u/UnnecessaryDetail_UD

Sorry for Photo of a Screen - see the pencil here?

It looks like an Apsara Absolute to me, which was launched in 2013. The series is based on 1999, at which time this pencil did not exist!

Does it look like the Apsara Absolute to you? It could also be their sketching series graded pencil. It shows up around the 27-28 minute mark. Sadly there is no clear shot.

I have a deep dive on Natraj & Apsara pencils releasing at midnight tonight on my YouTube Channel (UnnecessaryDetail_UD) in case you are interested, check it out :)

Happy Independence Day!

P.S: this was not planned ... I am watching Safed Sagar right now when I noticed it, and it just felt too good to not share.

The Hauser (Germany) 2.0mm Mechanical Pencil is not German, but it is really good!

If anyone knows about the history of Hauser or is natively familiar with the brand please do share... I could not find much about the original company. Currently, the brand is owned by an Indian company - Flair Writing Industries.

Flair is a reputed manufacturer of pens, and of late, they have been producing extremely low priced and very well made 2mm lead holders. I think they currently have the widest range of 2mm lead holders (including the variants of Move).

They have made an amazing lead pointer assembly, that they adapt into various sizes to fit the end caps of pencils and they also sell the lead pointers at Rs. 50 (~50 cents) for a pack of 3.

Their lead holders are also between 10 cents and 25 cents a piece, which is cheaper than many wood encased pencils that are available in the market.

Hauser Hexon 2.0 mm Mechanical Pencil is beautifully made - the transparent white body and the pale yellow sticker give it a very Muji-esque vibe. The leads write well, and the pencil has automatic/incremental progression and an end cap lead pointer. It is light but has a large girth, which makes it a bit awkward to use for long writing sessions. It is, however, just 25 cents and a wonderful pencil to have in your bag as a back-up.

The transparent body has the added advantage of working like a demonstrator fountain pen, where you can always see the lead length available (well, for the most part, until it goes behind the white portion) and can allow you to plan refills better.

Flair Move 2.0 is a 10 cent all plastic lead holder that has incremental lead progression... and thats it. No frills, no complications. You might even call it an Indian version of Kita Boshi 2.0mm Adult Pencil / Mechanical pencil.

P.S - In case you are interested to know more, detailed reviews for both these lead holders and many more are on my YouTube channel with the same name - UnnecessaryDetail_UD

I tried 7 different pencils that they make and here's what I think about them:

Common Themes across pencils:

• The Extra Super Dark HB #2 Contradiction - The pencils all carry HB Grade, but are typically 2B or darker
• Point retention is quite bad, and once the point is gone, given how soft the core is, the pencils become hard to use
• All pencils are the same - They all have the same core, with different jackets around them. I would have loved real options across variants with different cores, aimed at drawing, writing, office use, school use, etc. However, their target audience is school kids looking for budget pencils, and they like dark pencils.
• DOMS Groove, with exposed wood in the grooves is my favorite - I love the raw wood feel in these pencils.

Views on Individual Pencils:

DOMS Fusion - Triangular pencil with a rubberized paint - feels good in the hand

DOMS Zillion - Hexagonal, No end cap eraser, Interesting look. Has a funky e-racer eraser in the pack

DOMS Karbon - Looks a lot like Taison d'Or, writes nothing like it. Hexagonal. Has good solid build and feel, end cap eraser.

DOMS Neon and Wizdom - Circular. Neon has slippery paint, Wizdom is matt and grips better. Both have end cap erasers and have good balance.

DOMS Groove - Has grooves in the paint what expose raw wood underneath. The wood feels amazing. Triangular. No end-cap eraser.

Ticonderoga - Now also made by DOMS - Good core, Good Wood, Much better than all the other DOMS that I tried

What are your thoughts on these or other DOMS pencils?

In case you want to see more about them, I have published a long form video review on my YouTube Channel (@UnnecessaryDetail_UD). It is the first of a series on Indian Pencils and 2mm lead holders that will be published over the coming Saturdays.

P.S - Checked with mods before sharing the channel link.

Was using pens a lot more before, but my son started to ask me to sketch random things. I tried to pull out my old pentel side click (quicker clicker 0.7mm) from 07 and the clutch was worn out (could reliably hold the lead). So I grabbed a mars technico from my dad, then bought a rapid pro 2.0 2mm, then got a kuru toga advance upgrade. Felt I needed a titanium mech to match my titanium bolt action maxmadco pen, so I got a modern Fuel (0.9mm and 0.7mm mechanism) Then saw a great deal on the kuru toga metal. All within about 4-6 weeks. I may have a problem with my hyper fixations.

