Posts filed under Staedtler

Staedtler Wopex Pencil Review

Ok, fine. The Staedtler Wopex is not the worst pencil of all time.

Sure, I like to make that joke frequently, and the pencil itself has become a bit of a meme in our community, but it’s not that bad. Right?

I question myself, because it’s not great to write with. It’s just not the worst. What’s the worst pencil on the market? I’m not sure, but ones with cores that crumble when writing would top the list. The Wopex at least writes. And, depending on your expectations, writes well.

With the Wopex, Staedtler has built more eco-friendly pencil using wood waste (70%) in combination with plastic (30%) to form material than can then be extruded to make this pencil. Assumedly, Staedtler takes the waste from the production of their more traditional wooden slat pencils and uses it to make more pencils. Honestly, that sounds smart, and I appreciate that Staedtler has committed to this process for one of their products.

While I can appreciate the environmentally friendly bonafides the Wopex brings to the market, what I don’t get along with is the core. There is less information on that formulation than with the barrel, but the graphite, if it can be called that, has a waxy, plastic-like feel. I’m guessing the core needed to be modified to fit the expectation of the pencil. And also to match the weight of the pencil - the extruded barrel is heavier and denser than a traditional wooden barrel, so it likely needed a stronger core to match.

Marked on the barrel as HB #2, the Wopex writes nothing like any HB #2 pencil I have ever used. It is so firm, and so light, that in comparison to traditional wooden pencil cores, I’d put it all the way up in the 2H-4H range. My handwriting looks fantastic with it, but it is very light. Too light for heavy usage.

On performance alone, I wonder where the Staedtler Wopex sits for hobbyist pencil users. Special conditions only, maybe? Under no circumstances is it better than any traditional pencil I own, for any use case. If I wanted output on the page like the Wopex, I’d just grab a 4H pencil whose graphite is much more enjoyable.

There are some good things to mention about the Wopex. I appreciate Staedtler’s focus on recycling and using the waste products they create during production of their other pencils. The color and style is fantastic. The feel is nice too, despite the relatively heavy weight. The eraser is decent, which is high praise compared to most. They are inexpensive, coming in at less than 30 cents in bulk (Amazon affiliate link.) Finally, the Wopex might actually survive nuclear fallout, along with cockroaches.

*On the left, sharpened with the Uni KH-20. On the right, with a KUM handheld. Even with a good blade in the KUM, you can see how both the graphite and barrel are sharpened inconsistently.*

The downsides? The lead isn’t good for me, but others may enjoy it. And sharpening the Wopex with a handheld sharpener is an exercise in frustration. I used my Uni KH-20 desktop sharpener for this review and it worked well. I’ve used handhelds with the Wopex in the past and it doesn’t sharpen the barrel cleanly, sometimes leaving a ragged edge. The barrel material makes it difficult.

So there is my look at the Staedtler Wopex, a pencil I have come to love because of how weird it is. If you want to become a part of the weirdness, it is at least inexpensive to try. And who knows, maybe it will become your new favorite pencil.

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Posted on October 28, 2024 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Pencil Reviews, Staedtler.

Staedtler 771 1.3mm Mechanical Pencil Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Every now and then, I get my hands on a writing instrument that is so far outside of my normal wheel of interest. Sometimes it's a delightful surprise, and other times it ends up being a short-lived interest. Either way, trying new things is the ultimate goal. In the case of this mechanical pencil, I've been grinning so much while using it to jot notes and doodles.

The Staedtler 771 mechanical pencil is a bold, playful pencil that features 1.3 mm HB lead that lays down thick, smooth lines of graphite. The 771 is comically large, and I really giggled when I first grabbed it. Despite the loud yellow and black color scheme, it's incredibly comfortable and easy to use. After using it a few seconds, it reminded me of the large diameter (10mm) pencils students were given in kindergarten and first grade while we learned to write our alphabet. The large diameter is easier to hold and control for little hands, and the same is definitely true for this mechanical pencil.

If I had to guess, one of the main business cases for this pencil is for school children who are learning to write. It's a robust, ergonomic pencil that doesn't require sharpening. Plus, it comes with a substantial eraser that will last quite a while since you can extend more as you wear it down.

The 1.3mm lead size isn't unheard of, but it's not common in mechanical pencils. This lead is wide, and it wears down to a flat surface in just a few strokes. If you continually rotate the pencil while writing to prevent a flat side, you end up with a wonderfully stubby round piece of lead that makes roughly 1mm lines when writing. For me, I don't really enjoy rotating this pencil as I write since it has a clip and a three-sided body that messes with how the pen feels in my hand.

While this pencil is great for young people who are learning how to write by hand, this is also a great choice for artists that want a wide line that maxes out at just 1.3mm. Graphite and pencils have a larger diameter core that eventually gets ruined by the necessity of sharpening the pencil or graphite stick. You can do a lot of shading with this 1.3mm pencil, and you never have to sharpen it or constantly determine how the line is changing as the lead wears down closer to the wood casing.

And you can also compare this to the more engineering-focused lead holders, though those typically use large lead sizes as well. Still, the perk of the Staedtler 771 compared to a lead holder is ease-of-use. Need more lead? Just click the back of the pencil to extend some more. Want to retract the lead so you can safely stow it in a pocket or bag? Easy. Not so much with a lead holder.

