Rotring 600 Mechanical Pencil, 0.7 mm, Silver

Excelllent quality mechanical pencil.Nice feel in the hand. Has a bit of weight as it is made with solid metal.Lead advancing mechanism works well, and the Rotring leads feel superior to the usual Pentel brand that I get at the local art store.I cannot speak of its longevity, as I have only just received this pencil.Maybe I will update this review after enough use to give and informed opinion.But one thing I think is fair to say is that this is a quality pencil that you can feel as soon as you put it in your hand and write.Some of the more popular, plastic refillables do not last long. Something in them breaks too soon, needing replacement.I've been a Rotring fan for many years.I have fountain pens that look very similar to these mechanical pencils, rapidograph pens, and art/calligraphy pens, all refillable with converters.These are the staples of my art supply collection.Seems that many of Rotring's products are no longer made in Germany, which makes the new ones less desirable than the old ones from Germany, but these are still great quality.I would look at these reviews here, where there are more informed reviews by a gentleman who made comparisons between different Rotring models.It seems, according to his idea, that this 600 version of the mechanical pencil is superior to the newer 800 version.I don't have those to compare, but if the newer ones have plastic components, they probably will not have the lifespan of these 600's.I have a feeling these 600's will perform well. They feel solidly engineered, and have that hefty feel to them.I love the extra weight of metal bodies in my drawing tools. For some reason I create better work with the heavier pens and mechanical pencils, whereas I feel like I have less control with the usual plastic pencils and pens.These are worth trying. The price may seem a bit high, but if these have the Rotring high standards, they will far outlast any of the lesser quality plastic pencils.And then there's the weight of the pencil that you don't get with the cheaper tools.It's worth spending a little more for quality that will outlast other tools.Better quality, less quantity over the years.That is kinder to the environment, and practically speaking, finer writing tools that will have an effect on the work that is done with them.If you can afford it at present, buy better quality. If not, save up for it.So many (general) things manufactured now are not built to last.When there is an option that will cost a little more but last a lot longer, it's the better, environmentally friendly way to go, and in the long run saves money as well.Worth giving these a try if you are able.

The knurling is perfect. It's really grippy, but without being pokey. The weight is also really great. But it isn't without a couple of flaws.There is a little metal sleeve that sticks out of the end and surrounds the lead near the tip, and the way that the pencil is designed, there's not really anything to prevent that sleeve from getting bent. If it stays at your desk, no sweat, it won't be an issue. But if you take it with you from place to place, it really should be in a hard case of some kind. I kept mine in my backpack, in one of the pen holders in the built in organizer in the front zipper pocket (which is soft-sided). Somehow, that little sleeve got bent slightly. It wasn't enough for me to notice at first, but the lead would keep breaking. Fortunately, it was slight enough that I was able to fix it using the pliers on my Leatherman. My backpack also has a hard-sided pocket (it's a Hazard4 Patrol Pack), and since I've been keeping the pencils in the hard-sided pocket, I haven't had any issues.The other thing is that the internals seem a little cheap. The whole outside is metal (brass, I believe), but when you take it apart, you see that some of the working parts are actually plastic. Specifically, the housing for the mechanism that advances the lead is made of plastic. The plastic housing is threaded, and screws into the metal tip (including the knurled grip). Then the metal barrel screws into the metal tip. It's well protected enough that I don't think it'll be an issue, but I kinda wish it was aluminum or something instead. Then again, I don't really know what sort of things the housing needs to do. If it needs to be able to deform a little, then return to it's normal shape, then plastic probably really is the way to go.Then the amount of lead that it spits out each click isn't always consistent. Every once in awhile, it will spit out too much lead, and I'll have to push the lead back in and try again. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it will happen several times in a row. I'm thinking this is an issue with the quality of the lead I'm using though (standard cheap pentel HB lead), since it's a fairly rare occurrence otherwise. But the more expensive Rotring lead that came with it tended to smear more, so I'm okay with the trade off.Overall, it's very good, and knowing what I know now, I'd still have gladly bought it. But if you don't really have $25 to spend on a pencil, but you do so anyway thinking that it will be perfect in every way, then you will be disappointed. It still gets 5 stars because none of these flaws are severe enough to warrant docking a star.I have both the 0.5mm and 0.7mm versions. If you would like the 0.5mm, but are considering the 0.7mm version because you don't want to deal with lead breaking all the time, go ahead and get the 0.5mm. After using the 0.5mm to write probably around 75 pages of notes and homework, I have yet to experience lead breaking (except due to a bent sleeve, which is mentioned above).

Feels superbWorth every penny, best pencil I’ve ever used.

I bought the Rotring 600 as a Christmas gift for my middle schooler, and it was a big hit! My son has always been curious about my collection of pens and pencils and often borrows my Rotring Rapid Pro when doing his homework. I decided to get him the Rotring 600 instead because it's 3 grams lighter compared to Rotring Rapid Pro, which seemed better suited for his age.He absolutely loves it and uses it almost every day. The lighter weight makes it comfortable for him to write without tiring his hand quickly. I also went with the 0.7mm lead instead of 0.5mm, as it’s closer to the feel of the standard pencils he’s been using since kindergarten and offers a bit more stability.This pencil has been a fantastic choice, and I’d highly recommend it for anyone, regardless of age!

Pen arrived in bent, but original packaging. Definitely authentic and new. Not sure if anyone copies these, but this ones authentic. Flawless construction, works perfectly. It feels great in the hand. Comes with 4 leads, writes great. I've been using a Graphgear 500 that works well, but the Rotring is definately a nicer pencil. One drop on a carpeted floor and the tip was bent. I bent it back and it seems to function but I'm not holding my breathe. The retractable is more than I wish to spend on a pencil but is obviously the better option.

Great weight, great feel in the hands, seems well made and durable. Allows for precision work. I purchased a second one to keep at my desk at work, I like it so much.