Customer Reviews

For all you cheap #2 pencil pushers - please don't waste your time and go elswhere before dropping down your too hard earned $$$ on this fine writing instrument. Poor reviews come from those dissapointed geniuses whose expectations are never met in life.

Now that I said it, this is my 2nd #800. Worth every penny. Flawlessly executed, extremely comfortable, perfectly balanced - almost natural - extension of your hand. Give it a try and you will fall in love with it.

Solid all-metal body & most parts (one exception, for good reason) are metal - either anodized aluminum or highly polished brass. Clean lines, clean threading. Smooth & solid click feed advance mechanism. The clip might look like a piece of cheap tin in the photos, but it is thick & strong. The knurling on the grip and extension knob is more squarish (less of a diamond) but still good for grip without abrasion.

One great thing about this versus other retractables (like the Pentel Graphgear 1000 or the Ohto Super Promeca) is that it retracts far enough to allow room for a reasonable amount of lead to remain extended from the guide, but be protected inside the body. The result is not having to constantly fuss with retracting lead before retracting the guide, then re-feeding lead after extending the guide again. Very useful overall.

My only gripe : I wish it was available in 0.7mm (my favored lead size!).

Many years ago now, I had hand problems as a result of overuse of a computer keyboard, and it was during the resulting period of physical therapy that I rediscovered the joys of writing with pens, pencils, and fountain pens. Since every writing instrument seems to have a different feel and grip, I bought many, and found that by switching pencils I was able to write for very long periods without having any pain. I still own most of them.

I bought three Rotring mechanical pencils. A nonretractable, that is now the 600 version, the 800 version, and a very clever one (Rotring Trio) that allowed you to select between three sizes of lead (0.35, 0.5, and 0.7 mm) and also retracts the tip. For flexibility, the Trio is my favorite. If I am using only 0.5 mm lead, which is my most frequent choice, I prefer the 800 over the 600 because of the retractable tip and the quality feel of the mechanism. The 600 version sees very little use. I have over 20 mechanical/drafting pencils!

All of the Rotrings that I have, and I also have a ballpoint pen, have held up tremendously well. They are solid and hefty, and beautifully executed. Although they are heavy compared to other brandss, they do not tire my hand. I don't know if this is an issue of balance point or grip, but I can just comment that they are a joy to write with.

Over the past few years, with the poor dollar/Euro exchange, the price of Rotrings has gone up considerably. I am reasonably sure that I bought my 800 when it was under $40. We can hope for a better exchange rate. If you are on a budget, there are other pencils that are certainly enjoyable to use. If you want to indulge in something special, I would buy this pencil. The craftmanship and materials are both top-notch.

As a architectural designer and drafts person I have gone through quite a few sets of drafting pencils. I would have to say that is is the best one I have tried yet. It writes really nicely and the lines are really firm. The pen's steel casing is really polished. I have to say the it will be way worth my money as I am not prepared to change to another drafting pen any time soon

I own many different mechanical pencils and I am a collector. I wanted to give the rotring 800 a try and I bought the 2.0 and the 0.5mm version, both in black color.

I have to say that the mp is solid and comfortable to use, if you love heavy writing staff like I do. The weight helps a lot in using a low force to write and draw nice black lines.

Anyway I can’t give more than 3 stars. Not because of the price, but because of the retractable tip. I love the idea but not how they made it. The tip seems to have a little of play, not very stable like other rotrings that I own. In the beginning I thought that it was a problem of my 0.5 so I made a video and sent it to other rotring 800 users that I found searching in ebay feedbacks. Most of them told me that they have the same “problem”. This is not something that you will easily notice when you write or draw, but from a rotring I expected more “stability”.

I am more then happy with the 2.0mm version, but I really don’t suggest to buy the 800 0.5 unless you can try it. I will not return it because, as I said, I am a collector, but if I had to decide what MP to buy I would go for a rapid pro or a 600.

This is the ultimate 0.5mm pencil! I have owned just about all the others, and while many have been good, none have approached the "great" which this pencil represents. The advance/retract mechanism is smooth as silk, and the balance and weight of the 800 is absolutely perfect. Yes, I understand that the price is a bit above some other contenders, but no other pencil comes close in comparision.

Many years ago now, I had hand problems as a result of overuse of a computer keyboard, and it was during the resulting period of physical therapy that I rediscovered the joys of writing with pens, pencils, and fountain pens. Since every writing instrument seems to have a different feel and grip, I bought many, and found that by switching pencils I was able to write for very long periods without having any pain. I still own most of them.

I bought three Rotring mechanical pencils. A nonretractable, that is now the 600 version, the 800 version, and a very clever one (Rotring Trio) that allowed you to select between three sizes of lead (0.35, 0.5, and 0.7 mm) and also retracts the tip. For flexibility, the Trio is my favorite. If I am using only 0.5 mm lead, which is my most frequent choice, I prefer the 800 over the 600 because of the retractable tip and the quality feel of the mechanism. The 600 version sees very little use. I have over 20 mechanical/drafting pencils!

