Friday, November 02, 2018

Rotring Display

One Dozen Red Roses Rings

This week on the desk display, twelve of my Rotrings.


The first stand.
Top to Bottom
  • 800
  • Rapid Pro
  • 600 - version without "Rotring 600" printed on the body.
  • 500
  • TS Slide 0.3mm - not made in Japan or Germany, but rather West Germany :) A reminder that innovative sleeves and mechanisms to enhance the usability of 0.3mm lead have been around for over 30 years.  
  • 300 - 2mm leadholder
and on the other stand.
Top to bottom
  • 900 - a "side knock" body bend mechanism.
  • Newton Trio multi pen/pencil.
  • Trio multi pencil - 0.35/0.5/0.7mm.
  • Side Knock - like the 900, a "side knock" body bend mechanism, but unlike the 900 it is a Rotring without a rot ring.
  • Initial
  • Core Tecnor - psychedelic rubber madness.
Some more views.







And the other rack







13 comments:

Ruurd said...

Ha.

You're posting this on what day, Dave? It's Fountain Pen Day today! :-)

Kiwi-d said...

Oh, seriously? I didn't even know :) Pure coincidence! Well I hope the Ink Lords won't take it as an affront :D

Unknown said...

Nice! I hope that drafting has not become a lost art. I wonder if engineering students these days just do computer drafting?

bioMechanica said...

Hi Robert,
Senior EGR student here. CAD models are considered legal documents in industry in the same manner that drawings once were. At least in the US, the concept of drafting is introduced, taught, and practiced as a 3D CAD based activity on college campuses. An Italian post-doc in my lab comments fondly of the mechanical students in his country, who were required to demonstrate their ability to free-hand technical draw. One of the tests, for instance, consisted of one question: "Draw four straight horizontal lines of equal length, width, and spacing." Not many people pass this one...
I think a lot about the lost draftsman and his role in the design team. It could be romanticism, but I swear I gain more insight about my designs when I draw them first, rather than going straight to CAD....

Anonymous said...

rotring is a beautiful brand that I enjoy working with every day. a nice collection you have there, especially the rotring 500. 0.9 mm I would like to keep in my hands. compliments with the beautiful site. Arne Middeldorp

Kiwi-d said...

Thanks Arne. My second dozen are not so naturally photogenic :)

Stefano said...

I have a Rotring Madrid, but apparently it's not a popular pencil. I wonder why.
Anyway, that's a wonderful display! The Trio multi pencil 0.35/0.5/0.7 is my "forbidden dream".

Kiwi-d said...

Stefano - I have often looked at the Madrid. I'm sure its nice, but didn't seem to offer anything particularly different so I haven't ever bought one. Also I don't think it has ever been promoted as much as other Rotrings so not as well known?

Stefano said...

I think you're right, Dave: I don't know how many years the Madrid is on the market, but there is very little information about it on the internet, even from Rotring itself!
Anyway, I also think it's a nice pencil (and pretty affordable, too), but I have to admit that due to the matte finish of the metal body, it has the most slippery grip I've ever tried.

Kiwi-d said...

I got the impression it was perhaps a model that they more pushed as a B2B and corporate gift line. Interesting about the slippery grip :)

Stefano said...

Good point! This would explain the number of websites selling personalized Madrid pens and pencils.

Cytherian said...

Terrific rOtring collection, Dave. :-)

Does the 900 have much of a robust feeling to it? I'd long thought of it as a plastic body with a thin chromed sheath around it. Was Black and Silver the only colors?

Kiwi-d said...

Hi Cytherian. Well the 900 weighs in at about 32g, substantially more than the 800. The visible internals are metal, mostly brass, so I think its a chromed metal body. I'm not sure of the colourways, but I know there was a "silver matte" version as well as my bright chrome. As for robust feeling. Hmmm... how about a fence sitting yes and no :) It is long and tip heavy so it sort of feels heavy and solid, but the top half does feel a bit empty (which it is) and sort of a little bit lightweight and "wave me around" compared to the bottom half.