What is the master of the micro tip doing reviewing an 0.9mm pencil? I thought the same thing when I ordered the Staedtler 925 Drafting Pencil, but sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone a little bit to realize there are some really great products out there. This Staedtler is one of them.
I hedged a little bit by going with the plastic barrel 925 as opposed to the more expensive 925-25 and 925-35 aluminum body pencils. I wanted to get a feel for the 0.9mm lead more than anything, and as it turns out, I really like it.
The base 925 model has a black plastic barrel, rubber grip, and a different colored lead grade indicator for each lead width (orange for 0.9mm). The eraser is standard drafting pencil fare, which is why I always recommend a stand alone eraser for this type of pencil - something like the Uni-Ball Boxy.
I found out quickly that I like the 0.9mm lead width when taking notes. It feels weird to compare a pencil to a pen, but the output to me is similar to that of the Sharpie Pen. Wide, bold lines, but very sharp and controllable. I don't think I would want to design the next Guggenheim Bilbao with it, but the lead width is great for sketching and wireframes.
Does anyone have much experience with 0.9mm lead widths? I would love to hear what your uses are, so let me know in the comments section.
