The little red ring you refer to at the back, actually represents the brand. Red in German is Rot, hence the name "Rot"Ring. The little red ring is also showing around the "o" in the logo.
I think the Rotrings are brass. The silver ones are nickel plated, and the black ones are powder coated or painted. It's kind of impressive that they can get that super fine knurling to be as defined as it is with a coating on top of it.
Nick: you don't need an $18 mechanical pencil. All of us with several: (why you gotta call us out like that?) There's a whole mechanical pencil community out there, it's like knives, but cheaper. Also, TWSBI precision gang.
This pencil made all of my writing tasks in school more enjoyable and a few of my friends even picked up one after giving mine a try. I have dropped it and bent the tip, but if you are patient enough you should be able to fix most bends. It is still going strong after a few years but some of the red paint as worn away. I love this pencil. Great review!
Pencils with fixed pipes are more aimed at pro work, engineering, drafting, so they're usually left on a table. For mobility purposes a pencil with retractable tip would be better suited, or transporting it in a pencil case
The manual on mine says they recommend to carry two extra leads to limit the graphite dust inside. Personally I think this is better than the 800 and above. One pen that comes closer is Retro 51 Hexomatic, but the Retro has worse clip.
bought my first rotring pencil as an architecture student in the late 70s,just ordered the 600 after watching nicks video...got to love nostalgia,thanks Nick
I just found this channel because I was looking for a review for these rotring pencils. Subscribed. Nick you got personality coming out your nose man. Hilarious!
I've had a black r0tring 600 for nearly 5 years now. Still works well. Almost broke the tip twice but I just bent it back and it works perfectly. You can get just the tip for 9 bucks online as well in case you do break it. It has worn down a bit and you can see the brass underneath it, but that just gives it character in my opinion. Also, the knurling has gotten softer, but it actually feels pretty nice now. Also, since I was dumb, there is a little piece on the eraser cover that can break which helps to hold it in place, so now if I am not careful it may fall. This happened probably within a year or two of owning it and it was only because I was messing with the thing so much, so I expect it won't be an issue for most people. Overall, it is still the only mechanical pencil that I will resort to when I need one. It withstood years of trauma and still writes like it was day one. (I know because I bought a new one when going to college and its actually the same thing). They are like 15 bucks or something ludicrous like that on amazon right now, just buy one and you won't regret it. Trust me.
Hoping you've still got it, how has the paint fared? Does the black show nicks and dings easily or is it quite durable? I would love to purchase the pencil for school use and god knows what it's going to be exposed to.
@@ryzenoctavian Never thought someone would reply to this comment haha. Yeah I still have it. Stopped using it about 4 years ago when I wrote the mini review here. I got the ballpoint pen version, and it still has that little bit of wear after a few years on it from little dings here and there. I'd say this: it's $19-30 dollars. Just buy it and use it without worry. I used to worry about banging up my pencils/pens. If they aren't super expensive don't sweat it.
I actually dropped my Rotring 600 pencil and bent the tip and I was able to bend it back straight and use it again... it was only a slight bend so I wouldn't say it will work for everyone... but I lucked out... Mine is black and it patina'd nicely when the black started to wear, the brass started to show from underneath... I have to fountain pen and the rollerball as well
Such a spectacular and such a detailed review. I was almost waiting for “Next thing, I performed chromatic spectrometry to check the composition at the molecular level...”
See thats the thing, you lose a 15 cent pencil because its a 15 cent pencil. If you have a 30$ pencil you can bet your ass you won't lose it. As a once prone to losing pencil person, I can say i've owned this pencil for 5 years as my daily driver pencil and never lost it.
Nick, do you think the entire barrel is coated with a silver paint, or are you saying only the red labeling is painted? I’m thinking about sanding mine down for a more monochromatic look.
I love this guy's accent, is it New York? I imagine him driving a taxi, and wearing a white vest at home, and having a difficult relationship with his mother in law
I love these pens. I currently own 3. The reason the tip is so long and pointy is because this pen is designed for technical drawing using templates. Also, the silver one looks nice but get the black one. After a year of use the coating will wear away revealing the brass underneath. On the black one it looks beautiful. On the silver one not so much ... Dropping it isn't always a death sentence to the pen either. You can bend the tip back if you're careful
First time watcher of your videos and based upon this excellent review. I will be watching more. I love the energy you bring and your voice is reminiscent of a dear family friend. Thank you very much!
