This has come up before, and while I’m too lazy to scour the site for references, I seem to recall it being one of the earliest double-knocks.
My knee-jerk reaction is 1978, but I’ve also got a little voice telling me it may have predated that…
This has come up before, and while I’m too lazy to scour the site for references, I seem to recall it being one of the earliest double-knocks.
My knee-jerk reaction is 1978, but I’ve also got a little voice telling me it may have predated that…
As shown here: Pilot 1977 Catalog (fp&mp) (Page 33, top right)
The Young Double Knock shows up early as 1977 in the PILOT catalogues.
@stu-dying The Pilot Young Gentleman HW-200SK won the Good Design Award in 1973. I guess by 1977, the price had gone up to 2500 yen. My notes say that it was discontinued in 1978.
I’ve never seen a PILOT mechanical pencil with that kind of “MADE IN JAPAN” sticker on it.

Does Damdeok have a 1973 example here?
Curious resource! I wonder if it’s a work-in-progress, as some info is null (like the section “Outline” below). A shame they don’t have a higher resolution photo.
Was this auction from Damdeok’s collection?
I dont think he has Promechas left over and he doesn’t sell on YAJ afaik.
EDIT: Also, the Made in Japan sticker is probably yet another case of Pilot Korea things, as we saw previously in the thread, there are many sticker variants we had never seen before that appear to be Korea only.
hello
can I ask you a question?
I am a beginner of this comunity and I am not realy good at english but I always looking at your cool and beautiful pictures![]()
This is my question
Is this porsche design Automatic pencil which has these features (alpha matic type) are fullautomatic?
and these tip are moveable?
I would be happy to receive your reply.
To my knowledge, no specimen in the Porsche Design “classic” lineup is a full-auto; the other notable piece in the series, the Arc-1 (code 41141) has an Alpha-Matic-like tip with automatic lead feed, but is still “knockable” by pressing the rear cap with the clip.
thank you!
Health and Leonov![]()
I’m so happy!
4104x ①full Automatic (can’t knock) ②twist to react the tip ③tk matic tip
4105x ①Automatic (knockable with knock button)②knock to react the tip ③alpha matic tip
Arc1 ①Automatic (knockable with clip knock) ②knock to react the tip ③alpha matic tip
I made a list about your great piece of information
Are these information correct?
The 4104x allows tip knocking, but unlike the Technomatic, it doesn’t advance the lead outward—it’s mainly used when inserting the first lead.
The 4105x does not support knocking. Some say it can be made possible by removing the rubber ring in the middle, but as far as I know, it’s not designed to work that way.
Everything else is correct.
The tip mechanism actuates the one-way clutch which allows a lead to fall through and then the sliding sleeve can grab hold from there.
The 4105x does indeed knock, and is used to retract the tip. The internals are all alpha-matic:
The 4104x first version with the twisting lead pipe function is considered a full auto because there is no typical knocking action.
Ah, that’s right. If the rubber ring is removed, the 4104x can be used for knocking—I must have confused it with the 4105x.
While removing the o-ring does allow the internal shaft to move up and down in a knocking motion, it doesn’t actually do anything with regards to extending the lead. Also, if you have the upper part of the body on, it sits in a groove on the bottom half and can’t physically move at all regardless of the o-ring.
I honestly don’t know what the o-ring is actually there for and wondered if it was related to how it went together, but haven’t been able to figure it out.
Ha! I got lost in all the versions, and foolishly missed this!
Thank you for the correction, always a pleasure to accrue more knowledge in the field.
thank you!![]()
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I learned so much!
All that is left is to buy
(too expencive)