Reddit mentions: The best mechanical pencils

Flicknm's comment really need more upvotes. For a graphic designer you can never go wrong with books about design whether its about becoming a designer, books about a specific designer, or simply reference books on stuff like logos/typography/print/websites. Books are probably the best gift you can give to any designer, pro or student.

However a tablet isn't a bad idea as someone already mentioned. If she's got strong artistic ability (drawing/painting at a professional level) an intuous4 would not be a bad choice and would be a valuable tool for years to come. However if she does not feel like venturing into stuff like digital painting or simply doesn't have profound drawing ability a bamboo is more than she'll ever need and also pretty cheap and extremely versatile.

As a student she'll eventually explore packaging design or have to create physical mock-ups so perhaps a set of quality tools like exacto knives with a couple different blades (next to the standard blade I use scoring blades a lot for thick material), large self-healing cutting mat, folding bone for perfect creases on paper (these days you see some with added features like a cutting blade), large metal straight edge ideal for cutting (with corked back), long reach stapler, spray mount, super glue, and my personal best friend: the lead holder (also referred to as a clutch pencil) with a sharpener for it. All of this along with a drafting table will always be useful.

If she doesn't own a wide format printer and you feel she might like the convenience of one I highly recommend an Epson Stylus R1400 printer. I often see these on sale with rebates which will lower the overall cost to $200ish however that's kinda based on luck. It prints great pictures as big as 13x19 inches (great for poster or magazine spread mock-ups). A very handy but rarely used feature it has that made me look like a fucking superstar in classes is its ability to print labels on printable CDs. However, as great as this feature is it takes a bit of experimentation to get the alignment right and to be able to print as close to the border of the CD as possible. This feature is also a huge ink-guzzler but prints beautifully (always use max settings or else colors will look faded). Printable CDs can come in both Matte and Glossy finishes (I'm particularly fond of Taiyo Yuden Watershield CDs).

If your girlfriend happens to enjoy PC games then a gaming mouse could potentially be a fantastic gift. I'd recommend something along the lines of Logitech's G700 gaming mouse. Reason I recommend a gaming mouse is because you can record keystrokes and assign those macros to any of the additional buttons making any work on common programs like Illustrator/Photoshop/In-Design a lot more streamlined. This particular mouse can record up to 5 different profiles at once so she can have her favorite keyboard shortcuts macro'd for pretty much all her favorite programs. This mouse also works as both wired and wireless (which I'd NEVER recommend for gaming lol) and uses a rechargable AA battery and has a little compartment in there for the wireless reciever. Basically this mouse is a godsend to me but even as just a mouse for design work I think its pretty awesome. I highly recommend Logitech products since they're very well made and have great customer service.

Someone already mentioned it but sketchbooks are always nice, as a student I noticed a lot of people weren't into the habit of planning designs on pencil and paper, if she's one of those people then she really needs to change that and have something like a moleskine sketchbook or some other form of sketch diary (get a nice hardcovered one). You can have all the best technology in the world but nothing will ever trump the mighty pencil (again I highly recommend a clutch pencil) since this is where all design HAS TO begin. If she already does that and happens to like drawing I'd look into an Earthbound sketchbook or other equivalent. Basically this is just a sketchbook that has recycled toned (brown) pages which makes it great for adding highlights on drawings with a white colored pencil or gel pen. The norm for designers is almost always plain & gridded Moleskine sketchbooks though. I've seen other sketch diaries that have a dot grid on them which I'd love on a moleskine but I don't think they have anything outside a normal grid sketchbook.

There's also other gimmicky crap out there for graphic designers however I'm just listing stuff that are actually useful and can be appreciated. You can probably just cruise around r/design and r/graphic_design to see those things since that's all I ever tend to see from those subreddits these days.

Hopefully this helps.

Western's first year computer science courses are pretty easy, there's not much prep you need to do for them. That being said, university-level mathematics can be a pain and since it's a skill that you kinda learn for life, you could start learning university level calculus, algebra, and geometry.

Rather than prepare for academics though, I'd prepare for the challenges that are university as a whole. I'm gonna give a bunch of advice, some questionable, some maaaaybe offensive, and some tame. IMO, they're all good advice though you may have to pick and choose depending on your home situation.

• I'll start with a really questionable one off the bat. If you see yourself drinking at some point in the future (even if it's like one glass of wine for formality at a banquet), I'd recommend figuring out what level of alcohol you can take responsibly even if you're academically rigorous. FWIW, my first year roommate who maintained a high 90 average in medsci had two nights where he let loose between then and now. If your parents are chill or only school-strict, ask them to supervise you (drinking scotch over a nice movie is pretty fun). Otherwise, find a day where you can sneak to a responsible friend's place for 12-14 hours. It's better to know that you can only handle 4 shots/4 beer cans going in than to have a rough surprise of getting knocked out by 7 shots or alcohol poisoned at 9.
  
  
• If your parents don't set you up with an allowance or if they're strict about how they let you spend their money, pick up a part time job over the summer. It sucks to have money as a constraint. If you can put away even $4000, then you can put a bunch of that towards your OSAP loans AND still have some "fun" money left over. Having $500 to do whatever with in first year is amazing, after that it's somewhat marginally-diminishing, but it's better to have than have-not when your friends are haves.
  
  
• If your parents aren't on your case all summer long, then be honest and analyze your habits. Do you wake up at 11 every day? If so, I can make a bet with you that you will hate 8:30/9:30 classes. Just because you had them in high school doesn't mean you'll be disciplined enough to go to them in university. If you're (honestly) a morning person than take morning classes, but otherwise don't set yourself up for pain if you can avoid it. This will also help you figure out when your body enjoys having lunch and dinner, like for me I'm a 2 PM lunch kinda guy so that's when my breaks are nowadays. You could be similar without realizing it.
  
  
• Everyone's university experience is different, but frankly, Hollywood tends to get various aspects about the college life and people-in-general right. Watch 90s-00s acclaimed films and observe how the actors act. I found that my mannerisms were all really adapted for my local area - I was somewhat awkward in this new region-diverse campus at first. It takes most people some time to adapt, but you can get a headstart by watching non-franchise movies starring very high profile actors like George Clooney, Robert De Niro, and Tom Hanks. I believe 90s-00s films were the most honest about how people are and that's why I recommend that time slot specifically.
  
  
• I said it once, I'll say it again. Learn and review some math. It's so damn crucial to computer science and lots of other faculties if you choose to transfer/dual major. The average calculus mark is a mid 60, yet so many degrees/majors are barred if you score under 75% or 85% in calculus. Don't let yourself be in a situation where you're forced to do a 5th year because your calculus mark wasn't good enough.
  
  
• If you had no hobbies in high school, the summer is the best time to pick something up. Your summer is at least 2 months long, 60 days. If you find 2 hours a day to practice/learn some easy hobby, you'll have something to impress people with when you arrive to your dorm and you'll have something to pass the time on days where your bored and your friends all have midterms. Really easy, cheap, and impressive hobbies to pursue can be things like card tricks (and magic in general), sports like basketball or volleyball, photography (okay maybe not impressive AND cheap if your phone is over 3 years old but it's just one idea). Go search on askreddit for easy/cheap hobby threads if none of these are interesting you to you, there's a thousand suggestions on there.
  
  
• This isn't academics, but it's incredibly relevant to you since you're pursuing compsci. If you're trying to become a software engineer, you need to understand that you're going to be a tiny fish in a ginormous pond where everyone will have stuff on their resume. Since you're not at an Ivy league-tier institution nor at Waterloo, just having high grades won't cut it. It's important that you start building your resume yesterday. This is a beautiful post I saw a while ago, I've had it saved even though it's not step-by-step applicable to me. Read it, understand it, and follow it. THIS is how you get a $150K USD software engineering job at Google or Microsoft or Apple:
  
  https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/7mk6z3/guide_so_you_wanna_work_for_google/
  
  
• Develop a thick skin. If you're a libtard, watch FULL videos of Ben Shapiro explaining his points. You don't need to agree with it but you should at least be able to understand where he's coming from so you understand where your opposing peers next year will be coming from. If you're a cuckservative, look for the smart people that give outrageous dumb soundbites (your media exposes you to a lot of them) and watch full talks by those people and understand where they're coming from for the same reason. Outrage culture isn't as bad in Canada as it is in the USA, but there's still a fair number of morons on both sides of the aisle here so you'll want to prepare yourself ahead of time so they're not a surprise to you.
  
  
• Work out. If you're a fat guy, do cardio, lose some weight while building muscle. If you're a skinny guy, do cardio, gain some weight while building muscle. If you're in the middle, I'm jealous of you and still do cardio and build some muscle. If you're a girl, same thing as the last sentence but replace guy with girl. No, you won't look like Jay Cutler or Chyna after one (or even multiple) summers of lifting unless you're taking supplements, probably roids, and spending hundreds of hours a year lifting and researching nutrition/bodybuilding plans. It's good to be healthy, it's good to be fit, and it's a habit that thousands of extraordinarily successful people recommend. A summer is enough time to build a habit, a habit will turn into a discipline, and that discipline will help you spawn discipline in other subjects while making you healthy and good looking at the same time.
  
  
• There's going to be lots of times where you have trouble understanding people. Maybe your technical-writing professor has a super thick Mongolian accent. Maybe you're at a party with loud bumping music and you're trying to talk to a cute guy/girl. Or, maybe you're talking to a guy with the worst case of Scarborough mandem-talk. This won't help as much for that last case, but something that helped me with situations like this is toss on really unintelligible rap-music or soca and try your hardest to follow along with the lyrics. Eventually you'll get good at it, and likewise you'll be able to easier understand people who don't talk like you.
  
  I'll come back later to update this post; got some stuff in runescape I must attend to now. If you've got any questions, ask and I'll respond. If it's case-specific or personal, you can PM me and I'll be helpful, honest, and descriptive. And if anyone has any criticism, I'm more than happy to defend any of my suggestions.
  
  EDIT: More advice!:
  
  
• If you're coming to Western with a friend as your roommate, consider planning to throw a party early into the year. I'm not saying to host Western's next Project X themed party, but it's really easy to make friends if you throw on chill party-vibes music and invite your whole floor to come over to your room/suite. Personally I wouldn't recommend doing much that could break rez rules since you haven't established a relationship with your future RA yet (so don't have a beerpong table out and if you have drinks, be discrete and especially don't share during O-Week). I'm not advocating you do this during O-Week since it is a dry week, but when I was a soph, I did let it slip that that was the best time to meet as many of your floormates as possible ;)
  
  
• This is really a big me thing, but I spent a week in the summer looking for the pencil and now I have a pencil that I've exclusively used for anything writing. Never broken down once! You're gonna do a lot of writing so you might as well find a really comfy pencil :) I recommend the Uni Kuru Toga. They're somewhat pricy, but imo it was a great investment on my part.
  
  
• If you've spent the last 12 years studying at home, schedule 3 consecutive 8-hour day this summer to read an acclaimed college prep book. You're gonna have at least one bad week where you'll have 4 midterms when everyone else is having fun. You should know how to study in a public space since you may have to do that one day.

This is a very fun idea.

I remember playing with fountain pens as a kid - my mom getting some old ink out that hadn't quite dried up yet, and dipping the nib in and messing about. That was decades ago.

About a month ago I bought my son a Uni Kuru Toga Roulette, for a gift as he is in Industrial Design. In order to get free shipping, I needed something more, and I noticed a Platinum Plaisir fountain pen, and my curiosity about fountain pens was re-triggered.

