Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Kanoe Multi Pencils

Kanoe Multi Colour Mechanical Pencils

Here’s two vintage Kanoe multi colour pencils that I have. Kanoe was a Japanese company, now long gone, and I don’t know much about them. I have found some information indicating Kanoe was a brand of the Morita Seisakusho company and they exported primarily in the decades prior to and after World War 2. I can only assume they must have exported quite a lot because although they are not common down in my part of the globe, you don’t have to look too long or hard to find a Kanoe. They seem to be quite well made and most are still generally in good condition.
two kanoe multi colour mechanical pencils

First then the lower of the two multi-pencils shown above – it’s a two colour round bodied model. The clip is marked “PAT” “KANOE” and “JAPAN”. You slide the appropriate slider button down to extend the colour tip of your choice – red or black. Black is of course just ordinary graphite.

2 colour pencil tip
The other model is a four-colour octagonal bodied multi pencil. The clip is marked “PAT” “KANOE / PEACE”. I have noted some pencils to be marked with and without the word Peace and wonder if that might date them to prior / post war? The colours are red, green, blue and black (graphite). The leads are all 1.18mm, same as the two colour model.

kanoe 4 colour mechanical pencil

kanoe sliders and clip
Spare leads are housed beneath the top cap.

spare leads stored under cap
Having selected the tip of your choice, to actually advance more lead you push the slider down even further to push the tip further out of the body and then you rotate the tip to wind more lead out. It’s a one way system – once wound out the lead cannot be wound back in.

tip in normal position

tip further extended
I have read some statements that the bodies are mirror polished stainless steel, but I figure both of mine are plated brass.
kanoe 4 colour mechanical pencil instruction sheet

14 comments:

Mason Sklar said...

"Peace" probably refers to the Showa era of Japanese history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shōwa_period

memm said...

Wow, they are great! Too bad they are not made anymore.

2nd_astronaut said...

Dave, there are many vintage multi-color pencils (you probably own a few of them :-) ), e.g. http://www.roger-russell.com/normapg2.htm or from luxury sector like CdA or Montblanc...

Do you feel any difference between them in terms of robustness, usability or just overall feeling?

Kiwi-d said...

Hi 2nd - actually I don't have a lot of multi-pencils. Well, by my standards anyway. I think these Kanoe's are my only vintage ones, and most others are modern plastic ones like Papermate, etc. Having said that, I think the difference in old to modern is primarily the change in selector mechanism - from these old slider styles to modern twist-select styles. Other than that the old ones sit in the hand pretty much like new ones.

Anonymous said...

Dave, have you seen the Pentel Function 357 Pencil PC1001 multi-pencil with 0.3mm, 0.5mm and 0.7mm all in the same barrel? Cult Pens now have them:
http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Pentel-Function-357-Pencil.html

- PointFour

Kiwi-d said...

Hi PointFour.

Yep.

http://davesmechanicalpencils.blogspot.com/2007/06/pentel-function-357-pc1001-3c.html

Anonymous said...

Hi, everyone. I have also inhereted from my grandfather (who is now 81 years old) a three coloured Pat Kanoe/Peace Pencil. The colours of the leads are red, blue and black and this one has a rubber eraser underneath the top cap that is creating a chamber to house the extra leads. I would love to post a photo for you if you wish.

Kiwi-d said...

Hello Anonymous - you can contact me by email via the About Me - my profile link in the sidebar.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I have some of Kanoe at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44337451@N00/4548078993/in/set-72157624027378544/

Kiwi-d said...

Phooo, now that's a selection of Kanoe!

Teri Morris said...

I've got a pencil that looks exactly like the faceted model, but it's not marked Kanoe. While it is marked Japan, the clip says "BRISTOL LINE" and there's an imprint on the cap that says "WESTINGHOUSE BUS DUCT"

Anonymous said...

Hi Dave, i just found a beautiful 4 colors PATKANOES PEACE. Where can i buy new leads ? References ?
Thank you.

Carolinahiker said...

Hi. I just found one of these pencils while cleaning out my parents’ home. My father (1922-1968) LOVED these kinds of tools. The nibs are still loaded with leads, plus there are some spares in red/green/blue. The blog explains how to advance the lead, but not how to load a new one. I’m assuming one could just push it up into the empty space but wondering if it somehow it auto-loads from the storage space (like a modern one). Thanks….especially if anyone is still monitoring this old board!!!

Azul said...

To load a new lead you need to rotate the tip anticlockwise until you can't go further, once done it, you have created space for the new lead you will load throught the tip.