I really enjoyed writing (and continuing to add to) the Sheaffer Ultra Fineline post so i decided id write one about another pencil ive recently become infatuated with.
It all started with a great deal (I didnt realize it at the time) on a very nice Stabilo 8-5C. It is 0.5mm and when i saw it on eBay i knew it was something I would want. I sent an offer, and quickly it was accepted, and it would soon be on its way to me.
I received it and immediately I loved it. I like the triangular body and the feel of the plastic. I like the diameter and I liked the way it felt in my hand while writing with it. To be honest though, for my arthritic hands to tolerate this pencil for long stretches of writing, it would have to be a little bit thicker. That is not to say that it is by any means a thin pencil. It is thicker than a P20X.
Somehow,though I dont remember how, I came accross a 2mm lead holder that looked identical and I decided I would give it a try as well.
When I first operated the pencil I was amazed that when I pressed the button (knocked it), the lead advanced but it didnt fall out. WOW!!
I pushed the lead back in and thought maybe it was just a sticky mechanism and, bang bang, it did it again.
I had not used a pencil like this before.
This led me down a journey of discovering other lead holders that were āincremental advanceā.
I dont know if I read that term somewhere or I made it up but I know that its the only way i knew to describe this feature.
I think it is known as āanti fallā but i cant point to the source. I can point to Rolano and their āfall stopā K72
I have two KIN that are exactly like this and it makes me love them even more.
I had to understand what made this Stabilo different because on the outside it looked exactly like the others.
I found that this modern miracle is achieved by a very simple cutout in the tube that is mounted to the push button but slides inside of the internal tube that I couldnt remove.
The best i can think to describe it is that thereās a metal tube connected to the clutch. the lead can be inserted through the clutch or through the rear after removing the button that does not have a sharpener.
There is an additional tube within that clutch holder tube that has a small v shaped slice in it at the end. That additional tube is what then extends to hold the cap on the opposite side. The lead core is the innermost piece, then the v sliced tube, then the clutch holding tube.
Due to the nature of the metal after having a v stamped into it, it seemed to make the point of the remaining tube move just slightly inward. It is this that is the genius of the mechanism. Because of the grippiness of graphite lead or whatever its makeup may be, it grips perfectly to the lead at the precise amount of pressure need to both propel it forward and to keep it from falling out.
There it is, as best as I can explain. I decided I needed more colors and here we are today.
Ive also purchased a few of their other models that are fine lead and I am just as happy with them. I wish they were easier to find in the United States, but with some (but not too much) patience I was able to find them in various European countries.
Let me know what you think.
(Also, for the record, only the Red and Black are an 8-9C. The other colors are standard and the lead does fall out.)
