The Net Befriender

I used to think that every mechanical pencil was the same. When I was in school, I positively hated mechanical pencils. My mom got them for me because she claimed that my writing was messy, and that using a mechanical pencil would help, but I didn’t like them. The lead would break all the time, the pencil itself wouldn’t work very well, and it always made this annoying scratchy feeling on the page.

This was before I discovered what a good mechanical pencil was supposed to be. A lot of people recognize the quality and value of a fine ballpoint pen. Whether you prefer a fine line, bold line, blue ink, or black, you know that your writing implement makes a difference. It changes the feel of your writing, the look, and the sensations that you get from holding the pen.

Personally, I like a nice heavy rollerball pen. I like a little bit of weight in my hand, and a thick metal shaft gives me that feeling of weight. What I didn’t realize is that you can get a mechanical pencil that has a good feel. The mechanical pencils I used to use were light, plastic, and thin. I have big hands, so they would always be frustrating for me to write with. A lot of people like this style of mechanical pencil, but few people realize that there is an alternative. After all, mechanical pencils aren’t just for kids.

As a drafting engineer, I actually have to use a mechanical pencil a lot of the time. Although a lot of engineering designers are switching most of their work to computer, sometimes is still helpful to draft by hand – at least at first. Having a good writing implement – one that you are used to and comfortable with – is crucial. You will be spending hours using it, so having the right feel will make the job that much more pleasant and comfortable. There is really no two ways about it.

Another option, of course, is to use an erasable pen. Back when I was a kid, erasable pens were erasable in name only. You could never get the line totally out, and it would always leave this ugly ghost image. Nowadays, however, you can really find writing implements that combines the feel and line quality of a pen with the convenience of a pencil. For some things – such as drafting – a pencil is still a better choice. Still, sometimes it is just nicer to write with a pen.