Pentel Mechanical pencil ORENZNERO 0.2mm [PP3002-A] (Japan Import)

Over the years I have purchased numerous mechanical pencils for writing, mostly Japanese brands. There is always something lacking, something vague and indescribable, and I think that’s why I was easily attracted by the newer releases and kept buying. But the hunt is finally over now. I really enjoy this pencil. However, I can also see that it is not for everyone. So I’d like to share my two cents for potential buyers. As I mentioned before, I mainly use this pencil for writing notes, mostly on “cheap” copy paper or Five Star notebooks. When writing, there is noticeable feedback from the tip but not unpleasant. Most of my previous pencils are 0.5mm, and I always thought that’s my favorite lead width. I was wrong. I don’t write too big or too small, but from time to time I do need to make comments within tight spaces. The 0.2mm makes a big difference. Not only is it easier to write with in smaller size, my writing becomes more legible. I also find the appearance of the design stylishly elegant. The grip section is longer than most mechanical pencils, the clip is tight and compact, and the pencil has a low centered design that makes it very comfortable to write with. The best thing is the automatic lead advancing function. One click, and I can write till the lead is finished. As for Cons, I’m not sure about the durability yet, since I only have it for a couple months. It’s a rather delicate pencil, and you don’t want to be rough on it. Furthermore, the refills are more expensive than most 0.5mm leads. Slimmer lead means quicker wear out, and so far Pentel is the only company that makes 0.2 leads, so not a lot of options out there.Finally, a quick note on the lead grades. I’ve tried both the HB and 2B leads, and I prefer the HB grade, because there is no significant difference in legibility as far as I can tell, and the 2B leads wear out faster and prone to form sharp edges.

I was very skeptical of this pencil at first. The idea of NOT advancing the lead beyond the end of the lead pipe just felt like such an unnatural idea to me. I was expecting the metal end to scratch against the paper, or maybe be too far forward and not actually let the lead touch the paper. But after spending a few hours drawing with it (the picture I included), I'm completely sold on this thing.The metal pipe tip is far more sensitive, and retracts out of the way for the lead itself much better than I expected. In essence, you ARE writing with just the tip of the lead, as if it were extended beyond the tip. It's the fact that it slides back so effortlessly, and so smoothly, that you really don't even notice it's there. Combine that with the auto lead advance system, that will push out just enough lead to match how much you just used every time, and I honestly never had to manually advance it even once.Also, build quality is excellent. The body is a metal infused plastic, that feels premium in a way I've never really felt before. Not as heavy as solid steel, but not as lightweight as plastic. It's a great balance, and feels perfect to handle. I also never had a single lead breakage, so I can attest to the fact that it does work fully as intended.

Pentel's Orenz pencils are all great, but the Orenz Nero version is at the top of the list. I love my Orenz Nero .2 mm! Its metal content contributes to a better balance in the hand; it's very comfortable to hold for long sessions. The sliding lead shaft works quite well in preventing lead breakage, allowing you to write easily with almost no lead exposed past the shaft. (I can't remember the last time I broke a lead, even softer B or 2B.) The pencil writes easily at a normal writing angle, no dragging or digging in from the lead shaft. The .2 mm size allows extremely detailed writing or drawing. I never use anything else now except my Orenz Nero pencil. Definitely the best mechanical pencil I have ever had--and I have tried them all! I have both the .2 mm and the .3 mm versions. Both are equally great; my choice depends on the task. The Orenz Nero can seem a bit expensive, but absolutely this pencil is totally worth it!

With this mechanical pencil I learned that I have a heavy hand when writing. Therefore broke the led quite frequently. And the irritable amount of times that I had to adjust the length because to much would come out. On the positive side once you get all those parameters set it is a decent pencil to write with. Kuru toga or rotring 500 is were it’s at for me. Hope this helps.

This is a really cool, fun to use pencil. Great for fast hands, great for drawing. It's smooth and perfectly balanced and very sleek. There are just a few flaws that make it a little annoying to use.1. The tip bends easily. Would not be surprised if many broke this way, this one's tip bent when I accidentally dropped it a few weeks after having it and was relieved when it bent back and still worked.2. The eraser sucks. I know it's for sketching, but the point of an overengineered pencil is that everything is accounted for but this eraser is just the worst, cheapest system ever. It's dinky and painful to replace because it's so wasteful.3. Kinda thin body imo. Probably just preference, but my medium-large hands for a guy find It a bit awkward sometimes.

I purchased the Orenz pp1002g first and really enjoyed using it, and still do, but I wanted to try the Nero to see if the differences would be worthy of the significant price difference. I like the feel of both of them. The Nero weighs in at 16 grams, three grams more, which I like, but both have good weight and have a quality you can feel. So the difference really just comes down to your intended purpose. If you want a pencil that you can write notes with quickly, the price is easily justified. It is so nice not having to take time to advance the lead while in a lecture! Same if you want to do some quick sketches, you will never need to advance the lead, but I have other pencils I prefer for sketching. Overall, I’m happy with both pencils but if I could only have one, the Nero would be the clear winner.