I’m not sure what was being commemorated fifty-six years ago today, but that’s the date inscribed on this vintage Yard-O-Led pencil.
Engraved pens and pencils typically have names or initials, but this one has a date. I imagine it being a birth, a graduation, an anniversary, or some other milestone of life that was being commemorated. Yet, it’s still odd to me. If you chose a gift like this, and chose to have it engraved, wouldn’t you put the person’s name on the gift?
The pencil is rolled gold in a barley pattern with a hexagonal body. It takes a 1.18mm lead. I bought it mainly to inform myself about Yard-O-Led pencils, as I’ve thought of acquiring one of their new pencils.
While almost exactly the same length as a Lamy Scribble (which I find very comfortable), this pencil is too short for the way I want to grip it. I want to hold the hexagonal part of the body, just as I would a woodcase pencil. But this winds up causing the cap of the pencil to hit my hand in an uncomfortable way.
As to the lead and mechanism – I could not at all figure out how to adjust the lead. I kept looking at the instructions over at Dave’s Mechanical Pencils. My results at times resembled parts of a Marx Brothers comedy. At one point the lead shot out of the pencil across the room. Now let’s be fair and acknowledge that this pencil is over a half century old, with provenance unknown. It may have spent twenty or thirty years in a damp basement or a humid yurt. Removing the slider from the barrel was challenging – it just wouldn’t move beyond a certain point. But it did come out.
That “slider grip” is the oddest piece. Being new to this pencil, and having noticed that it can shoot parts around a room (due to a capable spring), I was alarmed when the slider “disappeared”. It was there – then it was gone. I feared it was snapped off, or sprung into the yonder. I couldn’t find it. I did notice that the other bits of the mechanism – the piece that holds the lead in particular – were also gone. At this point, I was thinking that I’d broken the pencil. I tried fishing around the slider barrel (which has a narrow opening) with an eyeglass screwdriver. There they were – the parts were submerged, and with some toggling, re-emerged. I carried on, and can say – it all works, and I can now retract and extent the lead, and know how to refill it. As far as I can tell, my original problems were due to the “refill nut” (another unfamiliar pencil part) not being properly in place. It wasn’t my focus, but after it being properly fastened, the pencil started to work – from the point of view of the cap, clockwise motion extended the lead, and a counter-clockwise motion retracted the lead. That’s how it should be!
As Dave wrote, “Complicated or what!”
If I ever buy a new Yard-O-Led pencil, it will be in person so that I can try out the feel.
But – I’m still wondering, what happened fifty-six years ago today?
I don’t think you are alone in wanting to hold the YOL up on the hexagonal part and thus making the pencil a bit short.
As for refilling – well somethings in life are just not easy :-)
I suspect a new pencil would be easier to manage refilling-wise.
Enjoyed your entry on this pencil. I am longing for a Yard O Led self propelling pencil.
I would enjoy reading your review if you buy one.
I thought I read that they have a lifetime guarantee, so you could send this pencil in for whatever it needs I should think.
Enjoy!!
A word to the wise for anyone seeking a Yard O Led pencil. They no longer have B available in 1.12mm 3 inch. Instead they are shipping 0.9mm at 2.5 inches so the pencil rattles when filled. They come in 15s so it is still a yard but you can only fit 12 in the pencil so it no longer carries a yard.
To me the HB is too hard for the writing I do and now I keep the pencil with 11 HB on standby and one B loaded. This is annoying as I have to check and ensure I have a complete B lead before travelling. To some it is minor or trivial but to me a YOL so contain a yard of your lead of choice.
Other than that it is a nice pencil but given the current attitude presumably since joining with Filofax I will probably go with Caran d’Ache for my next.
Niall, I almost missed this comment – this would be major news if Yard-O-Led, which has used 1.18mm lead their entire history, had suddenly switched to 0.9mm. But I can’t find any evidence of this online. And I also just bought some Yard-O-Led 1.18mm refills (in ‘B’ !) from a fountain pen dealer.
I’ll mention that I like 1.18mm lead, but would be much happier if Pentel made a refill in that diameter.
i use a “universal model”[ex 164 drummond street nw1].refills getting difficult to get. last lot from bristol england.any ideas folks?dig
Hi all!
I was given a YOL in the 60’s I think, or possibly early 70’s, and my Dad has one which he thinks is probably from the late 40’s/early 50’s.
They are identical except his has a sort of long chequerboard pattern (i.e. alternate smooth/patterned rectangles) and mine has alternate longways stripes of smooth/patterned.
