Pentel Twist-Erase III Mechanical Pencil, (0.7mm), Assorted Barrel Colors with 2 Eraser Refills, Pack of 2 (QE517BP2)

Edit 12/29/2013(The information I wrote here earlier about lead replacement turned out to be incorrect) Ever since I was little I have always had a desire to draw(make drawings). I guess I could call myself an amateur artist. Pencils and pens were always my preference. Of course I also used/use pencils to write. The problems I always encountered with cheap #2 pencils was that they would break frequently at the wrong time, you needed a pencil sharpener to make them useful, and the eraser would become useless before the rest of the pencil. The writing tip was never the same size, lines on paper would change from dark to light creating an un-even image/drawing or un-even handwriting. I was set in my ways for a long time, until about a year ago. I began to explore different writing instruments and my point of view began to change. I soon was converted to using mechanical pencils instead of "regular" pencils. Not having a need to keep a pencil sharpener around simplified my life both at home and at work. The "lead"/writing tip remains mostly the same creating nearly identical lines, making writing or a drawing look "cleaner". For a while I frequently used a Pentel e-Sharp Mechanical Pencil, which were available at my previous work location. The e-Sharp works fine, but they are built to be disposable - being mostly made of plastic. The PDE-1 type erasers it uses are certainly an improvement over the erasers of older style cheaper mechanical pencils I used for a very short time when I was still in school more than a decade ago. It lasts for a while, but does not extend and has to be replaced when there is still 40% of the eraser remaining. I wanted to upgrade to a better mechanical pencil, so I decided to buy a 2 pack of 0.7mm and a single 0.9mm Pentel Twist-Erase III Automatic Pencil(s). I was not disappointed, they are certainly not cheaply made. The "clip" and lower "writing" point are made of metal, the lead at the writing tip is also enclosed in metal reducing breakage of the lead. Although the rest of the pencil is plastic it is not a flimsy plastic. The rubberized "soft" grip is an improvement over older cheaper pencils, it reduces discomfort caused by constantly holding pens/pencils between your fingers. The eraser extends and retracts by twisting(in either direction) the upper part of the pencil, as the name of the product suggests. This type of eraser(E10 type) is one of the main reasons why I bought these pencils. They are longer and wider than average size erasers in other mechanical pencils, and of course as a result I don't have to replace them often. They can also be bought at a fairly cheap price, if one knows where to buy them. The "lead" is fed/extended by pushing up on the bottom part of the pencil(while holding the upper part in place or doing the same in reverse), which is kind of different from other mechanical pencils which mainly require a downward push or "click" on some button like mechanism. This feed mechanism is separate from the eraser twist mechanism, therefore they don't interfere with each other. I have not had any issues with these mechanisms so far, they have been quite reliable. Replacing the "lead"(not actually made of Lead) in this pencil is easier than replacing ink in various pens, because ink refills between pens are frequently not compatible. The "lead" is a standard size - 0.7mm, 0.9mm, etc. Pull the pencil apart, then insert the pieces of "lead" into the opening in the lower part. After that put the pencil back together.(It may be necessary to un-screw the lower metal tip to remove pieces of used lead) Push the parts together to feed the "fresh" lead into the tip. Tasks involving writing or drawing with this pencil are accomplished with ease, I already went into why I believe mechanical pencils are superior for these tasks several paragraphs above. I have to do both at work, in the office and out in the field. Unfortunately I do not spend as much time actually drawing as I would like. These Pentel mechanical pencils have not failed me yet in the work environment, no matter if its cold, raining, snowing, etc. If I have to write something down while I am looking at a location while doing field work I just take out a Twist-Erase III pencil from my binder and it is ready to go, this is after that binder has been thrown around a vehicle and probably fell on the ground once a week. A cheaper pencil would likely fail in such conditions(basic #2 pencils have in the past - the writing/lead tip would break off at the wrong time). I would recommend this pencil to others, and would buy it again if I needed to.

This is a very nice pencil. The quality is excellent and the lead is very durable. It will not break unless you intentionally try breaking it. It does get kind of useless once the eraser runs out though.

Best Pencil I ever had. I purchased 2 of these in 2013. Used daily in a metal shop writing on everything from paper to steel to plastics. The lead in the point seldom breaks into a short piece that won't advance out. The retractable eraser is a major improvement in mechanical pencils. Keeping the eraser clean allows for good performance through time. The eraser also has not hardened up and still works like new after 11 years! I am ordering 2 more as I gave my unused 2nd pencil from the 1st purchase to the wife and have to have a back up in case of loss. Lead, durability, style, eraser. all 5 star. Buy with confidence. (assume no changes made since 2013) You won't switch back to anything else after you use it.

Great pencil

This is a great pencil. One star off because the color you get is completely random. I ended up with purple and teal ones, not blue and black as pictured.

I've been a big fan of Pentel's mechanical pencils since High School and loved one in particular so much that I kept it throughout my four years, even buying an extra set of two for convenience. However, one of the pencils broke, one went missing, another has been having issues, and the last one is showing signs of wear, so I decided to look for new pencils for my first year of college. I tried out two Paper Mate pencils and Pilot's G2 pencil and was pretty disappointed with the feel and quality. I decided that I might as well stick with what I know and buy another set of my old favorite Pentels, but I couldn't find them anywhere on Amazon. While looking, however, I stumbled upon these and thought they looked good enough to give them a try. After all, they were still Pentels. WOW. I never expected to be so impressed by a $5 pack of 2 pencils, but I was when I used these for the first time. They feel incredible in your hand, with a great weight and a grip both large and textile. The eraser is definitely the best I have ever come across in a mechanical pencil, and the twist feature really is easy and useful (I've never been one to buy into names and marketing, but this pencil is aptly named). However, the best feature has to be the long nib that allows for control and precision unlike that of any pencil I've ever used before. My handwriting has become much smoother, faster, and more legible because of how long the narrow part of the tip is, which allows me to see much more of the paper when I am writing as well as hold the pencil with my fingers at a more comfortable distance away from the paper. I haven't had these for more than a week, but already know that they will be my favorite writing tool for a long time.

Me encanta esta lapicera, siempre he tenido una desde que estaba en la universidad. Son muy duraderas, cómodas para escribir y practicas para recargarse, además de que son muy bonitas. Las recomiendo ampliamente.

Mor ve turkuaz renkleri geldi. Çok güzel renklere sahip, fiyatı uygunken almıştım, iyi ki almışım. Herkese tavsiye ediyorum.

Good, sturdy pencils with plenty of erasure rubber for correction!

Prob one of the best pencils on the market. Excellent

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