I received an email about a new Grafton mechanical pencil by a brand called Everyman.
How do I say this nicely? The pitch was horrible – it was a little cheesy, and completely uninformative.
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The words “hipster bait” popped into my head at one point.
They describe it as “inexpensive,” with a $29 Kickstarter fundraising price. Its main selling point? The “buy-for-life” quality.
It’s also “expertly weighted.” The Kickstarter mentions that you can use it with 0.5mm pencil lead, or swap in an optional part for 0.7mm compatibility.
The Grafton pencil is available in silver or black-finished 6061 aluminum. Each comes with 3 eraser refills.
It is fair to say that my first impression was not very positive. After looking at the pencil’s marketing a second time, I’m not any more sold on it. They failed to “sell me this pencil,” which the email subject entry claimed to do.
So why post about this pencil even though I can think of at least 5 much cheaper mechanical pencils that I am more interested in?
I’ve been asked a few times about EDC-suitable mechanical pencils, models which can survive the demands of riding around clipped to a pocket. From what I can see in the product images, the tip looks conical, maybe even robust. It might endure pocket-carry a little better than many of mechanical pencils that have needle-shaped tips.
Why do many better mechanical pencils have needle tips, which can potentially be more prone to bending or other damage? Because the needle shape does a lot better when you’re drawing against a straight edge, template, square, or triangle.
I wish that the makers of this new pencil were a little more descriptive about its features or benefits. But maybe I’m not the type of person it’s being marketed to?
I’ve never heard of Everyman before. Looking at their site, they say they offer “tools for your everyday grind.” They make a couple of products, suggesting they contract production out to established OEMs.
Where’s it made? No idea.
Here’s the promo video:
More(via Kickstarter)
Fundraising Deadline: May 12 2018 1:59 AM EDT
Shipping ETA: June 2018
Personal Reservations – as mentioned, the words “hipster bait” flashed across my mind once or twice, when I had to do my own research to make up for the lack of information in the email I received.
Everyman says the feel they created the perfect mechanical pencil, after conducting a year of testing. But why should I spend money for this Grafton pencil, over one by a brand such as Staedtler, Rotring, Pentel, or Pilot?
If this is Everyman’s first mechanical pencil, and second writing instrument (there’s also a Grafton pen), how much can I trust their heavily-repeated “buy for life” quality claims?
For some of you, it might be worth a try. The pen’s Kickstarter backer price is $29. They say this is $6 below retail, and so its eventual price is suggested to be $35.
fred
Pentel Twist-Erase pencils used to cost us about $2 each. They were not “the perfect pencil” – but you did not cry if you lost one. I can see pen collectors buying and using high-end fountain pens – but a pencil in the $30 range neither seems like its a collectible nor a practical use of money.
Stuart
There are several pencils in the $7 to $20 price range that I can recommend.
But if I can buy metal-bodied pencils for under $20, what does this one offer for so much more?
I can be rough on pen and pencils, but I have yet to break one.
For the price of this, I can get my favorite mechanical pencil and a small pouch, sheath, or USA-made leather sleeve.
Doresoom
I love my Pentel Twist-Erase pencils! I use the 0.9 mm for just about everything. Recently I had to grab a 0.5 mm for use with my Incra Precision T-Rule, because nothing else fits through the holes. I just have to be careful using it, since I’m a little heavy handed – that’s why I stick with 0.9 mm for everything else, or I go through lead super fast due to breakage.
Jason
I’ve been trying a mechanical pencil that’s not quite as hipster-ish as something from Kickstarter, though it does come from Japan. It’s the OLEeNU shield mechanical pencil (0.5 mm lead), made by Platinum. I think I got it for $3-5. The conical tip retracts, leaving a somewhat blunt plastic piece, and it implements a number of strategies to try to prevent lead breakage. I’m pleased with its performance so far. I’m still trying to figure out whether (or how) to combine it with a knife for marking wood, but it seems to be a very nice pencil.
Whiskey and wood
The 6061 aluminum adds to the cost and durability if the wall thickness is anything of note, other than that, not much of note, I’ll stick with my bic mechanicals for that cost, or try out some $3-5 higher quality ones
Hilton
I bought that Staedtler Mars pencil that you recommended and love it. I’ll pass on this though.
Bart
$35 for a mechanical pencil? Yeah no.
Think you hit it right on the head, hipster bait.
pete
Ya… i think they know their target market. A rational person wouldn’t buy that, meaning their target market isn’t rational. I could see a draftsman having a nice pencil 20 years ago, but today? No…
My mechanical pencils are usually $0.50. Like the saying goes- The USA spent millions developing a zero gravity pen to send into space, meanwhile the russians sent a pencil. While it is factually incorrect… the point still applies.