I still have the instructions & box (pale blue) with mine, and think that they are both the “Aristocrat” model.
The weird thing is, that in looking on eBay etc to spot similar ones.. they all seem to be silver (hallmarked) or gold, but ours are silver coloured, but not actually silver, and they definitely aren’t Hallmarked.
Can anyone shed any light on this? i.e. what they are actually made out of, and whether they’re common/cheap as muck… or very rare & worth a bomb?!!
I hope someone can help!!
Dig…
I found this website below. It may be some help to you?..
http://www.thewritingdesk.co.uk/showproduct.php?brand=Yard-O-Led&range=pencil%20refills&cat=refills&subr=
The YOL’s my Dad & I have are round, by the way.. so they’re nice and comfortable to hold!! :-)
Here’s another link for lead refills….
http://www.websterspenshop.co.uk/refills/yardoled/leads/
I made a mistake.. ours aren’t Aristocrats… they’re “Universals” from Drummond Street too Dig!
to sandyshore..thanks for those links,especially websters,[which i didnt know about] i go to that area a couple of times a year so shall go to one of the outlets and make a personal visit[probably bluewater]
Refilling a Yardo:- there is NO spring in a yard-o-led pencil the lead (and yes, they HAVE got ‘B’ grade leads available) the knob at the end of the pencil is pulled out as far as possible and unscrewed (anti clockwise) This disengages the lead carrier from the central spiral and this should slide freely up and down the slot in the brass tube attached to the end knob. Gently push a new lead into the end of the lead carrier (which should have three ‘teeth’ that protrude from the slot in the brass tube) Carefully re-insert the lead and the carrier into the central spiral and twist clockwise to engage the ‘teeth’ in the spriral – this controls the amount of lead that protrudes from the business end! Keep turning the knob clockwise until the lead emerges from the point end and then push the knob in so that the pencil is back to normal. Adjust by turning the knob!
In the 1950’s there were silver plated, rolled silver and platinine (Platinum?) plated versions, many were sold or given away as advertising gifts, in fact there was even one given as a promotional gift with tea! Patterns varied and were changed over time and applied to certain finishes
Historically, 1.18mm diameter leads were used in the original propelling pencil first patented in 1822 by Sampson, Mordan & Co (which ended up as part of Edward Baker & Co who bought Y-o-L from the founder Leo Bremmer) and were used up until the late 1930’s by most propelling pencil makers, such as Wahl-Eversharp, Fyne-Point, Ever-Point etc.
I love ’em, they are ultra reliable, available as triangular (very very rare) square, hexagonal and round, in different lengths, widths and weights and my 1953 Diplomat (the original shape from 1934) works well and is still available today!
I have two silver Yard-o-Led propelling pencils dating from my 21st birthday in 1946! I wonder where I can get the repaired?
Can anyone help?
Hi all,
I’m still wondering if anyone can help with info about the two YOL’s belonging to my dad & I?
I’m not sure how old his is, but mine is 1960’s, or possibly early 70’s.
They are almost identical though.
As mentioned in my earlier post.. they are round, with embossed/engraved patterns, and although they are silver coloured, neither are hallmarked, so they obviously aren’t silver.
I can’t find a mention of any YOL’s which aren’t either silver hallmarked, or gold, anywhere, so if anyone can shed any light on them/what they’re made out of I’d be really interested!
Cheers!
Peter, though I have not tested this – you might ask Yard-O-Led themselves, who are said to offer lifetime support.
Sandy, here are two ideas: – ask Yard-O-Led themselves – or try a place like “Fountain Pen Network”, where, despite the name, there are probably quite a few people interested in subjects such as this.
Hi Dale,
Thanks for your instructions on lead replacement in a YOL. I have a YOL from 1947 – according to the Hallmark. I believe it is a Viceroy. Unfortunately, it does not seem to dsimantle in the way you are suggesting. When I remove the cap at the top, I am unable to pull the knob out at all, or twist it anticlockwise any further than to retract the lead fully. When I remove the ‘nosecone’ of the pencil, I see a threaded section, which holds the lead, that is screwed into what looks like a two part holder inside the barrel of the pencil. Have you – or anyone else – come across this configuration, and can you please tell me how to dismantle it?
Cheers all.
