Hayakawa Pencil: A Review of the Reissued 1915 Mechanical Pencil
Japanese stationery YouTuber "Seasar Stationery" (1.05 million subscribers) reviewed the "Hayakawa Pencil 2025 Reproduction Model," released by Platinum Pen. This article summarizes the content of that video.
About the product
This is the fifth reissue of Japan's first all-metal mechanical pencil, invented in 1915 by Tokuji Hayakawa, the founder of Sharp Corporation. Limited to 5,000 units, priced at 16,500 yen (tax included). The lead size has been changed from the original 1.15mm to a more modern 0.5mm.
Specs
It weighs 24g, measures 130mm long (about 1cm shorter than a typical mechanical pencil), and has a relatively thin grip diameter of 8.3mm. The material is silver-plated brass, decorated with fine straight-line "engine turning" engraving. It uses a twist-to-advance mechanism where turning the top cap extends the lead, and comes with a paulownia wood box, instructions, and a cleaning cloth.
What the video says
The video praises the beauty of the engraving, evoking the Taisho-era aesthetic, the shine of the silver plating, and how the precise fit of the nib and pipe results in very little wobble while writing. It also highlights the smooth click feel when turning the top cap. On the other hand, it points out that the thin grip can feel slippery, and that the clip is prone to touching the fingers.
For the full review, watch Seasar Stationery's video.