There are photos, videos or posts that impress us about a mechanical pencil, and ultimately make us want to buy it. For me, the video that started my love for the Accugraph series and especially the PG2003 is this one:
The description as a Japanese sword convinced me and today I see it as perfectly appropriate.
Interesting that PG2003 and rOtring 600 have the same weight. I also liked the bit where he put the PMG tip on it. Extra extra long sword tip. I have tried to stay satisfied with just the PG1505, but this set is quite beautiful. Still, I am in the forward grip camp and have no use for long tips. I loved his tip comparison with rOtring 600. Really puts that difference on display.
As for photos and videos that got me hooked, @2nd_astronaut ’s flickr has been a good influence on me. @cytherian ’s reddit posts from 2019 or 2020 were a big help. I have mentioned it before, but the one photo that I return to now and then was posted by LordErenYeager on reddit.
What amazes me is that he stated it was the majority of his collection. Packing the heaviest punch with the fewest pieces. And he sold off a good bit of this to reduce down to just flagships. He sold me a couple pieces, thankfully.
I think it is special to acquire a piece of the collection of admirable collectors. Some day there may be a standardized way of storing valuable pieces with notes about them and a history of ownership - something like coin slabs. ‘…from the collection of @…’
I relate to that Staedtler photo! that led me to purchase the Staedtler 925-35 05 “coach and four” limited edition… although technically my girlfriend bought it as a gift, but I hinted her very heavily to it…
That must have been right after I got the blackened PG5. It is now worn down a bit, the brass shining through the grip and the front edges of the body.