Derwent Mechanical Pencils 0.7, Metal Barrel, Precision, HB (2302429)

I paint in watercolor and use these pencils for my preliminary sketches. Love, love love!!! The lead is smooth, doesn't break, and doesn't catch on the paper as I draw on my cold press paper (lots of texture!).The pencil is metal and has a solid hand feel when drawing, The lead doesn't smudge while painting and doesn't leave excessive grooves or color after erasing. This is now the ONLY pencil I draw with for finished pieces!

I draw and I used this pencil for drawing and I loved it. However, it didn't last the day. For some reason, the mechanism that retracts and pushes out the lead doesn't work. When you put the point to paper, it retracts back into the barrell. It's possible, I suppose, that there is a fix for this, but I haven't been able to figure it out. I did load it with 3 or 4 leads and the problem did occur after that (but not immediately, I think). I have taken it apart and put it back together. I tried to dump the leads back out the top, thinking that might help, but while they went in fine one at a time, they don't come back out that little hole. I am new to mechanical pencils and I found it remarkable that this came with no instructions, by the way. Not everybody know how to operate one of these. I had to watch a 16 minute video review to familiarize myself with this pencil and even that was more about advertising than actually using the thing. OK, I have to change this review from 1 star to at least 4 stars; I couldn't give it a 5 until I've used it a while. Turns out there was no lead in the barrel! I thought I had loaded it, but apparently I was confusing it with the Pentel pencil I already had. I like the Derwent lead better than the Pentel HiPolymer-- it is a bit more like charcoal than hard graphite so it makes a nicer line for drawing, in my opinion.

Worked really for a few weeks but broke. :(

I like the retractable sleeve, The built is okay for the money! So for what you are getting not that bad. No grip to speak of, made in China. I have not really used it all that much but for trying it out it is actually pretty good, For me for drawing anyway!

At first it was really good! The mechinism that keeps the lead from breaking worked quite well. However, the head of the pencil fell off within a week.