I've been using it at work for the last couple of weeks, to the curiosity or puzzlement of a few. While wanting to learn more about fountain pens, I found this subreddit, which has been very helpful. Just yesterday I ordered a Lamy Safari, a converter and Diamine blue/black ink after doing some starter pen research. An early birthday gift to myself.

Last weekend, I was at my parents, and I asked my mom about the fountain pens that I had played with years ago. She pulled out three old Yardley Soap boxes that contained many pens and bits of pens. They are a mix of hers, her father's and some from a neighbour that was a school teacher from the 30's to the 60's. I thought that, over time, I would photograph each of them and post them to this subreddit to both share and learn. I doubt any of them are particularly valuable, but they may be interesting to the group. There weren't any ink bottles, and all of the pens look like they need a good cleaning or some care. Before doing anything, I'll post pics and ask for suggestions on what to do with them.

My choice would be the Waterman Phileas - Medium pen and the Caran d'Ache Chromatics Vibrant Green ink. I know less about inks, so any green or orange would be fascinating.

I am hooked. This type of thing fits my personality, and the hobby isn't necessarily an expensive one, but it could be ;)

Best.

Many of my favorites have been discontinued or changed.

The Koh-i-Noor Rapidomatic was my primary pencil for my first 4 college years. I even bought a red and blue colored versions to put red and blue lead in, which was nice for graphs or occasional emphasis. Lovely pencils made in Japan. However, looking at the Amazon reviews they no longer make these, but instead something with the same name and general look, but using all new parts and process in China. You can taste the sadness in the reviews. It looks like people are happy with the Alvin Draftmatic which looks exactly like the Rapidomatic.

The Pilot Vanishing Point has been discontinued. Sad. My favorite pencil, made in Japan. See reviews on Amazon. I introduced a number of people to this, and many of them started using it as their primary pencil. My manager even questioned why I had spent $200 on pencils, when I explained I was ordering a couple of these for myself, asked around, and 10 others in the office said they wanted one or two as well (after trying mine). No drafting grip, and shorter, but really good weight, good feel, quality, and I could write well with them.

The Uni Kuru Toga is nice, but too lightweight and plastic for my taste. The price is hard to argue with. I wonder if the Roulette model would be better as it sounds like it might weigh more.

Dave's review site recommends the Staedtler 925-25. I've tried the 925-05 which is ok (my 11yo uses it) but not the 925-25.

If you have more money, the Rotring 600 and 800+ come highly recommended (lots of metal, high quality, made in Japan). I have never tried one, but I'll buy a 600 sometime soon.

For erasers, I use Staedtler Mars Plastic. They last forever -- I still have one from 1985 with more than half remaining and it works fine. I only bought more so the family can each have one of their own. My tips are (1) don't get oil on them or the paper, and get it off if you do. This means don't run your finger along the eraser part. It causes smearing. (2) erase flat if you can, to save sharp edges for fine work. If you always use the edges, then you won't have a sharp edge to change φ' to φ in the middle of an equation.

I assume you have not used hand tools much.

The first thing I would learn how to do and invest in is how to get your tools sharp, like really sharp. I mean shiny flat back and edge razor sharp. Without really sharp tools - hand joinery is not fun and much harder than it needs to be.

There is the scary sharp method, I am sure u/Peniceiling's suggestion works great, I use Shapton Stones, there are as many ways to sharpen as there are woodworkers.

But you will need to research and invest time in some way of sharpening and get good at it.

A simple Honing Guide can make things easier when you start.

This Small Rip Dozuki B. was recommended by the instructor I had for a hand joinery class last year as the best bang for the buck they knew of - I found it works great.

I'd get a 1/2in Chisel. When you get the chisel, it will not be sharp. You will have to spend time tuning it up.

A Mallet to hit the chisel.

I personally prefer a round marking gauge. This has to be sharpened just like your chisel so it cuts the wood fibers evenly and cleanly.

Small Sliding Bevel gauge to mark your dovetails.

A good quality double square is invaluable. Best $ value I have found for one of these is here.

A 2.0mm lead holder with sharpener is very helpful. Lets you mark into areas a regular pencil will not fit.

That would be everything I can think of to do all half blind and through dovetails, finger-joints etc.

A drill(press) and a couple more chisels sizes will get you mortise and tenons with standard 4/4 6/4 and 8/4 stock.

Good Luck.

I'd like to chime in here because I am in the exact same position as you, wanting a note-taking device for college (grad school in my case).

I got the Chromebook Plus Version 1 because of the following:
-form factor - it's basically the size of a regular notepad, so really great for notetaking (I use Squid)
-ability to use linux apps (not that I have, but that I could)

I really like it, and have had a lot of comments about my setup. I got the Staedtler Noris Digital Pencil for handwriting notes - this is an amazing improvement over the built in stylus, which isn't bad to begin with.

I'm not a huge fan of the keyboard, but the CBP might be better. I find it cramped, but am getting used to it.

The surface is soft and marks/scratches. Not sure if that matters to you.

Your biggest challenge will be to find the right combination of apps to make a workflow that is good for you. I work mostly in squid, where I can import pdfs to mark up, and also do handwritten notes on lined "paper", or other types of "paper" markings. Some people choose to send squid documents to Evernote so that they can be OCR'd and thus searchable, but I have found this workflow to be cumbersome. I'm still trying to get the right workflow myself and welcome anyone else's suggestions.

I used a chromebook all the way through my MBA as my exclusive computer. When I did my MS in Data analytics I needed to install specific software on a Windows laptop. Now, in a PhD program, I can do most of my work on my Chromebook which is nice and portable, but I still need my Windows laptop for specific software.

I hope this helps somewhat. If you have the opportunity, get some hands-on time with the device to make sure that it works for you. With using it in tablet mode for note taking especially - the form factor will matter (not too big, not too narrow...)

Happy to answer more questions if you have any, acknowledging that I have a different model than the one you are looking at.

/r/mechanicalpencils is a good place to look. Generally it depends on your budget and what you want to do with your pencil. You can get some nice cheap ones (under 5 bucks) like a Pentel Sharp or Pentel Twist Erase, and some slightly more expensive but still cheap ones with gimmicks like the Kuru Toga (automatically rotating lead) and Zebra DelGuard (reduced lead breakage). If you want to spend some more on a more solid and well built pencil the Pentel Graphgear 1000 is a great option for around $10. And then you can keep going up with the Sharp Kerry, Staedtler, rOtrings, and the Orenznero.

Right now though, there's a incredible deal on Amazon for the next three hours, the rOtring 600 for about 9 dollars. All metal, really nice looking, great weight and balance, usually considered a $25 dollar pencil that is pretty close to the top end of nice mechanical pencils. Just don't lose it or drop it!

Cheap and good: Staedtler 925: 3-pack of 0.3mm, 0.5mm, and 0.7mm for $20. Individually sold at art/stationary stores for $5-$10 each.

The metal version by Pentel: GraphGear 500: 4-pack of 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm and 0.9mm for $20. Individually sold at stores for $10-$20 each. They're okay, and people like the metal look, but I prefer the Staedtler.

The good stuff: rOtring. rOtring 600: $23. rOtring 800: $50.

I haven't tried the rOtring pencils myself; I've heard they're good, but I've been pretty happy with the Staedtlers. Although they're the cheapest I mentioned, they're also very comfortable and reliable. I've never had one fail (I have had Pentel pencils fail, including but not limited to the ones I linked), and I've been using them for years.

Make sure you get a decent mechanical eraser to go with them. A Tombow MONO zero in an amazing eraser for the details, and a Sanford Paper Mate Tuff Stuff is good for everything else. Buy an extra pack of the refills and you're good for a while. Note: Do not buy the Sanford eraser for more than $5. The price on Amazon right now is ridiculous. The Tombow is a little more pricy; $5-$10 is fair for it.

Since no one else has jumped in, surprisingly, let me go ham with suggestions. I also have incredibly small writing so I know the need to have the proper supplies.

Kurotoga

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OHNTVC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_p.O2Cb0KYCQXX
This is the best pencil on the market for languages that use characters like Kanji. The main selling point is how it sharpens the tip every time so you don't get those blurry lines when the tip goes dull. I have it in a 0.5, and I'm able to write incredibly small still. I would suggest getting the recommended lead with diamond tips if you have the tendency to break lead. I'v been on the same pack for 3 years and have only replaced the lead 2 times even with constant writing.

Uni-ball Signo UM-151

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003FXWGWE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BdP2CbQBJ90ZE
This is my go to pen for everything. It's the most amazing thing and a total workhorse. Even though it's 0.38, I still find it easy to write tiny without any problems. You have to try to see why everybody loves and recommends them.

Zebra Sarasa Gel Pens

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NRB2LM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_hgP2CbN7S8HWD
I use these when I feel like making my notes more colorful. They are amazing although some people complain about the scratchiness on paper. I use a 下敷き or pencil board so I don't feel as much. Again, if you are a heavy handed writer, I suggest doing the same because those tips are quite sharp.

Copic Multiliners

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002UCUGSM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_cmP2CbG89ADE3
This is a bit of an expensive pen, but the main draw of these is that the nibs, and etc. are replaceable so they are eco friendly. The other selling point is the ink which does not bleed even when you use highlighters. The pens mentioned above will so you'll have to pre-highlight or underline. With this pen, you can just write and then highlight without worrying about smudging. I have the 0.5,0.3,and 0.1 because I use these for inking so choose the size you feel most comfortable with.

Zebra Mildliners

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072QXQHFC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7iP2Cb1BBQY0C
I know you didn't ask about highlighters, but if you're going down this rabbit hole, I might as well take you all the way. These are my favorite highlighters as they're so very soothing to the eye. I always feel that they add an extra level of class and sophistication, not to mention whimsy, to even the most basic lecture notes.

I hope this was helpful. I have more suggestions for writing supplies, but I'll comment again if you want to hear about those. I will warn you that they are pricey although I can't imagine my life without. Good luck and cheers!

FELIZ KAIK DAI!!! Sorry about your sorta depressing birthday, but I hope you make the best of your situation!

1. Beermaking kit for you, http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Equipment-Gallon-Glass-Carboy/dp/B002BU7CVM/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1375659498&sr=1-4&keywords=beer+making+kit
   
   
2. This super cool mechanical pencil Ive been wanting for a while... http://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Mechanical-Pencil-Metallic-P1035A/dp/B0006SW6YO/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1375659788&sr=8-17&keywords=mechanical+pencil
   
   
3. welcome home
   
   
4. Funny because I'm also going to move to a boarding school on the other side of the world from where I live now (with my parents) in a month. Its different because I'm still 14, but PM me with tips and I'll be happy to share stories!
   
   

> I just use 3 subjects notebook from student center convenience store

Now I'm interested :D

I've heared the 3 subject ones are 150 pages, does that mean 150 pages per subject or 150 pages total? If it were the latter I wouldn't buy, but if its the former then I'm interested.

> Chemistry doesn't really require notes imo, so I wouldn't bother getting a notebook for that.

Could you elaborate? I got all of Tav's notes from my friend since I'll be taking it off season. I'm not sure who my instructor will be, but I've always had a policy of taking down notes in some fashion.


> You can easily prevent this by using a pen that doesn't bleed as much. Using a pen also makes sure your notes stay semi-permanent.


My problem with pens is I don't feel like I'm able to write as well with them as I am with a pencil, I use this pencil for reference I'm extremely pleased with the quality and performance of it <3 Are there any pens that can match it? I generally feel my notes become sloppier with a pen, so that's why I'm hesitant to use a pen for notes, I've done it before, its not very comprehensible.


> It's much easier to organize your stuff in one notebook.

