Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro Drafting Pencil - 0.4 mm

As a result of hand problems that were caused by excessive computer use many years ago, I went through several months of hand therapy, and discovered along the way how nice it was to actually write again rather than merely pound a keyboard. I started buying mechanical pencils, and own over 30, with perhaps 20 getting continued use, and a dozen sharing the most frequent use. This pencil is one of those 12.

I previously bought the 0.5 mm version of this pencil, and liked the quality and balance. However, because I do so much work with fine detail (equations with subscripts on subscripts) I liked the idea of a finer lead. I have several pencils that are either 0.3 or 0.35 mm lead, including a Rotring Trio and a Faber Castell that the name has been worn off of. I also bought the 0.3 mm version of this pencil since I read somewhere that they were discontinuing this model; I hope this is not true. This pencil seems to provide a near optimum combination of fineness and lead strength, and I enjoy the finer line and am not forever breaking leads. I like to change pencils frequently to avoid hand fatigue, but I do like this one a great deal.

I will say that I have found that certain deskpads are superior when working with finer lead mechanical pencils. For those who absolutely need to use an 0.3 mm pencil, but are frustrated with the frequency of lead failures, you may just wish to explore a deskpad. I have one that I bought from Levenger many years ago, and although quite expensive, it provides a wonderful writing surface, and there is a noticeable decrease in the frequency of lead breakage when using fine lead pencils. It seems to have just the right amount of give.

I love PG1004 and this Pentel PG100x series! I am a 0.4mm fanatic, and need pencils to mainly write design notes and do math analysis. Most drafting handles are not good for writing due to abrasive knurled metal grips and being too heavy at the tip. This pencil is very light, well balanced, and yet of very high build quality.

0.4 is the best caliber lead for writing in general, not too thick and yet not too thin that it breaks when you get excited on whatever that you are writing.
This pencil is best of the best. Impeccable quality! I have one that I got almost 4 years ago and it still works. In fact I love them so much that I got 3 of them thinking that if one breaks I still have the others. However that day never came since I am still using the first one.
It is cheaper here than getting it in Japantown ($14.5).

Very nice writing instrument. Good quality, good price. Very lightweight, comfortable. 0.4mm is my favorite size, nice and thin but stronger than 0.3mm.