Over Labor Day weekend, I found my favorite old mechanical pencil in my dad’s desk drawer. It was a green Pentel Sharp Kerry, and it’d long since lost the cap and eraser. Junk, really. I’m surprised that dad didn’t throw it away.
Anyway, I’d been missing it, and took it home with me. I figured I’d have to go out and buy the pieces and parts to get it back into serviceable condition, so I sent the folks at Pentel an email asking about the availability of parts and such.
I got a response of, "Why don’t you send it back to us and we’ll take care of refurbishing it and send it back to you?"
Ok. Why not? No cost, right?
Here’s the thing about it. I sent it out on a Sunday, so it shipped out on Monday morning, right? Figure two days (minimum) transit time from the Midwest out to California?
It came back, totally refurb’d and ready to go, loaded with lead, a new sleeve of erasers in addition to the one that they’d put back in place, a box, and a nice little note thanking me for choosing Pentel.
Five days after it had been sent.
How outstanding is that? When’s the last time you ever sent anything out for repair and got it back in five days? Let alone five days for an old, out of stock item that needed new parts…and came back working?
There’s a terrific customer service lesson there for all of us, methinks.
A big thanks to Ginger and her team at Pentel. Thanks for helping me out like you did!
Brassing Adds Character 
I am not a pencil guy but… Damn it you are going to turn me into one. That is just about the sexiest pencil I have ever seen in my life! I think I want to have that pencils babies!
Great pencil…unfortunately, not very available here in the states. A handful of specialty retailers, but none that I can think of off the top of my head. Truthfully, it’s a classic example of the short/long style that the Japanese manufacturers made popular during the 60s and 70s. A few of my buddies there in the Cities have some nice fountain pen versions of the short/longs. Believe me, if you thought that the pencil was cool, you’ll freak out over the pen versions.
Found your site via my good friend Patrick and what do I see? My all-time favorite pencil in the world! Glad I’m not the only one that loves this one.
They make a pen version? I’ve never been able to find one, and still can’t on Pentel’s site either. I would practically kill to find one.
With the Sharp Kerry listing on Pentel’s site for around $20, it’s sorely tempting to buy an extra and try to mod it into a pen. If I could fit that barrel with a refillable fiber-tip, I’d be in heaven.
Michael, glad to have you here! No, there’s no fountain pen version of this pencil. However, that being said, there’s a small but obnoxiously loyal (obnoxious because I’m trying to break into it and can’t find anything in my price range to allow me admission to the club) following for Japanese pens that were aimed to be carried in the front pocket of a pair of trousers. They were short-ish, with an extra-long cap. When posted, the cap increased the length of the pen to just about full size. They’re typically very well-balanced, and since the three biggest makers in the 60s and 70s were Platinum, Sailor, and Pilot, they’re outstanding writers. There are a handful of them available on eBay, but from the trends that I’ve seen thus far, the prices are on the rise as opposed to the decline. Send me an email and I’ll fill you in with a little more information.
Oh…and be sure to watch the blog, because as soon as I get one of these, I’ll be absolutely certain to be screaming about it!
That is some of the best pencil porn I’ve ever seen! I have owned a blue Kerry for probably close to a decade now, and by far and away, it is my favorite mechanical pencil. What a superlatively well-made tool. I just bought my first batch of Pentel 4B lead. What a diff the superblack lead makes on newsprint (I’m a big crossword fan), and on any decent writing surface. The Kerry, and the 4B lead are among my chiefest treasures. I’ve made it big in Geek City!
Well done, my friend. I have to admit that I’m marginally un-nerved by the idea of “pencil porn” (too many sharp points…could get messy!) but I appreciate the comment just the same! I’m on the other side of the coin with lead, as I press hard enough that the darker B leads basically turn to mush in my fingers, but you’re right, it’s hard to beat ’em for crosswords.
Ever try one of the Pilot Vanishing Point mechanical pencils? I’d be interested to hear a side-by-side comparo of build qualities. I’ll probably buy one soon enough, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Well, I’m looking for parts for Pentel P205. Is there a person at Pentel I can contact? Thanks
Purchased my first and only Kerry at 18 or 19. Had been wanting one for several years after meeting a business associate of my fathers who had a brown one. I am now 35, and still have the same blue one. Works great, but is rarely used since I have about 100 other MP to choose from. 🙂 Can never have too many MP’s.
Saw a friend use one. Handled it and instantly new I had to have one. Found it on pentel.com, bought it, and received it one day later. Fantastic pencil…complements my fountain pen nicely.
Patrick-if you still read this blog you should check out my blog and my collection. after, you may need to change, and apply for a loan from the bank…..even sexier pencils are available….
rroossinck-ever get a chance to compare the Kerry side by side with the vanishing point? If not, they are of cmoparable quality. Pilot and Pentel, in my book, build some of the best quality MP in the world, past and present. good reason why i have more of these 2 than any other. 🙂
Update, well over 200 pencils now….
Just picked up one of these at Office Depot, got mine in blue. Had been looking for one since I read this post 18 months ago. Very happy with it, thanks for the post. (4/09)