u/drifand

Starting from the 1970s, Colleen began differentiating itself as a brand by focusing on double-knock mechanisms, and visual flair that cast a wider appeal for men and women. They popularized 'gold coated' leads that not only looked nice, but also helped dainty fingers avoid graphite smudges.

So the 'SCOOP' took me by surprise as it looked more like something that Sakura or even Zebra might have dreamed up. It is decidedly futuristic, from the sleek double-slope cone, smooth all-aluminum body, to the slotted clip and mechanistic bellows sleeve under the domed button.

Other nice features: the MP has a retractable sliding sleeve and the metal clutch comes with spring cushioning. No cleaning pin, but the eraser well uses an O-ring to help grip the dome cover securely.

Lastly, the name was only discovered when I came across a post on X showing the last picture with the SCOOP in its original packaging. A fellow collector remarked: if the pen didn't have the Colleen price sticker on it, you'd never suspect it was a Colleen!

While the recently released KAYOU+ Aim Vision lead refill case is inspired by the Aim Vision series of mechanical pencils, I found its aesthetics and mechanical functionality to be a closer match to an older and equally fiddly design: the OHTO Conception 0.5mm from 2016.

The aluminum clad lead case is very light, only 4.74 grams when empty. And while the two one-way dials used to set the lead size (0.2 to 1.3mm, RED) and lead hardness (2H - 4B) are nicely tactile and satisfyingly ‘clicky’, the small size of the stopper-lid meant that my fingers would always grab slightly on the topmost dial whenever I wanted to open the case. And so it is almost inevitable that the dials get shifted accidentally and would need to be reset.

In additional, the 2 dials are actually not easy to read. Unlike the Aim Vision pencil, which has a natural ‘this side up’ orientation based on the clip and text markings, on the lead case you need to first locate the tiny ‘dash mark’ used to align the 2 dials before you can accurately read off the settings.

So, in use, the Aim Vision case is really more of an indulgent fidget toy and less of a functional tour de force. Fun but be prepared to discover you have forgotten what lead hardness was actually stored in the case.

Mitsubishi BOXY Special ‘ribbed’ and Pilot 2020 ‘Kaku’ shakers, also known as ‘2020 Gimno Type’ in Japan, or ‘shark gills’ everywhere else :D

Brought out several (mostly) metal pens and pencils in darker greens to do a group shot with the most recent Orenz Nero and Sakura Intaglio in “green black”. Man, the Orenz and Intaglio are really pushing it for color subtlety!! When I tried to photograph them on a black background, those two would simply appear as dark grey; against white they looked more like black... lol

Pic 1, L-R:
• Sakura craft lab 001S gel pen Green-Black 2023 limited
• Staedtler 925 35 0.3mm Olive Green 2024 Korea limited - modified using the All-Black series internals and cone.
• Tombow MONO graph fine 0.5mm Green 2025 limited
• rOtring 600 BP Camouflage Green 2020 limited
• Pentel Orenz Nero 0.3mm Green Black 2026 limited
• Sakura Intaglio 0.5mm Green Black 2026 limited

Collecting the vintage Pilot H-56x series was a pretty long journey as I had prioritized the H-109x initially because of its full-length knurling. And when I did manage to find all the sizes, I didn't think I would be able to find a matching pen to use with them on a weekly rotation.

That was true, until I chanced on the Sailor Metalino Fit, a 2+1 multifunction pen. Produced from 2015 up through 2025, it was an unusual executive pen design that incorporated some pretty serious knurling just above the cone. That the knurling was also pretty short reminded me of the H-56x series right away. And so I tracked down a Metalino Fit recently, and in blue, natch.

Since the Sailor already has a 0.5mm pencil component, I decided to include only the 0.3, 0.4, 0.7 and 0.9 sizes for the Pilot. What do you think? Good match? :D

One of my favorite childhood car memories was the Diaclone Car Robot that featured a Porsche 935 in Martini Racing colors. It would later become the Autobot Jazz in the Transformers franchise. I loved playing with the toy despite its relatively clunky design by modern standards. Looking back it's obvious how big the gaps and joint seams were, but a kid's imagination is unbeatable!

And for the mechanical pencil pairing, I chose the Pilot 2020 'Flag' in white, red and blue—to match the racing colors of the Martini Racing livery. The 'Flag' hails from 1982, which is right around the time that the Diaclone toys were launched in Japan. Good times! 🏁

Picked up Luddite’s TechDraw 2 Custom Parts in black and proceeded to turn my 0.3mm TD2 into a Stealth Pencil. I love how the faceted design reminded me of the F117 Nighthawk. To round it off, I included my Aim Vision Pro and a Nitecore bolt action pen.

Meet the EH-KN 'Knock Eraser' and H300KS 'Custom 5' mechanical pencil in 0.5mm, produced by Tombow in 1967. This series shares a reverse tapered design that makes them look sleek, almost like an artist's brush. I especially like the simple grooved lines on the grip that make them very comfortable to handle. The H300KS was basically the second in-house produced mechanical pencil from Tombow, after the H300K came out the same year.

