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Ballpoint pens
What are the differences between the pen refills?
The ballpoint pen refills have different stroke widths, which also impacts the writing feeling.
M approx. 0.4 – 0.5 mm B approx. 0.5 - 0.6 mm XB approx. 0.6 - 0.7 mm
The refill on my twist ballpoint pen no longer comes out, what can I do?
If the ballpoint pen falls on its tip, the opening of the tip may be deformed, preventing the refill from coming out. Before sending your pen in to us for repair, you could try repairing it yourself.
Unscrew your twist ballpoint pen, insert the refill in the tip from the front in the opposite direction to the usual position and move it around in circular motions.
Then put the pen back together again. If the refill still does not come out, contact our customer service.
How do I insert a new refill?
On all refillable ballpoint pens, you can unscrew a section at the front - this may be the nib, the tip or the entire grip section:
How long will a pen write for?
The writing life of a pen depends on various factors, like the type of ink or paste (gel pens have a shorter writing life than ballpoints pens for technical reasons, for example), the ball diameter and line width, the writing speed, the absorbency of the substrate, the temperature and humidity etc.
Mechanical pencils
What is the advantage of a clutch pencil?
Compared with a wood-cased pencil, a clutch pencil has a constant pencil length, which means it always fits comfortably in the hand. The lead can write for much longer than the lead in a wood-cased pencil and can therefore almost be used in its entirety.
How do I refill leads on retractable or propelling pencils?
To change the lead, pull the entire eraser unit from the shaft at the back. Insert between three and five leads in the opening created and mount the eraser unit again.
Now press or turn the push mechanism until the new lead has been transported through the pencil and is visible at the front again.
What does SV stand for on the pencils?
In the past, the two plank sections were only glued together in specific points during pencil production. The lead could keep slipping out of the wooden shaft. With the introduction of a patent-protected manufacturing process in the 1960s, Faber-Castell succeeded in bonding the lead securely with its wooden case over the entire length. This procedure is still known as secural bonding (SV from the Latin secura = secure) to this day. It makes the lead much less susceptible to breakages and also improves the sharpening ability considerably.
Faber-Castell uses the secural bonding method for all wood-cased pencils and labels them with “SV” for the German “Securalverfahren” (secural bonding).
Why do the pencils have different shapes?
Wood-cased pencils are produced and sold worldwide in three main shapes.
Round cross-section shape
In the past, this shape was predominantly used in offices for stenography (shorthand), as the round pencil can be turned easily in the hand to prevent the lead from becoming blunt on one side, meaning that less frequent sharpening is required. Because the round cross-section shape is easier to turn in the hand, the pencil also has to be held more firmly, however. During prolonged use, this can cause the hand to tire faster.
Hexagonal cross-section shape
The hexagonal (six-sided) shape is currently the most commonly used cross-section shape for standard applications in schools and offices. It enables easier gripping of the pencil during use and prevents the pencil from rolling off the table.
Triangular cross-section shape
In normal writing position, the pencil is held by the thumb, index finger and middle finger. With a triangular pencil, each finger has a larger contact area. This reflects the ergonomics of the hand and therefore enables fatigue-free writing. A pencil like this does not roll off the table easily.
In recent times, the triangular shape is recommended for writing novices. Because the triangular pencil ends in a round cone shape at the front, it can be sharpened easily with a normal sharpener.
