# High end mechanical pencil



## Jake LeBlanc (Nov 15, 2016)

I`m looking for a nice, robust mechanical pencil kit. I have a customer who purchased an ornate cigar pen I made out of Acacia burl, and would like a matching mechanical pencil. Robust size, and he has asked that the mechanism has a very thin metal tube that hold the lead at the point. Some of the higher quality pencils have this. It prevents the lead from breaking off easily. The tube sheaths the lead for about 1/8" beyond the end of the nib. Any suggestions? I'll attach a photo of the pen. 

Thanks,

Jake


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## Woody1969 (Nov 15, 2016)

I'm following this with interest. Iv only made a few pencils, the streamline and the designer/Euro. The Designer may be what you mean it also extends and retracts with a twist, unlike the slimline/streamline. Iv never made a cigar pencil so couldn't comment on that one.


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## Anglesachse (Nov 15, 2016)

Here`s a cigar pencil from woodturningz.com.

Cigar Pencil Kit - 24kt Gold
Item: PKCIGARPCL

Hope this helps.


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## KenV (Nov 15, 2016)

Schmidt makes inserts that can be adapted to twist or click pens.  I find the more thick leads have fewer jams and resulting maintenance.  0.9 mm have been most trouble free.  0.5 mm take more fiddling.


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## RobS (Nov 15, 2016)

I have made a few of the cigar pencils, they are ok, see pen pencil set below.  They tend to rattle a little.  The tubes are identical to other cigar pens, and so is the top clip assembly, but everything else is custom, you also really cant swap out the rings to jazz it up.


View in Gallery

You could make a pentel pencil that has had a face lift, with a large diameter body.  This is not an easy pencil to make, the very end is fragile when turning. I have a post with more explicit directions (http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/pentel-pencil-142379/).  The pentel comes is .5, .7 and .9mm.  The mechanism is one of the best out there.  But it requires some special equipment as noted in my post.  I know this does not satisfy your ornate requirement.  Just a thought.


View in Gallery


View in Gallery


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## Jake LeBlanc (Nov 15, 2016)

Thanks all. I'll keep you updated on the result.


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## Pens By Scott (Nov 15, 2016)

Think there was an article in the library... how to pick up a mechanical pencil from local stationary store, and use the inner workings to make your own customer pencil.

Depends on how skillful you are, but if you know what type of commercial off the shelf model the customer likes, you could always give it a go and build your own...  Just a thought...

Haven't tried it myself though...

Repost: found the article in the library
Pentel conversion
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f14/pentel-pencil-conversion-101-a-46017/


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## magpens (Nov 15, 2016)

Since your customer already has a cigar pen, a cigar pencil might be most appropriate.

As an alternative, here is a 2mm pencil kit that I would like to try (I think it might be a Dayacom kit) - from my favorite Canadian vendor who, unfortunately, does not ship internationally (but if you are interested, I could act as intermediary :wink: ).

https://www.penblanks.ca/2mm-sketch-pencil-gold/


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## Jake LeBlanc (Nov 22, 2016)

Thanks, I checked them out. Looks very impressive. Have you brought any of these in? Looks like a manufacturers website. No place to order product. 

Thanks


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## zig613 (Nov 24, 2016)

Jake LeBlanc said:


> Thanks, I checked them out. Looks very impressive. Have you brought any of these in? Looks like a manufacturers website. No place to order product.
> 
> Thanks



Jake,

William Wood-Write is a Canadian retailer of pen components and pen making supplies targeting pen turners.  Great service and over the past couple of years Bill has added to his offerings by bringing in a wider variety of kits.

To order a product go to the bottom of the page under "Options" and select the Quantity you want and then press Add to Cart.

Wade


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## Jake LeBlanc (Jan 22, 2017)

I purchased and turned a Lee Valley half twist pencil kit. It went very smooth and the mechanism was a Fein, really good quality. Customer was happy. downside is you need to twist the pencil with 2 hands. All other mechanical pencils are a one handed operation.


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## magpens (Jan 22, 2017)

Hi Jake,

I don't know if you were referring to my post or not in what you wrote below:



Jake LeBlanc said:


> Thanks, I checked them out. Looks very impressive. Have you brought any of these in? Looks like a manufacturers website. No place to order product.
> 
> Thanks



William Wood-Write Ltd. 

is the store website that I mentioned in a previous post.

Seems like you are still searching for the "ideal" pencil kit.

It also seems like you want a button-click style (one-handed operation).

You can buy a pencil mechanism that will fit in most Parker-style button-click pen kits.  (but I think you probably already know that)
See the reply above by KenV.


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