600 Mechanical Pencil, 0.5 mm, Black - Perfect for Writing, Drafting, Engineering, Architecture Professionals

Excellent mechanical pencil. It's heavy and feels substantial in hand, which I find helps with writing / note taking. Be careful of drops, since that weight could be a disadvantage if dropped directly on the point. I have others - Pentels (several models), and Uni Togas and those are fine - but they are very light in comparison to this model. This one lets me write longer with less fatigue - in short it makes the writing more enjoyable. Well worth the price to me. The leads are quality too - though I will probably refill with Pentel Ain .5 2B. Cons - well, dropping it could be a problem. The leads are held in by the eraser, which is pretty common. A little pricey for a pencil so if you tend to lose them, maybe consider that.

A Thing Of Beauty: The Rotring 600 0.5mm ....:::::: U P D A T E - Y E A R T W O ::::::.... I love the Rotring 600 so much, I am actually updating a review. I don't think that I've ever done that. Anyway, my initial 5 star review was a glowing, no doubt about it, buy this pencil now type of review. Well after 2 years of literal daily use it still looks new (check the pic, i put an updated one out there). Along with my AIN Stein 4B (Mmmmm Dark and soft...) lead, this pencil has been amazingly consistent. It's never had a lead jam. The tip is still straight (I have been extremely careful too.) There is nothing negative that I could say about this pencil. Multiple Pentel Graphgears, Kuru Toga's and even an Alvin Draftmatic all tried their best to unseat King Rotring. All failed. There are very few sure things in this world. But I know what to expect when I pick up the 600.... [original review] Finally got my Rotring 600 0.5mm. With all the problems that I’ve read about with the Rotring 800+, it seems that the 600 is the way to go. Before the Rotring arrived, the Pentel Graph Gear 1000 was my current favorite pencil that I own. On its arrival, the Rotring delegated it to 2nd place before I could even get the pencil completely out of its box (excellent packaging, is just one of many "little things" this product gets right) .It is everything that I hoped it would be. The Black Rotring 600 is easily to coolest looking mech pencil out there. It has an ominous Darth Vader-y feeling to it. To say it’s solidly built is an understatement. Quality German industrial design and construction. You think it looks good though, its performance is even better. The balance is PERFECT for my writing style. It feels so much better than anything else that I have tried before. No wobble at all in the tip. A nice crisp, audible click for lead extension. Signs of good craftsmanship are noted sometimes by the little, almost unnoticed aspects of design. Like the 600’s lead grade indicator. It would be fine if this were just a part of the pencil that indicated the type of lead inside the pencil. But the Rotring takes it a step further making this portion of the pencil knurled metal (same as the grip employs) and tops it like a cherry with its iconic red ring "logo". So yes, it's a lead grade indicator... A lead grade indicator WITH STYLE! Is this a requirement? Certainly not, but it’s these little touches that make me appreciate the thought and care that went into this pencils design. I’m not going to get into a bulleted list of pro's and con's, simply because there are no cons. I can't find one thing negative about this product. I love the reviews that say "the non-retractable tip is fragile" and then proceed to ding it a star. I'm sorry, but it's obvious that this is a finely engineered product, a certain amount of care is required. Because you are careless enough to drop it is not Rotrings fault. Take proper care, and your tip won't get bent. Simple. (Of course, I have now jinxed myself so that by the end of the day, I’m fairly certain that I will have dropped mine by days end). In such cases, it’s comforting to know you can get a replacement tip for around 11 bucks. Other people say, "The eraser is crappy". Guess what Skippy, every eraser in every mechanical pencil sucks. EVERY one. If you use a mechanical pencil without having a dedicated eraser at the ready (my personal fav is the Uniball Boxy, it's also very Darth Vader-y) you won't using mechanical pencils for much longer. It's just something that you have to do when using a mechanical pencil. Bottom line. While the Rotring 600 0.5mm is a very expensive pencil. It's worth every penny in my opinion. I can't say it any better than the Amazon product description does: "An iconic tool, meant for a lifetime of use." Now I need to grab the silver one so I have a pair right??....

This is absolutely the best mechanical pencil I have ever written with. I have many, many, mechanical pencils, as this is a hobby of mine. This is my favorite to use in most situations. The barrel is made of high quality, enameled brass, and is a high quality, professional grade instrument. PROs: - Superior quality. It is so pleasurable to write with. It feels amazing in-hand. - Precision and line co trol are unmatched, with longer lead sleeve and fantastic, knurled grip. - The click action is rock-solid with no play or slip. Perfection. CONS: - The lead sleeve is NOT retractable, and would bend/snap if dropped on its tip. Not likely repairable. - This lack of a retracting point and subsequent risk of breakage if dropped makes it less ideal for every day/pocket carry. I tend to leave it at my desk. OVERALL: I love this pencil and would buy another one if this one were lost or broken. It's just that good. Drop the $20, buy some 2B or 3B leads and never look back.

