Thoughts on these two lead holders

[tsellati]

I am interested in adding a new lead holder to my mechanical pencil collection. I already have a Staedtler Mars technico and I was looking at these two rOtring pencils -

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055ZV8LK/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00387NZ7C/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A1NLAL3X6WRYZY&psc=1

I was struck by the price difference with the 300 being under $10 and the 1904260 Rapid Pro being over $30.

Any thoughts on or personal experience with either of these two pencils to share would be most appreciated.

Tim

 

[rockviper]

I have not used a Rotring, but the 300 seems to be a plastic body vs metal for the Rapid Pro.

 

[tsellati]

I have not used a Rotring, but the 300 seems to be a plastic body vs metal for the Rapid Pro.

Yes, you are correct. And despite the higher price I am leaning toward the Rapid Pro because of its more solid (at least appearance-wise) metal construction.

Tim

 

[ajkel64]

I have not heard of either of them but I would definitely go for the metal one. I think that it would last for a longer period of time.

 

[Roedeer]

I've never used a metal hexagonal Rotring that I didn't like.

My favourite was the "600" fountain pen in matte black or silver, with lightly knurled sections; this must have been in the 80s. I had both, loved them, and used them at work.

I have a later 0.7 Rotring retractable matte black lead carrier (no model number) with a non-knurled section, that I quite like as an everyday use pencil.

 

[Rhody]

Both are nice. The reviews on the plastic one mentioned it’s solid in feel. I think rotring makes good stuff so you can’t go wrong. I have the metal one in the ink pen version. It’s nice. Solid. But from clanking in my bag a small dent appeared at the tip where the ball point comes out. It’s more cosmetic. The black paint is off in that tiny dent area but it doesn’t effect the pen. I don’t baby pens like this but I’ve never had that happen to any pens either. It’s not something that is a deal breaker but thought I’d pass on.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Rotring is an excellent old German brand (its owned now by someone else, I think Sanford = Sharpie). It was the standard tools for professional draftsmen. When I was in school, we had one year a drafting class and the requirement was to have a Rotring Rapidograph set, not the full set, but four. Even then, this was quite an expensive investment in my education my parents had to make....
I think I still have them around somewhere...they are now well over 50 years old.

 

[tsellati]

Thanks to all for sharing your thoughts and experiences with rOtring. I went with the rOtring 1904260 Rapid PRO Mechanical Pencil, 2 mm, Matte Black. Can't wait for it to arrive next week. Will report back on how it is working out for me.

Tim