PDA

View Full Version : Review: Pico D47/04 Lead Pointer



BayesianPrior
April 30th, 2021, 01:29 PM
Yesterday, after reading so many positive reviews, I picked up a Staedtler 502 rotary lead pointer and - as predicted - it did a fantastic job on my Staedtler 780. But, the sections of my Rotring Rapid Pro and my Staedtler 925-35 20 didn't fit in the plastic sleeve and therefore I couldn't point the leads without transferring them to the 780, pointing them, and then transferring back. A tedious and dirty job.

So I went back to the shop today and picked up the Pico D47/04 for $22 Canadian. I believe it had been sitting on the shelf for some time (or Pico's marketing budget was frozen in 1965).

Basic cardboard box, no instructions.

60502

Inside was the big red plastic machine and a metal bar to clamp it on the side of your desk. The mechanism to point leads is functionally equivalent to the Staedtler 502.

60503

However, upon opening the soft underbelly of the great red beast, I discovered three more plastic cuffs of varying diameter and two spare sponges for errant shaving dust. The cuffs are arranged in the photo left to right from widest to narrowest.

60504

You can see that the smallest cuff (black) holds my 780, while the larger green cuff securely holds my 925-35 20 and my Rotring Rapid Pro. You can also see the grooves in the black rotary mechanism to guide exposed lead length, in order to obtain a longer or shorter point (same as the 502), except that there is almost no risk of breaking the tip of your lead in these guides.

605056050660507

The black disc is easily removed to reveal a fairly large grinding wheel and reservoir for shavings.

60508

And here is a photo of the points on my two larger-sectioned lead holders.

60509

I'm delighted with the end result, the novelty of a desk-mounted pointer for about $20 (less than $20 USD), and the ability to fit a number of differently sized lead holders. I have only tested it on 2mm lead, so I cannot say if would work on smaller or larger leads.