Rotring1904727 500 0.7mm Mechanical Pencil, Black (502507N)

I have 3 Rotring 500, 2 Rotring 600, and 1 rapid PRO. I like the 500s better than others. It's lighter. Other two are metals. They are heavier, feel sturdier (500 still fells very good and high quality). If you are writing I recommend 500. If you are doing technical drawing, others perhaps feels better. Either way. I love these pencils. I wish 500 came in different colors. I wold every color.

This is a very good mechanical pencil. The pencil-purists like to call it Rotring's "entry level pencil"I guess if you're entering into the "hundred-dollar pencil club", then yes this would be entry level but saying this is an entry level pencil would be like calling the Pentel P205 or P207, "amateur pencils" and we all know that most of the modern world was engineered with a P205 and a pocket protector.Some might even suggest that comparing a Rotring to a Pentel is like comparing fine wine to beer but let's remind ourselves that Rotring ain't really Rotring anymore, The old hundred-dollar Rotring pencil company doesn't exist any more and in all fairness, the Rotring's of today are really nothing more than a PaperMate pencil in an Otterbox....yeah, sorry but look 'em up. Rotring, PaperMate, Sharpie... they're all the same company now.To this end, it is a great mechanical pencil!It is well built and the nib fits perfectly in my old K&E Leroy Lettering set so I don't have to fiddle with the inking pens or the 2mm lead clutch. If you are looking for a good, modern mechanical pencil that will work with, and fit perfectly in your old-school Leroy Lettering kit, then this is the pencil that will work.

Extremely good quality. Literally my only issue is that if you have a "money bump" as some artists like to refer to it as, the texture on the grip can agitate it a little bit. I wrapped mine with a piece of painter's tape, and it was good to go. It has good weight and doesn't like to roll because of its shape, which I love. I got another less expensive pencil prior to this one because it cost less and didn't like it as much, it's better to just go with this one from the get go.

As a fan of the rOtring 600 (I have now owned two) and a general pen/pencil addict, I recently saw the 500 and decided to order it just for fun to see how it stacks up. It is a lot like the 600 but inferior in most ways (which is exactly what you would expect given the fact that it is around half the price).## GripThe knurling on the grip is nearly identical to the 600, which means it is very nice. I have attached an up-close image of both pencils for comparison. I really like the grip on rOtring pencils. It is somewhat slim so if you have larger hands or prefer thick pencils, you might gravitate more towards something with a larger grip (e.g. the GraphGear 1000 which I have attached a photo of next to rOtring pencils for comparison).## BodyThe body of the 500 is made out of plastic. The lines on the hex-shaped body aren't as pronounced as the 600 unfortunately. It looks OK but the plastic is shiny compared to the matte look of the 600. Also, the metal grip screws in to plastic threads which seems like an obvious point of failure to me.## WeightThis is my main beef with this pencil. It weighs next to nothing due to the fact that is has a plastic body and internals vs metal on the 600 (I have attached an image of the pencils and their internals side by side). The perfect weight of the 600 is what makes it such a special pencil.## Lead SelectorThe lead selector on the 500 is really nice. I like the look of the silver highlights vs the 100% black of the 600. It doesn't feel as precise as the 600 when rotating it, but, that is a nitpick and it is better than the lead selectors on most pencils I have used. On most other pencils, the lead selector is part of the grip/body and you have to loosen the body in order to rotate it then tighten everything down when you have the correct lead selected. On the rOtrings, it is a separate mechanism on the back of the pencil.## Lead AdvancementAdvancing the lead on the 500 isn't as precise and wonderful as the 600, but it feels fine and it advances roughly the same amount as the 600. I have attached an image of both pencils two clicks past being flush with the tip. For me, two clicks is the perfect amount of lead. Not so short that you have to advance the lead too often and so long that you break your lead frequently.## SummaryIf you want the rOtring look / hex core design on a budget and don't mind a plastic body, the 500 is an OK pencil. If you have the budget, you should absolutely spring the extra $ for the 600. If you have big hands and don't care about the rOtring aesthetics, you should consider the GraphGear 1000.

I tend to get a callus on my finger from the way I hold my pens and pencils. I find this pencil really well balanced and comfortable to hold.In other respects it seems well made as well. It’s made of plastic but doesn’t feel cheap. The lead seems appropriately snug in the little metal sleeve at the tip.I did find the price a little high but I’m still really happy with my purchase.

The simple geometric lines of the pencil settle into your hand and it seems to come to life, as a stream of graphite shares your vision and thoughts. The heft is solid, a half click of the knurled end produces the point and lead, clean erasures from the built in eraser, all you need to express the idea, capture the moment in a sketch, and answer that Muse calling you. Get two and surprise a friend who will know how much you respect their art as well as your own.

Yes, the Rotring 600 is made of better materials (a full brass body and powder brushed paint) but the 500 is a cheaper alternative, but sacrifices the all brass body. The knurling and the lead indicator are still metal though. The barrel has been replaced with a plastic barrel, but it doesn't feel cheap at all. The barrel doesn't feel like those cheap Bic mechanical pencils, it still has the 600's trait of being built like a tank, albeit a lighter tank.Comes with one strip of HB lead already loaded in the barrel. The lead indicator goes to HB, F, H, 2H, 4H, 2B, and B, but it doesn't serve much more purpose than finding out what lead you are using. I recommend getting Pentel's 2H 144 Strips of Lead, since 2H is made to be stronger than normal, ordinary, HB leads.