Amazing pencil. It’s a true pleasure using it. I have another one in .35 which I’ve had for over 10 years, that looks and works as new (cleaned it one time as I had the lead stuck in the barrel) rotring makes some high quality long lasting and beautiful writing instruments.

As a student who takes notes by hand and uses pencils all the time at work, this is a beauty. I was looking for a nice, high quality mechanical pencil that I could use for a long time. I much prefer 0.5mm diameter leaded pencils for their crisper, cleaner writing ability, but my heavy-handed writing style meant I was frequently breaking the leads and wasting money. This pencil solves both those issues. The weight is perfect, feeling more like a nice, full-metal pen than a pencil, and the weight allows me to lighten up on my pressure while still delivering a legible line. I've gotten numerous compliments on it when I lend it to people, and I'm not too worried about losing it either due to its reasonably low price. The erasers are smooth, dense, and very efficient at removing marks without leaving too many tiny shavings to brush off. The shavings typically roll up well and are easily picked up after. Enough rambling, here's a list: Pros: - Full metal construction means a very solid feel - Knurled metal barrel is very tactile and allows a good grip even when hands get sweaty - Black powdercoated exterior is resistant to scratches (I even put this in the same pocket as my keys - no scratches yet!) - Eraser is great, easily removing marks without leaving tiny shavings on the paper - Eraser holder easily slides in and out, but doesn't clamp the eraser when removed, making adjusting the length easy and quick - Eraser can be used easily, with pressure, without extending the leads further - Rotating lead hardness marker means you never have to guess which lead is in your pencil - Clip is firm and easily holds on to your shirt or coat pocket, meaning it won't fall out if you lean over - Inside barrel is aluminum (not plated), and holds a lot of lead, so you can leave the refill container at home - Black powdercoated surface looks professional and would fit in even in the most formal of workplaces Cons: - From what I've heard, the extended silver tip on the end is easily broken if the pencil is dropped - Lending this out can be dangerous, people won't want to give it back! Overall, I'm extremely happy with this pencil. rOtring has transformed the pencil from a tool used by high schoolers into a writing utensil that you can be proud to carry, as it looks professional and feels the part as well. rOtring has earned a customer for life with this tool. I can't recommend it enough.

I got this pencil because I have sweaty hands and because I hold pencils low down. The only issue is its fragility. I have sweaty hands, and it was awful having my standard pencils slip up my hand. It was so terrible that I'd sand them down just to get a better grip. I got this pencil mainly for the knurled grip and it has held up to my expectations. No slipping. I also hold pencils low down, right next to the extruder, so this pencil is nice in that the grip goes very close to the tip. This pencil's only large issue is its fragility. Everything about it is fine except for the tip. The tip can be bent by one drop because of how heavy this pencil is. Any drop from hip height can bed the tip. I got lucky in that I was able to bend it back without breaking it with metal fatigue, but it is still slightly bent from its fall off my desk onto my carpet. Ps. Another small issue is the inconvenience of the eraser, where you have to take off an easily-lost, irreplaceable lid to use the tiny eraser. I just use a seperate eraser so that is not an issue for me. Do not buy this pencil if you commonly drop your pencil, or if you use the back of your pencil for erasing commonly. Otherwise, it's a very satisfying, grippy brass pencil.

I have a number of Rotring writing instruments and this certainly did not disappoint. Great quality, good balance, precise mechanism. There is nothing to complain about. This pencil is a tool that does the work well, it is comfortable in the hand and the quality (all metal body) is exceptional.

Have used & owned many instruments in the Rotring line from Fountain Pens to Mech. Pencils since the early 1980's. Everything produced by Rotring is lovely, lasting, and (mostly) practical. Nothing too over-the-top luxurious, but functionally with grace & that great, quintessential "German-Industrial" look. However, some models of Rotring Mech. Pencils are "more perfect" than others... and the 600 - 0.5mm is pure perfection. (I once purchased a 500 by mistake and it simply cannot compare with the 600.) Ticks all the boxes on my list: Quality build, Black matte colour, Lead Hardness indicator, built-in eraser, knurled grip, and most of all: perfect balance and heft. Two Cons: •The finish on these newer 600's do tend to chip though, unlike my black matte Rotings purchased a decade or more ago. • Dislike the odd opening at the top of the eraser cap. I simply do not understand its function/purpose. My older Rotrings all have closed eraser caps. The opening only allows for dirt & dust to enter and settle on the eraser. But truly, this is a minor imperfection... barely worth the mention. Aside from the above, this mech. pencil is one I use daily for every application from art/sketching, making notes in my planner, to notating music scores. I own 5 Rotring black matte 600's, each filled with different lead grades ("3B" to "B"), my fav "all-purpose" lead being "2B". (The UNI Nano brand, BTW. After using these top-quality leads you'll never look again at those Pentel blister packaged leads sold in all stores). Today I placed my order for a 6th black matte 600. If satisfaction can be judged by repeat purchasing, count me 600-satisfied x 6! Thanks for reading, -CC, Amazon Prime Member-Reviewer