Staedtler Mars Technico

Rotring Rapid Pro 2.0

Kuru Toga Advance Upgrade

Modern Fuel Click Pencil 0.9mm (w/ extra 0.7mm mechanism)

Kuru Toga Metal

This lead holder is the culmination of 5+ years of searching for something like this - raw wood pencil!

I had previously bought wooden pencils which I thought would be unvarnished wood - but they all had a layer of varnish or clear coat on top.

I received this 2.5 mm lead holder today - Koh-i-Noor Versatil 5208, and it is exactly what I had been looking for. You can feel the gentle sanded roughness and rawness of wood, and the feeling is just amazing!

I am in love with it already, and I can't stop writing.

I like to spend significant time with a writing implement before talking about it, but the joy is too much to contain - and this is the best place on the internet to share it :)

It is light, thick, stubby and very promising. More later, once ai have spent time with it.

What Stage are you on?

I am Stage 5!

2mm lead holders, with all their joys and simplicity, can also seem unfamiliar, and thus intimidating for the uninitiated. While everyone just knows that a wood encased pencil needs to be sharpened and is familiar with the sharpeners, and everyone also knows that 0.5 and 0.7 mm Mechanical Pencils are ready to go, without the need for any accessories... the 2mm lead holder falls somewhere in the no-man's-land between the two.

This essay is my attempt to simplify the buying process to 5 distinct stages of lead holders - with clear recommendations for what to buy at each stage, along with the reason why. While I go into all the Unnecessary Details in the video essay, I am sharing the summary of each stage and the recommended pencils here. What is present in the video but skipped in this post is:

1. Criteria for selecting Lead Holders at each stage

2. Rationale behind specific lead holders suggested at each stage

You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/3EPOjYEX2B8

I have sorted the Budget / Mid / Premium categories based on prevailing prices in my country. Please check the prices where you are buying - at times if the manufacturer is from your home country, the Premium Option could be cheaper than Mid or even budget.

Also, the over-simplification and just one option in each category at each stage is intentional - to remove the paradox of choice and give a clear path to the reader basis how much she/he wants to spend.

Sidenote - links are pasted and not hyperlinked so that you know what you are clicking

Stage 1 - The Beginner

You have found this community and this post, you are curious about the interesting looking Mechanical Pencils that are quite different from everything you have used till now and you want to get started. Here are the 3 recommendations for people at this stage, with reviews of each

Budget: Koh-i-Noor ( https://youtu.be/-a1yEiOkanc ) - 5201 / 5228 / others (coming soon)

Mid Range: Staedtler Mars Technico 780 - Review: https://youtu.be/s2Ej4gPnn2Y

Premium: Kita Boshi 2mm Wooden Lead Holder - Review: https://youtu.be/6y-sjdvaaAs

Stage 2 - Intermediate

You have at least one of the Lead holders from stage one and now want to get another. Also, you do not yet have any dedicated lead pointers.

Budget:

Koh-i-Noor Overview https://youtu.be/-a1yEiOkanc

5901 Coming soon

5608 https://youtu.be/QeV3oTP-3o0

Scrikss Graph X https://youtu.be/rsU6J3DtbtE

Mid - Mitsubishi Uni MH500 https://youtu.be/h_HNYN30NgY + Staedtler 513 85 or KUM Easy Point lead pointer (coming soon)

Premium - Staedtler 925 or 935 https://youtu.be/tK6EbFngbWw + Uni Lead Pointer https://youtu.be/pn9a_qryV-4

Stage 3 - Consolidate

As the name suggests, here you consolidate! You have 2+ lead holders already and maybe even a lead pointer. Here, you look back at Stages 1 and 2 again and select something else to give you more variety in your experiences.

Make sure you get yourself a Lead Pointer at this stage.

Also, you should get yourself refills / additional leads that are available from all major manufacturers.

Stage 4 - Committed

You have multiple lead holders, lead pointers and refills by this stage. You are committed to the hobby now...

... but your friends and family believe that you need to be Committed to an Asylum for your uncontrolled addition.

You have everything you will reasonably need, but you have forsaken reason and you still want more.

