Platinum Pro-Use 171 0.7mm Drafting Pencil

The next generation mechanical pencil.

A professional quality fully adjustable mechanical drafting pencil for people who like to fine tune their writing and drawing experience. The Pro-Use 171 features an adjustable lead sleeve and a special spring mechanism in the tip that can be toggled to reduce lead breakage.

The length of the lead sleeve adjusts from 0 to 4.5 mm, letting you customize it to suit your preference and the needs of each task. Adjust it to fit the thickness of a ruler or template, change the distance between the tip of the pencil and the paper, or retract it completely for safe carrying in a pocket or pen case. Simply twist the pencil's nose cone to extend or retract it, covering or uncovering the lead sleeve as you do so. Because the lead sleeve itself is fixed to the body of the pencil, it provides a perfectly firm and stable writing experience no matter what length of it is exposed.

The 171 also includes a pressure-absorbing spring mechanism in the tip to prevent lead breakage. When too much pressure is put on the lead, the spring mechanism lets the lead slide back slightly into the pencil, easing the pressure and preventing a break. Twisting the grip section activates and deactivates the mechanism. When the mechanism is deactivated, the lead is held firmly in place, providing more sensitivity and feeling of the surface of the paper as you write.

Other features include a gently knurled grip section for improved comfort and control, a color-coded barrel to indicate the pencil's lead size, and a lead grade indicator in the top push button.