Hi sandyshore
Most YOL pencils were ( and still are ) make in sterling silver , but over the years they have also used 9ct gold. Models made in these metals would normally carry English hallmarks . i believe that in the past some models made for export from the UK were not hallmarked . Also YOL have made pencils in rolled silver and rolled gold ( a sheet of the precisious metal covers a base metal) . These would not carry hallmarks. I addition in the past they have produced models which were described as ” platinine ” which was, I think a base metal electronically plated with a thin layer of platinum, and rhodium plated models . As these are plated , they would not carrry hallmarks.
I’m afraid i can’t tell you what your two items are made of , but hopefully the above gives some possibilities .
Regards
MIKE
Hi Alan
I recently took my YOL pencil to a jeweler in Cirencester who I noticed sold new ones. The instrument needed an overhaul since it dated from 1947, the shop sent it off for service returning it to me in pristine condition, with a refill of leads all for the princely sum of £o.oo. The lifetime guarantee certainly holds good today, excellent service by any standard.
Regards
Gavin
Hi to all,
Oh dear! What a mess but not to worry. I’ll give the simple reply to the various questions; sorry I may repeat or confirm some of the answers given. Yard o led was started in 1934 by my grandfather Ludwig Brenner. The lead size is not the same as any of the original Sampson Mordan pencils. The YOL lead size has always remained the same and is 3/64th of an inch which in decimal is 1.18 mm. The leads are available from all good stockists in B, HB and H although they may have to order them; otherwise check the web for YOL under Filofax. In Britain the leads are available from the various special pen shops all over the country and from John Lewis, Selfridges Harrods and the major international airports. There are very few exceptions to pencils not being marked with the metal they are made or coated with. A triangular pre war in Nickel Silver, but not marked comes to mind. Note all pre war pencils marked sterling silver, 9ct, 10ct or 18ct are not solid, they are made with a sleeve of silver or gold over a thicker barrel of brass. All pencils fully hallmarked pre or post war have solid silver and gold barrels. Occasionally the end knob which propels the lead may have been replaced and it is this knob which can have the metal marked on it, such as Platinine As for the mechanism, it is the same now as it was in 1934. It is not unusual to find that someone has tried to push a lead into the nozzle of the pencil which then snaps and jams the pencil mechanism; but this can be fixed. Finally Mordan went into liquidation and was not taken over by Edward Baker (although Baker did buy the Mordan patents), it was YOL who bought out Edward Baker in the 50’s and then started manufacturing their own pencils with the EB hallmark and later changed to their own YOL hallmark. Originally YOL’s were made for them by Johnson Matthey and hallmarks were JM&Co. Pencils can always be sent to Yard o led for repair but be warned if they have been damaged you may be charged; always ask first.
Regards,
Colin.
Hello Colin,
Please let me say thank you for sharing your knowledge, and creating such a great summary!
Thanks to Colin for ironing out details, there are lots of snippets of information about in various books and especially on the net (which can be somewhat less than accurate.) In my experience, having dealt with Yard-o-Led seeking repairs and servicing, I have found them to be remarkably obliging, often repairing, cleaning and servicing at no charge – a tribute to their standing as (in my humble opinion) probably the best (propelling) pencil makers around (and they make VERY excellent fountain pens too)
Anyone seeking to revitalize an old ‘Yardo’ PLEASE call them first for advice, and an indication of cost – they are usually very happy to oblige
I think they are a real credit to the writing instrument industry and if someone is seeking a gift that is truly ‘British Made’ then seek no further!
My problem is that I’ve seen the new Astoria (swirled grey/black pearl and ‘Retro’ shaped and I’m smitten, but the other half just doesn’t understand……..
Just thinking aloud, if you don’t feel comortable with hexagonal Yard-o-Led pencils (eg Regent, Diplomat, Sceptre then the Viceroy, Perfecta, Edwardian, Corinthian, Retro or Astoria are all round – in various diameters and finishes. I’ve recently bought a Retro pencil, as my trusty Diplomat is proving to be a little less comfortable with increasing maturity (appoaching 60) for sketching and drawing and it is now a very firm favourite
Hi Mike N and Colin!
Thanks! Hurray!! I’ve sussed it out at last… my pencil (and my Dad’s too I’m sure) is made of Platinine!
The writing on the end knob is so small I hadn’t noticed what it said!
