Pentel PD345TC Quicker Clicker Mechanical Pencil, 0.5 mm, Transparent Blue Barrel

I'm a Gen X old guy. I first used one of these in 3rd grade back in 1985. I loved it and it was my lucky pencil. I was distraught when I lost it in 5th grade so had to get a new one. Over time, the replacement became my new lucky pencil all the way in college in the late 1990s. It was with me through all my middle school and high school tests. Helped me get multiple 4's and 5's on my AP tests. Stuck with me through my SAT I, SATII, and ACT tests. It was like my security blankie, but in the form of a not embarrassing pencil. haha.I mostly use pens as an adult, but needed a pencil to help with my kid's homework and studies. I needed something easily erasable. Amazingly, my Gen Z teen and Gen Alpha elementary school student loved them and have claimed these for themselves.The older teen says it's the best mechanical pencil he's ever used because it is so efficient. There's no need to shift his grip to advance lead by clicking the top. He looks for every advantage to speed through his tests to have more time to check his work. I guess a few seconds matter, who am I to argue.My younger kid always had problems with 0.5mm pencils because she writes hard and is prone to breaking lead. This also slows her down. This particular model has a slightly longer metal tip than most other mechanical pencils, especially compared to the Pilot G2 line. I think it's maybe a half millimeter longer which makes all the difference in the world. She loves that she doesn't break lead as often.I loved this pencil for all the same reasons my kids love it now. So happy I was able to introduce these to a new generation. I'm looking to get a few more for myself now.The down side is that the metal clip is prone to having its finish scratched. After scratching, rust seems to form easily. This is only a problem if, like me, you keep these for years. It remains to be seen if these 2023 versions have the same issue as the ones from the mid 80's. Another issue is that sometimes the plastic clicker mechanism develops some play. I recall my old pencil after maybe 3 or 4 years of use, the first half millimeter of the plastic clicker travel was loose and didn't engage anything. When new, the plastic clicker is tight and firm. The pencil will still work, but it could be a pet peeve for some. I looked at it as a broken in trait known only to me as I use it throughout the years. Again, not sure how the 2023 version will hold up in this respect. Either way, I still love this pencil.

In my opinion. still the best mechanical pencil. I've been using this pencil since I was in grammar school.

I use this mechanical pencil for all my writing needs. Works great to start my novels with in a notebook. Pentel leads are top quality, as well. The lead advance is at the touch of the index finger, making the flow of writing uninterrupted.

I’ve been using Pentel 0.5 mechanical pencils since about 1978 and the Quicker Clicker model in particular for a very long time. There is nothing better! But don’t ship them with a big ugly barcode sticker stuck directly on the pencil! Took me 30 min per pencil to get all the gunky crap off! Ship them in the original Pentel blister pack OR spend 5 minutes and figure out a better way! Geez.

I love these pencils. I have been using it for years. They will last you forever and better than constantly buying cheap ones that don’t last very long. Don’t waste your time looking anywhere else. This pencil is comfortable, durable and great value for the money.

I have had one of these mechanical pencils for many, MANY years and kept moving it from place to place in my home as I wanted to use it everywhere. Finally decided to get more and put one in each room. This is the perfect mechanical pencil.... easy to hold because of the rubber grip, easy to advance the lead because the clicker is right on the barrel, a clear barrel that allows one to see how much lead is left, and an easy-access eraser. I won't buy any other kind so I hope Pentel continues to make these!

Is it a clicker? Yes. Is it quicker? Maybe. Is it the same style mechanical pencil I used back in the late 90s in highschool - absolutely! Great pencil.

I've been using these pencils exclusively for years. They are the best!