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Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

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Re: Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

#91

Post by lupire »

niederman wrote: post #69

I agree that these pencils are "overengineered" in that they are multiple times more complex and expensive than their simpler counterparts while offering relatively little improvement in function, but if you use a pencil every day I think that increase in cost is more than worth it. I, for one, have loved my Kuru Toga pencil (the rotating lead one) since the day I got it a few years ago.

Is a Lexus overengineered, or just better at a cost?

If you don't lose a pencil, it lasts for decades and the cost is trivial.

Re: Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

#92

Post by JasonFruit »

lupire wrote: post #90
NalNezumi wrote: post #66

It might feel "overengineered" to people outside the Japanese society, but it actually just solves common issues here and it's not overengineering. The rotating mechanism is the easiest to see this. First, Kanji signs are more detailed than the alphabet and uneven lines can make it really ugly/hard to read. Same issue with breaking lead, causes ugliness. Second, traditionally handwriting in Japan have been seen as a…

> resumes have to be handwritten. This is elitist evil.

Is that any more elitist than judging the resume by grammar or by the prestige of the schools, former employers, and references it lists? Hiring is a situation where you're literally looking for the best: it's by definition elitist.

Re: Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

#94

Post by jannie123 »

lupire wrote: post #90
NalNezumi wrote: post #66

It might feel "overengineered" to people outside the Japanese society, but it actually just solves common issues here and it's not overengineering. The rotating mechanism is the easiest to see this. First, Kanji signs are more detailed than the alphabet and uneven lines can make it really ugly/hard to read. Same issue with breaking lead, causes ugliness. Second, traditionally handwriting in Japan have been seen as a…

> resumes have to be handwritten. This is elitist evil.

More ableist I think. Some people have bad handwriting due to physical or neurological conditions

Re: Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

#95

Post by [deleted] »

dzhiurgis wrote: post #87
NalNezumi wrote: post #66

It might feel "overengineered" to people outside the Japanese society, but it actually just solves common issues here and it's not overengineering. The rotating mechanism is the easiest to see this. First, Kanji signs are more detailed than the alphabet and uneven lines can make it really ugly/hard to read. Same issue with breaking lead, causes ugliness. Second, traditionally handwriting in Japan have been seen as a…

> resumes have to be handwritten. Sounds incredibly easy to cheat, but also not something Japanese would do, would they?

[deleted]

Re: Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

#96

Post by paulryanrogers »

TheCowboy wrote: post #86
NalNezumi wrote: post #66

It might feel "overengineered" to people outside the Japanese society, but it actually just solves common issues here and it's not overengineering. The rotating mechanism is the easiest to see this. First, Kanji signs are more detailed than the alphabet and uneven lines can make it really ugly/hard to read. Same issue with breaking lead, causes ugliness. Second, traditionally handwriting in Japan have been seen as a…

Might be better to think of 'regular' mechanical pencils as under-engineered, where the flaws are compensated for by using a lot lead and clicking a lot. I've used the Uni Kuru Toga for years and have converted a few people to it. I don't think it's necessary for everyone, but it's just a great pencil. It's also worth investing in better than the cheapest lead you can find as well. I prefer lead that is a little soft…

Do they really use lead? Or is it graphite?

Re: Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

#97

Post by paulryanrogers »

JasonFruit wrote: post #92
lupire wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> resumes have to be handwritten. This is elitist evil.

Is that any more elitist than judging the resume by grammar or by the prestige of the schools, former employers, and references it lists? Hiring is a situation where you're literally looking for the best : it's by definition elitist.

Unless the job is handwritting then it is unnecessary gatekeeping. And strikes me as elitist if they're trying to filter out lower classes.

Just because other practices are also elitist doesn't make this virtuous.

Re: Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

#98

Post by mangamadaiyan »

rramadass wrote: post #62
matthalvorson wrote: post #60

When I was younger I lived in Japan for a year when my dad was stationed on a navy ship in Yokosuka. Most people I can remember then using "mechanical pencils" had those where there was a stack of maybe 8 pencil tips (lead + plastic casing around it) going down the hollow plastic body, and when the piece broke or wore down too far, you would remove it from the stack and push it back in the top of the pencil to make t…

Ah, a fellow "Tombow Zoom 505" enthusiast! In case you didn't know already, they have expanded the lineup somewhat. There is now a 0.9mm Mechanical pencil and a Ballpoint pen over and above the original 0.5mm Mechanical Pencils and Rollerballs[1]. There is also a new "Multifunction pen" (Black+Red+0.5mm) in three colours. It is slightly longer than the Mechanical pencil[2]. Finally, the Pentel Kerry makes a very good…

Ah, a fellow Pentel Kerry user! I cannot stop singing its praises. I've one in 0.7, and one in 0.5, and between them they make good companions for my Uni Kuru Toga :)

Re: Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

#99

Post by mtts »

arcen wrote: post #16
Freak_NL wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nah, mechanical pencils are a niche, and those Japanese ones are a niche within a niche here in the Netherlands too. In Japan they are common, mainly due to the writing system that is very well suited to mechanical pencils, so they are common in schools. I use the Uni Kuru Toga in its fancy aluminium variant for both Dutch (mostly random notes and DIY measurements) and Japanese (I'm Dutch, but proficient in Japanese)…

Hoi! I am in the Netherlands as well, which site did you use to purchase the Kuru Toga? I am interested in buying one too

PenStore.nl is like a Dutch version of Jetpens. Really nice. Alternatively something called japanstore.nl has the fancier versions.

Re: Overengineered Japanese Mechanical Pencils [video]

#100

Post by mangamadaiyan »

SantalBlush wrote: post #41
jonhohle wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The engineering on the spring protected pencils is amazing, I also like the rounded tip, retractable sleeve on the 0.2mm pencils. I hadn’t seen that before this video. Many years ago I really hoped the Kura Toga would be as revolutionary as the Quicker Clicker was back in the mid-90s, but it always felt like I was fighting the lead orientation. I have eventually settled on the rOtring and draftmatics because I enjoy…

+1 on the Quicker Clicker. A fatter grip would be nice, but it's still hands down the best mechanical pencil I've ever used, and I've tried some fancy ones. My Kuru Toga stopped rotating and it no longer feeds lead properly. I've never had a QC break on me, I just lose them eventually due to frequent use.

The last time this happened, i dismantled the cone of my Kuru Toga and found a small piece of lead stuck between the dispenser and the "side wall". Cleaned it out, and the pencil was as good as new. Switched to a slightly better brand of pencil lead (Staedtler), and have not seen this problem again.
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