The Product
Nitecore recently released their newest writing instrument, the NTP40. This is a mechanical pencil, with a fully titanium body. It has a pocket clip, and uses the Schmidt Feinminen mechanism to take 0.5 mm lead.
Spoiler
This pencil feels extremely solid, and the mechanism works great. If anything, my only real complaint is that there's no eraser included - but in reality, the tiny erasers built into mechanical pencils don't tend to last long enough for this to be a serious omission.
This is certainly on the pricier end of mechanical pencils, but if you're in the habit of collecting titanium tools, or just want the very best, it's worth a look.
Packaging
The pencil comes in a matte black box that slides out to reveal the contents. It's nestled in protective foam, with a bright yellow cover over it pointing out some of the key features.
There are three leads included inside the pencil, and nothing else in the box.
Physical Dimensions
The pencil measures 137.7 mm long, and is 8.9 mm thick at the grip. The widest part is at the top, where the clip is attached, and measures 9.5 mm.
Build
The light is build almost completely from titanium.
At the tip, the steel of the mechanism sticks out. There's a standard conical shape up from the tip up to the grip.
A scalloped shape serves as the grip, and is a single piece with the rest of the body.
Near the top of the pencil, the clip is screwed into a separate, wider portion. The Nitecore brand and model are lasered into the titanium.
The cap on the end has an interesting look to it. Nitecore calls it "crystalized". I had a hard time getting a picture that shows it well, but I think the look is similar to galvanized steel. It looks almost like it's scaly or hammered, but feels smooth. It's certainly an interesting detail.
Ergonomics and Retention
One of the biggest issues I have with pens and pencils is a lack of good grip, but the detailing here is great. I didn't have any issues with slipping or discomfort, and the weight has a good amount of heft to it as well.
The clip is there if you want to clip it to a pocket. It works well enough, but it is a bit stiff as machined clips tend to be. For me, this is more useful in keeping the pencil from rolling away.
Writing and Refills
This pencil takes 0.5 mm lead. It doesn't really make sense to talk about writing with pencils, as that's really down to the lead you use and how you find the ergonomics.
The pencil can easily be refilled just by pulling out the cap, it's not necessary to unscrew anything.
Mechanism
The mechanism inside this pencil is a Schmidt Fennimen. I was unaware that drop-in mechanical pencil refills like this exist, but I'm glad they do - Schmidt has a good reputation, and I had no issues with it. The lead advances well, and neither got jammed up nor snapped inside during my use.
One feature absent from this pencil is an eraser, but I really don't think that's too much of a loss. An eraser would make it more difficult to refill, and they tend to be too small to last more than a few uses anyways.
Summary
Pros:
- Great look and feel
- Good weight and good ergonomics
- Mechanism works great
Cons:
- No eraser
- Price is on the higher end
Notes and Links
This product was provided free of charge by the manufacturer. I was not paid to write this review, and have tried to be as unbiased as possible.
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