Stuart
Different strokes for different folks.
Some might say that we’re not rational for wanting good tools. “Why buy a $45+ ratchet when you can get a whole ratchet and socket set for $20?”
There’s nothing wrong with using a better mechanical pencil. But with this design, it just seems to me that there’s too much focus on form over function.
Reminds me of the CoolBox tool box. https://toolguyd.com/coolbox-tool-box/ , a product designed to sell, rather than solve any real problems.
Pete
And that was kind of my point without saying it. Your paying a super high premium for form when the function remains the same. Nearly everyone i know would consider a pencil a consumable. Wrenches and ratchets arent considered consumables.
If someone wants to pay $35 for a mech pencil go ahead!
Nathan
Their pictures say is all.
Does it take a standard eraser? I didn’t see an answer to that. And I don’t care as I’m not buying one either. I mean that woodpeckers pencil I would buy over this.
I do like the staedler and the pentel. I know a guy that uses a rotring.
I do have a waterman mechanical pencil in a box – it came with a pen – that is also in a box and never used.
Stuart
It comes with 3 eraser refills, which I am afraid means you can’t pick up the right size at office supply stores or Target.
smee
I have a wide range of mechanical pencils (www.jetpens.com is a dangerous web site to visit) but I don’t think I have any in this price range.
Although I am a big fan of mechanical pencils, at the moment my go-to pencils at work are wooden. General Cedar Pointe with a nice Carl Angel-5 sharpener work well. The wood is unfinished.
I was a big fan of the original Twist-Erase pencils, but they changed them years ago and I haven’t liked the newer versions as much.
Russ
I hate wooden pencils so I use (0.7mm) mechanical pencils instead. 0.5mm are too easy to break and even 0.7mm break sometimes.
Then I found “Zebra Mechanical Pencil, Del Guard, 0.7mm” which lets the tip flex a bit so the lead won’t break. I don’t think I’ve broken any in the year since I started using the Zebra.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016JQZPIK/
Only $6 but they ship from Asia so it takes a couple of weeks to receive.
ca
You could buy a tried and true Rotring for that price.
Joe
Bought a woodpecker pencil,figured it would work well with all other woodpecker tools I have . It does work great but I’m not a Big pencil guy. My Ticonderoga pencils work just fine. At work we use flat pencils.
Madak88
Pentel Sharp does everything you need and wont wear out. If you have to have metal Staedler. This is like that new Folding camp multi tool thing. Junk
William Fletcher
I’ve been using an Ohto Super Promecha; a Japanese metal-bodied mechanical pencil that has a retractable lead tube, an adjustment for the amount of lead deployed on click, and can be had in sizes from 0.3 to 0.9. It’s also $14.30 on Amazon at the moment.
Tim B.
Wow… that is a sweet looking pencil! And at a price that is fairly easy to stomach, compared to the hipster-bait above. Practical features along with solid materials = win, in my book.
That said, I tend to usually use a Staedtler Mars lead holder as my go-to. Hangover from my days when I did much more technical and diagram drawing. Works surprisingly well in the shop, and is a very simple durable mechanism.
TonyT
I’ll definitely take a pass. For pocket use, I’ve soured on Aluminum — too easy to scratch, etc. Either go full steel (such as my previous pocket pen, the affordable Zebra F701) or full Titanium (such as my current awesome pocket pen, the Tactile Turn Glider in Titanium).
I’d rather try out the Zebra M-701 steel mechanical pencil (unfortunately looks like 0.7mm only, but for its price I really should get one….)
At a glance, the OleNU seems similar to the Del Guard – designed to minimize lead breakage.
TonyT
I should add that while Ti pens are plentiful, Ti mechanical pencils are few and far between – I think I found just one or two when I did a search
Bryant
I’ve got about 7 Pentel Sharps (.9mm) that I use in the shop and on trim jobs (if I need a finer line, I use a knife). If the tip gets a burr and the lead won’t come out, I clean it with a welding tip cleaning file. Keep it clipped to a magnet on my shirt.
I look like a dweeb but it works like gangbusters
dave
Hipster bait for sure, and being burned on Kickstarter before with no recourse I would give this a thumbs down and pass.
Roy
I’ve tried many mechanical pencils and have settled on the KuruToga. The mechanism to rotate the lead as you write makes a big difference.
TonyT
Kuru toga Roulette is my favorite mechanical pencil – using my gunmetal one right now (I have too many kurutogas in 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7mm, but Roulette just feels right to me).
