The Best 0.5mm Pencil Lead

Buying Guide

Mechanical pencils use slim, long pieces of graphite lead that you can replace once you use them up. To put one in, you usually unscrew the top part of the pencil and insert a fresh piece in the cartridge if it has one; otherwise, you’ll drop the in the lead in another way.

Screw the top back on, and apply pressure to the pencil’s button or other mechanisms (some of them twist) to advance the lead down to the tip. If you’re replacing an old refill, first turn the pencil upside down after you open it up and tap gently to get the debris out.

If you’re worried about lead in pencils, there is absolutely no reason for concern. The name is deceptive, because pencil “lead” is not made of the real thing. It is actually made from a form of carbon called graphite. This graphite has clay mixed into it to form the pencil lead with which we’re all familiar.

People prefer mechanical pencils over regular ones because they never have to be sharpened, offer consistent balance and line width, and come in different densities. The pencils are also sold in various styles and materials and look and feel more professional; look for ones with built-in erasers, which may often also be refilled. 

As for the graphite refills, you’ll want to understand the different sizes that they are sold in. Lead sizes refer to the diameter measured in millimeters (mm). The smaller the number, the thinner the lead. Smaller diameters work well for fine details and tiny writing but break easily. 0.5 and 0.7 millimeter leads are the most common ones; they’re still precise but more durable than thinner leads.

The standard size is 0.5mm, which is used almost universally in technical drawings. These produce fine, narrow lines, so artists like using them to create details. Some people prefer an 0.7 lead for shading and non-detailed work, though. Because 0.5 lead is so common, you will have plenty of selection in styles of mechanical pencils.

As with other pencils, mechanical pencil leads may have a lead grade, represented by letters “H” and “B.” H is harder and lighter while B is softer and darker; HB2 is right in the middle of this scale.

• Some pencil lead refills are only compatible with specific mechanical pencils, so read the product descriptions carefully.
• If you like using different kinds of refills, shop for sets that include ones with different lead grades.
• Mechanical pencils usually only take one size of lead refills, so if you’re using a standard pencil, it’ll only work with 0.5mm refills.