My Favourite Pencil

In response to David's post, this is my favourite pencil. It's beautiful. My mate Pete gave it to me after I'd admired it many times. I was thrilled when he handed it over. Check out the non-slip, knurlled grip.

It's been sitting unused for a year because I've run out of it's 0.7mm lead. Inspired by David, I've just ordered some so it'll be back in operation by the morning.

Comments

[Abigail]

Yup, I can totally vouch for these being the best pencils on the market! {I worked in Scotlands biggest art shop for four years}..they are beautifully weighted and lovely to hold....I have one too, and love it!

Good choice!! :)

[dan at innocent]

Beautiful. I had one of those until I dropped it and that lovely fine nib got bent. Doesn't work anymore and I can't find another one anywhere. I have a black retractable Rotring pencil now. The retractableness means that I no longer have to worry about nib bending. But I do miss that pencil. It's a great weight.

[Ulysses or a newspaper]

The Old Styles are a classic for sure, solid, weighty, hexagonal. Won't roll off your desk. A functional Bauhaus inspired classic that is actually nice to use. They don't make them like that anymore...

I have never come across one of these pencils, tough i do love a close cousin of theirs. My first week of undergraduate work at Carnegie Mellon i found a back rollerball from this series. Spending a large chunk of my very thin semester budget i bought it immediately. I have a deep and abiding love for this pen which i still carry and use daily, twelve years later.

[Blake]

Okay, now that's a spiffy pencil. Where can I get one? I'm a fan of having just a few pens and pencils on my desk, but they have to be beautiful!

[Bert Vanderveen]

I have a black 0.5 and the way it ages is remarkable — with the edges becoming bare alu and the scored bit where you hold it acquiring a brownish patina… But then, maybe I should give it a bath once in a while.

[Richard]

Blake, I presume they are, alas, unavailable now. I've searched before but haven't found any. Not even on ebay. There's probably hundreds hidden in the back of drawers in old Ad and Design Agencies.

[pigpogm]

It's a Rotring 600, old style. They replaced it with the Newton, which was the same except for not having a knurled grip. That's now been replaced with a new version, still called the Newton, but very different.

If you like the knurled grip section and metal construction, Pentel's GraphGear 1000 is worth checking out. It doesn't have that simplicity of design, but handles well, and has a fully retractable tip with a satisfying *clunk*.

[Richard]

Thanks for the info, I've often wondered what I should be looking for.

[davidthedesigner]

Hey Richard, I'm a bit miffed that I started this thing and then you pick it up and get more comments than I do. But I won't hold it against you. I'll get over it.

How about starting a my 'favourite pen/pencil picture' gallery? (Although it could just end up being a straight Rotring/Pentel shoot out - with the most aluminium winning).

[Richard]

Sorry David. But I don't think it was me, it was the pencil. It's a beauty and I am actually indebted to you for reminding me that it was there.

In my mind, there's something inherantly superior about a Rotring. A bit old school perhaps, like Berthold Type, defunct perhaps but still better than the new kids on the block.

Rotring reminds me of the "old days", before we had Macs and everything took longer and we had to actually draw; when my first job on a Monday morning was to pour toxic chemicals from the PMT camera down the sink (ahh, those were the days); then pick up my blue leaded Rotring pencil, ready to draw up 15mm tick marks on CS10, blah, blah, blah etc...

Regarding the gallery, I only have two favourites: this baby and the classic yellow pencil so that's all you'd get out of me, but I'd give them gladly.

[davidthedesigner]

Oooh, PMT cameras - I'd forgotten about those. Now, there's a thought.

(By the way, Schoellershammer board was way better than CS10.)

[Tim]

I can recommend Muji for decent, cheap aluminium pencils, of course they don't have the cachet of Rotring but they do last.

[kevin James]

I have loved these pencils - however I prefered the black 0.5mm version (which, with the help of donated internals from Koh-I-noor doners, I was able to modify to a proper engineering tool of 0.3mm) They were awesome; however, so prone to bent nibs that I not only started using a pencil box (actually the plastic case they come in works great) but also bought enough spares to hopefully finish out my career.

They are out of production; however, I've seen them recently available on ebay and at: www.montgomerypens.com Good luck. - Kevin

[John Walters]

where can i purchase one of those pencils. i used to have one and it was also my favorate but unfortunately it was stollen.
thanks - John

[Richard]

Unfortunately, i have no idea John. Ebay? If you find any, let me know.

[Brad Warkentin]

Rotring 600 (old style = knurled grip, new style {also branded as Newton} = smooth grip) are often available on eBay. Expect to spend $35-75 USD. They come in 0.3, 0.5. 0.7 & 0.9 mm sizes, in both silver and black finishes.

The 600 line also had a ballpoint, a rollerball, a trio (red/black/0.7mm pencil) & a fountain pen.

Searching eBay for "Rotring 600" will turn up lots of hits.

[nick]

penwish.com!! my brother and i found it there, none left at montgomerypens, but 2 left there!!