Brett
What’s different about the roulette? I’ve got an original and an advance, but I’m not clear what the roulette brings to the table that the others don’t.
TonyT
Roulette looks like a typical drafting pencil, with a knurled metal grip. The back section is still plastic, but matches the grip. The lead pipe is fixed. It’s available only in 0.5mm, in gunmetal or silver (I have both). I really like the way it looks and feels – I’m more of a pen dude, but using it brings a smile to my face.
The advantage of the Advance is its sliding (and retractable) lead pipe so that’s a big plus if you want something that’s pocketable. It’s also available in 0.3mm
I don’t have the Advance, but I also have the original and high grade in 0.3mm, the Alpha Gel in 0.5 mm, and a red 0.7 mm.
JeffD
I don’t have a man-bun or nifty beard.
I’ll stick with the tried and true Pilot H-345.
Mister Mike
Recently I discovered Papermate 1.3mm #2 mechanical pencils at Staples which has become my new favorite cheap tool. They are made with a hefty rounded triangular plastic tube with a sold long rubber eraser which is the push-button to extend the pencil lead. Comes in an assortment of bright colors for about $5 for 10. It’s probably designed for children but is excellent for woodworking and carpentry tasks. I’m also a musician and I like it for marking music too.
PB
https://toolguyd.com/rite-in-the-rain-mechanical-pencil
Ordered on of these last week. If I like it, I may ged the red one with red “lead” And since no one has posted about this pencil in this article:
Rite in the Rain All-Weather Mechanical Pencil, Yellow Barrel, 1.1mm Black Lead No. YE99
I wanted thicker lead, but not too thick and this seems to be the sweet spot. They are arlso made in the USA. They are on Amazon and Ebay
A valid review someone said they don’t like having a twist lead pencil and that would be something you would have to accept.
Didn’t watch the video, but just seeing the screengrab on the video player I agree 100%, hipster. No offense to beard guys but that is the second strike. The first one is Kickstarter. The third would be the music in the video, you know the kind that is all soothing, yet upbeat. Basically modernized, cleaned up infomercial music that is supposed to make you feel like you are watching something revolutionary.
I could go on too, too clean denim jacket, too clean, modern office with succulent. I don’t know why you would hang headphones on the wall.
Is it too much to ask for guys to maintain their beard, like to trim it so that it looks even and precise?
Brian
I feel like I’m the only person that will only be happy using a side click mechanical pencil. I don’t know why anyone would want anything else, if you break your lead you just click with your index finger and keep writing. That’s a lot nicer than stopping, changing grip and clicking the top then changing grip back to start writing.
Stuart
I vaguely remember side-clicking disposable mechanical pencils. I got a lot of mileage with disposable mechanical pencils in high school.
TonyT
The Pentel Quicker Clicker with its side knock was my go-to pencil in high school. However, I’m fine with the good old top knock (top advance); my favorite pencils use it.
There have been other attempts to make more convenient ways to advance the lead, including:
— Shaker pencils (e.g. Uni alpha gel shaka shaker)
— Auto advance. I’ve been trying a bunch of these from Ohto, Faber Castell, and DaIso but so far prefer using the regular top knock.
— Bend the middle (Tombow Olno, works fine)
— Use the entire upper half as the knock (Ohto Body Knock SP1000 – it wasn’t a success and I can see why (I have one in black), but it looks cool)
firefly
Wow thanks Stuart and all the commenters. While I didn’t care about the pencil in the post. All the comments here introduced me to so many great pencils at reasonable price.
Kilroy
For lengthy writing, I lean towards a fountain pen.
For an EDC mechanical pencil, it’s tough to go wrong with a Pentel Sharp Kerry. At $13 on Amazon, they’re cheap enough to lose occasionally or to give away as gifts, but they look classy as heck, especially in black, and rather masculine IMHO. I wouldn’t right a novel with one, but for the size, they are very comfortable, with a barrel that isn’t too thin and with a good ergonomics and weighting without or with the cap posted, which provides some additional length.
When I have friends interested in better writing instruments, my go-to gifts are a Pentel Kerry and/or a Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen. Both are quality tools with looks well above their price point, and yet both are in the “got you a gift for no reason” price range for me at under $20 with some lead and/or ink cartridges.
data
So I guess I’m the only fan of the super cheap but amazing Paper Mate SharpWriter? They have a giant internal spring inside so you almost never break the lead. You can’t refill them but I always lose the pencil or run out of eraser before I run out of lead anyway so it doesn’t matter. They are great for woodworking.