I would like to agree but I'm saving up a lot of them for the MCAT, and I don't want to carry around old baggage from classes which won't be on the MCAT.



Thanks for taking the time for responding! Have a happy new year!

As everyone else has said, its not the tools but the sketching techniques blah blah blah.
But as for my personal preference, I love sketching using ballpoint pens. I use these .2mm staedtler pens (http://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Drafting-Ballpoint-Superfine-92405BK2/dp/B003UGTN4A) for my quick underlays/mapping out perspective/etc. Then I go in with a cheapo bic pallpoint for finish up the edge lines and make it pop, sometimes even a thick sharpie.

For pencils I use these Alvin drafting pencils (http://www.amazon.com/Alvin-DM05-Draft-Matic-Mechanical-Pencil/dp/B007VTP62U/ref=sr_1_5?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1381378716&sr=1-5&keywords=drafting+pencil) and love em. When I feel like using wood pencils I go with a black prismacolor verithin, and on another note I'd highly advise buying an electric pencil sharpener.

When I'm going to make a nice marker page, I'm gonna usually lay out the underlays on marker paper using my ballpoints, then trace over it on a new sheet of marker paper using a fine liner (unfortunately the ballpoints bleed terribly with markers...if they didn't they'd be the perfect tool) but yeah basically just trace it over and put in the value that way you have a nice line drawing with good placement of value...you can use the underlay to show highlight spots, deep shadows and whatever else.

just my 2 cents

It's a $70-ish pen. Realistically, that's equivalent to two nights out, if you go to college in a big city. Or, if you're in a rural area, that's three nights out.

When I saw this post, I thought that I'd found the rare college kids that values a relatively obscure hobby enough that he or she makes it a financial priority, and thought it was both endearing and admirable.

But your abrasive comment completely changed my mind!

/s

For what it's worth, I spent all four years of engineering undergrad using a $30 drafting pencil. I used it for another three years after graduation, until the plastic portion of the barrel literally fell apart. I then bought another, identical pencil but for only $10 this time and use it almost daily. That's cheaper than a 12 pack of the standard 0.5mm mechanical pencil, which I guarantee you won't last you a year and, sure as hell, won't last you 7 years.

Assuming you don't get obsessive about it, having good writing tools is much cheaper, in the long run, than buying disposable tools. When you have a quality tool that fits your needs perfectly, you grow to love that tool and, believe me, you won't lose it. It becomes almost like your phone - you always know exactly where it is. And, again trust me, until you've used a writing tool that perfectly fits your needs, you don't realize how much you're missing out on. Writing suddenly becomes a joy and taking notes, completing assignments, or writing essays on exams often ceases to be just an annoying task you have to get out of the way and becomes something you almost look forward to.

No joke, it can really be a life changer.

I appreciate your comment, truly. I can somewhat relate to you, as I was very much into art back in High School, but quickly gave up on it due to anxiety and low self-esteem. There was a good ten-year hiatus before I began to pick the pencil up again this earlier this year.

I suggest starting small. I challenged myself to draw all 151 of the first generation of Pokemon on post-it notes. You can see some of them in my submission history if you're curious. It sounds silly, but that's what I had available to me at work, and I could usually spit one out after working on them on breaks and lunches. I tried to do one a day. The more I worked on them, the more I began to get my confidence back. Once they were done, I had an immense sense of fulfillment and accomplishment.

You don't have to do something that intense, but I found that setting smaller goals first, and seeing them through, was what helped, even if I wasn't pleased with some of the small things. It was only after these that I had the courage to try something bigger and more complex, like the helmets I've done.

Practically speaking, get yourself a few tools of the trade. I use a mix of .7 and .3 mechanical pencils, with HB graphite for the former and B lead for the latter. I also use eraser pencils to get fine erase lines for detail, and smudging sticks to blend.

Sorry. I know this was probably more word vomit than you may have expected or wanted. Your comment just struck a similar chord to my own experience. That said, just start small, and realize that all of the tiny mistakes you see in your work are mistakes that, for the most part, only you can see. Everyone else will just see a work of art, and enjoy it for what it is. Trust me. That was my largest hurdle. You can do it too.

Good luck. :)

I'd love to hear what other folks are using. Ideally, I'd like a case that can fit a total of 16-20 fountain pens, but hopefully with a smaller footprint. The 96-slot Global Art Leather Pencil Case is almost perfect... but they changed their design since I bought mine and they now have only one loop per slot instead of two. (I utilize both loops for smaller things, like pencil leads, wax stamps, etc.)

My current case contains the following items, but as you can see I'm just about out of room!

---

Side A: Pencils

---

1. rOtring 800 in .05
   
2. Uni Kuru Toga Pipe Slide in .05 with red nano dia lead
   
3. Uni Kuru Toga Pipe Slide in .05 with blue nano dia lead
   
4. Uni Kuru Toga Pipe Slide in .05 with green nano dia lead
   
5. Erasers: refills for the General Pencil Co. Factis BM-2 mechanical erasers, plus some for the Kuru Toga
   
6. A pair of General Pencil Co. Factis BM-2 mechanical erasers (a nice, thin eraser capable of area or detail erasing)
   
7. Extra red, green, and blue Uni nano dia lead
   
8. Extra black Uni nano dia lead (in a spare Pentel container)
   
9. Alumicolor 6" engineer pocket scale, standard (used as a straight edge)
   
10. Heavy-duty X-Acto Gripster knife
    
    ---
    
    Side B: Fountain Pens
    
    ---
    
    
11. Noodler's Neponset Ebonite Flex in black, filled with Noodler's Apache Sunset
    
12. TWSBI Eco in black, filled with Jacques Herbin 1670 Emerald of Chivor
    
13. Jinhao X750 in Black Night Sky, filled with Jacques Herbin 1670 Stormy Grey
    
14. Jinhao X750 in Lava Red, filled with Diamine Sherwood Green
    
15. Jinhao X750 in Black Frost Black, filled with Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Goldgrun
    
16. Jinhao X750 in Black Night Sky, filled with Noodler's Blue Ghost
    
17. An inexpensive atomizer (used for fine control when creating ink splatters)
    
18. Pilot Plumix, filled with Noodler's Firefly
    
19. Noodler's Charlie (not sold; comes free with 4.5 oz Noodler's inks), filled with Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Budo

I don't think you are going to get a matched set that combines an excellent pen and an excellent pencil.
I can help you with the mechanical pencil as I'm nuts about the stupid things. As far as the pen goes, if I used one regularly I'd get one from brad over at Tactical Keychains You can get one to suit your preferred refill type.

It would be good to know what size mechanical pencil leads you prefer but I'd go with the [Uni Kuru Toga] (http://www.amazon.com/Uni-Mechanical-Kurutoga-Roulette-M510171P-43/dp/B004OHNTVC) Avaiable as a 0.3 or 0.5 in metal and 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 as a plastic body. I love these things.
Anyway, here's [Dave's Top 10 Mechanical Pencils] (http://davesmechanicalpencils.blogspot.com.au/p/top-10-general-mechanical-pencils.html)
(I have a set of Ohto Super Pro Mechas and while they are great for me you might want to use them as pencils and I wouldn't say they are great at that)

Welcome my friend, my only real advice is don't let it become an obsession, at the end if the day, the lead you choose has a far larger impact on your writing enjoyment. Getting that out of the way, I highly recommend the pentel kerry. It has the unique design of being a capped mechanical pencil which makes it completely pocket safe yet has a fixed sleeve so there is no tip wobble when being used. I find that for everyday use, 0.5 mm lead in grade B (which is slightly softer then the common HB (aka #2) grade) is a solid choice because it puts down a slightly darker line. I have had my Kerry for 11 years now and I had to get it repaired once due to my own fault. Pentel repaired it free of cost in one week.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006SW6YO?pc_redir=1412262079&robot_redir=1

I also suggest a Lamy Scribble if you prefer 0.7 mm lead size. It has a great feel to it, though is slightly thicker than the Kerry. There is something special about the scribble that just makes you want to pick it up and start writing with it. I will say that I do find lead breakage in the advance mechanism of the scribble more often than the Kerry.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00118Z0BY/ref=pd_aw_sims_4?pi=SL500_SS115&simLd=1

Both are great pencils and you can't go wrong with either of them for everyday use.

Let me know if you have any questions, I would be glad to recommend some others if neither of those fit your fancy.

/r/mechanicalpencils

People will recommend the Rotring, of course, but I find the Pentel Graphgear 1000 to be a nicer pencil for a fraction of the cost of the 600, and it has a retractable tip. Pretty much anything by Pentel is good. The Rotrings to be fair are good pencils - the rapid pro has the retractable tip and is really portable, but again, that Rotring price tag.... You could buy a full trio of 0.5/0.7/0.9 in Pentel graphgear for that money.

Other contenders are the Kuru Toga - I really like the "metal" (actually half metal) Kuru Toga Roulette (https://www.amazon.com.au/Mechanical-Pencil-Kurutoga-Roulette-Metaric/dp/B004OHNTVC), but I consider the lead rotation to be a gimmick. They're worth buying despite that, though. The Staedtler 925 is also a decent pencil.

I just had a similar discussion with a client!

Depending on what you wanna spend There are a number of choices.


For a sketch artist I'd steer clear of brands like Cross(Luxury writing utensils. Great products just not everyday art friendly)

I'd suggest a 2mm lead holder, some lead refills(4b, 2b, hb, 2h, 4h), a lead pointer, and a kneadable eraser or two.


Rotring makes some great products and even the more utilitarian Staedtler is a bifl and a great gift for an aspiring artist.

Edit: Also as a suggestion from an artist-Never anything in white if you can help it and a box of those foil pack Fingerbowl/wet wipes are quite a boon if they're a artist on the go. ;)

Pentel GraphGear 1000

I haven't used any of it's direct competitors but I can say that the pencil is very comfortable and enjoyable to use and comes in all the common lead sizes (down to 0.3mm). This would be a very good choice, but I'm sure any of it's direct competitors would be as well since it comes down to preference a lot of times.

It's little brother, the 500 might be worth looking into if you want something cheaper, I've never used it so I can't say much else about it.

Ok, this is what got me through engineering undergrad:

• A zipper binder. Carry all your notebooks and writing utensils and a calculator.
  
  
• Similar to your notebook choice: Wirebound + 3-hole notebook so it goes in your zipper binder. One for each note-taking class.
  
  
• Binder 3-hole punch, if when you get handouts in class that you want to put in your notebooks chronologically, but hasn't been punched.
  
  
• Hole protectors. You'll need them. Trust me.
  
  
• 0.3mm lead is a lot easier to come by than 0.2mm. Get a good 0.3mm drafting pencil instead. Get a good eraser too - don't get used to using the shitting pencil-tip erasers. A bonus to using non-standard lead pencils - people are much less likely to bum lead off you.
  
  
• Scientific calculator. You really don't need a graphing calculator, in my experience. Anything beyond a Scientific calculator you can do it on Mathematica or MatLab or Maple or whatever your school provides on their computer labs. Look through this list and choose one, because you'll eventually use that on your FE/PE exams, and it's better to walk into those exams with 4 years of experience on your calculator already.
  
  
• Eventually you'll be printing out your résumé, and shitty computer paper isn't going to do it. Don't shell out for stupid "résumé paper", I have a whole rant about that and the paper industry's creation of fictitious product demands, but that's another story. Make your résumé professional, concise, and elegant (good résumé-writing is worth another lengthy discussion), and then print it out on some cardstock - a bit firmer, a bit more professional than crappy computer paper.
  
  All of this will probably fit in your cool zipper binder.
  
  This was kinda fun, actually.

