6 BEST Mechanical Pencils for Drawing in 2023

Last Updated on January 10, 2023

Are you looking for the best mechanical pencils for drawing? Here is our complete guide!

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A mechanical pencil is a great tool for those who are passionate about drawing. Mechanical pencil is mainly a reusable holder that contains a thin stick of graphite “lead” and includes a mechanism for extending the lead. It’s designed to provide lines of constant thickness without requiring sharpening, which helps an artist to give his drawing a professional touch.

We are providing a complete guide for choosing the best Mechanical Pencil for your artistic and perfect drawing so that you can enhance your creativity and give your creation a professional touch.

To choose the best Mechanical pencil for your Drafting, Sketching, Illustrations, Engineering, or Architectural designing we are introducing you to some of the best quality mechanical pencils.

The 6 Best Mechanical Pencils for Drawing

Image	Title	Buy
Top	MozArt Supplies Mechanical Pencil Set - 4 Sizes: 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 & 0.9 mm, 30 HB Lead refills each & 4 Eraser Refills - Drafting, Sketching, Illustrations, Architecture (plastic 2)	Check Price!
Top	Pentel GraphGear 500 Automatic Drafting Pencil Black (PG525A)	Check Price!
Top	Leda Art Supply Mechanical Pencil Set with 12-piece 5B lead refill and sharpener perfect for drawing and sketching	Check Price!
Top	Morning glory 2.0 mm Lead Holder Pen / 1.8 mm Flat Leads Mechanical Pencil for Draft Drawing,Carpenter,Crafting, Art Sketching Sharpener	Check Price!
Top	ExcelFu 6 Pieces 2.0 mm Mechanical Pencils with 6 Cases Lead Refills, Color and Black Refills for Draft Drawing, Carpenter, Writing, Crafting, Art Sketching	Check Price!
Top	Sakura 50201 6-Piece Pigma Manga Comic Pro Drawing Kit,Black	Check Price!

1. MozArt Supplies Essential Mechanical Pencil

The Mozart mechanical pencil set contains 4 tips sizes:0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9mm and also includes mechanical pencil refills with 30 x 4 pieces of HB lead (for each lead size) plus 4 eraser refills.

This mechanical pencil lead set is perfect for everyday use. These drawing pencils offer precision and versatility from sketching to detailed illustrations and work on all paper types. These pencils are ideal for artists, professionals, teachers, and students alike.

These mechanical pencils are simple and easy to use even for kids and beginners. The lead advances easily at the touch of a click, it can be refilled simply, as can the eraser. It has a consistent lead thickness, compact and lightweight. It’s very similar to an erasable pen in that regard.

The firm and non-slip grip of the pencil provides added support and ergonomic comfort. Plus a clip for easy carrying. It has very lightweight. It’s perfect for students, teachers, architects, and artists alike. From note-taking to detailed sketches, you can achieve a smooth output resistant to smudges.

Simply remove the silver cap from the end of the pencil. Then pull out the eraser, Insert a new piece of lead into the pencil barrel and Place the eraser and cap back. According to customer reviews, this pencil is very reasonable and satisfying. But there some problems may occur with the eraser and lead because of the lightweight.

2. Pentel GraphGear 500 Automatic

It’s a superior drafting pencil for professionals and enthusiasts, which gives you the perfect finishing for your work. GraphGear 500 features a 4mm fixed sleeve for template work and technical drawings, but 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm & 0.9mm sizes are also available. Also has color-coded sizes for fast & easy size lead size identification.

Metallic mesh grip on a slim, beveled barrel provides you precision and full control while writing. It’s also weighted at your fingertips for precise drafting and template work. Pre-loaded with Pentel Super Hi-Polymer HB lead and no need for sharpening. It is super strong and produces a clear dark line. It also offers a top click, stationary eraser, and tip.

It includes lead already inside the pencil but only 2 strips. It is smaller, thinner, and lighter than your expectation, which is comfortable to hold and it’s a great weight. It’s a light but not cheap or hollow feeling.

