From the Knockology archives
This post revisits conversations from our smaller community before we moved to this forum. I’ve brought the discoveries and memorable moments together, with credit to the members who contributed. These discussions reflect what we knew at the time. Please add any newer information, corrections, or photos below!
Knocktype11 did not describe himself as a major Staedtler collector. He did, however, have a very clear favorite.
One of the Retro 0.5 pencils in this photograph had come to him in the early 1990s and served as a daily-use pencil for several years. The other was a more recent acquisition.
There is a particular kind of affection that comes from actually using an object that long. It tends to be more specific than “mint condition” or “rare color.” You remember what works, and what your hand eventually complains about.
He liked it—and knew its weak point
Knocktype11 praised the retractile tip and said the pencils were nice to use. His least favorite part was the grip, which he did not find comfortable for extended writing sessions.
That is not a contradiction. A long-term favorite is allowed to have an imperfect grip.
He also described a newer Retro 0.5 version with three visible differences:
- A round cap instead of a flat one.
- A longer tip section.
- A bowed clip.
For another Retro owner, that is a good reason to get a second pencil out of the case: compare the cap, then the tip and clip. The dates of those changes still needed better documentation.
Then a red one appeared
Another photograph arrived with a confession:
“Clearly I am a sucker for the Retro 0.5 pencils.”
That example had tape on it for an unknown reason. He spent time removing the residue, then accepted a good-enough stopping point. The pencil had earned the attention without needing to become immaculate.
He described red examples from what he called the first generation as unusual to encounter.
When I said I did not own a Staedtler and might need to change that, he explained that these were among the ones he had intentionally sought out. A modest brand collection can still contain a very deliberate specialty.
A later glimpse of the Retro Deluxe
Elsewhere, Pearsonified shared a Retro Deluxe he had not seen before. Kelvin described it as understated, with a smooth mechanism and a rather thin body compared with many double knocks.
The archive did not establish a complete relationship between every Retro 0.5 and Retro Deluxe version. It preserved an additional example that deserved attention, and an owner’s feel for its mechanism and proportions.
A clear model-family guide would need more packaging and side-by-side photographs. But these early comments already tell us where to look: cap, tip, clip, grip, and the way the thing actually behaves after the novelty has worn off.
What mechanical pencil became a collecting interest because it first earned its place as your everyday tool?
From our early Knockology conversations (2021-05-13 to 2022-04-02). Member observations and photographs are credited above.
Knock on!