versions of Rotring 600 pencil - I'm confused ...

[abissl]

I'm confused about what I've read so far about how to figure out the different versions -- and I'm not speaking of the Newton here -- can someone pls sum it up for me? AFAIK there's a modern "600" version, produced since 2012, which is modeled after the old 600. In which details does it differ from the original 600? And, additional question: Is that modern 600 inferior to the original 600? If not, what sense does it make to pay 100 bucks for a original one, if you can buy a modern one much cheaper?

[elysee]

Based on the Rotring 600 pencil page, http://www.rotring.com/us/mechanical-pencils/290-rotring-600-mechanical-pencil-3501178523096.html, on the Rotring web site, the current Rotring 600 pencil is made in a 0.5 mm version and a 0.7 mm version. The 1990's version included a 0.9 mm pencil. So, one reason to purchase an older model Rotring 600 pencil would be to get the 0.9 mm version.

Personally, I own the Rotring 600 in silver ballpoint pen, 0.7 mm pencil and 0.9 mm pencil as well as black ballpoint pen, 0.7 mm pencil, and 0.9 mm pencil. They are well-balanced and nicely-weighted as well as very sturdy. In some ways, I prefer these 600 series writing instruments to my 800 series ballpoint pen and pencil sets (silver with gold as well as black with gold), each of which are also nicely weighted but which allow for retracting the lead tube. Being able to retract the lead tube is a nice feature as it is possible to bend the lead tube on a Rotring 600 pencil (sadly, I dropped my silver 0.9 mm Rotring 600 pencils shortly after I purchased it and the lead tube was bent as the pencil landed lead-tube-down -- I had to replace the pencil since I could not find a replacement for this portion of the pencil). I believe that the weight of the Rotring 600 contributed to the bending of the lead tube more than the fall as I have dropped Pentel Sharp P207 and P209 pencils lead-tube-down without damaging/bending their lead tubes.

I have not examined the post-2012 Rotring 600 pencils. So, other than telling you about the 0.9 mm Rotring 600 pencil and telling you that the mechanisms on my 0.7 mm and 0.9 mm pencils function nicely, I cannot provide any additional information.

I hope that someone else will be able to provide you with the information that you need.

[MPGeek]

There are some useful links around this subject in Reddit thread "how_to_ident_diff_versions_of_600" (https://www.reddit.com/r/mechanicalpencils/comments/6w8mrj/how_to_ident_diff_versions_of_600/).

[abissl]

Thanks, but this reddit thread leaves me with more question than answers.