Let me tell you my rotring story I bought a mechanical 600 in 1997 , lost it a few years later , my brother bought me a new one in 2001 for my birthday , a 0.9 mm The difference between the two was that the first one (1997 model) , the actual pencil holder/reservoir (that holds the pencils ) had a plastic screwing mechanism . The one I received from my brother 2001 didn't have that , although the pencil reservoir was still (transparent) plastic , the screwing mechanism was replaced with a spring , much better ... Then I got me a rotring 600 black ballpoint around 1998 , which I also sadly lost , these are now going for ridiculous prices on ebay Fast forward to today , Just got a birthday present from my brother , a 600 re-issue of the ballpoint ..great quality ...but doesn't have the legendary color indicator . Yesterday , in moment of confussion I put my 2001 rotring 600 on a tealight candle while burning ( dont ask ) , needles to say the whole plastic pencil reservoir has melted inside and sunk to the bottom of the shaft , sadly there are no replacement parts , the body is still o.k. SO , I just ordered me a new one ( 0.9 mm doesn't exsit anymore ) , sadly my vintage Rotring story has ended , now only having the 600 re-issue models .
Get a Pentel GraphGear 500 or a Pentel P205, They will write better and they will last a lifetime! Especially the P205 one...even though the 500 is even more precise and more comfortable.
@@greekveteran2715 I like both the Pentel pencils you mention and frequently use them - but it is ridiculous to say they "write better" than the 600. Really ridiculous.
@@chuckschillingvideos Rotring 600 is way too heavy and of balanced,to write more than a sentence,hand gets fatigued fast.The thicker grip,the lighter weight and the positive balance on the GG500,makes it better for writing. Don't forget,that these are all designed for completely different use (technical drawing) So,the only ridicilus thing,is judging these as writing pencils.
Greetings from Hamburg - the city of origin of rOtring. Makes me so sad to see this heritage sold and dried out. It is a shame. Same destiny as Waterman and Parker. Just a shame.
This is the ne plas ultra of mechanical pencils. One thing - you don't want to fill the barrel with spare leads. They can interfere with the smooth operation of the feed mechanism. Just two or three spare leads is all you want/need.
I miss the old Scripto transparent Mechanical Pencils... They came in all kind of colors and were really cool... Like my Trapper Keeper... and my 6 Million Dollar Man lunchbox... Man I was the S**t back then... all down hill after that...
I agree with you no bells and whistles... it does what it's intended for, dispensing lead reliably...can't say I've had much luck with mechanical pencils in the past but the Rotring 600 has been solid....get what you pay for, its not a cheaply priced pencil ...German company since 1928...Painted body? I think not, all-metal Anodised...
Pencils, Nick? I never knew you cared... I've had one of these for about 25 years, it's made of nickel-plated brass, all the plating is still on it and it looks fine.
The ballpoint version of this is also very nice, i have a newer japanes made one in black and an oldschool german made one in silver, my favorite pens so far.
i have the black version and the black oxide (paint? whatever it is?) scratches off very easily. within the first week there was a major scratch on the body of the pencil
You say it won’t age well, but it’s already a design classic. I last had one of these 30 odd years ago. Oh, and it’s plated brass, or at least mine was.
If you want a solid mechanical pencil, check out the Staedtler Mars Technico. You get a rainbow assortment of lead hardness' and at a 2mm diameter lead you don't have to worry about your lead snapping mid-line.
I love mine, also have it in 2mm clutch version. But I just don't use it that often, I sketch a lot and for that I find these too heavy. Gimme a Pentel p205 any day.
Beautiful minimalist industrial design, quality construction, and.....gnurling. I loves me some good gnurling. Funny, but I was just wondering the other day if Nick would ever put out a review of the Rotring 600. Seems like a quintessential Shabazz object.