The texture of the metal grip gives you a nice feeling. The mechanical action feels solid but precise and delicate. There does not seem to be any looseness in the pencil while writing. The eraser is very easily removable and extendable; it is also nice and small for detailed erasing. From customer review, the .3mm lead works on different paper better than the .5mm lead. While buying this pencil check which one is perfect for you.

3. Leda Art Supply Mechanical Pencil

It features a six-sided polymer pencil tipped with fine brass finishes. It’s easy to grip for precise sketching perfect for any graphite art creations.

The extra-thick 5B art lead is Ideal for bolder lines and shading. Regular 2B pencil lead is only 0.7 mm thick. But, the B5 lead is 2.0 mm wide. You can Use a lead sharpener to create the thinnest possible lines.

You can make exactly the thickness of the marks you want. The Leda pencil is designed for artists. It’s a great gift for a creative person. Perfect when given with one of the Leda sketchbooks.

You can Replace used lead with one of 12 in the refill pack. The pencil comes already filled for a total of 13. If the Leda pencil set isn’t exactly what you need for art-making you can ask for a refund.

4. Sketch Flat Lead 1.8 mm Mechanical Pencil

Sketch Flat Lead 1.8 mm Holder Pen Mechanical Pencil is absolutely perfect for draft drawing, art sketching, calligraphy, and marking. It offers 1.8 mm x 60 mm 2B Graphite Lead (1 Tube 6 Lead -Total 36 Leads) and a gift box. The lead is refillable. The flat Square shaped lead helps you to fill out mark sheets easily. And it is also suitable for writing, calligraphy, and sketching.

The lead is super-strong, even for heavy-handed, and also smooth. It fits in hand quite nicely. As the lead is a little too soft and can smear. A person of any profession can use it with comfort.

5. ExcelFu 6 Pieces 2.0 mm Mechanical Pencils

It includes 6 pieces 2.0 mm 2B mechanical pencils and black, blue, and silver color. Three cases are black and three cases are colorful of the 6 cases of replacement refills.

These mechanical pencils with metal and rubber materials design provide you a comfortable and non-slip experience to write, and high-quality sleeves protect your refills not easy to break.

There is a sharpener in the cap of a mechanical pencil to sharpen the lead refills easily. The colorful leads can help you finish your writing and drawings more effectively.

6. Sakura 50201 6-Piece Pigma

The Sakura 50201 6-Piece Pigma Manga Comic Pro Drawing Kit consists of 1 each Pigma micron 005, 03, 08, 1 each graphic 1mm, 1 each brush all black, 1 each 0.7mm fixed sleeve mechanical pencil.

The archival quality ink is waterproof, pigment-based ink using single color pigments, Fade Resistant, no smears or feathers on most papers and Ink dries to pH neutral. Pigment Molecules are 100 times bigger and more chemically complex than dye molecules allowing them to stay within the top layer of the paper rather than absorbing through the paper causing bleed-thru.

The unparalleled archival quality of Pigma Micron pens makes them everyone’s first choice. Artists, writers, and illustrators reach for Pigma Micron and know their work is safeguarded with the permanence of Pigma ink. The first disposable technical pen using archival pigmented ink, the Pigma Micron ink pen is selected for fine-point technical and artistic applications.

Buying Guide

To choose your perfect mechanical pencil for drawing follow the above instructions:

Find the appropriate lead sleeve

The sleeve of a mechanical pencil is actually the part that extends from the pen cylinder and ends where the lead emerges. Fixed sleeves, sliding sleeves, and sleeveless are the three main varieties of sleeves to choose the right one for you.

The thickness of lead

Lead thickness is the most important of all. The 0.5mm lead is the classic size for more technical style and is a very versatile tool that is used by many artists for all sorts of styles. For a detailed drawing, you can also use 0.3mm leads. But .5mm is the most common size of a mechanical pencil. In case you run out of the lead, you’ll have an easier time finding or purchasing a replacement lead.

Discover your preferred lead advance mechanism

Mechanical pencil advances lead from the hollow chamber in its barrel to the tip of the pencil which is known as a lead advance. The lead advance is generally activated by a button, twist, or shake mechanism. There are three types of lead advances: Push-button lead advances- come in two different types, some have a button on the side of the pencil, and others use a top button that combines with the eraser. You can advance your lead by pressing the button in both cases.

