Pencils I actually use

So these are the pencils and pens I actually use all the time. The other ones may be the better ones, but they never see daylight:

Muji “minimo” + Flex Fit + Scott B/2

On the left: CdA “3” from the 60s + Stabilo 8/9 + Horizon + a rare TK 9500 with a metal button

On the right are the less used of the “more used” bunch

Pens!

  • Stipula Twister (propably the rarest thing I own)
  • Aurora Ottantotto Nera (nib is tuned for my left hand)
  • Kaweco Supra (perfect thing)
  • A wonderful Bic in Aluminium with spare refills
  • an old Lamy
  • a muji pen that I take everywhere. If you have received a package from me, the address on the envelope was probably written with it.
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What is this silver colored item?

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No idea… It’s unbranded. Probably from Muji.

Edit: it’s like a Staedtler 35 done right! Ahha :wink:

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This is a great idea for a thread!

I like the rare TK 9500 with the metal button. Do you know how old it is?

Is the Parafernalia Linea really practical for everyday use?

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I have no idea how old it is… but I think it came before the one with the green button. They are slightly different.

The Parafernalia is not the most practical… I don’t carry it around, but it’s always on my desk and it has a 2H or 3H inside which I sometimes use.

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I find the Linea a bit heavy (not necessarily an issue), a bit too little front-heavy (again, not necessarily an issue), and sometimes, while the lead core is pointed in a sharpener, the gripping prongs are not grippy enough, so the lead does not rotate while I rotate the body of the pencil.

This is a far more serious issue, and I attribute this hassle to the delicate design of the bulbous front end: I’m afraid the four flanges pinching the lead do not extend enough inside the tip itself with some sort of knurled bed for the lead to rest and to be retained by (as it happens in any respectable clutch pencil), so any significant rotational movement given to the barrel does not permeate equally well to the lead, hence the feeling of being an idiot when I try to sharpen my lead cores with a Linea.

In the end, when I need a finer point I just momentarily put the lead core into an old Staedtler 788, sharpen the tip with any tool I find apt for the task, and then re-insert the core into the Linea.

Apart from that, the design is of course exquisite, and I find it an item pleasant to handle. Probably amazing for more artistic gestures, less so for everyday jotting down ideas, or following a complex calculation.

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Same thing happens with the Metaphys 2mm — but I never experienced that on the Parafernalia. Granted I don’t use a pointer too often…

Do you happen to have a photo which shows a few more details? This would be great.

Ideed! That’s the knock-out criterion for me. I wonder why the makers of the Linea haven’t thought about that.

Will do, later tonight

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I just used a pointer and this doesn’t seem to happen in mine. Check if the clutch is attached to the lead tube all the way over.

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Thanks for the tip @ulfesharpe , I tried to tighten the clutch and I actually noticed the grip felt globally more reliable; the lead still moves when twisted vigorously, but I managed to sharpen one lead core in a M+R Minofix without feeling an idiot. All in all, a remarkable improvement.

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Possibly, swapping the original spring for a stronger one will keep the clutch against pressed against the edge of the pipe (body), which in turn means the grasp on the lead is tighter too.

Fell asleep on the sofa! Hopefully tonight :wink:

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No problem at all :smiley: No hurry!

edit: bad lighting, too dark here for photos!

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Thank you! I wonder if this is the original button. However, in the 73 years that the TK 9500 has been available, there have been countless variants, some of which differ only slightly.

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Still one of my favourite 2mms. Possibly the most pocketable pencil I have that’s not a Fixpencil. (Although I mostly carry the plastic cap one around — in case I loose it it’s not as bad)

A noticeable difference between the two besides the cap is the imprint. It’s the exact same lettering, but the metal cap one reads

A.W. FABER-CASTELL • TK 9500 GERMANY

instead of just

FABER-CASTELL • TK 9500 GERMANY

The first imprint also looks more refined. The letters are not pressed so deep and in result they look more delicate.

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Thank you for these details!

It’s a great leadholder, especially because of its size, and it’s a pity that it was discontinued in 2023 after being in production for 73 years.

As far as I know “A.W.” was dropped in the 1980s. I have the “A.W.” version too, although with a plastic cap.

I have shown something about the history of the TK 9500 in my weblog but I think it’s almost impossible to list all the variants which have been available.

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Great reading, thanks!

The shorter models are fantastic — still planning to get one some day (and a short Van Dyke)

There was one TK model in Grey, I believe… It is such a beauty (presently they’re making automobiles with that grey plastic look :slight_smile:)

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