When I first acquired them on Mercari and Yahoo Japan Auctions, I had no idea what they were called. It was only years later when I found other auctions and X posts with the original boxes (the last 2 images above) that I learned the model numbers. Even so, most sellers still do not know this information, so if you find one listed for sale, it would still most likely be called something generic like "vintage Tombow sharp pencil / eraser holder".

Think "Initial D" and Fujiwara's black and white Trueno Sprinter AE86 is the first thing that comes to mind. As the story progresses, his rivalry with the Akina RED SUNS becomes something deeper – a journey of growth, maturity and mastery of racing, not just for the protagonist, but also for Keisuke Takahashi, his erstwhile rival and later on, team mate on the PROJECT D challenge.

And the story of Initial D wouldn't be complete without Keisuke's yellow Mazda RX-7 FD3S, tuned for the uphill climb and sporting the RED SUNS decal on the side. For this matchup, I picked the recently released Lamy Safari KURU TOGA INSIDE in yellow with custom black accents, and its very own 'rotary engine' spinning inside with a pulsing orange beat. So now we have a Japanese car with a German conceived Wankel power unit and a German pencil powered by a Japanese mechanism.

Mitsubishi W-Knock M5-59, Pilot Young 2020 & 2020 Flag. I just love seeing the mechanisms at work :-)

Dug up some of my pens and pencils that have a similar style of knurling on the button as found on the Luddite ALTDRAW. Some are nameless models that I found on eBay Spain many years ago, and the pair that resembles Staedtler 925 25 / 425 F9 was OEM’d for Rambold. I left out the FC Alpha-matics as they are in deep storage.

Pic 2, L-R:

• Unknown ballpoint from Spain
• Luddite ALTDRAW 0.5mm
• Unknown MP 0.7mm from Spain
• Rambold drafting pencil 0.5mm
• Rambold drafting ballpoint

Early reviews of the ALTDRAW from Japanese collectors mentioned a slight rattling issue with the button and a more neutral balance, unlike the usual low center-of-gravity feel of the EVERDRAW and TECHDRAW II. I waited for my local specialty store THINK to import the ALTDRAW so that I could try it before buying. The local retail markup on the 6600 JPY MSRP was brutal but I felt it was worthwhile to support local shops when I could. Once I got home, I decided to compare it to the original TECHDRAW wood model and EVERDRAW pen.

The build quality was expectedly high and I chose the lighter colored cherrywood with silver metal parts for the pleasing contrast. The knurling on the grip was crisp without being rough and comparable to the original slimline TECHDRAW. I also liked the knurling being repeated on the button to give it a more industrial aesthetic. The return of laser etched markings on the wood barrel was also a plus. The choice of a conical front-end departs from the previous stepped and 2-step designs, giving it a slight resemblance to the Staedtler 925 85 REG.

The ALTDRAW disassembles to reveal the usual high level of fit and finish. The metal cone screws down securely onto the brass clutch, which is itself screwed into the permanently attached metal grip. The lead reserve tube is surprising skinny for unknown reasons, meaning it can safely take 3 to 4 leads without fear of jamming. Luddite added an o-ring to the metal flange on the tube to reduce rattling, and honestly, it's not a biggie for me. It's possible to add a bit of clear tape to the bottom of the attachment point of the button to cancel out the last bit of movement but I don't find it necessary.

The ALTDRAW is quite hefty at 27+ grams and the button itself is 4.5 grams. This chunky button is the reason for the potential rattling as it has a fair bit of momentum if you purposely swing the pencil about. The weight of the button also counteracts the mass of the grip, cone and chuck, shifting the balance point closer to the middle of the pencil. It's something that fans of low center-of-gravity pencils like the GG500 might dislike, but for me, it's no different from, say, a solid, heavy and neutral balanced design like the Kaweco Special Brass, or a Ystudio Classic Revolve.

End of the day, the ALTDRAW is slightly more expensive than usual, but definitely a beautiful and well-made keeper.

We first heard about John Wick’s deadly skills with a pencil in the first movie from 2014. Crime boss Viggo was telling his wayward son about the legendary assassin John Wick, aka ‘Baba Yaga’, the bogeyman sent to get rid of other bogeymen. And the chain of events all started because Viggo’s son had decided to steal John’s car, a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1… without knowing who the owner really was.

It was only in the 2017 sequel John Wick 2 that audiences got to see him actually use a yellow wooden pencil with a pink eraser to off two enemies in a train station. And that visual made me think of current day’s OHTO WN01 Wooden Mechanical Pencil. It really fit the description, except it was mechanical… and not really disposable.

This one’s for those who have lost a treasured pencil to ne’er-do-wells in the office or at school… may they face the justice of Baba Yaga!