Twist-operated lead advances- work by twisting the barrel of your mechanical pencil. Some models may have a continuous lead advance, where the more you twist, the more lead is advanced. It’s more common in the older models.

A shake advance- is activated by giving your mechanical a firm shake up and down. This motion causes a small weight on the inside of the pencil to advance the lead.

Choose the one with a lead grade indicator for the organization

Some models of pencils allow you to set an indicator to show you the grade (hardness) of the lead in your pencil. A grade indicator prevents you from using a pencil loaded with the wrong lead, by switching between grades when working on different projects. It’s very useful for the perfect design.

Prefer a pencil grip that suits your hand

Most of the mechanical pencils come with a padded, soft, rubber-like grip on the part of your handholds. Different pencil grips suit different hands, and some grips have special features, like bumpy textures to help you hold onto your pencil. Take a test write before purchasing to select the right grip.

How to Use a Mechanical Pencil for Drawing

Extending the lead

Most mechanical pencils have a button that extends a set amount of lead every time you push it. The button is usually located at the top end of the pencil (where the eraser typically is). Some mechanical pencils have a mechanism that let’s extend the lead by simply shaking the pencil up and down, but they include a conventional push button that you can use instead. In the case of twisted pencils, you can extend the lead by twisting either the nose cone of the pencil or a knob at the top end of the pencil but they typically can only hold one lead at a time.

Retracting the lead

To retract the lead, if you accidentally extended too much lead or you are done using the pencil for now for the push button and shaker mechanical pencils, simply hold the push button down and push the lead back into the tip. For twist mechanical pencils, twist the top knob or nose cone of the pencil in the opposite direction that you twist it to extend the lead.

Refilling the lead

To refill the pencil with more lead, the most important thing is to make sure that the leads you are refilling the pencil with are the same size as the leads that the pencil came with. Many pencils have the lead size printed right on them. If you use leads that are too narrow, the leads will just fall out of the pencil tip when you try to extend them. If you use leads that are too wide, the leads will get jammed inside the pencil and clog it. The next thing to consider is lead grade. By far the most commonly used grade is HB, if you want something a little bit darker and smoother, we recommend using B or 2B lead.

Installing the lead

To install the lead pull off the top cap or push button. It may be a cap covering the eraser, a piece of plastic that the eraser is attached to, or the eraser itself. If the top push button was a cap covering the eraser, pull out the eraser as well. Add 3-5 leads into the body of the pencil. Don’t fill the pencil with all the leads that will fit to avoid the lead jam. Put the eraser and/or top push button back into place. Click the push button until the new lead starts to come out

Using the eraser

Most mechanical pencils have an eraser built into the top end. Often, the eraser is hidden under the top cap or push button, which can be pulled off to expose the eraser. Some pencils have twist erasers that can be extended or retracted by twisting the top end of the pencil.

Replacing the eraser

To replace most mechanical pencil erasers, simply pull the old one out and insert a new one in its place. Make sure to get the right refill erasers for your pencil.

Retracting the lead sleeve

Some pencils let you retract the lead sleeve when you’re not using a pencil. This protects the lead sleeve from getting bent, and it also protects your pocket or pencil case from getting poked by the lead sleeve. Hold down the pencil’s push-button Press the tip of the lead sleeve against your finger or a hard surface Release the push button while still pressing the tip of the lead sleeve. As you release the push button, you will be able to push the lead sleeve back into the tip of the pencil. The lead sleeve will pop back out automatically the next time you click the push button.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ‘black’ a black color pencil lead or graphite lead?

It’s a graphite lead.

Do these pencils have erasers?

Some of these have and some don’t. Please, check our recommended Best Mechanical Pencil section.

Is the barrel made of plastic or metal?

The barrels are made of plastic.

Can anyone use these for sketching?

Yes, these are great for sketching.

How can one find a perfect pencil to trace pictures onto watercolor paper?

For that, we recommend you try different sizes of lead.

Where can anyone get refills for the lead?

You can get them from any office supply store.

Conclusion

Mechanical pencils are a great help for kids as well as professional artists. We hope this article will be very helpful for you to give your work a professional and wonderful touch. Thank you for reading our article!