Okay, here are my mechanical pencil picks (with the caveat that I'm much more of a regular wood pencil geek.)

If all that adjustability is your primary thing - I like OHTO Super Promecha I've got the 1500S, but I don't think the newer P model is too different. All my instructions came in Japanese though. The newer models are lighter I've heard. The 1500S sort of plows along. Heavy.

Now, if you're open to trying some other pencils! There are some more I like. (Have you tried the straight [staedtler 925] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BNHMC8/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687662&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B004G0AFP0&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=01DEWCGZNSCG129SB52Q) btw? Cheaper, and very popular.)

uni-ball Kuru Toga It's so lovely, a ratchet mechanism turns to keep it sharp as you go. (This only works when you lift your pen, so much less so on some constant cursive note taking). And inexpensive enough you should just try it. For fun. (More a writing pencil than drafting pencil.)

Pentel Graphgear 1000 Good, solid, economical. Advances pretty small amounts of lead for more precision. Has retractable tip for pocket. Has this strong spring clippy thing that gives me something to harass with my fingers. I like this pencil.
Also the PG105 but no clip to fidget with.

So I think the problem here is a divide in what 3D printing is good for and what people are postulating it will be good for.

Let's consider your example of a mechanical pencil.

I can buy a 24 pack of fairly high quality mechanical pencils for $6.58 or around 30 cents a piece.

This is because mechanical pencils are very high volume products. Even with these decades-old non-3D printed methods of manufacturing (injection molding, metal rolling, etc) that require tons of startup costs such as cutting molds and other tooling fees, we can still make millions of plastic pencils for 40 cents a piece. If you want to tack on shipping or "drive to the store" fees, let's call it 40 cents a piece.

How could 3D printing possibly improve on that? It really can't. Any attempt to mass produce mechanical pencils with a machine not specifically designed for making mechanical pencils will necessarily make it less efficient or at the very best just as efficient. So why would we make an incredibly sophisticated 3D printing machine and bog it down with the menial task of producing pencils that we can already fab by the truckload using conventional methods?

Now let's say you're a construction foreman who lost part of his hand in a construction accident and are having trouble writing on your clipboard using a normal mechanical pencil. I can imagine a scenario where some kind of specially designed mechanical pencil could be made to fit the grip of your remaining digits, but the aforementioned tooling costs would prohibit this device from being made due to the fact that the global market for a device meant to fit your specific deformity is in the thousands at the most.

This is a scenario where 3D printing is EXCELLENT. I believe it will revolutionize things like medical prosthetics, and while I really doubt that this hypothetical pencil could be 3D printed for 40 cents, it could probably be made for a very affordable couple of dollars.

Unfortunately the media likes to postulate that 3D printing will allow you to download and print out a football or a pair of shoes. The only situation I can think of this being even remotely economical is perhaps in some kind of Moon colony where there isn't enough infrastructure to manufacture these things outright and the shipping costs from a proper manufacturer are too high.

For every other scenario, it will always be cheaper to produce a product with a specialized machine.

Front left pocket:

• Nitecore MH12 rechargable 1,000 lumen flashlight in neutral white, clipped to rear corner. Sometimes swapped with a ThruNite TC12, also in neutral white. (Not pictured.)
  
• Fisher Chrome Bullet Space Pen
  
• Zebra Mini Mechanical Pencil TS-3, 0.5mm
  
• Flowfold Minimalist Card Holder Wallet filled with business cards
  
• Generic microfiber lens cleaning cloth
  
• RSA SecurID for VPN access
  
• Receipts and business cards received during the day (Not pictured.)
  
  ---
  
  Front right pocket:
  
  
• Wallet: Tumi Men's Delta Slim Card Case ID
  
• Leatherman Skeletool in stainless steel or a Spyderco Pacific Salt in yellow, PlainEdge (not pictured) depending on what I'm doing, clipped to rear corner
  
• Cash, folded once
  
  ---
  
  Front right coin pocket:
  
  
• Keys in a KeySmart key fob/caddy, with a few extras (ruler, bottle opener, etc.)
  
  ---
  
  Right rear pocket:
  
  
• iPhone 6 Plus in an Apple leather case. Mine's black (not Space Gray), but apparently they don't offer that anymore.
  
  ---
  
  Left rear pocket:
  
  
• Rhodia Staplebound Notebook (waterproof and doesn't bleed with fountain pens, which I sometimes use)
  
• AMMEX Black Nitrile Exam Gloves
  
  ---
  
  Eyes, ears, and wrist:
  
  
• Glasses with Aspex EasyTwist frames from Costco
  
• Plantronics Voyager Edge
  
• 42mm Apple Watch in Space Gray with Black Sport Band, wrapped in a Spigen Rugged Armor case
  
  ---
  
  Belt:
  
  
• Bigfoot 14 oz leather gun belt with steel core
  
• Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, chambered in 9mm in a Crossbreed SuperTuck holster attached with V-Clips so they aren't visible over the belt. The Shield has the following modifications:
  
  • Ameriglo i-Dot tritium sights
    
  • Apex Shield Duty/Carry Action Enhancement Kit
    
  • Talon grips
    
  • Mag Guts +1 spring replacement (adds an extra round of capacity in each magazine)
    
  • Fixxxer grip extension (on the one I keep IWB)
    
• Crossbreed Dual Tuckable IWB Mag Carrier, also attached with V-Clips and loaded with two magazines with identical modifications as listed above
  
  ---
  
  Ankle:
  
  Another, identical Smith & Wesson M&P Shield with the same all modifications listed above except the grip extension in a DeSantis Die Hard ankle rig.
  
  ---
  
  Feet:
  
  
• Keen Targhee II mid-height hiking boots - pretty much the most comfortable boot I've ever worn. I have wide feet, and Keens have nice, wide toeboxes.
  
  ---
  
  Notes:
  
  None of my pockets bulge, and everything is comfortable. Some choices were definitely made with carry comfort in mind:
  
  
• The flashlight was chosen because it is slim, doesn't taper, and has a pocket clip.
  
• The Leatherman Skeletool was chosen because it has a pocket clip and is very small/slim, yet still has tools I use every day.
  
• The pen and pencil were chosen because they are both slim and short, easily falling to the bottom of my pocket.
  
• The wallets were chosen because they were the thinnest choice available, and for quality/durability. There are slimmer card wallets than the Tumi's Delta (such as the Flowfold Minimalist), but not with card dividers.
  
• The KeySmart was chosen because it keeps my keys as compact and quiet as possible, and they don't get stuck coming out of a small coin pocket.
  
  There's been some discussion in /r/EDC lately about showing more than is carried. Everything in this post is carried on my person every day, with the exception of a flashlight and knife alternate listed in this comment. (But not pictured.)
  
  I carry other gear (such as, say, a laptop and a couple of DSLRs), but they aren't always EDC because they live in my studio. I may post another EDC list for them at some point, if there's interest.

In the "IDGAF, so long as it doesn't break" category?

I really like the Zebra M-301. Super classy steel bodies, and at least where I am, they're frequently on sale/clearance. I picked up like 3 2-packs for something like 1.50 each. I figure that'll probably last me the next decade or so, most decent mech pencils don't easily break.

For a bit more, but still under 10 bucks a pencil, I have a bit of nostalgia for the Staedtler Mars Micro 775. Have a red one my mother bought me in the 8th grade (so...2001 ish), and it still perfectly works. This one is also pretty widely available, or in a three sided variety, see this one.

And in Pentel flavours, eh, GraphGear 500. If I lose it, well, my family works on a university campus, the bookstore there carries ten gajillion more. The 1000 is a nice upgrade, along with the .03 Graphlet (which I used in Japanese class a lot for Kanji).

Thanks for the suggestion, it looks exactly like what I'm looking for.

But how's the clip? It looks like the Pentel Mechanical Pencils which are super flimsy.

Thanks again. I'm super picky and nerdy with pens and appreciate your suggestion.

Depending on his style, Star wars themed cufflinks... I have a few and are great conversation starters. Bought in etsy.

Also, mechanical pencils. Spend some money on a good quality one from Rötring (like this) or a Kuru Toga (look those up, they're awesome and SUPER geeky) or both.

Top it off with a fancy notepad (squared or ruled paper, we're not artsy types) like this and he'll remember you fondly every day.

Do not buy electronics or gadgets. He'll likely have what he wants and likes.

I'm exclusively a 0.5mm lead user.

My preference is a 2B or a 3B for smoothness, and I use Pentel Ain Stein lead. (Got a multi pack from 2B-4B for $12) It tends to write slightly darker than a standard lead, however, it does get used up much faster. This for me is not an issue since the difference at least in my hands is so much smoother.

There are many notebooks to choose from, maybe check out /r/notebooks but be warned your wallet might hate you. I like the Semi B5 size since it is without margins and if you write small it approximates the similar writing area for my personal use since I never used the margins in the 5 star notebook types. The lines in the maruman are very light and easy on the eyes. The paper is very heavyweight and thick. I typically find it hard to see through the pages so you can write on both sides without seeing lines pass through. The covers are a heavy duty plastic material and great for long term use.

I got these notebooks for archival purposes. I use them to write down engineering formulas and notes on designs -- things that I need to constantly reference and have handy. I paid about $8 each notebook with tax and shipping. Highly recommend them!

Here are the particular items I got so you can take a look:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017BDDZ7I - Kuru Toga

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HODH9QI - Leads

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OPQA7SK - Eraser (Don't buy the multi pack the erasers suck, but the holder is awesome. I took a Pentel Hi-Polymer eraser, and cut it up with a razor blade to shove on the sticks this thing comes with. Best eraser you can use! I also have the Pentel clic but it's not as good as the blocks since it's a harder polymer so it smears and doesn't erase perfectly.)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SWVXZ5G - Maruman Notebooks in Semi-B5

Also, shop around. Prices vary greatly for these items. Amazon may not be the cheapest, and sometimes Jetpens can be a huge ripoff so shop around before you buy!

Really good work.

If I can give some suggestions, I know mechanical pencils are kind of ubiquitous in schools, but I would try drawing more with thicker leads. Wooden pencils, woodless pencils, or staedtler mechanical pencils will help you with form and depth. Also using different lead types can help you in the long run. You seem to have a heavy hand (or really dark lead, going to guess it's 2B), playing around with 2H lead might help you save more time of drawing and erasing. (If you want more info let me know, I'm going to stop here because I feel like I'm rambling).

Keep at it, and never fall into the trap of being insecure about your work.

Interesting challenge! Of course, EDC depends on your personal needs and I'm going to assume you're in the US since you're making the challenge in Dollars. Unless informed otherwise I'm going to assume I don't need to buy a watch.