L-R:
• Koh-I-Noor 5635 Rapidomatic 0.5mm
• Scrikss Graph-X 2.0mm
• MUJI Graphgear 500 0.3mm
• Craft Design Technology item 16 0.5mm
• Platinum Pro-Use 171 0.9mm
• OMNI Anchor ACS1005 0.5mm
• Staedtler 925 15 Metal 0.3mm
• Zebra Tect 2way RO 0.5mm
• Mitsubishi R:E 3 Biz erasable ink multipen

Featuring Tombow SH-1000 0.5mm (1978), Mitsubishi EXCEED etched steel rollerball (1980s), and Tombow SH-500MR MONO series 0.5mm (1979).

Reference to pic no. 2:
• Pentel Ergonomix Wingrip 0.5mm
• Zebra Delguard LX 0.3mm
• Zebra Tect 2way 0.7mm
• Seika Ultraseven ballpoint
• Seika Ultraman sharp 0.5mm

The mid- to late-1980s was the peak of Tombow’s drafting line up, and one of my favorites from that era is the SH-500LG. What I liked about it was the distinctive metal grip with concentric grooves that made it pretty grippy without the rough feel of knurling. And the nose cone also had a milled edge to aid twisting it in and off.

Part of the fun of collecting is discovering small but significant differences between different generations of a mechanical pencil. And in this case I happened to see a post on X showing a version of the 500LG without the milled edge on its cone. From what I’d observed of other major brands, simplifying a design or deleting features is a sign that the product was being revised to reduce the cost of production. Hence, I refer to this model as the late version or gen. 2.

I didn’t want to ‘collect em all’ but somehow, one of them turned up in bundle of old pencils I’d acquired. After that, I kept an eye out for the other 2 sizes and finally completed the gen. 2 set this year. If you’re starting out, I’d still recommend going for gen. 1 first… it’s still pretty affordable when it shows up on Yahoo Japan Auctions or Mercari. Happy collecting!

When I hear 'PURE MALT', the one thing that comes to mind is the premium oak wood capped pencil that is basically a Kerry decked out with a cigar in one hand and a shot of whisky in the other. Although Mitsubishi made different designs for PURE MALT with different looks and lighter wood materials, I always preferred the combination of dark brown and chrome. I'd gotten the M5-5015 capped pencil way back around 2011 after I learned about it on Dave's Mechanical Pencils. Then in 2015, I also got the MSE-3005 multipen, which has a really nice clip design with a round metal button to retract the components.

I thought I was done with the PURE MALT series until I learned that there was also a 2mm lead holder! After much searching, I managed to find a boxed example of the MH-3005 that presented the holder in a beautiful cutout along with a whisky barrel style sharpener. The sharpener is pretty heavy and works very well. I like how easy it is to unscrew the top to dispose of the lead dust compared to the DSP600 pocket sharpener. The lead holder itself can be partially disassembled except for full removal of the inner plastic tube, held in by a metal end-plug that I didn't want to force off.

I'm really happy to add the holder to my little PURE MALT family. Someday, I may try to modify the multipen to use a 0.7mm pencil component instead, so that each pen(cil) delivers a unique function.

I’ve always liked the clean industrial design of the Parker 25 by Kenneth Grange that dates back to 1975. So when I recently discovered this cap-action pencil by Papilla, a Japanese OEM for multipen selector mechanisms, the resemblance felt uncanny… especially with the raised square block detail on the clip.

While the Parker sports a white inked-in logo, the Papilla features an embedded cross-cut metal circle resembling a steel pizza. The Papilla also has concentric cut grooves for a better grip in the hand. Pulling off the cap reveals a typical refilling tube topped with an eraser plug. The mechanism reminds me a lot of those found in Pilot and Tombow pencils.

Would I have bought the Papilla without knowing about the Parker 25? I think so… it is beautifully sleek, modern and sturdy, and that little gem of a detail on the clip feels like it belongs on an 80s era hi-fi set. Papilla is almost unknown as a pen or pencil brand, so I hope this was interesting!

Pilot launched the SPRINTER series in 1985 and they stayed in production until 1995. Instead of having a main spring inside the body that compresses when you push down on the button, the entire external body is a steel spring coil.

The SPRINTER came in two versions: the more common model with a colored plastic grip, and a more premium all-steel model. From the grip up to about 3/4 of the length, the coil is tightly packed and acts like a steel cylinder. Then the last 1/4 toward the tail is uncompressed and hints of color are visible in between the coils, at the rear flange and in the button finial.

During the years I spent hunting these down, the most common issues I encountered were:

1. Worn or missing markings. The text was printed onto the steel coil and was easily scratched or rubbed off through daily handling.
2. Cracked plastic flanges near the clip. After all, the flanges were under constant compression stress from the huge spring coil.
3. One other unusual problem was having the clip misaligned with the text, sometimes by as much as 180 degrees!

I didn’t want to compromise on any of these issues so it took extra long to locate good examples at a reasonable price. I did give up on finding ‘perfect’ specimens with intact price seals. There are a couple more extra rare all-steel models with yellow or red painted clips but I’ve more or less given up on them to focus on other priorities.