The other day we talked a bit about Staedtler’s aluminum-bodied mechanical pencils, and I briefly mentioned 2.0 mm lead sizes.
What’s so good about 2.0 mm pencils?
To be honest, I haven’t ever thought about it. Back in high school, we had to take drafting and CAD in our junior year. For the technical drawing class, we used 2.0 mm pencils. That’s what we had to use.
I bought most of my supplies from Pearl Paint on Canal Street in Manhattan, and yes I know they closed their doors in 2014 (bummer). Since then, I bought some other styles of pens and some accessories from online dealers.
I started using 2.0 mm pencils because I had to, and then I continued using them because I found I preferred them better than ordinary mechanical pencils and wooden pencils, for things like sketching out project plans, diagrams, and things like that.
2.0 mm pencils won’t give you magical life-changing drawing or sketching experiences. But if you’re the type of person that puts time and care into your sketches, project plans, or other drawings, then you might benefit from giving it a try.
2.0 mm pencils are a sort of combination between wooden pencils (with different hardness grades) and mechanical pencils.
Back in high school, our starter kit included Staedtler gear, and I have mainly stuck with the same brand since. Alvin also makes basic lead holders (2 designs that I know off offhand), but they’re harder to find.
Staedtler’s 2.0 mm products are fairly inexpensive and easy to find, and I have yet to have any quality complaints about their products.
Most lead holders – they’re not pencils, they’re lead holders – have a clutch-style mechanism that don’t auto-advance the lead. The Staedtler pencil I mentioned yesterday is an exemption to this, and works similar to other mechanical pencils.
I like 2.0 mm technical pencils (I guess that’s an appropriate alternative to “lead holder,”), because they give me more choices when it comes to pencil lead, and more control when it comes to the point.
Pencil lead varies from very soft to very hard. I have never had good experiences using harder or softer lead in smaller diameter mechanical pencils, but they work like a charm in 2.0 mm size.
Bare Basics: A Simple Lead Holder
Price: $6
Buy Now(via Amazon)
At the very least, you can start off with just a lead holder, shown above, for $6. It comes with a single piece of pencil lead (#2 hardness), and the end cap doubles as a lead pointer (sharpener).
2H is a good general purpose lead, but I prefer HB, which is a little softer and leaves a slightly darker line.
I should mention that lead holders typically don’t come with erasers. You’ll need a separate one. The included lead pointer is typically usable.
Once you’re sure that 2.0 mm pencils are right for you, you’ll want some more pencil lead.
There are a couple of brands that offer wide varieties of pencil lead, but I tend to stick with Staedtler out of habit and satisfaction.
Next Step: More Pencil Lead
Price: ~$10 for 12
Buy Now(via Amazon)
I think that HB is a good general purpose lead, but that probably also comes from habit. Back in Freshman year of high school, we needed an HB pencil and Pink Pearl eraser for the mandatory art appreciation class.
You can buy pencil leads in smaller quantities, but generally they’re more readily available in 12 packs. Staedtler’s 12 packs come with lead pointers.
Some technical pencils give you the option of selecting the pencil grade on the pencil body itself. This makes it easier to identify the pencil (sorry, lead holder) that you need, from among several on your desk.
I mention this now, because some replacement lead packs, such as Staedtler’s 12 packs, come with end caps for your lead holder that are either color coded to help differentiate the pencil grade.
Find Your Preference: Different Hardness Wood Pencils
Price: $12-14
Buy Now(via Amazon)
How do you know whether you prefer HB pencils, or 2H? You try them first. At $10-12 for packs of 12 replacement leads, this can get very expensive, very fast.
You could buy an assortment of wooden-handled pencils, such as the one shown and linked to above, or find an art supply store and buy a few individual styles one by one. Or find an art supply store and buy packs of 2 replacement leads instead of 12.
I prefer HB for general purpose stuff, and 2H for sharper and lighter lines. I also use 4H on occasion, as well as harder and lighter grades. I don’t really use anything softer than HB, which leads darker lines. Softer lead styles are typically used more for artistic drawings than technical drawings (in my experience).
You can find comparisons online, such as this one from Staedtler, that show what you can expect to see from different pencil and lead hardness grades. But, they’re no substitute for seeing the differences firsthand. I can tell you that my 6H lines NEVER look that dark.
Even Better: A Lead Pointer (Sharpener)
Price: $7
Buy Now(via Amazon)
The lead pointer that comes with the basic Staedtler holder is usable, but pretty lousy. If you’re ready to go beyond the single starter lead that comes with the holder/pencil, you’re probably ready for a lead pointer too.
Ideally, you could buy all these things at once, but maybe you’d prefer to systematically buy more as you decide that a 2.0 mm pencil is right for you. A lead holder requires little commitment at $6. Extra leads, maybe in more than one hardness grade, plus a pointer, and you’re looking at a greater investment – around $23 or so.
$23 isn’t a lot of money in the long run, but it’s more than I would spend these days on a pencil and supporting accessories, unless or until I was convinced it would work for me. $6 is less risky.
As an aside, the same goes for fountain pens. I started off with inexpensive disposable fountain pens, and then inexpensive refillable pens, before springing up to a Pilot Vanishing Point (~$140 via Amazon).
Okay, so about this lead pointer…
It’s a rotary style, with 2 different tip profile length guides. One results in a shorter point, the other longer, depending on your preference. Once you set the extended length of your lead to the point profile you prefer, you insert the lead holder in the top, and rotate the entire top piece, with the blue barrel held stationary in your other hand.
You’ll feel it when the sharpening is done. Stick the point into the white point cleaner, and you’re ready to go.
There’s another, smaller, lead pointer option, by Uni Mitsubishi, for $8. It’s a lot smaller than the Staedtler rotary barrel-style pointer. I own both, and prefer the Staedtler, but the Uni is still great, and is far more portable.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
The Starter Set
Price: $9
Buy Now(via Amazon)
You could alternatively buy a starter set for $9, which comes with a lead holder, 2 refill leads, and an eraser. It comes with spare 2H leads, the same as the basic lead holder, which should I suppose gives you extra time to figure out if you want to invest further into 2.0 mm pencil leads.
If you ask me, building your way into the system is a better option. But at $9, this “starter set” or “value pack” isn’t too much more expensive than just the basic lead holder. You’ll need an eraser anyway.