Arc lighter - I don't smoke but it's always good to be able to make fire - $10.99
https://www.amazon.com/Windvape-Lighter-Electric-Surface-Scratchproof/dp/B01M71VGBX

Travelambo RFID shielded slim wallet - I insist on RFID shielding these days! - $14.99
https://www.amazon.com/Travelambo-Minimalist-Genuine-Leather-leather/dp/B073D1TYS8

Jackery mini battery bank - I always carry power these days - $11.99
https://www.amazon.com/Smallest-Jackery-3350mAh-Portable-Charger/dp/B00L9F95RO

Now I want a charging cable bracelet but I don't know which phone you have. Either the MicroUSB version or the Lightning version
$1 - $3
https://www.amazon.com/Coromose-Wristband-Micro-Charger-Charging/dp/B013JNX12S

https://www.amazon.com/Charger-Cable-Bracelet-Wristband-iPhone/dp/B01HPPDQO4

Staedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil - I love these because they have an inbuilt sharpener and a more substantial lead - $9.04
https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Technical-Mechanical-Pencil-780BK/dp/B000YQEFGU

CRKT Journeyer - You have to have a knife and this is a good budget model. I would prefer the straight blade version but this one is cheaper - $26.87
https://www.amazon.com/Columbia-River-Knife-Tool-6531/dp/B00TFYANXG

NiteCore Tube - You can't have an EDC without a lightsource - $9.25
https://www.amazon.com/NiteCore-Keychain-Light-Pocket-Flashlight/dp/B00OZJ79R4

Rite in the Rain All-Weather Soft Cover Pocket Notebook, 3 1/2" x 5" - I know Fieldnotes are the gold standard, but I like a waterproof notebook - $7.40
https://www.amazon.com/Rite-Rain-All-Weather-Notebook-Universal/dp/B00262E6PU


Total = $94 (Roughly)

These are stupidly amazing. I kept seeing them mentioned everywhere, so I decided to pick one up (plus a sharpener which they call 'lead pointer' and some different grade leads). I don't think I'll ever use another pencil again unless I need a specific grade they don't make.

These have a nice weight in your hand, you can sharpen them to a needle tip easily without ever experiencing any breakage, you can turn them on their side to shade large areas, you don't have to deal with wood shavings, and the graphite is super high quality and always constant.

I've purchased 3 more since that first one.

Also a good tip: the lead refills come with differently colored caps (2B is purple, HB black, etc). You can pull the original cap off a pencil and replace it with the color cap of the lead you're going to put in it, so you always know which pencil hosts which grade lead.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B017BDDZ7I?ascsubtag=AgEAAAAAAAAAATK_AAAAAGD9DbAAAAAAW9u6Jw&linkCode=g12&creativeASIN=B017BDDZ7I&tag=thewire0f-20


The pipeslide is also a wonderful model by the looks of it. I've never used one before, but I do have a Pentel Orenz, which also has the sliding pipe mechanism.


As for how the kurutoga, it's a light pencil if you're into that. The paint on the models with they shiny overcoat WILL wear down over time, which is what happened to mine. But asides from that, they're pretty durable. They're great for the price. If interested, there's a bunch of designs you could choose from. (try searching up the pikachu kurutoga pencil lol)

Lots of people love the Staedtler stylus (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N31S7C) ... I think it's pretty neat but I'm not a fan of carrying extra shit around, so mine stays next to my bed 24/7.

I did pick up a GearVR and ... ehhhh... some people love it but I just am not impressed by the quality of the games available nor by the quality of most 360 YouTube videos. I mean you can pay $8 for a game that nobody would play for FREE if it weren't for the novelty of wearing your phone on your face.

Otherwise, it depends what you want to do, maybe get one of those attachable lenses to enhance the camera. Maybe get a case that can hold a couple of credit cards and cash so that you can try to go without a wallet.

I'm a big fan of the Staedtler Mars Micro in the low end. Not familiar with the Slide, but I'm a big Pentel fan, and that looks perfect for this. I think you're right - there's a "cheap shit" bracket that you want to avoid, a cheap bracket that's fine for this application, and anything else is overkill.

Personally, though, allow me to recommend any of the pricier Pentels for your own needs. The GraphGear 1000 is a very fine pencil, but even the Graph for Pro and the Pentel Smash (if you can find one) are great pencils for the price - https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Drafting-Pencil-Graph-PG1005/dp/B0013NFZU8

Happy Birthday!

1. N/A
   
2. N/A
   
3. Have on my list
   
4. N/A
   
5. [Frog](http://www.amazon.com/X8-Drums-Croaking-Percussion-Instrument/dp/B006AT65OA/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=YKASDQOC0SEJ&coliid=ICR00ODU5G77Z0
   
6. On the right
   
7. Game
   
8. Fruit Leather
   
9. Writing tool
   
10. 8th grade
    
11. You organize data on this
    
12. My hobby is football
    
13. Video game
    
14. Frogs are from nature.
    
15. The can 2nd to the left.
    
16. Cleats
    
17. N/A
    
18. N/A
    
19. N/A
    
20. Red cleats
    Bonus. Did you get the camera?
    Happy happy cake day

I wouldn't be wary of the Staedtler 925. The 925-25 and 925-35 are absolutely great writing utensils. Here is a picture of a 925-25 dissassembled. The only plastic in the whole construction is the barrel that contains the leads. Mostly all aluminum.

I would recommend the 0.5mm from my personal experience. It’s a great intermediate general-use lead and the prices are fine. One of the problems when you get down to 0.3mm is that the packages come with half as many leads as 0.5 and 0.7mm packages (Both Pentel Ain Stein and Uni Nanodia do this) so you’re paying twice as much for leads that each have less graphite. It’s easier to break the lead and easier to accidentally puncture cheaper paper when you’re writing with the lead. Larger leads really aren’t that bad, I have a dear friend who loves 0.7 mm and has no issues with using it daily for everything. He also uses a Staedtler 925 often.

The p205 was my introduction to mechanical pencils, because I found a very well loved and abused 205 covered in nicks and scratches on the floor in a hallway on a college campus and used it as my personal pencil for several years after that. Still have it, still works. Amazon currently has $7 for a twin-pack of p205s that I got as cheap but really good pencils to borrow to people during music classes.

My only issue with the p205 is I personally have very sweaty fingers and plastic tends to just get loose in my grip when I've been doing writing or math work for a while, so I ended up saying screw it and bought a rOtring 600. Its nearly all-brass construction is truly a Cadillac of a pencil in performance and price, but it's got ton of heft to it as I described earlier. It will last generations if you are careful with it though. Took my r600 apart and the chuck is a work of art. Closed chuck. And yes that is plastic, I was upset as you are but it doesn't seem load bearing and is the only plastic in the entire r600 besides the very end bit of the internal lead storage barrel.

Thanks for detailed response I really appreciate it. Seems like it's between the staedtler 925 and the Graph Gear 1000 with the Roulette Grip. There seems to be a couple versions of the Staedtler with the 925 25-05 and 925 35-05 being twice the price of the one I linked. Is there difference substantial and I hate to bother you again but of the ones I linked which one would you think is best for long writing for a long time? Thanks again for all the help.

I bought this pencil and he loves it. It really has a great feel in your hand and almost makes me wish I liked pencils so I could get one for myself.

Thank you so much!!!

I've realized that I made a mistake- this whole time what I was actually talking about is apparently called the [Kurutoga Roulette Model] (https://www.amazon.com/Uni-Mechanical-Kurutoga-Roulette-M510171P-43/dp/B004OHNTVC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485889062&sr=8-1&keywords=Kurutoga). I've read a couple comments and apparently they aren't too different in performance though. I think I'm going to order all the stuff you linked, except with a rOtring 500 over the Kurutoga and maybe a different pack of Ain Stein leads to try out HB (Although now that I've read up a little on lead, I feel like 2B and 3B are perfect for me so I might not even bother with HB)

Thanks again! :D Mind if I ask what you're studying or working on that causes you to record a lot of formulas and notes on designs? MechE or something similar? I'm currently in my second year of Computer Science so not too much writing over here but I still want a nice pencil to use :)

Every time I post a drawing, I always get a couple of PMs with people asking me what I use to draw. For my le'reddit doodles, I keep it pretty simple:

• Pencil:Straedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil I use HB lead almost exclusively for sketching the layout before I go to inks.
  
  
• Pens: Sakura "Microns" These have been my go to inking pens for years, they're a tried and true champ and they're pretty cheap. There's a lot of milliners out there but these are my favorites by far. For the reddit doodles I really only use the 08, 05, and 01 for the really fine lines.
  
  
• Sharpies and other stuff: I use a lot of Sharpies because they're cheap, typically just to do the thick black lines and fill in the big black spaces. However I also use a Sharpie White Paint Marker for reverse inking and minor corrections as well as Presto Correction Pens.
  
  

They have a grit in them that acts as an abrasive, which makes them great if you're using really heavy drawing paper with a thick tooth & good graphite that you're not jamming into the paper, then you use it very lightly. But I agree, they still smudge and are overly aggressive.

I prefer these, they don't have any abrasives and smudge way less

http://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Latex-Free-Eraser-White-STD52650/dp/B0006IK4BG

But a lot of people like these as well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kneaded_eraser

These are my preferred mechanical pencils with mars plastic erasers

http://www.amazon.com/Pentel-GraphGear-Automatic-Drafting-PG525A/dp/B0006HXQXA/ref=sr_1_4?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1413523441&sr=1-4&keywords=mechanical+pencil

and use good paper

http://www.amazon.com/Canson-400014970-Arches-Sketch-10X14/dp/B008NA891G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1413523545&sr=8-3&keywords=arches+drawing+paper

Kuru Togas are the shit! I use this one sadly they dont sell these metal ones in the US and you have to get them imported from Japan but they feel really nice and the Gunmetal Gray color looks super nice.

/u/Grep2grok's point about the speed of lectures is certainly worth considering. I'd parrot his pencil recommendation. For a premium pencil, I'd recommend any of the following:

• Rotring 600
  
• Alvin Draft-Matic DM05
  
• Uni Kuru Toga 0.5mm with 2B lead
  
• Pentel Graph Gear 1000 0.5mm
  
  Of the above, start with the GG 1000. I think it has the most comfortable grip for writing at length.
  
  Pencil kind of opens the playing field when choosing a notebook, as you don't have to worry about bleed. I prefer large spiral-bound books as they lay very flat. Your work space will be very limited most of the time, so something that folds back on itself may prove useful.
  
  
• RITR 6x9 or 8.5x11
  
• Rhodia spirals
  
• Whitelines spirals
  
• Doane spirals

For sketching, I use a Staedtler Mars 780 and to get it to the sharpness I like, I use a Staedtler Rotary

For inking, I mainly use Pigma Microns, but also like using other brands such as Kurutake Zig or Staedtler pigment liners, all of which I'm sure you can find at your local art store

Hope that helps!

Snapping Android windows came out last week in Chrome OS 65 😁

I can't say for certain because I haven't used a Wacom pad recently, but I believe Chrome OS does support them natively. Swear i tried one on my old Cr-48 I think. Just buy from somewhere with a return policy and try one out!

I've had trouble finding docks with 2 USB C female ports (same for battery packs), seems to just be because of the times. In the future I'm sure they'll exist.

Finally as a side note, if you're into using the stylus (on your Chromebook screen), someone on Reddit once suggested this, and it's pretty awesome: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N31S7C

Paper doesn't matter much to me I just like off-white paper. However, I do like to have a nicer pencil. The one I currently like is this one most people might see it as pricey for a pencil though. Like all supplies it is a preference. Try things out find what you like but, do not think too hard about it. You'll have a much better time thinking about other things like reading a chapter from your textbooks so lecture isn't your first exposure. Coming from someone who use to obsess over things like this vs my actual course work.

MY PENS!

I sure do love my pens and my engineering paper! I am not a drafting student, though I did take an engineering graphics course in college, which covered drafting. The ability to draw nice schematics has come in very handy in life.

Those Rotorings look nice! Too bad about the price and the plastic innards. I really like my Pentel Graphgear 500 0.3mm, it's plastic with a metal tip, and the 0.4mm extension to the metal tip strengthens the lead and allows you to see exactly where you're drawing. My only complaint is the sorry excuse for an eraser it has hidden under the metal clicker.

Agreed, greatest invention evar. I feel like people who still use non-mechanical pencils are like people who use hotmail in 2012. Or maybe old-skool hipsters. If you want a high quality mechanical pencil, check out something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Mechanical-Pencil-Metallic-P1035A/dp/B0006SW6YO

Personally I am ok with these cheapos:

http://www.amazon.com/BIC-Velcoity-Mechanical-Pencil-MV5P21-Blk/dp/B000GOWAQM

former Physics major here: Pentel P205, without a doubt.

