u/Due-Entertainment541

Ever wonder about the story behind those classic US government-issue Skilcraft pens and pencils? It all ties back to a powerful program started in 1938 called AbilityOne, creating incredible job opportunities for Americans who are blind or have significant disabilities.
In my latest video, we are doing a massive stationery deep dive. We go under the hood of iconic models like the Fidelity, the "Double Ender," and the Draft Pro, comparing them side-by-side with commercial legends like the Pentel GraphGear 500. We’ll tear them apart to look at the internal brass clutches and see how these rugged utility tools actually stack up.
Watch the full breakdown here: https://youtu.be/C8wmwgwERZ4

Pilot 2020 Kaku (shaker), rOtring 500, P219

Just published a full documentary on the DJ Fugle Leadlok, a 2mm lead holder and sharpener system most people have never even heard of. Fugle didn't just make a lead holder — he also engineered real improvements to how lead pointers worked at a time when most drafters were stuck with messy sandpaper boards.

In the video I dig into:

• Delmar J. Fugle's patent history and how it ties the Leadlok back to around 1951
• The Fugle-Mellet Products company timeline, including how it quietly wound down after Delmar's death and was finally dissolved by the state of Florida
• The evolution of the sharpener design across multiple variants and packaging types
• A side-by-side comparison with a contemporaneous competitor sharpener built on a separate 1949–1951 patent
• Three exceptionally rare Leadlok variants at the end, including one I believe may be one of the only left-handed Fugle pencils in existence

If anyone here has ever come across a left-handed mechanical pencil or lead holder from any brand, I'd genuinely love to hear about it in the comments — drop a line.

Full video here: https://youtu.be/XayNDhbC898

DJ Fugle was a small U.S. maker (1950s–1970s) known for well-built aluminum drafting pencils that were popular with engineers and designers. Simple, durable, and still great writers today.
Anyone else collect old American drafting tools?

After months of research, I finally finished my complete history of the Pentel Smash Q1005 mechanical pencil.

In this video you'll learn how to date your Smash to the exact month it was manufactured using the hidden date code under the clip, identify all four production phases from 1987 to today, and see many of the rare limited editions released over the years.

I also cover the original designer Mr. Matsuzaki, the 2014 shortage that helped revive the Smash, the Korean exclusive set, Pentel XS, the Smash B1000 ballpoint, the rare PQ6 collaboration, customization options, and a hidden feature that every student carrying a Smash should know.

Video:

https://youtu.be/X3XFK6ya9TM

Hey everyone! In today's video, we’re taking a deep dive into one of the stranger, lesser-known pieces of Japanese stationery history: the Uni Returns.

Released in the early 2000s for just 300 yen, this pencil doesn't just advance lead—it uses a unique floating piston mechanism to retract it back into the tip. We look at its short history, common collection issues like grip degradation, tear it down to see how it works internally, and compare it to classics like the Pentel P205 and the Ohto SP series.

Check out the full breakdown and see a model demonstration of the mechanism here:https://youtu.be/qqjM_R4PF3A

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https://youtu.be/qqjM\_R4PF3A

I just uploaded a deep dive on the rare Lion 3200 series mechanical pencils along with the larger Lion drafting pencil family from the 1980s and 1990s.

In the video I cover:

* The Lion 3200 series

* Vintage Lion catalogs from 1986 and 1991

* The 3100, 3400, and 3500 series

* Lion cassette pencils

* The Lion 3320 clutch pencil

* Comparisons with the Pentel P205 and Mitsubishi Sharp M3-1003

* Close-up looks at the aggressive micro knurling

A lot of these pencils are poorly documented, so I tried to make this as comprehensive as possible from a collector’s perspective.

[https://youtu.be/M9CRjCRm-8k\](https://youtu.be/M9CRjCRm-8k)

Here is a lesser-known Japanese drafting pencil: the Lion 3200 series.
It was available in three lead sizes:

• 0.3 mm (model 3230)
• 0.5 mm (model 3250)
• 0.7 mm (model 3270)

These retailed for 700 Yen back in the day. I’ve confirmed it was sold from at least 1986 through at least 2001, as it appears in both the 1986 and 2001 Lion catalogs
Simple, clean design and a classic no-frills drafting pencil from the era.

Also pictured is the No. 3320 2mm lead holder from the same period.

I’ve just released a comprehensive deep dive into the history and evolution of the Pentel Kerry.
This video covers every single model ever produced, from the original "Pentel 5" branding to rare Japanese domestic exclusives like the 50th-anniversary series. I’ve also included a tutorial on finding and decoding the date codes to help you accurately age your collection.
Huge thanks to Nimrodd for the research assistance on this project.

You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/B09Vss3sfCM

I just published a new video diving into one of my favorite niches: vintage compact and telescoping mechanical pencils.

These are some of the most interesting designs ever made — pencils built specifically for portability, pocket carry, and everyday use long before “EDC” was even a term. A lot of them solve problems we still care about today like protecting the tip, reducing size, and maintaining usability in a compact form.

In this video I cover:

•	Vintage telescoping and pocket pencil designs

•	Unique mechanisms (double-knock, twist, cap-based, etc.)

•	Why these were made and how they compare to modern EDC pencils

•	Some of the best and most collectible examples

If you’re into mechanical pencils, vintage Japanese stationery, or just clever engineering, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Watch here:

https://youtu.be/caS3ropbd4g

Would love to hear what your favorite pocket or telescoping pencil is—there are way more out there than people realize.