[Pen/Pencil Review] The Pentel Stein 0.5mm Mechanical Pencil
This week is also featuring a pencil – the Pentel Stein 0.5 in Metallic Green. This mechanical pencil was also a Christmas gift from my husband – but through JetPens, so you can get this one a lot easier.
The Pentel Stein is a fairly standard mechanical pencil. The body is enameled in what they call metallic green. I call it teal – because it’s blue-green. The hardware is metal probably aluminum, maybe stainless. According to JetPens, it’s 5.6†long and 0.3†in diameter. It’s not as wide as the Spoke, but it’s not overly narrow.
The cap over the eraser is both secure and easy to remove. It’s snug enough that it’s not going to go flying off your pencil, but you don’t have to be Hercules to get it off in order to refill it. The grip is a textured metal sleeve that is more comfortable than it looks. The need tip guards the lead and lets you see where you’re writing.
This pencil features “Stein†lead which is a silica enhanced lead to be smooth and resist breaking. I’ve been pleased with the lead in it. It does seem sturdy and even. It comes in a wide range of sizes and hardness. In the future I’ll probably be buying the 2B because that’s how I roll.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – It’s a mechanical pencil. The mechanism advances smoothly. The cap is secure but easy to manipulate to get to the eraser. It’s easy to refill. Everything you want in a pencil.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – Better than I suspected. The grip is actually comfortable and doesn’t dig in.
3. Material – 0.5 It’s a standard mechanical pencil. Metal hardware, hard plastic enameled body. Nothing super fancy.
4. Overall Design – 1 – It’s a decent mechanical pencil. It doesn’t feel all that cheap or all that expensive. The needle does seem to protect the lead which doesn’t seem to break very easily.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – These run between $4 and $5. I have only found them through JetPens. For a fairly standard pencil, it’s not the cheapest, but it’s not the most expensive. You’ll get your money’s worth if you’re willing to spend it.
I give it 4 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