Thanks guys! :-)
I have a Diplomat yol but it is round, have leaflet with it, it is stamped rolled silver. I cant find this pencil anywhere else, iss a round one rare or what date is it, box is grey cardboard. mabe colin can shed light
I have only just seen Nigel’s question. No the round one isn’t rare but as they were made from the late forties there are are less around. I dont have the details at hand but the Rolled Silver pencils were made in three? different designs both round and hexagonal. The rolled silver pencils seem to wear exceptionally well compared to rolled gold. They were also made in silver plate. The colour of the box is unimportant, indeed it seems that shops often had the pencils on display and becuase the boxes were not marked the pencils often got put into the wrong box. The early pencil boxes were quite attractive, having a leather appearance and gold tooling. They would have been for the solid hallmarked silver or gold pencils and the lesser models were in cardboard boxes.
I have a Yard O Led pencil with ‘Platinine’ on the propelling cap. Now, what exactly does this mean? Had the knob been replaces? Is the pencil platinum plated?
I wondered if any one had come across or could shed light on a Yard o Led clutch pencil. I bought one almost by accident thinking it was the standard Yard O Led twist mechanism pencil. It looks very much like the Recorder model marked Yard O Led on the clip, but it has a clutch mechanism which takes the standard sized Yard O Led pencil leads. It was Rhodium plated with a squared engine turned design. I have recently seen and acquired a second, in very much better almost pristine condition. It is also rhodium plated but of a slightly different pattern. It came in an original yellow cardboard Yard O Led box. With an original set of Yard O Led instructions. These are for the standard Diplomat, Viceroy Aristocrat and Recorder Models with the standard twist mechanism.
Sorry for some late replies –
Busybee, I have seen this question asked and answered online, but cannot find a link. A fountain pen forum might be a good place to enquire.
Malcolm, this sounds very interesting to me! I haven’t shown it on the blog, but I have an old Caran d’Ache 1.18mm clutch pencil, so I am aware that this format (at least in the past) existed. I was not aware of a Yard-O-Led version. I hope someone will someday write a book, with plenty of illustrations, about YOL and their products.
Great site! Thank you.
Yard-o-led is the best diameter lead for writing because at 3/64th of an inch the lead doesn’t snap off, the HB grade goes down easily without smearing, the pencil writes at all angles, even upside down where ballpens don’t go. Pencils don’t leak, and the magazine shows how much refill capacity remains.
Thank you, P.Encil. Upside down writing, or to generalize, any awkward angle, are a great pencil advantage!
Some ballpoints don’t write upside down, however, Fisher space pens and other similar pens do write upside down and under severe conditions. I have used these for years along with pencils.
Can anyone please point me to an online source of YOL hallmarks, so I can date a few pencils?
Thanks.
Scott, see the links in the comments here and here. This blog is fortunate to have some very knowledgeable readers!
My wife bought me a Yard-o-Led pencil, I think for my 21st. It has lasted over 40 years. Although I don’t use it daily, it has always worked perfectly with no problems refilling. A little short perhaps, but still comfortable enough. Yes it is platinine, whatever that is, but it has survived in excellent appearance.
I notice that there have been questions about YoL’s marked Platinine. Well I am still reseaching that one but have not yet got the full story. There is however no such metal as Platinine. It has been suggested to me that the pencil may be plated with an alloy that contained platinum. This may sound far fetched but after WW2 many new finishes were experimented with. At that time platinum did not have the value it has today because it was not used in industry as it is today and had been mainly used for a niche market in jewellery.
I forgot that last August Malcolm Aickin asked about the YoL clutch pencil. This was also made in silver and hall marks indicate that the clutch pencil was only made for a short time between 1949 -1951.
Have found a platinine (thought yardoiled until I found your forum) Yard o Led pencil amongst my Dad’s belongings. It looks dirty and dull, how should I clean it? Should I use a metal cleaner or will that take the coating off?
From reading your comments I guess it does not have a high value but does have a lifetime guarantee.
Colin….I have a Yard-O-Led pencil marked Platinine and if you are doing research this might help…it has a patent number 422767.
I found the following information about “platinine” at http://www.precious-metal-services.com/information/metal-glossary/
“Alpaca is an alloy consisting of 50-67% copper, 10-25% nickel and 12-26% zinc. The nickel gives the alloy a silvery-white appearance. The alloy is hard, but flexible and is used, e.g., for electronic springs in relays, in zippers or in cutlery. Its trade names include German silver, alfenide, alpaca, christofle, China silver, packfong, hotel silver, platinine.”