Budget - Faber Castell TK 9400 https://youtu.be/iXpaAaVEiGo or Rotring 300 https://youtu.be/zTU7vUxP2kQ

Mid - Muji 2mm Wooden Lead Holder https://youtu.be/7v21M_lQ7iw or Ohto Sharp 2.0 https://youtu.be/Acfd63lLv1Q

Premium - Staedtler 925 https://youtu.be/tK6EbFngbWw

Lead Pointers:

KUM AS2 Long Point Sharpener https://youtu.be/4Qz5ca1cF2Y

Staedtler 502 Rotary Sharpener (coming soon)

Stage 5 - Certified Connoisseur

The path to greatness goes through madness. Welcome to stage 5! Congratulations, you are now a connoisseur!

You are here if you have managed to convince those around you of your sanity, but you are not fully convinced yourself.

You will now find the leadholders where the prices go from steep to completely absurd, so there are no Budget or Mid options in this stage.

Rotring Rapid Pro https://youtu.be/7rMUKr_eeBA

Below are the ones that I have heard good things about but I have not tried myself yet:

Caran D' Ache Fix Pencil

KaweCo Special 2mm lead holder

Conte Criterium (now BIC Criterium, which has mixed reviews)

Rick Powell Design Hand Turned 2mm Lead Holders (Have only seen them and they look like they would be amazing, but I have neither tried nor seen reviews of these yet, but I bumped into the owner on one of the reddit threads and that's how I know of these)

Discontinued / legacy lead holders from secondary market

Final Boss: Yard-o-Led Diplomat (sterling silver, handmade in Birmingham)

Side Quests:

Coloured Leads from Staedtler, Uni, etc.

Different lead sizes: 2.5mm, 3.5mm, 5.6mm

Ultra Budget Lead Holders from India:

Flair Move - https://youtu.be/UqqpOHu_MBg

Hauser Hexon - Coming soon

Most importantly, keep writing, keep drawing and keep having fun!

And that is all that I have to say about that - Forrest Gump

This is the first iteration of the guide, and I look forward to your feedback, suggestions and inputs on how this can be improved so that it becomes a better guide for readers over time.

2mm Mechanical Pencils were the largely ignored cousins of mechanical pencils for me, until I rediscovered them a couple of years ago. Since then, I have been completely smitten by them, bought every lead holder that I could reasonably get my hands on.

I have also been working on creating a repository of 2mm lead holder reviews, and have reached a point where, I hope, sharing this would add value to the community, either by piquing curiosity or by acting as a resource for anyone seeking details.

In each review, I share my thoughts about various aspects of the lead holder - weight, balance, grip section, thickness, lead pointer, etc. and conclude the video with my ratings for the pencil for Writing (usually split between long writing sessions and short notes) and Drawing (Mostly based on sketching and shading), and conclude the video with the answer to the question: To Buy or Not to Buy.

To make the reviews easy to watch, since I talk slow and at times my thoughts are meandering (as evidenced in this post as well), each video is heavily chaptered and you can jump straight to the part that you would like to see, instead of sitting through the 15+ minutes of details.

I am sharing links to each of the clutch pencils that I have posted till date, in case you find something interesting from the gallery above and want to check it out. Would love to hear from you about when you last used a 2mm lead holder, which ones are your favourites and what do you like the most about them?

Also, please share your feedback on the review format - what I can do better and how I can deliver more value to someone who wants to know about these product. I will, of course, be hanging around in this thread's comments and the comment section of the videos as well.

Playlists:

2mm Mechanical Pencils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq3nfsxSPjD5FtWOowtrTvqfngKoWfeRY

Sharpeners for 2mm Lead Holders: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq3nfsxSPjD6h0pXdD91_xpIoHy-cd3i2

Wooden Pencils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq3nfsxSPjD6FM9P_PJeII3F91WQAngmC

Individual Lead Holder reviews:

Mitsubishi Uni MH500 - Amazing Knurling though might feel bit to aggressive for someone transitioning from wooden pencils. Lead grade indicators are printed and not changeable, pencil end caps correspond to the lead grade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_HNYN30NgY

Faber Castell TK9400 looks stunning but is a tad bit too thin to be enjoyable for writing. Works great for drawing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXpaAaVEiGo

Staedtler 925 and 935 2mm Mechanical Pencil: Was an early favorite, and continues to be that for me. It always feels like a hot cup of tea on a cold day, and I find it extremely comforting to use https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK6EbFngbWw

Rotring Rapid Pro 2.0 is the most expensive mechanical pencil that I own in this category, it is heavy which is its pride as well as its bane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rMUKr_eeBA

Muji 2mm Mechanical Pencil is a wooden pencil that is short and stubby, and is based on the same pencil by Ohto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v21M_lQ7iw

