Why does nobody talk about the old school drafting pencil?

I was cleaning out my grandpa's shop in Toledo and found a 0.3mm mechanical pencil he used for blueprints, and I always thought my digital tablet was better. After trying it on some detail work for a gear assembly, the feel and line weight control was way better than I expected. Has anyone else gone back to a simple tool and been surprised?

4 comments

4 Comments

harper69321d ago

You mentioning the line weight control really hit home. I read an article a while back about how architects sometimes keep these pencils for sketching initial concepts, even with all the software available. There's something about the direct feel of the lead on paper that just gives you more feedback. I tried my old fountain pen for notes last year and had the same surprise, it just made me focus more. Those old tools force you to slow down and that can actually be a good thing.

oscar74321d ago

Wait, did you mean a 0.3mm lead holder or a regular mechanical pencil? Those old drafting pencils often used thicker 2mm leads you had to sharpen, which gives a totally different feel for line weight. The 0.3mm ones are great for super fine details though, I still use mine for sketching small parts.

juliashah15d ago

But who has time for all that sharpening?

logan23615d ago

That 0.3mm lead is perfect for tiny gear teeth. Harper's point about slowing down is key. When I switched back to a manual film camera, I had to think about light and focus for every single shot instead of just blasting away. It made me a better photographer. Do you find that the pencil makes you plan your lines more before they hit the paper?