Along with the large body, triangular grip, and wide lead, there's also a lead cushioning system built in to the pencil to protect the lead from excessive pressure. Again, a great feature for people that are learning how to write. In my testing, it works well at preventing lead breaks.

Whenever I see a pencil with a tiny eraser, I mumble and complain about how pointless it is. If you're going to put an eraser on a pencil, make sure it's a useful one. The erasers you find a woodcase pencil are great, but when they're gone, they're gone for good. The 771 features an extendable eraser that should last for many mistakes, and does a great job at disappearing the wide 1.3mm graphite marks. And if you need more erasers, they're easy to replace and don't cost much either (about $2 for a 3-pack).

Writing with the pencil is comfortable thanks to the wide body, triangular shape, and rubber grip section, but this isn't a pencil that I reach for when I want to write notes. The large lead size just doesn't pair well with my relatively small writing style — the letters are hard to read. But, this has been a go-to for drawing and doodling since you can get a lot of different line widths from different sides of the lead, and it also does a great job at shading.

At $9.75, the Staedtler 771 1.3mm mechanical pencil is a lot of fun, and I think it meets its purpose beautifully. It looks silly, but that's okay. It's supposed to be fun because learning to write and drawing is fun. If the school-themed yellow/black colorway isn't your thing, there are other colors too (white, black, and blue)! Just be sure to pick up some extra lead with your order since you'll go through it quickly while rediscovering your inner child.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on May 15, 2024 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Staedtler, Mechanical Pencil, Pencil Reviews.

Staedtler 925-27 Color Series Drafting Pencil Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

A lot of us got our start in fine-tuned stationery with precise drafting pencils. These were fairly easy to find in big box office supply stores, and even easier to find in college bookstores, art stores, and crafting supply stores. The specifications and features on these pencils went beyond the generic "0.5mm mechanical pencil" description, and that was deeply attractive to those of us that craved more precise control of our writing instruments and the ability to fine-tune our writing experience.

Drafting pencils have always held a special place in my heart. I would ransack my dad's supply in his oak roll-top desk when he wasn't home and explore all the old relics from his days as a drafting student in engineering school. Drafting pencils first introduced me to the concept that other lead sizes and lead holders existed outside of the 0.5mm and 0.7mm varieties we had access to during back to school shopping season. It was a fascinating and lasting glimpse into another world where it was obvious that people took these instruments very seriously, and that really resonated with me.

Fast forward a couple decades, and here we are. I have more pens and pencils than I'd rather count, and I'm aware of a vast majority of writing instruments and endless customization options. Even though my interests and preferences have expanded, I always remember the humble beginnings of the drafting pencil with great fondness. And that's why the Staedtler 925-75 drafting pencil is an interesting product that is worthy of attention.

The Staedtler 925-75 has a very boring name, but the color options are very exciting in a world of black, gray, and silver writing instruments. Drafting pencils are usually very business-centric instruments, but the playful color options of this Staedtler line is refreshing. I have the purple option here, and it really does add a nice pop of color to my desk amidst the many other pens and pencils that frequent the desk space. With pastel color options that include green, purple, yellow, pink, blue, and white, you can definitely find something that fits your palette preference.

Aside from the fun colors, these are actually solid drafting pencils. While they only offer a lead size of 0.5mm, the plastic construction is solid and lightweight, while also keeping costs down. On top of that, there's a small lead grade indicator ring on top of the pencil to help you keep track of what type of lead is in the pencil.

In concept, it's a great pencil at a great price, and I'm sure that it will work well for many. For me, the grip is just uncomfortable no matter how I hold it. As far as cheap drafting pencils go, I've always been very partial to the Pentel line — particularly the similarly-priced Sharp drafting pencils and the slightly more premium Pentel 120 A3DX pencils. At under six bucks for any of these, you can't go wrong. I just happen to prefer the grips on both of the Pentel models that I have.

The Staedtler pencil functions perfectly. The mechanical pencil mechanism is precise and crisp, and the material quality is top notch. The 4mm lead pipe provides excellent visibility and a nice solid piece to hold against a straight-edge when needed. It even includes the gratuitous (and mostly unusable) tiny eraser that doubles as the lead stopper. The inclusion of a lead grade ring indicator is nice, but it's too loose for me to trust. A slight bump of the ring is enough to move the indicator to a different lead type, which is annoying if you really rely on it. Comparing that to the Rotring 600 isn't fair given the price difference, but the Rotring lead grade ring has a good amount of friction that makes it really difficult to accidentally adjust it, while also being easy to adjust when you mean to.

At just over four bucks, it's hard to complain about such a great pencil. I really am splitting hairs when it comes to the Staedtler 925-75 line, and it mostly comes down to personal comfort and how the grip feels in my hand. It's an excellent pencil that ticks all the boxes in terms of how it performs as a mechanical pencil, and the price is really hard to beat for a drafting pencil!

If you like the colors of these pencils and need a good 0.5mm drafting pencil (or even a few for different lead grades), then give the Staedtler 925-27 a shot! It's a great pencil that will serve you well assuming you can agree with the grip.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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