Although this blog will focus mostly on fountain pens and ink, I have decided to begin with a look at my favorite mechanical pencil, the Pentel Sharp Kerry, which in fact is very pen-like. With its cap on, the Kerry looks a lot like a pen; it has good weight and balance, and its length of 4-15/16" is perfect for carrying in a shirt pocket.
With the cap removed and posted, the lead is advanced through a standard push-button mechanism on the cap end; under the push button is the small eraser. To access the barrel for additional leads, you remove the barrel-end cap, not the eraser. I prefer to use this pencil with the cap posted; its length is then 5-1/8", and I find its weight and balance to be close to perfect for my relatively small hands. You can also use the Kerry without the cap posted; its length is then only 4-3/16", a bit too short even for me.
The Kerry comes in 0.5mm and 0.7mm sizes. At a minimum the following colors are available: metallic blue, metallic red, black, pink, olive, and gray. If anyone knows of other color options, please let me know; I would really like to find one in copper if it exists (I'll explain why in a moment). I have one in blue, red, and black, with olive and gray on the way; some are in 0.5mm and some in 0.7mm. Since I prefer to use B, 2B, and 3B leads, I have replaced the standard HB leads in all these pencils with the softer leads.
I have always enjoyed carrying a fountain pen and pencil pair in my shirt pocket. I have quite a few matching sets that I'll be discussing in future entries (e.g., Cross Century Classic, Cross Solo, and Sheaffer Admiral, among others), but lately I have really enjoyed pairing my Kerry pencils with my Esterbrook SJ fountain pens. Currently I have five Estie SJs, one each in blue, red, black, green, and copper; hence my desire to find a Kerry in copper. (I have an Estie gray transitional J but am still in search of a nice gray SJ.) The blue, red, and black Kerries match the corresponding SJ colors surprisingly well, and they are also very close in size, though not in weight or clip style. I expect the olive Kerry will be a bit different from the sage green Estie SJ, but if the clash isn't too bad, I will pair them too.
When I am at my desk at work, I use a variety of mechanical pencils, drafting pencils, and woodcase pencils. But when reaching for a pencil to carry in my shirt pocket, I haven't found one I like better than the Kerry. Try one; I'll be surprised if you don't like it (unless it is too small for your hands).
Tools of choice today:
Metallic blue 0.7mm Pentel Sharp Kerry with 2B lead
Blue Esterbrook SJ with 2314-F Relief nib and Aurora Black ink
Postscript: Sorry for the poor-quality images; I hope my photography skills will improve over time.
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