I have a Yard-O-Led Rolled Gold pencil that I would like to sell for a fair offer, I was going to do the Ebay thing but those that are for sale are in England. I acquired it from my father-in-law in Birkenhead, England in 1962.It was used so I cannot pinpoint the year of manufacture. I believe that the patent number 422767 is common for many of the pencils. It has minimal wear, no noticable scratches, untouched engraving area and the staggered checker style pattern. All interior parts operate smoothly. I have had it for 50 yrs and have not ever wrote with it. I’m stuck on the “new” pencils! I live in South Carolina and will be watching for followups on this item.
Oh happy Christmas morning, for under the tree was just the right sized package for me: a new YOL, black Retro pencil!
Colin Keates ,
Hello Colin,
I have a rhodium plated yard o led…with 3 original leads, and a round top (and what looks like a patent number,
would you have an original add for the type,.,..and a date?
Regards Rod Carlyle
In answer to Rod Carlyle’s question here is what know: You do not say if the pencil is 6 sided or round, but my guess is that the pencil has a tapering round top which is the ‘Aristorat’ model.
The Rhodium plated pencils were made after YoL restarted production in 1946 at the end of the war.
I do not know what the pencils were made of, but strangely the metal was very bright and does not tarnish; this is even stranger because Rhodium is a very hard metal and should remain bright.
However the pencil was first coated with copper and the Rhodium plating was on top of the copper, but it was usual for the Rhodium to flake away from the copper. This took the apperance of a crazed pattern with specks of green (caused by the copper being exposed to the air. The Rhodium plated pencils were certainly made as a ‘Diplomat’ model, they were only made for a short time due to the failure or the plating. Finally the patent number only refers to the pencil make and its mechanism.
Thanks Colin,
The pencil is round with a staggered almost smooth “mesh “? type design in six parts(running down) around the pen(it is just possible that it is six sided but it looks round),
however I could not call the top tapered.(it is fully round with an almost “cap” like top..thank you for the info…I will post a photo,
Regards Rod Carlyle
Poor Colin! You’ve made yourself a target for questions here!
So, onto my entirely shameless question. I’ve got a couple of YOLs, but I’ve not been able to find a satisfactory answer to the question of the clip. Some of the pencils seem to possess a clip that’s held on by the top part of the mechanism, while some are riveted. Was this simply a case of YOL finally buying a riveting machine and deciding this resulted in less lost clips? Is the presence or absence of this sort of clip a useful determinator of age, or were the two types run concurrently?
Thanks,
Robin
Hi Robin,
Some of the the very first YoL’s, in 1934, had a clip that was soldered in place with the appearance of rivets. Then the loose clip was used until production stopped at the start of the WW2 in 1939. It is commonly stated that the yard o led pencil was invented with a yard of lead consisting of 12 leads each 3 inches long. You will find no mention of the lead length in the patent. In fact the lead length varied but by 1937 it was standardised; the pencil held 13 leads each 2 3/4 inch in length. If you try putting a 3 inch lead into one of those pre war pencils it will no retract fully. The loose clip often caused the pencil to become marked from the ball clip. After the war the clips were riveted and the pencils were slightly longer because the rivets provented that chamber from holding a lead. So they then had 12 3inch
leads, one Yard.
Hi Robin,
Apart from my typo error ‘provented instead of prevented, one point I forgot:
You can find pencils with hallmarks after 1939 with the loose clips because existing stocks were hallmarked from time to time and sent to retailers but of course they are all pre war models.
Excellent info, much appreciated.
Dear “Penciladmin”
I know this is somehow “off-topic”, since this should be about the Yard-O-Lead.
I was trying to get my hands on an old and used 2mm Ecridor by Caran d’ache, but got an older leadholder who looks like an Ecridor in 1.18mm
As an Illustrator and long-term collector I have all avaiable and historical lead-grades here, 0.9/1.0 – 1.15 – 1.17 – 1.18 – 1.3 – 1.4 – 2.0
Inserting the lead is not the problem. Only that every 2mm is to thick (of course) and all others seem to fall out, except the 0.9/1.0mm
When the pen is empty and I “turn” the Pushbutton clock- or counterclockwise, the Clutch “snaps” inside the pencil, and locks tighter.
But it does not do so with the 1.18 mm leads, or 1.4, so to speak.
The Model seems to be Aluminium, has the “Ecridor Chevron” Design, is supposedly several years to decades old, and even Caran d’ache selling specialty stores could not help me how to get a lead fixed, so i can use it finally.
I really really apreciate any help, from stylophile to Stylophile ^_^
THANKS! Really.
TheHOINK