5mm lead is perfect for crisp lines given all the calculations you'll be doing. To my hand, the GraphGear1000 is too heavy (also expensive), and I'm not a fan of metal knurling on pencils in general (sorry GG500). It's also imprtant to me that the lead be solid and held fixed with minimal play. I've heard (but not tried) that the Kuru Toga has some play in its lead. It also seems somewhat gimmicy.

The P205 is rock solid, light, and cheap. You cannot go wrong!

Ahh!! That's it! I used to get these all the time, Japanese stationary stores are really something else. My favorite was very small, but 5 stories tall, and had just about everything you can think of.

Amazon has the pen & pencil:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RF0IQ/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RHUM0/

Now I just need a justification to buy some. They feel like they most amazing portable pens to insert into moleskin type diaries.

This beautiful Uni Mechanical pencil with the "Kurutoga engine." This rotates your lead a few degrees each time you lift the pencil off the paper, which results in an awesome consistent line weight and eliminates the "broad-siding" of the lead. Paired with these fantastic leads and I haven't accidentally broken a lead while writing since September.

I was a long time user of the Pentel Clear Point series until I discovered the Uni KuruToga. I made the switch and I love using them. They feel a lot better to write with and there aren't any fading issues when I write with them thanks to the self rotating mechanism. The basic KuruTogas are okay but if you are uncomfortable with feeling the rotation as you write, these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004OHNR0A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 will make you see how well the KuruTogas are. The metallic feel is great and you don't feel the rotation mechanism when you write.

Staedtler Noris Digital Samsung Pencil, EMR Technology, Yellow Black (GP-U999ERIPAAB) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N31S7C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_nbKIBbSZ1WV63

Worked great with my Note 8... all 2 hours until I put it in my back pocket walking to a meeting... then sat down.


Pro Tip- don’t put in back pocket...

Was able to epoxy the parts together, but it was never the same... a bit bent feeling and weakened at the repair points.

FYI: the body of the pencil is just like a normal pencil (even with a lead like center). It only the area that looks like a sharpened pencil tip that has the S-Pen -parts

I've found that this pencil is by far the best when having to write essays in one period and do drafting in another and then go to math class and write out equations neatly. It's perfect for most usage and it looks stylish too :)

Personally, I'm much more a fan of a good lead holder. Staedtler makes one that i've used for years. Just be sure to get the accompanying sharpener. If you remove the clip, you can rotate in your fingers as you draw a line to get very crisp, neat linework. Lineweight is determined by the hardness of the lead you use.

Otherwise, you may want to wait until you enter school. Each program tends to have its own idiosyncratic preferences for graphics and drafting techniques.

The most popular option would be the rOtring 800.
Though TWSBI Precision could be a cheaper alternative (I haven't hold one of this, so I can't say how heavy/sturdy it feels)
Maybe you could be interested in a lead holder as well? I personaly love my Staedtler 2.0mm Silver Series if line weight is not an issue at least.

A nice set of calipers, or micrometers could be a gift that would last decades, but a quality set will run you at least a few hundred.

If this engineer does a lot of CAD work, you might consider a 3D mouse? $115 for this guy , but man I cant imagine doing design work without it now.

A nice Kuru Toga mechanical pencil is also great for drafting and pretty inexpensive.

Kuru togas are the best pencils you can get. Your best bet to get a really good kuru toga is to become bros with a Japanese dude, and ask him to buy you a couple when he goes back.

I have a rotring. It's a beautifully made pencil. I've had it for 3 years, perfectly balanced and great for sketching etc:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rotring-600-Mechanical-Pencil-0-5mm/dp/B00AZWYUA4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1458477042&sr=8-4&keywords=Rotring

Doesn't come in .9 but it's an excellent pencil.

Try the graph gear 1000. It's made of metal with a retractable tip and feels great on the hand. its $10.06 at Amazon with prime. Probably the best pencil on the market for the price.

Does anyone know how to get a rotring 800 with metal internals? I'd like another one, as mine is the plastic sort. The lead inside keeps breaking and I've heard the run with metal internals doesn't have this issue.

I found a vendor on Amazon that claims the internals are all metal. They're also running a sale, so it'd be great. Any idea if I can trust that?

Link

I have this one which I use for drafting. It works but i find the lead for be scratchy. It's definitely thin. Look at pens as well. Pigma microns or Copic Multiliners are amazing

Oh man, nobody's mentioned the rOtring 600 yet?! It's the love of my life. I had a Uni Kuru Toga 0.5mm for a little over a year beforehand and it was awesome, too. My only complaint about it was the compliance in the tip made it annoying to precisely predict how tiny lines would end up (I write very small). The 0.5mm rOtring doesn't spin the lead or anything fancy like the Kuru Toga, but it is so heavy, so well balanced, and the tolerances are just awesome. I've tried the rOtring 800 with the retractable tip, but the tolerance stackup of the moving parts just made it feel of lower quality than the 600.

In his defense fountain pens are awesome!

My personal favorite starter pen

My favorite pencil

You have to try the Staedtler Field Pencil. It's outstanding. Nice and thick and great if you find lead breaking all the time!

http://www.amazon.ca/Staedtler-Technical-Mechanical-Pencil-Product/dp/B000YQEFGU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398141976&sr=8-1&keywords=staedtler+pencil

I don't write a whole lot, and at work it's usually a whiteboard, but I do have a Pentel Sharp Kerry and it's really satisfying to write with. Great balance and feel.

https://amzn.com/B0006SW6YO

I totally agree that Bic pencils are "good enough" for basic sketching and drafting. I have been known to use them as functional lead storage tubes, holding somewhere around 10-15 pieces of lead for my beefier pencils like the rOtring 600.

If you are looking for an upgrade, the Pentel GraphGear 1000 is an excellent pencil for under 15 bucks.

0.5mm version

0.7mm version

Yeah no prob. I'll put them in this order: Lead Holder (very dark), sharpener (needs special sharpener, trust me you really need it), GraphGear, Copics, Chameleon, fine liners (I'll put the ones I use, but Micron's are a little more expensive option for better quality).

Staedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil, 2mm. 780BK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YQEFGU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9mS6CbSFJAYEC

Staedtler 502 BK A6 Mars Rotary Action Lead Pointer and Tub for 2mm Leads, 502BKA6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EL9J50/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mqS6CbVQD8F47

Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Automatic Drafting Pencil, 0.7mm Lead Size, Blue Barrel, 1 Each (PG1017C) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GAXKGU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IqS6CbS16A0FB

Copic Markers 6-Piece Sketch Set, Bold Primaries (SKST6-BOLD) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XR7XZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ctS6CbR4M2RF0

Copic Markers 6-Piece Sketch Set, Skin Tones I https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XR92EG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YtS6Cb6Z6HZWJ

Chameleon Art Products, Chameleon 5-Pen, Primary Tones Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ97KXS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6uS6CbVHJ0THK

Sakura 50203 8-Piece Pigma Manga Comic Pro Drawing Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004N98UIS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8vS6Cb3D5HZBS

I used those Bic mechanical pencils for probably 18 years of school, and I still use Pilot G2s. But I recently got myself a nice mechanical pencil -- Uni Kuru Toga, and dang is it nice. Keeps a super consistent point, feels great to hold. Didn't save me from bombing my last midterm, but I felt way better doing it!

It's just a little thing, but a nice, bound, notepad with bookmark is essential for me. I like the quad-ruled ones:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-NH130210120V-S-Classic-Notebook-Squared/dp/B01DN8TEA2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1541454040&sr=8-6&keywords=quad+ruled+notebook&dpID=51WoQSZKalL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Could consider a nice mechanical pencil to go with it, too: https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-Barrel-Mechanical-Pencil-1904443/dp/B00AZWYUA4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541454178&sr=8-3&keywords=rotring+pencil&dpID=31NpYvK41ML&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

These are already released: http://www.amazon.com/Uni-Mechanical-Pencil-Kurutoga-M54521P-24/dp/B017BDDZ7I

I really hope that Pentel (my favorite brand) or even staedtler makes something new this year. That would be awesome. I feel like no new good pencils come out (IMO the recent Graphgear 800 and Rotring 800+ were bad)

I use a Pentel Sharp Kerry and absolutely love it! I attached a Leuttchurm pencil loop on the inside flap of my pocket notebook cover so that I can carry it. (Just fyi, my cover is about 3.5" x 5".)

EDIT: This also doubles as my wallet and I carry it in my back pocket. I need to keep the pencil inside the cover so that it's not too wide. As is, I never sit on the pencil. I chose the Kerry for the size and durability. Seriously, one of my best purchases.

I'm going to assume your price limit is also 20 u.s. dollars.

Pentel Sharp Kerry Mechanical Pencil (0.7mm), Black Barrel, 1 Pen (P1037A) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CD026M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.mYyCbMSFQP9G

Uni Kuru Toga Auto Lead Rotation Mechanical Pencil Standard Model 0.5 mm, Body Color(Baby Pink/Violet/Silver), 3-pack, Sticky Notes Value Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079SCSW6X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8nYyCbGK19R4G (you will always have a sharp point, it rotates the lead for you)


Kokuyo FitCurve Mechanical Pencil - 0.5 mm - Clear Blue Body https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I3ZOBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jqYyCb5K3JRV2 (super freaking comfy)

Kaweco Special Mechanical Pencil Brass 0.5mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XCLY7Y5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9qYyCbHFNVDWG (50 bucks, mainly for you kaweco collectors out there.)


Uni Alpha-Gel Mechanical Pencil 0.5mm, Royal Blue (M5807GG1P.40) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BYLO9U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.rYyCbS3QP6HB (also really comfy and rotates the lead 2nd favorite)


Pentel Mechanical Pencil Orenz 0.2mm, White Body (XPP502-W) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IG1QTSC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UtYyCb4QRC529 (Ulta fine 0.2mm)

Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil with Bonus Lead Refill, Fine Point, 0.5mm Point Size, Standard #2 HB Lead, Black Barrel, 1-Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LNNZS90/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KuYyCbVGWG8X8 (favorite and guards the lead.)

Zebra Mini Mechanical Pencil, 0.5 mm, Silver Body (TS-3) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RF0IQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5vYyCbBMFHKQ1 (pocket sized, as in really tiny)

Pilot Del Ful DF Mechanical Shaker Pencil 0.5mm HDF-505 Pink https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AC20KB0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9wYyCbBNRNNJ0 (shaker mechanism)

The only reason I ever found out about Rotring Freeway is because I was looking for a heavy metal pen with a nice color to it.

If you're looking for a really nice mech pencil, I highly recommend a [Uniball Kuru Toga] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004OHNR0A?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage)

I used this all through mechanical engineering school and I absolutely fell in love with it! It still writes today (4+yrs old) and has been abused most of its life.

I also love my T-3 mechanical pencil. Great set! Zebra Mini Mechanical Pencil TS-3, 0.5mm, Silver (TS-3) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RF0IQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FXIUBbQH4TZGK

I can't recommend the Pentel Sharp Kerry enough.

It has a cap so no lead or pointy ends poking you when it's in a front or back pocket. It's shorter in the capped configuration and longer with it open and writing with the cap on the back. It has an eraser in the cap and advances the lead when you push on the end, even with the cap on the back. It writes fantastic, feels nice, and it's the first .05mm I've owned that wasn't snapping leads every five seconds. It's very well designed, all metal construction and surprisingly inexpensive for what you get.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006SW6YO/

staedtler 925 all the way.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BNHMC8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I HIGHLY recommend splurging on a nice pencil. Something you use every day you will easily see that spending over ten dollars is worth it.

