Customer Reviews

*Updated Review*

I found major flaw in the clip design. The clipper on the side of the body tends to cling to the body when you push down to advance the lead. This scratches the body, not noticeable at first, but its there and will build up after heavy usage. However, I found out the clipper was removable. You can unscrew the clipper out.

Just received this in the mail today. Thanks Jetpens!

Anyways, here is my review on this classy hybrid mechanical/wooden pencil. As you can see, the pencil uses a 2mm lead.

The whole body is made out of metal including the top and bottom caps. Only the lead holder inside the body is made out of plastic, but that's not unusual. The body has nice matte painting over it. The matte painting offers a nice griping to the body. Also, if you have sweating hands, it offers a lot more grip compares to other pencil's body.

The lead advances pretty well and has a nice "click" to it. My only concerns with this pencil is the pencil's clip. It looks really ugly, like someone took a paper clipper and shove that in the pencil as a design.
My other concerns is the lead itself. As you all know, Metaphys offers their 3 set leads for $10.50. The cost itself is 1/5 the price compares to the pencil holder. I love novelty pencil's but I will not pay $10.50 for a novelty that will chip away when I write. Anyways if lead price is your concern, then buy the 2mm lead from Uni which Jetpens offer. You only have to modified it a bit.
My last concern is the description. This pencil does not have an eraser, you do not swirl anything! So please remove that part out of the description, Jetpens.

All in all, this pencil is great. Although a minor con's it doesn't bring down the pro's of this pencil. This is a must buy, you have to get it now because it might not last! Metaphys is not a brand. Metaphys is a group of people who work on creating an innovative designs on how we use things. So if they decide to stop selling the locus pencils, then that's that!

So, I had mine for a couple of days and could use the Leadholder for both writing and drawing. I generally agree with vietnamezeducky's review but will elaborate on two points.
1) The clip. Although I personally like the look of the clip, it's bad design. There are three purposes for the pocket clip (in order of importance)
a) to give the pencil a distinctive look
b) to keep the pencil from rolling off a table
c) to keep it from falling out of your pocket.
The clip satisfies the first two but utterly fails on the third. The pencil fell out of my pocket continuously. It simply does not provide any friction. Secondly, because of the high arc, it doesn't keep the pencil upright in your pocket so that it slumps over. Finally, I really worry because it looks fragile and one needs to push down on it to advance the lead.
2) The interior tube to hold the lead is plastic, probably HDPE. The previous reviewer suggested that this was not unusual. In my experience, this is very unusual. I have many (too many) leadholders from multiple manufacturers with both clutch and click mechanisms, and this is the only one to have a plastic lead tube. My best guess is that this was to keep the weight down.

That said. The Locus looks fantastic, is well-balanced, feels good in the hand, and has just the right amount of grip for the weight.

Just the lead holder I had been looking for years. The design of this item is simply amazing, it is the simplest pencil I've ever seen and feels very good to use. A very minimal approach to one of the most common items on anyones life. GREAT!

I haven't had any issues with the clip marring the pencils body. It functions well, looks nice, and has a clean and so far durable finish on the body. This thing is really heavy though. be prepared. heavy and the smooth body really offers no grip, not that it slips out of your hand, but offers an odd feeling in your fingers as you hold it. it also suffers from the same issue mechanical lead holders seem to have, the mechanism within the body is free floating, so it has a tendency to spin the lead and the clip when you try and sharpen it with a uni or kum lead pointer. I've had other older mechanical lead pointers that held the lead in place without any problems, but all these modern designs don't seem to address that issue. strange considering how it's the most basic of dilemmas that should be addressed. overall it's a nice pencil that functions well, but you should take into consideration the weight and no grip of the body when making your purchase.

mariochavez.deviantart.com

Update of my lead holder.

I returned mine to Jetpen and asked for a replacement. The staff tried their best to find a perfect one in stock, and even added special padding material in box before shipping this time. Their feedbacks in emails are timely and honest.

I am very happy now with my Metaphys holder and give five stars for Jetpen's great service.

Thanks!

I received mine today and I had read helpful comments before I put the order.

It looks like new but when I examine it closely after taking it out the box, I see some abrasion signs already on the body and the area under the clip. They are not very noticeable though. I then recalled the pen was out of its position when I open the box and the lead had been advanced 1cm so it could not be fitted in the sponge socket.

I don't know if it is a returned one or just got careless packaging before shipping. For any reasons if you want something durable, my over ten years Rotring 600 will be a good example.

The lead is 2mm but shorter than Staedtler's Mars carbon in length.