Leda Mechanical Pencil Black and Mixed Colors Lead Refill Pack for drawing and sketching...

sturdiness

Crafting Masterpieces: This incredible pencil is my go-to for sketching outlines in preparation for my vibrant watercolor paintings. Its remarkable erasability allows me to effortlessly refine and lighten lines, ensuring precision and perfection in every stroke. A true artist's allythis pencil is simply superb!

This is a solid lead holder. It holds lead. You can write or draw with it. I have all the Staedtler pencils Ill ever need, so I decided to branch out a little bit and try some others. I dont think Ill ever actually use it much, though. Im taking away one star for a combination of flaws that are too much for me to overlook. 1) Where the plastic meets the metal, its not flush and I dont like that. I can see how prolonged use could become uncomfortable being jabbed in the finger over and over by a sharp plastic corner. 2) It doesnt appear as though Leda makes a rotary lead sharpener (or if they do I cant find it) like the Staedtler one, otherwise I would have bought it. It doesnt quite work as well as my Staedtler holders do in that sharpener, which is understandable. Either of these flaws by themselves would be enough to overlook and toss out that 5 star review. Together though, for me, it keeps the pencil from being loaded up with HB or 4B or any lead I use a lot of, and instead relegates it to something like black colored pencil lead, which I use almost never.

There are no instructions on the packaging, although there is a very nice myth and company story written on the back. Initially, upon first use, I tried to use the included sharpener (pointer) which did absolutely nothing to the graphite other than polish it to a sheen. I also broke the lead several times trying to apply more pressure. I finally discovered TWO THINGS: First was that the screw on the extra sharpener needed to be tightened (worked like a charm after this) and second, that there is actually a sharpener built into the end cap of the pen! Rather than being in the open area underneath, it is built into the rounded END of the cap in that tiny hole. Word to the wise, however. That graphite has nowhere to go and you must diligently tap it out if you intend to use it this way or you will get a dusty mess on your work a lot like copier toner. After working out these issues, it is quite a lovely holder than feels great in your hand. The feel when you write and the balance is very nice. The lead seems ok so far, but I haven't used it enough to be certain how it will perform when drawing. I feel good about the purchase at the sale price I paid.

I am giving 5 stars based on the congeniality of their staff and policies in effort to provide a quality product that beats the competition or matches it. Initially I was disappointed because they offered only 5B lead which is very limiting to me as one who engages in the arts. I have several mechanical pencils and I find them to be fine tools but their cost lays in limitations to purchase. Leda has produced a product equal to the competitors and if given the opportunity can demonstrate their quality if you buy it and personally see for yourself. As for me I will choose Leda because of their price and the quality of the product, equal to or better than the competitors. It will be a great addition for them to offer a wider range of leads hopefully at a competitive price. I would highly recommend that you give them an opportunity to prove themselves to you. Just remember that 5B lead is all they offer at this time, actually too soft for me. 5B is more of a finishing pencil lead for me than a general purpose sketching and drawing lead. Another point I would like to address. The weight of the Leda Mechanical pencil. There was a complaint regarding the fact that it is light. I weighed the Mechanical Pencils I have: Stadetler weighs 12 grams on my scale, Koh-I-Noor, one weighs 16 grams, the second 14 grams, and an off brand Alvin weighs 8 grams (much smaller than the others). Now the LEDA comes in at 13 grams. Wooden pencils all very from 3 to 5 grams, guess this has to do with the density of the wood as the lead is probably consistant. I don't believe the weight is a serious issue for Leda. The scale I used is one I used for weighing broadhead points for hunting, a significantly accurate weighing device. A closing point I really like about Leda Mechanical Pencils is the clip. All my mechanical pencils do not have a clip making it more portable. Recently I purchaseda two pack of pencils alone. These came in at 9 grams each. They are definitely light but weigh more than the wood pencil. More weight can be added by wrapping a few winds of soldering wire around the shaft just above where you will grip the pencil. I am satisfied with the pencil pack that includes the lead and sharpener. I need time to be certain about the two pencil pack.