1751934 KuruToga Mechanical Pencil, 0.5mm, HB #2, 1 Count

uni-ball KuruToga Mechanical Pencil Starter Set (1751934) I'll start with a general list of highlights for those who want the short and sweet overview: - Very lightweight, ergonomically designed, and aesthetically pleasing - "Diamond infused led" (significantly stronger than regular 0.5) - Rotating led to prevent breakage - Clearer and cleaner writing - "Starter Pack" includes two additional erasers and extra led at a great price - Left-hand friendly! - Eraser cap for sleek look Room for Growth: - Light pencil grip cushion - Wider/larger eraser I am a true office supply aficionado; constantly on the hunt for innovations to make my student life more livable. I prefer to take hand-written notes whenever possible because it facilitates improved memory and integration of ideas. One of the areas that I struggle with most however, is identifying products that are error-friendly. In other words, writing tools that are erasable. Pencils are an obvious choice of course, but finding options that are comfortable and efficient can be a challenge. The Uni-Ball Kuru Toga Pencil (0.5 mm led) is FANTASTIC! The 0.5 mm diamond-infused led is so much stronger than conventional mechanical pencil led. I often need 0.7 or 0.9 to accommodate my firm writing style. The Kuru Toga allows for a thinner and darker pencil line by preventing the lead from snapping in half. The note on the package also indicates that the led rotates while in use to prevent breakage, and this is absolutely true! The two areas for growth include: Increased eraser size (both in circumference and length) and a very thin pad for pencil-grip. As described above, I erase, a lot. I can burn through a pencil top eraser pretty quickly, so the bigger the better. Also described above, the pencil is incredibly light weight, and a grip pad is non-essential, but I can imagine it would be important for some folks. I actually prefer the aesthetic of the pencil without any kind f grip pad; it's much more sleek and streamlined. It can be challenging to get excited about pencils in this day and age, but the Kuru Toga has managed the feat.

I have always struggled with finding the right pencil. I have tried your typical number 2 pencil, name-brands, store-brands, you name it and I have most likely tried it. Ultimately, I had it narrowed down to one brand that I was only semi-happy with: Tul. At the end of the day, it is a great pencil but it simply wasn’t durable. It constantly got jammed and/or broke. Finally, I was led to this one, the KuruToga. After using it for an entire semester, here is what I have noted: Things I Like: -I have finally found my favorite pencil. In my opinion, I have not used another as good as this one. -It writes very smoothly and I have not broken very much lead while writing. It avoids that sharp tip that usually leads to that. -Always having it rotate the lead seemed like a gimmick, but has proven to be fantastic. My handwriting is much more consistent and in the end, looks better. -The mechanism that rotates the lead rotates in a way that is not noticeable during regular writing and it has held up very well. Nearly 5 months of use later and it still works properly. -After an entire semester of writing, the pencil still looks, feels, and writes exactly as it did when purchased. It has been tossed around, dropped, etc. but maintains its durability. Things I Don’t Like: -Not much, I am still very happy with the pencil. Overall, I am still using the pencil and plan on ordering more as needed in the future. I have recommended it to family and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quality pencil! My search is finally over, I will be ordering more of these in the future as my writing needs arise.

I am a writing-implement snob. This is evidenced by the fact that (1) I refuse to use wooden pencils or ball-point pens, and will turn my nose up at most other "standard" pens and pencils, (2) I have paid crazy amounts of shipping to get pens and pencils from specialty shops, and (3) I am constantly on the search for the "perfect" pen or pencil. I might have found perfection in the uni-ball KuruToga Mechanical Pencil. :) ~~ This pencil has a "twist and turn" mechanism that turns the lead as it is used so it breaks less. At first, I was skeptical that such a technology would actually work, but I was proven wrong. It does work! The lead will still break, but it seems to break far less than it does with most other 0.5mm pencils. ~~ This pencil comes with a "diamond" lead that is supposed to be stronger, but I tried it with "standard" 0.5mm lead, and it seems to be about the same. While the "diamond' lead is supposed to create a darker line, the difference is not significant. ~~ The pencil is attractive in a mix of blue and black. It has a translucent grip area, which makes it look technologically advanced. ~~ The pencil has an eraser that can be replaced, which is a good thing because it is TEENY-tiny and won't last long. ~~ The pencil's entire body is made of plastic, but it doesn't feel cheap at all. In fact, it is a good weight-- not too light, and not too heavy. I have been very happy with this pencil, and think I might order more (I have three, but might need a few more!). It is very difficult to please me when it comes to writing utensils, but uni-ball has made me happy with the KuruToga.

