Mechanical Inclination

 Hello! I just wanted to make a post on here for the incredible number of people that view my reviews and posts on the blog to say that I now have stickers. I hit 110 followers on Instagram (huge deal, I know) and thought it was time to make some merch. You can shoot me a DM on Instagram (@mechanicalinclination), or email me at mechanicalinclination1@gmail.com and let me know if you want to order some. Either $1 or free, depending on your generosity level. They look like this:

 As some of you may know, Tombow recently discontinued the Mono Graph Zero line. This is unfortunate, as the Mono Zero has been a favorite of mine for a long time. It is a pretty run-of-the-mill drafting pencil, but it falls more towards the general use market, as it lacks a retractable sleeve and hardness indicator. With that being said, the Mono Graph Zero is still one of my favorite pencils. The knurling isn't too rough, and it strikes the perfect balance between grippy and smooth. As an added bonus, it has a twist-extendable eraser. It's pretty small, but good for precise lines. It uses an interesting cartridge thing, but I think you can buy extra eraser refills without replacing the whole apparatus. Overall, the Tombow Mono Graph Zero is a nice pen cil for the price(~$9). It lacks some typically desired features, but is very comfortable. If you are interested in picking one of these up, there are still a few left on Amazon . As always, thanks for reading. Stay sharp! I wil...

There are several pencils in my collection that, at first glance, don’t look like much. In my experience, though, these are some of the best. The Rotring Rapid Pro is a prime example. It doesn’t have any special quirks or gimmicks. It is a purely functional drafting pencil. The only non-traditional feature of this pencil is the lead cushion mechanism. It is reasonably sensitive, so the writing experience is a bit smoother than other pencils. What the Rapid Pro lacks in gizmos, it makes up for with aesthetics. The body is all black, except for a red ring (Rotring) connecting the grip and barrel. It is made from lightweight brass, and has a nice thickness. No cramps here! It also has an eraser and solid pocket clip, and the sleeve retracts. All pretty standard. The only downside is that some of the paint wears down to bare brass with use. It took about three years for the paint to rub off to where it is now, though. Overall, the Rotring Rapid Pro is a sturdy and comfortable drafting penc...

I initially reviewed the Pentel GraphGear line nearly 2 years ago. Since then, I have gotten many more pencils, but there is still one pencil I always come back to: the GraphGear 1000. My GG1000 was one of the first pencils I ever got. It has been on many adventures, chewed through hundreds of lead sticks, and truly stood the test of time. The only sign this pencils isn’t brand new is the Pentel branding that has rubbed off over the years. In this short, sentimental post, I wanted to revisit my initial review and add some more thoughts. As I said before, this is one of my all-time favorite pencils. I would go so far as to say it has taken the #1 spot. I find myself coming back to it again and again. Whenever I need a pencil, I almost instinctively reach for the GG1000. The only issue I mentioned was the plastic portion connecting the main body to the grip. After 4 years of continual use, I have had no issues with cracking or breakage. There is no wiggle or give in the mechanism thu...

  Ohto Super ProMecha Review Of all the pencils I have reviewed, the Ohto Super ProMecha takes the cake for being the most interesting. Keep in mind, “interesting” and “nicest to use” are not mutually exclusive. This pencil certainly has its quirks and a few clever tricks up its sleeve, but it is far from comfortable. It has a fully retractable lead sleeve, lead grade indicator, and a solid aluminum body, as well as a nice eraser. With all that aside, let's get down to the nitty-gritty, no pun intended. The main feature of the ProMecha that sets it apart is the ability to change how much lead comes out when you click the button. This feature is very neat, and I found myself fidgeting with it while writing. There is a dial on the barrel that lengthens and shortens the travel between the bottom of the cap and the body to get this level of control. One issue I personally have is that the hole in the body that is used to access this dial is very sharp, and it rests right in between...

One of my goals this year is to work through the backlog of pens and pencils I have to review, which, as it turns, is around 20. I figured I might as well start from my most recent acquisitions, and here we are. I had been eyeing the Pro Use 171 for several months before getting it, and all I can say is that it did not disappoint. Coming in at just under 25 grams, the 171 strikes a nice balance between using premium materials, while not being too heavy and unwieldy. It comes with pretty standard features; a lead grade indicator, pocket clip, and small eraser, although there are a few features on this pencil that make it different from most others I have reviewed. Starting off with the most useful feature, we have the retractable lead sleeve. It can be extended out to around 4.5mm using a screw mechanism. The one issue I have run into is that if you overtighten it when retracting the sleeve, it can get stuck. To fix this, simply unscrew the grip and the sleeve mechanism should c...