uni-ball KuruToga Twist and Turn 0.5mm Mechanical Pencil Starter Set (1751934)
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Customer Reviews
Not your daddy's mechanical pencilWhen I was a kid, if you had a mechanical pencil in school, you were cool. It ranked up there with having the jumbo box of 64 Crayola crayons with the built in sharpener. All the cool kids had them. I managed to score one from my parents and instantly I too joined the cool kids laughing at the ones sharpening their pencils at the pencil sharpener that was nailed to the wall. But there were problems with the lead breaking, meaning you had about 17 tiny pieces of very short lead in the pencil, and having to turn the pencil because the lead wore down on one side as you wrote. Still, it was cool.
Enter the Uniball KuruToga many many many years later. I rarely use mechanical pencils, or even pencils for that matter, but this is probably the best I've ever used. It glides smoothly, and the lead doesn't snap when you place the pencil down. Must be that diamond infused lead. Whatever it is, it works. And with the twist, you never need worry about turning the pencil, since it will wear down evenly. Genius!
It's comfortable, and not too bulky, as I've seen some mech pencils that could pass for fountain pens. Very smooth writing, and the near unbreakable lead makes it great. My favorite pencil if I needed one.
Now if I could have had this back in 4th grade...
A pencil is not just a pencil
I've used many types of pencils for drawing,sketching and writing over the years and this is one of the best. One of the important characteristics is the ease of use and comfort both of which pass with flying colors. It is easy to refill which is usually one of my grips about mechanical pencils. The rolling action makes for clean and precise lines. I love this pencil for it's practicality and relatively low price. You get what you pay for generally and this is a good deal. I would recommend this pencil instrument that glides like a fine pen for all your pencil needs.
Stays Sharp and l Does What's Advertised
I have used mechanical pencils for many years, and have always been partial to thin lead, such as the 0.5 mm in the uni-ball KuruToga. Years ago, I would use a mechanical pencil to copy edit text. While I now perform most of my editing on computers, I still use a mechanical pencil for everyday writing, and I am always frustrated when the point constantly breaks.
Enter the uni-ball KuruToga, engineered to resist breakage. After using the pencil for about a month, I can honestly say that this pencil works. I have experienced some breakage, but nothing like I would normally experience with another pencil. The pencil is comfortable, although a bit small, for my hand. I would prefer a thicker barrel, as it gives me more control. The pencil comes with erasures, and extra lead, which is replaced at the top of the pencil. Overall, the KuruToga is a fine mechanical pencil. It stays sharp and the lead is tough. If you buy one, be sure to keep an eye on it as someone will likely walk off with it!
Really tough lead, is that enough?
uni-ball KuruToga Twist and Turn 0.5mm Mechanical Pencil Starter Set (1751934)
Having used scores of mechanical pencils over the years, I have a good reference point for taking an objective look at these writing instruments. This pencil comes complete with two spare erasers and a full container of .5 mm lead. The clip portion of the pencil says "Uni Kuru Toga" on it, whatever that means. It has the standard pocket clip and a very losable plastic cap which reveals a small, white eraser when removed. The package touts the pencil's purported special feature; "Engineered to Resist Breakage"! We'll see.
I am partial to using .5 mm lead, as it's a diameter that can produce a fine line. The downside to using lead this thin is that, when applying significant pressure when writing, it's easy to break off the point. I usually use one of the higher-end Pentel pencils which has a sleeve that can retract. That feature is supposed to resist breakage, but what it really does is avoid putting unwanted holes in your shirt pocket if you retract the sleeve when not in use.
The package also describes the supplied lead as 'diamond infused'. Maybe I should take it down to the local pawn shop to see what it fetches!! I've used this pencil for about a month now, and I can actually say that it really does resist breakage. I don't know if it's the lead, or the way the pencil is engineered or both, but it's actually tough to break off the tip of the lead, even when using lots of pressure when writing. Of all the pencils I've ever used, this one is easily the most resistant to breakage. A big thumbs up in that regard!
Unfortunately, I can't give it a resounding positive review because of several design failures, in my opinion. The chamber that holds the leads has a small opening, and it can be difficult to get more than one lead in it. You basically have to wiggle each lead in the chamber to get it all the way in. Why they designed the opening so small is beyond me. The eraser is also fairly wimpy. It's a small diameter, and the entire barrel wiggles a bit when using it. I guess it's designed for people who don't make mistakes while writing! Lastly, it does not have a retractable sleeve, so be careful if you want to tote it around in your shirt pocket.
Finally a mechanical pencil that can take the pressure.
When I ordered this pencil I had doubts about it's claims. Now that I have used it for over a month I can safely say that the claims are true. I do preliminary staff schedules in pencil. It's takes a lot of shuffling to get everyone's hours and preferences as close to perfect as possible. In the past I have had the additional frustration of having the lead break or just finding it hard to write as the lead gets dull and you need to manually rotate the pencil. When you do that you can tear the paper with the sharp lead. This pencil does stay sharp and the lead is actually hard to break. I will continue to use it. I do wish that it had a bigger eraser. I use a separate eraser for the constant erasing and shifting of names. Thank you for a great help!!!