I like these pen/pencil sets good video price went up to $28 and up now, but if you wanna keep the barrel clean Especially around the knurl grip use some bleach with a used tooth brush cause that's what I do
Just be careful with dropping this pencil, I had it for a few days and it slipped off my desk onto tile which bent the tip and made it instantly break the lead every time I tried to feed it.
@@NickShabazz indeed it is I was wondering if you could educate me ... Where do you find custom scales and whatnot for your knives I have just recently bought my first above 100$ knife and haven't looked back sense but I found I really like to customize and work on knives and don't know where to get any parts for them other than the manufacturer
Two mechanical pencil reviews in one day? Is this another hobby you’re starting? Are we to see “terrible pencils of the month” videos? If so, sign me up.
I absolutely LOVE my graph gear 1000. It’s well balanced, it’s heavy, it write well, and it looks nice. I just purchased a R0tring 600 and it comes in tomorrow so I’m curious what I’ll think about it.
@@TayBeastDestroyerOfWorlds Hey! I used it for awhile, and I ended up preferring the Pentel Graphgear 1000. I personally think it is much more ergonomic. I can write with it for hours while doing homework, drawing figures and shapes, etc without my hands or fingers hurting. Additionally, I find it a lot more durable.
bs, unless you lose it, buying "expensive" saves you money compared to buying cheap over and over again. Not to mention you use it with pleasure which is invaluable. Now granted i wouldn't say the same thing if it was 300$. 20$ is manageable for middle class even in mid countries. But not if you lose things
The little red ring you refer to at the back, actually represents the brand. Red in German is Rot, hence the name "Rot"Ring. The little red ring is also showing around the "o" in the logo.
OMG even knowing German I never saw this connection! What a surprise
Thats cool !!!
Like Ray Ban, in other languages it just sounds like a name. " Ah, Raye Bahn! "
But its just that it bans (uv) rays.
I think the Rotrings are brass. The silver ones are nickel plated, and the black ones are powder coated or painted. It's kind of impressive that they can get that super fine knurling to be as defined as it is with a coating on top of it.
I'm pretty positive mine is made of aluminum.
I can't speak to the type of coating, but yes they are made of brass underneath!
just remember that the 300 and 500 series bodies are made of plastic (500 has the metal knurling grip)
My Google investigations came back inconclusive so I'll take your word for it!
Yes they are coated. I use my 600s every day and after years of use the black coating wears away in a beautiful way
As far as hobbies go, mechanical pencils are at a very good price point.
Stay away from fountain pens.
@@Kaiju3301 Already in too deep, slowly clawing my way out
Patris F
Nick: you don't need an $18 mechanical pencil.
All of us with several:
(why you gotta call us out like that?)
There's a whole mechanical pencil community out there, it's like knives, but cheaper. Also, TWSBI precision gang.
This pencil made all of my writing tasks in school more enjoyable and a few of my friends even picked up one after giving mine a try. I have dropped it and bent the tip, but if you are patient enough you should be able to fix most bends. It is still going strong after a few years but some of the red paint as worn away. I love this pencil. Great review!
Yeah. I had to bend mine back on a few occasions as well. It works 🤷🏻♂️
Pencils with fixed pipes are more aimed at pro work, engineering, drafting, so they're usually left on a table. For mobility purposes a pencil with retractable tip would be better suited, or transporting it in a pencil case
Had one of these for years, it's fantastic.
So based on Nick's self portrait, we can infer that he doesn't have a nose.
TheHairymango that’s not funny he actually dissent have a nose
@@raisepantherytcoolboy4582 Wait you fr?
@@duckie2812 wait. Are YOU fr?
The manual on mine says they recommend to carry two extra leads to limit the graphite dust inside. Personally I think this is better than the 800 and above. One pen that comes closer is Retro 51 Hexomatic, but the Retro has worse clip.
bought my first rotring pencil as an architecture student in the late 70s,just ordered the 600 after watching nicks video...got to love nostalgia,thanks Nick
I just found this channel because I was looking for a review for these rotring pencils. Subscribed. Nick you got personality coming out your nose man. Hilarious!
