pentel drawer I gave her a Kerry CDT (she never figured out for herself that the pencil has a cap).

off topic: off

[Leonov]

@First_Sail

the solution I found was to get a bigger bag

Well, is this a solution at all? I’d call it more of a surrender, albeit of the pleasant kind…

I’m already carrying with me a large bag with all my “ordinary” writing & drafting pencils, plus a tiny metal container with the EDC wooden pencils, plus one bag for the pens (ballpoint, gel, fountain, exotica), plus another metal container for my pairs of compasses, plus the tiny bag for my “exceptional” pencils, and I think it will soon be too small.

Ah, if only I could carry a small house like a snail, with all my writing and drafting implements…