Ohto Sharp 2.0 Mechanical Pencil looks amazing but the paint is a bit too glossy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acfd63lLv1Q

Uni Field 2.0 is a cousin of the MH500 that comes with automatic / incremental lead progression and a different grip philosophy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2f8Ok0Lzz4

Staedtler Mars Technico 780 is a great starter lead holder, with drop clutch mechanism and inbuilt lead pointer. It is a joy to use for drawing and has drop-clutch mechanism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2Ej4gPnn2Y

Scrikss Graph X 2mm Mechanical Pencil was a great budget option but inflation has increased prices where I am to not make it so any more. Is it priced affordably in your country? Also, avoid the chrome grip variants of this one - they are slippery to the point of being unusable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsU6J3DtbtE

Kohinoor was a hidden gem and makes by far the most variants of 2mm lead holders that I could find from a single brand. They are affordable and offer great quality, with some common issues. In this video, I share what to expect, in general, when buying a Koh-i-Noor Mechanical Pencil - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a1yEiOkanc

Koh-i-Noor Versatil 5608 is a tiny pocket pencil that is my favorite for everyday carry and possibly the one that I have used the most. Needless to say, I absolutely love it despite its quirks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeV3oTP-3o0

Kita-Boshi 2mm Mechanical Pencils (aka Otona) comes the closest to a wooden pencil in form factor, is the most natural transition from wooden pencils to 2mm lead holders. It comes with a lead pointer that adds to its utility as a starter pencil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y-sjdvaaAs

Rotring 300 2mm Lead Holder is the second of two lead holders that Rotring still makes, is a bit too thin for comfortable writing but amazing for drawing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTU7vUxP2kQ

Flair Move 2.0 is an unbelievably low priced lead holder from an Indian manufacturer. For 10 cents, you get a full length lead holder similar in form factor to a wooden pencil, automatic / incremental progression and a long 2mm lead inside. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqqpOHu_MBg

Scrikss Office Twist 2.0mm is an innovative product from Scrikss which is at times accused of making clones of popular pencils. The innovation, though interesting, is quite unnecessary and created more issues that it addresses, making it the only double-knock 2mm lead holder I could find https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_cneGp-4E8

Generic Blue lead holders that are sold under various names such as ROMA TR2000, Deva, Isomars, Kabeer, etc. are absolutely unusable, which is a shame because they got so much right in this pencil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC-4xcw1SoA

KUM AS2 Automatic Long Point Sharpener (Blackwing sells a version of this, calling it their own) is my undisputed favorite sharpener that has two stage wooden pencil sharpening, as well a 2mm and 3.15 mm lead pointer inbuilt. It also comes with 2 replacement blades included in the pack which I find absolutely amazing in today's world of planned obsolescence and enshittification https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qz5ca1cF2Y

Uni Lead Pointer is tiny - unbelievably tiny - and extremely functional. It is my preferred Everyday carry lead pointer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn9a_qryV-4

Upcoming Reviews: Staedtler 502 Rotary Sharpener, Koh-i-Noor 5228, Hauser Hexon, a few lead pointers and 2mm leads from Staedtler, Ohto, Kita-Boshi, etc.

In case you are also interested in wooden pencils, I have reviewed three of these till now:

Faber Castell 9000 HB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do18n8bH__0

Staedtler Yellow Pencil 2026 Update https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpRRV2FZOp0

Dixon Ticonderoga HB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LT-4BN7mLo

I will also be doing a 3 part series on Indian wooden pencils from 1st to 15th August, in case that is something you might like.

Thank you for reading, it got a lot longer than I expected - much like most of the video reviews that I make :D Hope you found it useful.

I want to take this opportunity to share with you some amazing Economics tutorials that are available on YouTube for free. I know there are many established educational creators online, however, Mrs. Khosla brings her own style of calm, simple and focused teaching to the online space.

Each Student has his/her own learning style and I am sure there will be some who will benefit from this. In case you are curious, I am sharing some links to playlists and videos below - please do check it out. It will greatly motivate her to continue sharing her best knowledge on an ongoing basis.