I've had a black r0tring 600 for nearly 5 years now. Still works well. Almost broke the tip twice but I just bent it back and it works perfectly. You can get just the tip for 9 bucks online as well in case you do break it. It has worn down a bit and you can see the brass underneath it, but that just gives it character in my opinion. Also, the knurling has gotten softer, but it actually feels pretty nice now.
Also, since I was dumb, there is a little piece on the eraser cover that can break which helps to hold it in place, so now if I am not careful it may fall. This happened probably within a year or two of owning it and it was only because I was messing with the thing so much, so I expect it won't be an issue for most people.
Overall, it is still the only mechanical pencil that I will resort to when I need one. It withstood years of trauma and still writes like it was day one. (I know because I bought a new one when going to college and its actually the same thing).
They are like 15 bucks or something ludicrous like that on amazon right now, just buy one and you won't regret it. Trust me.
Hoping you've still got it, how has the paint fared? Does the black show nicks and dings easily or is it quite durable? I would love to purchase the pencil for school use and god knows what it's going to be exposed to.
@@ryzenoctavian Never thought someone would reply to this comment haha. Yeah I still have it. Stopped using it about 4 years ago when I wrote the mini review here. I got the ballpoint pen version, and it still has that little bit of wear after a few years on it from little dings here and there. I'd say this: it's $19-30 dollars. Just buy it and use it without worry. I used to worry about banging up my pencils/pens. If they aren't super expensive don't sweat it.
I actually dropped my Rotring 600 pencil and bent the tip and I was able to bend it back straight and use it again... it was only a slight bend so I wouldn't say it will work for everyone... but I lucked out... Mine is black and it patina'd nicely when the black started to wear, the brass started to show from underneath... I have to fountain pen and the rollerball as well
Such a spectacular and such a detailed review.
I was almost waiting for
“Next thing, I performed chromatic spectrometry to check the composition at the molecular level...”
That’s stupid
I wouldn't buy it simply because of the fact that I've got quite the reputation for losing pencils and pens.
Hopefully that reputation stops.
OML same bro I just lost like 70 pentel graphgear a and now I can’t get any more
See thats the thing, you lose a 15 cent pencil because its a 15 cent pencil. If you have a 30$ pencil you can bet your ass you won't lose it. As a once prone to losing pencil person, I can say i've owned this pencil for 5 years as my daily driver pencil and never lost it.
You know what they say about sunglasses, I think it also applies to pencils here: if your always losing them; you're not spending enough on them.
I feels nice to have a nice pencil.
Which one is better black or silver?
"To be or not to be" - excellent :°)))
Nick, do you think the entire barrel is coated with a silver paint, or are you saying only the red labeling is painted?
I’m thinking about sanding mine down for a more monochromatic look.
Silver is nickel plated. Black is powder coated.
Barrel width: in ISO metric: 8mm
In ISO Imperial 0.3120 Inches
I love this guy's accent, is it New York? I imagine him driving a taxi, and wearing a white vest at home, and having a difficult relationship with his mother in law
I think its Chicago
Rotring pencils age incredibly well.
I have the Rotring Rapid Pro with the retractable tip and I like it very much.
no, you are a dirty dirty liar! I hateyou
I love these pens. I currently own 3. The reason the tip is so long and pointy is because this pen is designed for technical drawing using templates.
Also, the silver one looks nice but get the black one. After a year of use the coating will wear away revealing the brass underneath. On the black one it looks beautiful. On the silver one not so much ...
Dropping it isn't always a death sentence to the pen either. You can bend the tip back if you're careful
Oh. And also. Don't whine about 18$.... Here in Germany they cost 30€, so double what you guys pay
@@tolga1cool Its $12 rn in the US
Is that a Hamlet pencil? ...2B or not 2B?
I have a couple of these but like the 800s retractable point for my pocket use :)
If the tip gets bent or broken, you can actually replace it from the company so that you don’t have to buy another new pencil.
Good to know!!!
Excellent review. Very nice pencil. Now that is a John Wick pencil!
Excellent review, down to the knurling crud.
