Pentel Tradio TRP55

Here we have a Pentel Tradio TRP55 mechanical pencil. Although this is not my favorite pencil in the world it still deserves a place in my collection. 

As you know, I have a thing for side knock mechanical pencils and especially for the original Pentel Quicker Clicker.  The Tradio TRP55 features the same internal and knock mechanism as the original Pentel Quicker Clicker and that is super cool.  Although the overall quality of this model is not very impressive I can still appreciate it as a capped side knock in a fountain pen form factor.  

The Pentel Tradio, as a mechanical pencil, was a limited-time offering from the European market and only came in 0.5mm. Although these are no longer in production you can still find them on auction sites but be prepared to pay a bit more than you’d expect.  It’s hard to identify all of the colors that they came in but I’ve seen them in gold, yellow, green, purple, blue, silver, black, white, and red.  (I will not be collecting all of the colors)  The fountain pen version is still in production today and comes in a slew of colors and I’ve heard about a collector who has over 150 Tradios in his collection.  

The body is an injection molded design with a soft-to-the-touch feel to it that unfortunately feels a bit cheap. The mold lines are also a bit of a disappointment and should be better.  Although the cap features a sturdy pocket clip and a nifty clear window that visually exposes the tip, it also feels a bit cheap. Even though I am a bit disappointed in the overall quality I do have to acknowledge that Pentel never intended for this model to be a premier, high-quality pencil with a hefty price tag. 

Once you remove the cap to expose the knock, grip, and nose cone you are presently surprised with a much more quality feel.  The grip is smooth (which I like) and is made of a different plastic and has an interesting shape to it. The knock mechanism feels exactly like the original Pentel Quicker Clicker and is a joy to use.

The nose cone is metal and has a gorgeous elegant shape to it.  With the knock mechanism being that of the original Pentel Quicker Clicker that means this nose cone will fit on any of the 0.5mm original Quicker Clickers. They may not sound like a big deal until you screw one on to a PD505.  More about that in a future blog post. :)

When using the Pentel Tradio TRP55 I can never decide if I prefer it with or without the cap posted.  I like it both ways.  

Although I appreciate the side knock mechanism in this pencil I really wish it had more of a Pentel Kerry quality to it.