An eBay seller sent me a few “bonus” items with some pencils I bought – vintage lead refills.
The leads are 1.18 mm in diameter. Though once the standard, this diameter is infrequently used today. Unfortunately, I don’t own a pencil that can use this lead.
What has kept me interested is the packaging – these quotidian items have some beautiful graphic design.
The instructions and charts are engaging. (“Rear Drive vs. “Front Drive” – are we conversing of cars or pencils?)
I’m hoping to get a pencil that could use this type of lead.
I just purchased, at the Raleigh NC pen show, a (current production) Retro 51 mechanical pencil that uses 1.15mm leads, so 1.18 would work.
The show also had for sale some of those Semaphore leads, maybe I’ll pick some up tomorrow & try them.
BTW, the pencil has one flaw. While their .9mm pencils store spare leads under the eraser/cap, this one holds no spare lead at all.