First time watcher of your videos and based upon this excellent review. I will be watching more. I love the energy you bring and your voice is reminiscent of a dear family friend. Thank you very much!
Let me tell you my rotring story
I bought a mechanical 600 in 1997 , lost it a few years later , my brother bought me a new one in 2001 for my birthday , a 0.9 mm
The difference between the two was that the first one (1997 model) , the actual pencil holder/reservoir (that holds the pencils ) had a plastic screwing mechanism .
The one I received from my brother 2001 didn't have that , although the pencil reservoir was still (transparent) plastic , the screwing mechanism was replaced with a spring , much better ...
Then I got me a rotring 600 black ballpoint around 1998 , which I also sadly lost , these are now going for ridiculous prices on ebay
Fast forward to today , Just got a birthday present from my brother , a 600 re-issue of the ballpoint ..great quality ...but doesn't have the legendary color indicator .
Yesterday , in moment of confussion I put my 2001 rotring 600 on a tealight candle while burning ( dont ask ) , needles to say the whole plastic pencil reservoir has melted inside and sunk to the bottom of the shaft , sadly there are no replacement parts , the body is still o.k.
SO , I just ordered me a new one ( 0.9 mm doesn't exsit anymore ) , sadly my vintage Rotring story has ended , now only having the 600 re-issue models .
Get a Pentel GraphGear 500 or a Pentel P205, They will write better and they will last a lifetime! Especially the P205 one...even though the 500 is even more precise and more comfortable.
That .9mm 600 is a rare bird indeed and fetches insane prices on eBay and anywhere else you are lucky enough to find one.
@@greekveteran2715 I like both the Pentel pencils you mention and frequently use them - but it is ridiculous to say they "write better" than the 600. Really ridiculous.
@@chuckschillingvideos Rotring 600 is way too heavy and of balanced,to write more than a sentence,hand gets fatigued fast.The thicker grip,the lighter weight and the positive balance on the GG500,makes it better for writing. Don't forget,that these are all designed for completely different use (technical drawing) So,the only ridicilus thing,is judging these as writing pencils.
Greetings from Hamburg - the city of origin of rOtring. Makes me so sad to see this heritage sold and dried out. It is a shame. Same destiny as Waterman and Parker. Just a shame.
What do you mean $18 is a lot for a pencil, I'm in California and this exact pencil costs $36 for me, no joking
Which lead are you using for HB?
This is the ne plas ultra of mechanical pencils.
One thing - you don't want to fill the barrel with spare leads. They can interfere with the smooth operation of the feed mechanism. Just two or three spare leads is all you want/need.
I miss the old Scripto transparent Mechanical Pencils... They came in all kind of colors and were really cool... Like my Trapper Keeper... and my 6 Million Dollar Man lunchbox... Man I was the S**t back then... all down hill after that...
Nick what kind of lead do you prefer?
I agree with you no bells and whistles... it does what it's intended for, dispensing lead reliably...can't say I've had much luck with mechanical pencils in the past but the Rotring 600 has been solid....get what you pay for,
its not a cheaply priced pencil ...German company since 1928...Painted body? I think not, all-metal Anodised...
Pencils, Nick? I never knew you cared... I've had one of these for about 25 years, it's made of nickel-plated brass, all the plating is still on it and it looks fine.
Nice pen reviews!!!
6:06
"If you put something like this next to something like this, it's just like.....yeah, that's better"🤷♂️
🤣
My all time favorite. Great for cursive.
The 800 model does have the retractable tip
The ballpoint version of this is also very nice, i have a newer japanes made one in black and an oldschool german made one in silver, my favorite pens so far.
i have the black version and the black oxide (paint? whatever it is?) scratches off very easily. within the first week there was a major scratch on the body of the pencil
Once i got it.. its smaller than i expected, still good in hands though
I just bought it, thanks for the review haha
You say it won’t age well, but it’s already a design classic. I last had one of these 30 odd years ago. Oh, and it’s plated brass, or at least mine was.
But does it cut
It does stab if you are a bit absent minded ;)
Thanks to Nick it's not "18 bucks" anymore. It's $24.32.
What lead are you using Nick?