All of the Rotrings that I have, and I also have a ballpoint pen, have held up tremendously well. They are solid and hefty, and beautifully executed. Although they are heavy compared to other brands, they do not tire my hand. I don't know if this is an issue of balance point or grip, but I can just comment that they are a joy to write with.

Over the past few years, with the poor dollar/Euro exchange, the price of Rotrings has gone up considerably. I am reasonably sure that I bought my 800 when it was under $40. We can hope for a better exchange rate. If you are on a budget, there are other pencils that are certainly enjoyable to use. If you want to indulge in something special, I would buy this pencil. The craftmanship and materials are both top-notch.

In addition to my other review, this pencil is not bad, it just has several annoyances and is fragile compared to the 600 and rapid pro.

I'd have to say the 600 is the best of them, but with a fixed tip it must be stored properly. The rapid pro, while less grippy than the 600, is still grippy enough and has a retractable tip that works on a much simpler and sturdier mechanism than the 800, so for that reason, the Rapid Pro will be the one I keep in my pocket/backpack/shirt, etc. and the 600 will be used at home.

Grip is less grippy than the Rapid Pro and far less grippy than the 600. It is the least grippy of all Rotring MP's.

There is a lot of play. Side to side, and up & down. When the mechanism is extended there is 2mm play before each lead click and when applying the eraser. It's annoying. there is also a bit of "flexibility" in the tip. It's just unstable. I was hoping for better tolerances and little to no flexion.

The twist to advance mechanism can easily be worn out or break. I have a similar mechanism on my manual typewriter, and when it wears out, it won't hold in the locked position. This mechanism feels the same, a sort of hook-spring. When the hook wears, the spring will push it back into the body. The difference is that I can file the hook on my typewriter, because I can access it by taking it apart. The 800 mechanism won't separate from the body as far as I can tell, so once that mechanism wears out or breaks catastrophically, the pencil will be unuseable. When that time comes, I'll do my best to figure out a fix for it, but I don't want to tamper with the pencil while it works just to see the internals.

This by far is the best instrument that you can buy on the current drafting pencil market. Through using this pencil I am able to write with confidence, especially looking back at my former pencil history. I am currently a freshmen in college and being formaly introduced to writing an ungodly amount of notes, I choose this instrument as the weopon of choice. This pencil has yet to act up on me in any phacet. This pencil has one of the best feels which I have ever experienced in my life. When first looking on JetPens, I thought that the girth of the pencil might be to thick but when reciving and holding it, it was far smaller that I previously thought. In fact, it is a pretty skinny pencil and boy does it have a great feel to it. The pricing might be a negative, but to be completely honest it is worth it. Get the pencil and have FUN!!!!

For those that have had problems with their pencil breaking make sure that you do NOT see screw threads at the top of the pencil below the retracting mechanism nub. I thought this was an esthetic part of the pencil, but I can see now on mine that it was shipped to me without being fully tightened, which probably led to the broken mechanism just from normal usage.

This is an amazing pencil. It writes great, it feels great, and the retractable mechanism is a great idea. Having said that I ordered mine 2 months ago and have been quite careful with it (it is an $80 pencil!). I even bought a pencil case and I put it back in there every time I'm finished. Today while writing with the internal mechanism for retracting the tip broke and now my favorite pencil is gone. I wasn't putting any more force on it than normal either.

To sum up, the pencil is a fantastic writing instrument, but it can break easily.

Hello, this is my first review of a product I've bought on Jetpens so please do know that my skills in reviewing are still a bit rough around the edges..
To begin, I came to Jetpens searching for quality writing instruments that would stay with me for a lifetime. And after buying this pencil and using it for a few weeks I can attest that this pencil will definitely do just that! The all-metal construction of this pencil gives it an impressive weight while also steadying your hand when working, improving your handwriting (at least it did for me!). Speaking of steadying your hand, the knurled grip on this pencil is just sublime! I admit, the knurling was a bit smaller than the impression I received from the website images, but the final result was still an incredible grip that helps me greatly when writing. And with the added weight of the metal barrel you barely even have to press down to get nice lines (even with the harder leads).
Another very attractive appeal to this pencil (literally) are the aesthetics, and my are they fancy! The golden brass tip accents really lend a professional, and elegant look to this pencil that I have not seen matched in anything other than expensive fountain pens. It definitely looks like a pencil that would be found in the office of a professional draftsman, architect, or other technical designer.
Although my writing experience has been great with the Rotring so far, there are a drawback that occurs in the pencil. For one, there is a SLIGHT play in the advancing tip mechanism. This is probably due to the presence of moving parts within the pencil, which cannot be helped. Although you can feel the play if you mess around with the pencil on your finger, there is absolutely no discernable change that you can feel when writing. And this is in my opinion, not a large enough drawback to warrant a lowered review score.
Something to keep in mind, however, is that the lead sleeve of this pencil is still very small and fragile. So always remember to retract the tip before moving the pencil anywhere and always keep it in a safe space, lest anything happens to that beautiful tip!
Overall, my experience with the Rotring 800 has been extraordinary, and I would recommend it to everyone who would like to try some true mechanical pencil luxury.

