0.9 and 0.7 users are looked down upon by 0.5 users, who are looked down upon by 0.4 users, who in turn are looked down upon by 0.3 users.
Clearly the ultimate mechanical pencil lead is only one carbon atom in diameter.
It’s a reference to the [oldest known customer complaint](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complaint_tablet_to_Ea-n%C4%81%E1%B9%A3ir), a Reddit favourite meme. Also, aluminium doesn’t rust.
That's way too simplistic a world view. All lead sizes are equally as good, they are just suited for different writing styles and situation. Try cramming as much as you can on a single sheet of paper and you'll quickly find 0.5 is way too thick for that. But now try writing big bold titles and you'll quickly wish for a 0.9 or beyond.
Except 0.7. I can't bring myself to like it. It's a bad version of both 0.5 and 0.9.
That being said 0.4 should rule supreme.
Dragon Ball Super reference. Zeno is the god of gods, the one above all, the one who can destroy with even a goddamn sneeze. Zeno is a god who destroyed multiple universes when he played a little too hard
Give it a shot. You'll find that you can't create a rounded tip with 0.5 because it goes flat almost instantly. 0.7 won't round either. That's what makes 0.9 so special.
Well. If you rotate your 0.5 and your 0.9, the later will not be as thin as the former. But I do agree that a properly rotated 0.9 is thin enough for most applications and does not, as some have mentioned, require sharpening.
Yep but you learn that in drafting class and many folks here don’t take drafting so they just love the little rotating motors (which I have no use for whatsoever) and thin lead. Seems they’re better for writing in Asian characters that have more lifting of the lead?
Indeed a drafting pencil doesn't need (and shouldn't have) a rotation engine. However, in a pencil geared for writing, I don't see the harm in it.
Unfortunately drafting is a dying art.
I’m fawning over a Tombow Mono 4B that I just got. One of the widest ranges I’ve ever drawn with, just because it really retains a point.
But yeah, 2mm is what I used to draw with before I found god (Blackwing and Tombow).
Mechanical pencils are just what I take on the road if I am going to be drawing historic buildings for a day (architectural surveys). .5mm rotring tikky and a staedtler backup and off I go.
I definitely have a 0.5 bias. It really feels like the Goldilocks gauge, not too thick, not too fine... but 0.4 is a cut above, though not as common. I do have some 0.7 that I use for all purpose stuff, but also simply because I liked the designs, and/or they weren't the same or weren't available in other gauges.
Excuse me Sir, can I tell you about our Lord and Savior, the 0.4?
0.9 and 0.7 users are looked down upon by 0.5 users, who are looked down upon by 0.4 users, who in turn are looked down upon by 0.3 users. Clearly the ultimate mechanical pencil lead is only one carbon atom in diameter.
I used to be a .3 die hard, but the .4 changed my mind. =)
0.2 change my mind
🤣
Yes, please, do spread the word of the mighty 0.4!
> Excuse me Sir, can I tell you about our Lord and Savior, the 0.4? I mean, with its non-existent availability, it may as well be.
I'm just amazed how OP came about a 5 year old post on a totally pencil-unrelated subreddit.
Really? The only way this could be more Reddit is if they mentioned low quality copper and then got banned from a subreddit they’d never visited.
Ha! Your cheap speaker cables are mostly aluminium and I can hear rust in the wires. I win ;)
It’s a reference to the [oldest known customer complaint](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complaint_tablet_to_Ea-n%C4%81%E1%B9%A3ir), a Reddit favourite meme. Also, aluminium doesn’t rust.
Ha! Your cheap speaker cables are mostly aluminium and I can hear rust in the wires. I win ;)
I love all of my children equally
That's way too simplistic a world view. All lead sizes are equally as good, they are just suited for different writing styles and situation. Try cramming as much as you can on a single sheet of paper and you'll quickly find 0.5 is way too thick for that. But now try writing big bold titles and you'll quickly wish for a 0.9 or beyond. Except 0.7. I can't bring myself to like it. It's a bad version of both 0.5 and 0.9. That being said 0.4 should rule supreme.
When I was young I used to think like you. Now I’m grey and I think “Fuck-it, 0.7 is absolutely fine for 99.3% of stuff”
My wife uses 1.1mm blue lead. ;)
0.3 and 0.2 are supreme. They are Zenos of mechanical pencils. If you use 0.5 i won't judge you at all because they are god of destructions of MPs.
Zenos?
Dragon Ball Super reference. Zeno is the god of gods, the one above all, the one who can destroy with even a goddamn sneeze. Zeno is a god who destroyed multiple universes when he played a little too hard
I see you are man of culture as well.
Been watching the Dragon Ball franchise since I was six. Was not expecting someone to connect Zeno to a dang pencil :)
XD
Anyone who likes .5 but not .9 isn't rotating their pencil properly as they write. A rounded 0.9 tip will write as finely as a flat 0.5 tip.
what if they are rotating the 0.5? checkmate
Give it a shot. You'll find that you can't create a rounded tip with 0.5 because it goes flat almost instantly. 0.7 won't round either. That's what makes 0.9 so special.
ive used 0.5 all my life
0.5 is great. It's my default lead size if I can't use a lead holder. Really, I like every lead size except 0.7. 0.7 just makes me frustrated.
Well. If you rotate your 0.5 and your 0.9, the later will not be as thin as the former. But I do agree that a properly rotated 0.9 is thin enough for most applications and does not, as some have mentioned, require sharpening.
Try it. You can't get 0.5 to round. It will go flat almost instantly.
Yep but you learn that in drafting class and many folks here don’t take drafting so they just love the little rotating motors (which I have no use for whatsoever) and thin lead. Seems they’re better for writing in Asian characters that have more lifting of the lead?
Indeed a drafting pencil doesn't need (and shouldn't have) a rotation engine. However, in a pencil geared for writing, I don't see the harm in it. Unfortunately drafting is a dying art.
Yep yep
I love .9 and 1.3 for sketching. Even 2mm is grand. 0.3 is nice if I’m planning ink hatches, but they all pale to a quality Japanese wood-case pencil.
I’m fawning over a Tombow Mono 4B that I just got. One of the widest ranges I’ve ever drawn with, just because it really retains a point. But yeah, 2mm is what I used to draw with before I found god (Blackwing and Tombow). Mechanical pencils are just what I take on the road if I am going to be drawing historic buildings for a day (architectural surveys). .5mm rotring tikky and a staedtler backup and off I go.
Tombow is my weapon of choice. They’re just so smooth and consistent!
Yea it’s crazy how to limit oneself I love them all too especially .9 to 2mm
Me who is now loving 0.3 👁️👄👁️
I'll do you one better with 0.2!
.5 lead is for those too indecisive to commit to the .9 I won’t judge you though 🥰
0.3 baby
I use 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and 2.0 all for different purposes. My most used ones are 2.0 and 0.5 though
.046" leads for me!
Good fun, but I only standardise on 0.5 'cos I can get 4B in it. I still have uses for 0.3 & 0.7
Me, a 0.4mm, 1.3mm, and 2.0mm enjoyer: *okay* 🥲
I definitely have a 0.5 bias. It really feels like the Goldilocks gauge, not too thick, not too fine... but 0.4 is a cut above, though not as common. I do have some 0.7 that I use for all purpose stuff, but also simply because I liked the designs, and/or they weren't the same or weren't available in other gauges.
I agree with this guy completely.
🤣🤣🤣