Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Mechanical Pencil Koh-I-Noor Versatil 5216, Prague souveniers


As you can remember from my recent post, I have visited Prague and 2 Koh-I-Noor shops. And of course, I had to bring back home a few souvenirs.
The first rabbit out of the bag is a Koh-I-Noor clutch pencil with 2 mm lead, Versatil 5216.
This first picture is not an exact representation of it's looks as it has a paler purple color and not a blueish tone.
The pencil looks very nice in my opinion, not to mention the price was incredible. Just 65 CZK (Czeck Koruna) which equates to 2.55 EUR or 2.84 USD. A real bargain.

The pencil body is a hexagon, painted in a nice purple color with gold lettering on one side. Koh - I Noor Hardmuth Versatil 5216. The printing could be improved as some of the letters are a bit fuzzy. The barrel I think it is made out of aluminum, while the mechanism inside is stainless steel and what looks like copper.
I have to say I am very pleased with the construction, I was expecting a cheap all-plastic no thrills 2 mm clutch pencil. The pencil has an integrated 4 spike sharpener in the push button as most Koh I Noor lead holders, and no pocket clip. It is a very classic design that I like, with a nice touch of modern brought by the colors it comes in.

The grip on the lead is good as the lead will not rotate when you try to sharpen it and will not slide in when you apply vertical pressure on the lead. This is nothing to brag about, as it should be standard, but Koh I Noor had this issue with some variants of this pencil made out of plastic.
 
Koh I Noor clutch pencil 2 mm fun colors all metal

All in all, I am very surprised by this mechanical pencil. Its low price and good quality, the feel in hand as well by the colors it is available in. I love it and I recommend everybody to get one or more of these pencils.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Happy new year

Happy new year dear friends !!
I wish all a great new year, a better year
full of achievements, full of joy and happiness
Enjoy every minute of the new year along the loved ones


 Pilot 2020 shaking mechanical pencil
still shaking in 2020

Monday, December 23, 2019

OEM Caran D'ache


I have spotted on the internet writing instruments branded with watch manufacturer names before. In a previous post, I have shown an OEM Kaweco. Now I came across a Caran D'ache 849 ballpoint branded with Patek. I have also seen Audemars Piguet branding on the 849 Caran D'ache.
I really like the fact that the OEM does not come from China in the form of a cheap ballpoint, but then again if you look at the prices of the watches produced by Patek Philippe ...

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Trip to Prague, Koh-I-Noor shop hunt

koh i noor pencils prague, storefront

I went on a trip to Prague and of course, I had to go hunting for Koh-I-Noor shops. 

As beautiful as Prague is, the weather was not the best, not even close. Around 1 - 3 degrees Celsius and constant rain. I wondered on the streets, but because of the weather and the limited time available, I only got to visit 2 Koh-I-Noor shops. One of the shops I had visited on a previous trip in Prague (link).
What I really like is that Koh-I-Noor knows how to promote themselves and associate the stationary brand to Czech and to Prague. I would say they are very proud of their tradition and that is great. Going to a Koh-I-Noor shop in Prague should be on everyone's tour. In the end, these shops are landmarks just like a church, a bridge...

koh i noor hedgehog pencils
  The first Koh-I-Noor shop visited was in the old town, in center. I was a mix of of pencils and souvenirs, so I don't think it's owned by Koh-I-Noor. Also, it was kind of a tourist trap as everything inside seemed a bit overpriced. On Google maps you will find this shop under the name Koh-I-Noor Pencils.
 

The second shop was the one I have visited on my previous trip. A very large shop dedicated exclusively to the Koh-I-Noor products (Koh-I-Noor Hardmuth as). It is located in the vicinity of Prague Castle. This shop had a smaller selection of clutch and mechanical pencils and it was more oriented to the artists. But I still managed to find some very interesting products, and not to mention the prices were better.
koh i noor hedgehogs
I really like the decor Koh-I-Noor uses in the shops. It has a feeling of traditional, classy, and very friendly. Also, they address a very wide range of customers. From kids to artists and everything in between.
koh i noor hedgehog

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