Uni-ball Shift Pipe Lock Drafting Pencil - 0.7 mm - Silver Body with Orange Accent

Solid pencil, however doesn't hold up very well aesthetically when used as your daily throw-in-backpack pencil. After using it heavily over a year, the paint on the upper part of the barrel (which is plastic), has worn off significantly, showing the milky white plastic underneath. This doesn't cause any usage issues, but it does make it look rather ugly. Another issue is that the locking mechanism becomes loose after heavy use, diminishing the pencils ability to lock in place. While this doesn't prevent me from using the pencil, it does cause minor issues such as dropping the pencil and having the tip retract because the locking mechanism can't hold up to minor concussions.

Not terrible I guess, but not nearly as nice as Pentel's graph-gear 1000, which costs the same and is also retractable. The cheap plasticy feel ( the upper barrel is plastic if you couldn't tell) doesn't really detract from the usability, but if chintzy doesn't bother you why spend so much on one pencil? A few minor cons: the taper to the point is a little steep for my taste, and the eraser is TINY, like even smaller than pentel's be-careful-you-don't-accidentally-inhale-it erasers. Also, when the tip's retracted the upper barrel slides around loosely, which is kind of annoying.

Seriously, just get the pentel pencil, it's universally better.

I draw all day and this tool is a joy to use- weighted just right and well constructed. Lead holds firm with solid mechanicals

After receipt and use of the Pipe Lock pencil for several days, I believe that Uni-ball has a solid winner! The pencil is very well balanced and the knurling on the grip is just about perfect - not too course, not too fine, making it very comfortable for long periods of use. The shift lock mechanism is smooth and flawless, and is extremely useful for those of us that must stick the pencil in our pocket on a regular basis. Very well made!..

An excellent pencil. I am a high school senior planning on using this pencil all throughout college, if i can keep it from being stolen that is.

Pros:

- Metal, but somewhat soft grip: It's odd, but the knurled grip, though metal, feels almost soft to the touch. It's less fatiguing too, because it does not give like other soft rubber grips.
- No lead wiggle: The lead sleeve perfectly holds the lead, so I feel no wobbling of the led, making writing to feel much smoother overall.
- Distance between grip and lead: I prefer to hold my pencil lower, where most other pencils' grips end. This pencil gives you this option with a shorter head than most.
- Sleek design: Just look at it, it's so sleek.
- Plastic body, metal grip: This gives a nice weight to the pencil and shifts the weight toward the tip, which feels solid while writing. Though plastic, it doesn't feel cheap either.

Cons:

- Lead sleeve retracting mechanism: If you like to write with a lot of lead advanced, then you should push the lead back in after use, because the point of the lead might stick out after retracting the lead sleeve. This isn't a huge problem though, but a problem nonetheless.
- Price: This could be a con if you tend to lose pencils often, but if not, this pencil will last for many years. I believe that it is an excellent investment to buy a comfortable pencil or pen.