Looking for a rOtring 400 automatic in either silver or gunmetal. This would be the version that has the FC alpha-matic style tip. Thanks everyone!
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I have gunmetal, but I’m not looking to sell it unless you want to pay Evangelion prices 
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Lol, yeah that was directed at you. Didn’t know if you needed to free up some space in The Toolbox™. 
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Got one with a box and tag and only had to pay 1/2 Evangelion prices! 
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Do you have some photos you can share? I’m curious to see the tip differences in any possible comparison you can provide. Thanks!
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As soon as it arrives I will. In the meantime, @pearsonified has some images of his online somewhere.
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Thanks. I couldn’t understand “FC alphamatic style tip” as the alphamatic isn’t retractable and there’s no lead pipe guide. But I can kind of see a similarity in design when tip extended and you ignore the pipe… Reminds me more of a Rolly.
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Sorry, I was comparing the rOtring 400 automatic with the tikky automatic LS. The tip of the 400 auto is alpha-matic cone style, while the tikky auto LS is more tk-matic pipe style. Also, there are versions of the alpha-matic that retract. Here is a page from an 88/89 FC catalog highlighting the feature:
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@pearsonified’s post is more about the regular rOtring 400 rather than the automatic.
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Well, suddenly I’m in the halls of ignorance. 
I see that I’m really behind on getting educated about the Faber Castell Alpha line. I didn’t know that there was an option that allowed a full retraction of the tip. Is that manually done, by the same way you retract the lead when done (press & hold rear plunger, then push with surface or finger)?
And there’s also an “Alpha” without the “matic” that I presume is full manual, but using the alpha-matic aesthetics?
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It operates just as you say. Not sure when it was first available… need more FC catalogs.
The “Alpha” section is just where they’re describing the available metal and plastic versions. In the alpha-matic section after, they talk about the automatic function, including how it’s pocket safe.
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Thank you for sharing that catalog photo!
I believe only the Executive and the 230th have the retractable tip. All the other variants that I have do not have the retractable tip. Does it mention this anywhere in the catalog? Or were retractable and non-retractable tip variants in all colors?
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My understanding is that it isn’t exclusive - my Marine alpha-matic has it.
Hold up
Are y’all saying the 400 comes in a “regular” and an automatic version?
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Yes, here’s a little more info: Reference: rOtring automatics *DRAFT*
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Thanks @Heath (I think lol)
I was sitting over here thinking my collection was complete.
That’s happened twice this week lol
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I happily confirm that 
I thought for a while I had been sold a faulty pencil, and instead…
Over the years I got one Alpha Matic with a cone tip which retracts (I think it was an old, beaten-up blue-barrel one, my favourite), and which is the go-to tip I regularly swap between all my standard Alphas (red and grey) to achieve the perfect tip protection with that model of MP. While the non-retracting tip is as smooth and graceful for writing, I have to admit that it is not the same thing when it comes to extra concerns about safety of the item and its most delicate parts.
Also, my Titanium Alpha has the same gimmick, but I can’t swap the cone with other models because I stopped gathering full-metal Alpha’s when prices started skyrocketing, and I also started considering saving up for an Executive one day (a day which never arrived, because in the meantime my money run elsewhere).
I think Bronce, Titanium and even Executive Alpha’s can still be found at decent prices, but it’s a rarer and rarer phenomenon these days — maybe one can hope for a lucky deal at some physical shops, or at pen shows.
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