Channel Page: https://www.youtube.com/@TejinderKhosla

Recent Videos:

Objectives of India's Planning Process - https://youtu.be/nvovreRgDds?si=dsVHY-kKLCiXp1gM

Money Supply - https://youtu.be/ynL_ZCAYmOQ?si=LCSkYSv1LbV_zunL

Balance of Payments - https://youtu.be/yFNoWi8wOek?si=NFGbt7S-gADt1Qcq

Items Included and Excluded in Calculation of National Income - https://youtu.be/zbLkXvxjiKQ?si=m6uTFD1idGDHecpS

Chapter Wise Playlists:

Introductory Macroeconomics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynL_ZCAYmOQ&list=PLltD_LwmneU3ClsJT3wDy-synmJfgCHvv

Foreign Exchange: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vClqBhTTdw&list=PLltD_LwmneU3en-PKk_1MSHncv0nMTNgU

Government Budget: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwuQntZSOaE&list=PLltD_LwmneU14GhQtlETAlJFC15pxB0sq&pp=0gcJCe4COCosWNin

Determination of Income and Employment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6ngTaKSXmQ&list=PLltD_LwmneU0cnPHmbxJ3KpQ_OalDqCvM&pp=0gcJCe4COCosWNin

National Income Accounting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk18A9iAjYU&list=PLltD_LwmneU0Z9tBee45gB1hzBc4tCiOQ

Balance of Payments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFNoWi8wOek&list=PLltD_LwmneU1sao5S6XBw12JyzF_XO7Jn

Full disclosure:
I wrote to the Mods before posting this, but have not received a response yet.

I know Mrs. Khosla personally, and I am posting this to help her find students that will encourage her to keep making more concept explainers, since she has been doing this for 6 months without YouTube able to find the right audience for her videos. Thank you all for your support, which you should extend only if you find her work truly useful or beneficial.

These were long overdue, but I finally managed to publish these videos!

​

The Uni Field is an interesting pencil, with knurling that is slightly less aggressive than the MH500, but with additional cross grooves for slippery situations. The internals are a bit rattley, and the lead is Automatic Progression. No lead pointer or eraser in-built into the pencil end-cap, instead it just has a breather hole. It is a good tool for outdoor use.

​

Video Review: https://youtu.be/u2f8Ok0Lzz4

​

The MH500 is a legend... Drop clutch, great knurling on the grip, lead grade indication through coloured end caps. It weighs the same as a typical lead holder, but is thicker so feels a little hollow compared to others. It is a lot of fun to use, though I do miss a changeable lead grade indication instead of the printed grades.

​

Video Review: https://youtu.be/h\_HNYN30NgY

​

Uni Lead Pointer is just incredibly cute with the tiny form factor and gives a nice shallow point. The one that I used seems to have a rather aggressive blade angle and takes off shards of the lead instead of creating graphite dust while sharpening.

​

Video Review: https://youtu.be/pn9a\_qryV-4

​

Enjoy the Sunday :)

​

Upcoming reviews:

Staedtler 502

KUM Automatic Long Point

Kohinoor Versatil 5xxx - 4 variants with codes I can barely remember :D

I tested July 2025 and April 2025 batches of Afnan Supremacy Not Only Intense. Summary:

July'25 Batch was overall a better batch with more complexity, but a defective bottle.

April'25 Batch has more Oakmoss, less complexity and is more Summer Friendly.

(I have also posted the same on my very small YouTube Channel - Please share your feedback on the video, would deeply appreciate it. It is information dense and made for the questions that this community typically has: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRahSw60H5E )

I have also uploaded the detailed notes image with this post - please see that for more information, it will be redundant to type all of that here again.

I had the July'25 Batch with me for ~4 weeks while there were delays in return pick-up by the seller. I asked the seller if I could use the bottle while they delayed the return, and they were okay with it. So I don't have a Week 6 update for this batch.

July'25 Summary - This had wider swings in notes / accords during the 4 weeks that I had it. It had a mix of Fruity and Citrus accords. Initially there were Ambroxan-like notes but they disappeared over time. The Oakmoss was initially very metallic, sharp, screechy and annoying, but it settled into a smoother note over time. By week 4 there was a hint of Smoke, at which point the pick-up finally happened.

April'25 Summary - Yes, they replaced newer batch with an Older batch. It has less citrus and more Fruity accords. Oakmoss was there was Day 1, was initially sharp but it felt less so as I was prepared for this thanks to the previous bottle. It has good longevity, low projection, and the oakmoss feels like a cooling note on hot summer days. Do you all feel the same way or is it just me?

April'25 Decant - I extracted 3-5 ml at a time, 2 times during the 6 weeks. Decants seem to be more punchy in the opening, and get smoother faster on a side by side comparison.

Hope this helps those who just bought the SNOI or are planning to buy.

How has yours aged over the months, in case you have had a bottle for a long time?

