My Koh-I-Noor was a 0.5mm Rapidomatic 5635, white plastic barrel. Great pencil, until the barrel broke. I replaced it was a Rotring (probably the 600, althoug

My Koh-I-Noor was a 0.5mm Rapidomatic 5635, white plastic barrel. Great pencil, until the barrel broke. I replaced it was a Rotring (probably the 600, although I'm not exactly sure), sold by Levenger under their name. (The clip is stamped Rotring, though). It's very nice, solid brass, and easily as good as my (plastic) Koh-I-Noor. I've had a few other very nice pencils. Less technical is the Pentel Kerry (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/45_356 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/45_356) --everyone should own one. The Ohto Tasche (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/45_131 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/45_131) is almost as nice. The Pentel Graphgear 1000 (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/340_118 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/340_118) is good drafting pencil, but not quite as 'dense' as the Rotring. It has a decent retractable sleeve, which might give it just a bit more wiggle. I also have a Ohto Promecha 1000 (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/340_154_659 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/340_154_659) and Super Promecha 1500 (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/340_154_663 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/340_154_663), but to me they seem to be more about trickery than solid quality. The SP1500 has about four adjustments, so it's got quite the geek factor going for it. Pick one up if you're into mechanical pencils. I love the very fine line gel pens that are now available from http://www.jetpens.com http://www.jetpens.com and http://www.jstationery.com http://www.jstationery.com. The Pentel Slicci (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_342 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_342) is my fave, but check out the Pentel Hybrid Technica (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_241 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_241), the Uni-ball Signo DX (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_286 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_286), Uni-ball Signo Bit (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_61 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_61), and the Pilot Hi-Tech C (http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_284 http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_284). As you can tell, I'm a little bit obsessive about writing instruments too.