I first got this at Hobby Lobby and love it ever since. It feels nice for writing and drawing. You can hold it firmly for a long time and rarely have to replace the lead (I use it every day since I'm a student and I also draw a lot). I don't use the eraser come with it but recommend not to since it's not a soft one and doesn't erase totally. You don't have to go through any pain to replace the lead (like my experience with my old Pentel) and this lasts for a really long time, even when I dropped it a couple of times (I'd been using it for over a year and still work fine, if it's not because I lost my old one, I wouldn't have to buy a new one). I've used Pentel and other brands but still think this is my most favorite one. Don't hesitate to get one of these! ********* Update: Okay, forget what I said about the eraser. I mistook this pencil's eraser with another's one. The eraser of this pencil is suprisingly good, not like others' eraser, hard and cheap. However, because I don't want to ruin the look of my pencil even though they have 2 extras (and it's hard to get it out when it got shorter too), so I'd just leave it there and use my separate eraser instead.

It's surprising how well a mechanical pencil can work. Although I personally don't like the exterior for its cheap looks, it is the interior that counts! PROS: -It's Japanese! Japanese products, especially the pencils have these auras that make them almost magical compared to the normal ones. -The rotating device works and it still boggles my mind to this date This is probably the best aspect of the pencil. The rotating device does not require anything but the force of your hand when writing to turn, and it keeps the pencil lead nice and sharp! -It looks professional, and the lead is very heavy duty Considering that the pencil I bought was a .5 mm mechanical pencil, I was surprised how the lead was more durable and did not break compared to other leads of the same thinness. -The tip stays sharp and it amusing to see the whole thing rotate through the clear plastic cover There is this orange thing inside the device and it basically lets you track the movement of the rotation of lead. Its super fun to see. CONS: -Eraser is so small, and there is not many to refill. The eraser is super small, which is sad and there were very little replacements. It is also a Japanese pencil so its hard to find the exact eraser in stores. -Since the eraser is small, it tempts me to not use it at all and just carry a separate eraser with me at all times -The outside is so minimalistic and basic, and it doesn't cushion your finger that well. In the end, I still love this product a lot. The Pro's to this device outway the Cons by a landslide. Just carry a separate eraser with you and you will be super happy with the pencil.

The Kuru Toga engine is a really great idea. I've used it for several days, and I've yet to face some dull lead. The tip stays nice and sharp. However, what makes this pencil a dealbreaker is the overall design. I felt that uni-ball has really cheaped this one out. Maybe some people will appreciate the design, but I for sure don't. The pencil does come with an eraser, but the eraser is extremely small; it's smaller than the standard eraser that comes with the wooden pencils. Secondly, there is no grip, at least as far as I'm concerned. There is a little circular ring at the bottom, but it's impossible to use it as a grip. It's far too small and is positioned too low on the pencil. Finally unlike most premium pencils (i.e. more than $5 each), which have metal clips, the Kuru Toga pencil has a plastic clip. The clip broke off of my pencil within a few days of use. The bottom line is: If you absolutely NEED a Kuru Toga engine, buy this pencil. Otherwise, avoid it. It is definitely not a premium pencil, despite its price, and I advise others to find a different pencil to use. If uni-ball had put some more thought into this pencil, it could have been a hit product.

~Background~ I've never really been big on fancy office supplies, but about two years ago, I got a decent set of mechanical pencils (forgot the brand/model) and I just fell in love with them. Unfortunately, I lost both of them, so I had to go back to regular Mechanical pencils, and it just never felt the same. About a year ago, I finally decided to check out the office supply market, when I spotted this beauty. I wasn't sure if $5 was worth it for a single pencil, but after using the old pencils I've had before, I knew it must be worth it. I don't regret my purchase and I doubt I will ever go back to anything less. ~Pros~ *It always stays on the sharp end of the led, because it rotates as you write. *Quite comfortable, despite no softie (pillow/plush that come on pencils) *Barely ever snaps the led (holds the led piece snug in the barrel) *Have not had a single mechanical (internal) errors or malfunctions and I've been abusing it (Used it through Calc AB, and a semester of Calc II, can't wait to use it for Multivariable Calculus!) ~Cons~ *Rotation mechanism only works if you write in print, and if you don't manually rotate the pencil as you write *Eraser isn't that great, and it's quite small

I use to use regular pencils all the time for daily duties both at work and at home. I can't tell you how many pencils I have gone through. I remembered back to the days when I took drafting in school and I remembered that we used mechanical pencils and they were awesome! I wanted to give it a try again. I looked through Amazon a while back and found that the Uni-ball Kuku-Toga Mechanical Pencil starter set had the most reviews so I was thinking that this must be a real good mechanical pencil. Man. Everyone was correct about this one. I love it and use it all the time. I like it so much that I not want to get one for my office and one for my truck while keeping my first one at home. First off it feeds the pencil leds smoothly and the leds write clean and sharp. Next the mechanical pencil feels good in my hand when writing especially for a long time. It was very easy to load the leds in to the pencil. The eraser is nice but I never use it and even if I did I don't think it would last for very long. I also have looked for replacement erasers and I could not find any so I purchased a few pink school style erasers (Papermate) to keep around. That setup works very good for me. All in all I love the Uni-ball Kuku-Toga Mechanical Pencil is a hit with me and I would suggest it to anyone looking for a food deal and a very good product. It is my favorite for everyday use hands down :-) Hope this helps someone.