Difference between revisions of "Uni Kuru Toga"
Line 55: | Line 55: | ||
|| 0.3mm - 0.5mm | || 0.3mm - 0.5mm | ||
|} | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | == The Muji version == | ||
+ | [[File:Muji rotating lead pencil (Kuru Toga alike).JPG|thumb|right|Muji mechanical pencil featuring a rotating lead mechanism]] | ||
+ | Japanese company [[Muji]] produced a mechanical pencil with the same rotating lead mechanism as the original Kuru Toga. It could be found in the Muji online catalog until 2018.<br> | ||
+ | The pencil (only available in 0.5 mm) has a white plastic body and a plastic clip, and is manufactured in China.<br> | ||
+ | According to the Muji website, this model was marketed under the generic name "Mechanical Pencil 0.5 - White" and described as follows: "When writing the lead is rotated while being used to maintain a certain lead thickness". | ||
[[Category:Pencil]] | [[Category:Pencil]] | ||
[[Category:Mechanical Pencil]] | [[Category:Mechanical Pencil]] |
Revision as of 21:30, 3 January 2020
Kuru Toga is a mechanical pencil line developed by the Uni Mitsubishi company. The special feature of this pencil is a particular mechanism (referred as "Kuru Toga Engine") which rotates the lead every time the tip is pressed and then released from the paper surface.
This mechanism prevents the tip from becoming chisel-shaped (therefore more prone to crumble or break) and ensures a consistent line width. The tip rotation is obtained by a spring and gears, and the revolving action is visible by a rotating logo.
All models except the "Pipe Slide" and the "Advance", rotate the lead approximatively 9 degrees per stroke (40 strokes for a complete revolution).
"Pipe Slide" and "Advance" versions rotate the lead twice faster: approximatively 18 degrees per stroke (20 strokes for a complete revolution), thus they are more suitable for Western characters which are made of fewer and longer strokes compared to Asian characters. "Pipe Slide" and "Advance" versions also share a sliding sleeve.
All Kuru Toga pencils are available in 0.5 mm and in a variety of colours, but some models are also available in 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm.
There are also special limited editions featuring characters by Disney, Peanuts, Sanrio and Studio Ghibli.
"Roulette" and "High Grade" use the Uni eraser refill size C, while all the other models use the Uni eraser refill size S.
Kuru Toga pencil models
Model name | Available Sizes | Additional Features / Informations |
---|---|---|
Standard | 0.3mm 0.5mm 0.7mm |
Plastic body; plastic clip; available in a wide variety of colours |
High Grade | 0.3mm 0.5mm |
Ridged aluminium grip section; metal clip |
Roulette | 0.5mm | Knurled aluminium grip section; metal clip |
Rubber Grip | 0.5mm | Rubber grip area; no clip (replaced by a little knob) |
Alpha Gel | 0.5mm | Same gel grip as the classic Alpha Gel; plastic clip |
Pipe Slide | 0.5mm | Plastic body; plastic clip; sliding sleeve; faster rotation |
Advance | 0.3mm 0.5mm 0.7mm |
Plastic body; metal clip; sliding sleeve; faster rotation |
Special Editions
Edition | Model Type | Available Sizes |
---|---|---|
Disney |
|
0.3mm - 0.5mm 0.5mm |
Peanuts |
|
0.3mm - 0.5mm 0.5mm |
Sanrio |
|
0.5mm |
Adidas |
|
0.5mm |
Studio Ghibli |
|
0.3mm - 0.5mm |
The Muji version
Japanese company Muji produced a mechanical pencil with the same rotating lead mechanism as the original Kuru Toga. It could be found in the Muji online catalog until 2018.
The pencil (only available in 0.5 mm) has a white plastic body and a plastic clip, and is manufactured in China.
According to the Muji website, this model was marketed under the generic name "Mechanical Pencil 0.5 - White" and described as follows: "When writing the lead is rotated while being used to maintain a certain lead thickness".