uni-ball Kuru Toga 0.5mm - Self Sharpening Mechanical Pencil - Pink Barrel + 12 Free Leads and 5 Free Erasers

Product Information

I recommend getting the transparent grip version if you want to see the gear turning. The Starter kit (above) has a grip tinted in colour and it's not easy to see what's inside. All models except the "Pipe Slide", the "Advance" and the "Advance Metal" (also known as "Advance Metal Punching Grip”), rotate the lead approximately 9 degrees per stroke (40 strokes for a complete revolution).

The Uni Kuru Toga are available in many different types of bodies and comes in three tip sizes: 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7mm. Extremely low angles would do it but the angle is about where you’d be using a pencil to shade a drawing – almost parallel to the paper.You know how sometimes when you draw for too long, the pencil becomes blunt, sometimes you may rotate the pencil to the sharp side of the lead that gives you a thin line. When you're writing, you'll immediately see and feel the difference. With the Kuru Toga, I can actually feel the difference but can't really see the difference unless I'm really looking out for it. Pressing hard to advance the lead gummed it up completely. The only solution was to retract the lead and start again. For the metal body pencils, there's a little hole that you can see through to the logo that's turning.

and the inability to fill in as many spare leads as in some other mechanical pencils (maximum 4 – 6 leads, depending on length and whether you try hard to squeeze them in)

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The Kuru Toga has been a disappointment for me, as the lead is not rotating, eliminating the advantage of this pencil while the disadvantages of this pencil remain: I might not press the pencil down hard enough to get the gears to revolve. This could be because of many years of using fountain pens (which do not need a lot of pressure) and a relatively infrequent use of ballpoint pens (which need much more pressure). When I went to school you had to write with a fountain pen and today I still like to use fountain pens and avoid ballpoint pens. My wife, for example, is using much more pressure when writing. As many of you have post about problems, I’m not sure is it because of writing in different language. For example, English language can be written one word without lifting the pencil, while Japanese have to lift the pencil several times for one word. Therefore Japanese language may be rotated 10 times faster than English (Just my guessing).

Alpha Gel grip; plastic clip; switchable between "Kuru Toga" mode and "Hold" mode by twisting the clip So with each stroke, the lead will turn, and you will get a sharper point to write with the next stroke. I’ve been looking at the Kuru Toga for a long time, and finally I got one yesterday. I sadly have the same problem as memm, and can confirm that it isn’t merely a defective pencil. My wife and friend have no problem activating the mechanism consistently, and there are two pencils involved with consistent results. The Kuru Toga eliminates this problem with the use of an ingenious lead rotation mechanism that continually rotates the pencil lead as you write. A spring-loaded clutch twists the lead incrementally every time you lift the pencil from the paper. This allows a uniform wearing of the lead to create a conical tip shape that provides a fine, consistent line.

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Roulette" and "High Grade" use the Uni eraser refill size C, while all the other models use the Uni eraser refill size S. The standout mechanical pencil from the Pilot Dr. Grip line is the Ace Shaker. Its ergonomic design has earned an “Ease-of-Use" Commendation from the Arthritis Foundation. The Ace Shaker’s double layer grip is flared to prevent you from cramping your fingers up too close to the tip. The grip itself consists of a firm rubber outer layer and softer inner layer. This results in a moderately soft grip that is comfortable to hold and ensures you have a stable grasp on the pencil. In combination with the barrel’s optimized weight balance, this pencil is perfect for longer writing sessions. Sadly this pencil just isn’t for everyone. The construction seems good, though the material choices and weight aren’t my particular favorites (the regular Kuru Toga is almost entirely plastic, quite light, and neutrally weighted). The thing that bothers me about the Kuru Toga most though is the play that is needed to use the mechanism. I prefer to write very small characters, and precision is important. When writing much larger, it’s not an issue, but for tiny, complex characters, there’s a bit of a tactile disconnect, which makes the whole thing feel less precise. It reminds me a bit of some retractable-sleeve pencils with a lot of wobble to them.