Q&A for How to Choose Mechanical Pencil Lead

If it's for school writing, use 0.5mm or 0.7mm leads, depending on which you prefer. The 0.7mm leads are thicker, which is better for people who tend to press hard on the pencil when writing. For drawing,use 0.5mm leads, because they're more precise than the 0.7mm leads.

The softness of the lead doesn't matter. It's the size that matters. As long as you have 0.7mm lead, you should be fine. The softness really just determines what darkness your line, and how smudgeable your line is.

The number for the lead is the measurement of the lead thickness in millimeters. 0.7 mm is more than 0.5 mm, so 0.7 lead is bigger than 0.5 lead.

For arthritic hands, you should invest in a pencil that has a padded grip that is comfortable for your hand. As each person's hands are different, this will depend on your preferences. For those with vision problems, you should select a dark lead so that your writing is more visible.

It will not fit. You'll need to get the right size refill.

Something like a 4B or 6B lead. There are even darker leads, but those two are the most common. Any thickness would be fine.

The best mechanical pencil and lead combination will depend entirely on you personally and the kind of writing activity you are doing. For example, accountants might want a darker lead to make notes and numbers easier to read. In this case, .9mm lead and a pencil with a comfortable grip would likely be preferred.

You can darken any kind of lead you are using by pressing harder with your pencil as you write. However, some leads are so hard that no matter how hard you press, the mark won't be very dark. You might try going over your writing several times to darken it, or switching to a different lead.

I would say the Uni Kuru Toga Auto Lead Rotation Mechanical Pencil as the lead does not dull as the 'nib' rotates every time it is lifted off. Another brand I would consider to get a mechanical pencil from is Staedlter.

If you mean where does it originate, it comes from graphite, which is mineral that is mined. If you mean where can you get some, check anywhere that sells office supplies.

0.5mm pencil lead should be fine. It will give you precision, plus it doesn't take long to shade things in.

It will be the one with the biggest number before a B (2B is lighter than 3B).

Yes, just as long as the diameter is correct (0.7mm for 0.7mm pencils). Also be sure that you read the package the lead comes in just in case. Otherwise, you're good to go.

Try finding the highest number that ends in a B. For example, 4B is not as dark as 7B.

The biggest available mechanical pencil lead is 3.0mm thick. You need to sharpen it regularly.

If you mean take it out of a regular pencil and put it in the mechanical, no.

It depends on if you have been using the .5 lead all along. If you have, then it would be a problem with the pencil. If you haven't been using it all along, then the barrel of the pencil is too big for the lead that you are putting in, so it falls out.

The lead size is most often indicated on the pencil itself. If it is not, try experimenting with the variety of lead until you find the correct one.

You can find a nice selection of vintage mechanical pencils on eBay. Also, shops (online as well as brick and mortar) that sell vintage fountain pens also often carry vintage mechanical pencils.

If you are prone to breaking lead, a harder lead grade like 2H would be better. If you like a really dark line, a softer lead would be better. However, if you are left-handed, harder lead grades would be better as they do not smudge.

You are very lucky! Those PD1055's are quite rare. The best lead for such a pencil is 2B, 4H, 3B, H, F or just HB. Congrats on your awesome find!

Depending on the year made, the standard k780 uses a 1.1mm lead. You can use retro 51 leads, but you have to scrape the lead with a blade to make it fit.

Put the pencil tip flat on the edge and roll it until it becomes sharp. Or get a uni kuru toga pencil. They come in good varieties. The Kuru Toga uses a patented system that rotates the lead when you press on a surface.

1.18 mm or 0.04 inch. The leads are not that long, and refills are easy to get.

It's probably 1.0mm or larger. Most pencils from that time used 1.1mm, 1.18mm, 1.3mm or 2mm.

Pentel GraphGear1000 or the Rotring 600 or 800 series. You can also use any pencil that is made of metal. If you're heavy handed, try the Zebra DelGuard series. That system makes the lead pretty much unbreakable!

Pierre Cardin pencils use 0.9mm leads when I last checked.