Traveling necessities include a good pencil. This Kuru Toga pencil has been a constant tool for 8 weeks of daily work. I used it every day to record thousands of observations during that time. I have put about 6 feet of lead through it. Here is my evaluation.
First, it is well balanced, light and quick. I like that. It also has a flaw I don't like. The clip is plastic, kinda sturdy, but not designed to clip tight. It will fall right out of a dress shirt pocket. The lead advance is sure and consistent. The Uni 0.5 mm HB nano-diamond blended lead that shipped with it is tough, resistant to breakage, and the right hardness for me, but it has a feel that is more scratchy than I like. The barrel of the pencil is losing it's gloss, and the clear portion is getting foggy, but the markings that are imprinted on the pencil have all held up well.
The defining characteristic of the Kuru Toga is the "engine" that rotates the lead 9ยบ every time it is pressed to the paper. This works even with a very light touch, and the feel is almost imperceptible. The point of this tiny engine is to keep the lead more consistently pointed, which is usually accomplished by rotating the whole pencil in your hand as you write and notice you are making a flat spot in the lead. This is a small improvement, and you have to get used to not rotating the pencil. Once you do, it works out better. I found my writing seemed to be more consistently fine. It worked for me.
The price I paid, $6.95 is in the ball park of a decent mechanical pencil. To me, it has been worth it, and I am now divesting myself of my other pencils. I make a trip to the other room to get my Kuru Toga, rather than use any other pencil. I like it that much.
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