Musing on Pencils

 Speaking of pencils, I just got a couple of nifty Japanese mechanical pencils. When it comes to anything stationary related like pencils, pens or paper, it is usually the Japanese or the Italians who are the best. And then, of course, the Chinese are copying them for less!

When I got my new pencils, one in .7mm and one in .5mm I noticed that I had an old mechanical pencil that was always my favorite: a Staedtler Mars Micro .5mm, still going strong. I have had it so long I don't even remember buying it. But it was at least thirty-five or forty years ago. Apparently good mechanical pencils, like good fountain pens simply don't wear out. This one even has the original eraser:

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If you click you should be able to see the brand name. When it comes to mechanical pencils it is either the Japanese or the Germans. This is a German brand. I went on Amazon and you can still buy this exact pencil in exactly the same color on Amazon for $9.

https://www.amazon.com/Mars-Micro-Mechanical-Pencil-Width/dp/B000GPI5XI/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=staedtler+mars+micro&qid=1601912481&sr=8-1

Here is my vintage Staedtler with my new acquisitions, Pentel GraphGear 1000 which are really nifty pencils, but cost between $12 and $20 depending on where you order from.

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I will obviously be passing all these along to my heirs...