Every bit as good as my other Rotring pencils, but doesn't poke holes in my shirt pocket. I have been carrying this one around for quite some time now, and it is a solid performer. Every now and then a bit of lint needs to be cleared from the end or it will prevent the tip from extending. Unlike other mechanical pencils, I have never needed to take this one apart and clear a jam. New lead generally falls right into place and feeds through after the old lead is used up. Good pencil.

First, I love this pencil ! It is heavy and solid and I don't think that the small lag is bothering. However after a while I started having problems with the twist mechanism on top, which is unacceptable at this price. I think that R600 is a better pencil although not as fun and beautiful.

Pencil was excellent until the plastic internal barrel shattered, rendering the pencil into junk. The body might be solid metal, but this internal component was thin plastic and once it breaks the pencil falls to pieces. Useless. For the amount I spent I could have purchased several top pencils from other brands. Buyer beware.

COMPARISON TO ROTRING 600

Much heavier. I was initially attracted to this pencil because of the retractable tip (i'm prone to bending tips) but I dont think I'd recommend this one over the 600. The button has a lot more resistance and the gold trimming looks tacky. the logo is not as attractive and the weight I prefer the weight of the 600 more. I does not feel like it is as solid as a pencil as the 600

Come on $$ for this pencil I understand many people like this pencil but you can get so much more pencils that write better like the pental 600 or 500 write so much better . I bought this pencil to expiriment and waisted too much on it . So please do not get this pencil . sighned SEGAMUM

One of the gripes that people have with the Rotring 600 drafting pencil is that it doesn't have a retractable lead sleeve. They are right. The Rotring 600 doesn't have this capability. So, If you choose the 800, you won't get a hole in your good dress shirt. And, you won't feel that the pencil is stuck in your pants pocket, when you are trying to pull it out. The Rotring 800 mechanical pencil does have this slick capability. So, this is a definite plus for some. I bought both the black and silver versions of the Rotring 800 drafting pencil. And, when they arrived here, I compared them with the 600 drafting pencils.


Let me tell you that I really like the 800 series pencils. I know, from my research, that they are no 'newer' than the Japanese 600 pencils.

But, I must say that the 800 series pencil, with the GREAT added capability of retracting the lead sleeve, does not quite match up to its 600 series cousin.

Here is the reason:

Somehow, the Rotring 600 drafting mechanical pencil feels like a solid, through-and-through piece of advanced engineering. It just feels so good in your hand--like an ergonomic block of metal with lead at your use. This piece of engineering beckons for you to handle it and write with it. But, maybe unfortunately, the 800 drafting pencil does not achieve this high mark. This pencil acquaints you with springs and plastic pressure-fits. The 800 brings you back to the purgatory between the sublime Rotring 600 the less great pencils, the ones that are plastic and bouncy in use.

Also, maybe my work-shirt pockets are deeper than everyone else, but my Rotring 600 pencils aren't long enough to puncture my shirt pockets, when they are stowed with the clip.

I definitely like my new, expensive Rotring 800 drafting mechanical pencils, but they don't quite match up to the Japanese Rotring 600 drafting mechanical pencil line---imho.

This is my first Rotring pencil. Between me and my husband, we have a number of Rotring art pens and rapidographs, but this drafting pencil was a first.

Initially I was hesitant to make the purchase due to the price, but in looking at the retractable tip (by turning the screw near the clicker) and the solid construction, I decided to give it a shot.

Admittedly, the screw open mechanism takes a little getting used to. The clicker will not depress if the tip is retracted -- a nice safety mechanism. I need to remind myself to retract the tip when I put my pencil away.

I do a lot of work with colored lead and I've gone through numerous pencils that break (and subsequently waste) my lead. This pencil has done an excellent job thus far.

Is it worth the price? It's hard to say. I'm a stickler for quality in the tools I use regularly. I have a Lamy Scribble 0.7 pencil which I equally love, so I'm not going to say this is a pencil for everyone, but I do recommend it for drafting pencil aficionados!

I recently received this highly anticipated pencil. I spent enough time evaluating it to conclude that not everyone will be able to notice or appreciate its built/quality. For starters, it looks rather simple. This is not some fancy multi-dimensional writing gear. And it doesn't have to be. Rotring formula for success isn't based on marketing hype. Once you start using it, it will become a natural extension of you. Its perfect balance and solid grip offer extended use without feeling tired. Its recessed design not only prevents the puncturing your shirt's pockets but also a possibility of bending the tip. I only wish they made the 0.35mm version!

i do not get the difference between the rotring 800 and the rotring 500, they both have similar features, and being an owner of both pencils, i literally can not tel the difference. if i could do it over again, i would just buy the 500 instead of the 800 because of the price