[split] Mechanical Pencils and High Quality Lead

[rprosperi]

(10-06-2024 12:54 AM)Jase Wrote:  I love Rotring 600s, especially the 3-in-1 model featuring a 0.5mm pencil, black ink, and red or blue ink options. The black one pictured is a 600 3-in-1; the chrome is a regular 600 with 0.7mm lead. They're fantastic tools.

I buy 3-in-1s when they drop to $30–$35 on Amazon. Since you have to unscrew the barrel to replace the lead—unlike the regular 600 where you add lead from the top—I lightly lubricate the barrel threads with fine gun oil to prevent seizing over time.

I also swap out the default 0.5mm lead for Pentel Ain Stein HB or B2. The stock lead is hard and brittle, prone to tearing paper and breaking easily. High-quality, smooth lead eliminates these issues entirely.

These two tweaks make the 3-in-1 a perfect gift for engineers and mathematicians. I've given away about 20 over the last three years, and they're always a hit.

Jase.

Do you have a link to such high quality lead? I also use 600's and my favorite which is a Pilot 3005 double-click retractable (aka 'double-knock') but these too suffer from the same issues with cheap lead.

I will also look for the triple 600's on Amazon, thanks for that tip.