I have been using this perfume for 6 weeks, here's how it changed (Macerated / Matured / Evolved / Transitioned).

(In case you would like to listen the review, it is live on my small YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2pzF2eEFHU)

The new bottle was a sharp and synthetic mess for 1 week with no discernable notes or accords in the opening. It settled into vetiver.

By Week 2, the notes were clearer, with Bitter Orange opening and base notes of Vetiver. The notes stayed largely the same over the testing period.

By Week 4 the perfume started feeling more grounded, meditative and calming.

By Week 6, longevity of 10+ hours was unlocked. However, this was with 2x the number of sprays (about 8 to 10 as against 4 to 5 in the previous weeks), with most of the time spent in an air conditioned environment.

While this perfume really shines in the afternoons, it can be used all day long in summers. The Orange and Vetiver notes can be polarizing and may not be universally liked, however, for me they are perfect.

Also, the Vetiver (Khus) makes me feel slightly cool (I do not know how) during the day.

Context: Location - Delhi with temperature surging to 40+ Deg Cel

P.S - No, this is not Deja Vu. No, you are not in the Matrix. This was originally Posted on Saturday, but was deleted by Mods as it broke a community rule - Clone content is not allowed on weekends. Thus, Reposting on a Monday Morning :) Cheers

I was reviewing the Staedtler Yellow Pencil 134 HB on my YouTube channel today. It has been my long term favorite pencil and I have been using it for more than 10 years.

However, the pencil has changed in these years and it makes me very sad. The lead and the paint are completely changed and it is not the same pencil any more. Just the weight feels the same. Everything else has changed. They sell it in India at a huge premium over other brands.

During the review, I found that the latest batch that I ordered is full of misaligned cores! I have 4 boxes and all are full of terrible Quality Check.

I was completely bummed out and disappointed. Have written to Staedtler as this is not acceptable.

Meanwhile, has anyone else seen issues in Staedtler pencils?

I am leaving the video link here in case you want to see more of the issue around sharpening and lead breakage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqCv1mQ3GdA

@Mods - In case this is not appreciated, do let me know and I will remove the link. Many thanks.

Jinhao 9016 with heartbeat Nib and Syahi Bloody Red ink... The pen is more crimson orange than this photo suggests, was unable to colour correct properly.

Had issues with skipping and hard-starts with this one, as I have had with every Jinhao I have owned, except maybe the Lamy Style nib versions.

30 minutes of tuning - Tyne widening, removing "baby's Bottom" from the nib and widening the feed got me to this juicy wetness that it now feathers on the 140 GSM sketching paper.

I might have overdone it, but Better this than dry and skippy, any day.

Update on my encyclopedia journey: I have uploaded the reviews of the trifecta of wooden pencils. This takes the total reviews up to 9 lead holders till now, links below:

Playlist Wooden Lead Holders - https://youtu.be/7v21M_lQ7iw?si=GG576nU9GEntI32I

Playlist of all Lead Holders till now - https://youtu.be/7rMUKr_eeBA?si=_2J2leZFzahT3eeA

Ohto Sharp Pencil 2.0 Lead holder - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acfd63lLv1Q

Muji Wooden 2mm Mechanical Pencil - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v21M_lQ7iw

Kita-Boshi 2mm Lead Holder - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y-sjdvaaAs

Summaries of latest Reviews-

Ohto Sharp Pencil 2.0 - Good Pencil, all wood. Is short but a bit too thick. Is light, balanced towards the center with a slight rear bias. The paint is too glossy and thus slippery, making it hard to use. The internal mechanism revolves freely, making it hard to sharpen and use the eraser.

Muji Wooden 2mm Lead Holder - This one solves for many of the issues in the Ohto. Is the same product (probably rebranded as Muji / Made for Muji by Ohto or by Ohto's manufacturer). While it stays the same inherently, it solves the following basic issues:

a. The end cap locking mechanism is updated, making it slightly easier to sharpen

b. Through-hole added in the eraser as a safety measure that also allows for quick-loading of the pencil and makes it compatible with longer 130 mm leads

c. The paint is less slick, making it easier to grip

d. I find the understated look more elegant that the Ohto

Kita-Boshi - I recently shared in this subreddit.

Upcoming projects:

1. Uni Drop Clutch Lead Holders

2. Uni Field 2.0

3. Faber Castell TK 9400

I hope to complete all my current lead holder reviews by June 2026 - unless I get distracted against and stop for the next 15 months again.

In any case, hope you all find these useful.