Found out that a 2H lead holder is way better for drafting than I thought

I was at a trade show last month and this older drafter let me try his 2H lead holder. I always used mechanical pencils with 0.5mm leads because I thought that was the standard. But the thicker line from the 2H holder actually erased cleaner and didn't dig into my vellum. He showed me how to sharpen it with a little sandpaper block. Has anyone else made the switch from mechanical pencils?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_lee21d ago

The 2H lead holder is a total game changer once you get used to the weight. I switched a few years back after borrowing one from an old school architect and never looked back. The line variation alone is worth it, plus you don't have to deal with those stupid tiny leads snapping every five seconds. Sandpaper sharpener is the way to go for sure.

walker.alex20d ago

Interesting story. A buddy of mine who does calligraphy on the side tried one of those 2H lead holders and he had a total meltdown with it. He thought it would be a quick fix for his work, but he said the weight threw off his wrist control for days. He ended up dropping it on his tile floor and the lead shattered into a dozen pieces. Now he just sticks to old fashioned wooden pencils. Funny how the same tool can work great for one person and be a disaster for another.