Pentel Graph 1000 Mechanical Pencil 0.5 mm Red Gradation Review

PENCIL REVOLUTION! The zine, available on Etsy.

Am I on the record that Pentel makes the best mechanical pencils on the market? If not, I am now.

I’ll hear your Uni-ball Kuru Toga and Rotring 600 arguments, and I do think they are individually great. But as a group, across the board? Give me all Pentel, all the time.

The Pentel Sharp is the classic office and school mechanical pencil. The Pentel GraphGear is a beloved drafting and engineering pencil, right there with the Rotring 600 for many people. The Pentel Kerry is a unique and fun capped - yes, capped - mechanical pencil. Throw in the Pentel Smash, the litany of sub-$10 quality pencils, and the best stock lead and eraser setup … have I said Pentel is the best yet? Ok, just making sure.

With all of those amazing options, the Graph 1000 was one I hadn’t tried, and it’s safe to say you can go ahead and add it to the list of excellent mechanical pencils above.

Compared to the classic GraphGear, the Graph 1000 is the little sibling. Other companies have this type of setup with their main-line, full-metal drafting pencils as the top tier, followed by a metal grip, plastic barrel option a tier below. See the Rotring 600 vs. 500, for example.

That’s no slight on these step-down pens. In fact, they are probably the better entry point for general writing. The Graph 1000 is lightweight, and has a fantastic aluminum grip section with raised rubber ovals to keep your fingers in place. There are no other bells and whistles outside of the lead grade indicator on the cap, which ranges from B to 3H.

The main selling point of this particular model is the gradient paint job. These were a limited edition produced for the Korean market, and I wish we would see these with a broader release because they are so great. Due to this fact, the price of these specific Graph 1000 pens runs $20 - more than the cost of the standard, premium, GraphGear.

I’m fine with the premium because I am a superfan of the brand. The standard Graph 1000 runs $12, which puts it in line with what it intended to be in Pentel’s lineup.

And what a lineup it is. I’ve been using this mechanical pencil, along with an Orange Kerry, as part of my weekly planner setup, and I can’t want for anything more.

(I purchased this pencil from Yoseka Stationery at regular price.)

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Pentel Orenz Mechanical Pencil Metal Grip Giveaway

The Pentel Orenz is a relatively new entrant to the mechanical pencil world, and has been well received. I have one of the new, upgraded, metal barrel models to give away this week, so read the rules below and enter away!

Pentel Orenz Mechanical Pencil Metal Grip Giveaway

Pentel Q1005 Smash Drafting Pencil Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Some of the oldest mechanical pencils in my collection are from Pentel, which is a testament to how robust and useful they are. But that doesn't mean there's no room left to expand the collection. I'm always interested in what these companies are doing in the modern decade, and the Q1005 (styled as Smash) mechanical drafting pencil is a unique and interesting option in this crowded space.

The Pentel Q1005 is a lightweight and well-built mechanical drafting pencil that feels great in the hand and does a great job. There aren't many frills, but the extra features are tasteful and well done. My favorite feature by far is how Pentel implemented the lead grade indicator dial. In a lot of cases, it's easy to accidentally nudge the dial, which defeats the purpose of using it in the first place. With the Pentel Smash, this is fixed by using notches in the dial that keep it in place while the pencil is in use. If you want to change the dial, you have to unscrew the grip section from the pencil a few turns, pull the dial out a bit, and then rotate it to the appropriate setting before screwing the grip section back in place. It's a simple but great solution to this problem as opposed to just relying on friction.

Another feature of this pencil is the grip section. While it's not my favorite grip, it sure is comfortable. The grip and cone is one piece of plastic, which makes it smooth to grip and also means you can't accidentally unscrew the nose cone when using the pencil. There's also a separate rubber pieces that protrudes through the plastic grip in a grid pattern to provide some really unique feel when using the pencil. Since the rubber pads are under the plastic, they move a little bit while using the pencil. This felt weird to me at first in a way that shook my confidence in the pencil and the accuracy of the marks I was making, but my fingers quickly grew accustomed to the unique feel. I like using it now, but my only real gripe is that the two-part system is a magnet for dust and lint. So many tiny grooves and spaces for stuff to collect.

The clip on the pencil is fairly strong, but not overly so. It's easy to operate and also keeps the pencil secure wherever you clip it. The clip doesn't need to be that strong since the pencil is lightweight.

Even though the pencil is lightweight, it's still weighted in the right places — namely toward the grip and cone. This low center of gravity means the pencil is easier to control when making precise marks.

I have no idea if this is correct, but I'm guessing that the namesake of the pencil comes from the fun rubber piece that covers the lead advance button. This accordion-like rubber material is so much fun to mash down over and over again. I'm not sure if it offers and real functional benefit, but it sure is fun to play with. Underneath the cap / click button, you'll find an obligatory emergency eraser that tops off the lead refill tube. Pretty standard stuff for a mechanical pencil.

Pentel has done something different in bringing the Smash to the US market by opening a Pentel-branded Amazon Shop, which is the only place you will find (for now) the four new colors of the new Pentel Katakana Smash Special Edition (both links are affiliate links). At $17, they are more expensive than the traditional Black Smash, which you can find at JetPens for $12.50, which is a great value for such a well-made and unique mechanical drafting pencil.

(Pentel of America provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!