2B, my guess is he's using Pentel Ain Stein.
Cool I have the black one given by Rotring itself :-)
God bless.
5 star review!
Thanks!
If you want a solid mechanical pencil, check out the Staedtler Mars Technico.
You get a rainbow assortment of lead hardness' and at a 2mm diameter lead you don't have to worry about your lead snapping mid-line.
Looks pretty good, be good for letters etc
I love mine, also have it in 2mm clutch version. But I just don't use it that often, I sketch a lot and for that I find these too heavy. Gimme a Pentel p205 any day.
I’m not the only mechanical pencil nerd!
you aren’t alone brother :)
Holy Shit! How many leads are in that pencil?
The rotring 800 has a retractable Lead sleeve
Beautiful minimalist industrial design, quality construction, and.....gnurling. I loves me some good gnurling. Funny, but I was just wondering the other day if Nick would ever put out a review of the Rotring 600. Seems like a quintessential Shabazz object.
I like these pen/pencil sets good video price went up to $28 and up now, but if you wanna keep the barrel clean Especially around the knurl grip use some bleach with a used tooth brush cause that's what I do
how much did u pay for it?
You can find it on Amazon for 14$
Just be careful with dropping this pencil, I had it for a few days and it slipped off my desk onto tile which bent the tip and made it instantly break the lead every time I tried to feed it.
Just found out one of my good friends carries a z Hunter everyday non ironically not the green skulls one but a z Hunter none the less
This may be a time for friendly education.
My condolences
@@NickShabazz indeed it is I was wondering if you could educate me ... Where do you find custom scales and whatnot for your knives I have just recently bought my first above 100$ knife and haven't looked back sense but I found I really like to customize and work on knives and don't know where to get any parts for them other than the manufacturer
Two mechanical pencil reviews in one day? Is this another hobby you’re starting? Are we to see “terrible pencils of the month” videos?
If so, sign me up.
Don’t get into pencils!
Used mine for decades and it's never failed me. Just remember - ALWAYS use 2B (HB is for amateurs)...
What! You are an uneducated potato.
you said that the pencil will have that knurling crud.
JOKES ON YOU, I'LL NEVER USE IT! HAHAHA!
help me manage my money please
And makes a great stocking stuffer!
The pentel graph gear 1000 has a retractable sharp tip. Overall I believe it’s better than the staple that is Rotring
I absolutely LOVE my graph gear 1000. It’s well balanced, it’s heavy, it write well, and it looks nice. I just purchased a R0tring 600 and it comes in tomorrow so I’m curious what I’ll think about it.
@@purebluejapan- what did ya think
@@TayBeastDestroyerOfWorlds Hey! I used it for awhile, and I ended up preferring the Pentel Graphgear 1000. I personally think it is much more ergonomic. I can write with it for hours while doing homework, drawing figures and shapes, etc without my hands or fingers hurting. Additionally, I find it a lot more durable.
I am too heavy handed. The .5 lead always breaks on me. I need at least a .7.
Peter Puleo then get the .7
.7 or .9 are better for notes. I use .5 for scoring baseball, basketball, and soccer.
My coworker has the same knack for seemingly accidentally mispronouncing everyday words in such an intentionally natural way :)
I'm going to start a gear channel just so I have a legitimate reason to own a little digital scale.
Can I get a recommendation on a daily pen to be carried in the pocket.
Joe Schwartz - go for it! I’ve carried mine for years & years. It’s surprising how many compliments it gathers, even from the guys with $600 pens.
Lamy Safari ballpoint. Lightweight, Sturdy, well made, great ink.
Wish I had a good excuse to get one of these lol. Don't use pencil anymore.
I got a original pencil for £2.83 so im lucky (Ebay).
thicc
bs, unless you lose it, buying "expensive" saves you money compared to buying cheap over and over again. Not to mention you use it with pleasure which is invaluable. Now granted i wouldn't say the same thing if it was 300$. 20$ is manageable for middle class even in mid countries. But not if you lose things
Move things smoother in front of your camera, man!
Your way of talking got me so nervous. I had to stop watching in less than a minute.
Your review easily got dislike from me 🤮