In that case. I bought one of these and I love using it. It is a solid chunk of metal with a solid metal tip and an eraser cover. Its .5 lead. I like how solid and sturdy it feels.

Pentel GraphGear 500 Automatic Drafting Pencil Black (PG525A) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006HXQXA?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Congratulations! I noticed after getting mine that there's two different models out, the plastic body one like yours and a metal body one that seems to be Japan-only. This is the one I got and I really like the feel and look of it. How is the plastic one?

I've had a Graph Gear 500 for almost two years now and it's the only pencil I ever use anymore. They are cheap, but are made for drafting so it's got a sturdy construction and a really nice weight.

You can get them down to .3 mm, which should be good for what you want to do.

That's about the average price for that particular version. FYI, Camel Camel Camel is a must-have tool if you are shopping Amazon. You can track the price history, set alerts when a price drops, and they even have a handy Chrome plugin so you can just click the icon when you are on an amazon page instead of going to the 3camels website. I highly recommend it. For instance, I just got an alert yesterday because the Rapid Pro I was tracking dropped to $22.

charcoal pencils

doesnt have to be that one cause its a litttle $$ but thats what my firend bought me as well as

cheap but amazing mechanical pencils

The Pentel P200 series mechanical pencils are great for writing and drawing. I use one in .5mm in High School (9th) and it works great. They will last you a long time and they are not expensive.

I highly recommend the pencil that I use, It's even on a pretty good sale right now!
https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Mars-Technical-Mechanical-Pencil/dp/B000YQEFGU

And this is the sharpener:
https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Rotary-Action-Pointer-502BKA6/dp/B002EL9J50/ref=pd_sim_229_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41fnryers5L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL320_SR172%2C320_&psc=1&refRID=VPPRN3NGX9HEAQW2XJ0B

The softness of lead is up to you, since that's preference.

I personally use Clairefontaine with a Uni-ball Kuru Toga. I'm not normally a fan of 0.5mm led (prefer 0.7) but these two have been a perfect combination for me for both work and school. If you're looking for full size notebooks, I recommend anything that is Dotted/Grid.

Yep.
If you're looking for a larger stylus for longer writing/drawing sessions, the Staedtler Digital Pencil ($15) works great. Also, with either this or the included stylus, Squid is amazing. Zero lag.

I've always used Zebra M-301s. They are stainless steel, 0.5 mm, and feel very nice in your hand. They have a certain feeling of precision when being held.

However, they had a tendency of poking my leg when they are in pocket. So I've recently switched to Alvin Draf-tecs (I recommend you get at your local art store) which have retractable tips. I like them, but I'm not sure if I like them better than the Zebras.

Coukd be who was working, the particular warehouse or any number of things but youre welcome to give it a go. Its a good price for it right now anyway. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006HXQX0

Forgot to mention you will want to pick up a different stylus for the Chromebook for heavy usage. The portability is excellent with the provided stylus but it is designed as a "add on" for people doing quick notes rather than the professional artist. My hand does cramp due to the barrel size of the provided stylus. While the ones I linked aren't the only choices you need to make sure you get the ones designed for the older Surface tablets and/or Wacom compatible technology. I think there are a few subreddits posted about this in the Samsung Chromebook subs...
Some choices are:
https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Digital-Samsung-Technology-GP-U999ERIPAAB/dp/B072N31S7C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1525439437&sr=8-4&keywords=chromebook+pro+stylus
https://www.amazon.com/Wacom-Microsoft-Surface-tablets-technology/dp/B00BVUQZZ2/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1525439451&sr=8-17&keywords=wacom+surface+pen

I like them much better. Especially the S-Pencil feels nice, and it's available on backorder from Amazon directly for $27: https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B072N31S7C

I have had this pencil for FOUR years. I gave the other one to my EE buddy because he kept trying to take mine. It makes such sweet sweet lines. :)

Also, get this eraser. I haven't used a better one in my life. It erases so beautifully. :)

I started my engineering path last semester and learned veary quickly the need for a special pencil in coparsion to the 20 cents pieces of crap from wallmart. I've been using Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Automatic Drafting Pencil 0.7 and have been loving it sense. The head can be locked in the pencil so it doesn't stab you every time you put it in your pocket, which is nice.

sketchbook and the pencil. The pencil is really good, has a very solid feel and good balance. You may also want to consider getting a putty eraser if you are going to go beyond sketching, or you are going to go through erasers on this mechanical pencil like crazy.

Best price for the Rotring 800 was in the middle of July during Prime Day, about 20 dollars from Amazon and another 3rd party seller. I got mine around that time.

​

Edit: Proof on CamelCamelCamel https://camelcamelcamel.com/rOtring-Retractable-Mechanical-Pencil-1904447/product/B00AZWNS84

About that... There are tons of examples on Amazon of mechanical pencils that cost more than $10 and have tons of reviews and purchases. Once you get into metal bodied mechanical pencils you can easily spend more than $10 but chances are you'll be able to hand them down to your children they're so durable.

Read the title and came here to recommend getting a mechanical pencil, and it looks like you were already thinking about it!

My rOtring 600 should be here tomorrow. Pretty psyched about it.

A good eraser is also a life changer.

I'm a huge fan of the Pentel Sharp Kerry. I have had one for over 20 years (back when it was called the 5) and it has held up and performed beautifully. You won't find another pencil with a cap, either.

A knife isn't allowed, but a couple of these https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Graph-Gear-0-5mm-PG1015/dp/B0013NHU7O/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1511989836&sr=8-5&keywords=graphgear+1000

are probably equally effective for defense, and handy for using on exams or in class.

Joking aside, make an appointment with the dean of students office, and ask for advice. They might be able to speed up the process.

The S Pen that comes with the Tab S3 is actually very comfortable. It should work well with the Tab A as well. Another option you can try is the Norris Digital - https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Digital-Samsung-Technology-GP-U999ERIPAAB/dp/B072N31S7C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526057081&sr=8-1&keywords=norris+digital+pencil

led holders. They're kinda like mechanical pencils but the have a a bigger led and no eraser. Great for doing sketches a any sort of rough drawing.

edit* Apperently I could spell. Lead holders: https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-STD780C-Lead-Holder/dp/B0006HXM8O
Thats the 2 mm version. There are larger ones as well

This Pentel 0.5mm was my girl for the last 2 years of school. Definitely a great one on a budget.

The graphgear 1000 and rotring 600 are the most highly recommended pencils on the subreddit, but if neither of these suit your fancy, jetpens has an excellent selection.

https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Automatic-Drafting-Pencil-PG1017C/dp/B000GAXKGU

https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-Mechanical-Pencil-0-7mm-502607/dp/B001A1POWC

https://www.jetpens.com/0.7-mm-Drafting-Pencils/ct/2542

I just ordered one a few hours before I saw this post,lol, I guess I made a good choice then.
Amazing has a sale for the .5 600s for $15.

If you want the auto-rotating lead and the metallic lower body with the knurled grip, then you should definitely go for it. It's currently $8.11 on Amazon with free shipping.

I must say, I feel like it breaks less often than any other lead pencils I've ever owned.

The Pentel Kerry series are very much in line with the budget of a a student, good quality and look quite high-end:

https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Mechanical-Pencil-Metallic-P1035A/dp/B0006SW6YO

The Pilot Automac series are also good if you want to just keep writing without worrying about advancing the lead.

The following devices all have Wacom EMR digitizers and would for example work with the Staedtler noris digital ($27)

• chromebook plus about $400
  
• chromebook pro about $500
  
• Galaxy tab S3 about $450
  
• Acer Chrome OS tablet to be released in the coming weeks, $329
  
• Lenovo 500e about $300
  
  
  Which one you want probably depends on whether you want a keyboard or not and how much you value screen size, resolution and quality (All except the lenovo are "retina", either 12 inch 3:2, 10 inch Amoled or 9.7 4:3 Ipad screen or garbage for the lenovo one).
  
  Appwise, Inkredible Pro is pretty nice as is LectureNotes. Inkredible has nicer pens and design, but LectureNotes has more features.

https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-Retractable-Mechanical-Pencil-Barrel/dp/B00AZWNS84?th=1

good luck!

I adore my rotring 600 and I use it all the time when I'm doing stuff on my desk, but I can't bring myself to take it around with me, and the weight can make it a little uncomfortable to use for extended periods. I have a pentel graph 1000 (not a graphgear 1000) as my everyday carry. It's excellently made, lightweight and comfortable, and won't cost me much if I lose it.

In contrast I have a uni kuru toga roulette, which is supposed to be their high end model, and I don't like it at all.

I always use a Kuru Toga pencil for anything I can do in pencil. The lead automatically rotates in the barrel as you write so you always have a sharp point. I use the metal version, they make cheaper plastic versions which write just as nicely.

My pen of choice is pretty much any gel ink pen in black. If I can't get that, whatever else the office supply closet has (as someone else said).

This pencil will keep your lead sharp.

These are just so cute!

Write on!

I love writing letters!

Anyone here will vouch for the kuru toga, awesome pencil for the price

https://www.amazon.com/Uni-Mechanical-Kurutoga-Roulette-M510171P-43/dp/B004OHNTVC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492701123&sr=8-1&keywords=kuru+toga

Also the kuru toga .5 HB pencil lead is excellent, writes really smooth and breaks less. Will work nicely with any pencil you choose. The TWSBI precision is on my list too but I'm waiting for black to be in stock again!

I bought one of these some time ago
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072N31S7C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It works really well with my Chromebook Pro and feels more natural for drawing than the original stylus. Of course, it doesn't fit into the stylus slot on the keyboard, so I just keep it in my pencil cup.

Next time make requests in the dedicated thread.

You should check out the pentel graph 1000 for pro. I view it as a upgraded version of the GG, minus the retractable tip:

I recommend the Staedler 925 25-05 because it feels like a solid piece of metal. There is no eraser -- something I like.

http://www.amazon.com/Silver-drafting-mechanical-925-25-05/dp/B002BNHMC8/ref=sr_1_5?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1397621341&sr=1-5&keywords=staedtler+pencil

I have been down that road. Trust me, it is not worth it. First of all, you don't need to have multiple pens and mechanical pencils on you at all times. You are probably really prone to losing them, as I was, so you think you need a bunch.

Instead, get a single, nicer pen or pencil and keep it in a bag. Since it is the only one you have and it cost four freaking dollars you won't lose it.

Also, strongly consider ditching the lanyard. You will not look back on it fondly.

Well you can always check for local calligraphy classes.

Additionally, if you're a student, your school may offer Calligraphy or Typography courses you can check out.

If neither of these appeal or apply, you can always check out some books on Amazon. Some good ones under $20:

Here

Here

And the pencil

Pentel graph gear for the WIN:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GAXKGU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Nothing wrong with a mechanical pencil, there is a difference though. The lead in a mechanical pencil is a lot thinner than a #2hb pencil an makes it very easy to break. When I'm drawing with pencil, or a clutch mechanical pencil, I use the side of the lead to lay down lead without cutting into the paper. This makes it easier to erase and shade large areas. Your work is really good, but lack a darker value that would make your drawings more depth.

The graphite is actually a mixture of graphite and clay. The more graphite the harder it gets and vice versa. You only need 3 different lead HB, 2B, and 6B. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAJtYM53R74&feature=channel_video_title

I actually just ordered a pencil with a cap. It's pretty cool that the button on the cap pushes down on the button to advance the lead, so you can use the pencil with or without the cap on.

