rOtring 600 Series Mechanical Pencil, 0.7mm, Black Body (502607)

This review is coming from a person who will use the pencil for:1) Drawing anime and manga2) Basic writing3) Physics and Calculus...you know graphs and stuff.To start things of, I would like to say that I will be comparing this to the Pentel Graphgear 500 and 1000, and the OHTO-Super Promecha Drafting pencil.Now that that's out of the way. I will start with the material of the thing. The pencil is all metal, even the inside is metal. I'm not sure what metal it is, but it seems to me as a mix of both aluminum and stainless steel. So this pencil is sturdy as can be. Also add that this isn't as heavy as would would think. It is light, that is when you compare it to other mechanical pencils that have some metal in the body. The pencil's weight is also evenly balanced, unlike the OHTO and Graphgear 500. The graphgear 1000 seems like it has even weight balance, but it is actually slightly heavier to the tip. The Rotring 600 is shorter by a 1/4 in compared to the other 3 as well. But that's not really a bad thing unless you have huge hands. It also has a hexagon shaped body, for those that like that wooden pencil shape.Writing with this is also a lot better. It's so smooth, it's like it just glides across the paper. The lead advance is a bit on the shorter side, with the OHTO and graphgears having a longer lead advance. The short lead advance is good for writing and making graphs and equations; but for drafting/sketching, this is not so good.In case of 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm, I went with the 0.7mm because of the thicker lead. The thicker lead is stronger and also much more smoother on paper. But if you want finer lines, go with the 0.5. I'm able to control my hands quite well, so I can make the fine lines of a 0.3 using a 0.7.Overall this mechanical pencil is amazing and worth the investment. I'm sure that this thing would last you a good 2 years (minimum: that is if you use it like I do. If not, it would probably be even longer.)

Like most people I expect, I have several really nice pens that write well and look sharp, and frankly look great when pulled out in a meeting. But, when I am working at my desk, or in my shop, I almost always use a pencil, and to that end I have explored numerous options. At one point, I went as far as to buy some vintage Swingline pencil sharpeners and then stock up on what was the best writing pencil I had ever come across, the Dixon Tri-Conderoga Triangular #2 Pencil. Dixon Tri-Conderoga Triangular #2 Pencils, Wood-Cased, Black, Pack of 6 (22506)Notice I said "was". Even though I like how well the Dixon pencil writes, it is not always convenient to find a sharpener these days, and frankly it looks a little odd in a business meeting. So I continued my search for a great mechanical pencil. I remember when I was a kid I would always marvel at the solid metal mechanical pencils that my father used when he was working. (he was a Civil Engineer) Nice and sturdy and a solid lead tip. However when I went looking for a good mechanical pencil, all I could find was cheap plastic junk pencils, or the real flashy looking pencil that looked just like a pen. Neither one wrote very well and the lead continually broke. In my book, they were junk. When I came across this pencil I thought that it looked promising. Solid brass construction, knurled grip, and a lead grade indicator. The one thing on web description that was missing? Just how well this pencil writes. I had all three of my kids try it out, and they said the same thing, "Wow, this pencil writes great!". And they use pencils everyday at school!I still have the wood pencils around to use in a bind, i.e. I am outside in the shop and my Rotring is inside my office. But for day to day use, including business meetings, this is the writing instrument I carry with me. You will not be disappointed with this pencil.Two last thoughts. This pencil comes in the 0.5mm and 0.7mm sizes and I vacillated over which size to buy. I hate pencils with sharp tips that cut through the paper when you press hard, but other reviews said that the 0.5mm is the size for people who have handwriting on the smaller size. Which I do. However, in the end I decided to forward with the 0.7mm with some trepidation. I am glad that I did and I would highly recommend this size, even to people with small handwriting. The wider tips makes the pencil glide nicely, and it is certainly a fine enough point for most any writing. The second issue is pencil color. I love the look of the black, but I am afraid I will lose it one day since it is so dark, and matte besides. ;-) I can tell you this, if I ever lose it, I will order another Rotring the same day!

This pencil is great - I highly recommend it. I am comparing it to three other pencils. All three are excellent and I would be happy with any of them. But, I ranked them in order of preference. However, if I could make a perfect pencil, it would be the body of the Rotring 0.7mm but in 2mm size.Rotring Rapid Pro 2mm:- knurling grip is fantastic- beveled edges of pencil are perfect - just enough to feel them but not sharp like some pencils- Lead cushion that allows lead to move into barrel when impacting the paper: very nice. It minimizes lead breakage and gives a softer feel when you are dotting lots of letters, or writing formulas or printing. It also does not allow the lead to wiggle or wobble when writing, which is critical to me- Weight is just right, and the barrel feels solid, like it won't crush if you stepped on it or sat on it with the pencil in your pocketRotring 600 0.7mm:- The barrel is solid, the same as the Rotring Rapid Pro. But it has more aggressive hexagonal edges that don't feel as nice as the Rapid Pro. However, the body is one solid piece and is preferred to the Rapid Pro since that model has two pieces that screw together using a plastic thread. The thread is fine, but I prefer one solid piece- Knurling is identical to the Rapid Pro- I prefer 2mm leads, which is the only reason this pencil does not rank #1.Staedtler 2mm night blue series:- knurling grip is a bit aggressive for me. it has bands that are recessed and these can hurt your finger if you grip really hard for a long time. It is good, just not as nice as the Rotring pencils- weight is lighter than the Rotring Rapid Pro 2mm, but it still feels very good. The barrel seems to be of aluminum, though, and i suspect that it could fold or bend if I sat on the pencil or stepped on it- The lead is held firmly in place