I mean these are pretty cool

I was in the airport waiting on a delayed plane and I was reading a romance/psychological thriller book. I was so entranced by the psychologist- she was so poised, so smart, so sexy and so appealing! I knew I wanted to be just like this fictional woman. After that weekend trip, I came back to school and switched from education to psychology and never looked back.



And now I'm going back to school to earn my PhD and I would love to have these pencils 'cause herp derp I'm lost already and school hasn't even started. College Rulez!

Looks to me like Pentel GraphGear 500. It's not too expensive compared to others, but it's entry level for nice drafting pencils.

The rotring 800 is pretty much indestructible. The tip retracts so as not to get damaged. https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-Retractable-Mechanical-Pencil-1904447/dp/B00AZWNS84/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=3GUCU20GYLG9U&keywords=rotring+800&qid=1551019864&s=gateway&sprefix=Rotring&sr=8-2

Some good writing implements will be useful, you'll be doing a lot of writing in the next four year.

some of my favorites are:

Kuru-Toga Roulette

Pentel GraphGear 1000

or, If you want to kill 5 birds with one stone, the Uni-Jestream 4&1 is a solid choice.

As an architecture student, I used lead holders which usually had sharpeners instead of or in addiition to erasers, that came off. Of course using a dedicated lead pointer (sharpener) was usually better and easier, but for portability it wasn't necessary. Here's what I mean, and leads and the lead pointer are in the "people also bought" box if you want to see those too: example product

They're so well designed and hidden though that lots of people didn't even notice (or read the directions).

Pentel Sharp Kerry

Nice compact pencil that has a cap like a pen so it doesn't pike you. Fairly cheap too.

I've heard if you want to write with the pencil more than you're drawing with it, you want to go with the rotring 500. I believe it's made with more plastic and less brass so it's lighter, and you can write longer.

Might also want to look into a Kuru Toga, they rotate the led so you dont have to readjust the pencil and he led stays sharp. I would recommend the Roulette or the Pipe Slide. As long as you don't lose them they'll last you years.

http://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Automatic-Pencil-Barrels-P205BP2-K6/dp/B000SBSAYE/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1372378963&sr=1-1&keywords=pentel+mechanical+pencil

This has been rated for years to be the best mechanical pencil out there for a reasonable price.

Korutoga by Uni. Metal body, 0.5mm lead, and probably one of the best functioning mechanical pencils around. Sharpens the lead as you write.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004OHNR0A/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1427023630&sr=8-1&keywords=koru+toga

Pentel and Uni ... peasants. Best one I’ve found also not on a college budget

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AZWNS84/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_orlJBbTW67VXY

It's a pencil, likely a Pentel Graphgear 500. Great pencils.

Clutch pencil (or lead holder) also qualifies I think. Different style of pencil, great for drawing with.

Staedler 925 is a great choice. It comes in silver (925-25-05) or navy blue (925-35-05). The silver version us usually a few bucks cheaper.

My awesome pencil:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AZWNS84?cache=ce3fbf00de2a75c7d13227faaca48155&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1413557224&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

The only place on the page it says used is the "used & new from $22.17", which means that you can get it used for cheaper if you want. this one itself is unused

*EDIT* if you go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00AZWNS84/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all it clearly marks the $28.49 one from amazon as new

In that case it might interest you to know that Pentel Kerries are on sale half off on Amazon right now!

https://www.jetpens.com/Rotring-600-Drafting-Pencil-Replacement-Tip-0.5-mm-Black/pd/8653

hope this helps, also included an amazon link below for a new 600

https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-Barrel-Mechanical-Pencil-1904443/dp/B00AZWYUA4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525749979&sr=8-1&keywords=rotring+600

I use a pencil that rotates the tip as it writes so that you get a conical shape at the tip of the lead. It helps prevent breaking. The most common cause for lead breaking I think is when you use just one side so it becomes a triangle wedge and when you spin it around to even it out it breaks. See Amazon link here. Keep in mind I've been able to find some at local stores for about $5 per pencil. I also don't lose mine, so that justifies the higher price imo.

For anyone wanting one of these things of beauty.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N31S7C

I've got both the Uni Kurutoga Roulette and the Pentel Graph Gear 1000. Both are great buys, but I prefer the 1000 because the Kurutoga has a little bit of bounce to it when you press it down. Couple either of them with diamond infused led and you wont have to worry about breaking while writing.

If you usually journal with a pencil, can I recommend getting a lead holder instead? They last longer because the lead is thicker, so you don't have to deal with the constant breaking lead of cheap mechanical pencils which means more writing and less clicking. I recommend this one, it has a sharpener built into the cap. And I use a Pentel Clic Eraser.

Uni Kuru Toga Roulette
Rite-in-the-Rain Weatherproof Notebook
Smith Wesson Special Tactical
SouthOrd Jackknife Lockpick
Nebo Edge Flashlight
Pierre Cardin watch
Rothco Tactical Pen
Altoids Mini EDC - full post here
Keys w/ paracord

Here's a link

They're easy to find on Amazon and Jetpens. Jetpens is usually a little more expensive though.

The included stylus doesn't have buttons. I have a class set of them. Just a standard stylus. There is one on Amazon
Staedtler Noris Digital Samsung Pencil, EMR Technology, Yellow Black (GP-U999ERIPAAB) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N31S7C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vkbLBbCCNEV64

I hear it's good. I haven't bought it. I have an old pen cased stylus from my note pro 12.2 that I use.

$6.58 Pencils with free prime shipping! <3

The Staedtler 925 25-05 and Pilot S20 are loads better than the GG1000 IMO unless you want the retractable tip.

Have some stuff Muji coming in as well but decided to post now :)

List of items - Uni Kuru Toga Roulette: https://www.jetpens.com/Uni-Kuru-Toga-Roulette-Mechanical-Pencil-0.5-mm-Gun-Metallic-Body/pd/6547

Tombow Mono Graph: https://www.jetpens.com/Tombow-Mono-Graph-Shaker-Mechanical-Pencil-0.3-mm-Black/pd/16825

Arch Eraser: https://www.jetpens.com/Sakura-Arch-Foam-Eraser-60-Black/pd/18452

Shitajiki Writing Board: https://www.jetpens.com/Kyoei-Orions-Clear-Shitajiki-Writing-Board-B5/pd/19479

Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica: https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Hi-Tec-C-Maica-Gel-Pen-0.4-mm-Black/pd/10197

Pilot G-Tec-C Gel Pen: https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-G-Tec-C-Gel-Pen-0.25-mm-Black/pd/4561

Mono Eraser: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IFXJSW0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Kokuyo Campus Loose Leaf Paper: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017JWQ5H8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Stalogy A6 Editors Notebook: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TYDSQS2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Kokuyo Campus Notebook Set: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002C4KL8I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Rotring 600: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AZWYUA4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Kiki’s Delivery Service Kuru Toga Pencil: https://www.amazon.com/Mitsubishi-Delivery-Ballpoint-KURUTOGA-Guchokipanya/dp/B01LYDYVZE

Pilot Hi-Tec-C: https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Hi-Tec-C-Gel-Pen-0.25-mm-Black/pd/41

available at 0.9 as well, which I prefer because the lead never breaks.

The retracting tip is its main advantage over the p20x line, mainly because deformation in the little barrel at the pencil is the only way you can ruin that pencil. They used to come with a little pick thing that let you ram clear and straight it (it was attached to the eraser!), but now they don't sell them with that piece anymore and when the tip is bent, the whole thing stops working.

Another one I like is the Pentel Sharp Kerry pencil.

http://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Mechanical-Pencil-Metallic-P1035A/dp/B0006SW6YO

Some of us engineers care about our pencils! Especially if it's a Rotring 800

Any colors that you want?
Here's a nice one

There's the [Staedtler 925 25] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silver-drafting-mechanical-925-25-05/dp/B002BNHMC8/ref=sr_1_1?s=officeproduct&ie=UTF8&qid=1469699537&sr=1-1&keywords=staedtler+925) it's also available in night blue. Of course there's also the [Pentel Graphgear 1000] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pentel-Graphgear-1000-Drafting-Pencil/dp/B0013NHU7O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469699767&sr=8-1&keywords=pentel+graphgear+1000). It has a retractable tip so that helps protect it.

There's the Staedler pencil which is getting excellent reviews, although I haven't tried it personally. There's the Tab S3 pen which is very good and a little larger than the "toothpick" pens. I personally use a Wacom Bamboo Feel but they don't seem to be available any more for a reasonable price. They were $30-$40, and now they're going for $100-$400...

You can get a Pentel GraphGear 1000 from Amazon for under $9. That'd be my vote.

https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Automatic-Drafting-Pencil-PG1017C/dp/B000GAXKGU/

But it's also hard to beat the Pentel Sharp iguy2345 mentioned. They're basic, but bombproof. I like the TwistErase, too.

You can track the pricing on the rOtring 600 0.5mm on Amazon.
I've been tracking the rOtrings for quite some time now and I'd say the prices are actually dropping.
https://ca.camelcamelcamel.com/Rotring-Barrel-Mechanical-Pencil-1904443/product/B00AZWYUA4
You can use this website to help you track the price. Once, the price dipped down to $20.99 and I nabbed three rOtring 600s once I saw that.

+1 for Rotring 600 or 800

Also a 4 hole punch would be nice if he wants to make up his own custom notebooks with millimetric graph paper and such.

I bought a pack of Zebra M-301 mechanical pencils 15 years ago and they're still going strong. Lasted me all through high school and college.

I bought a 0.5 mm Alvin on a whim sophomore year in college. I almost returned it because I didn't realize how expensive it was until I got home, but I decided to give it a shot.

It's been about eight years and I actually had to search for "good mechanical pencils" on Google because the writing had completely worn off and I couldn't remember the brand. Highly recommended.

You might enjoy [this] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CDEUBO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=12DLECSTE4XR5&coliid=IPO6J12TNDVD1).

This is the one you want: https://www.amazon.ca/Rotring-Barrel-Mechanical-Pencil-1904443/dp/B00AZWYUA4/ref=sr_1_1?s=office&ie=UTF8&qid=1492826919&sr=1-1&keywords=rotring+600

There are two groups of people in the world: people who think this is the best mechanical pencil ever made, and people who've never used one.

I think I paid $50 for mine, and if I somehow lost it I wouldn't think twice about paying that much again.

Same, but just ordered a new hotness I'm itching to try out. I'm excited.

Are you a student? Or a frequent pencil user? If so..


Rotring 600's fit your budget.

> 4518

I'm an idiot. You do have the colours of ink I was looking for. Although the bottles are bigger than the ones I wanted. Would it be possible to get a picture of the 15ml bottles, and their pricing, you can see them on the right hand side of the ink picture, if their pricing is fairly decent, then I would probably prefer to buy it off them :P Along with that, I saw the store stocks the kuru toga pencil. Would they happen to have the metallic version of it linked below, there is a preference for black, but silver is also fine; Linked below.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B004OHNTVC/ref=twister_B00PADMR3U?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

if you could do that, that would be absolutely amazing, and sorry about all the questions :(

The Kuro Toga is my favorite. the tip auto rotates as your write to always keep a sharp point.

Get yourself one of these well worth the money if you can keep up with your pencils. https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-Barrel-Mechanical-Pencil-1904443/dp/B00AZWYUA4/ref=lp_2599831011_1_1?srs=2599831011&ie=UTF8&qid=1493684267&sr=8-1

Do you have one of the nicer Kuru Togas with quite a bit of metal, or is it one of the cheaper ones that's almost entirely plastic?

I rotate my rOtring 600 as I write to keep an even tip.